Job 14:13–22 – A glorious future awaits us I

In the earlier verses, Job gave us a picture of what he thought of earthly existence. His conclusion was drawn from his experience and perhaps also the instruction of the sages of old. He felt that life was not only brief but also tumultuous. Somehow sin seemed to hold sway of mankind and gave him a tendency to sin. And even if one should be able to identify his flaw, yet he was totally powerless and incapable of cleansing himself. Meanwhile God, he insisted, is watching and He is the final arbiter of man. To Him alone are all man accountable. 

Job then gravitated to contemplate about life after its earthly existence. To him death does not end one’s existence. After death, a person continues to exist as a spirit being, in a spirit world known as Sheol. Job wished Sheol would be a place of refuge for him till God’s wrath over him had passed.  Job questioned whether a dead person could live again. His question was: “If a man dies will he live again?” Job lived many years before Christ, unknowingly he was wondering about the resurrection. For us living after the death and resurrection of Christ, Resurrection is our hope. For Christ had risen from the dead, and so all of us would be too, on the last day. For Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:42, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body”

In verse 16, Job returned to think about his own condition. He felt that God had scrutinized him and took note of every sin he had committed. He felt as if all his wrongs were put together and sealed in a bag and preserved. Job concluded that he was being judged for the collective sins he had committed. Any hope of recovering from his condition seemed gone. He felt hopeless

In this first round of dialogue Job had with his three friends, Eliphaz said that God is morally pure, Bildad said that God is totally just, while Zophar insisted that God is all knowing. Job was insistent on his innocence despite his friends’ arguments that it was his sin that had caused his suffering. Job surely would be glad to bear with his suffering, if he only knew that there was indeed a better life prepared for him. Praise God! for we have this assurance which Paul revealed in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” This present earthly body is just a temporary tent. There is coming a more permanent dwelling for us. Christ urges us not to be troubled. He has gone to prepare a place for us and will come back and receive us to Himself. So that where He is there we shall be also.  

Job 14:1-12 – Life is short, use it to serve God

The words of Job remind us of the result of man’s disobedience. God told Adam that the day he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die. Adam ate of it and since then, death had been the experience of man. Not only would life be short and brief but also sorrowful and tumultuous. Moses in Psalm 90:10 said that “labor and sorrow” fill the brief lifespan of man. Both Job and his thoughts concur. Verse 3 leaves us with no doubt that God watches us all the time and we are all accountable to Him. The truth is also this: that no one can make himself clean. This implied that sin holds sway in mankind. In truth, we all have the tendency to sin. Thankfully, God has given Jesus, our Lord, through whom He also releases His grace. So that as Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though our sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”

Our life, Job tells us, is in the hand of God. Verses 5-6 tell us that the length of our earthly existence is determined by Him. Job saw the duration of life as the time to work. And death is likened to rest after one has gone home from work. Here we are also shown the inevitability of death. Unlike a tree that can sprout again even when it is cut down, man’s death is terminal. Therefore, we must remember the word of our Lord in John 9:4, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”  While we are healthy and in our prime, we must do the work of Jesus, which God had sent Him to do. We, His followers, are now His redemptive agents in the world today. Let us be His true ambassadors, and on Christ's behalf calling out to others to be reconciled to God.  

Job 13:23-28 – Always stay humble and contrite before God

Job now calmly presented his case before God. In his mind and conscience, he was totally resolved and confident that he was innocent. However, he knew he still had not convinced his three friends that he had done nothing wrong. Here we can sense that Job’s genuine desire was to make amend if he had wrongly estimated himself. Verse 23 indicates that he wants to know where his sins were. He logically laid out his case, saying how could he possibly forsake any wrong if he couldn’t even identify them. So, the first step to change would simply be self-awareness. He felt that if God would make it known to him then he could do something about it. His plea was for God to first relieve him of his terrible suffering and provide him with the help he was crying for.

Verses 24 suggests that he was feeling lonely, for God seemed very far way. It’s true that when one is going through tough time and struggles, God usually seems far away. One often feels uncared for. He longed to be able to sense God’s presence and friendship. Verse 26 tells us that he had so thoroughly examined his life that he even considered the sin of his youth. He thought perhaps God was dealing with something he did wrong while he was young. Honestly, Job wanted to be rid of the feeling of being so bound up. His condition bugged him. He felt his body decaying away as if he was a moth-eaten garment. 

Note that we know Job was genuinely searching for the cause of his suffering. He even contemplated the things he did when he was a youth. He left no stones unturned to identify where he had gone wrong. Even so we must, when we spent time in self-examination. What we can learn from Job here is this: even if we are confident before man concerning our innocence, we must stay humble and contrite before God. We must not presume on God. We must learn to trust God in our worst of feelings, because faith will overcome fear within our heart.  

Job 13:13-22 - God is not unreasonable

Job implored his friends to be quiet and listen to him. The way he puts it gives us the impression that he felt the urgency to say something that was important. He seemed to have sensed that what he was about to say might even place him in grave danger. It was like a great risk that he was about to make. Then Job proceeded to make a great statement of faith, exclaiming that, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” Job had audacious faith. He knew that God is reasonable. He allows his people, like us, to be candid and frank with Him in their struggles. Job was very sure that he was innocent. But his three friends were insistent that he had harboured some sins. The patriarch then made known that regardless of what his friends thought, he was going to debate his case with God, even at the rick of losing his life. Job was willing to speak his piece with God even if it meant that he had to die. He was willing to accept the punishment whatever it might be.   

Job’s bold claim that he would debate with God is an indication that he did not do anything wrong. Hence, he had nothing to fear. He maintained that he was righteous. If he was not godly, the last thing he would want would be to face the Almighty God. Job believed that his innocence would vindicate him before God. He was clear in his conscience and was sure he would be vindicated. So boldly he told his friends to be prepared to hear God pronounce his justification. Job offered to keep quiet if anyone of them could clearly show him his guilt. In verses 20-22, Job then made two appeals to God. He asked God to withhold his hand and not to terrorise him. So that he would have the strength to come before him and answer any charges God would make against him.

These verses tell us that Job was not afraid to face God because he knew he was innocent. He was sure that God was not an unreasonable person and would listen to him. In these verses we learn that we can come to God and seek to know his mind concerning our condition. For after all God had promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14 saying that “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Job 13:1-12 - Faith seeks reason

Job had been insistent that he was not inferior to his three friends in knowledge. He also knew the wisdom and might of God. Yet His knowledge could not offer him any answer to his struggles. And he still did not know why he was suffering. He expressed his desire to speak directly with God and lay out his case with Him. Job was sure he would have better understanding from God than his three friends. He accused his three friends of lying and were paddler of falsehood. They were physicians of no value. Trying to treat a condition which they had no competence to treat. If they had remained silent it would be more helpful. Job insinuated that they were fools. And even when a fool remains quiet, he would be considered wise.

Job went on the offensive. He implored them to listen to him by insisting that they were showing partiality and speaking unjustly. They were ignorant of Job’s situation yet they were so quick to judge him guilty. Their judgement of Job was on falsehood and not facts. They were based on their assumptions. Job insisted that they themselves would not be able to stand the scrutiny of God. He knew that God would be impartial and all three of them would be proven false finally. And they themselves would not be able to withstand the searchlight of God. Job accused them of spewing out ashes and baseless accusations.

Suffering does not automatically indicate that a person had sinned. It is foolishness to abandon all reasoning and merely resign without challenging the assumption. According to Socrates, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” It is equally true that an unexamined faith is not worth believing. For faith seeks reason. God does not mind us asking honest questions in seeking for the truth. For He knows that in knowing the truth, we shall be set free.

Job 12:11-25 – God is in control, sovereignly

Job responded in exasperation to the sermonizing of his three friends. The words of Zophar triggered a tirade of sarcasm from him. He felt that he was nowhere lesser then anyone of them in wisdom. So, he questioned their conceit and told them that there was nothing great about their wisdom. Job felt that by observing animals, birds and fish one could already conclude that God is in control of everything, implying that there was really nothing great about his friends’ wisdom.  

In verses 11-25, Job shows that wisdom can also be attained by listening to the elders’ conversation on the subject. He had no issue learning from the advice of others, especially when what they said were relevant. While he acknowledged the wisdom of the elders, he insisted that they ought to be evaluated. Like the hearing faculty distinguishes the sound of words and the taste bud distinguishes food, so one ought to discern what one hears with his ear. As far as Job knew, God alone has wisdom. And He also has the might to execute His wisdom.  Verses 14-15 speak of God’s total control. He can bring ruin to walled cities and absolutely no man can escape from His hand. He controls the source of water that had resulted in drought or cataclysmic destruction upon the earth. To God there is no difference between one who has erred and one who misleads. They are equally in His hand. God is impartial. He can and does suddenly change the circumstances of man. Job here provides a whole litany of examples:  counsellors, judges, kings, priests, secured one, even trusted ones, elders, as well as princes, nobles and the strong. They are all under God’s control. He alone sees and understands profound mysteries. It is He who would bring them to light or conceal them from men. But at the right time, He does make known His eternal counsels. He is in sovereign control.    

It is good to know that God is in control of every situation in life. He is trustworthy. Hence, we take the counsel of Paul to understand what the will of God is for our life. Then to walk circumspectly before Him, not as fools but as wise. Redeeming the opportunities because the days are evil.    

Job 12:1-10 – Means through which God is known

In anger, Job turned on his friends in sarcasm in this chapter. He refuted their claims of superiority over him. Job was, in fact, telling them that he knew far more than them about the power and wisdom of God. In verses 1-6, in sarcasm Job questioned their conceit and smugness.  He insisted that he knew about God’s power and wisdom equally much, if not more than them. Job couldn’t accept their predictable reasoning that the righteous always prosper and the wicked always suffer. Concerning his own situation, who would know better than him. The reality about life is that there are righteous people, like Job, who had suffered, and there are also terribly wicked men that seemed to be blessed.

In verses 7-10, Job told his three friends that their supposed wisdom was not as profound as they thought. Just merely observing nature and the life of beasts, birds and fish, can help one to conclude that God is truly in control of everything. What Job said here shows us that we can learn much from general observation. Man can generally know something about God through observing life and nature. This is known as general revelation. But truly knowing God personally and specifically would require special revelation. This is brought about by the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, making clear the Word of God to us.  

This passage reminds us of the teachings of Psalm 19. We can know God through general revelation as verse 1 has said, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Then verses 7-13 tell us that knowing God specifically we will need His special revelation through His Word. We need His life-transforming Word: 

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Job 11:1-20 –Truth must be accurately applied

If we follow the drift of Job’s complain we will see that when he first began, he only lamented his misfortune. That’s why Eliphaz in Job 6-7 only insinuated indirectly that he was guilty of sin. That did not sit well with Job, so he cursorily defended his innocence. Bildad bypassed what Job had said in response to Eliphaz, by insisting that he was guilty or else he would not be suffering in his plight. That led Job to rigorously deny his guilt in chapters 9-10. Zophar, the third friend who did not speak so far, couldn’t take the patriarch’s insistence. So, he felt compelled to respond to him head on.

His opening remark was that Job had spoken from his head and not from his heart. He insisted that what Job said were only hot air and empty boast, and felt he needed to be put down a peck or two. So, he chastened Job for insisting on his innocence. Besides charging Job of falsehood and pride, Zophar wished Job would be convinced by God’s wisdom. He wished the Almighty would reveal His incomprehensible and unsearchable wisdom to Job. He even had the audacity to hurl an insulting sarcasm at Job. In verse 12, he said, “An idiot will become intelligent when the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.” This can never happen. His was indirectly asking Job to stop his idiotic stupidity.  

As if Job did not know, Zophar in verses 15-20 then appealed directly to Job to set his heart right, plead with God, put his iniquity away and remove all wickedness from his tents. He presumed that Job was guilty of some sin. He assured him that if he did all that God would bless him and restore prosperity to him. For he was sure that the wicked would surely perish. The irony of the whole situation is this. Zophar was right in all that he had said about God, but he was wrong in his insistence that Job had sinned. It is good to know right doctrines, but it would be better to apply them in the right context. It is infinitely more important to apply them accurately in the right circumstances.         

Job 10:1-22 – Tough times rightly endured can bring out the best in us

Severely stressed by his condition, Job complained about his suffering. He wondered why God had treated him with such violence. He suggested several suppositions for why God treated him so harshly. Job insisted that he was genuinely interested to know what he did that had warranted such a treatment. Job’s experience tells us that no matter how godly a person may be, when in intense agony, his mind could conjure up all kinds of unwholesome thoughts concerning God. Of course, He does not delight in oppression. T0 be oppressive is a contradiction to His nature.

Job also saw himself as the work of God’s hand. He wondered why did God form him, care for him, ensure his growth from foetus in his mother’s womb until his birth. But now that he had become a full-grown man He would crush him. He saw the contradiction in how he was treated. As far as he knew, no porter would crush the vessel that he had made. Did God predestine his suffering? Certainly not, God is not the author of evil. There is not a single negative element of evil in God’s nature. Bear in mind that the mindset of Job and the people of his time was that everything good or evil came from the hand of God. Hence, he was unable to fully comprehend his suffering. Therefore, he comforted himself with the thought of death.

Thankfully, today we have a fuller revelation and know that God is not the author of evil. Satan is the author and cause of all evil. But he cannot do anything to us as his pleases without God’s approval. And when he does get a chance to target us, it’s only because God is using him to bring out the best in us. So, how we respond to our hardship matters. Know that God uses Satan, his unwilling servant, to hone and make us the very best version we can be.      

Job 9:25-35 – Hope in God will never disappoint us

Struggling to make sense of his sufferings, Job reached a low point in his life. He concluded from his struggles that the powerful God prefers wickedness to righteousness. So, he questioned the justice of God. How could God be just if he had to suffer so much despite being flawless. He saw it that way because he concluded that God is the direct cause of everything that happens on earth. So, the Almighty seemed to be an unjust tyrant.

Job used three imageries to describe the brevity of life. To him life was so short and fragile,  “swifter than a runner.” It’s like a courier hurriedly delivering his stuff. Secondly, he saw life moving so swiftly, like a ship made of reed. The material it was constructed with made it light and capable of moving very swiftly. Thirdly, he likened the days that swiftly pass on like “an eagle that swoops on its prey.” This king of birds sees a prey and loses no time to swoop on it.  

He came to a point where he felt pointless to change his outlook of life. Even if he were to stop complaining and brighten up, he was afraid that it would provoke God to intensify his suffering. He didn’t think that God would consider his innocence. In his warp conclusion, Job saw his suffering as proof that God had already pronounced him guilty. If God had thought otherwise, He would have removed his affliction. Regardless of all his attempts to prove his innocence, God’s perception of his guilt could not be removed. He would remain condemned by God. He felt that God had predetermined to judge him as guilty of some wrong no matter what.  God’s judgement of him seemed so final and there was nothing he could do to change that perception.   

Job was right to see that God has the final authority, but his focus on his suffering had caused him to lose his perception of God’s goodness momentarily. God is good all the time. He does not change like the shifting of shadows. Job’s experience teaches us to keep our focus in the right direction, especially in times of hardship. When we focus on the wrong direction, it may result in the perception that God is a heartless tyrant. It can even cause us to lose all hope we have in a good God. Let us remember what Paul said in Romans 5:3. When viewed rightly, suffering with patience will produce constancy. And constancy always develops character. When our character is built up, our hope in God will be strengthened. And hope will never disappoint us. That’s “because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Job 9:1-24 – Suffering is hard to explain

Job could concur with Bildad. In principles, he could accept that God would not cast away someone who was perfect, neither would He hold the hand of evildoers. His dilemma, however, was the struggle he felt within. He couldn’t conscionably acknowledge that he had done something wrong. Yet the calamities that had fallen on him undeniably pronounced him guilty of a wrong. Rightly or wrongly he felt he was compelled to accept the verdict. After all, God is sovereign. There is no way mortal man could argue with God’s judgement. And no one could find the right answer under God’s cross examination. For God is not only mighty in strength but He is also wise in heart. There could be no immunity for those who would come against God.

In summary, Job described the might of God as seen in creation. He alone shakes the formidable mountain with earthquakes. He alone blots out the sun by bringing about an eclipse. It is God who by His power created the stars and spreads them out in the vast expanse of the heavens. His ways are simply beyond man’s understanding. It is impossible to fully fathom the ways of the invincible and invisible God. How then could he a mortal man find the right word to plead his case with God?  The power of the Almighty could be felt but impossible to grasp. And what He sets out to do, he will accomplish it. Hence, it is impossible to argue with God. The only way is to plead for mercy.

Without a doubt, it is impossible to understand pain and suffering. How can a God who is loving, yet was so hard in His dealing with Job, a man who did no wrong? We have the complete book of Job and know the outcome. But for Job, he had to try and make sense of his suffering, yet be careful not to malign God. It’s hard to make sense of Job’s dilemma. All we can say is this: he was not suffering for sin that he had knowingly committed. But he had to bear with the consequence of the sin nature that he had inherited from Adam’s fall. We are all living under a curse because of the fall. But praise God, Christ had redeemed us from the curse. The ultimate payment of sin was carried by Him. Whatever suffering we bear in life, will certainly help us to appreciate what our Lord had bore for us.    

Job 8:1-22 – Consider our limited perspective

Job’s second friend, Bildad, then responded to Job’s words. The first friend, Eliphaz, who spoke out, cited some revelations he had and tried to be as religious as he could. Bildad was not so. He used moral tradition of ancient wisdom to support his argument that Job’s calamity was caused by some grievous sin he had committed. He began by expressing shock that Job could speak like he did, about God. To him Job was accusing God of injustice. He felt offended by Job’s words. He felt that anyone could be unjust but never God. Insensitively he recalled the death of Job’s children, insinuating that they got what they deserved. What happened to them was because of their sin. His argument seemed to be that suffering was a punishment for sin. Remember Jesus telling his disciple in John 9:2-3 that sometimes calamity does happen so that God could be glorified.

To make what he said worst, he concluded that Job also had sinned, though not as much as his children. His conclusion came from the fact of his children’s death, whereas his life was spared. He insisted that the pain Job was experiencing was to correct him. And even now if he turned and chose to make himself pure and upright, God would hear his prayer and remove his affliction. His prosperity and dwelling place would be restored to him. Then they would make all his past experience pale in comparison.

To substantiate his argument, Bildad cited ancient wisdom. The experience of the people of the past could be refreshing lessons for him if only he would listen. Like papyrus plant that were harvested while they were still green so also would the grace of godless man be removed from their lives. All who chose to forget God would be weak. They would be leaning on flimsy spider web that could not provide any support. Bildad also illustrated with another example of a lush and flourishing plant, that would suddenly wither and die, leaving no trace of its existence. He was suggesting that like the result of that plant, so would the life of one who rebelled against God.  

What was Bildad’s point? That God will not reject a perfect man. And God certainly would not help an evildoer. While he was confident that God could restore Job to his former fortune and wished him well, he like Eliphaz maintained that Job had committed a grievous sin against God. Bildad’s rhetoric underscores for us how insensitivity looks like. If we are to be an effective counsellor, we must consider the feeling of hurting people. We must admit that our own insight is limited. In due time everything will be brought to light. Meanwhile, we must surely know that our knowledge is limited. We can only conclude and base on what we can see so far. So, we must never be dogmatic and predictable.       

Job 7:11-21 – God knows our pain and plight

Overwhelmed by the thought of the brevity of life, Job began to rationalize with God. Here he was freely expressing his mind, describing the anguish he felt in his spirit and the bitterness he felt in his soul. He was puzzled that he should be the target of God. After all, he was harmless and not a threat to anyone. Unlike the sea that could sweep over the land or a sea monster that could harass  people, Job insisted that he posed no danger to anyone. Thus, he was puzzled that God should target him and afflict him with such a condition so as to disarm his capacity to harm.  

Job then wondered why God continued to afflict and harass him despite his severely weakened body. Anyone in such a suffering would be able to find some respite and relief in sleep. But for him, the suffering was unremitting till he couldn’t even find relief in sleep. During his sleeping hours, he would still be troubled by dreams and vision, and his incessant suffering would continue to suffocate him. He became so emaciated, leaving him looking like a bag of bones. So, it was unusual if he did not wish for death to overtake him. His suffering was so excruciating that he loathed life itself. He felt it was pointless to live on, so he pleaded with God to leave him alone. Here Job unwittingly agreed with his friends that what he was going through came from the hand of God. His argument was that if God would just cease from His attack, his pain would stop instantly.  He longed for a short breather, before death seize him to lessen his agony.

He lost all perspective and felt victimized. He wondered why God should consider and target an insignificant person like him. Job couldn’t understand why God should concentrate on him so unceasingly, that whether by day or by night, his affliction ruthlessly raged on. He wished God could look away from him for a scintilla of time to give him a quick respite. At least take a short look away so that he could swallow his spittle. Job felt that even if he had sinned, that sin would not affect God. So, it couldn’t be the reason he was afflicted. God, he felt, was way too high up to be affected by what a person would do on earth, regardless of his right or wrong action. Hence his conclusion was that God seizes the smallest of reasons to afflict man, hence he felt weary of life. He once knew God to be magnanimous and could easily overlook his transgression, even those he was oblivious of. And if He should just do that his fellowship with the Almighty would be instantly restored. If what was happening persist, he would soon be gone. God would be deprived of his friendship.  

So overtaken by the agonizing suffering that Job had lost all sense of propriety and perspective. We can only conclude that Job’s suffering was relentless and was way beyond his capacity to endure. One likely question any reader of Job will ask is: how could such a God-fearing man like Job suddenly have such a great shift in perspective? Here are two thoughts worth our consideration. Firstly, God will not begrudge a person who is honestly seeking to understand his excruciating plight. He knows that we do not have His perspective especially in suffering. Secondly, instead of allowing our words to become a murmur or a complaint to man, we could honestly and plainly tell God our pain and inability to endure them. We can take heart in Psalm 103:14. It says that “For He Himself (God) knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.”   

Job 7:1-10 – Living a hope-filled life

In trying to cope with his pain and suffering, Job’s thought now gravitated toward looking at life in general. He saw how painful life truly was and concluded that life is like a day of labor. It’s like a laborer working in the field. In the heat of the sun, he longs for shade and a breather. When the day is done, he longs for his wages. Job likened himself to that laborer. Like him, he longed for the end of day when he could rest from all his toil and affliction that had lay waste his body. The duration of his affliction seemed endless to him. He had endured “months of vanity” and “wearisome nights.” Restlessly, he would toss and turn in bed longing for the long night to end but the sun never seemed to rise. In verses 4-5 he described his condition. The worms he talked about must be the maggots infested sores, and his body were full of hard crusted scales like lumps of dust. And then those hard-crusted flakes and scabs would break and weeping pus would ooze and flow.   

Job also saw the brevity of life. When he said the days are “swifter than a weaver’s shuttle”, he was referring to life as hastening to an end. Life at this point seemed hopeless and any hope of recovery or relief seemed remote. Life was indeed bleak and his condition made him a pessimist. Job reckoned that he would never experience happiness or prosperity ever again. So, he concluded that he was a mere mortal and had given up on life. Life to him was hastening to the grave if God would not intervene and he would be remembered no more.

Job existed long before Christ came. Hence, life to him was so bleak and hopeless. But for us, who have factored Christ in our life, our perspective would be entirely different. Our hope rests in Christ and His resurrection. So, we take heed to the word of Colossians 3:2 to “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” And we rest hopefully in what Malachi 4:2 says, “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” What a blessed hope!

Job 6:24-30 – Be gentle and compassionate in dealings with the hurting

Exasperated by Eliphaz’s insensitive accusations, Job requested his three friends to tell him where he had gone wrong. He wanted to know exactly where he had sinned, and how his sins should warrant such a severe punishment. He assured them that if they could pinpoint to him exactly where he had gone wrong, he would hold his peace forever.  Job was seeking answers to his plight and not asking for monetary gift, nor for help to deliver him from some enemies, or from robbers that had held him captive. He was only asking them to tell him where his supposed sins were.

Job was aware that words could be powerful and hurtful as well. What he would welcome was for them to be forthright, and honestly and truthfully told where he had gone wrong. What he could not stomach was words that were baseless innuendoes. To him, Eliphaz’s words were as wind. They flew pass meaninglessly without bringing any lasting impact. He evaluated the words in the light of how he had conducted his life and found the accusations heartless, judgmental and severe. He deemed his three friends as heartless creditors going after an orphan who had just been bereft of his parents. He was sad that they should go after him so ruthlessly even though he was a friend.  

Job maintained his innocence. He urged his accusers to look him in the face and tell him where he had gone wrong. He insisted that they could discern if he was speaking the truth. He wanted to be proven guilty if they felt that it was so. But deep in his heart of hearts he knew that he did nothing wrong to warrant the calamity. He insisted that as a reasonable person, he could tell whether he had offended the Almighty or not. And that being the case, he could certainly tell right from wrong.

Everyone deserves the right to maintain his innocence till proven guilty. Isn’t that the rule of the game? We Christians of all people should know this. Let us not assume a person is guilty till we know he had truly done something wrong. And even if that person had done wrong, we should reprove him gently, and honestly help the person out of the trouble. Always consider the perspective of our personal unworthiness. We all had owed a debt we could not pay, and Jesus paid our debt which He did not owe. So, let’s be compassionate. Correct by all means, but please be gentle and compassionate, especially with one who is not a recalcitrant. 

Job 6:14-30 – What not to do when a person is hurting

In these verses, Job expressed how he felt about his three friends. He had the feeling that they were against him and were unsympathetic to what he was going through. There was absolutely no compassion from them even though they saw him in his plight. Job felt what he needed was consideration from them and would appreciate a little pampering and indulgence, even if he should forsake the fear of the Lord. Note that this was Job’s wishful thinking and not that he had forsaken the Lord. But they were the least bit sympathetic. Although it was Eliphaz who had only spoken so far, yet Job felt that the other two were also in agreement with him. Probably he detected that through their facial expression and response to Eliphaz’s sermonizing.

The wadi Job referred to here in verse 15 is a valley. It might be a dried river bed at times but then it could also gush with turbulent water, brought about by the snow that had melted. And as the wadi wound its way into the desert, it would soon become dry again because of the heat of the desert or because the water would be absorbed by the desert sand. Here Job was using sarcasm. He was showing how useless the wadi was for merchants from Tema or Sheba, the north and south of Arabia respectively. Because when these merchants reached the spot where they needed water, the brook would be dried and had nothing to offer. Job was accusing them of not being helpful. He accused them of being afraid when they saw his terrible condition. And were petrified when they learned of his calamity. What was worse was that they concluded that the calamity was a judgment of God. How they saw it made them unsympathetic, for fear that they would be caught up in the wrath of God as well. 

What Job needed most was a listening ear and lots of understanding and compassion. What he least needed would be the analysis of where he went wrong and why he deserved such a catastrophe. The same it is for everyone, we included. When something not so pleasant happens to us we certainly would like a more attentive ear with lots of understanding. The last thing we want would be an analysis of the why’s and the wherefores of what went wrong. Let’s be mindful when we are seeking to help a person with hurts. Whether he or she deserves it or not is immaterial. What that person needs is consideration, patience and gentle nudges, to help them through their pains.    

Job 6:8-13 – Our body belong to God

In these six verses we get to feel the pain and anguish of Job. He lamented and had only one wish i.e. that God would crush him. His suffering and agony was so humanly intolerable that he longed that death would come upon him. Job knew that the only person that has the right to take away his life is God. Even though what he was experiencing was unbearable, Job knew well enough that his life was not his own. It belonged to God. The Lord is the rightful owner of each one of us. Hence like Job, we have no right to commit suicide and take our own life. Knowing God as owner and thinking that death was the only way out of his agony, Job then asked God to let loose His hand on him and cut short his life. For he reckoned that the only comfort for him at this point was death.

Whatever the case, for Job to seek that of the Lord tells us that he was very sure of his eternal destiny. He was not afraid to die. Concerning death, we need to write this indelibly in our hearts. No matter how terrible the condition of our life may be, suicide is certainly out of the question. Like Job we must realize that our life is God’s and He alone has the right to take it. Had Job not realized this fact, he would have taken his life and not just wish for God to take it away.

Credit must be given to Job. Though his condition was truly unbearable yet he bore with it. He went through a very difficult time. Although he felt he had no strength left to hold on to the pain and agony any longer, yet he held on. To sustain him he knew he would require strength of stones or brass. But he held on to the point of exhaustion. Wearied by his struggles and afflictions he felt deeply oppressed. His spirit had reached the lowest ebb and he could no longer manage his exhaustion. There was no more inner resolve to cope with the affliction. In his mind, the thought of healing was furthest away. As far as he could recall, he had never once disobeyed the Word of God. So, he was not afraid of death. Yet he would not take his own life.

Let us take the thought that life belongs to God further. Paul’s words to us in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 say, ^“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” Knowing that our life truly belongs to God, and He dwells within, what then should we do with it? The answer is obvious. We need to handle it rightly. Trusting God fully for help, we must seek to honor and take care of this temple of the Holy Spirit.    

Job 6:1-7 – Understanding the plight of the anguish

In chapter 6 verses 1 to 7 and verse 21, Job responded to Eliphaz’s long lecture concerning his suffering. Although the latter did not mention any specific sin Job had committed, the sermonizing speech was not only lengthy, unfair and disproportionate, it was also inappropriate, pithy, and gloomy. Job couldn’t believe that his friend had such an estimate of him. He couldn’t accept that his friend was suggesting that he was evil and had to endure such punishment. Hence, he was compelled to give a defense of why he felt he was wrongly maligned. He offered some reasons why he complained the way he did.

Firstly, it was the heaviness of his condition. His friend did not consider how weighty his pain, agony and suffering were. In hyperbolic language, Job said that all the sands of the seashore could not outweigh the heaviness of his calamities. He admitted that his initial language of anguish was wild and unrestraint, yet no one could understand the enormity of what he was bearing and going through. The weight of his affliction was truly unbearable. Hence, his initial words were rash.  

Secondly, Eliphaz also failed to understand the incessant thoughts that bombarded his mind. He was wondering why the Lord would smite him with such affliction. The anguish of mind was as great as the affliction he felt on his body. To think that despite his attempts to shore up his family’s flaws through constant offerings, yet he should be the target of such calamities was incomprehensible. His mind seemed to tell him that the terror of the Lord had fallen upon him. We can understand why Job should react this way. Unlike us, reading his account after it had taken place, he did not know that all the afflictions did not come from God but Satan. Know that like us, Job’s revelation of life was progressive. He couldn’t have understood the situation, At least not until the end when he had the time to look at events in retrospect. 

Thirdly, Job insisted that not only was his mind heavy laden, but that his body was stricken with unbearable pains. Furthermore, he had lost all appetite for food. While animals would moan if they do not have food, his was the reverse. He had food but it had no appeal to him. To him food was loathsome. It was even more tasteless than the tasteless egg white. He offered his lack of food as another legitimate excuse for his emotional outburst.  

Apart from calamity, deep anguish can wreak havoc in a person’s life and soul. As people helpers, we need to consider the plight of a person in affliction. Every component of their being would be in turmoil. They will feel the pain physically. Food will have no appeal to them because of a ruined appetite. And their minds will be assailed with all kinds of thoughts, seeking for an answer for how they ended up in that state of affairs. They would even conjure up reasons that they think could be the possible causes that have led to what they are experiencing. We need to be patient in helping them to deal with their pain. We must be good listeners that seek to add no additional burden with our insensitive remarks and sermonizing. Stay prayerful and discerning. Speak only when necessary but be quick to listen and to do so accurately.    

Job 5:17-27 – Edify but don’t vilify

Without denial, Eliphaz’s speech was a master-piece from the perspective of men. Analyzing it will tell us that while what he said seemed right, they lack compassion. His intention was to comfort and sympathize with Job, yet in truth what he said hurt more than soothing him. He insensitively insisted that Job’s suffering was because of his sins. It showed that he did not fully know the cause. There was truly a limitation in his capacity to know the truth. Thus, he could never have known Job’s situation accurately to provide good and needed counsel. So instead of soothing, he aggravated the hurt of Job.

Eliphaz asserted that God would only afflict men to bring about greater blessing on them. He saw the suffering as a means to an end and that affliction guaranteed greater blessing. Therefore, Job should not despise what he was going through nor take the Lord’s affliction on him lightly. In his mistaken zeal to make Job see what’s behind his suffering, he became insensitive to his plight. He went on sermonizing. He insisted that God would deal with a person completely to bring about a greater good upon him through chastisement. He insisted that God would deliver a person from all his afflictions. Be it famine, war, slanders or attacks by beasts God could deliver, only to bring about a greater good upon his life. He insisted that if Job trusted God, then he should be able to laugh at the calamities. And when he did so, Eliphaz insisted that his circumstances would work for and not against him. They would not impede his progress. Instead, he would soon experience prosperity, and progeny would be restored to him. Then he could go to his grave with no regrets and full of vigour. In essence what Eliphaz said is this: serve God and prosper, submit to God and be restored. In some sense, Eliphaz preached a health and wealth Gospel.  

Bear in mind that in seeking to help someone in deep affliction and agony, don’t assume to know everything. Be mindful that we do not really have full knowledge of the cause. Be helpful by all means but don’t be a pain in the neck. Let our presence add strength to the afflicted and not pain. Just stay humble and discerning. Speak few but encouraging words. 

Job 5:8-16 – Truth must be rightly applied

Subtly and mercilessly Eliphaz went on with his insinuation that Job deserved the calamities that had befallen him. With all the subtlety, he maligned and accused Job of not being as righteous as he supposed himself to be. In these verses, he then told Job what he would do if he were in Job’s shoes. Proudly, he said that he would seek God and plead with Him. Why would he do that? It’s because God is so magnificent and wonderful. He assumed a greater-than-thou attitude. He presumed that Job did not know that God was truly great and unsearchable, and One who would do great wonders without measure. God, he said, is the One who continues to send the refreshing rain on the fields of the earth. Besides, He is the One who exalts the humble. In giving the rain, God enables the humble to experience bountiful harvest. And He is also gracious by providing safety to those who mourn and who would love and seek Him.  

However, Eliphaz insisted that God would deal differently with the proud and arrogant. He would …frustrate the plotting of the shrewd, so that their hands cannot attain success. He would capture the wise by their own shrewdness, and would quickly thwart the advice of the cunning. Those who are wise in their own eye will be confounded. Even in day light, they will grope blindly, as if they are blind. Eliphaz wanted to show Job that he, like such people, was undiscerning and hence, unable to deal with his calamities. He insisted in verses 15-16 that God would come to the defense of the poor and would rescue them from the schemes of the wicked. God has the final say over man’s life.  

Eliphaz painted three things concerning the Sovereign Lord. Firstly, He controls the weather as well as the affairs of man. Secondly, He will arrest and deal with wrongdoers. And thirdly, He will deliver those in need and are oppressed. Though what Eliphaz said were not wrong, but to apply them on Job was not accurate. For us readers of this book, we know that Job was obviously righteous. It was not as if he did not know about the sovereignty of God. He did. But here Eliphaz had already unfairly indicted him and said that God had thwarted him and divine justice had undone all his successes. All that Eliphaz said was not wrong, but by assuming that Job was guilty, he has shown how imperceptive he was. We must learn never to malign anyone till we know the exact situation. Truth must be rightly applied. 

Job 5:1-7 – Don’t be insufferable

“Can mankind be just before God?” “Can a man be pure before his Maker?” These were the two rhetorical questions Eliphaz asked in Job 4:17. In them he was making the point that both angels and men were not perfect before God. That being the case, Job had no one that he could seek to mediate his plight with God. Sanctimoniously, he was hinting to Job that it was pointless for him to be angry and impatient. His angry outburst and complain seen in chapter 3 only put in question his relationship with the Lord. The emotional outburst was a clear display of a fool and a simpleton. It revealed that he was not in harmony with God. And that would only bring on further calamity till he perish.  

In verse 3 Eliphaz then cited a case that he knew. Though a man that he knew was foolish, yet he was prospering. And then the judgment of God fell on him suddenly. On seeing the fall of that man, Eliphaz self-righteously concluded that he saw something more significant in what happened to him. So he condemned that man and cursed his dwelling place as well. His conclusion was that a fool who hardened himself against God would only suffer desolation. His children would not be secure. They would instead be subjected to oppression with no one to deliver them. His property would be left defenseless and be invaded, and everything he had would fall into the hand of marauders.           

In a terse and condescending way, Eliphaz brought an observation about life. He said, “… affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, for man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” He was pointing to Job and saying that his affliction was not accidental. Like all men, he must have invited them into his life through the choices he had made. In saying that “But man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward”, he was saying that man has an inclination toward sin, and calamity is the inevitable consequence. Eliphaz ‘s implication is this: just as easily as sparks shoot up from fire so also would evil desires flow from men’s hearts. His implication is this: that the cause of Job’s calamity was because of his hidden sins. Of course, Eliphaz had no idea that Job’s calamity was the result of a wager between God and Satan. He did not know that God attested to the fact that he was a righteous, God-fearing man. Job’s calamity was not because of sins that he had committed. His suffering and misfortune were not the result of any wrongdoings.

What lesson can we learn from Eliphaz’s pithy insinuation? Do not be presumptuous. We must not pretend to have an answer for everything. We are not in a person’s shoes and can never fully comprehend what is going on. Let’s be reminded to take heed to our Lord’s wise admonition that we should not judge, so that we will not be judged. For with what measure we mete out to others it will be meted out to us. So, stay helpful but do not be condescending. Give comfort by all means but avoid making accusations!  

Job 4:12-21 – We are created with capacity to live right

Here Eliphaz described a visitation he had. It came in the form of a dream or a night vision. It was such a harrowing experience that he was affected much. His bones were shaken and he was terrified. Even his senses were quickened and he could feel a breath brushed pass. It was quite unusual that the message should be surreptitiously deposited. Eliphaz sensed the presence of an indescribable and mysterious figure though he couldn’t name him. And when he stayed still, he heard a still small voice asking him two rhetorical questions: the first question was, ^“Can mankind be just before God?” And the second, “Can a man be pure before his Maker?” It is unlikely that the experience Eliphaz had, came from God. Here are three reasons why. Firstly, he didn’t say with specificity that it was from God; secondly, the message came stealthily; and thirdly, he painted for us a picture of a God who was totally unconcerned for man.  

From these verses, we deduce that Eliphaz had two assumptions. Firstly, that man cannot be right and pure before God. Secondly, that God cannot even trust his angels who could be flawless, how then could he trust men, who are transient. This is furthest from the truth. With His help, man can have the capacity to live right before God. With His assistance, God does trust man to make right decision. For after all, he had created man in His own image and likeness.

Eliphaz characterized man as weaklings without considering the fact that each one is created in the image and likeness of God. Man, after all, is still the highest of God’s creation. Yes, granted that after the fall, man became mere mortal. And their mortality is like perishable houses made of clay, with flimsy foundation of dust. Like moths, men could be crushed as easily. Mankind could also be broken into pieces like pottery. And like tent, when the cords were pulled out, they could also be folded. Ultimately man would die without discovering wisdom. Yet God is mindful of man. Pointedly, Eliphaz was hinting that Job was a mere unwise mortal man, and he was suffering because he was a sinner. 

Forcefully, Eliphaz had applied what he had experienced onto Job’s situation. He was indeed presumptuous. It’s plain to see that he had a framework in his mind, and that he interpreted Job’s suffering in the light of that framework. That’s what a Job’s comforter would do. They always have pet answers to any given situation without thinking that every effect in life has its own set of causes. You and I know better, that to help a person in turmoil, the best thing to do is never to provide pet answers. With empathy, we should lead and guide a person to accurately assess his situation and then to place his or her trust in God.  

Job 4:1-11 – Be sensitive to a person’s plight

After seven days and seven nights Job broke his silence wishing that he had never existed. He cursed the day that he was born. He wondered why he was allowed to survive so long only to go through so horrible a condition. He candidly expressed his feelings believing that he had three understanding and compassionate friends. Little did he expect to receive such a sanctimonious response from his friends. And because of their self- righteousness and smugness, the advises they gave, became an irritation more than bringing comfort. Job indeed was a righteous man. He did nothing to warrant the calamity. He was just a poor subject of a wager between God and Satan, all because he was righteous, a pursuer of God and was highly regarded by God.

The well-intentioned friends became an example for what we ought not to do when we are seeking to comfort or counsel someone in crisis. The term “Job’s comforters” gets its illustration from what the three friends did to poor Job. Instead of bringing comfort to him they added to his distress by their needless sermonizing. They of all people knew the least about why Job was undergoing such a trial. Hence their words were spoken presumptuously, assuming that they were wiser than they thought. Instead of bringing relief their words brought just the opposite effect.

Eliphaz being the oldest was the first to speak out. He was so smug that he felt that he needed to say something. His opening words were condescending. He wondered if his friend Job, in such an anguish, would be able to bear what he was going to tell him. So he began by apologizing for the lecture he was about to bring on him. His premise was that Job might not be able to bear with what he was going to say to him in his emotionally depleted state. Reminding Job that he was once a counsellor himself and had strengthened others, so he couldn’t be so weak now to have wilt under his own plight. In saying so, he was insinuating that Job was not who he thought he was after all. What an insult! While he conceded that Job was a person of integrity he spoke as if he doubted he was. If Job was as innocent as he insisted, instead of wilting under the pressure he should rest confidently in God. Eliphaz reminded Job that people who are innocent never perish. God never cut short a person’s life in his prime when that person is righteous before him. His argument was that Job would recover and so affirm his righteousness. If not, then it would prove that he had some terrible hidden sin in his life. Eliphaz was suggesting that Job must have sinned to be going through such sufferings. His argument was this: no sinner, however powerful, can ever escape the wrath of the divine.

Let us learn not to sermonize with our words. Be sensitive to the plight of a person. The best thing to do is to pray for and with a person in crisis, don’t ever second guess the cause or reason for his plight. Simply put, don’t try and play God.  

Job 3:1-26 – Death is not a solution to crisis, God is!

Job’s great agony was indescribable. Everything he had, suffered greatly. The devastation of his children was unbearable. His misery was compounded by the fact that he had an uncompassionate and unsympathetic wife. To add to his misery, his wealth had taken a bad beating, his livestock and property were lost to two natural calamities. As if those were not enough, his health was hit. Now he was at the worst ebb of his life. Sores and boils infested his whole body. No part was spared. He felt pain and itch at the same time and had to use a piece of broken pottery to scrape whatever part that was itching to find temporary relief for the itch. Nothing had gone well for him. The last we learned of him was that for seven days and seven nights, he kept silent, accompanied by Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, who also spoke nothing. Though it was only seven days and night, the time must have stood still for him. They must have been the longest days and nights of his life.

In this chapter, we get to feel how intolerable the suffering must have been for Job. Absolutely no one could withstand so many catastrophes. What Job went through was way beyond human endurance. It’s understandable that he would despair of life itself. So we see Job losing his composure and broke into an impassioned plea for death. His lament begins the poetry section of the book. We can see three things he wished for. In verses 1-10, he wished he had never been born. In verses 11-19, he wished he had died at birth and in verses 20-26, he wished he could die there and then. However, Job deserved to be credited. Although he desired death yet at no point did he seek to take his own life. He only wondered why he survived so long only to experience those crises. He was searching for an answer. If life had to come to this wouldn’t it better if he had not been born? Why was he given life only to experience all these insufferable pains? If life is so unpleasant why didn’t his mother just suffer a miscarriage? Why were he even born at all and had such a reception at the knees of his parents? The thoughts recorded here show us how human Job was. We must know that death is never the answer.

So, let us consider what suffering can do to a person. It’s not unusual to have a negative mindset when undergoing great suffering. Great and prolonged pain and torment will cause a person to wish he has never existed. But what can we do when we are in the midst of a tough time? Hind sight is always 20/20. Job must have gone through a thoroughly introspection of himself seeking to find where he had faltered. Precisely because he was a righteous and God-fearing man, and one who pursued God relentlessly that he couldn’t pinpoint a wrong. It must have been baffling for him. Just as it was for Job, it must also be for us when we are going through trials. All of us, God-loving people, need to know that the answer to all suffering, great or small, lie hidden in the wisdom of the wise and powerful God we worship and serve. No matter how intense a trial in life may be, He is the only one who has the answer.  

Trails can be hard to endure. So is there something that we can we do when we are not tested by a trail? We can do a periodical self-examination. This is a good and much needed exercise. It allows us to trace our steps, correct, then adjust and align our life with God’s plan and purpose. Every believer needs to make time for solitude and silence before God, to reflect and evaluate life. It’s a very humbling exercise. Don’t wait till some tragic events to come before we come seeking God for an answer. We should learn from David, who consistently and constantly sought a right relationship with God. Let his prayer in Psalm 139:23-24 be the echoes of our hearts too. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”

Job 2:11-13 – About friendship and Discipleship

Job had three friends, namely Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. The first on the list, Eliphaz, probably came from a place known as Teman. We deduce from Jeremiah 49:7 that Temanites were well-known for their wisdom. Since he was the first to be named, he was probably the oldest of the three. Bildad was the second oldest. Where he came from cannot be exactly located. It is believed to be within the region of Chaldea. Zophar was the youngest and a Naamathite. In the Bible there isn’t such a place called Naamath. But in Joshua 15:41 there is a town in Judah called Naamah. He could have hailed from that place.

These three friends were good, compassionate and well-intentioned friends. What they did initially was right. “They sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.” The best help we can offer someone coping with grief is to say nothing but remaining attentive to the victim whenever he wants to talk about his plight. The worst things to say is, “I understand what you are going through.” We are not in their shoes so we can never say we understand what he or she is going through. As we discuss their conversation we will discover that they said many things good and true. But they also spew out many verbal garbage and condemnation that were unhelpful for Job who was under such duress.

When these three friends heard of Job’s plight, though they lived in different places, they made time and came to be with him. Their intention was to sympathise and comfort Job. We are told that when they saw Job from afar they could not recognize him. It was hard to imagine how Job looked like. He was beyond recognition. There was no part of his body that was not ravaged by sores and boils.  All three of them were shocked into deep distress and wept and wailed loudly. They could not recognize Job. The initial response of the three friends speaks eloquently of how intensive Job’s suffering was. But they were compassionate friends. Do we consider ourselves as a good friend? Are we a friend indeed? Proverbs 17:17 reminds us that “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

As we look at the life of Job and the intensive suffering he went through, we are reminded that following God is not always the easiest thing to do. Everyone wants a belief that is easily explainable and un-mysterious. Who would not want a faith that offers no snag, and promises easy solution to escape from all the misery of man’s fallen condition. Sure, most people like a religion where no cross needs to be carried. But for us, we need to know that following Christ has its demands. We all like the comfortable words of Jesus like “come unto me and I will give you rest.” What about the uncomfortable words of Jesus, such as Luke 9:23-25,  “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”  Following Christ seems paradoxical. But bear in mind that it’s the hard times that will strengthen us in the journey of faith. And we build discipline and trust when we encounter them. If we will not carry the cross we cannot wear the crown.