Job 17-20    Listen

Adversity didn't stop Job's eloquent speaking ability. (Job 17)

1 “My spirit is broken,
My days are extinguished,
The grave is ready for me.
2 Are not mockers with me?
And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?
3 “Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself.
Who is he who will shake hands with me?
4 For You have hidden their heart from understanding;
Therefore You will not exalt them.
5 He who speaks flattery to his friends,
Even the eyes of his children will fail.
6 “But He has made me a byword of the people,
And I have become one in whose face men spit.
7 My eye has also grown dim because of sorrow,
And all my members are like shadows.
8 Upright men are astonished at this,
And the innocent stirs himself up against the hypocrite.
9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way,
And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.
10 “But please, come back again, all of you,
For I shall not find one wise man among you.
11 My days are past,
My purposes are broken off,
Even the thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day;
“The light is near,’ they say, in the face of darkness.
13 If I wait for the grave as my house,
If I make my bed in the darkness,
14 If I say to corruption, “You are my father,’
And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’
15 Where then is my hope?
As for my hope, who can see it?
16 Will they go down to the gates of Sheol?
Shall we have rest together in the dust?”

Job began this monologue at the beginning of Job 16 (see notes). Verse 1 shows his absolute frustration with life, "My spirit is broken, My days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me." In other words, he sees his own death as his only way out. He claims his spirit is broken, his friends have turned on him and folks have lost respect for him. In reference to his friends/counselors he proclaims in verse 10, "...For I shall not find one wise man among you." In the rest of the chapter he just wants to die. If you don't read anything else here, be sure to read the "Lesson to be learned" at the bottom.

Bildad's no friend - just a mean man. (Job 18)

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long till you put an end to words?
Gain understanding, and afterward we will speak.
3 Why are we counted as beasts,
And regarded as stupid in your sight?
4 You who tear yourself in anger,
Shall the earth be forsaken for you?
Or shall the rock be removed from its place?
5 “The light of the wicked indeed goes out,
And the flame of his fire does not shine.
6 The light is dark in his tent,
And his lamp beside him is put out.
7 The steps of his strength are shortened,
And his own counsel casts him down.
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet,
And he walks into a snare.
9 The net takes him by the heel,
And a snare lays hold of him.
10 A noose is hidden for him on the ground,
And a trap for him in the road.
11 Terrors frighten him on every side,
And drive him to his feet.
12 His strength is starved,
And destruction is ready at his side.
13 It devours patches of his skin;
The firstborn of death devours his limbs.
14 He is uprooted from the shelter of his tent,
And they parade him before the king of terrors.
15 They dwell in his tent who are none of his;
Brimstone is scattered on his dwelling.
16 His roots are dried out below,
And his branch withers above.
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name among the renowned.
18 He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the world.
19 He has neither son nor posterity among his people,
Nor any remaining in his dwellings.
20 Those in the west are astonished at his day,
As those in the east are frightened.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

After listening to Job 16 (see notes) and 17 (see above), how can you want to do anything but give Job a big ol' hug? Second thought...maybe not; he's covered with boils. Nonetheless, it's hard to see Bildad's comments at this point as counsel; it's just plain ol' vindictive criticism to an obviously broken man. He does realize what Job thinks of him in verse 3 when he says, "Why are we counted as beasts, And regarded as stupid in your sight?" Job's last speech just seems to set him off. Then, in verse 5, he seems to be characterizing Job as wicked when he says, "The light of the wicked indeed goes out, And the flame of his fire does not shine." He then follows with all the things a wicked person can expect. The rest of Bildad's monologue here is just outright cruelty. I say that because Bildad characterizes the fate of wicked people by mentioning things that have already happened to Job. Examples: the robbers of verse 9, terror of verse 11, failing strength in verse 12, his boils in verse 13, his confidence in verse 14, destruction of his property in verse 15, his offspring destroyed resulting in the complete absence of a legacy in verse 19. In other words, Bildad has just engaged in the cruelest form of retribution toward Job. He is no friend or counselor at this point. He's just getting even! And then...the big one in verse 21, "Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, And this is the place of him who does not know God." Job is accused of not even having a relationship with God. How can a FRIEND speak like this to an obviously broken man?

Job makes another feeble assessment...wrong! (Job 19)

1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “How long will you torment my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times you have reproached me;
You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.
4 And if indeed I have erred,
My error remains with me.
5 If indeed you exalt yourselves against me,
And plead my disgrace against me,
6 Know then that God has wronged me,
And has surrounded me with His net.
7 “If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard.
If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
8 He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass;
And He has set darkness in my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side,
And I am gone;
My hope He has uprooted like a tree.
11 He has also kindled His wrath against me,
And He counts me as one of His enemies.
12 His troops come together
And build up their road against me;
They encamp all around my tent.
13 “He has removed my brothers far from me,
And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed,
And my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants,
Count me as a stranger;
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer;
I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife,
And I am repulsive to the children of my own body.
18 Even young children despise me;
I arise, and they speak against me.
19 All my close friends abhor me,
And those whom I love have turned against me.
20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh,
And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
For the hand of God has struck me!
22 Why do you persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 “Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
27 Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
28 If you should say, “How shall we persecute him?’—
Since the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be afraid of the sword for yourselves;
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
That you may know there is a judgment.”

Job fully understood the implications of Bildad's preceding speech as he makes his sixth speech. He was well aware that Bildad had just solidly accused him of being wicked. Look at verse 2, "How long will you torment my soul, And break me in pieces with words?" Notice in verse 4 that Job points out that whatever wickedness they think he has committed, none of it was observable by others. Then Job says in verse 6, "Know then that God has wronged me, And has surrounded me with His net." No! Job! God has not overthrown you, but we can all see how none of this makes sense to you right now, can't we? In this monologue, Job presents the situation as though God is literally at war with him. Notice what a vivid picture he paints in verse 12 to this end, "His troops come together And build up their road against me; They encamp all around my tent. " But he can count on family and friends, right? Not according to verses 13-19; they've all turned on him.

Did you ever wonder where this old saying came from in verse 20, "...skin of my teeth?" It's older than you thought. Could that mean that, from Job's perspective, only his gums were unaffected by this terrible physical challenge of his? In verse 22 he asks of his friends this question, "Why do you persecute me as God does...?" He definitely views them as teamed up with God against him, but to what benefit?

In verses 25-27, Job makes a definitive statement about life after death. As a matter of fact, in verse 25 he says, "For I know that my Redeemer lives..." The fact that he sees his need for a redeemer makes it clear that he understood the implications of the death sentence that had been incurred by Adam and Eve on behalf of all mankind upon their expulsion from the garden. Now notice his absolute certainty of appearing before God in verse 26, "...That in my flesh I shall see God." And verse 27 confirms it; Job had confidence that he had an appointment with God after death.

As we assume this book precedes the Law of Moses, we see the concept of life after death dealt with here, but never in the writings of the Mosaic Law. The Law of Moses was never intended to provide a way to eternal life, nor does it claim that benefit for itself. The knowledge of eternal life in God existed before the Law of Moses based upon Genesis 15:6 (see notes), "and he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." It's always been about faith.

Hey! Don't overlook verses 23-24! Through all of Job's adversity, he still wanted to be published!

Zophar - he's just really, really mad! (Job 20)

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
3 I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
4 “Do you not know this of old,
Since man was placed on earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?
6 Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, “Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youthful vigor,
But it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
15 He swallows down riches
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17 He will not see the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
20 “Because he knows no quietness in his heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
21 Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of misery will come against him.
23 When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
24 He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors come upon him;
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath.
29 This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”

In this chapter Zophar answers Job in a horrific way; it's Zophar's second time to speak. He has taken Job's words as a personal insult to his own integrity, and now he's gonna get even. I know he's upset, but is it really necessary to insinuate that Job has all of this coming because of his wickedness - wickedness that Zophar has never observed? Oh! and on the issue of eternal life that Job has just mentioned (19:25, see above), look at Zophar's reply to that in verse 7, "...Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse." I mean, neither Zophar nor his buddies have ever witnessed this kind of wickedness from Job. We can only conclude that Zophar intends to devastate Job with his words if possible; he's seems to be speaking out of rage. Just like Bildad, he outlines all the judgments that come upon wicked people, and it just so happens that these are the things that have happened to Job. But wait! If you had not developed a dislike for Zophar already, verse 19 ought to seal the deal, "For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build." NO ONE HAD EVER WITNESSED SUCH ACTIONS FROM JOB! Isn't it interesting that Job's only source of comfort is his anticipation of dying and meeting God, his Redeemer, and yet Zophar wants to take even that away from him. Just to make certain that Job gets the point, Zophar concludes in verse 29 with, "This is the portion from God for a wicked man, The heritage appointed to him by God." No confusion here - Zophar considers that Job is a "wicked man."

Here's the lesson: When people are hurting (like Job), they need objective, scriptural counseling. If their counselor is not mature and thick-skinned enough to offer objectivity, but rather flies into a rage of retaliatory words because they feel they have been insulted or disregarded, their counsel is useless - even damaging. Emotionally distraught people need calm, objective counseling. If you can't give it, don't try!