February 26, 2026
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Reading along with us in Job & Hebrews? Here’s today’s reading:
Job 16 (NIV)
Job
1 Then Job replied:
2“I have heard many things like these;
you are miserable comforters, all of you!
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?
What ails you that you keep on arguing?……Continue Reading
Next: Hebrews 13
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Back: Job 15
Job says out loud what we have all been thinking (and writing), these guys are lousy counselors, making speeches about things they know nothing about. Now Job does recognize that he might have the same thoughts if the shoe was on the other foot, but he would also offer some comfort and encouragement. And Job, not knowing that he is God’s champion is left to think that God is set against him and He is doing a pretty good job of ripping Job to shreds, physically, mentally and emotionally. We can understand why Job would think that way, but it is important for us to maintain the understanding that God is always for us and is always seeking to do what is best for us as He conforms us to the image of His Son. Therefore we can see much purpose in suffering and recognize that God is still with us even. if He makes us go through hard things.
In verse 16:11, , Job is close to the truth of what’s happening – “God has turned me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked”. As we know from Chapters 1 and 2, God allowed Satan to inflict all this harm and destruction on him. Why? We never know and we never find out. I think He allows this to prove to Satan what a great man Job is and that Satan may think he can turn us away from God, but, as with Job, he will fail. Though doubting God, Job never cursed God or lost his faith in Him. Someone once told me that God never gives us more than we can handle and that’s stuck with me ever since. When difficult situations have arisen in life I try to remember that God has a plan, He is still on His throne, He knows what we can handle and we will make it through!
One would hope the chapters where his friends speak were paraphrased, however, it is obvious that they were not. You would hope that the times where they just said how sorry they were, offered him something to comfort his physical pain, or even just held his hand and tried to pray with him were left out but it seems that is not the case. It is understandable how desperate Job has become, surrounded by pain and less than helpful or comforting advice. But still he sees “Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.”, he still receives strength fro God to get him through this.
17 yet my hands have been free of violence
and my prayer is pure.
And that right there demonstrates why Job is God’s champion. In the face of all that adversity, he still maintains his faith.
Job 16
“You are miserable comforters, all of you!” Job, understanding what it is like to be in his situation, would not behave like his friends if the tables were turned. Instead, he would say words of encouragement and comfort and pray to God for their health and restoration. “My intercessor is my friend…on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.”
Job 16:20 NIV
“My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God”
After all he has been through.
Job 16
Job 15 & 16