Week 4 - Job 4-31

I hope that you have all been following along and have been blessed by the studies through the Bible so far. We are continuing on through Job before we go on to Exodus. In this exposition by Norrie that I have posted below, you will be reminded that there are 3 major cycles of indictment from Job’s friends telling him that God has forsaken him followed by job rebuking them and declaring the sovereignty of God. He simply refuses to blame God and instead gives him glory.

It is important to note that this does not mean Job does not lament. You see that in chapter 29-31 which we read today that he mourns, weeps, and laments for his life he had before everything falls about. But God……is still good.

On a side note; many scholars consider Abraham and Job to be contemporaries. They lived at about the same time but in different areas. In Job 1 God states that there is no man more righteous than Job when he is talking to Satan. However, God does not choose Job to be the father over many nations. He chose Abraham with all his doubts and faults. He chose someone broken and made him a father over many nations.

Job 4-7

Eliphaz, Job’s first friend speaks first and immediately jumps to the conclusion

that Job must be guilty of sin, or he wouldn’t be afflicted, and tells him to repent.

Job responds by saying that a despairing man’s friends should show him

kindness, and then challenges them to tell him his sin.

Job 8-11

In chapter 8 Bildad rebukes Job, calls him a hypocrite, and attempts to explain

the ways of God.

Job responds in 9-10, but makes no effort to justify his words, but rather

justifies the righteousness and sovereignty of God. He also recognizes a key

problem between God and man (9:32-33), where there was no mediator to stand

between God and man at that time in history, which was resolved with the

coming of Jesus.

In 11 Job’s third friend Zophar speaks, and also rebukes Job for claiming his

innocence, and declares that his current punishment from God is far less than he

deserves, since God does not punish the guiltless.

Job 12-15

Job essentially says “with friends like you, who needs enemies?” He didn’t

invite them, and only wishes to present himself before God.

Job 14:14-17 NAS95 - "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my

struggle I will wait Until my change comes. "You will call, and I will answer

You; You will long for the work of Your hands. "For now You number my

steps, You do not observe my sin. "My transgression is sealed up in a bag,

And You wrap up my iniquity.

Job had a far greater understanding of God than any of his detractors.

In chapter 15 Eliphaz speaks a second time, however he resorts to personally

attacking Job, rather than contemplating his words, which is the recourse of

many who cannot speak from a place of true knowledge.

Job 16-19

In 16-17 Job responds, and never indicts the Lord, but is bitter at the lack of

grace and pity from his “friends”

In 18 Bildad is not just accusing Job of sin, but is now declaring him to be

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wickedness itself

In chapter 19 Job responds, asking why his persecutors feel it is so important

to grind him into dust, rather than just showing him pity. Job again demonstrates

that he knows more of God than all others…

Job 19:25-27 NAS95 - "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at

the last He will take His stand on the earth. "Even after my skin is

destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold,

And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me!

Job 20-22

Zophar speaks again in chapter 20, expressing indignation over the words of

Job, and he takes personal insult. He proceeds to describe his view of how God

treats the wicked on the earth, indicating that Job was all of those things and

worse.

Job responds to all of his accusers in 21, demonstrating that sometimes the

wicked actually live long and die rich, but that they will all be judged in the day of

God’s wrath to come.

Eliphaz begins the third cycle of accusations in chapter 22 by doubling down

on his condemnation of Job, now saying that he’s guilty of things which are

patently untrue. He then presumes to speak for God in telling Job to repent of all

his evil deeds and be restored.

Job 23-28

In this 3 rd and final cycle of antagonism from Job’s three friends, Eliphaz has

already spoken, Bildad makes a very brief attempt to justify God in chapter 25,

and Zophar has given up speaking altogether.

Job spends the majority of these chapters in declaring the greatness of God

and His ways, and persisting in saying that He was guilty of no traitorous

thoughts or actions against Him. We would do well to adopt his outlook on this

trial, which he states as follows…

Job 23:10 NKJV - But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested

me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 29-31

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In 29 Job laments the days of old when he was universally honored

In 30 Job points out that even the lowliest now abuse and spit on him

In 31 Job lists many ways he could have sinned against man and God, but in

each one he remains guiltless