Job

The discussions continue into round 2

Job 11

Job 11:1-6

Zophar offers his advice by soundly rebuking Job.  His 'speaking many words' is Zophar accusing him of being a fool.  His words were full of empty talk and false boasting.  He believes Job mocked God and feels obligated to rebuke him in the name of the Lord.

Job never claimed his doctrine was pure.  In fact, I think he clearly declares his lack of understanding.  God is holy and righteous and just; Job just doesn't know what God is punishing him for.  His failure was thinking he was being punished.  Zophar believes if God were to speak, He would condemn Job.  When He does speak, he doesn't condemn Job or explain his suffering to him.

Job 11:7-20

Zophar explains to Job that he can't know the deep things of God; that God's ways high and unfathomable; deep and hidden.  Yet, Zophar seems to believe he has a better grasp on these deep things by claiming knowledge that God is punishing Job.  Zophar offers a proverb to show the foolishness of maintaining his stubborn position of innocence.  It was time to give it up, Zophar advised; it was time to repent before it was too late.  He was sure that by not relenting Job was risking his life.

 

Job 12

Job 12:1-3

Job answers his friends with sarcasm; the worl will lose wisdom when his fiends go to the grave.  They've told him nothing he doesn't know; they've given him the conventional wisdom he, and everybody else, already knew. 

Job 12:4-6

Mocking usually comes from one's enemies, but Job's friends bring it to him.  Even though he's been just and blameless his friends ridicule him.  Those at ease target those who are in trouble.  This could easily be rendered, "Piercing is despised by those who live on easy street!"   

Job 12:7-25

God's control over the earth is well known; the beasts & birds know; the earth, fish and sea will testify to this.  In God's hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.  The scope of God's wisdom and power is limitless.  But Job constrasts God's power as a destructive by nature; God builds up and tears down. 

 

Job 13

Job 13:1-12

Job's friends bring him nothing of value.  They presume to speak for God; Job likens them to worthless physicians.  They may call themselves friends but they didn't bring anything of value.  Their wisdom would be more obvious if they just shut up.  Knowledge was often conveyed with proverbs and maxims; their platitudes and proverbs are as clay and ashes. 

Job 13:13-19

Job stands fast in his innocence; he is adamant about presenting his case before the Lord.  In doing so, he knows that God, in all His power and might, in all his infinite wisdom, may strike Job down.  Yet, Job trusts Him; while none of this makes any sense, he had always trusted God. 

God is His salvation; even if were slain.  Where else would he go, where could he go?  He had walked with God a long time and thought he knew Him well.  He's discovering God in a new way.  He's learning in his suffering. 

Job 13:20-28

Job asks God for two things:

1. Withdraw His hand and stop terrorizing him.
2.  Summon him and he'll answer or Job would speak and God reply.

This two things would become the basis of a restored relationship; an opportunity to ask and be answered. 

 

Job 14

There are shades of Ecclesiastes here.  Job seems to say that it is all meaningless.  Men are evil, their days are numbered.  In verse 12 he says that man lies down and won't get up until the heavens are no more, then men will awake.  It doesn't sound bad to Job at this point to be hidden in the grave until the wrath of God subsides.  But this isn't God's wrath, not nearly, not yet.  Job knew of a day of reckoning.  He longed for that because at least God would call on him and he could answer God.  This is a far cry from the silence he felt at this time.  The silence was robbing him of hope. 

 

Job 15

Round two begins with Eliphaz as he takes another shot at getting Job to understand.  Eliphaz comes on even stronger than previously.  None of these men sound like friends any longer.  Eliphaz calls Job's talk 'empty knowledge' and 'unprofitable talk'.  The east wind was a hot desert wind that brought destruction.  We know the fear of the Lord was important to Job, but Eliphaz concludes from Job's words that he has cast off fear and that his sin in controlling what he says. 

Eliphaz reiterates that Job must be sinning; this was to refute Job's claim that the wicked aren't always punished.  Eliphaz holds the council of the older men in high regard while dismissing Job's feelings or thoughts.  Did they dismiss him because of the circumstances he was in?  Did they believe themselves wiser since they weren't suffering?    

 

Job 16

Job 16:1-5

Job replies directly to Elephaz by returning his criticisms of him.  While Eliphaz said Job brought his misery on himself, Job turns it around; his friends had done nothing to bring comfort.  In fact, they brought additional misery.  Job argues that if their roles were reversed Job would bring them comfort.  The words of his mouth would bring relief. 

Job 16:6-14

Eliphaz insisted on Job's silence.  Whether he spoke or was quiet he suffered.  His own words did nothing to relieve his grief.  He felt God wasn't listening; in fact, he felt that God was against him.  Job's worn out from suffering.  He was sure God had delievered him to the ungodly.  He is partially right in this. 

Job 16:15-22

Job wasn't just wearing sack cloth in mourning.  He had worn it so long, it was as if it were sown to his skin.  He was in a permanent state of mourning.  He asked that heaven and earth be his witness against his friends who mocked and scoffed that none of what was happening was from his guilt.  Job longed for someone to stand with him, a true friend who would cry out to God on his behalf.  He longed for Jesus without knowing it.

They aren't much comfort and Job tells them so.  It's easy to draw conclusions from where they sit.  Job tells of how hopeless his situation is since God is against him.  Yet he turns to God as his witness, his advocate and intercessor.  This sounds very messianic. 

 

Job 17

Job 17:1-5

With a broken spirit, the days get longer and without hope.  Death seems to be the only hope of relief from suffering.  Job's friends offer nothing by way of relief.  In fact, by their mocking and provocation they've added to his burden. 

Job prays that God would come forward on behalf of Job and prove his innocence before his friends.  He's convinced God has removed their ability to see and understand.  Therefore, they wouldn't prevail; they would be proven wrong.  Those who betray their friends for some advantage will see the affects on their children.

Job 17:6-9

But God didn't step forward and prove Job's innocence.  Instead Job was made a byword; a song, saying or proverb born out of ruined life regarding a lesson learned.  No one has any respect for Job as his body shrivels up and his countenance is lowered and darkened.  Upright men should be apalled at what was happening.  Job held to his way in a brief moment of self encouragement in verse nine. 

Job 17:10-16

Job's friends are invited back to try again, but he doubts they are any wiser than before.  It seems that life in behind job; he finds no purpose or hope in his future.  His friends look past this darkness in Job to speak of light as if it were near.  With the grave before him and seemingly his only relief, he wonders if his hope for vindicaiton will die with him. 

 

Job 18

Bildad accepts Job's invite to bring new understanding so he takes another turn.  He's clearly offended at Job's comments toward the group of friends.  It's as though Bildad is telling Job, "You don't know what you know."  It's as if he is saying Job is wicked without knowing it.  He speaks of the fate of the wicked.  They extinquished lamps, existing in the dark and bringing light to no one.  They are caught in a snare by the steps of their own feet; they willingly walk into it.  Then, their life is destined to fear, calamiteis, disease, absence of security, loss of wealth and then forgotten forever at death. 

Bildad sums up his views in verse 21; anyone experiencing these things are clearly wicked.  All this indicates someone who doesn't know God.  Bildad doesn't encourage repentance to Job.  He doesn't offer hope or encouragement.  His speech is more about proving himself to be right.  His friend is hurting and Bildad acuses him of wickedness with help at all.

 

Job 19

Job 19:1-5

Job answers Bildad, but is probably also addressing the other 'friends'.  The arguments seem to be about words, wisdom and time.  How many words, who was smarter and how long they would go on talking.  This is hardly talk of compassion.  Truth or not; there didn't seem to be a undertone of love.  They seem to be pointing out his errors for their benefit, not his.  Whatever error Job may have in his life is his to deal with.  His friends exalting themselves and disgracing him hardly helped anyone. 

Job fears God, yet feels He's treated him wrong.  He thinks that God is his enemy yet God thought highly of Job.  If Job is right then God is unjust.  Job and his friends have boxed themselves in to where they beliefs point to an unjust God.  When that happens, we need to look at what we believe.  Something's broke!!  God's ways are so different from ours.  Is it possible for us to figure him out?  Maybe more importantly; is it necessary for us to understand God's ways to have a relationship?  Isn't trusting Him for who He is and what He's promised enough?

Job 19:6-12

Job moves from how his friends have treated him to how Gold has treated him.  God's silence is horifying to Job.  The God he had always loved and relied on was now silent.  Job accused God of hedging him in to keep from escaping.  It's ironic because Satan accused God of hedging job in to protect him.  Maybe part of the problem is that Job sees what he's lost as "my glory' when it was God's all along. 

Job 19:13-22

Job feels isolated and lonely; utterly alone in his circumstances.  His servants don't respect him, his wife finds him offensive, children no longer respect him as an elder.  Friends and loved ones have all turned away. 

Verse 20 is a hard verse no one seems to be sure about its meaning.

Job cries out for his friends to have a heart.  If they set aside all their arguments and explanations and looked at his life they would see God has struck him and have compassion and pity on him.  Job needed a friend; someone to empathize and listen.

Job 19:23-29

Job wished for an accounting of his claim to innocence; one that would go on even after he died.  Bildad claimed the memory of the wicked would perish; Job is sure he will be remembered because of his innocence.  He believed in a redeemer; one that would buy him back from this place.  He didn't just hope for a redeemer but he knew and he was sure he would stand.  That word stand could be found in a court where one would stand as a witness on behalf of another.   Job knew that his redeemer would bring restoration and/or resurrection.  Job knew he would stand before God.  How can his skin be destroyed, yet in his flesh he will see God?  How is this possible?  It certain sounds like a bodily resurrection.  Job had an eternal longing for this day.  It would be the day when he found out the name of his redeemer; his name is Jesus.

While Job pictures his friends plotting their persecution toward him, he warns them that when his redeemer comes he would also bring justice.  He warned them that they would be judged for their words against him.

 

Job 20

Zophar feels the need to speak up again, maing his second and final speecch.  He doesn't bring anything new to the argument but heeps on new words to the same pile already heaped on Job.  The rebuke that reproached Zophar may have been Job's warning of judgment in 19:28-29.

Zophars conveys the common knowledge that he feels Job has forgotten. 

• From the beginning its been proven over and again that a wicked life will be cut short. 
• Even though great heights may be attained, the great humbling is near.
• While there was once prosperity it will be lost.

Zophar portrays evil as a sweet treat in the mouth; a hidden treat, a forbidden delight.  It's poison to the soul.  It will bring about his end.  This wicked man Zophar speaks of doesn't know contentment or 'quietness of heart'.  He will end up with nothing, barren, darkness.  All that he once had will fly away as he will also.  This is what God has reserved for wicked men.  Once again, although his claims about evil seem correct they are incorrectly directed to Job. 

©2017 Doug Ford