Lesson 6
A Whisper
(JOB 25—31)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Job 25—31. This lesson references chapters 9 and 10 in Be Patient. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
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.
—Be Patient, page 126
1. Why did Job rebuke Bildad before extolling God’s greatness? What were some of the ways Job acknowledged God’s power in chapter 26? What do these descriptions tell us about God? About Job’s understanding of God?
More to Consider: Respond to the following statement: The more we learn about God, the more we discover how much more there is to know! How does Job’s story support this idea?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Job 25—31 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
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.
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.
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.
—Be Patient, pages 127–28
3. Why is it significant that Job took an oath? In what ways does Job’s repeated declaration to defend his integrity define his character? What do you think Job was feeling as he continued to maintain his integrity?
From the Commentary
“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.
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.
—Be Patient, page 129
4. Review Job 27:11–23. How is Job’s description of the wicked similar to what his friends told him? Why did he choose to use similar imagery? (See Matt. 7:1–2.)
From the Commentary
“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.
“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.”
—Be Patient, page 130
5. What answers did Job give (in chapter 28) to his question “Where is wisdom found?” How was this a response to his friends? What does it tell us about Job’s understanding of God?
From the Commentary
Job 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.
In chapters 29—31, 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.”
—Be Patient, page 137
6. Why did Job include a recollection of his blessings in his defense (Job 29)? What was the purpose of Job’s “If I have …” statements? What do they reveal about Job’s frustration? His hope?
From the Commentary
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.
“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.
—Be Patient, pages 137–38
7. Why was it important for Job to remember the good from his past? How can remembering the past benefit us? (See Ps. 77:10–11.) What are the dangers of focusing solely on the past?
From the Commentary
From the delightful past, Job is suddenly thrust back into the dismal and disappointing present. You can almost hear him groan his first words, “But now” (Job 30:1; see vv. 9, 16). Job was wise enough to know that he had to face the reality of the present and not escape into the memory of the past. People who refuse to come to grips with life are in danger of losing touch with reality, and soon they lose touch with themselves.
“In their unsuccessful effort to fulfill their needs, no matter what behavior they choose,” writes psychiatrist William Glasser, “all patients have a common characteristic: They all deny the reality of the world around them” (Reality Therapy, 6). By refusing to live in the past and by honestly facing reality, Job took a giant step in maturity and integrity. In his lament, Job contrasted his present situation with the past and showed how everything had been changed by the judgment of God. His five “complaints” parallel the joys that he named in chapter 29.
—Be Patient, pages 140–41
8. What are the five complaints Job described in chapter 30? How do they parallel the joys he named in chapter 29? Why was it important for Job to admit his current circumstances?
From the Commentary
Chapter 31 records Job’s final defense. It is like a legal document in which Job puts himself under oath before God and asks for judgment to fall if God can prove him wrong (Job 31:35–37). Job’s only hope was that God would hear his cry and vindicate his name. He could die in peace if he knew that his enemies had been silenced and his reputation restored. In sixteen “if I have …” statements, Job reviews his life and relationships and asks God to pass judgment. “I sign now my defense” (v. 35 NIV), said Job as he made the oath official and signed the document. “I rest my case!”
—Be Patient, page 144
9. What did Job ask God for in 31:33–37? Why did he ask for these things? What does 31:33–34 tell us about Job’s character?
From the Commentary
Review Job’s oath in chapter 31 and you will discover that he has asked God to send some terrible judgments if he is guilty of any of these sins: others will eat his harvest and uproot his crops (v. 8); his wife will become another man’s servant and mistress (v. 10); his arm will fall from his shoulder (v. 22); his harvest will be weeds and thistles (v. 40). He made it clear that he was willing to face the righteous judgment of God (vv. 14, 23, 28) along with these other judgments.
When the words of Job were ended, everybody sat in silence, wondering what would happen next. Would God send immediate judgment and prove Job guilty? Or would He accept Job’s challenge, appear to him, and give Job opportunity to defend himself? Perhaps God would speak from heaven and answer Job’s questions.
Job had challenged God because he was sure God would vindicate him. Job’s three friends were sure that God would condemn him.
—Be Patient, page 147
10. Why did Job invite such terrible judgments upon himself if proven guilty? What must it have been like to sit in silence, awaiting God’s judgment? What role does trust play in Job’s story?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Job 25—31. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. Job fought to protect his integrity. Have you ever had your integrity challenged? What was that experience like? What are some of the main areas in which you make an effort to maintain your integrity?
12. Where do you find wisdom? Do you pursue wisdom intentionally? Why or why not? How can the pursuit of wisdom help you grow closer to Christ?
13. Job made his case and then waited on God for His answer. What are some things you’re waiting on God for? What makes the waiting difficult? What makes it worthwhile?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you want to wait on God with more trust? Be specific. Go back through Job 25—31 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: Job made a point to remember the good things from his past, not to linger in it, but to acknowledge God’s role in shaping his life. Take a few minutes to recall the ways God has grown and shaped you in the past. Then thank God in prayer for all the good that He has granted you, and ask Him to continue to lead you today and into the future.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve noted above. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read Job 32—37. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read chapters 11 and 12, “Elihu Has the Answers” and “Elihu Explains and Defends God,” in Be Patient.