Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.30                  Passage: Job 29:1-25      

Title: Job 9 - how it used to be

A. Find Out

1. Of what time does Job first remember? v.1-6

2. How was he thought of in the city? v.7-10

3. Why did he have that reputation? v.11-17

4. What had he expected about his future? v.18-20

5. How was his counsel considered? v.21-23

6. How did he appear to them? v.24,25

B. Think:

1. What had Job's relationship with the Lord been like?

2. What sort of man had he been in society?

3. What does all this tell us about what he had been like?

C. Comment:

We are given a unique insight into Job's life in this chapter. First of all, the thing that comes first, was his relationship with the Lord when he had a sense of being guarded (v.2), of guidance (v.3) and of intimacy (v.4) and of being blessed (v.5,6). Those had been good days with the Lord.

Then he reflects back on his station in life. He had been a respected elder (v.7) who sat as a judge (in the city gate) and civic dignitary (seated in the square), respected by young and old alike (v.8-10) and well known and honoured (v.11) for his good works, helping the poor and orphans (v.12), comforting the dying and widows (v.13), rightly bringing justice (v.14), and looking after the poor and needy and persecuted (v.15-17).

In all of this he gave no thought to future catastrophes for the future looked good (v.18) and he appeared well provided for (v.19), an ever renewing source of strength (v.20).

In those days he had been a voice to be listened to (v.21) and his words proved to be adequate answers (v.22) so people eagerly listened to him (v.23), so much so in fact that when he did speak to them they considered themselves honoured (v.24) to have this great leader give them his time (v.25) This is how it had been. What a contrast!

D. Application:

1. Can we look back to days of fruitfulness in our earlier years?

2. Can we rejoice at the blessing we have known?

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.31                  Passage: Job 30:1-15

Title: Job 9 - mocked today

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.32                  Passage: Job 30:16-23      

Title: Job 9 - Life ebbing away

 A. Find Out

1. So what does Job say is now happening to him? v.16,17

2. What does it seem God had done to him? v.18,19

3. But what does he find so frustrating? v.20

4. What does the Lord seem to do instead? v.21,22

5. And what does Job see as the outcome? v.23

B. Think:

1. How is this passage all about ‘direction'?

2. How is it a natural progression from what has gone before?

3. What does it say about Job's hope at this point?

C. Comment:

Having turned from considering the goodness of the past (Ch.29) and having considered how he has fallen in society, Job now considers the path that seems to be before him, the state he is in and where it seems to be taking him.

It seems that his life is gradually slipping away in the face of the physical suffering he is enduring (v.16). Day and night he is in anguish and it never lets up (v.17). It seems like God is strangling him with this illness (v.18), casting him down to nothingness (v.19).

In it all he cries out to the Lord (many others wouldn't have even done that!) but he gets no answer and the Lord seems to just stand there unmoving (v.20) and that seems unfair (implied). Instead of giving him an answer and restoring him (after all God restores those who turn to Him doesn't He?) it seems that God just turns on him and attacks him further (v.21). It's like He just keeps on and on so that Job is just blown along helplessly before this storm of affliction (v.22). It is quite obvious, he feels, that death is going to be the natural outcome to all this (v.23) and that soon (implied). Remember in all of this, it is simply what Job FEELS is happening and the lesson is to remind ourselves that often feelings are NOT a good indicator of the truth. Many of the things that Job feels and has expressed in these verses are simply not true as the opening chapters of the book reveal. Remember that.

D. Application:

1. Beware: feelings are often not an arbiter of the truth.

2. Go on what God's word says, not on your feelings.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.33                  Passage: Job 30:24-31      

Title: Job 9 - The present distress

A. Find Out

1. What happens to a broken man? v.24

2. How is Job's present contrasted with his past? v.25,26

3. What is his present life like? v.27

4. What does he look like? v.28,30

5. Who are his companions? v.29

6. What are his soul and spirit taken up with? v.31

B. Think:

1. How does Job contrast past and present here?

2. How physically is he described now?

3. How emotionally is he described now?

C. Comment:

Now we come to the last descriptions of Job's plight. All that follows in the next chapter is simply about his righteousness. These verses wind up his anguish over his present state.

He directly speaks of his loneliness and isolation (v.24) that comes with brokenness and anguish. He looks back on times when he anguished for those in trouble (v.25) but now that same trouble has come upon him (v.26). He is in constant anguish which churns him up inside, faced with day after day of suffering (v.27). Whatever it is that is afflicting him has blackened his skin (v.28,30), caused his skin to peel and gives him a raging temperature, and he cries for help which never comes (implied). He has become an outcast and so lives in the wild with the wild animals and birds (v.29) and the song that he once had inside him has turned to mourning and wailing (v.31), such is his anguish.

With this outpouring we should note a couple of things. First this suffering that Satan has inflicted on Job is very real. It causes pain and discomfort in the extreme and he looks terrible. Never think of Job's suffering as any minor thing. No, this is a major affliction bordering on death. Second, as we reflect back over the book, it makes us realise even more the insensitivity of his three ‘friends' who never sought to feel what he felt but just harped on about his failures.

D. Application:

1. Don't criticise someone in deep anguish. Seek to understand them.

2. Pray for their healing. Jesus did!

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.34                  Passage: Job 31:1-15     

Title: Job 9 - I am righteous (1)

A. Find Out

1. What had Job determined not to do and why? v.1-4

2. What also had he not done? v.5-8

3. What further had he not done? v.9-12

4. What finally, here, had he not done? v.13-15

B. Think:

1. What is the first reason Job gives why he had not done these things?

2. How does he invoke curses against himself to confirm this?

C. Comment:

Job ceases to bemoan his state and moves on to deny he has sinned. In our verses today he covers four areas of sin. First there is sexual lust (v.1), then there is lying, deceit and dishonesty (v.5,6), then adultery (v.9), and finally dealing badly with his servants (v.13). There are more as he goes through this chapter.

Look, says Job, I couldn't do any of these things because God would see me (v.4), God will weigh me (v.6), God would judge me a sinner (v.11 implied), and God would confront me (v.14).

But it goes beyond this. Job knows there would be consequences if he fell to any of these things. Some of those consequences he expresses as curses upon himself, for indeed we see elsewhere in Scripture that judgements upon sin are in fact curses from heaven. Job knows that these things would bring him ruin (v.3), it would mean others taking all his crops as retribution (v.8); it would mean the break-up of his family (v.10) and ultimately destruction (v.12).

Job has not done any of these things because he purposed not to (v.1 covenant). Why? He has not done these things because first and foremost he knows the distinction between right and wrong and he is able to say that each of these things that he speaks about is wrong. Moreover, they are wrong because they are wrong in God's eyes, they are things that go against the way God has designed us to live, and because of this, if we live like that, then there will be painful consequences. This he knows and this has kept him from sinning.

D. Application:

1. Do we understand that sin is that which goes against God's design?

2. Do we understand that sin brings painful consequences?

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.35                  Passage: Job 31:16-40    

Title: Job 9 - I am righteous (2)

A. Find Out

1. What other potential sin does Job now deny? v.16-18

2. How does he expand on that one? v.19-23

3. What is the next thing he denies? v.24-28

4. Who, next, does he deny he has wronged? v.29-34

5. What is his final plea? v.35-37

6. What final group does he deny wronging? v.38-40

B. Think:

1. List the people in this chapter Job denies wronging.

2. What point is he trying to make overall, do you think?

C. Comment:

Job continues in the rest of this chapter in covering other things that he denies he has done in his appeal for his righteousness. He hasn't ignored the poor or widows (v.16) or orphans (v.17,21) or the needy without clothing (v.19,20). Moreover he hadn't put his trust in his gold or his wealth generally (v.24,25) and he hadn't fallen to the superstitious worship of the sun or moon (v.26,27). He hadn't looked down on his enemies (v.29) and he hadn't ignored any stranger who had come to his door in need (v.31,32) and he hadn't mistreated his tenants (v.38,39). In all these things Job gives us a good list to act as a primer for considering social justice, but he does it to deny he has sinned. He cannot think of any area where he had not sought to act righteously.

In this latter part of the chapter he does not think about consequences in the way we said in the earlier part of the chapter. Yes, in the first few he invokes a curse against himself of his arm falling off (v.22) if what he says is not true. If he had worshipped idols then he would be judged (v.28) and if he failed his tenants then he wishes failure on himself (v.40), but the main focus was on the sins themselves and not on what consequence would have been.

Near the end he pleads again for someone to listen to him, someone to take note of his defence, and even to clarify the claims against him (v.35). He would answer such claims but they don't come.

D. Application:

1. Can we speak so clearly as Job about our own failure to sin????

2. Can we be so sure that we have a clear conscience?

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.                  Passage: Job 29:1 – 31:28       

Title: Synopsis of Job's Final Speech (Part 2)

Chapter 29 – how things were

First of all see his relationship with the Lord when he had a sense of being guarded (v.2), of guidance (v.3) and of intimacy (v.4) and being blessed (v.5,6). Those had been good days with the Lord. Then his station in life. He had been a respected elder (v.7) who sat as a judge (in the city gate) and civic dignitary (seated in the square), respected by young and old alike (v.8-10) and well known and honoured (v.11) for his good works, helping the poor and orphans (v.12), comforting the dying and widows (v.13), rightly bringing justice (v.14), looking after the poor and needy and persecuted (v.15-17). In all of this he gave no thought to future catastrophes for the future looked good (v.18) and he appeared well provided for (v.19), an ever renewing source of strength (v.20).   In those days he had been a voice to be listened to (v.21) and his words proved to be adequate answers (v.22), so people eagerly listened to him (v.23), so much so in fact that when he did speak to them they considered themselves honoured (v.24) to have this great leader give them his time (v.25) This is how it had been.

Chapter 30 – how things are now

Those who mock him are the younger generation (v.1a) but what is worse is that they are from the lowest of the low. Their fathers he had known and wouldn't even want to hire as shepherds (v.1b). They were weak individuals (v.2) because of their poverty (v.3). They had been lazy (implied) and were just scavengers (v.4), outcasts of society (v.5) who had no proper place to live (v.6-8). They appeared morally and socially the equivalent of the ‘untouchables' of India. They look down on him (v.10) and don't hold back in their mocking (v.11). Indeed they come at him like a pack trying to bring him down (v.12) in a variety of ways, attacking his property (v.13) and keep on at him (v.14) so he is in constant fear, all dignity gone, and left feeling utterly insecure (v.15).

It seems that his life is gradually slipping away in the face of the physical suffering he is enduring (v.16). Day and night he is in anguish and it never lets up (v.17). It seems like God is strangling him with this illness (v.18), casting him down to nothingness (v.19).

In it all he cries out to the Lord but he gets no answer and the Lord seems to just stand there unmoving (v.20). Instead of giving him an answer and restoring him it seems that God just turns on him and attacks him further (v.21). It's like He just keeps on and on so that Job is just blown along helplessly before this storm of affliction (v.22). It is quite obvious, he feels, that death is going to be the natural outcome to all this (v.23) and that soon (implied).

He speaks of his loneliness and isolation (v.24) that comes with brokenness and anguish. He looks back on times when he anguished for those in trouble (v.25) but now that same trouble has come upon him (v.26). He is in constant anguish which churns him up inside, faced with day after day of suffering (v.27). Whatever it is that is afflicting him has blackened his skin (v.28,30), caused his skin to peel, and gives him a raging temperature, and he cries for help which never comes (implied). He has become an outcast and so lives in the wild with the wild animals and birds (v.29) and the song that he once had inside him has turned to mourning and wailing, such is his anguish.

Job starts covering areas of sin. First there is sexual lust (v.1), then there is lying, deceit and dishonesty (v.5,6), then adultery (v.9) and finally dealing badly with his servants (v.13). Look, says Job, I couldn't do any of these things because God would see me (v.4), God will weigh me (v.6), God would judge me a sinner (v.11 implied), and God would confront me (v.14). Job knows that these things would bring him ruin (v.3), it would mean others taking all his crops as retribution (v.8); it would mean the break-up of his family (v.10) and ultimately destruction (v.12). Job has not done any of these things because he purposed not to (v.1 covenant).

He hasn't ignored the poor or widows (v.16) or orphans (v.17,21) or the needy without clothing (v.19,20). Moreover he hadn't put his trust in his gold or his wealth generally (v.24,25) and he hadn't fallen to the superstitious worship of the sun or moon (v.26,27). He hadn't looked down on his enemies (v.29) and he hadn't ignored any stranger who had come to his door in need (v.31,32) and he hadn't mistreated his tenants (v.38,39). He cannot think of any area where he had not sought to act righteously.

In this latter part of the chapter he does not think about consequences in the way we say in the earlier part of the chapter. Yes, in the first few he invokes a curse against himself, of his arm falling off (v.22) if what he says is not true. If he had worshipped idols then he would be judged (v.28) and if he failed his tenants then he wishes failure on himself (v.40), but the main focus was on the sins themselves and not on what consequence would have been.

Near the end he pleads again for someone to listen to him, someone to take note of his defence, and even to clarify the claims against him (v.35). He would answer such claims but they don't come.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Study No.                  Passage: Chapters 29-31     

Title: Recap No.5   "Job's Final Speech (2)”

SUMMARY :

In this final group of 6 studies, they might be summarised as follows:

  Ch.29 – looking back to the good days

  Ch.30 – anguishing in the awfulness of the present

  Ch.31 – final declarations of his own righteousness.

We have seen Job:

•  remembering his relationship with the Lord and his station in life – in the past!

•  bemoaning the fact that he is now mocked by the lowest of the low in society.

•  expressing his feelings – what he feels is happening – but it is not the truth.

•  bemoaning for the last time his physical state of anguish.

•  listing sins that he denies he has done.

COMMENT:

  As we come to the end of Job's speeches we have been given a summary. First we see him as he used to be, a pillar of society, highly respected and honourable. But then by stark contrast we have seen the awfulness of his fall as he anguishes over being mocked by even the dregs of society. That is how far he has fallen. Finally he makes a last ditch stand in the name of his righteousness, as he views his past life and is able to deny sinning in any area of it that comes to mind. He HAS been a good man!

LESSONS?

1. Are we able to look back on a life of fruitful righteousness?

2. Does our security come from God or from what we do?

3. Do we let feelings overcome truth sometimes?

4. Can we have a clear conscience?

PRAY :

  Thank the Lord for the life He has given you. Thank Him that it is a life of righteousness that he, by His Spirit, enables you to live. Ask Him to keep you from pride in the all goodness comes from Him and with His enabling.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Title: Summary

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Title: Conclusion

Disagreement is personal

One of the things that come through in these speeches, is personal opposition. Now we may take this for granted but it is significant.

First of all there are the personal comments aimed at Job by the friends. They deride his arguments and they condemn him in a variety of ways for being a sinner. That is hard to take. Surely it must have been part of the test, to cope with these negatives. Earlier on it had been his wife telling him to give up, but in these chapters of the speeches there has been real verbal discouragement and Job has had to ride above this.

Then there is his own rejection of their arguments and his own warnings to them. He has not been afraid to confront them over their apparent godlessness. We will realise how godless they have been when we move on into the next series and see Elihu speaking who makes many more references to the Lord. These friends have largely relied upon ‘special revelation' or the traditions of the elders. Elihu will point us well and truly back to God. In a day when all views are acceptable (in the world at least) Job shows us that it is all right to disagree and to challenge what is being put forward as the truth.

The Depths of Job's Anguish

It is only as we come to the closing chapters of Job's speeches that we are shown the full extent of his anguish. In the early chapters (3 & 6) we were shown his despair as he cursed the days of his birth, but in these closing chapters we see something of the physical awfulness as well as the terrible loss of dignity as he has fallen from grace in society. It is truly a terrible experience for him! And God loves him in it!

Job's Self Awareness & Revelation

One of the most amazing things of these chapters has, I believe, been Job's ability to declare his own righteousness. Linked with this is an awareness that seems to come through revelation of the afterlife, and of the concept that he has a redeemer in heaven who is both his friend and his advocate. Whatever his state, and he believes it is good spiritually, he has caught a sense that God has a means of dealing with all sin through a redeemer in heaven. How did he glimpse the sight of the Son of God acting as the Lamb of God? It must be because God somehow communicated that into his spirit. How wonderful!

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 5 of 5: Chapters 29-31   

Title: Appendix : All the Speeches in this part

Synopsis of Eliphaz's Second Speech Job 15:1-26

Eliphaz is highly condemning of what Job has been saying with derogatory language – empty notions, hot wind (v.2), useless words, no value (v.3) – and says what he says takes away any sense of godliness that he might have had (v.4), so clearly it is his sin that has prompted such words (v.5) and so his own words have condemned him.

He challenges him as if to say, who do you think you are ? Are you the first man (v.7), do you uniquely have God's ear (v.8), so what do you know that we don't (v.9). What's so special about you??? We're simply speaking from the knowledge that our wise elders have passed down (implied v.10). Are the words of consolation and comfort that God will have spoken into your spirit not enough to help you? (v.11) Why have you allowed yourself to be carried away in a fit of anger (v.12) so that you speak to God so disrespectfully? (v.13)

Eliphaz likes to bolster his arguments with appeals to others sources. Previously it was to a special revelation from a ‘spirit'. Now he refers to past generations (v.17-19). He generally has a bad view of mankind and is really just repeating what he said in his first speech.

How can a human be pure or righteous , he asks (v.14) because if God doesn't even trust His angels (v.15), how is mere mankind going to be able to claim to be righteous? (v.16). Then he says he will tell what he has learnt through the years (v.17) from previous generations (v.18) who stretch right back to the first men in the land (v.19).

Then he speaks about the wicked (v.20) who, he says, suffers torment throughout his life, finding himself under attack just when he felt secure (v.21). He can't escape the darkness of terror for he will suffer violence (v.22). He is a wanderer seeking food and security (v.23) but distress and anguish are all he knows (v.24). The reason for all this is because he opposes God (v.25,26).

Synopsis of Job's Fifth Speech

Job 16:1-22

Job has found what his so-called friends have said, totally dispiriting. He calls them miserable comforters (v.2) using long winded speeches (v.3). If their positions were reversed he could speak like that (v.4) but wouldn't! He would encourage them (v.5) and that's what he needs (implied). Whether he speaks or stays silent he is stuck with his pain (v.6) so speaking does no good for him (implied).

Then he turns to address the Lord . It is God who has devastated his household (v.7) and has bound him (with suffering) so his awful appearance speaks against him (v.8). It is God's anger that has done this (v.9) so that when people see him they mock him and unite against him in their condemnation (v.10). It is God who has turned him over to such people (v.11). It had been all right until He acted (v.12) but then in was like arrows of pain struck him (v.13), not just once but many times (v.14). This is all God's fault!

He then speaks of his terrible physical state , in sackcloth covering his awful sores that have caused him to bow down and cry out to God (v.15). This has not been a casual prayer but an intensive pouring out of his soul (v.16) yet he has sought to remain free of sin (v.17). He cries out that the earth will not take him, but that he may live to continue to plead his case (implied, v.18). Then comes this amazing revelation . He speaks of someone in heaven (v.19) who he describes as a witness (who has seen what has happened to him), his advocate (who speaks out for him), his intercessor (v.20, who cries to God for him – also v.21a), his friend . He faces death at some unknown time in the not-distant future (v.22) – but he has a friend in heaven.

Job 17:1-16

He only expects death (v.1) and because of that he feels broken. He is just conscious of those around him who mock him and are hostile to him (v.2), a person on the lips of everyone (v.6) who think badly of him. He puts this down to the fact that, in his eyes, God has closed the minds of such people (v.4a). He feels that for his life to be redeemed from this awful situation God wants something from him (a pledge like a pawnbroker demands) yet he himself is incapable of providing it (implied) and no one else seems to be able to help, so it is going to have to be God Himself who will provide whatever is needed (v.3). God has shut people's minds to him (v.4) but because He is for Job (implied) he will not let such people's words prevail and triumph over him (v.4b). He will not think of denouncing his friends (v.5a) because that would be unrighteous and would bring a curse on any future generation (v.5b). Yet he feels so bad about himself (v.7). He is aware that those who are upright feel differently about him – that they feel annoyed at the way the ungodly speak about him (v.8) and yet those who are righteous will hold on to that and grow stronger (v.9)

He challenges his friends ; come on try again (v.10a) there appears to be not a wise man among you (v.10b). My life is shattered and (implied) you haven't been able to help me at all (v.11). Almost in an aside he chides them for saying there is hope, there is light, when all he can see is darkness (v.12).

Look, says, what sort of hope have I got ? If all I have before me is the grave (v.13), if all I can expect is the body to rot (v.14), what hope is that for me? (v.15) Is that all I'm going down to death with (v.16) the awareness of this and nothing else (implied).

Synopsis of Job's Sixth Speech

Job 19:1-29

Twice in these verses Job speaks directly to his ‘friends'. First he speaks of them tormenting, crushing, (v.2) reproaching, and attacking (v.3) him. If he is in the wrong, that's for him to deal with (v.4). If they want to look down on him (v.5), they should at least acknowledge the truth that God has done all that has happened to him (v.6). He asks them to pity him (v.21) and not keep on at him (v.22).

His primary assertion is still that he has done nothing wrong (v.7a) but God won't answer when he cries to Him (v.7b). God has held him at a distance (v.8), taken away his reputation (v.9), taken away all his security and left him with no hope (v.10), made him an enemy (v.11) and fought against him continually (v.12).

What made it even worse was that everyone who knew him have been separated from him (v.13): his friends and family have left him (v.14), those in his home think him a stranger (v.15,16), and even his wife and brothers (those closest to him) consider him revolting (v.17). Even children make fun of him (v.18) while those closest to him detest him (v.19). In all these descriptions Job shows us that he has become very aware of the outworkings of all of his misfortunes.

Then he desires to be able to have his words written down for posterity (v.23,24) so that others can think through these same things presumably. For now he has come to a clarification of faith. Back in his previous speech in 16:19 -21, he spoke of an advocate or friend in heaven pleading on his behalf. Now he arrives at a further certainty: this advocate is more than just that; he is a redeemer (v.25a), he is one who will restore him and bring him back into a good place with God.

But there is more, for this redeemer will come and, depending on the version of the alternatives your note at the bottom of the page gives you accept, he will either stand on the earth, this figure from heaven, or he will come down on Job's grave to raise him up (v.25b). Here he is confident that death is not the end but that after death (v.26a), he will yet see him and that with a body (v.26b) and of this he is certain in his heart (v.27).

He anticipates his friends querying this for, they will say, how can this be when our problems stem from ourselves (see alt. note v.28) but, he says, see judgment on the earth (v.29) as a means of drawing you to God through this one in heaven there for us.

Synopsis of Zophar's Second Speech Job 20:1-29

Zophar is upset! He's just heard Job warning the three of them that they ought to watch out otherwise God's sword of punishment will come upon them. He is troubled and disturbed (v.2) by this. He considers that is a rebuke that dishonours him (v.3) – suggesting he is a sinner. He appeals to long-known knowledge of the ancients (v.4) that it is the godless who have short-lived pleasure (v.5) and therefore by implication he is not in that category because he isn't suffering! He expands on his thoughts about the godless. However great they may think they are (v.6) they will perish (v.7). Like dreams or visions in the night, he'll soon be gone (v.8) i.e. just as when we wake the dream is so often gone, so will the godless be. Those who saw and knew him will see him no longer (v.9) and what he has gained wrongfully will be taken from him and from his children (v.10). The strength that he appeared to have will be taken from him and he will die (v.11).

He then starts speaking about how the godless and wicked relish evil – it's sweet in their mouth (v.12) – and it seems that they cannot bear to let it go (v.13). Yet, he continues, this evil turns to poison in their mouth (v.14) and they will end up spitting out all their ill-gotten gains (v.15). All this evil will be like poison they suck up (v.16) and of course the end is obvious – it will kill them. They will not be able to enjoy the good things of life (v.17) and all the effort he has made to obtain these ill-gotten gains will be pointless for he will have to return so much of it and will not be able to enjoy it (v.18). And why is all this happening to him? It is happening because of his unrighteousness, because he has oppressed the poor and exploited others to take their property (v.19).

Zophar continues: the wicked have an ongoing craving, a constant desire for more and they are never satisfied by the wealth that they have already (v.21). Yet not only are his riches not satisfying, they will be taken away from him (v.22). When he is in the place of complete affluence, God will come and move against him (v.23). God will express His anger by bringing blow upon blow on him, and as much as he wriggles and tries to escape from God's activities, he will be pierced by them (v.24) and even if he tries to alleviate the situation, fear will overcome him (v.25). Darkness and then fire (v.26) are waiting at God's command (implied) to consume both he and all his possessions. God in heaven will reveal his guilt and the affairs of the earth will rise up to condemn him and destroy him (v.27) and all his cherished possessions (v.28), for this is the day of God's anger poured out on him. This is what God decrees for the wicked (v.29).

Synopsis of Job's Seventh Speech

Job 21:1-34

Zophar had been making the point that the wicked always get their just deserts. Hold on, says Job, listen to what I have to say and then you can come back at me (v.2,3). Am I complaining to man? (v.4). My problems don't originate with man (implied). Look at my state and be quiet! (v.5). My quarrel is with God (implied) and this scares the life out of me (v.6). Look, I've heard all you've said (implied) but it's not true. Look, I've watched the wicked living, growing old and increasing in their power (v.7). They haven't been getting destroyed as you've suggested; the Lord hasn't destroyed them! (implied). They see their children growing up around them and they are not being destroyed (v.8). In fact they seem quite safe and secure in their homes (v.9) so all this business about them being destroyed by God just isn't true. Their herds prosper (v.10,11), they are very happy (v.12) and live to a ripe old age and die in peace (v.13).

Yet, he continues, these very people reject the Lord openly (v.14,15) not realising that He is the one who enables their prosperity (v.16) and so I reject their counsel and wisdom. Come on, in reality, how often are they snuffed out (v.17), how often are they swept away (v.18)?

He then refers to the traditional teaching that says God brings punishment on the wicked man's sons (v.19a). Let Him bring it on the wicked man, says Job (v.19b). Let the man himself suffer for his sin (v.20) for he doesn't care what happens to those who follow him (v.21). However, he says, who can teach God for He's greater than all of us (v.22). There are no neat answers. One man dies in peace and affluence (v.23,24) and another in anguish and poverty (v.25) but the truth is, they're both dead and that's the end of it! (v.26).

Look, he continues, I know what you are thinking, I know you are thinking to pull me down and blame me (v.27) for you look at what has happened to me and attribute wickedness to me (v.28). Have you never listened to those who travel far and wide and the stories they tell (v.29)? They tell of wicked men who lived on in security (v.30) while no one said anything about their wrongs (v.31). They eventually die like everyone else and die peacefully and with honour (v.32,33). Don't you see, he concludes, all of your wrong arguing has brought me no comfort because when I examine what you have said, I find it is full of untruths and errors (v.34).

Synopsis of Eliphaz's Third Speech Job 22:1-33

Eliphaz now attacks Job. Initially he simply asks how any one of us can be of benefit to God (v.2) and what pleasure God would get from our righteousness (v.3). Eliphaz quickly turns away from that and says that what has been happening to Job (v.10,11) has been because of his sin. God wouldn't attack you if you were pious, he argues (v.4). Oh no, it has to be for your wickedness (v.5). He then comes out with a list of supposed things that Job has done. He says, you must have been unjust in your handling of men (v.6), you obviously didn't care and provide for needy men (v.7) and failed to use your power properly (v.8). You obviously disregarded widows and orphans (v.9) and it is for these reasons that God has obviously trapped you with suffering (v.10) and why darkness seems to envelope you (v.11).

He now brings two corrective warnings. The first one is simply that God sees what is going on. God may appear to be distant (v.12) but that doesn't mean He doesn't see. Job had questioned whether God had seen what was going on (v.13,14 referring back perhaps to 19:8) but the truth is (implied) that He does see everything and therefore Job should be careful! The second warning is to avoid the example of evil men from the past (v.15). Because of their sin they received the judgment of God and died prematurely (v.16). They had been godless in their attitudes and outlooks (v.17) without realising that all the good things they had had been the gift of God (v.18a). Their counsel was foolishness and we should stand aloof or away from it (v.18b), for their activities and their end are very obvious to all (v.19) who clearly see that their end is an act of judgment (v.20). His somewhat obscure or oblique warning is that Job should not similarly appear godless in his speeches otherwise he too might be utterly swept away in God's judgment.

Now he moves on to basically call Job to repentance. He gives a list now of things that Job needs to do. First in heart attitude submit to God and accept His will (v.21). Accept God's instruction (v.22) and return to the Lord (v.23a) and put aside any wickedness (v.23b) and not put his reliance in any way in his wealth (v.24) so that the Lord is the most valuable thing in his life (v.25). When Job does these things, he maintains, then the Lord will bring peace and prosperity (v.21) and restoration (v.23). All of this means that then Job will be able to delight in the Lord again (v.26a) and be able to pray again (v.26b,27). Moreover the Lord will answer his prayers (v.27,28) so that he will have a ministry of lifting up the downtrodden (v.29) and will even enable the guilty to receive the forgiveness of God and be restored (v.30).

Synopsis of Job's Eighth Speech Job 23:1 – 24:25

Job replies (v.1) which means he responds to what he has just heard. Remember, Eliphaz made him out to be guilty. Job accepts that he is feeling bitter because, yes, God's hand does seem to still be heavy on him (v.2), even though he groans for help. Job wants to seek out God (v.3) so that he could lay out his case before Him (v.4). He would just like to know what God would say about it all (v.5). As he ponders on it he doesn't think God would just overpower him with His might, no, God would press on against him (v.6). He has a confidence in the Lord that if an innocent man presents himself before the Lord, the Lord would deliver him from whoever is the actual source of this misery (v.7). But herein is the frustration: wherever he looks, he can't seem to find the Lord (v.8,9). Despite all this Job is utterly confident that God knows what is going on and when this test comes to an end, he's going to come out of it good (v.10). He goes on to say why: he is sure that he has kept to God's way and hasn't gone off at a tangent (v.11), he hasn't gone away from God's commands and he has valued God's words more than anything else (v.12).

But then he is faced with the reality of what is happening and the fact that God seems to stand at a distance from him and is so great that He cannot be withstood (v.13). God seems to be carrying out His plans against Job and Job feels that there is yet more to come (v.14). That is why, when he thinks about it, he realises that he is terrified by God (v.15). The Lord and His activity have made Job feel weak and have scared the life out of him (v.16).

Job has this confidence about his past attitudes and behaviour and so despite the awful darkness that seems to overshadow him – the anguish of suffering and loneliness – he will not stay silent! (v.17) Again and again in these chapters this same apparent mystery is confronted: why does God not act against evil? Why doesn't God step up and judge evil-doers even as they do evil? (v.1) Job sees men sinning against other men: they move boundaries and steal land and flocks (v.2), they oppress and steal from the weak (v.3,4). The result of this is that the poor are left struggling to survive. They struggle to get food (v.5,6), they struggle for shelter (v.7,8), orphans are snatched (v.9), and are utterly destitute (v.10,11) and the sounds of death are constantly heard (v.12a) but God apparently seems to do nothing (v.12b)! Why?

Now he focuses his thinking on those who seem to get away with sin under the cover of darkness. He starts with the moral contrast of light and darkness and speaks of those who reject the light (v.13), but although we use light and darkness to contrast good and evil, Job now shows how literal darkness aids and abets or, perhaps, enables men to do the sinful acts that start in their hearts. There is the murderer (v.14) who plots murder but waits until the daylight has gone so that he may carry out his evil deed unseen by the world around. Similarly there is the adulterer (v.15) who plans a wrong liaison but waits until dark, for the same reason. Likewise the burglar (v.16) operates in the dark for the same reason. For each of them the arrival of darkness is like the start of a working day (v.17); it is the time when they move into action to perform their sinful acts and they share in the deeds that cause terror to others. Yes, these are some of the sinners who appear to get away with it. But Job doesn't finish there. These men are like the foam that you sometimes see on the surface of rivers that will soon be blown away (v.18), their lives are cursed and will soon be gone. That is what Job is going to move on to. They appear to get away with it, but death is just waiting for them and then will come an accounting!

But, he now continues, they will get their comeuppance (v.19) for death will eventually get them. In these verses Job doesn't so much warn that they will be judged prematurely as point out the fact that one day they will eventually die and then have to face God (implied). Whatever they do now, one day death will come and their evil deeds will soon be forgotten (v.20). In the present they may prey on those weaker than them (v.21) but one day God is going to deal with them (v.22). He may leave them for a while so they seem established (v.22b) but that is only a temporary thing. They may feel secure (v.23) but the Lord is watching them and planning for a time of accountability (implied). For a while these evildoers may appear to be exalted, well off and doing well (v.24a) but that is a temporary thing for like everyone else their lives are limited and there will be a time of facing the Lord (v.24 implied). Come on, says Job, isn't what I am saying right? (v.25)

Synopsis of Job's Final Speech (Part 1) Job 26:1 – 28:29

Chapter 26

Job implies he is powerless & feeble (v.2) and without wisdom (v.3) so when he asks what help Bildad has brought he is being cynical. ‘Wherever did you dredge up that lot' (v.4), a modern person might say.

We believe, he says, there is an afterlife that is very uncertain (v.5) and this causes anguish and worry about what follows, but it doesn't do that to God because everything about death is an open book to Him (v.6). There is no mystery to God for He has made the world (v.7), and the way it works (v.8,9). He determines the boundaries of the world and the skies (v.10) and when He speaks His power stirs up everything (v.11,12a) and there is no creature that can stand before Him (v.12b,13). But from our perspective these are just the tip of the iceberg of His activities (v.14a) and when He speaks we hear but a faint whisper (v.14b) so who can possibly understand this power? (v.14c)

Job seems to make an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives.” (v.2a). But then describes the Lord – as one who has denied him justice (v.2b). He has made Job “taste bitterness of soul.” (v.2c). Then he adds to it, “as long as I have breath in me ” (v.3) i.e. I'm just going to keep on and on saying this! He determines that he will not speak anything wrong (v.4) and so he will never admit they are right when they accuse him of sin (5). The positive side of that is that he will always maintain that he is righteous (v.6a) because he has a clear conscience (v.6b).

Job maintains his friends have appeared as his enemies or adversaries (v.7) and he calls them wicked and unjust. He goes on then to call them godless (v.8). He has hope in God and in his own righteousness but what hope would they have if they were cut off in a similar manner? A feature of godlessness is quite obvious: an absence of relationship with the Lord, and these men never seem to call on the Lord, they appear to have no relationship with Him and so if they got into distressing circumstances would God listen to them? (v.9) Do the godless delight in the Lord? (v.10) No, that is why they are godless. In their relationship with Him, do they call on Him regularly? No!

Look, says Job, I have such a relationship (implied) and so I will tell you about His power and His ways (v.11). You have seen this, you know the truth, you know of my relationship with the Lord, so why are you going on like this? (v.12).   Job is talking about the wicked (v.13). Their children will suffer because of them (v.14) and those who follow in the family will die of disease (v.15), presumably because of the hand of God on them. The wicked can pile up riches (v.16) and have heaps of clothes, yet they will be taken by others (v.17). His house will be a temporary structure and will not last (v.18). He may be wealthy one minute (v.19) but the next minute it is all gone. Disaster will come like a flood without warning (v.20) and his possessions and his very life will be snatched away. It will be like a strong wind coming (v.21) that will carry him away and with no mercy he will just be swept powerlessly before it (v.22) as it, with no thought or feeling, takes him (v.23). These are strong words creating strong pictures of judgement which cannot be withstood. As we've noted, they don't happen to all but they do happen to some and the ‘some' will be the godless who do not have God's protection, so be warned, he says.

Chapter 28 – about Wisdom

Job is eventually going to make the point that wisdom comes from the Lord and from knowing Him. He has just spoken about the wicked and the godless who obviously don't have wisdom, and so he starts speculating about this rare commodity. He starts by considering the efforts that mankind expend in mining precious materials (v.1-11): gold, (v.1), iron & copper (v.2) and sapphires (v.6). To obtain these things mankind mines & refines (v.1), smelts (v.2), digs deep (v.3-5), goes to depths where no other creatures go (v.7,8), digs deep in mountains (v.9), breaks through rock (v.10) and even sifts in rivers (v.11). Such is the incredible activity of mankind seeking precious rocks.

But what about something like wisdom (v.12,20)? Where can that be found? Generally people don't realise its worth (v.13a) and it is not easily found (v.13b), not in the depths of the land or sea (v.14), not purchased by gold or silver (v.15,16). It doesn't compare with precious materials (v.17-19), so where does it come from? It seems to be hidden from sight (v.21).

Even when you go into death (he implies) you will be no wiser from the experience (v.22); that is not the path to wisdom. No, only the Lord knows what wisdom is (v.23), because wisdom ultimately means the knowledge of how things work, what is right, and He alone knows this because He sees absolutely everything (v.24). Indeed when He created it all (v.25,26). He looked at it all, how it worked well and was very good (see Gen 1:31 ) and He checked out everything (v.27) and ensured it worked just right. Thus He is able to say to mankind, wisdom is having a respect for God (v.28) that He is the Almighty Creator of all things, a respect that He is unique, He is holy, unlike anyone or anything else, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, all wise.

Synopsis of Job's Final Speech (Part 2) Job 29:1 – 31:28

Chapter 29 – how things were

  First of all see his relationship with the Lord when he had a sense of being guarded (v.2), of guidance (v.3) and of intimacy (v.4) and being blessed (v.5,6). Those had been good days with the Lord. Then his station in life. He had been a respected elder (v.7) who sat as a judge (in the city gate) and civic dignitary (seated in the square), respected by young and old alike (v.8-10) and well known and honoured (v.11) for his good works, helping the poor and orphans (v.12), comforting the dying and widows (v.13), rightly bringing justice (v.14), looking after the poor and needy and persecuted (v.15-17). In all of this he gave no thought to future catastrophes for the future looked good (v.18) and he appeared well provided for (v.19), an ever renewing source of strength (v.20).   In those days he had been a voice to be listened to (v.21) and his words proved to be adequate answers (v.22), so people eagerly listened to him (v.23), so much so in fact that when he did speak to them they considered themselves honoured (v.24) to have this great leader give them his time (v.25) This is how it had been.

Chapter 30 – how things are now

Those who mock him are the younger generation (v.1a) but what is worse is that they are from the lowest of the low. Their fathers he had known and wouldn't even want to hire as shepherds (v.1b). They were weak individuals (v.2) because of their poverty (v.3). They had been lazy (implied) and were just scavengers (v.4), outcasts of society (v.5) who had no proper place to live (v.6-8). They appeared morally and socially the equivalent of the ‘untouchables' of India. They look down on him (v.10) and don't hold back in their mocking (v.11). Indeed they come at him like a pack trying to bring him down (v.12) in a variety of ways, attacking his property (v.13) and keep on at him (v.14) so he is in constant fear, all dignity gone, and left feeling utterly insecure (v.15).

It seems that his life is gradually slipping away in the face of the physical suffering he is enduring (v.16). Day and night he is in anguish and it never lets up (v.17). It seems like God is strangling him with this illness (v.18), casting him down to nothingness (v.19).

In it all he cries out to the Lord but he gets no answer and the Lord seems to just stand there unmoving (v.20). Instead of giving him an answer and restoring him it seems that God just turns on him and attacks him further (v.21). It's like He just keeps on and on so that Job is just blown along helplessly before this storm of affliction (v.22). It is quite obvious, he feels, that death is going to be the natural outcome to all this (v.23) and that soon (implied).

He speaks of his loneliness and isolation (v.24) that comes with brokenness and anguish. He looks back on times when he anguished for those in trouble (v.25) but now that same trouble has come upon him (v.26). He is in constant anguish which churns him up inside, faced with day after day of suffering (v.27). Whatever it is that is afflicting him has blackened his skin (v.28,30), caused his skin to peel, and gives him a raging temperature, and he cries for help which never comes (implied). He has become an outcast and so lives in the wild with the wild animals and birds (v.29) and the song that he once had inside him has turned to mourning and wailing, such is his anguish.

Job starts covering areas of sin. First there is sexual lust (v.1), then there is lying, deceit and dishonesty (v.5,6), then adultery (v.9) and finally dealing badly with his servants (v.13). Look, says Job, I couldn't do any of these things because God would see me (v.4), God will weigh me (v.6), God would judge me a sinner (v.11 implied), and God would confront me (v.14). Job knows that these things would bring him ruin (v.3), it would mean others taking all his crops as retribution (v.8); it would mean the break-up of his family (v.10) and ultimately destruction (v.12). Job has not done any of these things because he purposed not to (v.1 covenant). He hasn't ignored the poor or widows (v.16) or orphans (v.17,21) or the needy without clothing (v.19,20). Moreover he hadn't put his trust in his gold or his wealth generally (v.24,25) and he hadn't fallen to the superstitious worship of the sun or moon (v.26,27). He hadn't looked down on his enemies (v.29) and he hadn't ignored any stranger who had come to his door in need (v.31,32) and he hadn't mistreated his tenants (v.38,39). He cannot think of any area where he had not sought to act righteously.

In this latter part of the chapter he does not think about consequences in the way we say in the earlier part of the chapter. Yes, in the first few he invokes a curse against himself, of his arm falling off (v.22) if what he says is not true. If he had worshipped idols then he would be judged (v.28) and if he failed his tenants then he wishes failure on himself (v.40), but the main focus was on the sins themselves and not on what consequence would have been.

Near the end he pleads again for someone to listen to him, someone to take note of his defence, and even to clarify the claims against him (v.35). He would answer such claims but they don't come.