This section starts off by Job reminding us how fleeting our time really is on earth. We are like a flower that grows and quickly withers. It's such a short time. There is another place in the Bible that says our life is but a breath. Job reminds us of this.
Then the Job's despair becomes a little stronger when compares himself to a tree. At least a tree has hope, he says. If it is cut down its roots lie deep in the ground and at the scent of water it springs to life. But that is not true about people.
Job asks God to let him lie in the ground. The grave would conceal him until God's anger has passed. Then when God calls, Job will answer him. He knows that God's hands who made him will long for him.
I absolutely love and admire Job's passion and love for God; and his complete trust in God, in spite of the unbearable pain. You would think that Job's friends could see the beauty in Job's words in spite of his pain. But they do not.
Cutting Words
Eliphaz steps up to the plate and chooses to use stabbing thoughts like, "Would a wise man argue using useless words?" Would he fill his belly with the hot east wind? I'm not too sure what that means but I found it interesting. It actually sounds like he may have some stomach issues. Who knows.
Eliphaz continues with his insults. You undermined piety and you hinder devotion to God. (Really? How does he know?) Your own mouth condemns you and you adopt the tongue of the crafty. Here he accuses Job of having this major sin that has caused his problems. Again, though, they never really sites what Job has done wrong.
Then Eliphaz goes even deeper by talking about the wicked man. Again, he assumes that Job is wicked. The wicked man suffers torment, he says. Terrifying sounds fill his ears. He knows the day of darkness is at hand and he will not escape it. He will be like a vine stripped of it's unripened grapes. And God will carry his breath away. For the company of the godless conceives trouble and gives birth to deceit. The womb of the wicked person fashions deceit.
The Despair of Job
Then Job responds to his so-called friend. Keep this in mind; Job has lost his children, his possessions, and now he has a few choice friends putting him down. On top of this, his body is racked with pain. He's got oozing sores. I am sure that insects must be driving him crazy.
The Bible doesn't say that he has lost his property but I wonder if there is anyone to take care of it. I imagine him sitting in his home on a bed, a mat or on the floor. His sores ooze, bleed, and he puts burlap over them... perhaps to keep the flies away... perhaps so that they would form scabs and heal. A few chapters back we learn that he has lost his appetite for things that taste good. That means he is possibly losing weight. In the midst of all that has gone wrong, Job finds a place to give his speech to his friends.
He tells them, I've heard stuff like this before. You all are miserable comforters. Job asks them, "what ails you?"
"If I were in your shoes and had to encourage you, I would actually encourage you. What's up with the long-winded speeches? I would say things to help relieve you of your suffering".
Job says, here is the place where I find myself. If I speak I am in pain; and if I am silent the pain remains the same. God has worn me out. I am shriveled and my gauntness testifies against me. People jeer, strike my cheek, and unite against me.
Then Job uses several ways to describe how he feels deserted by God. For example, "God's archers surround me and pierced my kidney and gall spills from me," Job says. He even says that he has sewn some sackcloth over his skin. His face is now red with weeping and he has dark shadows around his eyes.
Not only does he describe his aloneness, he also describes a deep physical pain. Today we have drugs to numb emotional, mental and physical pain. Perhaps Job might have taken something to minimize pain. We don't know. It sounds like Job is at his lowest point but there is no indication that he lacks trust in God. Chapter 16 seems to be the most painful and difficult chapter so far.
My thoughts
My heart weeps for Job. So much suffering and pain surpasses my imagination. Oftentimes, we hear overused phrases like, "the patience of Job." But there is more than patience described here. I must confess that he is patient with his friends and patient in receiving healing, but what strikes me most about Job is that in spite of intense pain, humiliation, loss, lousy friends and almost every human tragedy possible, Job trusts God. God always comes through for him, even after death. He doesn't let his tragedy bump God off of the throne of his heart. God remains in spite of all that he endured. This is so much more beautiful than any cliche can say.
I have a new found respect for Job and think that his life and what he says is worth examining. I know I am not even halfway through the book and I'm sure I will find other pearls of truth and wisdom to examine.
That's it for today.
Then the Job's despair becomes a little stronger when compares himself to a tree. At least a tree has hope, he says. If it is cut down its roots lie deep in the ground and at the scent of water it springs to life. But that is not true about people.
Job asks God to let him lie in the ground. The grave would conceal him until God's anger has passed. Then when God calls, Job will answer him. He knows that God's hands who made him will long for him.
I absolutely love and admire Job's passion and love for God; and his complete trust in God, in spite of the unbearable pain. You would think that Job's friends could see the beauty in Job's words in spite of his pain. But they do not.
Cutting Words
Eliphaz steps up to the plate and chooses to use stabbing thoughts like, "Would a wise man argue using useless words?" Would he fill his belly with the hot east wind? I'm not too sure what that means but I found it interesting. It actually sounds like he may have some stomach issues. Who knows.
Eliphaz continues with his insults. You undermined piety and you hinder devotion to God. (Really? How does he know?) Your own mouth condemns you and you adopt the tongue of the crafty. Here he accuses Job of having this major sin that has caused his problems. Again, though, they never really sites what Job has done wrong.
Then Eliphaz goes even deeper by talking about the wicked man. Again, he assumes that Job is wicked. The wicked man suffers torment, he says. Terrifying sounds fill his ears. He knows the day of darkness is at hand and he will not escape it. He will be like a vine stripped of it's unripened grapes. And God will carry his breath away. For the company of the godless conceives trouble and gives birth to deceit. The womb of the wicked person fashions deceit.
The Despair of Job
Then Job responds to his so-called friend. Keep this in mind; Job has lost his children, his possessions, and now he has a few choice friends putting him down. On top of this, his body is racked with pain. He's got oozing sores. I am sure that insects must be driving him crazy.
The Bible doesn't say that he has lost his property but I wonder if there is anyone to take care of it. I imagine him sitting in his home on a bed, a mat or on the floor. His sores ooze, bleed, and he puts burlap over them... perhaps to keep the flies away... perhaps so that they would form scabs and heal. A few chapters back we learn that he has lost his appetite for things that taste good. That means he is possibly losing weight. In the midst of all that has gone wrong, Job finds a place to give his speech to his friends.
He tells them, I've heard stuff like this before. You all are miserable comforters. Job asks them, "what ails you?"
"If I were in your shoes and had to encourage you, I would actually encourage you. What's up with the long-winded speeches? I would say things to help relieve you of your suffering".
Job says, here is the place where I find myself. If I speak I am in pain; and if I am silent the pain remains the same. God has worn me out. I am shriveled and my gauntness testifies against me. People jeer, strike my cheek, and unite against me.
Then Job uses several ways to describe how he feels deserted by God. For example, "God's archers surround me and pierced my kidney and gall spills from me," Job says. He even says that he has sewn some sackcloth over his skin. His face is now red with weeping and he has dark shadows around his eyes.
Not only does he describe his aloneness, he also describes a deep physical pain. Today we have drugs to numb emotional, mental and physical pain. Perhaps Job might have taken something to minimize pain. We don't know. It sounds like Job is at his lowest point but there is no indication that he lacks trust in God. Chapter 16 seems to be the most painful and difficult chapter so far.
My thoughts
My heart weeps for Job. So much suffering and pain surpasses my imagination. Oftentimes, we hear overused phrases like, "the patience of Job." But there is more than patience described here. I must confess that he is patient with his friends and patient in receiving healing, but what strikes me most about Job is that in spite of intense pain, humiliation, loss, lousy friends and almost every human tragedy possible, Job trusts God. God always comes through for him, even after death. He doesn't let his tragedy bump God off of the throne of his heart. God remains in spite of all that he endured. This is so much more beautiful than any cliche can say.
I have a new found respect for Job and think that his life and what he says is worth examining. I know I am not even halfway through the book and I'm sure I will find other pearls of truth and wisdom to examine.
That's it for today.
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