The Reading of Job - A Summary

[Resource Manager]

THE READING OF JOB

 

A Summary

 

EVENTS IN THE LAND OF UZ.

 

Job, an upright citizen with a family and possessions was a God fearing man. An envious adversary says that Job is only serving the Lord because He is giving him so many blessings. God allows that Job shall be tested. Job suffers the loss of his possessions and then of his sons and daughters – but he is still faithful to God. The envious adversary reasons that if Job suffers personally, physically, his faith will falter. The Lord also allows him to be tested in this way, but his loyalty to God still does not falter, he rebukes his wife for advising him to “Curse God and die” Then his 3 friends, who are maybe business acquaintances, draw near, shocked at how terrible he looks.

 

JOB:

Why did I not die at birth. Sighing comes to me instead of food. What I dreaded has come upon me.

 

ELIPHAZ comments:

You have comforted and upheld many in trouble, now you are in trouble – why has not the past integrity of your ways given you cause to hope? Whoever perished being innocent? Cry to God; appeal to Him. Blessed is the man whom God corrects. He wounds, but he will also bind up. He delivers. Your habitation will be peace. These things are true. We have searched them out.

 

JOB responds:

The arrows of the Lord are within me. Oh that God would crush me, cut me off, then I would still have comfort, for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. What do your words prove? You undermine me, let there be no injustice. Think again, my righteousness is intact, in what have I done wrong?

 

BILDAD reacts:

Your words are full of bluster. If you were pure and upright, surely God would come to your aid. Are you saying God’s judgments are wrong? God does not reject a blameless man.

 

JOB answers:

Indeed I know you speak truly about God. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength. He does great things past finding out. How can I find words to plead with Him? He crushes me with a tempest, yet I am blameless; I despise my own life. Therefore I say, He allows both the blameless and the wicked to be destroyed. He is not a man like I am that a man can answer Him: nor is there any mediator between us, there is no one who can deliver me from God’s hand. If I sin, then you, God, mark me; if I am righteous, it makes no difference. Oh, that I had never been born – or had perished the day I was born.

 

ZOPHAR joins in

Should a multitude of words go unanswered? Oh that God would witness against you. Know that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves. Put away your wickedness and God will bless you.

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JOB retorts

No doubt when you die wisdom will die with you! But I also have understanding of the ways of God. His hand is upon all and He can do as He wills with every living thing. With Him are wisdom and strength. I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case. But you are forgers of lies, worthless physicians, you should learn the wisdom of silence. Will you contend for God? How will you fare when He searches you out?

 

I have prepared my case. Can anyone bring charges against God? I will defend my own ways before God. Call, O God, and I will answer. Man is a few days old and full of trouble. He fades away like a shadow. If only God would conceal me in the grave until His anger is past. If a man dies will he live again? I will wait until my change comes.

 

ELIPHAZ accuses Job

Would a wise man answer with unprofitable notions, with unprofitable talk? Your own mouth condemns you, not I. Do you limit wisdom to yourself? Are the consolations of God too small for you – so that you turn your spirit against God and so you let such words go out of your mouth? What is man that he could be pure or righteous? A wicked man writhes with pain all his days; let him not trust in futile things, he deceives himself in doing that.

 

JOB responds

Miserable comforters are you all. My adversary sharpens his gaze upon me. Mockers surround me. God has delivered me to the ungodly; He has made me a byword to everyone. Nevertheless the righteous will hold His way and he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger. But my days are past, what purpose have I in living?

 

BILDAD answers

When will you end these speeches? Wake up to yourself. Why are we counted as animals and regarded as stupid? The light of the wicked indeed goes out, he has no offspring or survivor. Such is an evil man, one who knows not God.

 

JOB reacts,

How long will you torment me. Ten times you have reproached me. You plead my disgrace against me as though it is my fault, but it is God’s doing, He has stripped me of my glory. I am nothing but skin and bone. Have pity on me, why do you pursue me, you who are my friends - those I love have turned against me. Oh that my words were written down, I know that me Redeemer lives and He shall stand at last upon the earth and after my skin is destroyed I shall - in my flesh - see God. Be afraid of the sword yourselves, for there is a judgment coming.

 

ZOPHAR answers

I have heard a reproach that dishonours me. From of old, the triumphing of the wicked is short. Though his haughtiness mounts up to heaven, yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Terrors and total darkness will overwhelm him. The heavens will expose his guilt. Such is the fate that God allots to the wicked.

 

JOB responds

Listen carefully to my words and after I have spoken, mock again. Why do the wicked live on? They see their children established, they are blessed with possessions and make merry and go down to the grave in peace. They say, what will we gain by praying and serving God? How often does calamity come upon them? It is said, God stores up a man’s punishment for his sons! Let him judge the sinner that he may know it. Can anyone teach God? Everyone dies no matter what he does in life. Look, I know full well the way you are reasoning and how you wrong me. How can you comfort me with empty words, since falsehood remains in your answers?

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ELIPHAZ retorts

A wise man may be profitable to himself, but can he be profitable to God? Is it any pleasure to Him if you are righteous and blameless? Is not your wickedness great? You have withheld bread from the hungry and water from the thirsty. You have sent widows away empty and crushed the orphans, that is why snares are all around you. Go back to God and find peace. If you make your prayer to Him, He would hear you.

 

JOB replies

Oh that I could know where to find God. But He knows the way that I take, when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. I have kept His way and His commandments. God has made my heart weak, he terrifies me. Consider the actual deeds of the evildoer, the murderer, the adulterer, those who steal from the poor. Evil men are no longer remembered. If it is not so, who will prove me a liar?

 

BILDAD’s final comment

How can man be righteous before God? How can he be pure who is born of a woman? Even the stars are not pure in His sight. Man is but a maggot.

 

JOB’s concluding speech

How you have helped him who is without power and strength! You are not prepared to speak encouraging words! Consider the greatness of God, yet God has taken away my justice and I am bitter, yet as long as my breath is in me I will teach you about the hand of God, surely you have seen it? Why then do you talk with complete nonsense? Learn what is true wisdom and discover its source. God understands its way, He knows its place.

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom – and to depart from evil – that is understanding.

 

Oh that I were, as in month’s past when God watched over me, when by His light, I walked through darkness … and my children were around me. I took my seat in the gate of the city and I was renowned for my good deeds. But now younger men mock me, I have become a byword among them. And now my life ebbs away, my gnawing pain never ends – and God refuses to answer. When I hoped for good, evil came. I cry for help in vain. Does the Almighty not see my ways and count all my steps? If I have walked in a wrong way let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know my integrity.

 

If I have made gold my confidence and rejoiced because my wealth was great and rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, this would be iniquity worthy of judgment.

 

Oh that the Almighty would answer me. I would declare to Him the number of my steps and like a Prince I would approach Him.

 

The three friends are silent “because he was righteous in his own eyes”.

Then a young man ELIHU was angry with Job “because he justified himself rather than God”

 

ELIHU

I too will tell you what I know. None of you have proved Job wrong. I will not answer him with your arguments. I will show partiality to no one. Now Job, listen to my words, the spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

 

You say, I am innocent, why does God act as though I am an enemy. Yet God may speak one way and another, without man perceiving it; in a dream, a vision. Listen to me. If there is a messenger, a mediator to show man his uprightness, then God is gracious, saying, ‘I have found a ransom.’ Man shall pray to God and He will delight him. He will see God’s face with joy for his righteousness provided by God. Job, if you have anything to say, speak. If not, keep silence and listen.

 

Job says, I am righteous yet I have an incurable wound, although I haven’t transgressed. Far be it from God to do wickedness for He repays man according to his work. If God should withdraw His breath all flesh would perish and return to dust. Both rich and poor are the work of His hands, His eyes are on the ways of all men. Job speaks without really knowing God, his words lack an insight into the ways of God, he multiplies words without knowledge.

 

He adds rebellion to his sin, saying what profit shall I have more than if I had sinned? Look to the heavens, if you sin, what do you accomplish against God? God teaches us far more than any animal and gives us wisdom and knowledge. His wisdom and justice is before Him – and you must WAIT for Him. Consider the greatness of God in all His creation.

[Resource Manager]

THE ALMIGHTY

Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge? I will question you – and you shall answer! When the foundations of the earth were laid – where were you? Do you know the depths of the sea? Or the gates of death? Where is the way to the dwelling of light?

Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Or can you hunt the prey for the lion?

Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer Him.

 

JOB, in humility, responds,

I am vile, what shall I answer. I have spoken once, but I will not answer any further.

 

THE ALMIGHTY

Prepare yourself like a man – you shall answer me. Would you condemn me, that you might be justified? Have you an arm like God? Can you look on everyone who is proud and bring them low! Look at the behemoth. Consider his strength. No weapon can avail against him. On earth there is nothing like him. Dare you resist me – the beast’s creator?

Everything under heaven is mine; therefore who can have a claim against God?

 

JOB answers

I know that you can do all things.

You asked, “Who is it that obscures counsel with words without knowledge?”

 

I have uttered things I did not understand. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye SEES you. I abhor myself. I repent in dust and ashes.

 

After this the LORD condemned the 3 friends because of their attitude to Job.

 

He also says they have spoken wrongly about him, whereas Job has spoken that which was right. God requests that they make an offering. They do and then Job prays for them.

 

Then Job is blessed more at his latter end than at his beginning and all his losses are made good, indeed his former blessings are doubled.

 

- David Caudery

 

TheReadingOfJob.pdf