Job 16 “Job’s Witness”

“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.” (v. 19)

As we read through chapter 16 it becomes fairly obvious that Job is fed up with his friends advise. Not only that, but it seems clear that Job began to see that his suffering came from “the hand of the wicked” (v.11), suggesting he began to experience some insight into his plight. This seemed to cement Job's belief that God knew the truth about him, and would be his advocate against all his accusers. Although the exact identity of Job’s heavenly advocate was unclear to him, he knew that there was One in heaven who would defend his case before God.

Today, when well meaning advise is not comforting or seems to be more about condemnation than love, we can pour our hearts out to God, knowing that our advocate will hear us and speak to the Father for us. As the Psalmist David later wrote, "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears" (Psalm 18:6). 

Therefore, in times of suffering when no one seems to have the patience to listen, to mourn, to embrace your situation, take it to Jesus, the Righteous One, who speaks to the Father in our defense, and He will hear your call.

The Truth: “We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (John 2:1)

Job 15 “Eliphaz: Wrong Again”

“Would a wise man answer with empty notions or fill his belly with the hot east wind?” (v.2)

In chapter 15 Eliphaz speaks again, trying to get Job to admit he is a terrible sinner. He starts out by accusing Job of being full of hot air and empty ideas (v.2), that he lacks fear and devotion to God (v.4), and that his own mouth testifies against him (v.6).  Eliphaz continued his bombardment by questioning Job’s righteousness (v.14), suggesting he must be wicked (vv.20-26), that he must have defied God (vv.25-27), and that as a result he was punished, stripped of everything (vv.30-33).

This is the classic ploy of tearing down another person in order to elevate ones own “wisdom.” Eliphaz heartless and cruel rebuke of Job’s situation and life experiences, including the loss of his family (vv.34-35), show only his own ignorance. For Job’s suffering was not the result of sinfulness, but actually because of his righteousness. ( see Job 1:8)

The Truth: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:11)

Job 14 “Job: Will I Live Again?”

“If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes (death). You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands.” (v.14)

Here in chapter 14 Job continues with his despondent prayer to God. He  speaks to Him of to the shortness of life, and how life is full of trouble (v.1). He compares life’s shortness to a flower, and a shadow, both of which fade fast (vv.2-4). Job then appeals to God for a break from his trial because “life is short” (vv.5-6). In his attempt to sway God, Job argues that a man’s life is like water that evaporates or falls to the ground and disappears (vv. 11-12).

After much prayer on the shortness of man’s life and his eventual death, Job switches to question here in our text, “If a man dies, will he live again” (v.14)? This is the ultimate question and Job answered it for himself (and all believers) in the second half of verse 14 by saying, he would wait until his time, and when God calls, he will answer, believing God would not forsake the work of His hands. Again, Job expresses great hope in the face of hopelessness – a belief in life eternal, with God, who would not forsake His creation, upon his passing.

Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:1-3). Job’s time was obviously before Jesus came to this earth, but he knew God and therefore had the promises of God fulfill by Jesus’s resurrection - even though Job died long before Christ came to this earth. In Ephesians 4:8 and 9, Paul writes that before Jesus ascended into heaven, He descended to the lower parts of the earth, into Abraham’s bosom, and led those from paradise into heaven fulfilling Job's faith.

While Job and others had to wait for their entrance into heaven until Jesus concurred death, today we believers go immediately into the presence of the LORD upon our passing. There is no waiting. We pass from death and darkness into His glorious light and everlasting life. It is comforting to know that for those who have gone before us in Christ, there is no more sorrow, grief, pain, nor suffering. Just eternal, peace, joy, rest and love. Hallelujah!

The Truth: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

Job 13 “Job: I Trust Him”

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.” (v.15)

I came upon this story by Woodrow Kroll on trust, and felt it was a perfect fit for our text.

Years ago a military officer and his wife were aboard a ship that was caught in a raging storm at sea. Seeing his wife’s fear, the man tried to comfort her. Suddenly she grasped his sleeve and cried, "How can you be so calm?" He stepped back and drew his sword. Pointing it at her, he asked, "Are you afraid of this?" "Of course not!" she answered. "Why not?" he inquired. "Because I know you love me too much to hurt me," she said. He replied, "I also know the One who holds the winds and the waters in the hollow of His hand, and He loves us too much to fail to care for us!"

Job had that same trust. He had lost his children, his wealth and his health. Even his wife had turned against him. He had only one more thing to lose—his own life. Yet Job declared that even if it were to come down to that final loss, he would continue to trust that God had a purpose in everything that happened to him. In Job’s eyes, the important issue was not what was happening but whose hand was behind it. If God did it, Job knew he could trust it.

Often our trust is based on the "what" rather than the "who." We focus on the event rather than the One who controls that event. Consequently, when trials and tribulations come crashing down upon us, our faith is shaken. We can’t understand why a loving Heavenly Father would allow such grief to enter our lives. Yet if we truly believe that He is loving, we can say with Job that even though He slay us, we will believe He intends it for our good. In His infinite wisdom and goodness, He will take the most difficult circumstances and use them for our good.

When you are facing life’s most severe trials, focus on the character of God. Build your trust on who God is, not on what is taking place. When you know who He is, you never have to worry about what He will allow to happen. Trust is based on character, not circumstances.

The Truth

“Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” (Psalm 125:1)

Job 12 “Job Answers His Friends”

“In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” (v.10)

Here in chapter 12 Job not only answers Zophar, but Eliphaz and Bildad as well.  From beginning to end, his response is filled with sarcasm and contempt for their “wisdom”, while it maintains his denial of personal guilt. Additionally, beyond his contempt for their "collective wisdom", Job's underlying faith and conviction about God are well evident.

Here in our text Job recognizes that all life is sustained by God - from all living creatures to man, but it's recorded in the form of a question to his ditractors.  Meaning, don't you get it? nothing ever escapes from the rule of God - not kings, nor kingdoms, princes or judges, you, me, nothing! (vv.18-23). He is in complete and absolute control. This higher level of thinking about God by Job shows why Job never cursed God. Oh he questioned Him yes, but never denied God's authority over his life.

This speaks to us (as it did to Job) that we are in God’s hand as well – Our soul, our very breath, our lives, all sustained by God. Therefore, we must trust in the LORD in all His dealings with us, and not curse Him, nor deny Him in the process. Knowing that He is in complete and absolute control concerning each of us, and that all things are working together for our benefit. 

The Truth: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Job 11 “Zophar: Suffering Comes From Sin”

“If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness dwell in your tents.” (v.14)

Zophar is the most critical of Job’s friends in his response to Job’s trial. He sees Job’s plight the as his friends did, namely that suffering comes from sin, so the solution must be repentance. We have now seen this three times: from Eliphaz (5:17), from Bildad (8:20), and from Zophar (11:14).

In the first part of his speech (vv. 2–6), Zophar dismisses Job’s words as idle chatter. He can’t hear Job’s anguished cries in the context of despair, but rather focuses only on Job’s bold outbursts and questions. He accuses Job of being self-righteous and mistakenly charges Job of claiming to be flawless and pure before God. Yet neither of these claims can be found in Job’s earlier speeches. Zophar prays that God would rebuke Job. At the end of the book, this is exactly what happens, but Zophar and his two companions are also soundly rebuked as well!

However, Zophar did rightly claim that humans can not presume to know God’s ways (vv. 7–12). Which interestingly enough should have spoken to both men. To Job, that his current state may have reasons beyond his finding out and to Zophar, stop attempting to explain something you do not understand least you misrepresent God.

There’s an old saying, “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, so that we would listen twice as much as we speak.” Scripture backs this up when it says, “Be slow to speak and quick to listen”, something to consider before opening our mouths and speaking for God.

The Truth: “Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2)

Job 10 “Job’s Appeal to God”

“Let me alone, that I may take comfort a little.” (v.20)

From chapter 9 we learned that Job felt that it was impossible for a man to argue with God, yet, because there was no mediator, he made his appeal to God anyway. Turning from his answer to Bildad, he poured out his agony in the presence of the Most High. After complaining of his sufferings, attributing them all to the action of God and asking if God really delighted in what He was doing, or if His vision was faulty, Job bluntly asked God to let him alone, that he might have a respite from suffering before he died. But God did not answer.

This tells us that sometimes the answer to our honest prayers or pleas is no answer at all. It is not the God does not desire to grant our request, but sometimes our requests are not in line with His plan or purpose. His silence does not mean we are not heard, but that we need to continue to ask. Just as earthly fathers sometimes tell their children “not now” or “someday”, so our heavenly Father does not grant nor respond to all our requests immediately – It may take time.

Therefore, do not be discouraged in well doing. Keep on asking, keep on praying. And in due time, you will receive an answer.

The Truth: "The Persistent Widow"

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)

Job 9 “There Is No Mediator”

“For He is not a man, as I am that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both.” (vv.32-33)

Back in chapter 8 Job’s friend Bildad rebuked him for denying his sin and challenging God’s judgment upon his life. Here in chapter 9 Job protests the idea that a man could possibly challenge God, let alone His justice: “For He is not a man that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both.” While Job felt helpless with no one to argue his case, his fear and respect of the LORD caused him to endure his trials without cursing or denying God.

The LORD takes us all through tests (maybe not as drastic as He did Job), not to punish us but to strengthen our faith. He also promises us He will not test us above what we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13) meaning, not beyond what He has prepared us to endure. And, unlike in Job’s day, today there is a mediator, one who can lay his hand on both God and man, one who stands before the throne on our behalf both day and night, whom the Father hears and grants mercy too - the man Christ Jesus (1 John 2:1).

Not all trials are related to sin in our lives, as the story of Job reveals. However, sin can lead to a multitude of difficult consequences that can cause pain and suffering. If you feel yourself drowning in your own consequences call on Jesus and ask Him mediate your case before God.   

The Truth: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2)

Job 8 “Bildad: Counsel Based on Supposition ”

“If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and prosper your rightful dwelling place.” (vv.5-6)

Here in chapter 8 Job gets to hear from the second of his friends, Bildad. He basically tells Job if he would get right with God, God would bless him. And, that his continual suffering indicates there must be some hidden sin, something he is denying, something un-confessed.

The arguments of Bildad were from observation and based on suppositions. He used many "ifs" in his counsel and supposed many things. This was the way he interpreted the situation, but his interpretation was wrong. For as we know from chapter 1, “there is none like Job in all the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that fears God and turns from evil” (v.8). Therefore, Bildad was way off base in his supposition of Job's unconfessed sin.

This kind of conclusion speaks to us in many ways today. One of which is to learn to distinguish between fact and supposition. Just because we read something does not mean we may assume it is also true. And just because one person interprets a set of facts a certain way, does not mean that his interpretation is correct. All the facts may not be given. And often the withholding of one essential fact can change the interpretation.

Bildad was not working with all the facts. He was not privy to the heavenly conversation of chapter 1. His judgment of Job’s condition was based on incomplete information and therefore not of God. May God help us all to not counsel others in the same manner.

The Truth

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)