Front matter (continued, part 70)
Three Logical Arguments (8:1–22) "Your words are a blustering wind!" (Job 8:2 niv). Can you imagine a counselor saying that to a suffering individual who wanted to die? Bildad did; in fact, he used the same approach in his next speech (18:2). Job had
Job 8
prosperity better than pain?" Little did Bildad realize that his words would come true and Job's latter end would be greater than his beginning. However, in the end Job's prayer would be for Bildad and the others because they were the ones not right with God (42:7–13).
poured out his grief and was waiting to hear a sympathetic word, but his friend said that Job's speech was just so much hot air.
There is a reason for Bildad's approach: he was so concerned about defending the justice of God that he forgot the needs of his friend. "Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?" (8:3 nkjv). Bildad preached a sermon on God's justice, and his text was taken from the "vision" of Eliphaz: "Shall mortal man be more just than God?" (4:17). In defending God's justice, Bildad presented three logical arguments.
The wisdom of the past (Job 8:8–10). Eliphaz based his thinking on observation and experience, but Bildad was a traditionalist who looked for wisdom in the past. "What do the ancients say about it?" was his key question. To be sure, we today can learn from the past. "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it," wrote George Santayana. But the past must be a rudder to guide us and not an anchor to hold us back. "How the past perishes is how the future becomes," said philosopher Alfred North Whitehead.
The character of God (Job 8:1–7). It angered Bildad that Job even thought that God would do anything wrong. Had Job forgotten what God did to sinners at the flood, or what He did to Sodom and Gomorrah? Isn't He the holy God, and doesn't His very nature demand that He do what is right? Job was blaspheming God by questioning Him and accusing Him of wrongdoing.
The fact that something was said or written years ago is no guarantee it is right. As one who enjoys reading the classics, I am impressed with the fact that they contain as much folly as wisdom; and they often contradict each other. Dr. Robert Hutchins, editor of The Great Books of the Western World, wrote in his preface: "In a conversation that has gone on for twenty-five centuries, all dogmas and points of view appear. Here are the great errors as well as the great truths."
While Bildad's theology was correct—God is just— his application of that theology was wrong. Bildad was looking at only one aspect of God's nature—His holiness and justice—and had forgotten His love, mercy, and goodness. Yes, "God is light" (1 John 1:5); but don't forget that "God is love" (4:8, 16). His love is a holy love, and His holiness is exercised in love, even when He judges sin.
"Tradition" and "traditionalism" are two different things. Historian Jeroslav Pelikan expresses this difference accurately when he says, "Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living." To Bildad, the past was a parking lot; but God wants the past to be a launching pad. We stand with the ancients so that we can walk with them and move toward the goals that they were seeking. This includes our knowledge of God as well as our knowledge of man and the world. As John Robinson said to the Pilgrim Fathers when they left for the New World, "The Lord has more truth yet to break forth out of His Holy Word."
How are these two attributes of God reconciled? At the cross. When Jesus died for the sins of the world, the righteousness of God was vindicated, for sin was judged; but the love of God was demonstrated, for a Savior was provided. At Calvary, God is both "just and the justifier" (Rom. 3:24–26). God's law said, "The soul who sins shall die" (Ezek. 18:4, 20 nkjv); and God obeyed His own law in the sacrificing of His Son. In Christ's resurrection, the grace of God triumphed over sin and death; and all who repent and trust Jesus Christ will be saved.
Bildad did not quote from the ancients; he knew that Job was as familiar with the past as he was. But Bildad made it clear that he respected the wisdom of the ancients more than the teachings of his contemporaries. The accumulated wisdom of the ages was bound to be worth more than the words of people who were "born only yesterday." Life is too brief for us to learn all they can teach us. We are fleeting shadows, so we had better learn wisdom while we have opportunity.
In Old Testament times, believers looked forward to the cross and were saved by faith in a Savior yet to come (John 8:56; Rom. 3:25; Heb. 11). Job was a believer; therefore, his sins had been dealt with by God. Even if Job had sinned against God in some great way, God would deal with His child on the basis of grace and mercy and not justice. When we confess our sins, God forgives us because He is faithful to His promise and just toward His Son who died for those sins (1 John 1:9).
The evidence in nature (Job 8:11–22). In this "wisdom poem," Bildad may have summarized some of the sayings of the ancients as he argued from the law of cause and effect. If this law applies in nature, why not in human life as well?
It must have pained Job deeply when Bildad said that Job's children had died because they had sinned (Job 8:4). Bildad probably thought he was encouraging Job: "Perhaps they were not killed because of your sins but because of their own sins. They can't change anything now, but you can; so don't wait too long!"
Take the papyrus plant as an example: If it doesn't have water, it withers and dies (vv. 11–13). Job was withering and dying, so there had to be a cause: He was a hypocrite, and his hope was perishing.
Bildad's appeal in verses 5–7 is another echo of Satan's philosophy. "You say you have not sinned. Then plead with God to restore your prosperity. If you were right before God, He would do great things for you. Isn't
Bildad then moved from plants to spiders (vv. 14–15). Can you lean on a spider's web and be held up securely? Of course not! No matter how confident you
Job 8—10
But God is not only invincible, He is also invisible. Job couldn't see Him or stop Him to give Him a summons to court. God can do whatever He pleases, and nobody can question Him! Even the monster Rahab (Job 9:13 niv, another mythological creature like Yam and Tannin, 7:12) has to bow before God's power.
may be, the web will break. Job's confidence was like that: In due time, it would break, and he would fall.
The third example came from the garden: If you pull up a plant, no matter how luxuriant it may be, it will eventually die (vv. 16–22). Something had happened to Job's "root system," and he was fading away; thus, sin was the cause. Nobody pulls up a good plant and destroys it, so there had to be something wrong with Job for God to so uproot him. God doesn't cultivate weeds and cast away the good plants! Bildad reaffirmed his earlier promise that God would restore Job's fortunes if he would only admit his sins and get right with God. It was the devil's invitation all over again!
"How can I meet God in court?" (Job 9:14–35). In order to prove himself righteous, Job had to take God to court. But suppose God accepted the summons? What would Job say or do? He discusses this by imagining several situations.
(1) "If God came, what would I say?" (vv. 14–19). How could Job answer God's cross-examination? How does one reason with God or present one's case before God? If God should answer, Job would not believe it was really His voice; and if Job should say the wrong thing, God would only afflict him more. When Job finally did meet God (Job 38–41), the Lord asked him seventy-seven questions! And Job couldn't answer one of them! His only response was to admit his ignorance and shut his mouth in silence.
Three Painful Questions (9:1—10:22) From this point on, the emphasis in the discussion is on the justice of God; and the image that is uppermost in Job's mind is that of a legal trial. He wants to take God to court and have opportunity to prove his own integrity. A glance at some of the vocabulary indicates this:
(2) "If I could declare my innocence, what then?" (vv. 20–24). This is no assurance that God will set Job free. Both Eliphaz and Bildad claimed that God rewards the righteous and judges the wicked, but Job said that sometimes God destroys both the righteous and the wicked. Wicked judges condemn the righteous and help the ungodly, and God apparently does nothing about it. Job is accusing God of injustice, not only toward Job and his family but also toward other innocent people in the land.
contend (Job 9:3; 10:2) = enter into litigation answer (9:3, 16) = testify in court judge (v. 15) = an opponent at law, accuser set a time (v. 19) = summon to court daysman (v. 33) = an umpire, an arbitrator reason (13:3) = argue a case order my cause (v. 18) = prepare my case plead (v. 19; 23:6) = dispute in court hear me (31:35) = give me a legal hearing adversary (v. 35) = accuser in court
(3) "If I try to be happy, what good will it do?" (vv. 25–31). Time was running out for Job, like the king's messengers who hasten to their destinations, and the papyrus boats in Egypt that skim swiftly down the river, and the eagle that swoops down from the sky. Perhaps Job should take a more positive attitude toward his afflictions, forget his pain, and smile (v. 27). But would that change anything? No! He would still be guilty before God, rejected by his friends, and sitting on an ash heap in sickness and pain. Even if he took a bath and changed clothes as an act of public contrition and cleansing, he would still fear what God might do. Job is convinced that God is against him and that any steps he takes on earth will be nullified by heaven. The defendant can smile and put on a brave front in court, but that doesn't keep the judge from saying, "Guilty!"
In Job 9 and 10, Job asks three questions: [1] "How can I be righteous before God?" (9:1–13) [2] "How can I meet God in court?" (vv. 14–35) and [3] "Why was I born?" (10:1–22; see v. 18). You can see how these questions connect. Job is righteous, but he has to prove it. How can a mortal man prove himself righteous before God? Can he take God to court? But if God doesn't step in and testify on Job's behalf, what is the purpose of all this suffering? Why was Job even born?
"How can I be righteous before God?" (Job 9:1–13). This is not a question about salvation ("How may I be justified?") but about vindication ("How can I be declared innocent?"). If a man tried to take God to court, he would not be able to answer God's questions one time in a thousand! Yet Job doesn't know any other way to clear himself before his friends.
(4) "If only I had a mediator!" (vv. 32–35). If God were a man, then Job could approach him and plead his case. Or if there were a "daysman" (mediator) between God and Job, he could take away the rod of judgment and bring Job and God together. But God is not man, and there is no mediator! This is where Jesus Christ enters the picture! Jesus is God and became man to reveal the Father (John 14:7–11) and to bring sinners to God (1 Tim. 2:5–6; 1 Peter 3:18). He is the "daysman" that Job was pleading for centuries ago (Job 16:21). "Why was I born?" (Job 10:1–22). Job's argu-
Most of this section is a declaration focusing on the attributes of God, especially His invincible wisdom and power that control the earth and the heavens. Would anybody dare go to court with an opponent powerful enough to shake the earth, make the stars, and walk on the waves? (See Isa. 44:24 and Amos 4:13.)
Job 10—11
event a "tragic waste of manpower." But God thought differently, and the story of these five heroes of faith has been ministering to the church ever since.
ment here is that God made him and gave him life (vv. 3, 8–12, 18–19), but God was not treating him like one of His own creations. After putting time and effort into making Job, God was destroying him! Furthermore, God was judging Job without even telling him what the charges were against him (v. 2). No wonder Job was weary, bitter, and confused (vv. 1, 15). Note that in this chapter Job speaks directly to God and not to his friends.
Job asked, "Why was I born?" In the light of his losses and his personal suffering, it all seemed such a waste! But God knew what He was doing then, and He knows what He is doing now.
"You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about," wrote James. "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:11 niv). If you had told that to Job, he might not have believed it; but it was still true.
God is not a man that He has to investigate things and fight against time (vv. 4–6). God is eternal and can take all the time He needs, and God is all-knowing and doesn't have to investigate like a private detective. Job had previously yearned for an umpire (9:33), but now he asks for a deliverer (10:7) so he can escape judgment. God was an ever-present Guard, watching Job's every move (v. 14). He was stalking Job like a lion (v. 16) and attacking him with His army (v. 17). Job was hemmed in, and there was no way out.
It was true for him, and it is true for us today. Believe it!
INTERLUDE The Hebrew word translated "daysman" in Job 9:33 means "to act as umpire." The "daysman" is the one with authority to set the day when competing parties come together to settle their dispute. In the East, the "daysman" put his hands on the heads of the two disputing parties to remind them that he was the one with the authority to settle the question. Job longed for somebody who could do this for him and God.
So Job's question seems reasonable: "Why then did you bring me out of the womb?" (v. 18 niv) Job's existence on the earth seemed so purposeless he begged God to give him a few moments of peace and happiness before his life ended. He could see his life going by swiftly (7:6–7; 9:25–26), and there was not a moment to waste. "Let me alone," he prays, "so that I can have a little comfort before I go to the world of darkness."
Job was serious about wanting to face God in court, even though he had nobody to represent him. "I desire to reason [argue my case] with God" (13:3). "I will defend mine own ways before him" (v. 15). "Behold now, I have ordered my cause [prepared my case]; I know that I shall be justified" (v. 18). He felt that God was not treating him justly. "I cry aloud, but there is no justice" (19:7). God had "taken away" his "right" (27:2), and Job demanded an opportunity to be heard before the throne of God. But when the opportunity came, Job had nothing to say.
Job could not understand what God was doing, and it was important that he not understand. Had Job known that God was using him as a weapon to defeat Satan, he could have simply sat back and waited trustfully for the battle to end. But as Job surveyed himself and his situation, he asked the same question the disciples asked when Mary anointed the Lord Jesus: "Why this waste?" (Mark 14:4). Before we criticize Job too severely, let's recall how many times we have asked that question ourselves when a baby has died or a promising young person was killed in an accident.
CHAPTER FOUR Job 11—14 AN ANGRY "YOUNGER" MAN
Nothing that is given to Christ in faith and love is ever wasted. The fragrance of Mary's ointment faded from the scene centuries ago, but the significance of her worship has blessed Christians in every age and continues to do so. Job was bankrupt and sick, and all he could give to the Lord was his suffering by faith; but that is just what God wanted in order to silence the devil.
"It is not why I suffer that I wish to know, but only whether I suffer for Your sake."
When William Whiting Borden died in Egypt in 1913 while on his way to the mission field, some people may have asked, "Why this waste?" But God is still using the story of his brief life to challenge people to give Christ their all.
—LEVI YITZHAK OF BERDITCHER J
ob's three friends were old men, so Zophar must have been the youngest since he spoke last. His first speech is not long; but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in animosity, for it reveals that Zophar was angry. There is a proper time and place for the display of righteous anger (Eph. 4:26), but Job's ash heap was not the place, and that was not the right time. "The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:20 nkjv). What Job needed was a helping hand, not a slap in the face.
When John and Betty Stam were martyred in China in 1934, there were some who asked, "Why this waste?" But The Triumph of John and Betty Stam by Mrs. Howard Taylor has been a life-changing book since it was published in 1935. My girlfriend (now my wife) gave me a copy on my twenty-first birthday, and its message still grips my heart.
When the five missionaries were martyred in Ecuador at the hands of Auca Indians, some called the
Zophar makes three accusations against Job: Job is
Job 11
be worse!" is certainly no comfort to a man who has lost his family, his wealth, and his health, and is barely hanging on to life. You don't measure suffering in a quantitative way the way you measure produce at the supermarket. The flippant way in which Job's friends were speaking about his situation shows they lacked understanding. "The deeper the sorrow," says the Jewish Talmud, "the less tongue it has."
guilty of sin (Job 11:1–4); Job is ignorant of God (vv. 5–12); and Job is stubborn in his refusal to repent (vv. 13–20). In his reply, Job answers all three accusations: He affirms God's greatness (Job 12) and his own innocence (Job 13), but he has no hope, so why should he repent (Job 14)?
Zophar's Three Accusations (11:1–20) After listening to Eliphaz and Bildad accuse Job, Zophar should have had enough sense and compassion to take a new approach. Job would hold fast to his integrity no matter what God did or his friends said, so why continue that discussion? How sad it is when people who should share ministry end up creating misery. "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" (Rom. 12:15) is good counsel to follow.
The two questions in verse 7 expect a negative answer. Nobody can "fathom the mysteries of God" or "probe the limits of the Almighty" (niv). Of course, Job never claimed to know everything about God; but what he did know encouraged him to hold fast to his integrity and not give up.
God is not accountable to us. He can arrest and imprison anybody He chooses, convene the court and pronounce the sentence; and nobody can say a word in protest (v. 10; see 9:12). God knows who is wise and who is foolish, who is pure and who is sinful. Since God has passed judgment on Job, Job must be guilty.
Job is guilty (Job 11:1–4). Like Bildad (8:2), Zophar opened his address by calling Job a "windbag." How tragic that these three friends focused on Job's words instead of the feelings behind those words. A Chinese proverb says, "Though conversing face to face, their hearts have a thousand miles between them." How true that was at the ash heap! After all, information is not the same as communication. Sidney J. Harris reminds us, "Information is giving out; communication is getting through."
Zophar closed this accusation by quoting a proverb (11:12). It's not easy to ascertain its meaning. The proverb may be saying that no matter how stupid a man is when he is born, even as dumb as a wild donkey, there is still hope for him to become intelligent. Or, the proverb might be saying just the opposite, as in the NIV: "But a witless man can no more become wise than a wild donkey's colt can be born a man." The NASB agrees: "And an idiot will become intelligent when the foal of a wild donkey is born a man." In view of Zophar's anger and insulting language, it is likely that the NIV and NASB translations are correct.
Not only was Job's speech a lot of wind, but it was also chatter ("lies") and mockery (11:3). What Job said about God was not true and could only be compared to the idle chatter of people who speak without thinking. And what Job said about himself was an outright lie, for he was not pure before God. In maintaining his integrity, Job gave the impression that he was sinless, which, of course, was not true. (See 6:30; 9:20–21; 10:7.) Job is ignorant of God (Job 11:5–12). Zophar's request in verse 5 was answered when God appeared (38:1); but it was Zophar and his two friends who were later rebuked by God, and not Job! Job was commended by the Lord for telling the truth. Beware of asking God to tell others what they need to know, unless you are willing for Him to show you what you need to know.
Job is stubborn and should repent (Job 11:13–20). "There is hope!" is Zophar's encouraging word to Job (v. 18), and he described what Job could experience. God would bless him abundantly, and his troubles would be over. Job could lift up his head again, and his fears would be gone (v. 15; 10:15). He would forget his misery like water gone over the dam (11:16). God would give him a long life, and it would be the dawning of a new day for him (v. 17). He would dwell in the light, not in the darkness of Sheol (10:20–22); and God's security would put an end to all his fears (11:19–20).
Zophar wanted Job to grasp the height, depth, breadth, and length of God's divine wisdom (11:8–9). In saying this, Zophar was hinting that he himself already knew the vast dimensions of God's wisdom and could teach Job if he would listen. It's too bad Zophar didn't know the vast dimensions of God's love (Eph. 3:17–19) and share some of that love with Job.
But if Job wanted these blessings, he had to get them on Zophar's terms. Yes, there was hope, but it was hope with a condition attached to it: Job must repent and confess his sins (vv. 13–14). Zophar is tempting Job to bargain with God so he can get out of his troubles. This is exactly what Satan wanted Job to do! "Doth Job fear God for nothing?" Satan asked (1:9). Satan accused Job of having a "commercial faith" that promised prosperity in return for obedience. If Job had followed Zophar's advice, he would have played right into the hands of the enemy.
When Zophar said that the secrets of God's wisdom were "double" (Job 11:6), what did he mean? It could mean that God's wisdom is full and complete (Isa. 40:2), or that God has twice as much wisdom as Job thinks He has. The NIV says that "true wisdom has two sides" (Job 11:6). There is the small side that we see and the huge side that only God can see.
Job did not have a "commercial faith" that made bargains with God. He had a confident faith that said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (13:15). That doesn't sound like a man looking for an easy way
Since God knows everything, He knows all about Job and could punish him more than He has. "It could
Job 11—13
For example, if it is God's will, king's counselors will lose their authority and wealth, and judges will become confused and mad. In fact, kings themselves will lose their girdles (an insignia of authority), and priests ("princes," v. 19 kjv) will be stripped and become captives. Wise people like counselors and elders will be silenced (v. 20), and princes (nobles) and the mighty (v. 21) will lose their respect and strength.
out of difficulties. "Job did not understand the Lord's reasons," said C. H. Spurgeon, "but he continued to confide in His goodness." That is faith!
Job's Three Affirmations (12—14) Zophar's speech was a brief one, but Job took a long time to answer each of Zophar's accusations. Job began with Zophar's second accusation that Job had no knowledge of God (Job 11:5–12). Job affirmed that he had wisdom and understanding just as they did (Job 12). Then he replied to Zophar's first accusation that Job was a guilty sinner (11:1–4). Job once again affirmed his integrity (Job 13). Job then closed his speech by challenging Zophar's third point, that there was still hope (11:13–20). In Job 14, Job admits that his hope is almost gone.
But God is sovereign over nations as well as individuals (vv. 23–25; Dan. 2:20–22; Acts 17:24–28). He can enlarge a nation or destroy it, or give it freedom or bondage. All He has to do is take wisdom away from the leaders, and the nation's destruction is sure. Proud people don't like to hear this message. Ever since the city of Enoch (Gen. 4:16–18) and the Tower of Babel (11:1–9), mankind has been trying to build and manage things without God; and the end has always been failure and judgment.
The greatness of God (Job 12). First, Job challenged his friends' declaration that they had more wisdom than he did. True, they were older than Job; but age is no guarantee of wisdom. There are old fools as well as young fools.
The integrity of Job (Job 13). In this part of his defense, Job first expressed his disappointment in his three friends (vv. 1–12), then his declaration of faith in the Lord (vv. 13–17), and finally his desire that God come to him and get the issue settled once and for all (vv. 18–28).
Then, Job rebuked them for being so unfeeling toward him and turning him into a laughingstock. He felt he was just and upright, which is the way God described him (1:1, 8; 2:3). "You who are at ease have no concern for people who are slipping. You say God is punishing me for my sins. Then why doesn't He punish robbers and other people who provoke God?" (12:5–6). Zophar claimed that wisdom was not accessible to man (11:7–9), but Job said that God's creatures could teach them what they needed to know (12:7–11; see Gen. 1:26–28). Even "dumb" creatures know that God's hand made everything and keeps everything going. In fact, the very breath they were using to accuse Job was God's gift to them; and He could remove it without their permission. God gave men and women the ability to taste and judge food. Would He not give them the even more important ability to evaluate words and assess truth (Job 12:11)?
(1) Disappointment (vv. 1–12). Job's friends had not been an encouragement to him. They had taken a superior attitude as judges, assuming that they knew God better than Job did. They did not identify with him in his grief and pain. Job called them "forgers of lies," "physicians of no value," and "deceitful defenders of God."
The word forgers (v. 4) also means "whitewashers." They smeared the whitewash of their lies over the discussion so that they avoided the difficult problems while maintaining their traditional ideas (Ps. 119:69). They stayed on the surface of things and never went deep into God's truth or Job's feelings. Counseling that stays on the surface will accomplish very little. If we are going to help people, we must go much deeper; but this demands love, courage, and patience.
As physicians, their diagnosis was wrong so their remedy was useless (Jer. 6:14; 8:11). And as "defenders of God," they would be better off silent; for they did not know what they were talking about. They had such a rigid and narrow view of God, and such a prejudiced view of Job, that their whole "case" was a fabrication of lies. What would they do when God turned the tables and examined them? (See Rom. 14:1–13.) "Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay" (Job 13:12 niv). What the three friends thought were profound statements of truth were only warmedover ashes from ancient fires, clay pots that would fall apart. A good counselor needs much more than a good memory. He or she also needs wisdom to know how to apply the truth to the needs of people today.
In verses 12–25, Job describes the wisdom and power of God. Verse 12 likely refers to God, "the Ancient One" and "the One who lives long." These divine names are a rebuke to Job's aged friends who thought that their years of experience had taught them so much!
Job pointed out that God is completely sovereign in what He does with nature (vv. 14–15) and with people (vv. 16–25). What He destroys cannot be rebuilt, and what He locks up cannot be released (Rev. 3:6–8). He can send drought or flood, and nobody can stop Him (Job 12:15). He has the wisdom to know what to do, and He has the power to accomplish it (vv. 13, 16).
In His sovereignty over people, no matter what their status, God is in control. Job's argument is that all kinds of people experience difficulties in life because God can do what He pleases. He is no respecter of persons and is not impressed by a person's rank, wealth, or social status.
(2) Declaration (vv. 13–17). This is one of the greatest declarations of faith found anywhere in Scripture, but it must be understood in its context. Job is saying, "I will take my case directly to God and prove my integrity. I know I am taking my life in my hands in
Job 13—14
Early believers like Job did not have the revelation of future life as we now have it in Christ (2 Tim. 1:10). Passages in the Old Testament hint at future resurrection (Ps. 16:9–11; 17:15; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2), but Job did not have any of these books to read and ponder. "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14). Job asked this important question but did not answer it. Later on, Job will make a great statement about future resurrection (19:25–26); but at this point he is vacillating between despair and hope.
approaching God, because He is able to slay me. But if He doesn't slay me, it is proof that I am not the hypocrite you say I am." Later, Job will take an oath and challenge God to pass judgment (Job 27). To approach God personally was a great act of faith (Ex. 33:20; Judg. 13:22–23), but Job was so sure of his integrity that he would take his chances. After all, if he did nothing, he would die; and if he was rejected by God, he would die; but there was always the possibility that God would prove him right.
In 14:13, Job asked God to give Himself a reminder to bring Job back from Sheol, the realm of the dead. Job was probably not thinking of resurrection, but of a brief return to earth so God could vindicate him before his accusers. Of course, a believer today is sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13–14); and God will not forget one of His children at the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:50–58).
(3) Desire (vv. 18–28). These words are addressed to God. Job has "prepared his case" (v. 18 niv) and is sure that he will win. Job has two desires: that God would remove His chastening hand and give Job relief, and that God would come to Job in such a way that He would not frighten him. Job is asking God to meet him in court so they can talk over God's "case" against Job and Job's "case" against God. In verse 22, Job gives God the option of speaking first!
Job reminded the Lord that he was the work of God's hands (Job 14:15), an argument he had used before (10:3). It seemed to Job that, instead of caring for His creature, God was doing nothing but keeping a record of his sins. What hope could Job have as long as God was investigating him and building a case against him? Instead of cleansing Job's sins, God was covering them and would not even tell Job what they were!
Why does Job want to meet God in court? So that God can once and for all state His "case" against Job and let Job know the sins in his life that have caused him to suffer so much. "Why should God pay so much attention to me?" asks Job. "He treats me like an enemy, but I'm just a weak leaf in the wind, a piece of chaff that is worth nothing. I'm a piece of rotting wood and a moth-eaten garment, yet God treats me like a prisoner of war and watches me every minute." Job felt the time had come to settle the matter, even if it meant losing his own life in the process.
"Thou destroyest the hope of man," Job complained (14:19), and he used two illustrations to make his point. Man seems like a sturdy mountain, but the water gradually erodes the rock, and it eventually crumbles. Or an earthquake might suddenly move the rocks from one place to another and change the mountain. Death may come gradually or suddenly, but it will come; and man will go to a world where he knows nothing about what his family is doing. Job longed for that release from sorrow and pain.
The hopelessness of Job (Job 14). Zophar had assured Job that there was hope for him if only he would acknowledge his sins and repent (Job 11:13–20). But Zophar was not in Job's situation! From Job's point of view, his future was bleak. In verses 1–12, Job used several images to illustrate the hopeless condition of man in this world. He is like a flower that is soon cut down, a shadow that slowly disappears, a hired man that puts in his time and then is replaced. God knows the limits of our days (7:1; 14:5; Ps. 139:16). A suicide may foolishly hasten the day of death, but nobody will go beyond the limits that God has set for his or her life.
When people are experiencing intense grief and pain, it is easy for them to feel that the future is hopeless and that God has forsaken them. The eminent American psychiatrist Karl Menninger called hope "the major weapon against the suicide impulse." Hopeless people feel that life is not worth living since they have nothing to look forward to but suffering and failure. They conclude that it is better for them to die than to live and be a burden to themselves and to others.
Since man is only a flower, a shadow, and a servant, why should God pay any attention to him? Since life is so short, why should God fill man's few days with grief and pain? "So look away from him and let him alone," prays Job (Job 14:6 niv). "Let me have some peace before my brief life ends!" (paraphrase)
The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche called hope "the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torments of man." But an individual who believes in Jesus Christ shares in a "living hope" that grows more wonderful every day (1 Peter 1:3ff.).
Job's strongest image is that of the tree (vv. 7–12). Chop it down, and its stump remains, and there is always a possibility that the tree might sprout again. The tree has hope, but man has no hope. When he dies, he leaves no stump behind. Man is more like water that evaporates or soaks into the ground; it can never be recovered again (v. 11; 2 Sam. 14:14). Man may lie down at night and awaken in the morning; but when he lies down in death, there is no assurance that he will be awakened again.
Dead hopes fade away because they have no roots, but our "living hope" gets better because it is rooted in the living Christ and His living Word. The assurance of resurrection and life in glory with Christ is a strong motivation for us to keep going even when the going is tough (1 Cor. 15:58).
Charles L. Allen has written, "When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God." Job had not yet slammed the
Job 14—15
hour with his friends and discuss any and all topics. But Johnson always had to win the argument, whether he was right or not. The poet and playwright Oliver Goldsmith said, "There is no arguing with Johnson; for if his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it!" Eliphaz was like that.
door, but he was getting close to doing it; and his friends were not helping him at all.
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:13 nasb).
Eliphaz not only heard Job's words, but he saw where those words led (Job 15:4). "But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God" (v. 4 niv). If everybody believed as Job believed—that God does not always punish the wicked and reward the godly—then what motive would people have for obeying God? Religion would not be worth it! But this is the devil's theology, the very thing that God was using Job to refute! If people serve God only for what they get out of it, then they are not serving God at all; they are only serving themselves by making God their servant. Their "religion" is only a pious system for promoting selfishness and not for glorifying God.
CHAPTER FIVE Job 15—17
DISCUSSION TURNS INTO DISPUTE
"How rarely we weigh our neighbor in the same balance in which we weigh ourselves."
—THOMAS A KEMPIS D
uring this second round of speeches, the fire becomes hotter as the three friends focus more on proving Job wrong than on giving Job help. After all, their own peace of mind was at stake; and they were not about to surrender. If Job was not a sinner being punished by God, then the three friends' understanding of God was all wrong. But that meant they had no protection against personal suffering themselves! If obedience is not a guarantee of health and wealth, then what happened to Job might happen to them. God forbid!
When God called Israel and established His covenant with her, the people's motive for obedience was fear of punishment. If they obeyed the law, God would bless them; if they disobeyed, He would punish them. But this was during the infancy of the nation, when God dealt with them as with children. Children understand rewards and punishments far better than they do ethics and morality. But when the new generation was about to enter Canaan, Moses gave them a higher motive for obedience: their love for God (Deut. 6:4–5; 7:7; 10:12–16; 11:1, 13, 22; 19:9). They were no longer children, and God didn't need to frighten them (or "bribe" them) into obeying Him. Love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:8–10) and the highest motive for obedience (John 14:15).
An anonymous wit once described a theologian as "a blind man in a dark room searching for a black cat that isn't there—and finding it!" But a true theologian walks in the light of God's revelation in His Word, in history, and in creation; and he humbly accepts the truth, no matter what the cost.
Job's three friends were not true theologians because they saw only one side of the picture, the side they wanted to see. The longshoreman-philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, "We are least open to precise knowledge concerning the things we are most vehement about." And also the things we are most fearful about!
Job's words told Eliphaz that Job had a wicked heart (Job 15:5–6). "Your sins are telling your mouth what to say!" (v. 5 tlb; see Matt. 12:34–37). Job was affirming his innocence, but Eliphaz interpreted his words as proving Job's guilt! What hope was there for Job when his friends would not even believe what he was saying?
Eliphaz: Two Warnings (Job 15) In his first speech (Job 4—5), Eliphaz had displayed some kindness toward Job; but you find neither patience nor kindness in this second address. Nor do you find any new ideas: Eliphaz merely repeats his former thesis that man is a sinner and God must punish sinners (5:17–19). He issued two warnings to Job.
Job lacked wisdom because he lacked experience (Job 15:7–10). At this point, Eliphaz turned on the sarcasm, another proof that he had run out of something intelligent to say. This is another debater's trick: when you can't refute the speech, ridicule the speaker. Job never claimed that he was the first man God created, that he was God's confidant, or that God had given him a monopoly on wisdom. Job knew that his friends were older than he was, but age is no guarantee of wisdom (32:9; Ps. 119:97–104).
Job lacks wisdom (Job 15:1–16). How did Eliphaz know this? For one thing, he had listened to Job's words (vv. 1–6) and found them to be nothing but wind. Job's ideas were only "empty notions" and "useless words" (vv. 2–3 niv). Job's words came from a belly filled with the hot desert wind (Jonah 4:8) and not from a heart filled with true wisdom. Eliphaz was using one of the oldest tactics in debate—if you can't refute your opponent's arguments, attack his words and make them sound like a lot of "hot air."
According to Eliphaz, Job's attitude was wrong because he refused God's help (Job 15:11–16). Eliphaz saw himself and his friends as God's messengers, sent to bring Job the consolation he needed. Their words were "spoken gently" (v. 11 niv), but Job's words were spoken in anger. The three friends were serving God, but Job was resisting God.
Samuel Johnson was the "literary czar" of eighteenth-century England, a man who loved to sit by the
Then Eliphaz repeated the message he had given in his first speech (vv. 14–16; 4:17–19). Job had refused
Job 15—16
to accept it the first time, but perhaps he would accept it now that he had suffered more. If heaven is not pure before God, nor the angels that inhabit heaven, how can a mere man claim to be innocent? Man is born with a sinful nature and has a thirst for sin, and Job was no exception. All of this prepared the way for Eliphaz's second warning.
way. "They have their reward" (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16). The only heaven the godless will know is the enjoyment they have on earth in this life, and God is willing for them to have it. The only suffering the godly will experience is in this life, for in heaven there will be no pain or tears. Furthermore, the suffering that God's people experience now is working for them and will one day lead to glory (1 Peter 1:6–8; 5:10; 2 Cor. 4:16–18; Rom. 8:18). Eliphaz and his friends had the situation all confused.
God judges the wicked (Job 15:17–35). In his first speech, Eliphaz had described the blessings of the godly man (5:17–26); but now he describes the sufferings of the ungodly man. Eliphaz was careful to remind Job that these were not his ideas alone, but that the ancients all agreed with him. If Job rejected what Eliphaz said, he was turning his back on the wisdom of their fathers. Eliphaz was a man who found great strength in tradition, forgetting that "tradition is a guide and not a jailer" (W. Somerset Maugham).
Job: Three Requests (16—17) Job's response is to utter three heartfelt requests: first, a plea to his friends for sympathy (Job 16:1–14); then, a plea to God for justice (vv. 15–22); and finally, a plea to God to end his life and relieve him of suffering (17:1–16).
When you read this description of a wicked man, you realize that Eliphaz is talking about Job. Job was in pain, darkness, trouble, anguish, and fear. He was defying God and challenging God to meet him and prove him guilty. The fire had destroyed Job's sheep (1:16; 15:30, 34); invaders had stolen his camels (1:17; 15:21); he had lost all his wealth (v. 29); and his eldest son's house had been destroyed by wind and all Job's children with it (1:19; 15:28). Eliphaz was not at all subtle in his approach; everybody knew he was talking about Job.
A plea for sympathy (Job 16:1–14). Job's friends still had not identified with his situation; they did not feel his agony or understand his perplexity. Job had already called them deceitful brooks (see 6:15) and "worthless physicians" (13:4 niv), but now he calls them "miserable comforters" (16:2). All of their attempts to comfort him only made him more miserable! As the saying goes, "With friends like you, who needs enemies?"
Job assured them that, if they were in his shoes, he would treat them with more understanding than they were showing him. Instead of making long speeches, he would give them words of encouragement. He would listen with his heart and try to help them bear their burdens. Sometimes we have to experience misunderstanding from unsympathetic friends in order to learn how to minister to others. This was a new experience for Job, and he was trying to make the most of it. However, whether Job spoke or kept quiet, he was still a suffering man (v. 6).
But in his closing words (vv. 34–35), Eliphaz gave the hardest blow of all: He called Job a hypocrite and a godless man, and he blamed him for the tragedies that had befallen him and his family. Job had secretly "conceived" sin, and now sin had given birth to suffering and death (James 1:14–15; Isa. 59:4; Ps. 7:14). "Their womb fashions deceit" is the NIV rendering of Job 15:35, and the word translated "womb" is the same as "belly" in verse 1. According to Eliphaz, if you X-rayed Job, all you would find would be hot air and sin! "Hypocrite" is a key word in the vocabulary of Job's three friends. Bildad suggested that Job was a hypocrite (8:13), and both Zophar and Elihu will take up the theme (20:5; 34:30; 36:13). Of course, Job denied the accusation (13:16; 17:8; 27:8) and argued that neither God nor his friends could prove it true.
In his appeal for loving sympathy, Job told his friends what he was receiving from the hand of God (vv. 7–14). Job is worn out; his family is gone; he is gaunt and weak. Both men and God attack him. Job feels like God has painted a target on his back and handed everybody bows and arrows! There is no relief—God keeps assaulting him like a relentless warrior. "I didn't attack God—He attacked me!" God was his enemy (16:9; 13:24), and nothing Job could do would bring about a truce. If Job looked up, God was against him. If he looked around, his friends were against him. Where could he turn?
The problem with Eliphaz's statement about the judgment of the wicked is that it is not always true in this life. Many wicked people go through life apparently happy and successful, while many godly people experience suffering and seeming failure. It is true that ultimately the wicked suffer and the godly are blessed; but, meanwhile, it often looks like the situation is reversed (Ps. 73; Jer. 12:1–4). Furthermore, God gives sunshine to the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). He is longsuffering toward sinners (2 Peter 3:9) and waits for His goodness to lead them to repentance (Rom. 2:4; Luke 15:17–19). The greatest judgment God could send to the wicked in this life would be to let them have their own
A plea for justice (Job 16:15–22). How had Job responded to God's attacks? He put on sackcloth, wept in humiliation and contrition, and buried his face in the dust. In spite of the accusations of Eliphaz (15:4–6), Job knew he was right before God and that God would hear his prayers (16:17).
Job was caught on the horns of a dilemma. His suffering was so great that he longed to die, but he didn't want to die before he could vindicate himself or see God vindicate him. This explains his cry in verse 18:
Job 16—17
Job pictured Sheol as his home, where he would lie down in the darkness and be at rest (v. 13). Since he had no family, he would adopt the pit (or "corruption") as his father and the devouring worm as his mother or sister. They would give him more comfort than his friends!
"O earth, do not cover my blood, and let my cry have no resting place!" (nkjv) The ancients believed that the blood of innocent victims cried out to God for justice (Gen. 4:8–15) and that the spirits of the dead were restless until the corpses were properly buried (Isa. 26:21). Even if Job died, he would be restless until he had been proved righteous by the Lord.
But would there be any hope in the grave? Could Job take his hope with him to Sheol? Paul answers the question: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Cor. 15:19–20 nkjv). Our hope does not die, nor is it buried and left to decay; for our hope is a "living hope" because Christ has won the victory over death and the grave! Christians sorrow, but they must not sorrow "as others who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13).
Job's repeated cry has been for a fair trial before the Lord (Job 9:1–4, 14–16, 19–20, 28–35; 10:2; 13:6–8, 19). He has lamented the fact that he had no advocate to represent him before God's throne (9:33). None of his friends would defend him, so his only hope was that God in heaven would defend him and bear witness to his integrity (16:19). But Job yearned for someone to plead with God on his behalf (v. 21).
The Christian believer has this heavenly Advocate in Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1–2). As our interceding High Priest, Christ gives us the conquering grace we need when we are tempted and tested (Heb. 2:17–18; 4:14–16). If we fail, then He is our Advocate to forgive us and restore us when we confess our sins to Him (1 John 1:5—2:2).
God did not answer Job's plea for death because He had something far better planned for him. God looked beyond Job's depression and bitterness and saw that he still had faith. When I was a young pastor, I heard an experienced saint say, "I have lived long enough to be thankful for unanswered prayer." At the time, I was shocked by the statement; but now that I have lived a few more years myself, I know what she was talking about. In the darkness of despair and the prison of pain, we often say things that we later regret; but God understands all about it and lovingly turns a deaf ear to our words but a tender eye to our wounds.
Of course, Job wanted a "lawyer" to plead his case before God and convince Him that he was innocent. Once Job had won his case, then God would vindicate him before his critical friends and restore Job's honor. God's people don't need that kind of intercession because the Father and the Son are in perfect agreement in their love for us and their plan for our lives. The Lord Jesus ever lives to make intercession for His people (Rom. 8:31–39; Heb. 7:25) and to perfect them in the will of God (13:20–21). We come to a throne of grace, not a throne of judgment; and we have confidence that our loving Father will do that which is best for us.
If only the next speaker would have expressed compassion to this hurting man! But Bildad is all primed to frighten Job out of his wits with the most vivid pictures of death found anywhere in Scripture.
A plea for death (Job 17:1–16). One reason Job wanted his heavenly Advocate to act quickly was because he sensed that death was very near, "the journey of no return" (Job 16:22 niv). When people suffer so much that their "spirit is broken" (17:1 niv, nasb), then they lose their "fight" and want life to end.
INTERLUDE The best way to help discouraged and hurting people is to listen with your heart and not just with your ears. It's not what they say but why they say it that is important. Let them know that you understand their pain by reflecting back to them in different words just what they say to you. Don't argue or try to convince them with logical reasoning. There will be time for that later; meanwhile, patiently accept their feelings—even their bitter words against God—and build bridges, not walls.
Job's friends were against him and would not go to court and "post bond" for him (vv. 3–5). People treated Job as if he were the scum of the earth (v. 6). His body was only the shadow of what it had been (v. 7), and all of his plans had been shattered (v. 11). His friends would not change their minds and come to his defense (v. 10). In fact, they would not face his situation honestly, but they kept telling him that the light would soon dawn for him (v. 12). Is it any wonder that Job saw in death the only way of escape?
In his book about his wife's death, A Grief Observed, C. S. Lewis wrote from his own painful experience: "Talk to me about the truth of religion, and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion, and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion, or I shall suspect you don't understand" (23).
However, at no time did Job ever consider taking his own life or asking someone else to do it for him. Life is a sacred gift from God, and only God can give it and take it away. On the one hand, Job wanted to live long enough to see himself vindicated; but on the other hand, he didn't know how much more he could endure. Once he was in Sheol, the realm of the dead, he could not be vindicated on earth unless God brought him back.
There is true consolation in our faith, but it is not dispensed in convenient doses like cough medicine. It can be shared only by those who know what it's like to be so far down in the pit that they feel as though God has abandoned them. If you want to be a true comforter, there is a price to pay; and not everybody is
Job 17—18
death encourages them to have an annual physical checkup.
willing to pay it. Paul wrote about this in 2 Corinthians 1:3–11.
Fear of death (and the judgment that follows) is a legitimate motive for trusting Jesus Christ and being saved. "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul," said Jesus. "But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28 nkjv). Jesus preached a gracious message of love, but He also preached a stern message of judgment. Paul wrote, "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Cor. 5:11). When Jonathan Edwards preached his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," he did not violate any psychological or biblical principles. The emotions of nonbelievers must be stirred before their minds can be instructed and their wills challenged.
John Henry Jowett said, "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters." God's comfort is never given; it is always loaned. God expects us to share it with others.
CHAPTER SIX Job 18—19 WILL THE REAL ENEMY PLEASE STAND UP?
"Death is the great adventure, beside which moon landings and space trips pale into insignificance."
However, Bildad made two mistakes when he gave this speech about the horrors of death. To begin with, he preached it to the wrong man; for Job was already a believer (Job 1:1, 8). Second, he preached it with the wrong motive, for there was no love in his heart. Dr. R. W. Dale, the British preacher, once asked evangelist D. L. Moody if he ever used "the element of terror" in his preaching. Moody replied that he usually preached one sermon on heaven and one on hell in each of his campaigns, but that a "man's heart ought to be very tender" when preaching about the doom of the lost. Bildad did not have a tender heart.
—JOSEPH BAYLY B
ildad opened his second speech with the same words he used in his first speech: "How long?" (Job 18:2; 8:2), and Job said the same thing when he replied (19:2). The friends were growing impatient with each other because their conversation seemed to be getting nowhere. George Bernard Shaw compared the average conversation to "a phonograph with half-adozen records—you soon get tired of them all."
Bildad blamed Job for the stalemate and admonished him, "Be sensible, and then we can talk" (18:2 niv). It never dawned on Bildad that he and his two friends were playing the same tunes over and over again: (1) God is just; (2) God punishes the wicked and blesses the righteous; (3) since Job is suffering, he must be wicked; (4) if he turns from his sins, God will again bless him. They were going around in circles.
The Terrors of Death (18:5–21) In this address, Bildad painted four vivid pictures of the death of the wicked.
A light put out (Job 18:5–6). Light is associated with life just as darkness is associated with death. Since God is the author of life, He alone can "light our lamp"; for "He gives to all life, breath, and all things," and "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:25, 28 nkjv). The picture here is that of a lamp hanging in a tent and a fire smoldering in a fire pot. Suddenly, the lamp goes out, and the last spark of the fire vanishes, and the tent is in total darkness (Prov. 13:9; 24:20). Like the flame of the lamp or the spark in the coals, life is a precious but delicate thing. It doesn't take a very strong wind to blow it out. "There is but a step between me and death" (1 Sam. 20:3).
Bildad said that Job was not being sensible, nor was he being respectful. He was treating his friends like dumb cattle instead of like the wise men they really were (v. 3). Job was also being irritable and displaying anger instead of humility (v. 4). "Is God supposed to rearrange the whole world just for you?" Bildad asks. "Should He ravage the land with war or even send an earthquake just because of you?" Eliphaz wasn't the only one who knew how to use sarcasm!
The American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst would never permit anybody to mention death in his presence. Yet on August 14, 1951, the flame of his life went out, and he died. "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord" (Prov. 20:27), and God can blow out that lamp whenever He pleases.
However, Bildad planned to use a stronger weapon than sarcasm. His weapon was fear. If the three friends could not reason with Job, or shame Job into repenting, perhaps they could frighten Job by describing what happens when wicked people die.
Before we study Bildad's terrifying speech, we should note that fear is a normal human emotion and there is nothing wrong with it. We use the fear of sickness, injury, or death to teach children to wash their hands, stay away from power lines, and look carefully before crossing the street. Fear of financial loss motivates people to buy insurance, and fear of
A traveler trapped (Job 18:7–10). Frightened, the man leaves his tent and starts down the road, looking for a place of safety. But the road turns out to be the most dangerous place of all, for it is punctuated by traps. Bildad used six different words to describe the dangers people face when they try to run away from death:
Job 18—19
Bildad used should be applied to those who have trusted the Lord for salvation.
a net—spread across the path to catch him a snare—branches covering a deep pit a trap—a "gin" (snare) with a noose that
The Trials of Life (19:1–29) When Bildad finished describing the terrors of death, Job replied by describing the trials of life, his own life. "I don't have to die to experience trials," he said to his friends. "I'm experiencing them right now, and you don't seem to care!"
springs when touched; he is caught by the heel a robber—another pitfall a snare—a noose hidden on the ground a trap—any device that catches prey
These devices were used to catch birds and animals, not people; but the wicked person is like a beast because he has left God out of his life.
Insults (Job 19:1–4). Our words either hurt others or heal them; we either add to their burdens or help them bear their burdens with courage. Job's friends crushed him with their words; they made him feel worthless and helpless in the face of all his suffering. How sensitive we should be to the needs and struggles of others! Even if people do need rebuke, we should do it in love; and our words should hearten them and not weaken them.
No matter what schemes the traveler invents, he cannot escape the traps; and the more he tries, the weaker he becomes (Job 18:7). Darkness and danger surround him, and there is no hope.
A criminal pursued (Job 18:11–15). Death is "the king of terrors" (v. 14), determined to arrest the culprit no matter where he is. If the escaped criminal runs on the path and escapes the traps, then death will send some of his helpers to chase him. Terror frightens him, calamity eats away at his strength, and disaster waits for him to fall (vv. 11–12 niv).
"Even if I have sinned," Job said in 19:4, "it's my sin and not yours. God and I can work things out, so leave me alone." The word Job used ("erred") means "an unintentional sin." Job still defended his integrity and claimed that he had committed no sins worthy of all the suffering he had endured.
The frightened criminal gets weaker and weaker but still tries to keep going. If he goes back to his tent to hide, the pursuers find him, arrest him, drag him out, and take him to the king of terrors. They take everything out of his tent, burn the tent, and then scatter sulfur over the ashes. The end of that man is fire and brimstone!
Illustrations (Job 19:5–12). Bildad had given four frightening pictures of the terrors of death, so Job countered with seven vivid pictures of the trials of his life, what he was experiencing right then and there!
He felt like an animal trapped (v. 6). Job saw himself caught in God's net, not because of his sins but because God had trapped him. Bildad described six different kinds of traps that would catch a fleeing criminal (18:7–10), but Job did not put himself into that picture. He was not running away from God, nor was he guilty of sin. It was God who had suddenly caught him for reasons Job did not understand.
A tree rooted up (Job 18:16–21). Sometimes death is not as dramatic and sudden as the arresting of a criminal. Death may be gradual, like the dying of a tree. The roots dry up, the branches start to wither, and the dead branches are cut off one by one. Soon the tree is completely dead, and men chop it down. The death of a tree illustrates the extinction of a family, a "family tree." Not only is the wicked man himself cut down, but all the branches are cut down too; and he leaves no descendants to carry on his name. (Remember, all of Job's children had been killed by the great wind.) In the East, the extinction of a family was viewed as a great tragedy.
He also felt like a criminal in court (19:7). God had wronged him by arresting him and bringing him into judgment. What had he done? Why were the charges not read to him? Why was he not permitted a defense? "Though I call for help, there is no justice" (v. 7 niv). Throughout the book, Job pleads for justice and cries out for an advocate to defend him before God. What Job did not realize was that he was the advocate defending God! It was Job's faith and endurance that proved Satan wrong and brought glory to the Lord.
Job had used a tree as an illustration of the hope of resurrection (14:7–11), but Bildad did not agree with him. According to Bildad, once the tree is down, that is the end; the wicked man has no future hope.
Job saw himself as a traveler fenced in (v. 8). Satan had complained that God had "walled in" Job and his family so that they were protected from trouble (1:9–12). Now Job is complaining because God has blocked his path, and he cannot move. Job could not see what lay ahead because God had shrouded the way with darkness.
Though Bildad was talking to the wrong man and with the wrong motive, what he said about death should be taken seriously. Death is an enemy to be feared by all who are not prepared to die (1 Cor. 15:26), and the only way to be prepared is to trust Jesus Christ (John 5:24).
At times God permits His children to experience darkness on a dead-end street where they don't know which way to turn. When this happens, wait for the Lord to give you light in His own time. Don't try to manufacture your own light or to borrow light from others. Follow the wise counsel of Isaiah: "Who among you fears
For the Christian believer, death means going home to the Father in heaven (John 14:1–6), falling asleep on earth and waking up in heaven (Acts 7:60; Phil. 1:21–23), entering into rest (Rev. 14:13), and moving into greater light (Prov. 4:18). None of the pictures
Job 19
guilty sinner suffering the judgment of God; so why be his friend? His appearance was repulsive, and people avoided looking at him. He was being treated like a leper, an outcast who was not wanted by family or friends.
the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God" (Isa. 50:10 nkjv).
Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, "Never doubt in the darkness what God has taught you in the light." In fact, what God teaches us in the light will become even more meaningful in the darkness.
One evidence of our Lord's compassion is the way He identified with outcasts. He ate with "publicans and sinners" (Matt. 9:9–13), touched the lepers (Matt. 8:1–4), accepted gifts from prostitutes (Luke 7:36–50), and even died between two criminals (23:32–33). Jesus knew what it was like to be "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isa. 53:3). How important it is that we, His disciples, have this same kind of compassion. It's easy to identify with people we know and like when they are going through trials, but we tend to overlook the helpless, the poor, and the neglected in their sufferings.
"Oh, the unspeakable benediction of the 'treasures of darkness'!" wrote Oswald Chambers. "It is not the days of sunshine and splendor and liberty and light that leave their lasting and indelible effect upon the soul, but those nights of the Spirit in which, shadowed by God's hand, hidden in the dark cleft of some rock in a weary land, He lets the splendors of the outskirts of Himself pass before our gaze."
Job's suffering left him feeling like a king dethroned (Job 19:9). Before his calamities came, Job had been the leading man in Uz and the greatest man in the East (1:3; 29:1–25); but now all that honor and authority were gone. God had taken from him his royal robes and crown, and now he was the lowest instead of the highest. What humiliation!
Job's statement in Job 19:20 has become a familiar but misunderstood proverb: "I am escaped with the skin of my teeth." This is usually quoted, "I escaped by the skin of my teeth," that is, "I just barely escaped!" (If there were skin on our teeth, how thick would it be?) But the Hebrew text says "with" and not "by," and interpreters don't agree on the meaning.
His fifth picture is that of a structure destroyed (19:10). It could be a wall or a building that God's "troops" swooped down on and left in ruins. Job may have been looking back at his business affairs or his household; or perhaps he was contemplating his emaciated body. In any event, what was once strong and useful was now useless and destroyed. Bildad had spoken about a tent being destroyed (18:15), and Job knew what this meant.