JOB 6
OPENS WITH JOB REPLIES TO ELIPHAZ: "WHAT DOES YOUR ARGUMENTS/WISDOM PROVE?"
Verses 1-7 tells us Job explains his rash words.
"Then Job answered and said:
"Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
Therefore my words have been rash.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.
Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me."
Job's friends were kind enough to sit with him in sympathetic silence for some seven days (Job 2:13). Job broke his the silence with an anguished cry and casting his cares upon His God rant (Job 3), and Eliphaz responded with a poetic call to repentance (Job 4-5). Now Job will answer the words of Eliphaz the Temanite.
IF WE HAD ANY DOUBT THAT ELIPHAZ words of personal wisdom and rebuke hurt Job, Job's first response to the words of Eliphaz were to complain about the greatness of his suffering, because Eliphaz only made his suffering worse, with his well-intentioned but wrong analysis of Job's problem.
This was not only Job's feeling; it was also the judgment of God as revealed at the end of the Book of Job, where He said of Eliphaz and Job's other counselors: You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has (Job 42:7).
Therefore my words have been rash...
Job's out cries to His God in Job 3, did not curse God, but Job here now admits that his words were indeed rash, but explained that it was because of the excessive heaviness of his grief. Basically saying he would have been far better served to NOT have cried out to His God in the presence of these 3 friends.
The arrows of the Almighty are within me...
Job explained why his suffering was so deep because he felt that God Himself had attacked and cursed him. He felt that he had FAILED AND DISPLEASED IN SOME WAY, AND that God had shot arrows at him; had sent poison against him; and had arrayed His terrors against Job.
Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Job described how the words of Eliphaz "tasted" to him. They were weak and flavorless, and certainly did NOT give Job any health or strength.
SPURGEON says it well, "The speech, also, to which Job had listened from Eliphaz the Temanite did not put much sweetness into his mouth; for it was devoid of sympathy and consolation. If you read it at home you will see that it was worthy to be the first of a singular selection of galling utterances. . . . He had spoken as harshly and severely as if he were a judge addressing a criminal who was suffering no more than he deserved."
Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass?
Job insisted that he had REASON for his grief and crying out to His God. In other words, he is telling Eliphaz he is NOT crying out to His God without reason.
Verses 8-10 tells us Job longs for God to grant the escape of death.
"Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish, I would exult,
He will not spare;
For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One."
Job returns to the theme of his complaint to His God from Job 3, where he mourned the day of his birth and believed he would be better off dead. Though Job never seems to have contemplated suicide, he wished God Himself would end his life.
MORGAN says it very well of this scripture, "When the answer does not come, when instead of the release of cutting off, we have the continuity of pain, and a great silence, then let us remember this story: and remain confident that there is some explanation, and that when it comes, we shall thank God that He did not give us our request."
I have not concealed the words of the Holy One...
Here Job ONCE AGAIN INSISTS on his basic innocence before God. The calamity in his life was not due to some sin such as concealing the words of the Holy One, which means Job did NOT DENY NOR DISOBEY the words of the Holy One.
SMICK says it well, "He would have one consolation left before he died - that he had not denied the words of the Holy One, though he emphatically rejected the words of Eliphaz."
Verses 11-13 tells us Job laments his weakness.
"What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?"
Job reflected that he was FACING AND FIGHTING AGAINST the FEELINGS of hopelessness of the severe and chronic sufferer. Sensing no inner strength to meet the present and future challenges.
Is my help not within me?
We should NOT think that Job is like a motivational self-help speaker encouraging himself to looking within for a hidden resource of help. Instead these words from the pain-wracked man sitting on a burned-out place in a garbage dump indicate Job's absolute sense of helplessness. AND JOB KNOWS...IF HIS ONLY HELP WILL COME FROM HIS OWN SUFFERING, WEAK BODY, then he has no help. Indeed, all success is driven from him.
SMICK adds, "The words of Job can bring immense comfort for the simple reason that many sufferers have felt rage but have been too ashamed to express it."
Verses 14-23 tells us Job criticizes Eliphaz and defends himself.
"To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,
Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
The caravans of Tema look,
The travelers of Sheba hope for them.
They are disappointed because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
For now you are nothing,
You see terror and are afraid.
Did I ever say, 'Bring something to me'?
Or, 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'?
Or, 'Deliver me from the enemy's hand'?
Or, 'Redeem me from the hand of oppressors'?"
YOU KNOW...ALL THAT JOB HAS LOST, ALL THE SUFFERINGS AND PAIN HE IS NOW DEALING WITH...JOB MAY BE DOWN...BUT HE IS NOT OUT.
JOB QUIETLY YET FIRMLY PUTS ELIPHAZ IN HIS PLACE!
Kindness should be shown by his friend..
Job here made his most basic accusation against Eliphaz. "You should show me kindness, even if were true that I had forsaken the fear of the Almighty."
My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook...
Even though only Eliphaz had previously spoken, Job addressed his brothers collectively. Either this was out of politeness (not wanting to single out Eliphaz), or because Job believed that the attitude and silence of his other companions meant they agreed with Eliphaz. Job accused them of being as unreliable as a snow-fed stream that vanishes when it is hot.
For now you are nothing, you see terror and are afraid...
Verse 21 is the climax of Job's reaction to his friends' counsel. They offered NO help. The verse is like a sermon about the special strength needed to be willing to make oneself available when we see others in a truly dreadful condition.
Did I ever say...
Job was NOT asking his friends to pay him money or to ransom him from kidnappers. All he wanted was some words of comfort, support, prayers for him, godly counsel and he heard NONE.
Verses 24-30 tells us Job challenges his friends to point out his error and lack of discernment.
"Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you undermine your friend.
Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands!
Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?"
Do you intend to rebuke my words, and the speeches of a desperate one...
Job believed that Eliphaz was unduly harsh in his reply and failed to see that his Job's heart cry to His God was TO HIS GOD, and not some MINDLESS rant to his friends recorded in chapter 3.
AND JOB has sat through Eliphaz speech and condemnation and worldly wisdom...not godly wisdom and listened to the dialogue they make veiled accusations, deliver general moral pronouncements. But all their insinuations are without substance, and by way of actually identifying and getting at the root of Job's problem … the best they can do is suggest that his 'attitude' is all wrong.
IN OTHER WORDS, JOB SAYS Eliphaz, in his insensitivity, acted as if Job's words were as wind.
Instead of comforting Job, Eliphaz was as bad as someone who would overwhelm the fatherless and undermine his friend. "Now he seems to retaliate with charges of his own: You would even gamble over an orphan and bargain over your friend. This is pretty rough stuff. There is no more indication that the friends gambled for orphans than there is that Job asked for bribes. Perhaps this is what Job is getting at. But their relationship has certainly deteriorated.
AND IS THAT NOT HUMAN NATURE...AND DO WE NOT REALLY KNOW WHO OUR TRUE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN JESUS ARE...UNTIL WE FACE ILLNESS, HURT, SHAME, OR ADVERSITY?
TRUE FRIENDS WHO TRULY KNOW YOU...AND LOVE YOU ANY WAY...AND THEY ARE NOT SO WORLDLY FOCUSED AND WEAK IN HEART AND MIND THAT THEY WOULD INSTANTLY BELIEVE EVERY LIE, WHISPER, GOSSIP OR ACCUSSATION OR ASSUMPTION MADE AND BROUGHT AGAINST YOU.
Now therefore, be pleased to look at me...
THIS TELLS US THAT THROUGHOUT JOB'S speech the friends have been hanging their heads and refusing to meet his gaze, while in an odd reversal of roles the sick man now holds his head high and looks his sleek and healthy inquisitors straight in the eye.
Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands!
Job very much wanted Eliphaz and his other friends to see that his present calamity was NOT judgment for some grievous (though hidden) sin.
The words "teach me," "cause me," "what does your arguing prove," and "concede" are all demands for evidence and proof. "He turns to Eliphaz and says, 'You say that I AM suffering because of sin, but you have NEVER pointed anything out specifically. Teach me and tell me what my sin is. But until you do, there's no proof of your argument.
Because we know the story-behind-the-story from Job 1 and 2, we understand this to be true. Yet Job's friends have a very hard time believing this, and will continue the contention with Job over this point.
Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory? Previously in this chapter Job has represented the words of Eliphaz as bits of food; bits that were very unsatisfying to Job in his present suffering.
- According to the analogy of animals, if the words of Eliphaz had comforted and satisfied Job, he would not have cried out as he did in Job 3 and Job 6:5.
- The words of Eliphaz were like flavorless food (Job 6:6)
- The words of Eliphaz were like rotten, loathsome food (Job 6:7)
- Job can discern the unsavory character of the words of Eliphaz (Job 6:30).
IS IT NOT AMAZING...WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE WHY GOD BRAGGED AND HAD SUCH FAITH IN HIS RIGHTEOUS SERVANT JOB BEFORE SATAN AND HIS DEMON ANGELS.
EVEN WITH ALL THAT HAS HIT JOB...HE PRAYS AND CRIES OUT TO GOD. HE KNOWS THAT HE HAS KEPT PRAYERFUL SHORT ACCOUNTS WITH HIS GOD. EVEN WITH SUCH UNSPEAKABLE PAIN IN HEART, MIND, AND BODY, HE KNOWS HIS GOD. HE CAN STILL KNOW, DISCERN, AND UNDERSTAND THAT HIS FRIENDS ARE WRONG...THEIR ATTITUDES, THEIR BEHAVIORS, AND THEIR WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE NOT GODLY.
AND I LOVE THAT JOB LIFTS HIS HEAD, LOOKS HIS FRIENDS IN THE EYE, AND TELLS THEM THE GODLY TRUTH AND EXPOSES THEIR WORDS AND THEIR ACTIONS AND THEIR ATTITUDES AS NOT THAT OF A FRIEND, MUCH LESS GODLY COUNSELORS AT ALL.
JOB, UNLIKE US, WHO HAVE READ AND KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, FROM READING JOB 1 AND JOB 2, WHERE ALMIGHTY GOD TELLS US WHAT IS HAPPENING...JOB HAS NO CLUE. HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED AND COME UPON HIM, BUT HE KNOWS HIS GOD HAS AN UNSEEN REASON AND UNSEEN PURPOSE FOR IT ALL.