Twice Bildad had began his speeches with "How long?" (Job 8:2; Job 18:2). Now Job throws back at him and his friends his own "How long?" "Rather than helping, their bitter words had only added to his vexation, causing him to feel pulverized under the emotional weight" _(Zuck p. 85)._... [ Continue Reading ]
"THESE TEN TIMES": "Ten times" is an idiom meaning "often", they had repeatedly insulted him and they were not ashamed.... [ Continue Reading ]
"EVEN IF. HAVE TRULY ERRED, MY ERROR LODGES WITH ME": Job argues that even "if" he had sinned, it was between him and God and was not their business.... [ Continue Reading ]
"Their tactics were clear to Job: they were acting superior to him (Job 12:3; Job 13:2)" _(p. 85)._... [ Continue Reading ]
Job has news for his friends. He has not sinned, but God had wronged Job. His friends were arguing that God was punishing him and Job agrees-Job simply argues that God was punishing him for nothing. Bildad had argued that the godless man is caught in his own net (Job 18:8), Job counters that he was... [ Continue Reading ]
Job's cries for justice go unheard by both friends and God. "I've been wronged!... [ Continue Reading ]
According to Job, God had obstructed his path, darkened it, removed his place of prestige in the community, demolished him like. building, uprooted him like. tree, viewed Job as His enemy, and surrounded Job like. besieged city. "When Job added that the troops camped around his tent, he expressed th... [ Continue Reading ]
Because of his sufferings Job has lost family and friends. This section of Scripture reveals another consequence of his suffering, isolation and loneliness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Even the servants in his household are removing themselves from Job. "It is bitter humiliation to be ignored by his personal attendant when he called him and even begged him" _(Zuck p. 87)._ "His social status has been obliterated; even the slaves will not respond when he personally calls them" _(St... [ Continue Reading ]
"MY BREATH IS OFFENSIVE TO MY WIFE": This is the only reference to Job's wife outside of Job 2:9-10. Evidently as Job tried to find comfort in the arms of his wife, she would draw away from him, due to the bad breath caused by his illness.... [ Continue Reading ]
"EVEN YOUNG CHILDREN DESPISE ME": The very ones who should show respect for Job and his age. "Youngsters made fun of Job instead of showing the customary respect due to elders (Job 30:1-10)" _(Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 741). _... [ Continue Reading ]
His best friends forsake him, those he thought would never turn against him. "Job lacked even the solace that normally comes from friends and loved ones in times of affliction" _(p. 741)._... [ Continue Reading ]
He continues to lose weight and he has barely eluded death thus far, just by the "skin of his teeth". "The essence is-'I have nothing but my bones and the skin on my teeth'" _(Strauss p. 187)._... [ Continue Reading ]
Here is. plea for mercy from his friends. They did not need to persecute and attack him, for God was already doing. good and thorough job. "AND ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH MY FLESH?" It seems like his friends are like wild animals and will settle for nothing less than his flesh."Just after Job was at his... [ Continue Reading ]
"OH THAT MY WORDS WERE WRITTEN! OH THAT THEY WERE INSCRIBED IN. BOOK!" This is actually what really did happen. God had the account of Job's suffering written for all time. Since Job thinks that he will die before all of this is resolved, he cries out that this case would not be forgotten, but recor... [ Continue Reading ]
"THAT WITH AN IRON STYLUS AND LEAD THEY WERE ENGRAVED IN THE ROCK FOREVER!" He wanted his story carved into solid rock and then the letters carved filled with lead. "This memorial would allow future generations to judge the justice of his case" _(Zuck p. 89)._ "An ancient example of the use of lead... [ Continue Reading ]
"AS FOR ME,. KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES": The term "Redeemer" means "to lay claim to. person or thing, to free or deliver". "A redeemer in the Old Testament was. person who provided protection or legal preservation for. close relative who could not do so for himself (Lev. Job 25:23-25; Ruth 4:4-15)... [ Continue Reading ]
"EVEN AFTER MY SKIN IS DESTROYED, YET FROM MY FLESH. SHALL SEE GOD": This is. powerful insight into Job's understanding and what men knew about God and His truth in ancient times. Job expects to "see God", but apart from his physical body. Here is the doctrine that man survives the death of the body... [ Continue Reading ]
Job clearly expects to see God after death. And he would see God and not someone else. "He himself would see God, face to face, and he would not be. stranger or enemy to God, as he was then" _(Zuck p. 91)._ "When he sees Him, He will appear as. friend, not as an enemy or stranger" _(Strauss p. 191).... [ Continue Reading ]
In these final two verses of this chapter Job gives his critics. warning. If they continued in their efforts to accuse him of sin, then God would certainly strike them down with the sword. Job agrees that God does punish sinners, and they would be the sinners in this instance for they are guilty of... [ Continue Reading ]