Sayre Woods Bible Church

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him (Job 13:15a, NKJV).

O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you. Remove your heavy hand from me, and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence. (Job 13:20-21, New Living Translation)

In Job 13, Job seems to bounce between anger, faith, and despair.

His anger is primarily directed at his friends. You are all worthless physicians (13:4). They were speaking with certainty about Job’s plight as if they spoke for God. Job knew better and asked, Doesn’t his majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you? (13:11). In other words, before you start acting as if you speak for God and are omniscient in all matters, shouldn’t you consider what the possible consequences are? God surely will not hold you blameless if you presume to be His spokesman and twist or misrepresent the truth.

As for himself, Job still believes in God but he is struggling to hold onto that faith. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him! There is no greater declaration of faith. I will trust God no matter what! But that faith is teetering. In fact, Job offers God a bargain in verses 20-21. “God, I will not hide from You if You only do two things for me: remove Your heavy hand of judgment from me and stop terrifying me!” Job trusted God but he did not understand Him and certainly struggled to believe in His fairness and goodness. Why do You hide Your face and regard me as Your enemy? (13:24) What are You doing, God? And why are You now punishing me so severely for past sins? Give me a chance to defend myself before You or just leave me alone!

The thought that hit me this morning is that true faith is not without its valleys and struggles. Sometimes I think that “true faith” must be this unwavering, unfaltering dependence and trust in God. No doubts. No questions. No fears. No lapses. Yet when you read Job or read the Psalms or read the stories of those in the Bible, you realize that faith is more like a fight. “I don’t understand, but I am going to keep fighting to trust. I don’t see God’s hand, but I am going to keep fighting to believe. I am filled with anxiety, but I am going to keep fighting to find rest in God.” Why would it be any other way? When we see God face to face and are forever in His presence, then our faith will be realized. Then it will be unwavering. On this earth, in this flesh, faith will always be a fight.

To Job’s friends, faith is not a fight. They have it all figured out. Of course, they are also living a life of ease. Faith is easy in such times. But, then again, is that really faith? How does faith ever manifest itself if it is not challenged, stretched, or pulled toward unbelief? Sort of like courage. How do you know a person is courageous unless they face fearful moments and still keep moving forward? Just as fear brings courage to light, even so it is doubt that brings faith to light.

Job is fighting and in the process he is finding out the true nature of faith.

Lord, in the midst of my struggles, doubts, and fears, help me to keep fighting to trust in You.

He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt, as prepared for those whose feet slip. (Job 12:5, NAS)

Men at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. (Job 12:5, NIV)

People who are at ease mock those in trouble. They give a push to people who are stumbling. (Job 12:5, New Living Translation)

I looked up Job 12:5 in several translations. It is an interesting verse and not the easiest to translate. But the basic idea seems to be: A person living in comfort finds it easy to show contempt or disdain toward someone suffering. Why? Because the tendency is to see someone suffering as somehow deserving it. The New Living Translation makes it even more graphic. Not only do we think they might deserve it but we are often even willing to give them a push as they are stumbling.

I couldn’t help but reflect on the human heart. We are so prone to a smug sense of superiority or arrogance that we don’t even recognize it. We can also be incredibly cruel. I thought of the fickleness of fame. One moment a star is adored by all; the next they are the object of ridicule, mocking or late-night humor. Or consider junior high school. Woe to the kid who is out of place or has some noticeable fault or is not in the right crowd. They can be mercilessly ostracized, taunted or abused. It is almost as if we smell blood and jump in on the feeding frenzy. We enjoy seeing or hearing about other people’s weaknesses, faults, sins, and failings because it somehow makes our lives seem a little bit better, a little less dysfunctional, a little more superior. It is scarey how quickly such a self-righteous attitude can invade my heart.

From a slightly different angle, Job 12:5 reminds me that in an area of life where I am “at ease,” it is easy for me to be judgmental of others who happen to struggle with that area. If I am not prone toward angry outbursts, it is easy to look at someone who is as being incredibly immature or out-of-control. The same goes with addictions or other areas of sin. We must be careful that we do not quickly condemn or look down upon someone because they struggle with a sin that we do not.

In Job’s case, I think his friends found a subtle sense of satisfaction in seeing Job suffer. I am sure that they were envious of Job’s prosperity, spirituality, and blessed family life. Watching him crumble probably gave them a small dose of vindication. “Ah, see, Job wasn’t as righteous as he appeared. God is getting him for some secret sin that no one else could see. I am glad that my life is more real, authentic, and in line with God’s will.”

Oh, the human heart is so deceitful and eager to justify itself! The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) I certainly can’t understand mine.

Lord, preserve me from myself. Keep me from finding smug satisfaction in the failures of others. Help me to live in humility and grace.

Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: ”Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated? Will your idle talk reduce men to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock? You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.’ Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. (Job 11:1-6)

Now Zophar, the third “friend,” gets his shot at Job. Not much compassion from this guy. He goes right after the jugular. Zophar basically says, “Your words are empty and blasphemous, Job! I wish God would answer you. He would put you in your place. Because truth be told, you haven’t even gotten all that you deserve.”

Whoa. Job is a man who has lost ten children and everything else he considered precious in life and Zophar’s only words of comfort to him are “God could have punished you even more!” Not much help here. Zophar’s words are certainly not helpful or appropriate for Job’s situation.

I liked Ryrie’s study note on Zophar: “Zophar’s authority was not religious experience (Eliphaz) or tradition (Bildad)… His ultimate authority was really himself. What appeared right to him was considered to be indeed right. This kind of person sees all issues as either black or white. Zophar was not interested in probing the mysteries of God’s working. He not only called Job a sinner, but rebuked and insulted him for attempting to understand God’s ways (v. 12).”

Ever met someone who saw everything as black or white? It is hard to discuss anything with them. They have life all figured out. You just have to get on board with what they think in order to be right. Such a person is usually not very helpful when you are suffering or struggling with life. Their answers are too easy. Their words are too sharp. And their willingness to be involved is usually too non-existent.

Of course, the antidote to “Zophar Syndrome” is not to be become wishy-washy about everything. Zophar’s problem was not so much that he had firm beliefs about God’s character and the destructive nature of sin. Zophar’s problem came when he interpreted a situation he knew nothing about with black-and-white terminology. Zophar did not know Job’s heart. He did not know God’s working in Job’s life. He even acknowledged as much when he said that God’s ways were “higher than heaven” and “deeper than Sheol–what can you know?” (v. 8). But somehow Zophar went right on and told Job exactly what God was doing in his life and exactly what Job needed to do in response.

Job 11 reminded me that when it comes to our life and our relationships, God wants us to inspect ourselves and show concern for others. Unfortunately we seem to be better at inspecting others and showing concern for our self. Self-righteousness manifests itself when we start pontificating about another person’s relationship to God. We simply cannot know another person’s heart nor the workings of God in their life. We can offer guidance, advice, input, accountability, and a helping hand, but when it comes to judging their motives, evaluating their lives, or figuring out where they rank in God’s eyes, we are best to leave that up to God.  

Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. …Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. (Romans 14:4, 10)

Lord, preserve me from a self-righteous attitude.

“Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews? You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit. But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind: If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.” (Job 10:10-14) 

Job’s complaint continues in chapter 10. I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint (10:1). Job feels he has nothing to lose by complaining to God. He has already lost everything. What more could happen to him? God has already taken everything away. There is nothing more that can be done except for God to take his life…and in many ways this is what Job wants. Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me (10:18).

The first thought I had this morning was the fact that God allows Job’s complaint to be recorded in Scripture. That is amazing. Job’s despair is immense and his words border on blasphemy at times. “God, You are out to get me. What is your deal? Why don’t you leave me alone. If I am guilty, why is my crime so great that you have to stalk me like a lion? Am I a threat to you?” God is not threatened by such statements. In fact, He wants us to read them. Why? Perhaps so that when we struggle with similar thoughts we won’t bottle them up and act like they don’t exist. Perhaps so we will be honest before God. Perhaps so that we will realize that even the greatest of saints sometimes go through deep valleys where the only light at the end of the tunnel seems to be death.

Verses 10-14 also stood out to me. In these verses Job basically recounts God’s fashioning of him in the womb and His gracious providence over his early life. Job has seen God’s richest blessings. But now, in suffering, Job wonders if it all was just a big trick, a big game. “God set me up so that He could enjoy watching me fall. He was simply waiting for one mistake to unleash His anger on me.”

I don’t think this is an uncommon view of God. He blesses you until you make one mistake…and then watch out! It is almost as if, deep down, we think God’s love can’t be that unconditional. There has to be strings attached. There has to be some catch. We’ve never really seen unconditional love in our human relationships so it is hard to fathom it in our relationship to God. Job can’t and often we can’t either.

But we have a benefit that Job did not have. We have the benefit of seeing the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ is God’s assurance to us that He loves us. And that nothing can separate us from His love. I remember a quote by Michael Card: “God cannot love us more and will not love us less.” Even when we blow it, God still responds with grace. Since we are “in Christ,” He chooses to see us with the righteousness of Christ rather than with the stains of sin. When He sees us, He does not see our sin. He sees His Son.   

Thank You, Lord, for Your grace! May I understand it more and rejoice in it more today. 

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’ I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.

Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?

“He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. (Job 9:27-29, 32-34)

In chapter 9, Job reminds his friends that he knows who God is. He knows God is all-powerful, mighty, great, awesome, beyond comprehension, holy, and sovereign. What Job is struggling with is God’s mercy, compassion, and intimate care. From Job’s perspective, he sees no glaring sin in his life to precipitate such suffering. He sees no reason for it. It makes no sense. But who is he to argue with God? Who is he even to speak with God? God is too great, too mighty, too big, too different. So what are Job’s options?

1. He could just smile and act like everything is okay. But Job knows that he cannot do this. He can pretend to be happy but he is not. His heart is broken and in despair and pasting a smile on his face will be merely playing a part not being himself.

2. He could keep proclaiming his innocence. But if God is holy, absolutely powerful and totally righteous, how can Job hope to convince Him of his puny righteousness? Job feels like a poor, insignificant man in a forgotten third world country hoping to find justice in the halls of the UN. It just isn’t going to happen. He is barely noticed much less taken seriously.

3. He could give up. Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? Job is thinking, “Why fight God? Why fight life? If God has placed His target on me, what can I do?” Job sees no escape, no light at the end of the tunnel, therefore I have no concern for myself, I despise my own life (9:21).

Ever get like that? I can’t say that I have ever been close to Job’s despair but I have felt insignificant. I have felt trapped. I have felt that God is simply too great to really care and too distant to notice. I have felt that He is too hard to please.

In this kind of despair, Job only has one glimmer of hope. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more (9:33-34).

Wow, Job is crying out for Jesus. He doesn’t really know it or understand it but he is looking for a mediator, someone like himself who is able to intercede with God on his behalf. Someone both strong and compassionate. Someone like God and someone like man.

You know, the OT saints knew God’s power and transcendence but they could never be real sure of His love. God said He loved them but He seemed too distant, too holy for them to ever be sure of His love. It is in Jesus Christ that we see God’s love. We see it in actuality. We see it in the flesh. And this alone gives us hope. God loves us. And He not only cares about our suffering but is willing to suffer in our place.

Thank You, Jesus.

How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? When your children sinned against him, He gave them over to the penalty of their sin. (Job 8:3-4)

Wow, Bildad goes right for the jugular. Whereas Eliphaz showed some level of tact and compassion while confronting Job with his supposed sin, Bildad pulls no punches. He basically says, “Stop whining and complaining to God. God always does what is right. If your ten children tragically died, then they died because they sinned against Him. So get over it…and repent of your sin while you’re at it.”

Whoa. It is hard to believe that someone could be that insensitive and misguided. Bildad totally ignores Job’s suffering and emotional grief and lambasts him with his theology and tradition. It is a good reminder that our knowledge and beliefs can often be used as a hammer to destroy others. Knowledge that is not tempered and surrounded by grace is dangerous and destructive. We can spout all the Bible verses we want, but without love we are a “resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” We are downright irritating and unhelpful to others.

I would like to think that there are few “Bildads” in the world but unfortunately that is not true. I have known several cases where, in the midst of suffering or grief, people are told that they must be in sin. True, suffering can be the result of sin in our lives. But this is only one of several possible causes. And even if suffering is the result of sin, we are commanded in Galatians 6:1: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted. Bottom line, we need humility, grace, and sensitivity if we are to truly minister to others in need. There is never an excuse for us to be obnoxious, disrespectful, or callous in our desire to confront real or perceived sin.

One commentary I was reading gave this application from Job 8: “Counselors must not be sacrosanct (i.e., holier than thou). They must be willing to listen, become involved, and have respect for the integrity of the human personality they are trying to help. And they must always bear in mind that they may not fully understand the nature of the case.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 906).

One other observation…it is interesting that Eliphaz appeals to a “divine vision” to bolster his arguments while Bildad appeals to tradition (8:8). Together you get two different avenues by which people try to discern truth and interpret life. Some appeal to experience and mysticism while others rely on tradition and historical wisdom. Both avenues can have validity, but again, apart from love and humility, they can do more harm than good.

Lord, teach me Your truth and also give me a heart of humility and compassion to know how to speak Your truth to others.

“When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, And the night be ended?’ For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn. My flesh is caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope. Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.” (Job 7:4-7)

You get a picture of Job’s grief, despair, and chronic pain in chapter 7. The nights seem to never end and the days fly by “swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” His skin is cracked and caked with worms and dust. This may not be an exaggeration. Some have diagnosed Job’s condition as elephantiasis–a disease actually caused by a parasitic worm. One website described the condition of elephantiasis as follows:

“Elephantiasis is characterized by the gross enlargement of a limb or areas of the trunk or head. There is an abnormal accumulation of watery fluid in the tissues (edema) causing severe swelling. The skin usually develops a thickened, pebbly appearance and may become ulcerated and darkened. Fever, chills and a general feeling of ill health (malaise) may be present.” (http://elephantiasis.freeyellow.com/)

Whatever condition Job had, he is obviously in daily physical pain on top of his extreme emotional grief and spiritual anguish. Physically Job is in pain and drained of energy. Emotionally he is in despair and without hope. Spiritually he feels that God is his enemy pointing arrows at him not his friend holding him in His arms. In such a condition, Job says, “Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul” (7:11). This is the language of lament and it is found often in Scripture. Numerous psalms cry out to God in similiar anguish and the whole book of Lamentations is dedicated to Jeremiah’s lament over the destruction of Jerusalem.

We have lost the language of lament in our own age and culture. Perhaps we are too comfortable or too apathetic or too safe in our spiritual walk. We haven’t forgotten how to complain. We just usually complain about the wrong things and to the wrong people. Job lifts his lament to God. He pours out his soul to Him. His friends try to correct him but God apparently prefers honest complaint to Him rather than pious facades before others.

Maybe we are just too emotionally stunted in our culture. We don’t know what to do with intense emotions so we bottle them up until we either explode in anger over some unrelated incident or physically suffer with some stress-related illness. 

I certainly don’t have it figured out but there seems to be a vital connection in the Bible between emotional maturity and spiritual maturity. It is not that a person is to be controlled by their emotions but they are to feel them, experience them, and learn to express them, particularly to God. When we stifle our emotions or deny them, we harden a part of our heart. 

Lord, teach me to be more aware of my emotions and better able to express them to You.   

To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. (Job 6:14)

In Job 4-5, Eliphaz, the oldest of Job’s three friends, is the first to speak. Here is where the book of Job can get tricky. What does Eliphaz say to Job and how much of it is correct?

Looking back over Job 4-5, here are the main points that Eliphaz makes:

• Those who sow trouble reap the same. The innocent do not perish, the wicked do.
• A spirit told me in the night that man is dust, weak, and unrighteous therefore he has no right to question God.
• A foolish man may succeed for awhile but in the end he will be destroyed.
• God delivers the righteous and they experience peace and health in this lifetime.
• “Happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty” (Job 5:17; Prov. 3:11-12; Heb. 12:5).

A lot of what Eliphaz says is on the money. There are consequences to sin. There are benefits to living righteously. Man is but dust. God is righteous. And God’s discipline is an evidence of His love. In fact, his words in 5:17 are almost a word for word quotation of Proverbs 3 and Hebrews 12. Eliphaz even uses a “spiritual vision” to bolster his words. “A spirit in the night told me many of these truths.” Eliphaz is quite a ”spiritual man,” spouting out truth and using personal, mystical experiences to validate his words. 

So what’s the problem? It is not so much Eliphaz’s words as his response to Job’s suffering. Here is Job grieving the loss of ten children and in extreme physical and emotional pain and Eliphaz chooses this time to tell him: “Happy is the man whom God corrects!” True words, wrong application and really bad timing.

Job’s response to Eliphaz in chapter 6 shows his heart. Job doesn’t need theological correction and instruction right now. He needs comfort, support, help. Job may say some incorrect things in his pain. He is pouring out his heart, expressing his emotions. He doesn’t need friends who analyze his words. He just needs them to listen, to allow him to grieve, struggle, and even fight with God. 

In 6:14, Job says, “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” That verse hit me the most. A true friend continues to show kindness even when his friend loses or struggles with his faith. Love and kindness should not hinge on theological correctness.

There is much to learn here. At times, we know people who, in the midst of tragedy, begin to question God, struggle with faith, despair of life. The tendency is to try to correct their viewpoints or keep them from saying “negative things.” In time, they may need such correction but in the midst of the pain they just need a friend not a theologian. They need an ear to listen not a mouth spouting out “wisdom.”

It is hard to be in this position. It is uncomfortable. We like to “fix” a person’s pain not experience it with them. Job really identifies the problem in 6:21, “Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid.” Eliphaz feels the need to spout out his theology not to help Job but to deal with his own fears. Suffering scares us. It is easier to put the blame on the sufferer than to feel the pain with them and acknowledge that sometimes suffering happens without any rhyme or reason (from a human standpoint). If suffering can happen at any time, then it can happen to me, at any time, even when I am living faithfully for the Lord. This is not a pleasant thought. But it is real. And it amplifies the need we have for God’s strength and the daily encouragement of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Lord, help me to overcome my fears to be a faithful friend when someone I know and love is suffering with pain.