Archives for June 2025

OVERVIEW:

Eliphaz’s scathing accusations against Job; Job’s desire to plead his case before God; Bildad’s attack on Job; Job’s desperate seeking for God.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we continue today in the book of Job, we find that Job’s counselors, called “friends”, are increasingly losing control of their emotions in this “discussion” they are having with Job. Up to this point, they have twisted words and circumstances to fit their own ideas and agendas, but in chapter 22, Eliphaz enters into the realm of just blatantly saying things that are not true. Notice that in the list that Colossians 3:8–9 tell us to “put off”, that there is a progression: “But now ye also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” That progression can most certainly be followed with Job’s friends. They first became “angry” with Job’s refusal to confess his “secret sin”, and now they have worked themselves up through “wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of their mouth.” and now, through Eliphaz, lying! Take note of this progression the next time you allow “anger” to move back into your being. Deal with it immediately, lest you find yourself in the vortex described in Colossians 3:8–9!

As we begin chapter 22, we enter into the third and final round of this bout with Job and his three friends who came with the intention of confronting and counseling him through his time of trial. There is a great overriding lesson to be learned through the “ministry” of Job’s counselors. They remind us that even those of us who seek to minister the word of God to others with the absolute best possible intentions, can be guilty of breaking people to pieces with our words, even while we think we’re doing what God would have us do, and thinking we’re saying what God would have us say. Job’s friends had all of their theological “i’s” dotted just right, and all of their doctrinal “t’s” crossed to perfection, they just didn’t have a clue about how to apply them. We must allow their negative example to cause us to totally depend upon God’s grace to help us to learn to listen as we counsel those in need, and to be sure that we actually understand the biblical meaning of the words that can, at times, so easily roll off of our lips.

After Eliphaz delivers his scathing address in chapter 22, Job is so incredibly low that he has nowhere else to look, but up. All he can do is desperately seek for God. As tough as that is, it’s actually not a bad place to be in the light of Deuteronomy 4:29, the theme verse of our 365 Days of Pursuit! In chapters 23 and 24, Job does just that; he desperately seeks God.

In chapter 25, Bildad re-enters the ring. He opens his final remarks by declaring an indisputable truth, followed by a leading question, which leads to a series of questions that form his conclusion. In response, Job will ask some questions of his own in chapter 26. He fires back six questions that Job’s friends absolutely cannot answer. It is interesting to consider these same questions as questions that could and may be asked each of us at the Judgment Seat of Christ! After firing out these questions in 26:1–4, the remainder of the chapter is an unbelievable cosmological discourse that has proven to be several years ahead of “modern” science.

As we move into chapters 27 and 28, we are able to get a glimpse of Job’s incredible spirit. As you read through his “speech”, ask yourself whether you could maintain the integrity of your heart the way Job has. It is sobering to think that every one of us makes the choice of whether or not we will offer our absolute surrender to Christ every single day of our life. Let’s all make that surrender this day.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOB’S faithfulness to God through his suffering — Job 23:1–12 (Christ’s faithfulness to the Father is seen as He prayed for the Father’s will to be done – Luke 22:42)

OVERVIEW:

The continuation of Job’s defense of himself; Bildad’s continued accusations; Job’s response to Bildad; Zophar’s accusation that Job is a wicked man; Job’s response to Zophar.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As yesterday’s reading came to a close in chapter 16, we saw that Job’s expression of what he was going through speaks prophetically of what was taking place in the heart and mind of our Lord Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross.  As Job continues his speech in chapter 17, the picture also continues. When Job says in verse 7, “Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow,” we see a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ consumed with the weight of our sin. “The innocent” in verse 8, who “shall stir up himself against the hypocrite”, is obviously a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom Job’s innocence is simply foreshadowing. Christ is the innocent Saviour who died for the guilty.  

Note that chapter 17 is also a great reminder of one of the great paradoxes of life: winners don’t always win and losers don’t always lose. Many times the godly suffer, while the wicked prosper. 

In chapter 18, Bildad presents his second “sermon” to convince Job that there must be some secret sin that has been the cause of his intense persecution and suffering. As only God’s supernatural book has the ability to do, God’s record of Bildad’s words provide us unbelievable information about the antichrist and the time of Tribulation. The subject of the passage appears for the first time in verse 5, as reference is made to “the wicked”.  The reference to “the wicked” in the book of Job is a prophetic foreshadowing of “that Wicked” (the antichrist) whom Paul mentions in 2^nd Thessalonians 2:8. Verse 21 of this 18^th chapter looks to the coming antichrist, and to his ultimate destination in hell: “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.”   

Chapter 19 opens with Job’s response to Bildad’s discourse. Job’s words are like a triple-exposure picture pointing to Christ’s suffering on the cross, the Jew suffering in the Tribulation, and the lost man suffering in hell. The common denominator shared by these three pictures is the fact that they are all the objects of God’s wrath. (19:11–12) The three-fold imagery is further seen in 19:13–19, as it points to:

• ISRAEL as a proverb and a by-word of reproach.
• CHRIST counted as an enemy by the armies of God as He hung on the cross.
• the LOST MAN forever separated from everyone he knows and loves in hell. 

Verses 25–27 of chapter 19 are the spiritual climax of the book. Job’s words in these verses comprise one of the greatest confessions of faith in the entire Bible. He declares that the Redeemer is alive and well; that He will physically be present on the earth in “the latter day”, and that the believer will live in a new physical body! That’s some pretty awesome theology for a guy who didn’t have a single page of the Bible!

In chapter 20, it’s Zophar’s turn to take his shots at Job. Once again, the record of his words give us greater insight into the coming antichrist, “that wicked”.

In chapter 21, Job has been brought to a place of utter frustration with his counselors. His words point to the future judgment and conquest of the antichrist’s false system by the Lord Jesus Christ. 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As “THE INNOCENT” — Job 17:8 (Christ is the innocent Saviour who died for the guilty – Matthew 27:4)

Through JOB as the one whom God’s WRATH was presumably kindled against – Job 19:11 (2^nd Corinthians 5:21)

As the REDEEMER – Job 19:25 (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 1:14; Revelation 5:9)

OVERVIEW:

Job’s affirmation of faith in God’s wisdom; Job’s defense of his righteous testimony; Eliphaz’s intensified accusations and condemnation; Job’s complaint of God’s dealing with him.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As yesterday’s reading ended in chapter 11, Zophar had just completed his scathing accusations against Job. As Job’s three friends have all taken their turn to pound him, Job has been so overcome with grief he hasn’t actually addressed the attacks they’ve hurled against him. That changes in chapter 12. He’s had just about all of their pious, “godly counsel” he could stand! Something in our humanness says, “Go, Job! Put ’em in their place!” Job tells his friends, in effect, that their problem is that they have a whole lot of knowledge, they just don’t have a whole lot of wisdom and understanding. Nothing could be more descriptive of many (or shall we go as far as to say most?) believers in the 21^st century!

In chapters 13 and 14, Job continues his answer to his critics, who see themselves as his self-appointed counselors. Job is finally collecting his thoughts and verbalizing them with much greater boldness, as he defends the righteousness of his testimony. In 13:9–12, Job hurls some accusations of his own. He accuses his three friends of mocking God, of secretly being “respecters of persons”, of not fearing God, and failing to remember that they are also mortal bodies of clay that will ultimately return to ashes.

By the time we come to verses 20–22 of chapter 13, Job presents God with two ultimatums: “Knock off the tribulation. Let’s talk! Either You ask me, or allow me to ask You, what in the world is going on?!” 

Recognizing that God hadn’t seen fit to take away his trials, Job decides that he’ll ask God a series of four questions that he wants Him to answer. (13:23-25)

As we move into chapter 14, Job is still addressing God, not his human “counselors”. In chapter 15, however, Eliphaz throws his hat back into the ring. He begins with a series of questions for Job, along with a few carefully placed and spaced “digs”. Basically, Eliphaz tells Job that he has a heart problem, and that it can even be detected in his eyes. He tells Job that his spirit is in rebellion against God, and the proof of it is in the words that he has spoken. May God spare us from ever being so judgmental of people, especially when we don’t know all of the facts, and especially since we never really know how God is actually working in a person’s life!

As we begin chapter 16, Job begins to unload his frustration. From an historical standpoint, he is simply sharing what he is going through. It is, however, an incredible chapter from a prophetic standpoint. Chapter 16 is one of six chapters in the Old Testament that show us what was taking place in the heart and mind of the Lord Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross. The other chapters are Job 30, Isaiah 50, 52, and 53, and Psalm 22. In this chapter, Job is a picture of Christ, deserted by the Father, and hanging on the cross in our place.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through the SMITING OF JOB — Job 16:10 (Christ was also struck by His accusers — Matthew 27:29–44; John 18:22–33; Psalm 22:7–8; 109:25; Isaiah 53)

Through JOB SUFFERING NOT FOR HIS OWN SIN – Job 16:17 (2^nd Corinthians 5:21)

OVERVIEW:

Job continues his response to Eliphaz: Job reproaches his friends; Bildad’s theory about Job’s tribulation; Job’s response to Bildad; Zophar’s accusations against Job.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we saw in yesterday’s reading, Eliphaz was the first of Job’s friends to offer his “counsel”. (Job 3-4) In chapter 6, Job responds to Eliphaz’s speech. As we move into chapter 7 today, Job is in the midst of continuing his response. It’s as if he opens his soul and cries out, “If there is a set time for man to be upon the earth, surely my time is about up!” (7:1) Through all that has befallen Job, he has been brought to the total depths of despair. He feels there’s nothing left to look forward to in life but long, empty days and sleepless nights. (7:3–4) On one hand, he’s afraid his life is over, and on the other hand, he’s afraid that maybe it isn’t! In the midst of it all, however, Job has no clue that the things that have happened to him were actually the result of how blessed God was with Job’s godly character and pure heart. Job simply assumes that because all of these horrific things happened to him, for some unknown reason, God must have been displeased with him. As we read of Job’s awful plight, certainly our hearts go out to him. If we put ourselves in Job’s situation, we certainly have no problem understanding why he is so distraught. As Job brings his response to Elizphaz to a conclusion at the end of chapter 7, he readily admits that he is a sinner like everybody else, but holds tenaciously to the fact that his “tribulation” is not because of some secret sin in his life that he is refusing to confess.

Then in chapter 8, Bildad, the second of Job’s friends begins his “counsel”. Whereas Eliphaz at least made an attempt to grace his accusation that Job must be guilty of some secret sin, Bildad goes right for Job’s spiritual jugular. In effect, he tells Job that he’s sick of listening to his excuses, and that he’s full of hot air. If that weren’t assaulting enough, he even has the audacity to tell Job that his 10 children also had to be guilty of sin, and that they had gotten from God’s hand exactly what they deserved. Wow! With friends like Bildad who needs enemies?! Do be aware, however, that there are “Bildads” in every church. They are typically well-intentioned, but they are majorly misinformed! The typical problem with these people, however, just as in Bildad’s case, is that it is impossible to convince them of that. Basically, Bildad points the finger at Job and tells him that if he would simply pray and earnestly seek God, all of his “tribulation” would go away. As our wealth of biblical knowledge increases, we must be very careful that we don’t turn into a bunch of “Bildads”! We must guard against the pride that causes us to think that we know why every person goes through the things they go through. As Job can tell us, that arrogant and judgmental attitude can be extremely hurtful. Like Bildad, we can also be very wrong!

In chapter 9, Job responds to Bildad’s accusations. Though there were many things he could have said to defend himself, much of what Job chose to do was admit the truth of Bildad’s words. Do note that most of the things that all three of Job’s friends said to him were actually true. They all possessed a great deal of information about God and His ways. They were simply off in their timing and application of that truth.

Note the seven “IF’s” in chapter 9: 

• the 1^st “IF” – (9:16–18);
• the 2^nd “IF” – (9:19);
• the 3^rd “IF” – (9:20a);
• the 4^th “IF” – (9:20b–26);
• the 5^th “IF” – (9:27–28);
• the 6^th “IF” – (9:29);
• the 7^th “IF” – (9:30–35).

As chapter 10 begins, Job sets forth a series of questions for God. Job wants to know how God could understand the sufferings of a man, since He had never been one. Obviously, Job could say that in his day. But no one in the world has been able to register that complaint against God for the past 2000 years, because God has since become a man. We now have a God who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15a) because He became one of us, and was “tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15b) Because of that, Paul tells us in Hebrews 4:16, that we can “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help him in time of need.”

In chapter 11, Zophar, the third of Job’s friends begins to offer his “loving counsel.” He, too, comes on with both feet, saying, in effect, “Job, I’m not going to let you get by with all of your meaningless talk and lies!” (11:2–3) Like Bildad and Eliphaz, he also tells Job that it’s obvious that what he needs to do is repent, get his heart right with God, and everything would be all right.

Have you ever been an Eliphaz, Bildad, or Zophar, all up in somebody’s face, thinking you knew what they needed, when what they really needed was someone to simply be a loving friend to them? Maybe there’s someone you need to contact today, seeking their forgiveness for your haughty spirit and judgmental attitude.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOB’S SORROWFUL CONDITION — Job 7:1–6 (Christ is called “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” — Isaiah 53:3; Mark 15:34)

Through the “DAYSMAN” (mediator) Job longed for — Job 9:33 (The Lord Jesus Christ is the only mediator (daysman) between holy God and sinful men. — 2^nd Timothy 2:5)

OVERVIEW:

Job’s godly character and wealth; the dialogue between God and Satan; Satan permitted to afflict Job; the negative counsel of Job’s wife; Job’s three friends come to visit; the first speech of Eliphaz; Job’s response.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Job is one of the most incredible men in the entire Bible! In fact, he was of such impeccable character that God Himself used the sacrifice, service, and surrender of Job to get in Satan’s face in Job chapter 1. As God and Satan dialogue concerning him, Satan basically told God that the only reason Job did the things he did, and was the man he was, was because of all the good things God had done for him. In other words, Satan accused God of “buying” Job’s affection. Satan tells God, “You take all of your blessing away, and see how worthy Job thinks You are of his follow-ship and service!”

God tells Satan to go ahead and do whatever he wanted to do to Job, without harming Job’s physical condition. And boy, did he! In one day, Job gets word that all of his oxen and donkeys had been killed, along with all of his servants who kept them; that fire had fallen from the sky and burned up all the sheep, along with those who tended them; and that all of his camels had been stolen, and his servants who kept them had been murdered. His entire fortune had been lost in only a few hours! But then to make the news of all of those dreadful things seem rather trivial and somewhat insignificant, he gets word that all of his sons and daughters had been at the eldest brother’s house for a family gathering when a tornado hit the house, killing every last one of them!

What would your response to God be if all of these things had befallen you? Would God still be God to you? Would you still consider Him good? Would He be worthy of your follow-ship? Would you, or could you praise Him?

Note also, a few practical things it will be important for us to glean from these chapters:

Concerning Satan: Satan is extremely powerful, but not all-powerful. Though he “goes to and fro in the earth…walking up and down in it,” the book of Job lets us know he is actually on God’s leash! He can only go as far as God permits him. That lets us know that everything that takes place in our lives is either APPOINTED by God, or ALLOWED of God. Take heart! 

Concerning Suffering: Suffering is not a matter of misfortune or bad luck, nor is it always chastisement from God for some wrong that we have refused to remove out of our lives. Sometimes we suffer for doing what is right. God’s own testimony of Job was that he “was perfect and upright and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (1:1, 8) 

Concerning People: As well-meaning as people can sometimes be, they can also be used by Satan, as in the case of Job’s “friends”, to criticize, accuse, and condemn, thinking they have everything all figured out, when they don’t really know all of the facts, and are functioning off of human reasoning, temporal values, and half-truths.

Some of the things in the book of Job that are not as easily seen as some of those practical gleanings just listed, have been laid out in one of the most incredible commentaries I have ever read. The commentary is entitled: Job: Adventures in the Land of Uz! and was written by Pastor Jeff Adams. (It can be obtained through realitylivingpublishing.com)

Jeff writes,

“In Job, God gives us an incredible illustration of believers in tribulation. If ever anyone qualified for enduring tribulation it was Job! Remember that the next major event on God’s prophetic calendar is a seven-year period we often call the “Tribulation” which will fall upon this earth. Some of the prophecies in the book of Revelation are incredible and probe the limits of our imagination. To help us understand, God has given us the story of a man named Job. More than a simple story about his trials, Job is a wonderful picture of the coming time of Tribulation, and helps us to better understand the future.

“As you approach Job’s book, consider the picture that is drawn. The parallels between what happened to Job and the prophecies of the coming time of Tribulation are too many to be mere coincidence…  

“The story of Job takes place in the land of Uz, exactly where the faithful remnant of Jews will be hidden during the Tribulation. Uz always has a connection with Edom in the Bible, and the famous “Petra” (from the Greek word for “rock”) is in Edom, the refuge God has prepared for His people… 

“Job sits in his misery for seven days, while his friends look on speechless. In the coming Tribulation, the Jews will suffer at the hands of the antichrist for a seven-year period. The world will be powerless to help, and most will genuinely believe that they are only getting what they deserve. Don’t think that World War II did away with anti-Semitism.

“Actually, the “Great Tribulation” is the last half of the seven years, though we often apply the word “Tribulation” to the entire period. The first three and a half years are a time of false peace, when the antichrist comes into power through a brilliant series of treaties that brings peace to the Middle East, and structures a disarmament. (Daniel 8:11-14, 25, 9:27; Isaiah 28:18)

“At midpoint of this seven-year period the antichrist breaks his treaty with Israel, and in the reconstructed Jewish temple, declares himself to be God. This is the abomination spoken of by Daniel. (Daniel 9:27; 8:13-14; 11:31; Matthew 24:15) These last three and a half years are of world war and great destruction. The book of Revelation counts it as a period of 42 months. (Revelation 11:2) Chapter divisions in the Bible were not added until several hundred years ago, and most people may not believe that God had anything to do with it.  But it is interesting to notice that Job has 42 chapters…  

“Very few people can boast that the devil himself has personally persecuted them, but Job could. He was the direct target of Satan. This is also a figure of what will happen to Israel in the time of Tribulation. Israel will be attacked by the very devil…

“At the end of the book of Job, Job’s captivity is turned, and he receives double all that he lost. In similar way, the captivity of Israel will be turned around after the purging of the Tribulation, and will be restored to the position of blessing.”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the dialogue between God and Satan — Job 1:6–12 (Through it we can understand the meaning of Christ’s statement to Peter, that Satan desired to “sift [him] as wheat”. — Luke 22:31)