DBG - June 9 - Job 15-17

In this chapter Eliphaz continues the arguments he made previously against Job.

vs. 1-6 – Eliphaz begins his next discourse by attacking Job’s responses.  In his view Job condemned himself with his defensive statements.  His words are as empty as the wind, and he failed to respect God.

vs. 7-16 – Eliphaz accuses Job of pride as he sarcastically asks if Job was older than the hills and had secret knowledge that no other human had.  Note the great respect he pays to the aged in their culture.  This is quite common in that region and at that time.  The elderly were honored and the wisdom they had accumulated in their long years was unquestioned.  That pride he sees in Job is also displayed against God.  He sees Job as failing to honor God or being thankful for the help He had provided.  What aid he thinks has been rendered I do not know, unless he thinks it is the attacks they had delivered against Job.

vs. 17-35 – Eliphaz’s next argument revolves around his estimation of the life and fate of the wicked.  The picture he paints is not wholly correct but likely exaggerated for effect.  He is insinuating that this is what Job is experiencing.    He accuses Job of deceiving himself into believing he was not experiencing what he described. 

In this chapter Job begins his response to Eliphaz.

vs. 1-5 – Job begins his response by noting how fruitless the words of his friends have been.  Nothing they had said had caused any relief to Job. 

vs. 6-14 –  In vs. 6 he confesses that his own words have brought him no relief.  After fourteen chapters of debate nothing has been accomplished other than identifying numerous things that are not the cause of Job’s suffering.  He then continues to describe how God was treating him, or in his estimation, mistreating him.  He says that he is being hounded, hunted, forsaken, and doomed.

vs. 15-22 – Job describes his state in vivid terms.  He cries out for justice and relief but finds none.  His friends do not help him and even God seems deaf to his pleas for relief.  We note yet another cry for mediator in vs. 21, foreshadowing the role of Christ.

In this chapter Job continues his response to Eliphaz.

vs. 1-12 – Job continues his description of his present state.  Why God had treated him so he cannot understand, and his friends are definitely not helping the matter!

vs. 13-16 – What hope did Job have?  The only relief he could look forward to was death, which he was more than willing to embrace.  What good was hope if it were not realized and it was buried with him?

Just because a person has faith does not mean they are immune to the depths of despair.  In the course of his arguments Job displays both.  He has sublime trust in God one minute, then the next accuses God of abandoning him.  The Bible displays a very real and honest view of humanity.  The giants of the faith in its pages stumble and fall as often as they see great victories.  It is comforting to see this because too often we allow ourselves to become overconfident in who we are.  We think that because we are Christians we should not struggle with our confidence in God.  When we do, we give into guilt.  Now, I am not saying that doubts are good, but they are part of the human experience.  We should give ourselves grace just as God does.

Our hymn today is yet another by Charles Wesley. This one is based on Job 17:13 and is titled “Ready For My Earthen Bed”.

Ready for my earthen bed,

Let me rest my fainting head,

Welcome life's expected close,

Sink in permanent repose.

Jesus' blood, to which I fly,

Doth my conscience purify,

Signs my weary soul's release,

Bids me now depart in peace.

Thus do I my bed prepare;

O how soft when Christ is there!

Calm I lay my body down,

Rise to an immortal crown.