King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Friday, January 08, 2021
Chapters: Job 13-17
Message: Finding Comfort
Hello My Friend,
We all go through things, some of us want everyone to know and feel as bad as we do, some of us want no one to know, and put up a good front until it comes to pass. None of us want to go through things alone, and whether we are vocal about it or not, we want some physical and emotional comfort. What we do not want is to feel worse than we already do, or bring anyone else down either. Yet there is always someone, whether they realize it or not, who does have a way of making us feel worse than we do in their attempt to actually examine, rather than comfort us. Believe it or not, finding comfort comes through the Holy Spirit, in fact, He is our Comforter, [John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.]
Before Moses penned down the Law, people did not have Scripture to guide them on how God wanted them to live, those who believed in, and wanted Him in their lives did so by faith and under their own moral character. When Job became afflicted he did not question God’s abilities, he just wanted to understand why he had been afflicted so harshly. So, when three of his friends begin making accusations and judging him, you can imagine how he must have felt. He lashes out at them for making him feel worse that he already is.
[Job 13:3-10,13-16 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. 14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. 17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.]
[and it should be your wisdom.] We cannot always explain everything that is going on with us, but no one has the right to judge or falsely accuse us. Sometimes the best comfort people can give is to not say anything at all, just be there in our presence or since we are in the age of technology, face chat with them. [if ye do secretly accept persons.] There is a sad, but true fact that many Christians are guilty of, and that is accepting those who appear godly, or rather like they are, and are judgmental of those who appear ungodly. Yes, we are not to be yoked together with unbelievers, but we are to be cordial, and we are to be kind, and treat everyone with the same respect. We may not agree with the appearance of the one with the purple hair and ring in their nose, but that does not mean that person is not saved or godly, [James 2:1,9 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.]
There comes a point through any kind of affliction that we must realize God is in control and His will be done. Job definitely had no idea why all this what happening, but he did know two things, he was not a hypocrite, and he needed a Saviour. Even back then they knew that their own righteousness could not save them and that they needed a Saviour. They, by faith, just as we, by faith, have the same Saviour, they just had no idea it was Jesus. Job knew that his own righteousness would not keep him from judgment, but he was not about to let his friends be his judge. He also knew that there was something better waiting for him on the other side of all this.
[Job 14:11-17 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. 16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.]
[till my change come.] Job, having no Bible, knew that there was life beyond the grave. One day, we shall all be changed, while those whose souls have gone on to be with Jesus in heaven have left their earthly bodies for a time, they will reunite, and all be changed, in fact, we will become immortal, [I Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.]
Now, Job’s friends were not very happy at all with the way he was talking. Eliphaz speaks again, quite irritated with Job for refusing to admit he has sinned and saying he will be justified with God. In fact, he tells him that his talking the way he is is sin in itself, [Job 15:1-5 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? 4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. 5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.]
[For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity,] He basically tells Job that if he is feeling condemned it was because he is lying to himself about his sin. There is nothing more aggravating than having someone accuse you of something then telling you that because you are speaking up for yourself that you are proving you are guilty. If it is one thing I have learned, never assume you know what is going on with someone because they have some affliction in their lives. The more they spoke against him, the more frustrated he became, he was beginning to think that God sent them to bring more grief to him. They were not about to change their opinion of him, in fact, the more he defended himself the worse they got. Job figured out that it was a waste of time to argue with these men.
[Job 16:1-7,12-13 Then Job answered and said, 2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. 3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? 4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. 6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? 7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. 11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. 13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.]
[and set me up for his mark.] Job had no hope in finding comfort from anyone, and even though he knew he was justified before God, that still did not bring him comfort as his friends kept judging him. There are just some people out there who have a lousy way of comforting people, thank God, that we do have someone pleading for us, and that is Jesus, [John 16:26-27 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.]
The strongest Christian really is no different than the weakest, we all have faith, and we all know that one day we will see Jesus and all our pain and suffering will be no more. However, the more affliction we face, even the strongest Christian can lose hope after a while. This is the way Job felt, he could not believe the way his friends were treating him after all that he had been through, and at this point he was wondering where his hope was.
[Job 17:8-15 Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. 9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. 10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you. 11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. 12 They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness. 13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. 14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. 15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?]
[as for my hope, who shall see it?] Who sees our hope? Jesus. It is easy to lose hope when it seems like we have no relief from the pain, no matter which way we turn. That is when we need to turn our only hope, Christ. We may not be able to see Him, but when we have hope in Him He will bring us comfort. Never forget, if we have received Christ as our Saviour then we will see an end to all of our suffering. Sometimes it takes some unexplained suffering not only for us to be reminded of God’s promises, but that others can come to know them as well, [I Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [Job 16:13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to save me from my sins, He not only saved me from death and hell, He gave me hope that one day I will suffer no more. While I know that it is Your opinion of me that matters, and I am not here to please anyone, but You, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to endure not only my afflictions, but those who add to them. When I am looking for comfort remind me that it is found in You, even when it seems as though I am all alone and have opposition by others. Let me be a faithful and true witness, having compassion, and offering simple comfort to those who need it. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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