Job 29-31  Job's last long discourse is presented in these three chapters.  Chapter 29 is Job's look at his past . He felt God's blessing on his life and his family.  "Oh that I were as in the months gone by, as in the days when God watched over me; When His lamp shone over my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;"  Everything was "perfect" in the days prior to that one day when Job lost everything.  He was blessed with his children, his wealth, his position in society.. "... my steps were bathed in butter.." He felt like a king, was treated with respect and maybe even reverence. 

Chapter 30 "But now.. "  Everything changed for Job that day.  Now he was being mocked, scorned, and threatened.  He was a broken man. "and now my soul is poured out within me."  Job's deepest sorrow was that he felt abandoned by God. "He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. I cry out to Thee for help, but Thou dost no answer me; I stand up, and Thou dost turn Thy attention against me." ( v19-20)  Job says he is "mourning without comfort;"  No one.. not even God.. seems to care for him in his present state. 

Chapter 31 - Here Job chronicles his "righteousness".   He is willing to take the consequences of anything he is guilty of.. but.. he asserts.. he isn't guilty!

He hasn't allowed his eyes to wander. 

He hasn't walked in falsehoods. 

He hasn't deceived anyone. 

He hasn't been unfaithful to his wife. 

He hasn't mistreated his servants.

He hasn't neglected the needy. 

He hasn't oppressed the orphans. 

He hasn't trusted in gold or wealth. 

He hasn't worshiped the sun or moon. 

He hasn't spoken evil or cursed anyone. 

He hasn't refused help to the alien at his door. 

He hasn't even mistreated his land. 

 

Job knows that God sees his ways and numbers his steps.  God knows what he has and has not done. His appeal is to the God who sees.

And God is about to answer. 

Father in heaven, You see me. You know me. All that I have done, that I shouldn't have.. all that I have not done that I should have.  It is true for every single one of us.  Our lists mean nothing when it comes to You.  For all our "righteous deeds"  as Isaiah wrote, "are like a filthy garment". We  look to You, our Lord.. "Thou art our Father, We are the clay, and Thou are potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand. " Our  only hope is You.  Oh how thankful we are for the forgiveness of our sins through Christ Jesus our Savior!  Thank You that we are IN Christ and He is in us.  We are clothed with the righteousness of our Lord, who gave Himself up to the cross so that we might be Yours forever.  We praise and worship You with all our hearts.  Father, You see those who are suffering right now. Those who feel abandoned and have no comfort. Answer their cries, Father.  Remind them that You were with Job even when he felt hopeless.. and You will be with them through it all.  We are Your people and we will trust You fully. Help us to do so more and more.  In the name of Jesus, who never forsakes us, we pray. Amen. 

 Job 27 Job feels betrayed by his friends.. and even by the Lord.. "As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty who has embittered my soul.. "  He is confident that he did nothing to deserve the suffering that he had experienced.  It is the godless... the wicked who should be judged and punished by God. 

But in chapter 28 Job changes his focus. Once again we find Job looking to God.  In verses 1-11 Job talks about the creation, in particular the abundant wealth hidden underneath the ground and in the rocks - gold, silver, copper, gems - unseen and unimportant to the beasts of the earth. But, men dig and smelt and labor to unearth them. They.. we.. place great value on these kinds of things. 

In comparison, Job asks, "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?"  The things most important and vital to life- wisdom and understanding.... what is really worth searching and laboring for:

"Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. 

The deep says, 'It is not in me;' and the sea says, 'It is not with me.' 

Pure gold can not be given in exchange for it, nor can silver be weighed as its price. 

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx, or sapphire. 

Gold or glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. 

Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; and the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls...

 (v13-18)

"Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding?"  Job asks again.. 

"God understands its way; And He knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens.When He imparted weight to the wind, and meted out the waters by measure, when He set the limit for the rain, and a course for the thunderbolt, Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out, and to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding."  ( v23-28)

Paul prayed  for the believers in Colossae ... "that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in true knowledge of God's mystery, that is Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." 

I'm reminded of Christ's words about treasure - " Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."( Matthew 6:19-21)

He also said, "The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil." ( Matthew 12:35)

Where is our treasure?  Or maybe more importantly.. WHAT is our treasure?   Jesus said, "the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.. the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)

True wealth if found in Christ..in whom we find true wisdom and knowledge.. His Kingdom is worth every ounce of our strength, every minute of our time, every part of our lives.. .  He is the Treasure that will never rust or fade.. and that no one can take away from us.  Hallelujah! 

Father in heaven, hallowed is Your Name.  You are worthy of all our praise and all our thanksgiving. We seek You. We seek Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and great Treasure. We seek Your wisdom and understanding that can not be found in all the earth.. but is hidden in Christ. This is the treasure we desire more than anything this world can offer. Thank You for this Word today.. reminding us once again of what is most valuable .. You.  Fill us Spirit with this depth of Truth and Life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

 Job 22-26 The argument between Job and his friends wages on.  They are getting angry at Job, for he will not be persuaded that they are right.  He has not done the things they have accused him of doing.  They want him to repent, but he has nothing to repent of.. or so he thinks.  Eliphaz's criticism is almost vicious.  Yet, Job does not respond in anger.  Instead, Job turns back to his yearning to seek God, to find Him, and to learn what He is doing. 

"Oh that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn the words which He would answer, and perceive what He would say to me. Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power?" (23:3-6) 

Job believes that he is completely innocent and that God is acting in a way that terrifies him. "It is God who has made my heart faint, and the Almighty who has dismayed me..." (v15-16) 

In chapter 24 Job wonders at the ways of God that seem to favor the wicked and fail the poor.  The more he talks, the more discouraged they all become! 

Bildad begins to sink into a depression.. .. "How then can a man be just with God?..If even the moon has no brightness and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, that maggot, and the son of man, that worm!"(25:4-6)

Job rebukes Bildad, "To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit was expressed through you?"

Job reminds him that God is great...."He stretches our the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds; and the cloud does not burst under them." (26:7-8) 

God covers the moon. He makes a boundary for light and darkness. He quiets the seas. He clears the heavens.  "His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent. Behold these are the fringes of His ways; and how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?"

When things don't make sense in our world.. when the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer.. when we can't hear God's voice and we start to feel terrified or deserted.. may we be like Job in this moment.. remembering Who God is.. the power of His might.. His greatness and His goodness. May we encourage one another with the message of God's love and grace. 

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.."

Father in heaven, teach us to seek You with all our hearts and to never give up. Show us Your glory in the midst of our sorrows, pain, depression.. or whatever is blocking our path to You. We desire to draw nearer to Your heart, to be filled with Your love, and to lay everything else down at Your feet.  Spirit of God let the power of Christ work in us today. We ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen. 

 Job 20-21  Such comforters.. Job's friends are.. Their accusations and pronouncements get harsher and harsher.. They cannot fathom that Job is suffering for nothing. He must be guilty of vile sinfulness to have such a terrible punishment. Zophar's message in Chapter 20 is a solemn picture of the end of a wicked man's life.   "He perishes forever like his refuse.. "  Because of his pride, oppression, and excess, the wicked will suffer.. "He may flee from the iron weapon, but the bronze bow will pierce him. It is drawn forth and comes out his back, even the glittering point from his gall. Terrors come upon him, complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures.. " v24-26

Yet, Job argues, he has seen the wicked prosper. "Their descendants are established in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes, their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God on them... (21:8-9)" Even in their deaths they seem to not acknowledge God. It seems unfair to Job.. yet again he bows to God's sovereignty .. "Can anyone teach God knowledge, in that He judges those on high?" v22 We understand how Job feels.. "One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and satisfied; ... while another dies with a bitter soul, never even tasting anything good, together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them.. " v23-26

It appears.. at least on the surface.. that sometimes the unbeliever lives a "better" life than that of a believer.  They might have great mansions, wonderful clothing, or luxurious cars.. they may even seem happy and content.  We even see terrible dictators and terrorists.. strutting around, boasting of their own greatness.. and wonder why God does not strike them dead.  We see humble Christian brothers and sisters thrown into prisons, terrorized, persecuted, and even killed.. and we wonder why God does not deliver them and take vengeance on their enemies. 

Like Job.. we need to bow to God's sovereignty.... He sees. He knows. He judges. We do not understand.. for  His ways  are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  What we do know is that God is good.  He is kind. He is powerful. And He is just. Like Job, we must cling to Him.. no matter what. 

Father in heaven, You are God in heaven above and on earth below and there is no other.  What we do not understand.. we must simply trust You for... We are Yours and surrender to Your will, no matter what.. and trust You for the strength to face what comes. Even as I write these words, I tremble.. for if You do not help us, we have no help. If You do not comfort us, we have no comfort. We truly need You every moment and every hour.  May we understand this truth..and pray this prayer.. that You would grant us, according to the riches of Your glory. "to be strengthened with power through [Your] Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith; and that.. being rooted and grounded in love, [we] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the  breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that [we] may be filled up to all the fulness of God." ( Eph. 3:15-19)  Come and fill us again today, Lord, that we might stand firm, resisting evil.. until the day of Your appearing.. knowing without doubt that Your grace is sufficient no matter what!  In the Name of our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ we pray. amen.

 Job 18-19   Bildad once again responded to Job's lament.  Both  men throw accusations at each other, saying that the other side thinks they are better, more righteous, or wiser than himself. Bildad's argument here gives us a look at the  life and death of the wicked. It is stark and solemn.. something that we don't like to dwell on, but perhaps something we need to contemplate. 

v5 "Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out, and the flame of his fire gives no light. The light in his tent is darkened, and his lamp goes out above him."  Bildad describes this life of darkness - 

He no longer walks with strength. He gets caught in his own schemes. He ends up in his own net. Terror surrounds him. His strength leaves him.  His health fails him. His security is gone. Even the memory of him is lost. "Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God. "

Bildad is not wrong in this. Other Scriptures agree: 

Proverbs 4:19 "the way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble." 

Isaiah 5:20 "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness." 

Jesus talked about darkness too:

Matthew 6:23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

John 3:19 "And this is the judgement that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil."

John 8:12 "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them saying, 'I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'"

John 12:35 "Jesus therefore said to them, 'For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness doe not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light. " 

 Jesus came to bring us out of the darkness!

John 1:5 "And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it." Light can never be seized by the darkness! Jesus is the True Light who overcomes it!

Acts 26:18  Paul's testimony is that Jesus called him to  ministry for this purpose "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me."

 Darkness keeps trying.. as Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:12 " For our struggle is ... against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness... "

But.. as he wrote in Colossians 1:13 "For He ( God)  delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son."  As we walk in His Light we are safe. 

Darkness is the enemy in life but also the future place of those who refuse the Light... 

Matthew 8:12 ".. but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. " 

Bildad's message was true... but not about Job.  For Job responds to the True Light.. "And 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 shall see and not another. My heart faints within me." (19:25-27)

Father in heaven, thank You for the Light!  Thank You for not condemning us to eternal darkness, but instead sending the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, Your Beloved Son so that we might have life. We look forward to that day when there will be no more darkness!  Help us to keep walking in the Light day by day.. to the glory of our Lord Jesus.  Father, we see the darkness trying to snuff out the Light in so many ways in our world.. help us to open the eyes of others that they might see the True Light and turn from the darkness and receive forgiveness for their sins and the wonderful inheritance promised to those who follow Jesus.  Come and fill us Holy Spirit that we might be light in this darkness.. wherever we are.. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

 Job 15 - 17   Eliphaz speaks once again, this time with anger and insults against Job.  He sees Job as a wicked man with no wisdom and he sees God as one who doesn't even trust His angels, let alone "one who is detestable and corrupt." Unfortunately that is a point of view that still prevails in our world today. 

Job relies, "Sorry comforters are you all."  If things were on the other foot, Job says, he would be there to strengthen and help his friends, not accuse and insult them. 

Job is feeling exhausted, shriveled, torn, hunted, slapped, handed over to ruffians, shattered... God has "grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His target.. " (16:12) Ever feel that way?

As I read Job's description of himself.. I think of Jesus at Calvary.. "His arrows surround me. Without mercy He splits my kidneys open; He pours my gall on the ground. He breaks through me with breach after breach; He runs at me like a warrior..."  Job suffered, yes, but our gracious Lord, Jesus Christ suffered even more.. for us. 

Job cried out, "My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, the grave is ready for me." ( 17:1)  He was losing all hope and his friends were only making him feel worse. 

Perhaps we should exam how we handle suffering...our own pains and sorrows.. or that of our friends?  May we have the compassion of our God and the steadfastness of Jesus.  

II Thessalonians 2:16-17 is a prayer that we can pray.. "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word." Who do you know that needs to have you pray for them today? Do it now!

Father, I thank You for loving us and for giving us comfort in our struggles and sorrows.  I pray for those I know who need to feel Your love today.  Pour out Your grace upon them. Comfort them with Your Presence and peace.  Bring alongside them friends who will truly love and comfort them with words that are kind and loving. May we know Your love, be filled with Your grace and mercy, and reach out to those who are suffering today.  We pray this in the name of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

 Job 11-14  Zophar,  Job's third friend, speaks next.  He comes on strong.. accusing Job of talking too much, of boasting, and of not knowing God.  He rebukes Job and tells him to repent so that his troubles would be over.  As in the others, there is a grain of truth in Zophar's message:  "Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? They are as high as the heavens, what can you do?"

But, Zophar and the others are rebuked by Job.. "Truly then you are the people, and with you wisdom will die!"  Job throws back at them.  He resents their accusations and their "wisdom". So he  turns back to the Lord God.  Everything is in God's hands, Job repeats.. and if God wants to do anything, no-one can stop Him. 

"With Him are wisdom and might, to Him belong counsel  and understanding." (12:13)  God tears down and builds up. God imprisons and releases. God humbles the proud. God raises up nations and destroys them too. 

Job wants to bring his argument before God. He doesn't want his peers to keep speaking. "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation, for a godless man may not come before His presence." Job is sure of his innocence, sure of His Savior, and sure of the fact that his days are numbered and in God's hands. 

In spite of the suffering. In spite of the accusations from his friends.. in spite of feeling deserted by God.. Job keeps waiting. " .. all the days of my struggle I will wait, until my change comes. Thou wilt call and I will answer Thee; Thou wilt long for the work of Thy hands." (14:14-15)

Father in heaven, teach us Your ways through this servant of Yours, Job.  Teach us to keep trusting. Teach us to wait upon You. Teach us to exalt and praise You and to give You thanks.  Remind us, Father, that You are in control and that Your good and perfect will is always better than anything we can ask for.  Teach us to lay down our lives, take up our crosses and follow Jesus.. no matter what.  Thank You for the salvation that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord and King!  Amen.