September 25, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Job? Here’s today’s reading:
Job 6 (NIV)
Job
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.…..Continue Reading
Job 6: I sense Job continues, asserts his request for birth-suicide from God, after Eliphaz basically says he brought it on himself. Job is in serious depression, beyond what I can ever imagine, so in no way can I fault him for such emotional distress. I’d be worse off!
He counters Eliphaz vss 24 to 27, saying, you tell me where I erred, I’ll listen, you’re using swelling speeches to convince me I have wronged God. I am fatherless, and you throw your friend into the pit!
We are just getting into this back and forth tug of war, men trying to understand the mind of God in this. I keep in mind, that Job was righteous, more than any man living in his day. Righteous! Astounding!
God allowed Satan to harm Job. Job will receive understanding, the devil will be put to shame before God and men, and his friends will have their religion corrected. It’s interesting to see this unfold. -Gy
I learn from Job who is known to be a faithful servant of God that it is okay to acknowledge ones sufferings. Even those who are close to God can suffer. It’s a holy admission that God is mighty and we are just his created beings, that he can do absolutely anything to us. That is potentially a terrifying thought but it’s good to know that God is a good God and his intentions are always good for his created beings, but the only rule is we have to play by his rules.
So easy in chapter 5 as eliphaz continues with his finite simple wisdom God punishes the wicked. Look no further. God does not eliminate suffering when we are following him closely and good behavior is not always going to promote prosperity. Then everyone woild be doing it. Rewards for good and punishment for sin are in Gods hands. Satans ploy for us and job is to doubt Gods good purpose towards us. Ch 6. Job says eliphaz words are like the tasteless part of a white egg When someone is going through a severe trial to give ill advice makes matters much worse. They need compassion much more than advice. Time to pray!! Job wanted to die. Easy to praise God when things are great. But to praise him int the storms of life. Time to exercise our faith and remember promises like Roman’s 8:28. God is in control is where the peace comes from Verses 29-30. Job speaks that he has been as righteous as possible in his life as that truth comes out in later chapters
Job 6 Job wanted to give up and die it felt easier to do than continue in his pain. His friends aren’t helping him.
Job is in much grief for with all the stress that he has experienced over the lost of family, servants, livestock, and his own health now even his friends are speaking against him. Instead of continuing to comfort him they are judging him. He is saying that they should pity him and instead they have dealt deceitfully with him. They are also arguing with him to reprove him. He also says that they overwhelm the fatherless, and dig a pit for him. How are these his friends. Are they only his friends when everything is going good for Job. They may have had good intentions when they first arrived for they spent seven days with him without saying anything. But it became a judge mental occasion because of their self righteousness. God bless you all.
Here
Job 6
“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that stop flowing in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels….
Now you too have proved to be of no help”
Pretty much sums up the problem with Eliphaz’s “comfort”.. a fine sounding but mistaken argument that only the wicked suffer so Job’s great suffering must be due to some equally great hidden sin he needs to repent of.
It is so sad to hear Job so desperate for death and I imagine as a friend being with him first hand and watching this unfold must be so hard and what words do you share. Eliphaz speaks from a place that many of us would go but unfortunately following God does not mean everything will always be good. Trials still come. Tests still happen and we do still encounter hurt and loss.
This is a terrible place for Job to be in feeling so low and his friends words are just making it worse.
“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you undermine your friend.
Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands!
Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?”
Job6