Front matter (continued, part 71)
Some suggest that Job meant "I'm so far gone that only my gums are left!" But the gums are not usually referred to as "the skin of the teeth." Others say that he meant, "If there were skin on my teeth, that's how close I am to death!" Or, "My body is so emaciated that all I have left is the skin of my teeth!" (He was exaggerating, of course.) Whatever Job had in mind, the image clearly shows one thing: it was a miracle that Job was alive.
In the sixth picture, Job borrowed the image of a tree uprooted (19:10; see 18:16). Job had used the tree as a picture of hope (14:7), but now he sees it as a symbol of lost hope. But in Job 14, Job was speaking about a tree that was chopped down, while here the tree is uprooted. Without a root system, the tree cannot live.
Job closed this part of his defense by appealing to his friends for pity (vv. 21–22; 6:14). God was against him, his family and friends had deserted him, and all he had left were his three intimate friends who were now pursuing him like wild beasts after their prey. Couldn't they stop and try to help him? Why must they have such hard hearts?
Job's final picture is that of a besieged city (19:11–12). God has declared war on Job (13:24) and is treating him like an enemy. His troops have attacked him and settled down for a long, hard siege. Imagine a large army building a ramp just to attack a tent! Once again, Job cannot understand why God has sent so much suffering. Why use an atomic bomb just to destroy a tent?
Insight (Job 19:23–29). Why did Job want his words to be recorded permanently? He thought he was going to die before God would vindicate him, and he wanted people to remember how he suffered and what he said. Bildad warned him, "The remembrance of him [a wicked man] shall perish from the earth" (18:17), and Job wanted his record to remain.
Isolation (Job 19:13–22). Job went on to explain how his suffering affected his relationship with people. We must recognize that extreme and prolonged pain often isolates sufferers from people and circumstances around them. When people really hurt, they may tend to withdraw and give the impression that others don't really understand what they are going through. Job felt alienated from those left in his family, from his friends, and even from his servants.
At this point, Job uttered another of his statements of faith that in this book punctuate his many expressions of grief and pain. It is significant that Job would go from the depths of despair to the heights of faith, and then back into the depths again. This is often the normal experience of people experiencing great suffering. The skies will be dark and stormy, a ray of light will suddenly shine through, and then the storm will come again.
But there was more to this alienation than Job's pain. He was now bankrupt and ill, living at the city dump; and nobody wanted to be identified with him. Furthermore, people were convinced that Job was a
In spite of what some preachers say, very few people can maintain a constant high level of faith and
Job 19—20
courage in times of severe pain and trial. John Henry Jowett, at one time known as "the greatest preacher in the English-speaking world," wrote to a friend: "I wish you wouldn't think I am such a saint. You seem to imagine that I have no ups and downs, but just a level and lofty stretch of spiritual attainment with unbroken joy and equanimity. By no means! I am often perfectly wretched, and everything appears most murky" (John Henry Jowett, by Arthur Porrit, 290).
CHAPTER SEVEN Job 20—21 IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW
"The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best strength that he may be able to bear it."
In 19:25–27, Job expressed confidence that, even if he died, he would still have a Redeemer who one day would exercise judgment on the earth. Furthermore, Job affirmed that he himself expected to live again and see his Redeemer! "And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God" (v. 26 niv). It was an affirmation of faith in the resurrection of the human body.
—PHILLIPS BROOKS
ophar is next in line to speak, but he has nothing new to say. It's the same old story: God punishes the wicked, so Job had better get right with God. His key text is Job 20:5: "The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment." This theme has already been discussed by Bildad (8:11–19; 18) and Eliphaz (15:20–35), but Zophar is so disturbed by Job's last speech that he feels he must speak. "I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply" (20:3 niv). Zophar felt insulted by Job and decided to defend himself.
The Hebrew word translated "redeemer" in verse 25 refers to the kinsman redeemer, the near relative who could avenge his brother's blood (Deut. 19:6–12), reclaim and restore his brother's property (Lev. 25:23–24, 39–55), and set his brother free from slavery (25:25). The kinsman redeemer could also go to court on behalf of a wronged relative (Prov. 23:10–11). In the book of Ruth, Boaz is the kinsman redeemer who was willing and able to rescue Ruth and give her a new life in a new land.
The Awful Fate of the Wicked (20:4–29) Zophar makes three affirmations to prove that the fate of the wicked is indeed terrible: their life is brief (Job 20:4–11), their pleasure is temporary (vv. 12–19), and their death is painful (vv. 20–29).
Previously, Job had talked about his need for an umpire (Job 9:33–34) and an Advocate in heaven (16:19). Now he takes it a step further: his Redeemer will one day vindicate him, and Job will be there to witness it! When you consider how little God had revealed in Job's day about the future life, these words become a remarkable testimony of faith. And when you add to this the discouragement expressed by Job's friends and his own intense suffering, Job's witness becomes even more wonderful.
Their life is brief (Job 20:4–11). Zophar declares that from the beginning of human history the triumphing ("mirth") of the wicked has been short. We wonder where he got his information, for the Lord waited 120 years before sending the flood (Gen. 6:3), and God gave the wicked Canaanites at least four centuries before He judged them (15:13–16).
Of course, this kinsman redeemer is Jesus Christ. He took upon Himself a human nature so that He might reveal God to us, experience all that we experience, die for our sins, and then return to heaven to represent us before the Father. He is willing to save and able to save. One day He shall stand upon the earth and exercise judgment; and He will vindicate His own people.
Most of the people in Scripture who pondered the problem of evil in the world started from a different premise—the wicked enjoy long life and freedom from trouble, while the righteous suffer much and die young (Ps. 37; 73; Jer. 12:1–4). Zophar was deliberately blocking out a lot of data to prove his point.
According to Zophar, the higher the wicked man climbs in his success, the farther down he will fall when his judgment comes. When he falls, he will go down the drain like his own dung; and people will ask, "Where is he?" (Job 20:6–7). He will vanish like a forgotten dream or like a night vision that cannot be called back (v. 8).
Job closed his speech with a word of warning to his three critical friends (19:28–29): They too will stand at God's judgment throne, so they had better be ready. They accused Job of being a sinner, but were they not also sinners? They said that God was judging Job for his sins, but will He not judge them as well? One day they will have to answer to God for the way they have spoken to and about Job, so they had better beware. Job's words remind us of Paul's counsel in Romans 14:10–13 and our Lord's warning in Matthew 7:1–5.
Not only will the wicked man's person and name vanish, but so will his wealth. After his death, the truth about his crimes will become known; and his children will have to use their inheritance to pay back the people their father has robbed. Their father was still in "youthful vigor" when he died (v. 11 niv), but now he lies lifeless in the grave. According to Zophar, the wicked die young, when they least expect it.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "He has a right to criticize who has a heart to help."
Do you qualify?
Job 20—21
some of the things he labored for. Because he acquired his wealth through sinning, that wealth will not satisfy him.
When you survey both sacred and secular history, you discover that there are no ironclad rules that govern when either the wicked or the righteous will die. Generally speaking, people who ignore God's laws are more vulnerable to problems that could lead to an early death. Sexual promiscuity, the use of narcotics (including alcohol and tobacco), and a reckless lifestyle can all help shorten a person's life; but there is no guarantee that this will happen. It's amazing how some godless people live to an old age. Perhaps this is the grace of God in giving them time to repent.
This certainly has been reflected in the lives of many people who have rejected Christ and devoted themselves to the pleasures of sin. The more they indulge, the more they crave; and the more they satisfy that craving, the less they enjoy. The less they enjoy, the more they have to sin in order to recapture the old thrills; and the more they sin, the more they destroy their ability to enjoy anything. To change the image, they have "blown all their fuses"; and the machinery of life no longer functions as it once did.
Zophar was not talking about the natural consequences of a wicked life, but the judgment of God on sinners. Zophar and his two friends were certain that Job was a hypocrite, that his pious life was only a veneer to cover his secret sins. In his second speech, Eliphaz will even name some of the sins that Job committed (22:5–9)! But God does not always judge hypocrites and other sinners immediately, and the death of a young person is no evidence that he or she was a hypocrite.
Their death is painful (Job 20:20–29). Not even his riches will be able to prevent death from coming to the wicked man (Job 20:20; see Ps. 49). While he is enjoying his prosperity, the wicked man will experience distress, misery, and God's burning anger. God will "rain down his blows upon him" (Job 20:23 niv). The evil man will try to run away, but God will come at him with a sword and shoot at him with a bronzetipped arrow that will pierce him.
The godly Scottish Presbyterian minister Robert Murray McCheyne died when he was only twenty-nine years old, and missionary William Whiting Borden ("Borden of Yale") was only twenty-five years old when he died in Egypt. David Brainerd, saintly missionary to the Native Americans, was twenty-nine when he died. According to Zophar, these men must have been guilty of secret sin, and God took them at an early age.
At this point in his speech, Zophar starts to sound like Bildad (Job 18). He describes the wicked man trying to escape God's judgment. The arrows come at him as he runs through the darkness, and the fire falls around him. Then a flood catches up with him and destroys everything. But that's not the end: The wicked man is finally dragged into court, where heaven and earth testify against him and find him guilty (20:27).
Their pleasure is temporary (Job 20:12–19). Zophar uses eating as his basic image here. The wicked man enjoys sin the way people enjoy food, keeping it in his mouth where he can "taste it" before swallowing it. In fact, he enjoys sin so much, he can't make himself swallow it! But eventually that delicious food in his mouth becomes poison in his system, and he becomes ill and vomits everything up. While enjoying his sin, he hasn't noticed that he's been bitten by a poisonous viper and is destined for death. In other words, sin carries with it both enjoyment and punishment; and if you want the one, you must also accept the other. The pleasures of sin are only for a season (Heb. 11:25).
The Actual End of the Wicked Man (21:1–34) After appealing once more for their understanding and sympathy (Job 21:1–6), Job replied to Zophar's statements and refuted each of them. Job stated that, from his point of view, it appears that the wicked have long lives (vv. 7–16), they are not often sent calamity (vv. 17–21), and the death of the wicked is no different from the death of other men (vv. 22–34). Point by point, Job took Zophar's speech and shredded it into bits.
But first, listen to Job's appeal to his friends that they try to understand how he feels. "If you really want to console me, just keep quiet and listen" (v. 2, paraphrase). The Greek philosopher Zeno said, "The reason why we have two ears and only one mouth is that we may listen the more and talk the less." The friends thought their words would encourage Job, but he said that their silence would encourage him even more (13:3).
But God's judgment involves much more: the wicked man not only gets sick from his sin, but he does not enjoy the everyday blessings of life (Job 20:17). "He will not see the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream" (nkjv). The land of Canaan was a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Ex. 3:8; Lev. 20:24). Milk and honey were staples, not luxuries; and a land "flowing with milk and honey" would be productive and able to support the people. But the wicked man has lost his taste for basic foods, and nothing satisfies him anymore. His taste for sin has ruined his enjoyment of the fundamental blessings of life.
Job pointed out that his complaint was not against men but against God. Men had not caused his afflictions, and men could not take them away. If he was impatient, it was because God had not answered him (v. 3). The longer God waited, the worse Job's situation became. "Look at me and be astonished; clap your hand over your mouth" (21:5 niv).
Using the image of eating, Zophar has made two points: what the wicked man swallows will make him sick and will take away his desire for the good things of life. He makes a third point in Job 20:18–19: the wicked man will not be able to enjoy (swallow down)
As Job contemplated what he was about to say, it stirred him to the depths (v. 6). This was no speech from off the top of his head, for it had to do with the
Job 21
basic facts of life and death. If Job's friends were in his situation, they would see things differently and say things differently.
often does that happen?" How often do you actually see God's anger displayed against the godless people of the world? "How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?" (21:18 niv) The wicked seem to be secure in this world, while the righteous suffer (but see Ps. 73).
The life of the wicked may be long (Job 21:7–16). In contrast to Zophar's text (20:5), Job said, "Why do the wicked still live, continue on, also become very powerful?" (21:7 nasb) They have security on every side: their children and homes are safe (vv. 8–9, 11–12), their business prospers (v. 10), and they have long lives in which to enjoy their prosperity (v. 13). They also have many descendants who share the family wealth and enjoy it. The death of the wicked is sudden; they don't linger in agony and long for deliverance. Of course, Job's situation was just the opposite: His family had been destroyed, his wealth was gone, and he was suffering greatly as he waited for death to come.
But if God doesn't judge the wicked, He will judge their children (Job 21:19). Zophar had argued that point (20:10), and so had Eliphaz (5:4). Of course, both of them were aiming at Job, who had lost all of his children. "But what kind of judgment is that?" asked Job. "If a man lives in sin, let him suffer for his sin. After he dies, why should he care about what happens to his family? In Sheol, he will never know what is happening on earth."
Scripture makes it clear that the fathers are not punished for the sins of the children or the children for the sins of the fathers (Jer. 31:29–30; Ezek. 18:1ff.). Certainly parents may be deeply hurt by the sins of their children, and children may suffer from the consequences of their parents' sins, but the judgment of God is always just (Deut. 24:16). It was cruel for the three friends to suggest that Job's sins had caused the death of his children.
But the saddest thing about the wicked is the way they leave God out of their lives and still prosper (vv. 14–15). They want nothing to do with the Lord; in fact, they say to Him, "Get away from us! Leave us alone!" They refuse to pray to the Lord, obey Him, or give Him credit for their success. This is the philosophy of most unsaved people today; you might call it "practical atheism" (see Ps. 10). God is not in their thoughts, let alone in their plans (James 4:13–17). They are selfsufficient as they do what they want to do, and they do it "their way." Jesus described such a person in Luke 12:13–21. Job hastened to say that this was not his philosophy of life. "But I refuse even to deal with people like that" (Job 21:16 tlb). The wicked take credit for their wealth, but Job acknowledged that everything comes from God (1:21). How, then, can Job's three friends classify him with the wicked?
Zophar had said that the life of a wicked man was brief, but Job refuted him by affirming that wicked people often live a long time. Zophar claimed that the pleasures of the wicked were temporary because God's judgment suddenly fell upon them, but Job asked, "How often have you seen that happen?" Now Job answers Zophar's third argument that the death of the wicked is painful.
The wicked die just like other people (Job 21:22–34). Life and death are in the hands of God, so what is mere man that he should teach God or claim to be able to explain God's ways (v. 22)? God will ask Job a similar question when He finally appears and gives Job his long-awaited opportunity to defend himself. Instead of Job questioning God, it will be God who questions Job and humbles Job with His questions!
Before considering Job's second point, we must face the disturbing fact that too many professed Christians actually admire and envy the lifestyle of the rich and famous. In one of his books, Dr. Kenneth Chafin tells about a pastor and deacon who were visiting prospects and stopped at a beautiful suburban home. The lawn looked like it was manicured, and two expensive cars sat in the driveway. Furthermore, the pastor and deacon could see the man of the house comfortably seated in his spacious living room, watching television. Everything about the place reeked of affluence. The deacon turned to his pastor and asked, "What kind of good news do we have for this fellow?"
Observation tells Job that some people die when they are in the fullness of life and apparently in excellent health, while others die after long and painful illnesses. Some people enjoy a long and happy life, while others spend their days in misery, but death is the same for all of them. Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as "infant death" or "tragic death" or "unexpected death" because death is death no matter when or how it comes. The rich man dies, the poor man dies; the believer dies, the unbeliever dies; and "side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both" (v. 26 niv). Of course, Job is talking about the physical side of death and not the spiritual. When death comes, it obviously makes a great deal of difference in the next life whether or not the person had faith in Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:27).
In over forty years of ministry, I have performed many weddings and watched many young Christian couples get started in their homes. What a joy it has been to see homes where couples set the right priorities and resist the temptation to follow the crowd and live for material possessions. Unfortunately, some have lost their spiritual vision and succeeded in this world— without acknowledging the Lord. Alas, they have their reward.
The wicked do not often experience calamity (Job 21:17–21). "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out," Bildad affirmed (18:5); but Job asked, "How
Many people—including some Christian believers—hesitate to speak about death in general or their own death in particular. They have hospitalization and
Job 21—22
fast to their dogmatic assumptions and refused to budge. In a letter to some people who disagreed with him, Oliver Cromwell wrote, "I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken."
life insurance, but they prefer to avoid the subject and act as though death were not coming. "The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else," wrote sociologist Ernest Becker. "It is a mainspring of human activity—activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny for man" (The Denial of Death, Free Press ix)
Someone has defined fanatics as "people who can't change their minds and won't change the subject." Samuel Johnson once said of a man, "That man has only one idea, and it is wrong."
"Behold, I know your thoughts," Job told his friends (Job 21:27). He could tell that his speech had not convinced them, and he knew just what they were going to say when he finished speaking—exactly what they had said before! In verse 28 he quoted two of their statements that he had already refuted (see 18:13–21 and 20:20–29), but he expected to hear similar statements again.
There is always something new to learn about God, the Bible, people, and life. Let's be good learners—and good listeners!
CHAPTER EIGHT Job 22—24 ORDER IN THE COURT!
Job asked his friends if they had ever investigated the situation in places other than their own homeland. As Dorothy Sayers wrote, "There's nothing you can't prove if your outlook is only sufficiently limited." He asked them, "Have you never questioned those who travel?" (21:29 niv) People who travel are usually not provincial in their outlook but have wide experience in the things of the world. With all of their wisdom, Job's three friends might still be narrow in their outlook because they haven't seen what life is like in other places. If Job's friends inquired of well-traveled people, they would learn that in every part of the world, wicked people seem to escape the calamities that fall on the righteous.
"The God of Israel, the Savior, is sometimes a God that hides Himself, but never a God that absents Himself; sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance."
—MATTHEW HENRY W
hat should have been an encouraging discussion among friends had become an angry and painful debate. Instead of trying to calm things down, Eliphaz assumed the office of prosecuting attorney and turned the debate into a trial. It was three against one as Job sat on the ash heap and listened to his friends lie about him. According to the Jewish Talmud, "The slanderous tongue kills three: the slandered, the slanderer, and him who listens to the slander." At the ash heap in Uz, it was death all around!
Then Job became very personal and asked his friends, "If you really believe that the wicked are destined for an early death, have you ever warned them? Have you ever denounced them to their face?" (v. 31, paraphrase). If his friends had replied, "No, we have never talked to the wicked about their future," then Job could have said, "Then why are you warning a righteous man about his future?" How inconsistent can you get?
Three False Accusations (22:1–30) Like any effective attorney, Eliphaz had the case well in hand and his brief all prepared. He made three serious accusations against Job: he is a sinner (Job 22:1–11), he is hiding his sins (vv. 12–20), and he must confess his sins and repent before God can help him (vv. 21–30).
Job's closing words in 21:34 let the three friends know that he had no confidence in what they said. Their comfort was in vain ("nonsense," niv), and their answers were nothing but falsehood. The Hebrew word translated "falsehood" means "a deliberate violation of God's law, an act of treachery." It is often translated "trespass." When the three friends attacked Job, they were breaking faith and trespassing against God. Instead of helping Job, they were leading him astray.
Job is a sinner (Job 22:1–11). Eliphaz can't resist shooting a sarcastic barb at Job. "Is it for your piety that he [God] rebukes you and brings charges against you?" (v. 4 niv) Courts don't try people for their righteousness but for their lawlessness! Therefore, since God has sent terrible judgments upon Job, he must be guilty of sin. "Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?" (v. 5 niv) But Eliphaz missed the point that Job had been making: "Why does God send the punishment before He arrests me, reads the indictment, and conducts the trial?" It all seemed unfair.
I have a friend who prays daily, "Lord, help me today not to add to anybody's burdens."
It's too bad Bildad and Zophar and Eliphaz didn't pray that prayer!
Perhaps all of us should start praying it!
Eliphaz first accused Job of the sin of pride (vv. 1–3). Job was acting as though his character and conduct were important to God and beneficial to Him in some way. Eliphaz's theology centered around a distant God who was the Judge of the world but not the Friend of sinners.
INTERLUDE If you want to be an encouragement to hurting people, try to see things through their eyes. Be humble enough to admit that there might be other points of view. Job's three friends had a narrow experience of life. They held
Job 22
But Job's character and conduct were important to God, for God was using Job to silence the devil. Neither Job nor his three friends knew God's hidden plan, but Job had faith to believe that God was achieving some purpose in his life and would one day vindicate him. Furthermore, the character and behavior of God's people are important to the Lord because His people bring Him either joy or sorrow (1 Thess. 4:1; Heb. 11:5; Gen. 6:5–6; Ps. 37:23). He is not a passive, distant God who does not identify with His people but the God who delights in them as they delight in Him (Ps. 18:19; Isa. 63:9; Heb. 4:14–16). As God's children, we should follow the example of Jesus, who said, "I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29). Then the Father will be able to say of us as He said of Jesus, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17).
were the consequences of his many sins (Job 22:10–11). Why else would he be in darkness, danger, and the depths of suffering? This was the hand of God indicating that Job was a godless man.
The people who were standing around and listening to the discussion must have been shocked when they heard these accusations against their neighbor Job. They must have looked at each other and asked, "How can this be? Why didn't we know about Job's wickedness?" Eliphaz's next point answered their question.
Job is hiding his sins (Job 22:12–20). In other words, Job was a hypocrite, a statement that was made—or hinted at—more than once since the discussion began. "The hypocrite's hope shall perish," said Bildad (8:13). "For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate," said Eliphaz (15:34). And Zophar said, "The joy of the hypocrite [is] but for a moment" (20:5).
Along with pride, Eliphaz accused Job of covetousness (Job 22:6). He was a greedy man who abused people to acquire more wealth. He used his power and reputation (v. 8) to intimidate people and rob them. In the Mosaic law, a creditor could take security from a debtor but not anything that would jeopardize his work, his health, or his dignity as a human being (Ex. 22:25–27; Deut. 24:10–13). Eliphaz accused Job of taking security from his brothers when none was needed, and he left people naked because he took their clothing from them until they paid their debts!
A hypocrite is not a person who fails to reach his desired spiritual goals, because all of us fail in one way or another. A hypocrite is a person who doesn't even try to reach any goals, but he makes people think that he has. His profession and his practice never meet. The Puritan preacher Stephen Charnock said, "It is a sad thing to be Christians at a supper, heathens in our shops, and devils in our closets."
Eliphaz advised Job to look up (22:12–14) and realize that nobody can hide anything from God. A hypocrite encourages himself in his sin by saying, "The Lord doesn't know and doesn't care" (see Ps. 10). But God sees and knows all things, and the hypocrite can't hide his sins from the Lord. God may not judge immediately, but eventually judgment will fall.
Eliphaz didn't even live in Job's territory, so how would he know how Job had treated people in his business dealings? Had some of Job's enemies passed these stories to Eliphaz? If so, he should have investigated the charges before announcing them publicly. The whole thing was pure fabrication, a feeble attempt to discredit a godly man who had helped many people (Job 29:11–17). Job's third great sin was lack of mercy and compassion (22:7–9), which was a sin of omission. No wonder the Lord was not answering Job's prayers! "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard" (Prov. 21:13). Job had turned away the weary, the hungry, the widows, and the orphans, instead of sharing with them out of his rich resources. Since showing hospitality is one of the first laws of the East, Job's sin was especially heinous.
Then Eliphaz advised Job to look back (vv. 15–18) and remember what has happened to sinners in the past. Job had made it clear that he had nothing to do with "the counsel of the wicked" (21:16), but Eliphaz accused him of walking on that very path (22:15). History shows that hypocrites can hide their sins for only so long, and then their sins find them out. God is not only patient with them, but He is good to them and fills their houses with good things (v. 18). The fact that Job was a very wealthy man was evidence of God's kindness and not Job's righteousness.
Poor Job! No matter which way he turned or how he tried to reason with his accusers, he was wasting his time and energy. First they said that God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked, and now Eliphaz claims that God blesses the hypocrite and fills his house with good things!
Throughout Scripture, God shows a great concern for the poor, especially widows and orphans, and expresses anger at those who oppress the poor and exploit them (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 24:17, 26:12). The prophets scathingly denounced leaders, both political and religious, who oppressed the needy and robbed the poor (Isa. 1:17; Jer. 7:6; 22:1–4; Amos 4:1; 5:11; 8:4–10). Jesus had a special concern for the poor (Luke 4:16–19; Matt. 11:5), and the early church followed His example (Gal. 2:10; James 1:27; 2:1–9; Acts 6:1; 1 Tim. 5:1–16). The church today needs to follow that example.
The tragedy of hypocrisy is not only that God sends judgment, but that hypocrisy brings its own judgment. It destroys character; and when character is gone, when the salt has lost its flavor (see Matt. 5:13), what does a person have left?
It has well been said that the highest reward for a faithful life is not what you get for it but what you become by it. Bishop Brooke Westcott said, "Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil
Eliphaz clinched his first point with evidence anybody could see: Job was suffering great trials, which
Job 22—23
was prepared to state his case, present his arguments, and let God give the verdict. Job was confident that, despite God's great power as a Lawgiver, he would win his case, for he was an upright man, and God could not condemn the upright in heart. "There an upright man could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge" (v. 7 niv).
them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or we grow weak, and at last some crisis shows what we have become."
Job must repent of his sins (Job 22:21–30). Eliphaz was sincere in his appeal to Job, just as Zophar was sincere when he asked Job to return to God (11:13–20). "Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you" (22:21 niv). The word translated "prosperity" means "good of every kind." Of course, a hypocrite should return to God, not just to get out of trouble and restore his or her fortunes, but to please and glorify God in the rebuilding of character and service.
But how does a mere man go about finding God? If Job went forward or backward (east or west), to the left or to the right (north or south), he could not see God or even catch a quick glimpse of Him. Of course, God is present everywhere (Ps. 139:7–12); but Job wanted a personal meeting with God. He had questions to ask and arguments to presaent!
What does it mean to "submit to God"? It means to stop fighting God and accept His terms of peace (James 4:1–10). It also means to listen to His Word and obey what God says (Job 22:22). A sinner must put away sin (v. 23) and make God his greatest treasure (v. 25); he must pray and seek God's face (v. 27).
God knew where Job was—in the furnace (Job 23:10)! But it was a furnace of God's appointment, not because of Job's sin; and God would use Job's affliction to purify him and make him a better man. This is not the only answer to the question "Why do the righteous suffer?" but it is one of the best, and it can bring the sufferer great encouragement.
What does God promise to those who repent and return to Him? God will restore them (v. 23) and make Himself precious to them (v. 25) so that all their delight will be in the Lord and not in earthly wealth or pleasure (v. 26). God will answer their prayers and enable them to do His will (v. 27) as He gives direction and light (v. 28). Because they are restored to fellowship with God, they can help others who have fallen (vv. 29–30).
Scripture often uses the image of a furnace to describe God's purifying ministry through suffering. "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction" (Isa. 48:10 niv). Israel's suffering in Egypt was like that of iron in a smelting furnace (Deut. 4:20), and her later disciplines were also a "furnace experience." "For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver" (Ps. 66:10 niv). This image is used in 1 Peter 1:6–7 and 4:12 of believers going through persecution.
Eliphaz says some excellent things in this appeal, but he says them to the wrong man. When we get to the end of the book, we will discover that it is Eliphaz and his two friends who are out of fellowship with God. They will need Job to intercede for them so they can be restored (42:7–10).
When God puts His own people into the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how much. We may question why He does it to begin with or why He doesn't turn down the heat or even turn it off; but our questions are only evidences of unbelief. Job 23:10 is the answer: "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (nkjv). Gold does not fear the fire. The furnace can only make the gold purer and brighter.
If you were Job, how would you respond to this appeal?
Three Bitter Complaints (23–24) Instead of arguing with his friends, or compromising his integrity by giving in to Eliphaz's appeal, Job ignores them completely and speaks to and about the Lord. Job has already made it clear that his dispute was not with men but with God, and he emphasizes this fact in his speech.
It's important to note that Job's life was pleasing to God before he went into the furnace (vv. 11–12). Eliphaz had warned Job to receive God's words and obey them (22:22), but Job had already been doing that. God's Word was his guide as he walked the path of life, and he was careful not to go on any detours. But even more, God's Word was his nourishment that was more important to him than his daily meals. Like Jeremiah (Jer. 15:16) and Jesus (Matt. 4:4; John 4:31–34), Job found in God's Word the only food that satisfied his inner person. (See Ps. 1:2; 119:103; 1 Peter 2:1–3.)
We may paraphrase Job 23:2, "My complaint today is bitter, and I have to keep a heavy hand on myself to keep from doing nothing but groaning." Job's three friends did not understand how much discipline Job needed just to be able to talk with them. Instead of giving in to his pain and doing nothing but groan, Job sought to master his pain and not give in to self-pity. The next time you visit somebody in pain, keep in mind that suffering drains a person's energy and makes great demands on his strength and patience.
Some people go into the furnace of affliction, and it burns them; others go in, and the experience purifies them. What makes the difference? Their attitude toward the Word of God and the will of God. If we are nourished by the Word and submit to His will, the furnace experience, painful as it may be, will refine us and
Job said that he had three complaints against the Lord.
"God is hiding from me" (Job 23:1–12). "Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat [throne]!" (v. 3). This was another appeal to meet God in court and have a fair trial. Job
Job 23—24
make us better. But if we resist God's will and fail to feed on His truth, the furnace experience will only burn us and make us bitter.
landmarks and stole property (Deut. 27:17), but wicked men did it just the same.
But they didn't stop there. They not only claimed the land, but also the animals that grazed on the land! They took flocks and donkeys and oxen from widows and orphans and left them in poverty. Job 24:5–11 gives one of the most graphic pictures of the plight of the poor found anywhere in the Bible. See them foraging for food like wild animals in the desert (vv. 5–6), freezing because they have no clothing (v. 7), drenched by the rain because they have no houses to live in (v. 8), weeping because their children have been snatched from their arms until they pay their debts (v. 9), and forced to work for the rich and yet not allowed to eat any of the food that they harvest (vv. 10–11). Even the oxen are permitted to eat the grain that they thresh (Deut. 25:4)!
Job had a second complaint. "God is frightening me" (Job 23:13–17). "But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases" (v. 13 niv). Job had no other gods to turn to for help, and no way to oppose God or change His mind. God runs the universe by decree, not by consensus or democratic vote. His thoughts and ways are far above ours, but He knows what is best, and we must accept His will and rejoice in it (Isa. 55:8–11). Those who resist or deny the sovereignty of God rob themselves of peace and courage. "There is no attribute of God more comforting to His children than the doctrine of divine sovereignty," said Charles Haddon Spurgeon. "On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings." Why? Because the human heart is proud and does not want to submit to Almighty God. People want to do their own thing and do it their way, rather than find delight in doing the will of God.
"Now," says Job to his friends, "if God judges the wicked, why hasn't He judged those who have treated the poor so unjustly and inhumanely?"
(2) Crimes in the city (vv. 12–17). Job begins with murders (vv. 12–14); he hears the groans of the wounded and sees the death of the innocent. On the average, sixty Americans are murdered every day, a total of nearly 22,000 people annually. That's like wiping out an entire city about the size of Fairbanks, Alaska; or El Cerrito, California; or Augusta, Maine. Some of these murderers are never identified, arrested, or convicted; and Job says, "But God charges no one with wrongdoing" (v. 12 niv). Job had never murdered anybody, yet his friends said he was under the judgment of God!
If this doctrine is such a source of strength, then why was Job so frightened when he thought about the sovereignty of God? It was because he suffered so much and wondered what Almighty God would send to him next. It's one thing to submit to God when you can see His face and hear His voice in His Word. But when, like Job, you are in darkness and pain, it is easy to fall apart and become frightened. "He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store" (Job 23:14 niv). What will happen next?
In verse 15, Job mentions sexual sins, which are certainly rampant in some parts of our cities. The adulterer and the rapist wait for the darkness before they sneak out to satisfy their desires. Also waiting for the darkness is the thief, who breaks into houses (vv. 16–17). "There is crime in the city," said Job, "and God seems to be doing nothing about it."
But Job 23:14 must be contrasted with Jeremiah 29:11: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" (niv). The future is your friend when Jesus Christ is your Lord, and you need not be afraid. Psychologist Rollo May writes, "The most effective way to ensure the value of the future is to confront the present courageously and constructively." And the best way to do that is to submit to the Lord and realize that He is in control. "Alleluia! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (Rev. 19:6).
(3) A curse on the wicked (vv. 18–25). This passage may be seen as a description, telling what will happen to the wicked (kjv, niv, nasb); or it may be interpreted as a denunciation, a curse on the wicked (nkjv). I think it refers to Job's personal curse on the wicked, who seem to escape judgment.
"God perplexes me" (Job 24:1–25). This entire chapter focuses on the seeming injustices that God permits in this world. Job opens his speech by asking in effect, "Why doesn't God have specific days to hold court? Then I could attend and tell Him what I think of the way He is running the world!"
Job's malediction can be summarized like this: "May the wicked vanish like foam on the water or snow that melts in the heat of the sun (vv. 18–19). May they be forgotten by everyone, even their own mothers, as they rot in the grave (v. 20). May their wives be barren and give them no heirs (v. 21). May their sense of security and success vanish quickly as they are brought low, mowed down like wheat in the harvest" (vv. 22–24).
Job starts with injustices in the country (vv. 1–11), and then moves to crimes in the city (vv. 12–17). He closes his speech with a curse on the wicked (vv. 18–25). If God won't judge them, Job will!
"Now," says Job to his three critics, "if what I've said is not true, prove me wrong!" (v. 25) But they never did.
(1) Injustices in the country (vv. 1–11). For the most part, no walls or fences separated the farmlands; each family had its plot, and people respected the landmarks ("boundary stones," niv; see Deut. 19:14; Prov. 22:28; 23:10). God promised to curse those who moved the
Job is to be commended for seeing somebody else's troubles besides his own and for expressing a holy anger against sin and injustice. Too often, personal suf-
Job 24—27
Job Acknowledges God's Power (Job 26) Before magnifying God's great power in the universe, Job first rebuked Bildad for giving him no help (Job 26:1–4). Job had no power, but Bildad didn't make him stronger. According to his friends, Job lacked wisdom; yet Bildad didn't share one piece of wisdom or insight. "Who has helped you utter these words? And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?" (v. 4 niv). If Bildad's words had come from God, then they would have done Job good; for Job had been crying out for God to speak to him. The conclusion is that Bildad's words came from Bildad, and that's why they did Job no good.
fering can make us selfish and even blind us to the needs of others, but Job was concerned that God help others who were hurting. His three friends were treating the problem of suffering in far too abstract a fashion, and Job tried to get them to see hurting people and not just philosophical problems. Jesus had the same problem with the Jewish lawyer who wanted to discuss "neighborliness," but not discover who his neighbor was and then try to help him (Luke 10:25–37). Injustices in society cause a good deal of pain in people's lives, and we should certainly do all we can to uphold the law and promote justice. But those who make the laws and those who enforce them are only human and can't deal with everything perfectly. One of these days, the Lord Jesus Christ will return, judge the wicked, and establish His righteous kingdom. Till He comes, we will have to accept the reality of evil in this world and keep praying, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20).
Then Job extolled the greatness of God (vv. 5–13). God sees everything, even the realm of the dead (vv. 5–6). Job used three different names for the place of the dead: the waters, Sheol, and "destruction" ("Abaddon," Rev. 9:11). If God sees what's going on in the world of the dead, then surely He knows what is happening in the world of the living!
God not only sees everything, but He made everything and controls it (Job 26:7–13). Job began his hymn of praise with a statement about God's power in the heavens (vv. 7–9), and he described the earth with remarkable scientific accuracy (v. 7). God also controls the clouds and the rain.
CHAPTER NINE Job 25—28 HOW FAINT A WHISPER!
Job then moved his attention to the earth (vv. 10–11) and praised God for marking out the horizon where the sun rises and sets. He is the God who controls day and night, land and water. The "pillars of heaven" is a poetic phrase for the mountains; they rest on earth, but they seem to hold up the heavens. All God has to do is speak, and the mountains tremble (9:6).
"Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things."
—BISHOP BROOKE F. WESTCOTT
ildad's speech in Job 25 is the shortest in the book and focuses on God's power (vv. 1–3) and justice (vv. 4–6). It is disturbing to see how Job's friends speak so knowingly about God when, in the end, God revealed that they really didn't know what they were talking about. Too often, those who say the most about God know the least about God.
The last stanza of Job's hymn centers on God's power in the waters (26:12–13). God can stir up the sea or still it as He desires, and He has power over sea creatures ("Rahab" and "the gliding serpent," niv). He can blow the storm clouds away and clear the sky after the storm.
God's power is inherent in His nature (vv. 1–3): He has all dominion and fear ("awe") and reigns sovereignly in the heavens. He has everything under control and sees what is going on in all places. His army of angels is at His command and ready to obey His will. Who can resist Him?
The three friends must have listened impatiently because they already knew the things Job was talking about; but they hadn't drawn the right conclusion from them. Because they saw God's handiwork in nature, they thought they knew all about God; therefore, they could explain God to Job.
God's justice is the outworking of His holy nature (vv. 4–6), for "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). Since God is holy and just, how can mere man claim to be righteous before Him? (Remember, Job was holding fast to his integrity and refusing to confess that his sins had brought God's judgment on him.) Since man is born of woman, he is born with a sinful nature (Ps. 51:5). In the East, the moon and stars shine with great brilliance; but even they are not pure in God's sight. How can a mere man claim to be righteous before God, man who is nothing but a maggot and a worm? (See Job 4:17–18; 8:20; 9:2.) Now, we listen to Job's reply.
Job said that just the opposite was true. "Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; and how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?" (v. 14 nasb). What we see of God in creation is but the fringes of His ways, and what we hear is but a whisper of His power! You may read The Book of Nature carefully and still have a great deal more to learn about God. Knowing a few facts about the creation of God is not the same as knowing truths about the God of creation.
The fourteenth-century British spiritual writer Richard Rolle said, "He truly knows God perfectly that finds Him incomprehensible and unable to be known."
Job 27
The more we learn about God, the more we discover how much more there is to know! Beware of people who claim to know all about God, for their claim is proof they know neither God nor themselves.
enemies were wrong; and Job had the right to ask God to vindicate him. In fact, God was the only one who could prove Job right and his enemies wrong. Where else could Job turn for help?
The three friends had repeatedly warned Job about the terrible destiny of the wicked, so Job threw their words right back at them. "May my enemies be like the wicked, my adversaries like the unjust" (27:7 niv). Job saw his enemies experiencing great distress, calling out to God for help but getting no answer, and then being suddenly cut off by death. But isn't that the very judgment Job's friends predicted for him and probably hoped would come?
Job Questions God's Justice (Job 27) Bildad had made it clear that since God is holy, no man can stand righteous in His sight (Job 25:4–6). The corollary to this proposition is that God is obligated to punish people for their sins; otherwise, He would not be a righteous God. If Job is suffering, it must be that Job is sinning.
Job takes an oath (Job 27:1–6). Once again, Job stood fast in affirming his integrity (10:1–7; 13:13–19; 19:23–27; 23:2–7); but this time, he gave an oath: "As God lives" (27:2). Among Eastern people in that day, taking an oath was a serious matter. It was like inviting God to kill you if what you said was not true. Job was so sure of himself that he was willing to take that chance.
Bildad had affirmed that God is just and punishes those who disobey Him. But this does not mean that everybody who suffers is being punished for his or her sins. Sometimes we suffer because of the sins of others (e.g., Joseph) or because God is keeping us from sin (e.g., Paul in 2 Cor. 12). Jesus suffered, not for His own sins, for He had none, but for the sins of the world (1 Peter 2:22–24; 3:18); and because of His suffering and death, sinners can believe and receive eternal life.
Job also repeated his charge that God was not treating him fairly ("[He] has denied me justice," v. 2 niv). Job had asked God to declare the charges against him, but the heavens had been silent. Job had called for an umpire to bring him and God together, but no umpire had been provided.
Job teaches a lesson (Job 27:11–23). "I will teach you about the power of God" (27:11 niv), says Job; and he describes God's judgment of the wicked. On the day when God vindicates Job, this is what will happen to his enemies.
So, Job declared that, as long as he lived, he would defend himself and maintain his integrity. He would not lie just to please his friends or to "bribe" God into restoring his fortunes. (Satan would have rejoiced at that!) Job had to live with his conscience ("heart," v. 6) no matter what his friends said or his God did to him.
They will die, and their widows will not mourn for them, a terrible insult in the Eastern world. Their children will be slain by the sword or the plague; and if any survive, they will spend the rest of their lives begging for something to eat. The wicked will lie down rich and wake up poor. Their silver and expensive clothing will be gone. Their houses will be destroyed like cocoons (or spiders' webs), or like the temporary shacks of the watchmen in the fields. The death of the wicked will not be peaceful. Terrors will come in at night like a flood and carry them away. Even if the wicked try to flee, the storm will follow them and destroy them.
Job utters a curse (Job 27:7–10). In the East, it was not enough for accused people simply to affirm their innocence; they also felt compelled to call down the wrath of God on those who said they were guilty. Job's words remind us of the "imprecatory psalms" (Ps. 58, 69, 137, etc.) in that they are a prayer for God's judgment on his enemies.
You can recognize in this description many of the images that Job's friends used in their "judgment" speeches against him. Job did this deliberately to remind them that they had better be careful what they say lest they declare their own punishment. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matt. 7:1–2 nkjv).
Who were Job's enemies? Anybody who agreed with Job's three friends that he was guilty of sin and deserved to be punished by God. While this conversation had been going on, many people had likely gathered around the ash heap and listened to the debate; and most of them probably sided with Bildad, Zophar, and Eliphaz. Job could see the spectators nod their heads in agreement with his friends, and he knew that he was outnumbered.
Scripture records several instances where the judgment planned by an enemy was brought home to that enemy by the Lord. Pharaoh ordered the newborn Jewish boys to be drowned, and his own army was drowned in the Red Sea (Ex. 1:15–22; 14:23–31). Haman built a gallows on which to hang Mordecai, but Haman and his sons were hanged there instead (Est. 7:10; 9:25). Daniel's enemies tried to have him destroyed, but they and their families ended up in the lions' den in the place of Daniel (Dan. 6:24). (See Prov. 11:8.)
Job's words sound cruel to us, especially in light of what we are taught about forgiving our enemies by both Jesus (Matt. 5:38–48) and Paul (Rom. 12:17–21). But Job lived even before the Mosaic law was given, let alone the Sermon on the Mount; and we must not expect him to manifest the kind of spirit that was seen in Jesus (Luke 23:34) and Stephen (Acts 7:60). However, in the sight of God, Job was right. God had twice declared before the court of heaven that Job was "a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8; 2:3 nkjv). Therefore, Job's
Job 27—28
Scholars do not agree on the interpretation of Job 27:23. The NASB reads, "Men will clap their hands at him, and will hiss him from his place," and most translations agree with that; but the word men is not in the original text. It simply reads, "He claps his hands against him." Who is "he"? Elmer B. Smick in The Expositor's Bible Commentary suggests that it might be God, and that verse 23 should be connected with verse 13 where "God" is the subject of the sentence (vol. 4, 972). He translates verse 23, "He claps his hands against them and hisses at them from his dwelling [heaven]." Whether God or men, there is rejoicing at the destruction of the wicked.
God's wisdom by mere human efforts. It takes more than courage and native intelligence; it demands humility and spiritual perception.
The fact that a person succeeds admirably in one area of life doesn't mean he or she is qualified to speak about other areas of life. Advertisers use athletes to sell razors and automobiles, or actors and actresses to sell medicine. When famous scientists (who have never studied the Bible) speak authoritatively about spiritual things, their opinion is as valuable as that of any other untrained amateur theologian.
You cannot buy wisdom (Job 28:12–19). Modern society thinks that anything can be obtained or accomplished if only you have enough money. Government agencies ask for a bigger slice of the annual budget so they can do a better job of fighting crime, ending pollution, providing jobs, and building a better environment. While a certain amount of money is necessary to survive in modern society, money is not the do-all and be-all that the world says it is. It's good to enjoy the things money can buy (1 Tim. 6:17) if you don't lose the things that money can't buy.
Job Seeks God's Wisdom (Job 28) "But where shall wisdom be found?" (Job 28:12). "Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?" (v. 20 niv). Job asked these questions because he was weary of the cliches and platitudes that his three friends were giving him in the name of "wisdom." His friends were sure that their words were pure gold, but Job concluded they were tinsel and trash. The three men had knowledge, but they lacked wisdom.
In these verses, Job mentions gold five times, silver once, and names seven different precious stones; yet none of these treasures individually, nor all of them collectively, can purchase the wisdom of God. The real problem is that man doesn't comprehend the price of wisdom and thinks he can get it cheaply (Job 28:13). "[Wisdom] is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her" (Prov. 3:15 nkjv). True wisdom is expensive. It is not received automatically just because you listen to a recording, attend a seminar, or listen to a dynamic speaker.
"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge," said Charles Spurgeon. "To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as the knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom."
In this poem about wisdom, Job gives three answers to his question, "Where shall wisdom be found?"
You cannot mine wisdom (Job 28:1–11). Job takes us deep into the earth where brave men are mining gold, iron, copper, and precious stones. Precious metals and precious stones are often used in Scripture as symbols of wisdom (Prov. 2:1–10; 3:13–15; 8:10–21; 1 Cor. 3:12–23). Once you have found it, you must "refine" it in the furnace and "mint" it for practical use. Paul said that the opposite of God's wisdom is man's wisdom—"wood, hay, and stubble"—materials that are not beautiful, durable, or valuable (1 Cor. 3:12). You can find wood, hay, and stubble on the surface of the earth; but if you want real treasures, you must dig deep.
Wisdom comes only from God (Job 28:20–28). Go as high as the birds can fly, and you won't find wisdom there. Go as deep as Abaddon and death, and wisdom is not there. Only God knows where to find wisdom, for God sees everything. (He doesn't have to dig into the earth to see what's there!) God has the wisdom to adjust the pressure of the wind and measure the amount of water in the atmosphere. If these proportions were changed, what disturbances in nature might result! God knows how to control the rain and guide the storm as it moves across the earth. Flashes of lightning and peals of thunder may seem arbitrary to us, but God controls even the lightning and thunder.
Job describes how men work hard and face great danger to find material wealth. They tunnel through hard rock and risk their lives to get rich. Why will men and women not put that much effort into gaining God's wisdom? The Word of God is like a deep mine filled with precious treasures; but the believer must put forth effort to discover its riches. It takes careful reading and study, prayer, meditation, and obedience to mine the treasures of the Word of God; and the Holy Spirit of God is willing to assist us. Why are we so negligent when this great wealth lies so near at hand?
Job answers his where-is-wisdom question in Job 28:28: "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (see Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; 9:10). This was God's description of Job (Job 1:8; 2:3); so, in spite of what his friends said about him, Job was a man of wisdom.
What is "the fear of the Lord"? It is loving reverence for God, who He is, what He says, and what He does (Mal. 2:5–6). It is not a fear that paralyzes, but one that energizes. When you fear the Lord, you obey His commandments (Eccl. 12:13), walk in His ways (Deut. 8:6), and serve Him (Josh. 24:14). You are loyal to Him and give Him wholehearted service (2 Chron.
Though man can dig deep into the earth and find great wealth, though he can go places where birds and beasts would not dare to go, though he can even find the hidden sources of the great rivers, man cannot find
Job 28—29
In these three chapters, Job recalled the blessings of the past (Job 29), lamented the sufferings of the present (Job 30), and challenged God to vindicate him in the future (Job 31). He climaxed his speech with sixteen "if I have …" statements and put himself under oath, challenging God either to condemn him or vindicate him. It was as though Job were saying, "We've talked long enough! I really don't care what you three men think, because God is my Judge; and I rest my case with Him. Now, let Him settle the matter one way or another, once and for all."
19:9). Like Job, when you fear the Lord, you depart from evil (Prov. 3:7–8). The "fear of the Lord" is the fear that conquers fear (Ps. 112); for if you fear God, you need not fear anyone else (Matt. 10:26–31).
So, the first step toward true wisdom is a reverent and respectful attitude toward God, which also involves a humble attitude toward ourselves. Personal pride is the greatest barrier to spiritual wisdom. "When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom" (Prov. 11:2 nkjv).
The next step is to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) and make diligent use of the means He gives us for securing His wisdom, especially knowing and doing the Word of God (Matt. 7:21–29). It is not enough merely to study; we must also obey what God tells us to do (John 7:17). As we walk by faith, we discover the wisdom of God in the everyday things of life. Spiritual wisdom is not abstract; it is very personal and very practical.
Job Looks Back at Life's Joys (Job 29) Job had opened his defense by saying that he wished he had never been born (Job 3). Now he closed his defense by remembering the blessings he and his family had enjoyed prior to his crisis. This is a good reminder that we should try to see life in a balanced way. Yes, God permits us to experience difficulties and sorrows, but God also sends victories and joys. "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (2:10). C. H. Spurgeon said that too many people write their blessings in the sand but engrave their sorrows in marble.
As we fellowship with other believers in the church and share with one another, we can learn wisdom. Reading the best books can also help us grow in wisdom and understanding. The important thing is that we focus on Christ, for He is our wisdom (1 Cor. 1:24), and in Him is hidden "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). The better we know Christ and the more we become like Him, the more we will walk in wisdom and understand the will of the Lord. We must allow the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our heart so we can see God in His Word and understand more of the riches we have in Christ (Eph. 1:15–23). Job's speech is not yet finished. In the next three chapters, Job will review his life and then challenge God to either vindicate him or judge him. That will end the debate and usher in two new participants— Elihu and the Lord.
"Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me" (29:2)! When we are experiencing trials, it's natural for us to long for "the good old days"; but our longing will not change our situation. Someone has defined "the good old days" as "a combination of a bad memory and a good imagination." In Job's case, however, his memory was accurate, and "the good old days" really were good.
There is a ministry in memory if we use it properly. Moses admonished Israel to remember the way God had led them and cared for them (Deut. 8:2). In fact, the word remember is found fourteen times in Deuteronomy and the word forget nine times. In days of disappointment, it's good to "remember the years of the right hand of the Most High" (Ps. 77:10–11; see 42:6). But the past must be a rudder to guide us and not an anchor to hold us back. If we try to duplicate today what we experienced yesterday, we may find ourselves in a rut that robs us of maturity.
CHAPTER TEN Job 29—31 I REST MY CASE!
It is significant that Job mentioned as his numberone joy the presence of God in his home (Job 29:2–6). God watched over him and shared His "intimate friendship" with him (v. 4 niv). The light of God was upon Job, and God's presence was with him and his children. God was the source of all of Job's wealth and success, when his "path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out … streams of olive oil" (v. 6 niv). (Zophar promised Job "honey and cream" if he would repent. See 20:17, and note Deut. 32:13–14; 33:24.)
"As long as we want to be different from what God wants us to be at the time, we are only tormenting ourselves to no purpose."
—GERHART TERSTEEGEN
ob and his friends had shared three rounds of speeches, and now Job felt it was time for him to sum up his defense. The phrase "Moreover, Job continued his parable [discourse]" (Job 29:1) suggests that Job may have paused and waited for Zophar to take his turn to speak, but Zophar was silent. Perhaps Zophar felt it was a waste of time to argue with Job anymore.
There is one especially poignant note in this opening statement: Job wished he were back in the prime of life (Job 29:4). While this is a natural desire, it is also a dangerous one. If we focus so much on the glories of the past that we ignore the opportunities of the present, we may end up unprepared to meet the future.
Job 29—30
perplexed make wise decisions and gave the mourners fresh comfort and hope.
That future will come whether we like it or not. Few people eagerly anticipate old age and the special problems that it brings, but we can't avoid it. It's a proven fact that those who have the most birthdays live the longest, and those who live the longest become the oldest; and old people eventually die.