Up to this point Job has been restrained in his response to his friends. But in this speech Job is so upset that he begins his reply with an unmistakable tone of sarcasm.
12:1 Then Job responded, 2 “Truly then you are the people, And with you wisdom will die! 3 “But I have intelligence as well as you; I am not inferior to you. And who does not know such things as these?
The Message puts verse 2 this way, "I’m sure you speak for all the experts, and when you die there’ll be no one left to tell us how to live.” Hartley writes, “They think themselves to be the only people with whom wisdom resides, so much so that when they die the world’s storehouse of wisdom will be depleted.”
12:4 “I am a joke to my friends, the one who called on God and He answered him; the just and blameless man is a joke. 5 “He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt, as prepared for those whose feet slip. 6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.”
In Job’s day the worst possible disgrace was to become an object of public scorn, ridicule or mockery. Again notice how Eugene Price paraphrases this verse in the Message, "I’m ridiculed by my friends: ‘So that’s the man who had conversations with God!’ Ridiculed without mercy: ‘Look at the man who never did wrong!’” The “just and blameless man…” seems to allude back to chapter one – “There was a man in the land of Uz who was blameless…” Perhaps as people gathered ‘round the cappuccino machine at work in the land of Uz, they would derisively say, “Hey, you wanna go down to the Ash Heap tomorrow and see how “Mr. Integrity” is doing?”
Verse 5 is interesting. The King James has it this way, “He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.” What does it mean, “…is as a lamp despised?” I will summarize what Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown (JFB) say on this point: Travelers and wanderers would use a torch to guide their uncertain footsteps through the darkness. But once the torch burned out and they came to their place of rest, they would contemptuously cast aside the torchlight. And so with Job. His torchlight wisdom was such that it provided many with guidance through the darkness of life. But because his light has burned dim (no doubt smothered by maggots), Job’s counsel is contemptuously cast aside. Barnes writes, “When the torch was blazing, it was regarded as of value; when nearly extinguished, it would be regarded as worthless, and would be cast away. So when a man was in prosperity, he would be looked up to as a guide and example. In adversity, his counsels would be rejected, and he would be looked upon with contempt.”
We will look at verse 6 in just a moment.
12:7 “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. 8 Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; and let the fish of the sea declare to you. 9 Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, 10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind? 11 Does not the ear test words, as the palate tastes its food? 12 Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding. 13 With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding.
In a Dr. Doolittle fashion, Job recommends that Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar talk to the animals! Ask Beast, Bird and Fish what they think about Ash Heap Man and why he is in such an awful state. The conclusions of BB&F Inc might be more profound then the conclusions of EB&Z Inc!
In verses 14-25 (which I have placed at the end of the article) notice these phrases about the immensity of GOD (mostly in His dealings with the “strong” or the “wise” or the “secure” or the “mighty”):
He tears down
He imprisons
He restrains
He sends out
He makes them walk barefoot
He makes fools of judges
He loosens and binds kings
He overthrows
He deprives
He takes away
He pours contempt
He reveals mysteries
He brings deep darkness into light
He makes great
He destroys
He enlarges
He leads
He deprives
He makes them wander
He makes them stagger
FI Anderson writes, “Here Job shows himself to be a more honest observer, a more exuberant thinker, than the friends. The mind reels at the immensity of his conception of God. The little deity in the theology of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar is easily thought and easily believed. But a faith like Job’s puts the human spirit to strenuous work.” The question is then, “What is our conception of God in the midst of our problems and peril?”
Which brings us back to verse 6. And notice particularly the last part of the verse, “The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.” The end of the verse can be interpreted a couple of different ways but I like how the New International Version puts it, “…those who carry god in their hands.” Ancient travelers (the marauders and provokers in verse 6) would carry with them a pocket sized idol. I imagine that before they backed the camel out of the garage they would double check their list of stuff to bring. “Let’s see, I got my credit cards, I got my sword, I got my cell phone, I got my camel food. And I….hey honey! I forgot my god! Would you mind getting him for me? He’s sitting on the top shelf in my closet.”
We can chuckle at that, but though we may sing the chorus, “God is an Awesome God,” in actuality we can sometimes just be “carrying god in our hand.” We want Him around for weddings and funerals, but otherwise…well, let’s just keep Him in the closet. And we have flow-charted and figured out and shrunk down El-Shaddai to such a degree that rarely is there a Sunday in our churches where God shows up in Awesome Majesty! There should be a clause in our bulletins (right after the order of service) that reads, “In the event that God shows up today, we will immediately dispense with our liturgy...and fall on our faces in fear and trembling."
In actuality, the “I’ve Got God All Figured Out” theology” of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar is a result of the shrinkage of their God in their heart and mind (the "little deity" syndrome mentioned by FI Anderson above).
The book of Job is moving inexorably toward chapter 37 and verse 22, "Out of the north comes golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty.” When that happens the little deities in the minds of the Comforters will vanish. We should pray that the little deities set up in our hearts and minds should vanish also.
12:14 “Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release. 15 Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up; and He sends them out, and they inundate the earth. 16 With Him are strength and sound wisdom, the misled and the misleader belong to Him. 17 He makes counselors walk barefoot and makes fools of judges. 18 He loosens the bond of kings and binds their loins with a girdle. 19 He makes priests walk barefoot and overthrows the secure ones. 20 He deprives the trusted ones of speech and takes away the discernment of the elders. 21 He pours contempt on nobles and loosens the belt of the strong. 22 He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deep darkness into light. 23 He makes the nations great, and then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away. 24 He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people and makes them wander in a pathless waste. 25 They grope in darkness with no light; And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.”
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Zophar the Barbarian (Job 11:1-20)
Zophar flunked “How To Be a Compassionate Counselor 101” in seminary. Francis I Anderson didn’t mince words when he wrote, “There is not a breath of compassion in his speech.” Hartley states, “In Zophar’s view, people are either contrite worshippers of God or arrogant sinners.”
Job 11:1 “Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, 2 ‘Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, and a talkative man be acquitted? 3 Shall your boasts silence men? And shall you scoff and none rebuke? 4 For you have said, 'My teaching is pure, and I am innocent in your eyes.' 5 But would that God might speak, and open His lips against you,’”
The phrase “talkative man” in verse 2 is literally “man of lips,” and means someone who is verbose. In Job’s culture wisdom was conveyed by talking little and listening much. So Zophar is literally saying in verses 2 & 5, “Hey Man-O-Lips…wait till God opens His lips against you!” Zophar charges Job with arrogance (“shall your boasts silence men?”), but reading between the lines you instead get a sense of Zophar’s arrogance, for Zophar the Barbarian thinks he knows what God would say to Job! And remember, Job never claims that his teaching or doctrine is pure; and he has never claimed that he is sinless. He does however hold tenaciously to his personal integrity, but that is far from claiming a spotless purity.
11:6 “And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity.”
The New Living Translation puts verse 6 this way, “If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!”
Two remarkable things are stated in verse 6. We will keep the first part of the verse until the conclusion. The second half of the verse reveals Zophar’s tactlessness and uncaring bluntness. He essentially says, “Look Job, you’re complaining because you think you’ve got it bad…but if you got what you truly deserved, things would be a LOT worse!”
11:7 “Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? 9 Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10 If He passes by or shuts up, or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him? 11 For He knows false men, and He sees iniquity without investigating.”
Notice the fourfold “you” in verses 7 and 8: Can you…can you…can you…can you…” As per Z the B, the depths of God are outside of Job’s ability to discover them, but apparently not outside of Zophar’s! John Franklin Genung writes, “Zophar seems designed to represent the wrong-headedness of the odium theologicum.” (The Latin phrase Odium theologicum [literally meaning "theological hatred"] is the name originally given to the often intense anger and hatred generated by disputes over theology [from www.wikipedia.com]).
11:12 "And an idiot will become intelligent when the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.
“Idiot” (the King James Version has “vain”) is the Hebrew word “nabab” and is used only four times in the OT. Three of the times it’s used in reference to either the tabernacle or the temple and refers to hollow boards or a hollow pillar. In verse 2 Zophar disdainfully calls our hero, “Man-o-Lips.” And here in verse 12 he calls him “Hollow-Man.” In Zophar’s thinking Job was just an empty suit or “all hat and no cattle.” The New Living Translation has verse 12, “An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.” And The Message puts it this way, “Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up about the same time mules learn to talk.” Hartley writes, “Zophar says that there is no natural way for Job to be changed from a stupid man to a wise man.” The Vander Ark Paraphrased Version reads, “Job, you just can’t fix stupid!”
11:13 "If you would direct your heart right, and spread out your hand to Him; 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness dwell in your tents. 15 Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, and you would be steadfast and not fear. 16 For you would forget your trouble, as waters that have passed by, you would remember it. 17 And your life would be brighter than noonday; darkness would be like the morning. 18 Then you would trust, because there is hope; and you would look around and rest securely. 19 You would lie down and none would disturb you, and many would entreat your favor. 20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and there will be no escape for them; and their hope is to breathe their last."
Translation? Job if you would think right and pray right (vs. 13), and if you would repent (vs. 14), your fear that you dreaded in 3:25 would go away (vs. 15), all your troubles would be like water under the bridge (vs. 16), instead of your empty headed talk in chapter 10 of how your light would become darkness, your darkness would become like the morning sunshine (vs. 17); and then you would trust and rest (18) and get your first good night’s sleep in a long, long time (19). But remember that the wicked (i.e. YOU!) won’t escape (20).
It’s a good thing there aren’t too many Pastor Zophars around.
Conclusion: I mentioned in an earlier devotional that not everything said by Job is correct and not everything stated by Eliphaz, Bildad & Zophar Incorporated is incorrect. The first part of verse 6 is one of those things stated by the comforters that, taken by itself, is not incorrect.
11:6 “And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides.” Young’s Literal Translation puts it this way, “And declare to you secrets of wisdom, for counsel hath foldings.”
What does it mean that “God’s counsel (wisdom or purpose or design) is folded?”
Barnes writes, “The Hebrew word “kiplayim” (double) means "to fold.” The sense here is that the wisdom of God is "double-fold" – It is not UNFOLDED (spread out and plain), but is rather INFOLDED (complicated or inexplicable) so that it requires to be unrolled to be understood. The idea is that the wisdom of God is "double of understanding;" that is, it is so infolded, so complex, that it greatly surpasses our comprehension. What we see is a small part of it; and the "secrets" of his wisdom-- the parts of his wisdom which are not unfolded, are far above our grasp. His wisdom is like a vast roll or volume, only the first and a very small part of which is unrolled so that we can read it. But who can look into that which remains unopened, and penetrate between the involutions, so as to perceive and read it all? It is but little that is now unrolled of the mighty volume-- the remainder will be unfolded as years and ages shall pass on, and the entire unfolding of the book will be reserved for eternity."
Stated plainly? Our view of God is oftentimes just too small. He is able to solve the unsolvable!
Job 26:14 says this, “These are just the fringes of His ways…”
Job 11:1 “Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, 2 ‘Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, and a talkative man be acquitted? 3 Shall your boasts silence men? And shall you scoff and none rebuke? 4 For you have said, 'My teaching is pure, and I am innocent in your eyes.' 5 But would that God might speak, and open His lips against you,’”
The phrase “talkative man” in verse 2 is literally “man of lips,” and means someone who is verbose. In Job’s culture wisdom was conveyed by talking little and listening much. So Zophar is literally saying in verses 2 & 5, “Hey Man-O-Lips…wait till God opens His lips against you!” Zophar charges Job with arrogance (“shall your boasts silence men?”), but reading between the lines you instead get a sense of Zophar’s arrogance, for Zophar the Barbarian thinks he knows what God would say to Job! And remember, Job never claims that his teaching or doctrine is pure; and he has never claimed that he is sinless. He does however hold tenaciously to his personal integrity, but that is far from claiming a spotless purity.
11:6 “And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity.”
The New Living Translation puts verse 6 this way, “If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!”
Two remarkable things are stated in verse 6. We will keep the first part of the verse until the conclusion. The second half of the verse reveals Zophar’s tactlessness and uncaring bluntness. He essentially says, “Look Job, you’re complaining because you think you’ve got it bad…but if you got what you truly deserved, things would be a LOT worse!”
11:7 “Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? 9 Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10 If He passes by or shuts up, or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him? 11 For He knows false men, and He sees iniquity without investigating.”
Notice the fourfold “you” in verses 7 and 8: Can you…can you…can you…can you…” As per Z the B, the depths of God are outside of Job’s ability to discover them, but apparently not outside of Zophar’s! John Franklin Genung writes, “Zophar seems designed to represent the wrong-headedness of the odium theologicum.” (The Latin phrase Odium theologicum [literally meaning "theological hatred"] is the name originally given to the often intense anger and hatred generated by disputes over theology [from www.wikipedia.com]).
11:12 "And an idiot will become intelligent when the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.
“Idiot” (the King James Version has “vain”) is the Hebrew word “nabab” and is used only four times in the OT. Three of the times it’s used in reference to either the tabernacle or the temple and refers to hollow boards or a hollow pillar. In verse 2 Zophar disdainfully calls our hero, “Man-o-Lips.” And here in verse 12 he calls him “Hollow-Man.” In Zophar’s thinking Job was just an empty suit or “all hat and no cattle.” The New Living Translation has verse 12, “An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.” And The Message puts it this way, “Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up about the same time mules learn to talk.” Hartley writes, “Zophar says that there is no natural way for Job to be changed from a stupid man to a wise man.” The Vander Ark Paraphrased Version reads, “Job, you just can’t fix stupid!”
11:13 "If you would direct your heart right, and spread out your hand to Him; 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness dwell in your tents. 15 Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, and you would be steadfast and not fear. 16 For you would forget your trouble, as waters that have passed by, you would remember it. 17 And your life would be brighter than noonday; darkness would be like the morning. 18 Then you would trust, because there is hope; and you would look around and rest securely. 19 You would lie down and none would disturb you, and many would entreat your favor. 20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and there will be no escape for them; and their hope is to breathe their last."
Translation? Job if you would think right and pray right (vs. 13), and if you would repent (vs. 14), your fear that you dreaded in 3:25 would go away (vs. 15), all your troubles would be like water under the bridge (vs. 16), instead of your empty headed talk in chapter 10 of how your light would become darkness, your darkness would become like the morning sunshine (vs. 17); and then you would trust and rest (18) and get your first good night’s sleep in a long, long time (19). But remember that the wicked (i.e. YOU!) won’t escape (20).
It’s a good thing there aren’t too many Pastor Zophars around.
Conclusion: I mentioned in an earlier devotional that not everything said by Job is correct and not everything stated by Eliphaz, Bildad & Zophar Incorporated is incorrect. The first part of verse 6 is one of those things stated by the comforters that, taken by itself, is not incorrect.
11:6 “And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides.” Young’s Literal Translation puts it this way, “And declare to you secrets of wisdom, for counsel hath foldings.”
What does it mean that “God’s counsel (wisdom or purpose or design) is folded?”
Barnes writes, “The Hebrew word “kiplayim” (double) means "to fold.” The sense here is that the wisdom of God is "double-fold" – It is not UNFOLDED (spread out and plain), but is rather INFOLDED (complicated or inexplicable) so that it requires to be unrolled to be understood. The idea is that the wisdom of God is "double of understanding;" that is, it is so infolded, so complex, that it greatly surpasses our comprehension. What we see is a small part of it; and the "secrets" of his wisdom-- the parts of his wisdom which are not unfolded, are far above our grasp. His wisdom is like a vast roll or volume, only the first and a very small part of which is unrolled so that we can read it. But who can look into that which remains unopened, and penetrate between the involutions, so as to perceive and read it all? It is but little that is now unrolled of the mighty volume-- the remainder will be unfolded as years and ages shall pass on, and the entire unfolding of the book will be reserved for eternity."
Stated plainly? Our view of God is oftentimes just too small. He is able to solve the unsolvable!
Job 26:14 says this, “These are just the fringes of His ways…”
Sunday, June 6, 2010
When Kindness is Simply Calculated Cruelty (Job 10:13-22)
Throughout Job’s life his theme song was “God Is So Good!” And in verses 10-12 of this chapter Job had remarked (in a passage very similar to Psalm 139) about the extravagant care and concern of God. The New Living Translation puts verse 12 this way, “You gave me life and showed me Your unfailing love. My life was preserved by Your care.” In his family, in his finances, and in his health Job cherished the intimate care of God.
But talk about mood swings. Beginning with verse 13 we are met with a dramatic shift in Job’s thinking:
10:13 “Yet these things Thou hast concealed in Thy heart; I know that this is within Thee.”
The New Living Translation (NLT) puts it this way, “Yet your real motive— your true intent…” Job comes to the awful conclusion that from the start of his life God had been planning all along to consume his life with tragedy! Hartley writes (quoting Rowley), “Job thinks that God’s kindness was part of his calculated cruelty!” Wow!
10:14 “If I sin, then Thou wouldst take note of me, and wouldst not acquit me of my guilt. 10:15 If I am wicked, woe to me! And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head. {I am} filled with disgrace and conscious of my misery.”
In studying the Bible it’s sometimes very helpful to read the same verses from different translations so that you can sort of get inside the mind of the writer. The NLT puts verses 14-15 this way, “Your true intent was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt. If I am guilty, too bad for me; and even if I’m innocent, I can’t hold my head high, because I am filled with shame and misery.”
And the paraphrase version called The Message puts these two verses this way, “That if I so much as missed a step, you’d notice and pounce, wouldn’t let me get by with a thing. If I’m truly guilty, I’m doomed. But if I’m innocent, it’s no better—I’m still doomed. My belly is full of bitterness. I’m up to my ears in a swamp of affliction.”
Underlying all of the counsel of Job’s friends was the firm belief that he was some sort of monstrous, hypocritical sinner. But Job was genuinely perplexed…and perplexed to the point of despair and depression. A deep emotional distress is conveyed by his words that follow in the remainder of chapter 10.
Notice that Job says “I am filled with disgrace…” Earlier he had said, “I am filled with tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.” (7:4) And in 9:18 he said that God “…filled me with bitterness.” Whereas in times past he had been filled with a purpose driven life, he is now full of tossings, full of bitterness, and full of disgrace.
10:16 “And should my head be lifted up, Thou wouldst hunt me like a lion; and again Thou wouldst show Thy wonders against me. 10:17 Thou dost renew Thy witnesses against me, and increase Thine anger toward me, hardship after hardship is with me.”
From the NLT, “And if I hold my head high, you hunt me like a lion and display your awesome power against me. Again and again you witness against me. You pour out your growing anger on me and bring fresh armies against me.”
Notice Job’s line of thought. In chapter Job 9:10 he stated (of God), “Who does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.” And in chapter 42:3 he repents by saying, “…Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not." The word “wonder” means “marvelous or extraordinary, things beyond our ability to understand.” It is usually used in a good sense. But in verse 16, God’s “wonders” are arrayed against him! Hartley writes, “Whereas God had marvelously constructed Job, He now employs his extraordinary power to plague Job in multiple ways!”
Job believes that God’s motive is to simply wear him down with unending onslaughts. Hartley pens, “God’s hostility overwhelms him.” Wave after wave, barrage after barrage, attack after attack of calamity and tragedy and misery. Instead of his illness improving his sores just continued to ooze. And the worms were God’s witnesses against him – all the proof needed by his friends to bring a verdict of “Guilty!”
10:18 “Why then hast Thou brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me! 10:19 I should have been as though I had not been, carried from womb to tomb. 10:20 Would He not let my few days alone? Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer 10:21 Before I go-- and I shall not return-- to the land of darkness and deep shadow; 10:22 The land of utter gloom as darkness {itself,} of deep shadow without order, and which shines as the darkness."
In the words “Withdraw from me…” you get a sense of his utter perplexity and despair. Many times throughout the book Job cries out, “WHERE ARE YOU?” But here he asks God to simply depart from him.
Barnes writes concerning verses 18-22, “The essential idea here is that it was a land of darkness, of total and absolute night…that it is a place where not a clear ray of light ever shines…There is nowhere to be found, however, a description which for intensity and emphasis of expression surpasses this of Job…We have not the means in our language of marking different degrees of obscurity with the accuracy with which the Hebrews did it."
Hartley writes, "The dreary state of Sheol is vividly pictured through the building up of words for darkness. Five different words for darkness are heaped up in seven expressions…darkness, deep shadow, thick darkness, gloom, without order (chaos). Death is a realm of gloomy darkness. Having no order it is a land of chaos. Whatever light might shine forth in one of its corners at the brightest time of day is darker than the dead of night on earth.”
Job’s future obviously looked bleak. He was enveloped with depression and in every sense he believed that he had but a few days left. Yet he had no idea that in a short while El-Shaddai would meet him in such a wonderful and marvelous way…and meet him right where he was at in his lonely and pathetic ash heap. And he would be healed.
Several people were baptized in water during this morning’s church service. But before each candidate was immersed in water they were asked to give a brief testimony of why they wanted to be baptized. One young woman’s testimony was particularly moving. After her two children were born she suffered dreadfully from post-partum depression. For two years she struggled to get out of bed in the morning. Life was empty. But one day as she was going for a walk she “happened” to meet someone who invited her to a small group fellowship. From there she became a Christian and God began to heal her. God just “happened” to send someone into her life to tell her about His love and healing power.
Things looked awfully bleak for Job…for a long time he didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. But God met him and healed him. And God can do the same for you! He loves you and cares about you.
But talk about mood swings. Beginning with verse 13 we are met with a dramatic shift in Job’s thinking:
10:13 “Yet these things Thou hast concealed in Thy heart; I know that this is within Thee.”
The New Living Translation (NLT) puts it this way, “Yet your real motive— your true intent…” Job comes to the awful conclusion that from the start of his life God had been planning all along to consume his life with tragedy! Hartley writes (quoting Rowley), “Job thinks that God’s kindness was part of his calculated cruelty!” Wow!
10:14 “If I sin, then Thou wouldst take note of me, and wouldst not acquit me of my guilt. 10:15 If I am wicked, woe to me! And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head. {I am} filled with disgrace and conscious of my misery.”
In studying the Bible it’s sometimes very helpful to read the same verses from different translations so that you can sort of get inside the mind of the writer. The NLT puts verses 14-15 this way, “Your true intent was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt. If I am guilty, too bad for me; and even if I’m innocent, I can’t hold my head high, because I am filled with shame and misery.”
And the paraphrase version called The Message puts these two verses this way, “That if I so much as missed a step, you’d notice and pounce, wouldn’t let me get by with a thing. If I’m truly guilty, I’m doomed. But if I’m innocent, it’s no better—I’m still doomed. My belly is full of bitterness. I’m up to my ears in a swamp of affliction.”
Underlying all of the counsel of Job’s friends was the firm belief that he was some sort of monstrous, hypocritical sinner. But Job was genuinely perplexed…and perplexed to the point of despair and depression. A deep emotional distress is conveyed by his words that follow in the remainder of chapter 10.
Notice that Job says “I am filled with disgrace…” Earlier he had said, “I am filled with tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.” (7:4) And in 9:18 he said that God “…filled me with bitterness.” Whereas in times past he had been filled with a purpose driven life, he is now full of tossings, full of bitterness, and full of disgrace.
10:16 “And should my head be lifted up, Thou wouldst hunt me like a lion; and again Thou wouldst show Thy wonders against me. 10:17 Thou dost renew Thy witnesses against me, and increase Thine anger toward me, hardship after hardship is with me.”
From the NLT, “And if I hold my head high, you hunt me like a lion and display your awesome power against me. Again and again you witness against me. You pour out your growing anger on me and bring fresh armies against me.”
Notice Job’s line of thought. In chapter Job 9:10 he stated (of God), “Who does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.” And in chapter 42:3 he repents by saying, “…Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not." The word “wonder” means “marvelous or extraordinary, things beyond our ability to understand.” It is usually used in a good sense. But in verse 16, God’s “wonders” are arrayed against him! Hartley writes, “Whereas God had marvelously constructed Job, He now employs his extraordinary power to plague Job in multiple ways!”
Job believes that God’s motive is to simply wear him down with unending onslaughts. Hartley pens, “God’s hostility overwhelms him.” Wave after wave, barrage after barrage, attack after attack of calamity and tragedy and misery. Instead of his illness improving his sores just continued to ooze. And the worms were God’s witnesses against him – all the proof needed by his friends to bring a verdict of “Guilty!”
10:18 “Why then hast Thou brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me! 10:19 I should have been as though I had not been, carried from womb to tomb. 10:20 Would He not let my few days alone? Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer 10:21 Before I go-- and I shall not return-- to the land of darkness and deep shadow; 10:22 The land of utter gloom as darkness {itself,} of deep shadow without order, and which shines as the darkness."
In the words “Withdraw from me…” you get a sense of his utter perplexity and despair. Many times throughout the book Job cries out, “WHERE ARE YOU?” But here he asks God to simply depart from him.
Barnes writes concerning verses 18-22, “The essential idea here is that it was a land of darkness, of total and absolute night…that it is a place where not a clear ray of light ever shines…There is nowhere to be found, however, a description which for intensity and emphasis of expression surpasses this of Job…We have not the means in our language of marking different degrees of obscurity with the accuracy with which the Hebrews did it."
Hartley writes, "The dreary state of Sheol is vividly pictured through the building up of words for darkness. Five different words for darkness are heaped up in seven expressions…darkness, deep shadow, thick darkness, gloom, without order (chaos). Death is a realm of gloomy darkness. Having no order it is a land of chaos. Whatever light might shine forth in one of its corners at the brightest time of day is darker than the dead of night on earth.”
Job’s future obviously looked bleak. He was enveloped with depression and in every sense he believed that he had but a few days left. Yet he had no idea that in a short while El-Shaddai would meet him in such a wonderful and marvelous way…and meet him right where he was at in his lonely and pathetic ash heap. And he would be healed.
Several people were baptized in water during this morning’s church service. But before each candidate was immersed in water they were asked to give a brief testimony of why they wanted to be baptized. One young woman’s testimony was particularly moving. After her two children were born she suffered dreadfully from post-partum depression. For two years she struggled to get out of bed in the morning. Life was empty. But one day as she was going for a walk she “happened” to meet someone who invited her to a small group fellowship. From there she became a Christian and God began to heal her. God just “happened” to send someone into her life to tell her about His love and healing power.
Things looked awfully bleak for Job…for a long time he didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. But God met him and healed him. And God can do the same for you! He loves you and cares about you.
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