Monday, August 31, 2009

Job 6

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.


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?

6 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?

Side Notes:

vs 6-7 Job referred to Eliphaz's advice as eating the tasteless white of an egg. When people are going through trials, ill advice can be distasteful...people may listen to what you are saying but inside they are upset. Have you ever felt that way after someone gave you some advise? Be slow to speak and slow to give advice to someone who is hurting...sometimes they just need a little compassion and an ear to listen rather than advise from you.

vs. 8-9 Job just wanted to give in, to be free from his discomfort and trials, and he wanted to die. But God did not grant his request. He had a greater plan for Job. Don't we tend to be like Job...we want to give in when the going gets tough?! To trust God in the good times is commendable, but to trust him during the difficult times test us to our limits and exercises our faith. In our struggles, whether they are big or small, we need to trust that God is in control and that he will take care of you (Romans 8:28).

vs. 29-30 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 (in chapter 31 we'll get a summary of the life he had led). Another rendering of this verse could read, "My righteousness still stands." Righteousness is not the same as sinlessness (Roman 3:23). No one but Jesus has ever been sinless, which means to be 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 (1:8). He carefully obeyed God to the best of his ability in all aspects of his life.

5 comments:

Feldman Family said...

I love how Job can just paint a picture for us about how he is feeling. I'm so glad that God chose to put Job's story in the Bible. I wonder how many other stories like Job's he decided to leave out...and if He were to write a Bible today...who's would he include. Since going through loosing Emmalee, Owen and Cooper I have heard so many other stories of people who have walked down the same road we have. It's nice to know that there are others that are there to support and encourage us. Plus, there have been so many who can't even comprehend what we've gone through that have stepped up to walk along with us. I'm so glad that there have been very few who have acted like Job's friends...I think I would have acted like Job if that was the case...no...I probably would have been worse and popped them one! Anyway...on to what I wrote down in my journal about Job 6...man...I wrote down a lot...I liked this chapter!

vs 1-2 I already said it but I liked how Job described how much anguish he was in...made me feel it too!

vs.6-7 described how Job is feeling about Eliphaz's advice...it is tasteless. Be slow to give advise to someone who is hurting...they may just need your love and care at that moment.

vs. 8-9 Job's request...what he hoped for...was death! He wanted to throw in the towel and give up. How many of us want to do the same thing when the going gets tough? No one ever said that being a Christian and living a Christian life was easy. We need to pick up our cross and bear it (Matthew 16:24 and Mark 8:34).

vs. 14 Job relized that he didn't have the strength of his friends to lean on...I just feel so bad for this guy right now!

vs. 21 They are afraid and so they are no help to him.

vs. 29-30 Job kept telling his friends that he was right with God and that he's not facing hard times because of sin in his life. I like what my Bible had to say about that...Job was righteous not sinless...but he was carefully obeying God to the best of his ability in all aspects of his life.

Okay...so that's what I got...what did you all think?

Anna said...

Great thoughts Ali.

One thing I've noticed after experiencing the loss of Morgan, is that some people can be quick to offer up advice or a sometimes a generic comment that doesn't bring much comfort when you are hurting. I've not only noticed this for myself, but through talking to and reading about so many others who have experienced the loss of a child and found themselves being told how to grieve. And it's just as frustrating as Job portrays it in this chapter. When we are suffering through any trial, we want and need friends that will just stand by us, not to tell us what they think we've done wrong.

Last Sunday (8/23) my church had in a guest pastor from another area church. His message for the day was on patience. When reading vs 8-9 that message came to mind. One of the things the pastor said was, "It is through trouble that we develop patience." It's pretty common (especially for me) for people to wish for bad things, sufferings, trials to be over. To be freed of pain and suffering, whether to wish for death like Job, or just to wish a certain situation to be over. The trials and sufferings God gives us or allows in our lives are part of his plan. Like the side note said, we need to trust that God is in control and will take care of us. I have to say patience is an area where I struggle a lot, so I can relate to Job's desire to be freed from suffering.


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Ali I just have to say thank you again for starting this up. This is actually my first bible study and I can't tell you how much I enjoy it and look forward to Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

Brittney said...

Sorry I was gone the last two times. :)

I'm also struck by this passage - hearing Job articulate his feelings is pretty powerful. I just got to thinking how he talks about after everything has been taken away, he also cannot count on his friends. Very reminiscent of Jesus, whos friends abandoned him in the hour he needed them most.

Feldman Family said...

Yes...I liked what you both had to say...Britt I think your point about Jesus' friends was very interesting...I didn't even think about that but it is so true! This is just a lesson for us to become better friends to those around us...I would hate to think that one of my friends would feel that about me what Job and Jesus felt about their friends. And Anna I hear you on the patience thing...what is it that they say...the prayer that you know for sure will get answered is when you pray for patience! They of course are trying to be funny in saying that but it does ring true in most cases :) Someday we will look back on our experience and say...oh...that's why it happened. And if we still can't do that then in Heaven it will all be revealed to us...we just have to have patience :) Love the thoughts ladies! Anyone else have any?

possemom2 said...

I am happy to see Job stand up for himself here. He knows his friend has accused him unjustly and he says so. I know some of us here on earth can tell someone who has hurt us or accused us of something that they are wrong, we did not do what they are saying. But how many more just take that critisism and slowly digest it,over time believing there must be some truth to it because the person saying it is your friend or someone whom you trust? I don't want to be that kind of friend. I know that it could happen if you just let your mouth go. I will have to pray for wisdom before I speak!