Job 10

10:1 I loathe my own life- This uses a different Hebrew word for loathes than is used in 9:21.

10:2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;- He is addressing God. With all he has said about the impossibility of receiving a fair trial before God, He is still the One to whom Job turns. Let me know why You contend with me- Contend is a form of the Hebrew rib, a word often used in a legal context (Job 9:3; 13:8, 19; 33:13; 40:2). It seems that a plaintiff was obligated to make known the charges against the defendant and Job has not been given that right. Job is genuinely confused and disoriented by this whole process and longs to know the why.

10:3 Is it right for You indeed to oppress, - The word translated right in the NASB is a word used repeatedly in the creation account in Gen. 1 . Is it good for God to act as He has toward Job? The verb oppress is used 35 times in the OT. It describes the horrors God’s people suffered at the hand of the Assyrians (Isa. 52:4) and the Babylonians (Jer. 50:33). God brings justice for those who are oppressed (Ps. 103:6; 146:7). Proverbs 14:31 says, “He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker.” The one who oppresses men ultimately insults God. What is striking about this use of the verb in Job 10 is that it is God doing the oppressing. It is God who delivers the oppressed. This is the only time in the OT that God is the subject of the verb oppressed.

To reject the labor of Your hands,- The phrase work/ works of Your (His) hand/ hands is used in Ps. 138:8; Job 14:15; 34:19 speaking of man as the object of God’s care. But here instead of God showing compassion, God is rejecting, repudiating what His hands have made.

And to look favorably on the schemes of the wicked? The verb look favorably is a rare word in the OT used in Ps. 94:1 where the author begs the God of vengeance to shine forth. In Ps. 50:2-3 God has shone forth to bring fire on his adversaries. In Job 10:3 Job laments that instead of God showing His vengeance to the wicked, He is showing His favor. The two words translated schemes of the wicked here are translated counsel of the wicked in Ps. 1:1. In that Psalm the man who avoids the counsel of the wicked is blessed.

10:4 Have You eyes of flesh? God is Spirit and not flesh in II Chron. 32:7-8; Isa. 31:3 /Or do You see as a man sees?- Here he emphasizes that God does not see the same way man sees (I Sam. 16:7; Job 26:6; 28:24; 31:4; 34:21; Prov. 16:2; 21:2).

10:5 And Your days as the days of a mortal, Or Your years as a man’s years- In 36:26 Job says of God that “the number of His years is unsearchable.” Ps. 90:1-12; 102:27.

10:6 That You should seek for my guilt- The word seek is often used to describe God being the object of man’s seeking (Job 5:8; I Chron. 16:10, 11; II Chron. 7:14; 11:16; 15:4, 15; 20:4). And search are my sin? The word search is also used with God being the object of our search in I Chron. 10:14; 15:13; 16:11; 22:19; II Chron.12:14; 14:4, 7; 15: 2,1 2; 16:12. Here it is God searching out our sin.

10:7 And there is no deliverance from Your hand- Often this word for deliverance is used in a context speaking of God as the One who gives deliverance (Gen. 32:11; Ex. 3:8; 6:6; I Sam. 10:18; 17:37). While God is usually the One who brings deliverance, here He is the One from whom deliverance is sought.

Jesus’ Fulfillment of Job 9:14-35 Job is not stating a prediction of the Messiah but is expressing a longing, a desire. Job was longing for an umpire who could somehow go between himself and God and lead to Job receiving a fair trial and being pronounced innocent before God.

The word for umpire in the NASB was translated mediator in the LXX. In the NT this word is used of the work of Jesus in I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24. This is particularly tied to what was accomplished by the death of Jesus in several of these passages. Job as an innocent man (9:15, 20-21) longed for a mediator that he could get a fair trial before such a holy God. Jesus’ work as mediator goes far beyond what Job expected. It is not only innocent people who can stand before God, but guilty people, guilty people who have turned to Him for forgiveness. Rom. 4:5 tells us that God “justifies the ungodly.” These same three Greek words translated “justifies the ungodly” are used in the same order in the LXX of Ex. 23:7 to warn judges not to kill the innocent or righteous because God “will not acquit the guilty.” The reason God can now justify the ungodly is because Christ died for the ungodly in Rom. 5:6.

In Jesus we have One who is both God and man and can serve in the way that Job 9:32-33; 16:19-21; 19:23-27 describe. The deity of Jesus is stressed in the New Testament (John 1:1-3; 8:58; Phil. 2:5-8; Titus 2:13). The humanity of Jesus is also stressed (John 1:14; I Tim. 2:5-6; I John 4:1-3; II John 7).

While Job lamented “He is not a man as I am,” Paul proclaimed Jesus as the “man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5; Acts 17:31). The deity/ humanity of Jesus qualifies Him as a faithful and merciful high priest Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 5:7-10. Jesus would live and die to bridge the gap between God and man.

Job complained that God mocks the despair of the innocent (Job 9:23), but in Jesus’ death man mocks the pain and suffering of God (Matt. 20:19; 27:29, 31, 41; Mk. 10:34) (The Greek word in the LXX in Job 9:23 is not the same as used in these NT passages).

In Job 9 Job proclaimed his innocence (9:15, 20, 21) and stated that his wounds were without cause (9:17). Job had done nothing to earn them his suffering. His suffering showed (to Job) that God made no distinction between the blameless and the guilty (9:22-24). Job’s innocence does not compare to Jesus’ innocence (II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:22). While Job will complain in the bitterness of his soul (10:1), Jesus offered no complaint or protest (Isa. 53:6-7). Job feared that even though He was innocent the words of his mouth would be used against him (9:20). Unjust judges condemned Jesus by words from His own mouth (Matt. 26:64-66; Lk. 22:70-71).

Job 9:30-31 In the Bible story it is we who have plunged ourselves in the pit and soiled our clothes and it is God who washes us and makes us clean. God far from mocking the despair of the innocent (9:23) enters into this world of sin and suffering to redeem us. Jesus weeps with us and for us (John 11:35; Luke 19:41-44; Heb. 5:7).

Job lamented the brevity of life in Job 9:25-26. Job’s life was so full of pain that he could say he despised his life (9:21, 27-28). Jesus answered this lament via His resurrection. He gives eternal life (John 11:23-26; I Cor. 15:50-58; I Thess. 4:13-18). The pain that Job feared would One day pass away and be no more (Rev. 21:4).

What does Bildad say that is right?

1.He says God does not pervert justice.

If this were not true, there would be no moral order to the universe. There would be no hope that righteousness would ultimately prevail. Thankfully, God’s throne is built on righteousness and justice (Ps. 33:5; 89:14; 97:2; 99:4). These qualities are what God expects of His rulers (II Sam. 8:18; I Kings 10:9; Jer. 22:15-16) and His people generally (Isa. 5:7; Amos 5:24).

Sin and suffering are connected Biblically. The blessings of the covenant in Lev. 26:6-13; Deut.28:1-14 and the curses of the covenant in Lev. 26:14-39; Deut. 28:15-68 illustrate the link between blessing and righteousness and sin and suffering. Much of the story of Israel’s history recorded from Joshua- II Kings demonstrates the working out of those principles.

But what does this mean to Bildad? Does he mean that a righteous person will not suffer? Ecclesiastes 3:16-17; 7:15; 8:14 show that this is no true. It is the very fact that things do not always work out in this life that drives us to a life beyond this one where wrongs are righted and the wicked and righteous are given the results of the different paths they have pursued.

2. He says that the godless will perish. He says that the confidence of the wicked is placed in things as fragile as spider’s web

The fundamental question of life is Where is our confidence? On whom do we rely? On whom do we depend?

Isaiah 36-37 deals with the days Assyria was attacking Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah. Sennacherib asks Hezekiah why he is rebelling against him. Where is your confidence? Word “confidence” (36:4), “rely” (36:5, 6, 6, 9), “trust” (36:7, 15) are all from the same Hebrew root word. The word is used 8 times in Isaiah 36. It is used as a verb except in 36:4 where it is translated with the noun confidence. The question that the king of Assyria asks is a fundamental question in the book of Isaiah and to the Bible as a whole and it is the foundational question of our lives. To put our place in the wrong place means that we will inevitably be clothed with shame.

3. There will an ultimate separation of the righteous and the wicked in eternity

8:18 Ultimately that the statement that it place does not know it anymore will be God’s pronouncement on the wicked (Matt. 7:13-14, 23; 25:12).

8:21 In God’s presence our mouths will be filled with laughter.

Job 8 and Jesus

Bildad says that God does not reject the blameless in 8:20. He anticipates those who will cry to Jesus, “He trusts in God. Let God deliver him” in Matt. 27:43. “Job has a lesser Calvary, and each person has his own. But when we know of God’s rejection of Jesus, our dereliction can never be as dark as Job’s again”[1]

It is through the suffering of God’s perfect servant, Jesus, that God ultimately showed His justice and righteousness (Rom. 3:21-26). Job’s battle foreshadows the even greater battle and the more intense suffering that God’s servant, Jesus, would endure.

[1] Anderson, 142-143.

Jesus and Job 7

7:1-2 Jesus confronted with unbelief from the disciples and crowd asked, “How long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” Matt. 17:17; Mark 9:19. In a sense Jesus was like a hired man counting his days (Isa. 16:14; 21:16).

7:5 While Job suffered horribly in his flesh, Jesus’ flesh was beaten in scourging and suffered the horrors of crucifixion.

7:9 Jesus did go down into Hades and come up. Hades is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word Sheol. Jesus went down to Hades but was not abandoned there (Acts 2:27, 31) and He was brought up (or ascended as Acts 2:34 uses the same Greek word for the ascension and the LXX uses in Job 7:9). Through his death and resurrection, Jesus gives firm hope to all who put their trust in Him of victory over death (I Cor. 15:50-58; II Tim. 1:10).

7:11, 13 The Hebrew word translated complain is the same word translated considered in Isa. 53:8. As for His generation, who considered (complained). Job spoke in bitterness, but the Suffering Servant did not complain (Isa. 53:6).

7:18 Jesus was tested and tempted when He came to earth (Matt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13).

7:19 Isa. 50:4-11 is a servant song that ultimately finds fulfillment in Jesus. While it seems like God will not let Job swallow his spit, men could not let God alone but spit in His face (Matt. 26:67; Mk. 14:65) in preparation for His crucifixion.

7:20-21 What sin have we committed to cause Christ to have to die for me? Gal. 2:20. Job longs for God’s forgiveness and that forgiveness is given through Jesus. Would God rather punish and destroy or forgive and carry away man’s guilt? The answer to this is found in the cross of Jesus. God forgives sin in Jesus in a way that is right (Rom. 3:21-26). God cannot simply say that sin is not so bad because that is not true. But God punishes sin in a way that opens up salvation for the sinner.

7:21 God seeks to save us in and through Jesus- Luke 19:10.

Jesus is the answer to Psalm 8 and Job 7.

God is so big that He built the world with His fingers (Ps.8:3) and His hands (Ps. 8:6). This enormous God became a man in the person of Jesus (John 1:1, 14). He subjected Himself to shame, abuse, and even murder in the cross. He was tempted and tried (Job 7:18; Matt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13). He was spit upon (Job 7:19; Isa.50:6; Matt. 26:67). He defeated death and Hades by the resurrection. He gave hope to all who put their trust and hope in Him (John 11:25).

Job’s sufferings and pain should help us to stand in awe of what Jesus willingly endured for us.

Hebrews 2:6-8 quotes Psalm 8:4-6 and applies the words to Jesus in Heb. 2:9. Notice how the text picks up on the words of the Psalm and applies them to Jesus. Some form of the word “subject” or “subjection” is used in Heb. 2:5 to introduce the quotation, and three times in Heb. 2:8 after the word is quoted from Psalm 8. Heb. 2:7 quotes Psalm 8 in saying, “You have made Him for a little while lower than the angels” and Heb; 2:9 applies it to Jesus being made a little lower than the angels by the suffering of death. Heb. 2:7 quotes Psalm 8 in “You have crowned him with glory and honor” and Heb. 2:9 applies those words and to Jesus. As Jesus was crowned with glory and honor, He also brings many sons to glory- Heb. 2:10.

6:1-13 Job gives a defense of Himself

Several writers on Job say that the various speakers say little about the previous speech or speakers. A strong point of Habel’s commentary is that he points out connections between the various speakers. First, there are several vocabulary connections between Eliphaz in Job 4-5 and Job’s speech in Job 6. The word ‘anguish’ in 6:2 is the same word translated ‘anger’ in 5:2. The word ‘hope’ in 6:8 was used by Eliphaz in 4:6; 5:16. The word ‘crush’ in 6:9 was used in 4:19; 5:4. ‘Fear’ in 6:14, 21 is from the same root at 4:6. The word ‘perish’ in 4:7, 9,11, 20 is used by Job in 6:18. Second, it may be that 6:1-7 is a specific response to Eliphaz in 5:1-7 where he spoke of the foolish man and Job’s words in 6:8-13 are a response to 4:2-6 that Eliphaz uttered about Job’s hope.

6:14-23 Job expresses his disappointment with his friends.

The friend’s behavior was exemplary in Job 2:11-13. They came from distances, they wept over Job’s condition, and they sat with him in silence. Now, Job feels betrayed by them.

6:14 For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend- There are three words in the Hebrew text that lead to the translation here. The word kindness is the word hesed. The word usually describes God’s love for man and loyalty to His people (Deut. 7:9; Neh. 1:5; Ps. 25:10). It also describes man’s love for one another (I Sam. 18:1; 20:14-16; Prov. 17:17; 18:24; Hos. 4:1) and in a couple of cases man’s love for God (Jer. 2:2). He speaks of his relationship with these three as being a relationship among friends and one in which he could expect lovingkindness.

So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty- Job uses the term Shaddai as Eliphaz did in Job 5:17. This verse is translated differently in various versions. The NIV has the that the man’s friends should stick by him even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. The NAB and NEB have similar translations. This translation line up with Biblical teaching (Deut. 13:6-11; I Sam. 2:29; Matt. 10:34-37). While the idea of the NIV does not fit Bible teaching does not necessarily mean that Job did not say it. Remember he too said some things that he should not say. However, it does make up think about other possibilities. Other translations have the idea that man should be encouraged that he might not forsake the fear of God (NASB). Some translations convey the idea that the friend who withholds encouragement forsakes the fear of God (ESV, RSV, JB). I John 4:7-8.

Eliphaz wants to know why Job’s fear of God does not sustain him in his trial in Job 4:6. Job here wants to know why Eliphaz, and his friends do not encourage him more because of their fear of God.

5:17 Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves- Ps. 94:12; Prov. 3:11-12; 23:12, 23; Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 3:19. How happy in 5:17 is the word translated blessed in Ps. 1:1.

5:18 For He inflicts pain, and gives relief- Deut. 32:39; I Sam. 2:6; Isa.19:22; 30:26; Hos. 6:1. Job 1:21; 2:10 Each of the speakers understood the sovereignty of God in the affairs of the world.

He wounds, and His hands also heal- The friends never resort to Satan as the answer for human suffering.

5:19 From six troubles He will deliver you- The closest way to parallel a number is to give the next highest number.

Even in seven evil will not touch you- Ps. 91:10. This is a passage like Job 2:10 where the evil refers not to sin but to calamity.

5:20 In famine He will redeem you from death- Ps. 34:23; 49:8,16; 55:19; 69:19; 71:23; 119:134. The word redeem in Psalm 49:7, 7, 15. Ps. 49:15 and Ps. 103:4 speak of God redeeming the life, or soul, of the Psalmist from Sheol, the pit, or the grave.

5:21 You will hidden from the scourge of the tongue- For the tongue as a weapon- Ps. 52:2,4; 64:3. Vicious words can destroy the one they are spoken against, and undo the one who speaks them as well (Prov. 10:8, 14; 13:3; 18:7).

Neither will you be afraid of violence when it comes- Ps. 91:5-6. God can protect His servants even in the midst of a severe judgment (II Peter 2:4-9).

5:22 You will laugh at famine and violence- The verb laugh is used in Ps. 2:4; 37:13; 59:8 to speak of God’s reaction to the wrongdoer.

Neither will you be afraid of the wild beasts- Lev. 26:4-5; Ps. 91:13; Ezek. 34:25; Hos. 2:18-20

5:23 For you will be in league with the stones of the field- Isa. 5:2; II Sam. 3:19-25 stones present difficulties for an otherwise fruitful field or vineyard.

5:24 You will know that your tent is secure- contrast this with 4:21. Compare this with 21:7. The word secure is actually the word peace which is used as a verb in 5:23.

For you will visit your abode and fear no loss- Job lost his wealth in 1:13-17. Job will say that it is the children of the wicked that are safe and secure in Job 21:8-10.

The word generally translated sin is used at the end of vs. 24. Sin is the idea of missing the mark (Judges 20:16) and the proper idea behind it is experiencing loss.

5:25 You will know also that your descendants will be many- These two lines are in stark contrast to 5:4-5. They are also contrary to Job’s experiences as Job lost his children in 1:18-19.

And your offspring as the grass of the earth- Isa. 53:10; Job 42:16; Ps. 37:16. This will ultimately be true of Job (42:13-15).

5:26 You will come to the grave in full vigor- Premature death is considered a great disaster (Job 22:16).

Are the statements of Job 5:17-27 promising too much? Notice how many things said in Job 5:17-27 sound like Psalm 91 and other Psalms

Job 5:19 God will deliver him from all troubles; Ps. 34:19 Many are afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all

Job 5:19 evil will not touch you; Ps. 91:10 No evil will befall you

Job 5:22, 23 not be afraid of wild beasts, beasts of field at peace; Ps. 91:13 tread upon lion, cobra, young lion, serpent

Job 5:24 your tent is secure/ Ps. 91:10 no plague near your tent

Job 5:26 long life Ps. 91:16

5:8-16 The doxology of Eliphaz

There are similar doxologies in Job 9:4-12 and 12:13-25.

5:8 But as for me, I would seek God- (Amos 5:4, 6) The Hebrew text actually says but I seek God.

Is seeking God in this passage to inquire of the LORD as the word sometimes means in Gen. 25:22; Ex. 18:15; I Kings 14:5; 22:8; II Kings 1:3, 6,16; II Kings 22:18; II Chron. 32:31; Ezek. 14:7; 20:1.

5:9 Who does great and unsearchable things- 9:10; Ps. 136:4. God’s glory is beyond our ability to search or understand (Job 9:10; 11:7; 36:26; Isa. 40:28). Bildad will use the same word for searched in Job 8:8 in which he will say that former generations have searched out this problem of suffering and come to the same conclusions where he and his friends arrived.

5:10 He gives rain on the earth- Ancient people would have attributed the rain to the blessings of their God or gods. Modern man tends to view rain as a natural phenomenon and just as illustration of how the world works. The Bible does not attribute rain to Baal (the contest between Baal and Yahweh in I Kings 17-18). The Bible does not make rain simply a natural law that God built into the world. The Bible speaks of it as a blessing from God’s hand, both in Job 36:27-28; 38:25-26. God sending rain on the just and unjust is a continual illustration of him doing good to those who are His enemies in Matt. 5:45.

5:11 So that He sets on high those who are lowly- The word translated lowly, shakal, is translated humble in Prov. 16:19; 29:23. God often dramatically reverses a person’s situation (I Sam. 2:7-8; Ps. 113:5-8; 147:6; Luke 1:46-56). God exalts the lowly (Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14).

5:12 He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd- God used the counsel of Hushai to thwart (same word translated frustrates here) the good counsel of Ahithophel (II Sam. 17:14).This word shrewd can be used in a positive sense (Prov. 1:4; 8:5; 12:16, 23; 13:16; 14:8, 15, 18; 15:5; 19:25; 22:3; 27:12) or in a negative one (Gen. 3:1; Job 5:12; 15:5).

5:13 He captures the wise by their own shrewdness- The idea is the wise man falling in his own trap he has set for others- Job 18:7-10; 36:8-10; Ps. 7:15; 35:7-8; 57:6; Prov. 26:27; 28:10; Esther 7:10.

This verse is quoted by Paul in I Cor. 3:19 and introduced by the wording “For it is written." Does the fact that I Cor. 3:19 shows us that Eliphaz spoke truth demand that he used these words in a proper way? His words are truth, but he seems to place Job among the shrewd who will be brought down.

5:14 By day they meet with darkness- Job 12:24-25; Deut.28:29; Isa. 59:10.

And grope at noon as in the night- In the brightest times of the day they will encounter complete darkness (Amos 8:9).

5:15 But He saves from the sword of the mouth- For the tongue as a weapon- Ps. 52:2,4; 64:3; Isa. 54:17; Jer. 18:18; Ps. 12:3-5; 31:21; James 3:5-6.

5:16 So the helpless has hope- 8:13; 11:18; 14:7; Jer. 31:17; Ezek. 37:11; Prov. 19:8; Ruth 1:12; Lam.3:29 The fact that God does these things is a reason for help for the broken. God will catch the world’s expectations by surprise.

And unrighteousness must shut its mouth- Ps.107:42.

Is Eliphaz placing Job among those who are lowly who will be lifted up or among those who are shrewd who will be brought down? The fact that he emphasizes more about the shrewd who are brought down (vs. 12-14) suggests to me that this is Eliphaz’s emphasis here.