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: Tuesday, January 06
Chapters: Job 4-7
Message: Job: Eliphaz Confronts Job
Hello My Friend,
I read this from Charles Spurgeon today, [Christian! do not dishonour religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight which your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden, would be to him but as the small dust of the balance…Doubt not his grace because of thy tribulation, but believe that he loveth thee as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence!…Can you trust him for your soul, and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens, he has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! have done with fretful care, and leave all thy concerns in the hand of a gracious God.]
It goes so well with our reading for today as well as what I am feeling like today and backed by this passage, [1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.]
When we are going through our darkest hour we cannot give up, we need to get into the light of Christ and remember what God has gotten us through this far. We may be all alone and feel as though we have to carry the weight by ourselves but we do not, we really need to hand it over to Jesus, [Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.]
Did you ever know someone who feels the need to criticize you all the time? Well, Job had three friends like that. Yesterday we learned that God allowed Satan to afflict Job and in a matter of days he lost his children, livestock, the respect of his wife, and now he is covered in boils. Job was contemplating life and revealed that the one thing he feared had finally come to pass. As we continue in the reading of Job, his friends begin to respond. The first to speak is Eliphaz, he first commends him on having what would be known as righteous judgment upon others, but seems to lack it for himself.
[Job 4:1-7 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? 3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. 5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? 7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?]
[Assay; The trial of the goodness, purity, weight, value.] Eliphaz, must have known Job for quite some time and seen how he was always helping people, how good he was, and his worth. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had doubts about his integrity, and this was the opportune time to call him out, he just knew he could not have been as righteous as he appeared. Eliphaz, proceeds to say that he knew that he was correct in his assumption because he had this spirit come up to him and tell him these things while he was sleeping.
[Job 4:12-17 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. 13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, 14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: 16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, 17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?]
I am not going to lie, every time I read this chills go through my body because I have experienced things like this, dark shadows passing me by with thoughts of despair. I tell people that I see these things and they think I am crazy, but I am not, these are real occurrences. We need to remember two things, one; Satan cannot be in more than one place at the same time. And two, he may not be allowed to posses a saved soul he can oppress one and he will not hesitate to use friends and family to do it. While Eliphaz had no idea that Satan was behind all of this, you can tell that by his statement that it was him that put those thoughts in his head. As Eliphaz continues he actually has some good points, but misses the key point.
[Job 5:6-9,17-20,27 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: 9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: 17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. 27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.]
Eliphaz makes a huge error here, he assumed that the affliction Job was facing had to do with his denial to admit he sinned. He is basically telling Job that what he is going through is for his own good and that God is giving him the well deserved punishment he needed to reveal the sin. Yes, God does chasten us, but if we are honest with ourselves, far less than we deserve as we have all gotten away with more things than we care to admit, [Ezra 9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;]
God knows our heart and our intentions, and while it is truly better to suffer for righteousness, the worse thing we need is for someone to start telling us that we are getting what we deserve because they do not know the whole story. Now, Job, is quite discouraged and responds to Eliphaz.
[Job 6:2-4,7-9 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! 3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. 7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. 8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! 9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!]
Job, did not want to hear all this, he just wanted some compassion from his friends, but all he was getting at this point was judgment. While he does admit that he did put his faith in his substance, he goes on to say that he was the hope for those he helped, and never asked for anything in return.
[Job 6:11-14,21-24 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? 13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? 14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. 21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid. 22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance? 23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? 24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.]
When it all comes down to it, they really were afraid because this was something none of them have ever seen before. Think about it, if these terrible things happened to the righteous what does that do for those who are not? Peter, said it this way, [1 Peter 4:17-19 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.]
This was going through their heads as well and believe it or not there are people watching to see how we are going to handle these things, looking for hope themselves. Job, knew that he was a sinner, but also knew that what he was going through was not a result of sin. However, if he was guilty of something he at least wanted to know what it was so that he could repent. The only hope Job sees right now is death, and while he really was not ready to die, since his friend basically tells him to take the punishment and like it, he contemplates the end of life itself.
[Job 7:1-6 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? 2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: 3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. 4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.]
Job, realized something that we all realize at one point, life is, but a vapor, [James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.]
A weaver’s shuttle is an organizing tool for weaving yarn between warp yarns. In tapestry weaving, the most commonly used weaving shuttles are stick shuttles, which is where a warped thread is wrapped around a stick to straighten it. In other words, Job, felt like he was being twisted around this stick, he was in such pain, he smelled as the boils on his body would pop, then worms would literally breed in them. At this point, he has lost all hope that he will recover from this.
[Job 7:9-15 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? 13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; 14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: 15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.]
Job, is tired of everyone sitting there watching him, judging him, and Eliphaz’s words did not help at all. God, knows the way that we take, if we are living our lives to please God, then it is not for others to question our righteousness as though we have something to hide because there is some affliction in our lives. I know that it is natural to question, even I have been guilty of questioning what someone may have done when I see them in constant pain. This is another way that God humbles us, [Proverbs 24:17-18 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.]
We need to understand that we are commanded to speak to others about sin and to offer righteous judgment, but we are not called to accuse or condemn them. We do not know what they are facing, and we must be careful that we do not add fuel to the fire or push someone to the point where life feels unbearable. This is exactly how Job’s friends made him feel. He preferred to be alone rather than endure their harsh and misguided attempts to correct him.
[Job 7:17-21 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.]
Job, was right, there are way too many people who lift up the preachers, teachers, government leaders, and business owners on pedestals only to become judgmental when they discover that they are human. I have to admit that while I am pretty optimistic, I get bothered by unsolicited advice. I know what I was taught, and what I ought to be doing, I respect their option, but who are they to tell me otherwise, which is why Jesus said this, [John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.]
Job, was so discouraged and distraught that I believe had he any way of moving he would have ended his life himself, but God had other plans, which was why he did awake to see another day. Sadly, the suicide rate among Christians is astounding, and much of this has to do with their being pressured into being a certain way as instructed by their religion, family, or friends. So, how about we as Christians start having a little more compassion toward each other and stop being so quick to place judgment on one another? [James 4:11-12 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?]
Today’s Prayer: God, I know how blessed I am and how much You have done for me since I put my faith and trust in Your Son as my Saviour. When I am afflicted, it never fails that there is always someone telling me how bad I am and then I start to question my own credibility. And here You are using these things to grow my faith, and keep me faithful. Lord, You are my hope, in You I see the light through all my affliction, You are my strength, to endure every pain, trusting in Your promises. Forgive me for the times when I am discouraged and have been critical of others. When I see others afflicted, let me not falsely accuse or judge them, rather be the hope and encouragement they need through their distress. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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