Job – Page 9 – Be Still…

Job 6:1-7:5 – Job Lashes Back

Read Job 6:1-7:5

Job’s response to Eliphaz didn’t surprise me, did it you? He felt totally exposed and blamed by Eliphaz. Job was suffering greatly, and it did not help him at all to feel like he was being reprimanded by his friend. After all that Job had endured, he felt like he had a “right to complain.” I agree with Job on that.

People complain all the time about one thing or another. Like the weather for instance. Either it’s too hot, too cold, too humid, too rainy, too sunny, you get the idea. People are never content. But Job’s contentedness, or lack thereof, had nothing to do with something so trivial as the weather. Yet people get away with complaining all the time, why couldn’t Eliphaz let Job vent a little bit? Continue reading “Job 6:1-7:5 – Job Lashes Back”

Job 5:1-27 – Where’s Eliphaz Coming From?

Read Job 5:1-27

Job’s friend Eliphaz has a lot to say. But Job may or may not be ready for all that Eliphaz unleashes in this speech. I don’t think Eliphaz is properly equipped to be a grief counselor giving Job advice. Eliphaz all but calls Job a fool, guilting Job for all the success he once had.

Eliphaz makes a lot of assumptions here. First that there are only two human conditions, righteous and wicked. Based on what has happened to Job, he must now be wicked. Also, that getting right with God is the answer. Suggesting more introspection and self-discovery about his own sinfulness will only push Job further into despair. Continue reading “Job 5:1-27 – Where’s Eliphaz Coming From?”

Job 4:1-21 – Was it Helpful?

Read Job 4:1-21

Eliphaz has heard Job’s cry and wants now to bring his own perspective into play. After seven days of silence, Job’s friend has much to say to Job, whether he has permission to speak or not. He gets Job’s attention saying, “Will you be patient and let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out?”

I suppose Eliphaz was trying to bring Job out of his “funk,” when he first reminded Job about his past and how helpful and respected Job had been. Apparently, Job had always been the rock everyone else relied on when they had their own problems. Eliphaz seemed surprised that Job had failed to take some of his own “medicine” when it came to dealing with his tragedy. It’s not always that easy. Continue reading “Job 4:1-21 – Was it Helpful?”

Job 3:1-26 – Job’s First Speech

Read Job 3:1-26

Job is silent no more. What a series of laments! My heart just breaks for Job, doesn’t yours? Yet in all his woes, Job never curses God. Satan thought for sure that this catastrophic loss would be enough to push Job to blame and curse God. Job focuses more on himself and his own existence.

Job didn’t even think of taking his own life. Do you think it was because he saw himself as God’s creation? In this moment, he merely wishes he had never been born in the first place. If he didn’t exist, certainly, then there would be no pain. Continue reading “Job 3:1-26 – Job’s First Speech”

Job 2:11-13 – When You Need a Friend

Read Job 2:11-13

Who is that one person, one friend, whom you turn to when calamity strikes? That’s probably the same person who would rush to your aid if you had suffered a tragedy. In this reading, we see three friends have come to Job’s side during his time of great loss.

At first, I got stuck on where all these friends were from based on how they are introduced to us. But, we’re not even sure where Uz is, the town that Job hails from. Nor have scholars agreed as to the time period in which Job lived. So for purposes of our reflections, we are going to simplify that Job was a man of God who had three friends. Job’s example will help us all in our own time of testing. Continue reading “Job 2:11-13 – When You Need a Friend”