JOB'S CLOSING REMARKS JOB 14

JOB'S CLOSING REMARKS  

JOB 14

 

   Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.  He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.  Do You fix Your eye on such a one?  Will You bring him before You for judgment?  Who can bring what is pure from the impure?  No one!  Man's days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.  So look away from him and let him alone, 'til he has put in his time like a hired man.

   At least there is hope for a tree; If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.  Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.  But man dies and is laid low he breathes his last and is no more.  As water disappears from the sea or a riverbed becomes parched and dry, so man lies down and does not rise; 'til the heavens are no more, men will not awake or be roused from their sleep. 

   If only You would hide me in the grave and conceal me till Your anger has passed!  If only You would set me a time and then remember me!  If a man dies, will he live again?  All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.  You will call and I will answer You, You will long for the creature Your hands have made.  Surely then You will count my steps but not keep track of my sin.  My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; You will cover over my sin.

   But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and as a rock is moved from it's place, as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy man's hope.  You overpower him once for all, and he is gone; You change his countenance and send him away.  If his sons are honored, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he does not see it.  He feels but the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.   Job 14  (NIV)

COMMENTARY

   Life is brief and full of trouble, Job laments in his closing remarks.  Sickness, loneliness, disappointment, and death cause Job to say that life is not fair..... God's solution to believers who live in an unfair world is to guarantee life with Him forever.  No matter how unfair your present world seems, God offers the hope of being in His presence eternally.  Have you accepted this offer?  click here to learn how:  'https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html'

    Job's pessimism about death is understandable.  What is remarkable is his budding hope.  If Only God would hide him with the dead and then bring him out again!  When we must endure suffering, we have an advantage over Job because of his faithfulness to God.  We know that we are not necessarily punished in this life, but we sign up to be used by God for His purposes.  Job was not being punished, he was actually being rewarded for living a righteous life!

   Job's profound speech in this chapter illustrates a great truth:  to have a right set of doctrines is not enough.  To know WHAT to believe is not all that is required to please God.  Truth untested by life's experiences may become static and stagnant.  Suffering can bring a dynamic quality to life.  Just as drought drives the roots of a tree deeper to find water, so suffering can drive us beyond superficial acceptance of truth to dependence of God for hope and life.

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JOB CONTINUES HIS DISCOURSE JOB 13

JOB CONTINUES HIS DISCOURSE 

   "My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.  What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.  But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.  You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you!  If only you would be altogether silent!  For you, that would be wisdom.  Hear now my argument; listen to the plea of my lips. 

   Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf?  Will you speak deceitfully for Him?  Will you show him partiality?  Will you argue the case for God?  Would it turn out well if He examined you?  Could you deceive Him as you might deceive men?  He would surely rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.  Would not His splendor terrify you?  Would not the dread of Him fall on you?  Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;  your defenses are defenses of clay.

   Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may.  Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands?  THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I HOPE IN HIM; I will surely defend my ways to His face.  Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before Him!  Listen carefully to my words; let your ears take in what I say.  Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated.  Can anyone bring charges against me?  If so, I will be silent and die.

   Only grant me these two things, O God, and then I will not hide from You:  Withdraw Your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with Your terrors.  Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and You reply.  How many wrongs and sins have I committed?  Show me my offense and my sin.  Why do You hide Your face and consider me Your enemy?  Will You torment a windblown leaf?  Will You chase after dry chaff?  For You write down bitter things against me and make me inherit the sins of my youth.  You fasten my feet in shackles; You keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet. 

   So man wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths."

Job 13  Life Application Study Bible

COMMENTARY

   Job compared his three friends to physicians who did not know what they were doing.  They were like eye surgeons trying to perform open-heart surgery.  Many of their ideas about God were true, but they did not apply to Job's situation.  They were right to say that God is just.  They were right to say that Job's suffering was a just punishment for his sin.  They took a true principle and applied it wrongly, ignoring the vast differences in human circumstances.  We must be careful and compassionate in how we apply Biblical condemnations to others; we must be slow to judge.

MY THOUGHTS

   You may find me often condemning the act of homosexuality or other sexual deviations.  You will never find me condemning the perpetrator.  I do not condemn any man.  I do not agree with many men's actions.  I believe every man has the opportunity to change.

  I am a murderer.  I have never killed anyone.  I believe people who claim to be homosexuals "from birth" should also never act on that impulse.  However, I am not God.  I will pray for the person.  In fact I have had two very close friends who were into an alternative lifestyle.  One of them has died.  I still mourn for her today.  I loved the person, not the sin. 

   What are your thoughts?

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JOB REPLIES TO ZOPHAR JOB 12

JOB 12
JOB REPLIES TO ZOPHAR

   Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!  But I have a mind as well as you;  I am not inferior to you.  Who does not know all these things?

   I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called upon God and He answered--a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!  Men at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.  The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure--those who carry their god in their hands.

   But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you, or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.  Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?  Is not wisdom found among the aged?  Does not long life bring understanding?

   To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His.  What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.  If He holds back the waters, there is drought; if He lets them loose, they devastate the land.  To Him belong strength and victory, both deceived and deceiver are His.  He leads counselors away stripped and makes fool of judges.  He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist.  He leads priests away stripped and overthrows men long established.  He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders.  He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.  He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.  He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and disperses them.  He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason.  He sends them wandering through a trackless waste.  They grope in darkness with no light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.  Job 12   (NIV)

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY   (NIV)

   Job answered Zophar's argument with great sarcasm:  "Wisdom will die with you."  He went on to say that his three friends didn't need to explain God to him--they were saying nothing he didn't already know.  Job continued to maintain that his friends had completely misunderstood the reason for his suffering.  Job did not know it either, but he was certain that his friends' reasons were both narrow-minded and incorrect.  Once again Job appealed to God to give him and answer.

   Job affirmed that no leader has any real wisdom apart from God.  No research or report can outweigh God's opinion.  No scientific discovery or medical advance takes Him by surprise.  When we look for guidance for our decisions, we must recognize that God's wisdom is superior to any the world has to offer.  Don't let earthly advisers dampen your desire to know God better.

MY THOUGHTS

   The verse 12:10:  "IN HIS HAND IS THE LIFE OF EVERY CREATURE AND THE BREATH OF ALL MANKIND."  Thank you, Lord for Job.  Thank you for your loving kindness and your wisdom.  I love you, Lord. Amen!

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ZOPHAR THE NAAMATHITE REPLIES JOB 11

ZOPHAR THE NAAMATHITE REPLIES
JOB 11

1) The third friend of Job's, who came to offer comfort, speaks:

  2)  "Are all these words to go unanswered?  Is this talker to be vindicated?  3) Will your idle talk reduce men to silence?  Will no one rebuke you when you mock?  4) You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in Your sight.' 5) Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that He would open His lips against you 6) and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides.  Know this:  God has even forgotten some of your sin.

  7)  Can you fathom the mysteries of God?  Can you probe the limits of The Almighty?  8) They are higher than the heavens--what can you do?  They are deeper than the depths of the grave--what can you know?  9) Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

   10) If He comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose Him?  11) Surely He recognizes deceitful men; and when He sees evil, does He not take note?  12) But a witless man can no more become wise than a wild donkey's colt can be born a man.

   13) Yet if you devote your heart to Him and stretch out your hands to Him,14)  if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, 15) then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without shame; 16) you will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.  17) Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.  18) You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.  19) You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.  20) But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp."  Job 11  Life Application Study Bible   NIV

COMMENTARY

   Zophar is the third of Job's friends to speak, and the least courteous.  Full of anger, he lashed out at Job, saying that Job deserved more punishment, not less.  Zophar took the same position as Eliphaz and Bildad--that Job was suffering because of sin--but his speech was by far the most arrogant.  Zophar was the kind of person who has an answer for everything; he was totally insensitive to Job's unique situation.

   By calling Job "deceitful," Zophar was accusing Job of hiding secret faults and sins.  Although Zophar's assumption was wrong, he explained quite accurately that God knows and sees everything.  We are often tempted by the thought, "No one will ever know!"  Perhaps we can hide some sin from others, but we can do nothing without God knowing about it.  Because our very thoughts are known to God, of course He will notice our sins.  Job understood this as well as Zophar did, but it didn't apply to his current dilemma.



MY THOUGHTS

   It looks like time for Job to find different friends.  Remember that Job has lost his children, his wealth, and his health.  He is half an inch away from dying, at this point.  One would think his friends would keep their mouths shut if they have nothing kind to say and let him die.  Instead they figuratively rub salt in his woulds...good intentions.
   But look closer:  if Job was your friend, would you not want him to confess his sin and be redeemed?  Since he was so close to dying, would you not prod him into confessing his sin and repenting from it so that when he did see God that he would truly be blameless?  Maybe Zophar believed that if Job would repent of his sin that his health, at least, would be restored.


   How far would you go for a dear friend of yours to help them "get their affairs in order" so that when they die, they would be at peace  (or at least you would be at peace knowing that they had repented)?  You are encouraged to leave a comment here with your thoughts.


   Do you know The God Zophar spoke of?  If you want that peace that surpasses all understanding, we encourage you to visit our "Pathway to Salvation" page here:   http://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html).

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JOB'S PAIN TURNS TO SELF-PITY JOB 10

JOB'S PAIN TURNS TO SELF-PITY    

Job continues to talk as if he could be given audience from God:



   "I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.  I will say to God:  Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges You have against me.  Does it please You to oppress me, to spurn the work of Your hands, while You smile on the schemes of the wicked?  Do You have eyes of flesh?  Do You see as a mortal sees?  Are Your days like those of a mortal or Your years like those of a man, that You must search out my faults and probe after my sin--though You know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from Your hand?

   Your hands shaped me and made me.  Will You now turn and destroy me?  Remember that You molded me like clay.  Will You now turn me to dust again?  Did You not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?  YOU GAVE ME LIFE AND SHOWED ME KINDNESS, AND IN YOUR PROVIDENCE WATCHED OVER MY SPIRIT.

   But this is what You concealed in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:  If I sinned, You would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.  If I am guilty--woe to me!  Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction.  If I hold my head high, You stalk me like a lion and again display Your awesome power against me.  You bring new witnesses against me and increase Your anger toward me; Your forces come against me wave upon wave.

   Why then did You bring me out of the womb?  I wish I had died before any eye saw me.  If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!  Are not my few days almost over?  Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow, to the land of deepest night, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."



LIVE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY

   Job began to wallow in self-pity.  When we face baffling affliction, our pain lures us toward feeling sorry for ourselves.  At this point we are only one step from self-righteousness, where we keep track of life's injustices and say, "Look what happened to me; how unfair it is!"  We may feel like blaming God.  Remember that life's trials, whether allowed by God or sent by God, can be the means for development and refinement.  When facing trials, ask, "What can I learn and how can I grow?"  rather than "Who did this to me and how can I get out of it?"

   In frustration, Job jumped to the false conclusion that God was out to get him.  Wrong assumptions lead to wrong conclusions.  We dare not take our limited experiences and jump to conclusion about life in general.  If you find yourself doubting God, remember that you don't have all the facts.  God wants only the very best for your life.  Many people endure great pain, but ultimately they find some greater good came from it.  When you're struggling, don't assume the worst.

   Job was expressing the view of death common in Old Testament times, that the dead went to a joyless, dark place.  There was no punishment or reward there, and no escape from it.

MY THOUGHTS

   Raising children, you never wait to punish them for wrong doing.  If you do, they have difficulty connecting the offense to the punishment.  Imagine if you waited ten or fifteen years and then one day, just came in and punished them without telling them why.  Sometimes, we feel God is doing something like that.  Instead of a "lightening bolt" when we offend, we experience loss at a later time.  "Well, what did I do to deserve this?"  Right? 

   The problem is that we cannot see what is going on in Heaven.  We have to trust God and continue to live in a way that we hope positively reflects Jesus.

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JOB REPLIES TO BILDAD JOB 9

JOB 9
JOB REPLIES TO BILDAD

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

1) Then Job replied:

   2) "Indeed, I know that this is true.  But how can a mortal be righteous before God? 3) Though one wished to dispute with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.  4) His wisdom is profound, His power is vast.  Who has resisted Him and come out unscathed?  5) He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in His anger.  6) He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.  7) He speaks to the sun and it does not shine, He seals off the light of the stars.  8) He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.  9) He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.  10) He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.  11) When He passes me, I cannot see Him; When He goes by, I cannot perceive Him.  12) If He snatches away, who can stop Him?  Who can say to Him, 'What are You doing?' 13) God does not restrain His anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at His feet.

   14) Who then can I dispute with Him?  How can I find words to argue with Him?  15) Though I were innocent, I could not answer Him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. 16)  Even if I summoned Him and He responded, I do not believe He would give me a hearing.  17) He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.  18) He would not let me regain my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.  19) If it is a matter of strength, He is mighty!  And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon Him?  20) Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;  If I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

    21) Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.  22) It is all the same; that is why I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.  23) When a scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.  24) When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, He blindfolds its judges.  If it is not He, then who is it?

   25) My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.  26) They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.  27) If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile, 28) I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.  29) Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?  30) Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with washing soda, 31) You would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me.

  32) He is not a man like me that I might answer Him, that we might confront each other in court.  33) If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, 34) someone to remove God's rod from me so that His terror would frighten me no more, 35)Then I would speak up without fear of Him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot."

  

The study notes in the Study Bible says this about verse 21:  I despise my own life.  words of despairing resignation that would be partially echoed in Job's final outpouring of repentance.  "Been there...no t-shirt.

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY    NIV

   Bildad said nothing new to Job.  Job knew that the wicked ultimately perish, but his situation confused him.  Why, then was he perishing? Job didn't think his life warranted such suffering, so he wanted his case presented before God.  He recognized, however, that arguing with God would be futile and unproductive.  Job didn't claim to be perfect, but he did claim to be good and faithful.  While Job showed impatience toward God, he did not reject or curse God.

   Look at verse 33 and 34.  In Job's day, there was no one to intercede for him. Today, we have Jesus at the right hand of God who intercedes on our behalf.  We can go boldly before the very throne of God with our petitions and Jesus will plead our case!

   The Bear, Orion, and Pleiades are constellations of stars.

   Rahab is the name of a legendary sea monster.  According to a Babylonian creation myth, Marduk defeated Rahab, then captured her helpers.  Job's friends would have known this myth and understood Job's meaning.  God is sovereign over all the forces. 

   "Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me."  Job was saying, "In spite of my good life, God is determined to condemn me."  As his suffering continued, he became more impatient.  Although Job remained loyal to God, he made statements he would later regret.  In times of extended sickness or prolonged pain, it is natural for people to doubt, to despair, or to become impatient.  During those times,  we need someone to listen to us, to help us work through our feelings and frustrations.  Displaying patience with our impatience will help.        JOB 9  LASB    (NIV)

MY THOUGHTS

I am pleased that we are studying this Book.  As Job discovered that everyone is subject to suffering, we also understand that everyone will die.  We are living in a "drive through" society.  We tend to be quite impatient.  It is hard to be patient.  But in reality, WE DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING we are given in this life.  We should practice gratefulness toward God.  In these last days, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus, not on our circumstances.

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BILDAD ALSO ACCUSES JOB JOB 8 (NIV)

BILDAD ALSO ACCUSES JOB
JOB 8

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

1) Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

  2) "How long will you say such things?  Your words are a blustering wind.  3) Does God pervert justice?  Does the Almighty pervert what is right?  4) When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to the penalty of their sin.  5) But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, 6) if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.  7) Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.

   8) Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned, 9) for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.  10) Will they not instruct you and tell you?  Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?  11) Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?  Can reeds thrive without water?  12) While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.  13) Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. 

   14) What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spiders web.  15) He leans on his own web, but it gives way; he clings to it, but it does not hold.  16) He is like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden;  17) it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones.  18) But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you.'  19) Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow.

   20) Surely God does not reject a blameless man or strengthen the hands of evildoers.  21) He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.  22) Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more."     Job 8   (NIV)

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY    NIV

   Bildad was upset that Job still claimed innocence while questioning God's justice.  The basis of Bildad's argument (the justice of God) was correct, but his idea of God's justice was not.  Bildad's argument went like this:  God could not be unjust, and God would not punish a just man; therefore Job must be unjust.  Bildad felt there were no exceptions to his theory.  Like Eliphaz, Bildad wrongly assumed that people suffer only as a result of their sins.  Bildad was even less sensitive and compassionate, saying that Job's children died because of their wickedness. 

   Bildad wrongly assumed that Job was trusting in something other than God for security, so he pointed out that such supports will collapse ("what he trusts in is fragile").  One of man's basic needs is security, and people will do almost anything to feel secure.  Eventually, however, our money, possessions, knowledge, and relationships will fail or be gone.  Only God can give lasting security.  What have you trusted  for your security?  How lasting is it?  If you have a secure foundation with God, feelings of insecurity will not undermine you.

MY THOUGHTS

   I know some people who judge others based on their own experiences or their own ideas of how things should be, don't you?  I drive people crazy when I ask where they got their information on topics they want to inform me about.  What I find most of the time is that their information comes from the television!  In other words, what they believe is not based in facts!  I like to research topics before I open my mouth.  What about you?

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JOB ADDRESSES GOD JOB 7 (NIV)

JOB 7
JOB ADDRESSES GOD

   1) Does not man have hard service on earth?  Are not his days like those of a hired man?  2) Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired man waiting eagerly for his wages, 3) so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me.  4) When I lie down I think, "How long before I get up?  The night drags on, and I toss till dawn.  5) My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering.

   6) My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.  7) Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;  my eyes will never see happiness again.  8) The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;  you will look for me, but I will be no more.  9) As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to the grave does not return.  10) He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.

   11) Therefore I will not keep silent;  I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.  12) Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You put me under guard?  13) When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, 14) even then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, 15) so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine.  I despise my life; I would not live forever.  16) Let me alone;  my days have no meaning. 

   17) What is man that You make so much of him, that You give him so much attention, 18) that You examine him every morning and test him every moment?  19) Will You never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?  20) If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O Watcher of men?  Why have You made me Your target?  Have I become a burden to You?  21) Why do You not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?  For I will soon lie down in the dust; You will search for me, but I will be no more."  Job 7  (NIV)

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY   NIV

  Job felt deep anguish and bitterness, and he spoke honestly to God about his feelings to let out his frustrations.  If we express our feelings to God, we can deal with them without exploding in harsh words and actions, possibly hurting ourselves and others.  The next time strong emotions threaten to overwhelm you, express them openly to God in prayer.  This will help you gain an eternal perspective on the situation and give you greater ability to deal with it constructively. 

   Job stopped talking to Eliphaz and spoke directly to God.  Although Job had lived a blameless life, he was beginning to doubt the value of living in such a way.  By doing this, he was coming dangerously close to suggesting that God didn't care about him and was not being fair.  Later God reproved Job for this attitude.  Satan always exploits these thoughts to get us to forsake God.  Our suffering, like Job's, may not be the result of our sin, but we must be careful not to sin as a result of our suffering.

   Job referred to God as a watcher or observer of humanity.  He was expressing his feeling that God seemed like an enemy to him--someone who mercilessly watched him squirm in his misery.  We know that God does watch over everything that happens to us.  We must never forget that He sees us with compassion, not merely with critical scrutiny.  His eyes are eyes of love.

MY THOUGHTS

   As I read this chapter, I feel the pain in Job's soul.  I have felt the same pain and anguish.  I have felt abandoned by God.  That was just my feelings, not the fact.  I could not see God's face.  I thought He had turned His face from me.  I cried day after day for Him to let me see His face.  My pain and sorrow was so great, that my sight was clouded.  God never left me.  He knew years before that I would be in the situation I had found myself in and He had a life-line for me.  On the other side, I gave Him the praise and glory.  But, while I was swimming in grief, all I could do was cry to Him when I came up for air.  My faith is stronger today. 

   I have been able to offer others peace and comfort as they go through tough times.  In my nursing career, I have held many hands and spoke the Truth of God's love.  I just pray that something I was able to do helped further God's Kingdom.

  What do you do?  Reading God's Word will give you the foundation of strength and wisdom.  I praise God that we are able to read His Word together.


   You are encouraged to leave a comment with your thoughts and to share this post on your favorite social media if we are a blessing to you.  Thank you.

You can also follow me at http://omaslife.blogspot.com/, http://omashealth.blogspot.com/, and http://omaspolitics.blogspot.com/.

JOB REPLIES TO ELIPHAZ JOB 6

JOB 6
JOB REPLIES TO ELIPHAZ

  1) Then Job replied,   2) "If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales!  3) It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas--no wonder my words have been impetuous.  4) The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison, God's terrors are marshaled against me.

   5) Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass, or an ox bellow when it has fodder?  Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? 7) I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill.

  8)  Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, 9) that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose His hand and cut me off!  10) Then I would still have this consolation-- my joy in unrelenting pain--that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
  

   11) What strength do I have, that I should still hope?  What prospects, that I should be patient?  12) Do I have the strength of stone?  Is my flesh bronze? 13)  Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?

   14) A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.  15) But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow 16) when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, 17) but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels.

   18) Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go up into the wasteland and perish.  19) The caravans of Tema look for water, the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.  20)They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed. 

   21) Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid.  22) Have I ever said, "Give something on my behalf, pay a ransom for me from your wealth, 23) deliver me from the hand of the enemy, ransom me from the clutches of the ruthless?"

   24) "Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong.  25) How painful are honest words!  But what do your arguments prove?  26) Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat the words of a despairing man as wind?  27) You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend. 

   28) But now be so kind as to look at me.  Would I lie to your face?  29) Relent, do not be unjust; reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.  30) Is there any wickedness on my lips?  Can my mouth not discern malice?    Job 6    (NIV)

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY   NIV

   Job said that Eliphaz's advice was like eating the tasteless white of an egg.  When people are going through severe trials, ill-advised counsel is distasteful.  They may listen politely, but inside they are upset.  Be slow to give advice to those who are hurting.  They often need compassion more than they need advice.

  In his grief, Job wanted to give in, to be freed from his discomfort, and to die.  But God did not grant Job's request.  He had a greater plan for him.  Our tendency, like Job's, is to give up and get out when the going gets rough.  To trust God in the good times is commendable, but to trust Him during the difficult times tests us to our limits and exercises our faith.  In your struggles, large or small, trust that God is in control and that He will take care of you (Romans 8:28).

   Job referred to his own integrity, not because he was sinless, but because he had a right relationship with God.  He was not guilty of the sins his friends accused him of.  Another rendering of this verse could read, "My righteousness still stands."  Righteousness is not the same as sinlessness.  No one but Jesus Christ has ever been sinless--free from all wrong thoughts and actions.  Even Job needed to make some changes in his attitude toward God, as we will see by the end of the book.  Nevertheless, Job was righteous.  He carefully obeyed God to the best of his ability in all aspects of his life.

MY THOUGHTS

   I have to say again, I love the Book of Job.  Did you catch the part where he thought the whites of eggs are tasteless?  How healthy is that!  Seriously, though, he wanted God to end his life.  His flesh was rotting off his bones and he was covered in oozing sores.  This also talks to me about suicide, although Job was not discussing suicide.  He wanted his suffering to end.  I have seen many people in my career who was in this situation.  Please understand that God can reverse your circumstances.  He loves you.  He was extremely proud of Job and look what Job was having to endure.  Oh, that He would tell me, "Well done my good and faithful servant."!


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ELIPHAZ CONTINUES JOB 4:12-21

 JOB 4:12-21
ELIPHAZ CONTINUES

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

  

  12)  A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it.  13) Amid disquieting dreams in the night when deep sleep falls on men, 14) fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake.  15) A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end
. 

  16) It stopped, but I could not tell what it was.  A form stood before my eyes, and I heard a hushed voice:  17) 'Can a mortal be more righteous than God?  Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

  (18) If God places no trust in His servants, if He charges His angels with error, 19) how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth?  20) Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces; unnoticed they perish forever.

  21) Are not the cords of their tent pulled up so that they die without wisdom

COMMENTARY

    Temen was a trading center in Edom, noted as a place of wisdom.  So, Eliphaz, who is one of his best friends, decides that Job has sinned and needs to confess and repent.  When Eliphaz said "A word was secretly brought to me", the "dream" was obviously not from God, as we will see.

   In fact, allow me to expand on this:  there are heavenly angels and there are fallen angels.  Heavenly angels minister to God's creation per His direction.  Fallen angels attack God's creation as much as God allows.  Angels, whether good or evil, can take on many forms.

   There is no "spirit of the dead", no spirit of dead people hanging around this world. The dead do not wander around; their spirit is not recycled until they are perfected.   When we die, we either go to Hades or Paradise  (see Luke 16).   Do I believe people see ghosts of their loved ones?  Absolutely!  I believe an angel has taken the form of the image of loved ones to deliver a message.  The question is, is it a heavenly angel or a fallen angel?

   Although Eliphaz claimed that his vision was divinely inspired, it is doubtful that it came from God because later God criticized Eliphaz for misrepresenting Him.  How many people have you discovered who have misrepresented God?  What ever the vision's source, it is summarized in 4:17.  On the surface, this statement is completely true--mere mortal cannot compare to God and should not try to question God's motives and actions.  Satan is famous for using half truths.  Eliphaz, however, took this thought and expounded on it later, expressing his own opinions.

   It is easy for teachers, counselors, and well-meaning friends to begin with a portion of God's truth but then go off on a tangent.  It is better to keep your mouth shut and sit with someone than to open your mouth and add to their misery.  Cue Psalms 69: 20 - 26:  20) Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.  21) They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.  22) May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap.  23) May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.  24) POUR OUT YOUR WRATH ON THEM; LET YOUR FIERCE ANGER OVERTAKE THEM.  25) May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.  26) FOR THEY PERSECUTE THOSE YOU WOUND AND TALK ABOUT THE PAIN OF THOSE YOU HURT.  (NIV)

   Do angels really make errors?  Remember that Eliphaz was speaking, not God, so we must be careful about building our knowledge of the spiritual world from Eliphaz's opinions.  In addition, the word translated error is only here, and its meaning is unclear.  We could save Eliphaz's credibility by saying he meant fallen angels, but this passage is not meant to teach about angels.  Eliphaz was saying that sinful human beings are far beneath God and the angels.  Eliphaz was right about God's greatness, but he did not understand God's greater purposes concerning suffering.

MY THOUGHTS



   I have a problem with others telling me something and then saying they heard it from God.  I feel like this:  if God wants me to know something, He has my number.  Right?  Spirits are not always Heavenly.  Take it from me, I know first hand. That is a topic for another time.


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ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE'S WISDOM JOB 4:1-11

ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE
JOB 4: 1 - 11

   1) Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:  2) "If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?  But who can keep from speaking?
 

   3) Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands, 4) Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.

   5) But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;  it strikes you, and you are dismayed.  6) Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?

   7) Consider now:  Who, being innocent, has ever perished?  Where were the upright ever destroyed?  8) As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.  9) At the breath of God they are destroyed; at the blast of His anger they perish.  10) The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken.  11) The lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered."  Job 4:1-11   (NIV)

COMMENTARY ON JOB 4:1-11

   Job's morning routine was to consecrate his family.  Job was known for instructing others, giving strength to others.  Today, we would consider him an elder in the church.  He was a leader in the community.  His wealth was unequaled.  Job was a sinner but he was "upright and blameless" through his faith.  There was much "fruit" of his faith, as he had counseled and helped many.  Now, he is the one who suffers.
 
  We need to pay attention to who we judge and why.   Keeping our mouths quiet is probably the best response.  In time, the truth will be known.  We should support the person, as Eliphaz did, but not judge.  If we know of a sin committed, we support our friend in confessing and repenting, again, without judging.  It is written that if we judge, we shall also be judged  (Matthew 7: 2).

   As for the innocent perishing or the upright being destroyed, we all know this happens.  Babies die; Christians have been persecuted and killed for thousands of years.  Rachel Scott's name is included in the Christian Hall of Fame.  Miss Scott was born on August 5, 1981 and her precious life was cut short on April 20, 1999 because she would not denounce her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

   The only ultimate way to be found "not guilty" (or innocent and upright) is to be washed in the innocent blood of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Do you know Him?  You can learn more on our "Pathway to Salvation" page:   https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html 

   If this ministry is a blessing to you, we would love to hear from you.  Please leave us a comment and share on your favorite social media.  Thank you.

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THE PRAYER OF FAITH JAMES 5: 13-20

THE PRAYER OF FAITH

   13) Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  14) Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  15) And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;  the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  16) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

   17) Elijah was a man just like us.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  18) Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 

   19) My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20) remember this:  Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.  James 5:  13-20  (NIV)

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE    NIV

5: 14,15  James is referring to someone who is incapacitated physically.  In Scripture, oil was both a medicine and a symbol of the Spirit of God.  Thus oil can represent both the medical and the spiritual spheres of life.  Christians should not separate the physical and the spiritual--Jesus Christ is Lord over both the body and the spirit.

   People in the church are not alone.  Members of Christ's body should be able to count on others for support and prayer, especially when they are suffering.  The elders should be on call to respond to the illness of any member, and the church should stay alert to pray for the needs of all its members.

5: 15  "The prayer offered in faith" does not refer to the faith of the sick person, but to the faith of the people praying.  God heals, faith doesn't, and all prayers are subject to God's will.  But our prayers are part of God's healing process.  That is why God often waits for our prayers of faith before intervening to heal a person.

5: 16  Christ has made it possible for us to go directly to God for forgiveness.  But confessing our sins to each other still has an important place in the life of the church.  (1) If we have sinned against an individual, we must ask him or her to forgive us.  (2) If our sin has affected the church, we must confess it publicly.  (3) If we need loving support as we struggle with a sin, we should confess that sin to those who are able to provide that support.  (4) If, after confessing a private sin to God, we still don't feel His forgiveness, we may wish to confess that sin to a fellow believer and hear him or her assure us of God's pardon.  In Christ's kingdom, every believer is a priest to other believers. (1 Peter 2:9)

Do you have a relationship with Jesus?  Click here for more information on how to become a child of The Most High God:  https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html

5:16-18  The Christian's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer.  The results are often greater than we thought were possible.  Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails.  This approach is backward.  Prayer should come first.  Because God's power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it--especially because God encourages us to do so.

5: 19-20  Clearly this person who has wandered from the truth is a believer who has fallen into sin--one who is no longer living a life consistent with his or her beliefs.  Christians disagree over whether or not it is possible for people to lose their salvation, but all agree that those who move away from their faith are in serious trouble and need to repent.  James urges Christians to help backsliders return to God.  By taking the initiative, praying for the person, and acting in love, we can meet the person where he or she is and bring him or her back to God and His forgiveness.

5:20  The book of James emphasizes faith in action.  Right living is the evidence and result of faith.  The church must serve with compassion, speak lovingly and truthfully, live in obedience to God's commands, and love one another.  The body of believers ought to be an example of heaven on earth, drawing people to Christ through love for God and each other.  If we truly believe God's Word, let it not be just something we read or think about, but something we do.  Belief, faith, and trust must have hands and feet----ours.

MY THOUGHTS

5:13  I believe the best prescription for depression is singing songs of praise.

5: 14,15 Since we believe that God forgives our sins, we also believe that God heals our physical bodies.

5: 16-18  "Our most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer".  Jesus prayed all of the time and He is God.  How much more should we pray?  My prayer life can always be improved.  How about yours?  If you need or want prayer, we have a "prayer page"  just click here: https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/prayer-requests.html .  I check this page several times daily.  I pray for all who request it.

You can also follow me at http://omaslife.blogspot.com/, http://omaspolitics.blogspot.com/, and at http://omashealth.blogspot.com/.

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