Job 16:6

Job 16:6

Job says in Job 16:6-11, “Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?[7] But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.[8] And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.[9] He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.[10] They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.[11] God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.” Job’s “friends” were arguing with him constantly, condemning what Job said. The point that Job is making in verse 6 is that what Job says or doesn’t say does not change anything. But Job does say that the words and the criticism of his “friends” caused Job to age considerably. Job said in verse 7, “And thou hast filled me with wrinkles…” Look at the words that Job used to describe how the three “friends” treated him. In verse 9 Job calls them “mine enemy.” Job recognizes that they were acting like enemies and not like friends. Verses 10 and 11 sound very messianic. These words could easily describe the some of the sufferings of Christ. “They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.[11] God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.”

Job said in Job 16:12-18, “I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.[13] His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.[14] He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.[15] I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.[16] My face is foul with weeping, and my eyelids is the shadow of death;[17] Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.[18] O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.” Job knew that all things were from God. God is all in all. God is everywhere. God changes what He wants to change, and allows what He wants to allow. And so Job knew that his sufferings were from God. Job did not know why, but Job knew the Source. That is why Job said in verse 12, “he hath broken me asunder.” In verse 13 Job said that God “doth not spare” in the terrible troubles that happened to Job. In verse 14 Job said about God: “He breaketh me.”

To describe how much he had been suffering, Job talked of sackcloth and dust in verse 15. And in verse 16 Job talked of “weeping” and “the shadow of death.” The phrase “the shadow of death” is found almost twenty times in the Bible, and nine of those are in the book of Job. The most well-known of these is found in the Psalm 23: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Every human being has the shadow of death hanging over them. Even if you have the best possible life, you are headed for your death. And you do not know when that will be. Today might be your last day on earth, and it might be the last day for any of your loved ones. That is the shadow of death, and it will come over you when it is your time. You will not be able to escape. But if you have Jesus as Savior, you will go to heaven when you leave this earth. You will have the joy and bliss of heaven forever when you leave this earth.

In verses 17 and 18 Job is answering the accusations of his three “friends,” and Job is proclaiming his innocence. Job does not know why the sufferings came upon him, but Job does know that it is not a punishment for sins. That is why Job said in verse 17, “Not for any injustice in mine hands.” In verse 18 Job makes the plea: “O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.” Job is saying that he wished that someone on the earth would listen to him and understand him and not cover up his “cry.” It is no fun to be unjustly accused by anyone, and especially by those who are closest to you.

Job said in Job 16:19-22, “Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.[20] My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.[21] O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour![22] When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.” In the face of the condemnations from his friends Job recognized what every believer needs to be aware of: look to God for your approval and not man. People will fail you, but God will never fail you. Job said in verse 19, “my witness is in heaven.” One of the many benefits of having Jesus as your Savior is that He ever lives to make intercession for you. Jesus always pleads your cause and stands in your stead, and therefore there is no condemnation that will ever come against you in heaven. Verse 20 is very applicable to the day and time in which we live. Job said, “My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.” A lot of the young people will go crazy and turn to violence because they have been scorned by their peers. If they would learn to take their sorrows and difficulties to the Lord, they would find the solace that only God can give.

In verse 21 Job says, “O that one might plead for a man with God…” Job is saying that he wishes that more people would be praying for him. It is true that it is better to have more people to pray for you and with you. That is one of the reasons for Christians to gather together for a Biblical church service. Jesus said in Matthew 18:19, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” This is an extra promise of answer to prayer when more than one person prays about the same thing.

In verse 22 Job is stating that he thinks there is no way he can live longer than a couple of more years. He said, “When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.” As much as Job suffered, I am surprised that he thinks he will live even a “few years.” In reality none of us know when we will die, but we certainly can be in situations where our death seems close. If you are thinking about death, make sure your heart is right with God by turning to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Job said in Job 17:1-5, “My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.[2] Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?[3] Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?[4] For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.[5] He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.” Job continues with the theme of the last chapter. In verse one once again Job says that he is ready to die. Job has suffered so much that Job thinks death must be next for him. Now Job is suffering from his “friends.” In verse two Job calls them “mockers.” And in verse three Job expresses his desire that someone would join with him and understand what Job understands. That is called fellowship and having things in common. Christians should always have that kind of fellowship because we know the same Lord Jesus, and thus we have the most important of all spiritual connections. But in verse four Job states that the reason his “friends” do not understand is because God did not give them understanding. God is involved in all things. If someone does not understand you, then it is because God has not given them that ability to understand. God has “hid their heart from understanding.” But whether they understand or not, Job was not going to change his words just to please them or to flatter them. Job had to be true to himself and what he knew to be true, and so Job said in verse 5, “He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.”

Job said in Job 17:6-9, “He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret. [7] Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. [8] Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. [9] The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” In verse six Job is telling us one of the ways that his life changed since all of the calamities happened to him. He lost his reputation unfairly. Once Job was well-known and well-respected. But now Job has become “a byword of the people.” Job is the object of gossip. Job is falsely held up as the example of what happens when you do not serve God when the opposite about Job was actually true. Job was serving God. In verse seven Job points out also how much he has suffered physically. Because of weeping and loss of sleep, Job said, “Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow,” and Job had a loss of weight and physical weakness: “all my members are as a shadow.” In verses 8 and 9 Job is referencing all the people who have spoken against him, and Job is saying that if anyone was “upright” or “innocent” or “righteous,” then they would be astonished at what happened to Job and they would oppose the hypocrites who spoke against Job. In verse nine Job also recognizes that those who are on the side of truth will grow “stronger and stronger.” That will be true of anyone who follows Christ. Jesus is the Truth. The more that you know about Jesus and know how to follow Him by faith in Him, the stronger you will be as a believer. Your faith in the Truth will give you the victory. One reason for the trials and tribulations is to strengthen you as you go through them by faith.

Job said in Job 17:10-16, “But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.[11] My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.[12] They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.[13] If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.[14] I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou are my mother, and my sister.[15] And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?[16] They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.” Job says about his “friends” in verse 10, “I cannot find one wise man among you.” In verse 11 Job says about himself, “My days are past, my purposes are broken off…” Job lost everything except his life, and Job is thinking that death must be next for him. Look at the words that Job uses to describe his situation in the verses 12-14, “night,” “darkness,” “grave,” “corruption,” and “worm.” And then Job uses the word “hope” in verse 15. Believers always have hope even if they lose everything else in this life. We all have a future in the next life. That is what we look forward to, and that is exactly what Job was talking about in verse 16 when he said, “when our rest together is in the dust.” You can have hope and rest waiting for you in eternity also if you turn to Jesus Christ.

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