Job 13: 1 – 28
Doctors Bury Their Mistakes
1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. 2 What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. 3 But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But you forgers of lies, you are all worthless physicians. 5 Oh, that you would be silent, and it would be your wisdom! 6 Now hear my reasoning, and heed the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for Him? 8 Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God? 9 Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man? 10 He will surely rebuke you if you secretly show partiality. 11 Will not His excellence make you afraid, and the dread of Him fall upon you? 12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay. 13 “Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, then let come on me what may! 14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hands? 15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. 16 He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him. 17 Listen carefully to my speech, and to my declaration with your ears. 18 See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated. 19 Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. 20 “Only two things do not do to me, then I will not hide myself from You: 21 Withdraw Your hand far from me, and let not the dread of You make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me. 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. 24 Why do You hide Your face, and regard me as Your enemy? 25 Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? 26 For You write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. 27 You put my feet in the stocks, and watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet. 28 “Man decays like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
There is a famous quote that says, ‘when the world gives you lemons, make lemonade.’ Studying the book of Job is heavy stuff. At a minimum it puts you in a serious pensive mood.
In today’s study we see a very interesting quote in verse 4 – ‘But you forgers of lies, you are all worthless physicians.’ So Job, why don’t you tell them what you really think of them.
Now before we begin our in depth look at this awesome scripture perhaps it would be good to somewhat lighten things up a bit. Here are some lighthearted quotes regarding our interactions with doctors;
. Did you hear about the guy who lost his whole left side? He’s alright now!
. The best doctor in the world is the veterinarian. He can't ask his patients what is the matter-he's got to just know.
We also need to beware of doctor’s uttering these phrases during surgery
.Darn ! Page 47 of the manual is missing!
Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
Could you stop that thing from beating; it's throwing my concentration off
The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993
Even serious issues of life can be laughed at. Yet, as it is said often – ‘now back to the real world.’
Looking up medical statistics I came across a study in a issue of the Journal of Patient Safety that says that between 210,000 and 440,000 patients each year who go to the hospital for care suffer some type of preventable harm that contributes to their death.
That would make medical errors the third-leading cause of death in America, behind heart disease, which is the first, and cancer, which is second. These problems can be listed in categories;
Receiving the wrong diagnosis
• Being given the wrong medication
• Having an allergic reaction to a medication
• Receiving treatment that led to more complications of an existing medical problem
1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. 2 What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
Job here expresses his resentment of the unkindness shown to him by his friends. He lets them know that he understood spiritual matters as well as they did and did not need to be taught by them.
Have you watched the Presidential Candidate Debates? Here we have individuals that inspire to hold the highest position of our country and possibly of the world and how do they act? It is ridiculous. The mudslinging, insults, and just poor behavior makes me ashamed for them. We all need to understand that all that enter into arguments also enter into temptation to magnify themselves and vilify their brethren more than is fit, and therefore ought to watch and pray against the workings of such sinful behavior.
We all have to stop and think about this. As our Master and King Lord Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 16 verse 26, ““For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” I mean for what is this all sought? It is all going to burn. I am quite satisfied thank you very much in that I belong to Jesus. Let us all cling to the words of the apostle Paul as he recorded to the Romans chapter 5, “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
In our lives we get so mixed up with situations that we overlook The One Who Is in charge of all things. He Is the One we should run constant too. Job wakes up to this truth and now turns from them to God. He talks to himself as well as to these friends. He says, "I can see for myself that there is no satisfaction in talking to you. O that I might have liberty to reason with God! He would not be as hard upon me as you three are.’’
3 But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
The King Himself will perhaps give audience to a poor petitioner with more mildness, patience, and condescension, than the servants will. Job would rather bring all his concerns to God Himself than with men.
I want to add one thought since our Precious Holy Spirit has brought these truths forth. It is this. Some people go to a man and it is called ‘confession’. If you are a child of God Almighty wouldn’t you like to go directly to the Supreme Holy One in all things instead of going to some who claims he is a stand in? Boy O boy are we in confusing dire straits.
4 But you forgers of lies, you are all worthless physicians. 5 Oh, that you would be silent, and it would be your wisdom! 6 Now hear my reasoning, and heed the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for Him? 8 Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?
Job condemns them for their unjust and uncharitable treatment of him. They falsely accused him, and that was unjust: You are forgers of lies. They framed a wrong hypothesis concerning the divine Providence of God, and misrepresented it, as if it did never remarkably afflict any but wicked men in this world, and thence they drew a false judgment concerning Job, that he was certainly a hypocrite. For this gross mistake, both in doctrine and application, he thinks an indictment of forgery lies against them. To speak lies is bad enough, but to forge them with contrivance and deliberation is much worse. These so called friends basically deceived him, and that was unkind. They undertook his cure, and pretended to be his physicians; but they were all physicians of no value.
He begs that they would be silent and give him a patient hearing. He thinks it would be a credit to them if they would say no more, having said too much already. Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is accounted wise, because nothing appears to the contrary. And, as silence is an evidence of wisdom, so it is a means of it, as it gives time to think and hear. I would have told these three to hit the road. Or another statement I like to have made is ‘Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!’
Job thinks it would be a piece of justice to him to hear what he had to say. In fact he beseeches that they would not only hear, but really listen to what he is saying. Often times when we hit the ‘senior’ years of life we feel that we have been placed on the shelf or out to pasture. This is a wrong way to think. If our Holy God Is finished using us then He most likely will take us home to Heaven. In the meantime we can do a lot of service for the kingdom. One way is to be willing to hear people talk. We should be very willing and glad to hear others not necessary being a counselor but just be willing to listen to people share their concerns. After a time of conversation it is a sweet conclusion to pray together. Give it a try.
I can just picture this scene. The three reluctantly shake their heads and signal for him to proceed on with his tirade. So, getting the go ahead Job lets them all have it. He endeavors to convince them of the wrong they did to God’s honor, while they pretended to plead for him. They valued themselves upon it that they spoke for God, were advocates for Him, and had undertaken to justify Him and His proceedings against Job; and, being (as they thought) of counsel for the Sovereign Lord, they expected not only the ear of the court and the last word, but judgment was on their side. But Job tells them plainly that God and his cause did not need such advocates. In a way Job says, ‘I didn’t know that God needed you as His council.”
I want to take another look at verse 8 which I think is important to highlight - 8 Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God? There are and have been people, men and women, who take upon them the authority that only our Holy Majestic Lord Is entitled to deal with. They make decisions as though they are God’s replacement here on earth. I do not want to be in their shoes when ‘Judgment’ day rolls around. One area no one should mess with is to speak for God as if he or she were His equal or ‘Anointed Representative’
9 Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man? 10 He will surely rebuke you if you secretly show partiality. 11 Will not His excellence make you afraid, and the dread of Him fall upon you? 12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay.
Job is doing a good thing here for these three visitors. In a way he challenges them to think about their actions. In a way he says, ‘Do you guys really know what you are doing? Do you know who you are really messing with? Who gave them the authority to speak for the Holy Majestic God? They all need to consider The Great God into whose service they had thus thrust themselves, and to Whom they really did so much disservice. Do you really understand that The Holy King will be looking into what you have said and done?
This is a very significant point that we all need to think about. It concerns us all seriously to consider whether it will be to our advantage or not that God searches the heart. It is good to an upright man and woman who means honestly that God should search them; therefore the prayer is: Search me, O God! And know my heart. God’s Omniscience is a witness of His sincerity. But it is bad to anyone who says one thing and does the other because our Holy Omnipresent God searches and knows all things.
Job them wants them to consider the consequences they will face if God Is displeased with what they have done. Have you ever done anything against someone in secret? This reminds me of a home break-in that was foiled when the burglar jumped through the bedroom window when the owners were away. He got trapped in a clothes hamper and couldn’t get out. Cops took it from there. (That definitely wasn't the kind of clean getaway he had planned.): I think that this is of a truth and it is this, that whatever we do amiss we shall certainly be reproved for, one way or other, one time or other, though it be done ever so secretly.
If you have gone through the Bible at some stage in your lifetime then you are aware of the incidences where people have had an up-close and personal interaction with Almighty God. Job warns the three –‘You guys think you have great knowledge of God, and profess religion and a fear of Him. If you did possess this relationship with The Holy Majestic God then how dare you talk as if you are repeating His instructions? Do you not have any fear to what you are doing?’
One example of coming into contact with our Holy Creator which I am sure you are aware of is when the Israelites came to Mount Sinai. We read this in the book of Exodus chapter 19, “1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” 7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. 10 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11 And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.” 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives.” 16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountainfn quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
The consideration of our own meanness and mortality should make us afraid of offending God, and furnishes a good reason why we should not despise and trample upon our brethren. In the end we need to think about who is going to write down and retain all your great words and actions? We are created from dirt and to dust we all shall return. This fact should keep us all humble.
13 “Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, then let come on me what may! 14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hands? 15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. 16 He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him. 17 Listen carefully to my speech, and to my declaration with your ears. 18 See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated. 19 Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. 20 “Only two things do not do to me, then I will not hide myself from You: 21 Withdraw Your hand far from me, and let not the dread of You make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me
Just a few weeks ago I had a distraught father want to talk to me. In short, his wife was unfaithful to him so over painful years and expense he wound up getting custody of his daughter. The wife who at first accepted the consequences of her action now wanted to change the court’s decision. The judge ordered the two to go to a mediator prior to him hearing the case again. From the man’s explanation the mediator was one sided, that is, he was for the wife and against the man. The arbitrator wanted the man to do all the compromising. So, at this point the husband was so frustrated that low and behold yours truly gets called into action.
After listening to him for over three hours pour out his anguish, he then asked me my opinion. I told him this. ‘Do not compromise. You spent a lot of hard earned money to get the custody of your daughter so why would you now give in. What is the old saying that you give an inch and they take a mile? I told him what his daughter would think. Would she think he is giving up on her that he had fought so hard for? I told him if it was me I would tell the mediator that I spent a lot of money and time to obtain what is now in place. I do not agree to any changes. I finished by telling him that the Lord was there and did all this for him so why not trust the Lord with this new challenge. He agreed and told the mediator my exact words. I am happy to say that at this time all custody orders remain the same.
I bring up this point because our friend Job here takes fresh and fast hold of his integrity, as one that was resolved not to let it go, nor suffer it to be wrested from him. His firmness in this matter is commendable and his warmth excusable. He will not compromise to the verbal accusations.
He resolves to adhere to the testimony his own conscience gave of his right relationship with Almighty God. He complains of the extremity of pain and misery he was in. That is, "Why do I suffer such agonies? I cannot but wonder that God should lay so much upon me when he knows I am not a wicked man.’’ When a man with great difficulty keeps in what he would say, he bites his lips. This is what taking my flesh in my teeth means.
Let us give a cheer for Job He comforts himself in God, and still keeps hold of his confidence in Him. He depends upon God for—justification and salvation, the two great things we hope for through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Those whose hearts are upright with God, in walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit, may be sure that through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior there shall be no condemnation. Job also had great confidence in our Holy Master in granting him salvation. The reason why he depended on God for salvation was because a hypocrite shall not come before him. He knew himself not to be a hypocrite, and that none but hypocrites are rejected of God, and therefore concluded he should not be rejected.
We must believe that all shall work for good to us even when all seems to be going against us. .We must depend upon the performance of the promise when all the ways leading to it are shut up. . We must rejoice in God when we have nothing else to rejoice in
There are no coincidences in life. What person that wandered in and out of your life was there for some purpose, even if they caused you harm. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense the short periods of time we get with people or the outcomes from their choices. However, if you turn it over to God he promises that you will see the big picture in the hereafter. Nothing is too small to be a mistake.”
Having become so fired up Job now confirms his prior position in that he still wishes to argue the case even with God Himself. He had desired to reason with God, and is still of the same mind. He will not hide himself, that is, he will not decline the trial, nor dread the issue of it, but now is seeking two provisions;
1. That his body might not be tortured with this exquisite pain. As you know if we want to spend time in dialoging with God we have need to be composed, and as free as possible from everything that may hinder our full attention and devotion.
2. That his mind might not be terrified with the tremendous majesty of God.
Job feels that if he might but have a little breathing-time, he was ready to hear God speak to him by his word and then be able to return an answer
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. 24 Why do You hide Your face, and regard me as Your enemy? 25 Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? 26 For You write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. 27 You put my feet in the stocks, and watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet. 28 “Man decays like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
As a young boy I grew up being a Roman Catholic. Being curious I would ask the priests and nuns difficult questions that they could not answer. On one occasion I asked a priest how many venial sins equal a mortal sin. The answer came swiftly through a smack on the side of my head. That response did not arrest my curiosity on religious issues.
Job wants to know about his sins against God and how many are there and what were the particulars of them. Of course his three visitors were ready enough to tell him how numerous and how heinous they were, “But, Lord,’’ says he, "let me know them from You; for Your judgment is according to truth, theirs is not.’’
Job beseeches God to speak to him as to why He withdrew from him. In reading the whole ‘Left Behind’ series the authors put together a scenario of the Millennium. They have our Lord Jesus rightly so ruling on earth but to match it to His Second Coming they insert that He all of a sudden disappears and Is nowhere to be found. Have you ever felt that God is nowhere to be found? We know Job does. He also feels that God Is hiding His face from him as though he is now one that is totally strange and displeased by Him.
There sometimes comes to a time in one’s life that you are in total despair. You feel that you are worthless and that you are nothing. You are lower than all the dirt that has made it way to the deepest part of the ocean. Job is at this spot. He humbly pleads with God his own utter inability to stand before him. His cry is ‘Lord, will you not have any more mercy on such a pathetic insignificant nothing like me. Is it for Your honor to trample upon one that is down already, or to crush one that neither has nor pretends to have any power to resist You?’’
When you are in the spot that Job is at you tend to constantly review your words and actions. Sometimes you remember an old sin that you committed. You convince yourself that this must be the reason God Is now dealing with you. The statement of payday someday you feel that God has decided is now to deal with that past sin. Job also comments about his former sins, long since committed, should now be remembered against him, and he should reckoned with for the old scores.
Look at Job comments about God ‘writing’ down Job’s sins and the punishment given out. Afflictions are bitter things. Writing them denotes deliberation and determination, written as a warrant for execution; it denotes also the continuance of his affliction, for that which is written remains. If you remember the famous Cecil B. DeMille's epic film THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. When the Pharaoh makes a decree it is sealed Yul Brynner utters these powerful words in the film, "So let it be written; so let it be done."
Time does not wear out the guilt of sin. Our Holy Lord has cast our sins as the east is from the west. Yet Satan has made copies and sometimes we see the past wrongs and sins brought up against. us.
I have gone through a lot of pain and hurt but not anywhere to the extent Job went through. I have felt the exact same things Job is battling with in his thoughts. He words things differently. I have been so beat up that I was at a position that I cannot do anything right. I felt that I was constantly being tested by difficult issues. I get severely hurt mentally, physically, and emotionally. If I give in to any trial I really get thrown into the stockade. Sometimes you feel that you can’t ever win.
Job also feels that his present mistakes and miscarriages should be so strictly taken notice of, and so severely acted upon. He cries out to God that He puts his feet also in the stocks, not only to afflict him and expose him to shame, not only to keep him from escaping the strokes of God’s wrath, but also that God may critically deal with all the things he does and look narrowly at him and will to take corrective action against him every time he takes a false step.
In a final gasp at his overwhelming agony Job finds himself wasting away under the heavy hand of God. In the book of Hosea 5:12 says, “Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth,
And to the house of Judah like rottenness.: Job is saying that He (that is, God) like rottenness, and like a moth, consumes me because He (that is, man) as a rotten thing, the principle of whose putrefaction is in it, consumes, even like a moth-eaten garment, which becomes continually worse and worse. Either way to consider the potential analysis of this point is bad.
