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.