Job's Inward Reflection - Job Chapter Sixteen Series

Jewels From Job

Job – Chapter #16.

1 Then Job answered and said: 2 "I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all! 3 Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? 4 I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you; 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.” Job 16:1-5 (NKJV)

JOB CONFRONTS HIS COMFORTERS

Job speaks again. Right off the bat he states that he has heard all the arguments before. Then he calls his “friends”, miserable comforters. To paraphrase Job: “Talking about trouble, rather than comforting me in my troubles as a good counselor should, you have increased my trouble despite your claims to the contrary.”

In verse three Job asks if they are ever going to stop. What provokes them to keep talking? Yet they do.

In verse four Job says that he could talk the same talk that they do. Job says that if their places were exchanged he could speak the same things against them. But he says that he would not do that. He says that he would offer words of “comfort” (verse five) to help them deal with their grief.

6 "Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased? 7 But now He has worn me out; You have made desolate all my company. 8 You have shriveled me up, And it is a witness against me; My leanness rises up against me And bears witness to my face. Job 16:6-8 (NKJV)

THE EFFECT OF JOB’S COMFORTERS

To vent our problems many times is a great relief – but this is not the case for Job. “If I speak or if I am silent – I am not eased of the pain that I suffer.” is what Job tells us in verse six. It is nice to have someone to be there for us. Even if all they do is listen.

Verses seven and eight – Job tells them that have worn him out. And even though they are sitting there with him – he feels alone. He has become thin – in his hope. Rather then encourage him they have discouraged him. Rather then saying that they were on his side – or at least walking beside him – they have become his adversary. As Christians we have been called to “encourage one another.” “Encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” Hebrews 3:13 (HCSB) To encourage is to add courage to. To discourage is to take courage away. Job’s friends were not encouragers. May we all be encouragers rather then discouragers. There is enough bad news in this world – let us be the bearers of the “Good News.”

9 He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me. Job 16:9 (NKJV)

JOB SEES GOD AS HIS ADVERSARY

Job now turns his attention to God. Just as Job’s friends have turned against him – he believes that God has too. In verse nine he sees:

1. God tears me with His anger.

2. God hates me.

3. God grinds me with His teeth.

4. God stares at me.

10 They gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me. Job 16:10 (NKJV)

PEOPLE ARE JOB’S ADVERSARY

In verse ten Job goes back to talking about what other people are doing to him.

1. People talk about me.

2. People slap me in the face with their words.

3. People have formed a mob against me.

11 God has delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. 12 I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target, 13 His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground. 14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior. Job 16:11-14 (NKJV)

GOD’S TREATMENT OF JOB

Job’s attention now goes back to God in verses eleven thru fourteen. Look at what Job tells us that God has done:

1. God delivered me to the ungodly.

2. God put me in the hands of the wicked.

3. God shattered me and took me out of my ease.

4. God grabbed me by the neck and shook me to pieces.