Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Job 16

Job

1 Then Job replied:

2 "I have heard many things like these;
miserable comforters are you all!

3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?
What ails you that you keep on arguing?

4 I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
and shake my head at you.

5 But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

6 "Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I refrain, it does not go away.

7 Surely, O God, you have worn me out;
you have devastated my entire household.

8 You have bound me—and it has become a witness;
my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.

9 God assails me and tears me in his anger
and gnashes his teeth at me;
my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.

10 Men open their mouths to jeer at me;
they strike my cheek in scorn
and unite together against me.

11 God has turned me over to evil men
and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.

12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
he seized me by the neck and crushed me.
He has made me his target;

13 his archers surround me.
Without pity, he pierces my kidneys
and spills my gall on the ground.

14 Again and again he bursts upon me;
he rushes at me like a warrior.

15 "I have sewed sackcloth over my skin
and buried my brow in the dust.

16 My face is red with weeping,
deep shadows ring my eyes;

17 yet my hands have been free of violence
and my prayer is pure.

18 "O earth, do not cover my blood;
may my cry never be laid to rest!

19 Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.

20 My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;

21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as a man pleads for his friend.

22 "Only a few years will pass
before I go on the journey of no return.

Side Notes:

Job's friends were supposed to be comforting him in his grief. Instead they condemned him for causing his own suffering. Job began his reply to Eliphaz by calling him and his friends "miserable comforters." Job's words reveal several ways to become a better comforter to those in pain:

1. Don't talk just for the sake of talking
2. Don't sermonize by giving pat answers
3. Don't accuse or criticize
4. Put yourself in the other person's place
5 Offer help and encouragement

Try Job's suggestions, knowing that they are given by a person who needed great comfort. The best comforters are those who know something about personal suffering.

vs. 19 Even though Job was afraid that God had abandoned him, he appealed directly to God (his witness and advocate) and to God's knowledge of his innocence. A witness is someone who has seen what has happened, and an advocate is like a lawyer who speaks on behalf of the plaintiff. By using these terms, Job showed he had cast all his hope for any fair defense upon God in heaven because he would probably die before it happened on earth. In the New Testament we learn that Jesus Christ intercedes on our behalf (Heb 7:25; 1 John 2:1); therefore we have nothing to fear.

3 comments:

Anna said...

Oh the anguish of having your friends sling accusations and judgment upon you in your suffering. I don't doubt that there are many people out there who've had this happen to them. Who've looked for comfort from friends only to have them make things worse. I know I've experienced in my life... I've probably been the bad friend in some circumstances as well. This chapter is an inspiration to be a better friend. To concentrate on listening and empathizing rather than trying to point out what I think they've done wrong or criticize them for what I think they did wrong. It's never my place to judge someone else. How can I ever judge someone else when I am surely not sinless myself?

Anonymous said...

Yes Anna, I agree...this is a very good chapter at reminding us how to be a good friend. And I like you, I'm sure I've been the bad or judgemental friend at times. It's so easy to be one! Something I think all of us probably have to work on...we are all human after all! Someday we'll be perfect! :) Again Job has done a good job at describing how he feels and looks...he describes himself at gaunt...that's pretty powerful in my opinion...he must have looked pretty bad! And even through all of this he is able to say in verses 16-17 that he still has not sinned against God. Wow...what a great man of God to look up to...I think I will stand in line to meet him in Heaven! I also liked the side notes about Job's ways to become a better comforter...I have thought many a time about writing a book for people that would teach them what to say or not say and what to do and what not to do for those who have lost or are going through a tough time. Sometimes I don't think that we realize what we are saying or how it comes across...I think it would be a very good book for everyone to read...I can't believe some of the things people said to us...most of them I think were trying to be nice and comfort us but the way they came across was anything but. I had to just chalk it up to they didn't know what to say or how to say it and it just came out wrong. Anyway...we are about a 1/3 of the way done with Job...everyone still hanging on? I think we'll be getting into the part that starts to drag a little...seems like it starts to repeat itself a little...but the end is so good that I can't hardly wait until we get there...we need to be thinking about where we want to go next in the Bible...I'm sure it will be time to pick something new in no time the way this fall has already been flying! Oh...and Anna...we need a little update! :)

No new prayer requests for me...just keep the adoption process in your prayers please...and that I'll be patient as I wait :)

Ali

(for some reason it wouldn't let me post it with my google account...urgh!)

Anna said...

Ali you confused me until I got to the end... it thought, this sounds like Ali, but why does it say anonymous... LOL

Things are going well no changes that we are aware of, which is very good right now. We are very grateful for each day this baby stays inside growing and getting stronger. We also appreciate everyone's prayers.

And Ali, I continue to pray for you and Jon and the adoption each day.