Looking for Job

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

165) Looking for Job


Job 17

My days are FINISHED;

My plans, the desires of my heart, have been SHATTERED.


- We see a combative Job!


- But he has no more hope!


- But everything he has in mind has collapsed!


- Because he can’t find comfort in God’s relationship!


- Because he can’t communicate with him anymore!


- Because of the devil!


- Let no one prevent us from depriving us of our relationship with God!


- And above all, ourselves!


- We are the only ones who can help us build it up!


- And we must keep doing it whatever may happen!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

166) Looking for Job


Job 17

They keep turning night into day,

Saying, “Light must be near because it is dark.”

If I wait, the Grave will become my home;

I will spread out my bed in darkness.


- NIGHT!


- DARK!


- GRAVE!


- DARKNESS!


- Well, these four words are clear!


- I hope that you will never have these four words in tyour mind at the same time!


- Because then it is really dark inside!


- Even if everything is dark inside, we need light and it can only come from our relationship with God!


- BUT AT THIS MOMENT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR JOB!


- BUT THAT’S THE ONLY WAY HE Knows!


- SO WHAT CAN HE DO?

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

167) Looking for Job


Job 17

I will call out to the pit, “You are my father!”

To the maggot, “My mother and my sister!”


- Do you hear Job’s words?


- He can’t communicate with God!


- He doesn’t know why!


- God is the only reference he has!


- God is his only hope!


- God is his only lamp in the darkness!


- And even in the pit, he will call out saying: “You are my father!”


- Do you really understand the type of relationship Job has with God?


- It is an INDESTRUCTIBLE ONE!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


168) Looking for Job


Job 17

Where, then, is my hope?

It will go down to the barred gates of the

Grave

When we all descend together into the dust


- NO HOPE!


- JUST BARRED GATES!


- WE ALL DESCEND TOGETHER INTO THE DUST!


- And Job will keep calling for God!


- is that a small light in the darkness of pain and sufferance?


- Or a big one?

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


169) Looking for Job


Job 19

Job says in reply:

“How long will you keep irritating my soul,

Crushing me with words?

These ten times you have rebuked me;

You are not ashamed to deal harshly with

me.


- It is incredible!


- Each time his opponents want to strike Job it only makes him more combative!


- Think about:


- “IRRITATING MY SOUL”!


- “CRUSHING ME WITH WORDS?”


- “TEN TIMES YOU HAVE REBUKED ME”


- “YOU ARE NOT ASHAMED TO DEAL HARSHLY WITH ME”!


- We definitely know what they are doing against Job!


- It is not possible to think the contrary!


- We just need to hear Job’s own words!


- And what WORDS!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


170) Looking for Job


Job 19

And if indeed I made a mistake,

My error remains with me.

If you insist on exalting yourselves over me,

Claiming that the reproach against me is

justified,

Know, then, that it is God who has misled me,

And he has caught me in his hunting net.


- “If you insist on exalting yourselves over me”!


- Is that not EMPTY WORDS!


- It reminds me of the religious leaders!


- But if you don’t give PROPER ARGUMENTS, it is just EMPTY WORDS!


- Job is clear about that!


- They can’t expect him to let them say EMPTY WORDS without fighting back!


- It’s the same for us: we can’ let people say EMPTY WORDS without fighting back!


- And he knows he has been misled not by God but by the devil who has caught him in his hunting net!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


171) Looking for Job


Job 19

look! I keep crying out, “Violence! But I get no answer;

I keep crying for help, but there is no justice.


- And Job is used to God answering him!


- So he keeps crying!


- And he will keep crying!


- And yes, for him there is no justice!


- And there will be no justice before God answers him!


- Because that’s the only way he knows!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


172) Looking for Job


Job 19

My path he has blocked with a stone wall, and I

cannot pass by;

He has covered my roadways with darkness.


- Yes, the devil is blocking him with a stone wall!


- Yes, the devil is covering his roadways with darkness!


- And more than that!


- Because there is no one like him on earth!


- And think of each attack by the devil!


- And Job keeps faithful!


- And the more he attacks him, the more Job resists and keeps faithful!


- What A SMACK in the devil’s face!


- Job is proving he is A LIAR!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

173) Looking for Job


Job 19

He has stripped me of my glory

And removed the crown from my head.


- Yes, Job is proud of who he was before!


- When he used to help people!


- Or give them advice!


- And thinking of his past life may help him to rejoice a bit in his misfortune!


- And encourage him to keep fighting!


- And yes, he won’t forget!


- He will always remember!


- WHATEVER MAY HAPPENS!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


174) Looking for Job


Job 19

He breaks me down on all sides until I perish;

My hope he uproots like a tree.

His anger burns against me,

And he views me as his enemy.


- Oh yes, that's what the devil thinks!


- And he is in RAGE!


- How is it possible that a MERE MAN can resist him?


- And he strikes him with all the arms he has!


- So think about it!


- it is not a small business!


- Because all the angels are watching!


- And the devil is showing himself RIDICULOUS§


- He is against a mere man!


- He must be kidding!


- But he is not, that’s the problem for him!


- Because all the angels are watching!


- And there are NUMEROUS!


- WHAT A SHAME FOR HIM!


- And shame is far away from what he really feels!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


175) Looking for Job


Job 19

His troops come together and besiege me,

And they camp around my tent.

My own brothers he has driven far away from

me,

And those who know me have turned away

from me.

My close companions are gone,

And those whom I knew well have forgotten

me.

Guests in my house and my slave girls consider

me a stranger;

I am a foreigner in their eyes.

I call for my servant, but he does not respond;

With my mouth I beg him for compassion.

My very breath has become loathsome to mu

wife,

And I am a stench to my own brothers.

Even young children despise me;

When I rise up, they begin jeering at me.

All my close friends detest me,

And those whom I loved have turned against

me.

My bones stick to my skin and my flesh,

And I escape with the skin of my teeth.


- Is it possible to be more VICIOUS!


- The devil has been closing all the doors, one after one!


- Enjoying himself when closing each one!


- Enjoying each blow!


- And leaving some hope to Job before taking it away!


- And repeating the action again and again!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

176) Looking for Job


Job 19

Show me mercy, my companions, show me

mercy,

For God’s own hand has touched me.

Why do you keep persecuting me as

God does,

Attacking me without letup?


- Why are they acting as if they were his enemies?


- They were supposed to help him!


- If they are sent by the devil, everything is clear!


- Because he uses all the weapons he can to destroy Job!


- Because he is insidious!


- They act as the devil does!


- His word is clear: they persecute him!


- And no letup!


- Definitely his enemies!


- When you are a friend, you help your friend!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

177) Looking for Job


Job 19

If only my words were written down,

If only they could be inscribed in a book!

O that they were carved forever in the rock,

With an iron stylus and lead!

For I well know that my redeemer is alive;

He will come later and rise up over the earth.

After my skin has thus been destroyed,

While yet in my flesh, I will see God,

Whom I will see for myself,

Whom my own eyes will see, not someone else’s.

But deep inside I feel overwhelmed!

For you say, ‘In what way are we persecuting him?’

Since the root of the problem is with me.

Be in fear of the sword yourselves,

For the sword brings punishment against errors;

You should know that there is a judge.”


- Job keeps thinking that sooner or later he will see God!


- And he warns the three individuals!


- Because he knows they act badly against him!


- How right he is!


- They are judged!


- And they are condemned by God!


- Job is sure that God will prove him right!


- and he will put them into his hands!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


178) Looking for Job


Job 21

Job said in reply:

“Listen carefully to what I say;

Let this be the consolation you give me.

Bear with me while I speak;

After I speak, you may then mock me.


- Job uses the word carefully!


- It means they should listen to him!


- It means they are wrong!


- He also uses the word consolation!


- It means that he doesn’t want anything from them!

- He knows they are not here to help him!


- He knows they are not his friends!


- Your words tell who you are!


- He can only count on him!


- And he will keep fighting!


- They can mock him!


- He doesn’t care!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!

179) Looking for Job


Job 21


Is my complaint directed toward a man?

If it were, would I not lose patience?

Look at me and stare in amazement;

Put your hand over your mouth.

When I think about it, I am disturbed,

And my whole body shudders.


- Job keeps complaining toward God!


- He is his only reference!


- There is nobody else who matters for Job!


- And he will not stop!


- Because he is used to communicating to God!


- And he will keep expressing his pain and sufferance!


- He has not changed his mind!


- His partner is God and nobody else!

 

[JLG]

There are two parts in the Bible: if you miss one, you can forget the rest!


180) Looking for Job


Job 21

Why do the wicked live on,

Grow old, and become wealthy?

Their children are always in their presence,

And they get to see their descendants.

Their houses are secure, they are free from fear

And God does not punish them with his rod.

Their bulls breed without failure;

Their cows give birth and do not miscarry.

Their boys run outside just like a flock,

And their children skip about.

They sing accompanied by tambourine and harp

And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

They spend their days in contentment

And go down peacefully to the Grave.

But they say to the true God, ‘Leave us alone!

We have no desire to know your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

What would we gain by being acquainted with him?’


- Job suffers and feels bad!


- This enhances that the bad ones enjoy life!


- For him, life is not fair!


- when he had a good life he could have said the contrary!


- We are influenced by our own living conditions!


- We know that in this world life is not always fair!


- We also know that anything can happen!


- We must always be ready to fight!

 

[JLG]

181) Looking for Job

Job 21

But I know that they do not control their own prosperity.

The thinking of the wicked is far from me.

How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished?

How often does disaster come upon them?

How often does God deal out destruction to them in his anger?

Do they ever become like straw before the wind

And like chaff that a storm wind carries away?

- We see many questions from Job!


- He is perplexed!


- He is lost because of his personal situation!


- He had a normal life!


- And now everything is upside down and he doesn’t know why!


- Who wouldn’t feel the same in such a situation!


- Especially when you feel alone!

 

[JLG]

182) Looking for Job

Job 21

God will store up a man’s punishment for his own sons.

But may God repay him so that he will know it.

May his own eyes see his ruin,

And may he be the one to drink from the rage of the Almighty.

For what does he care about what happens to his house after him

If the number of his months is cut short?


- Job expresses his incertitudes!


- But once again it tells about his own feelings!


- About his stress!


- As he can’t communicate anymore to God, that’s how he expresses himself!


- But he tells how much he needs such communication!


- That’s why it is unbearable!


- It is like breathing and eating and drinking and sleeping!


- When you have a routine, it is difficult not to have it!


- And for Job, his relationship is like a routine!


- But a positive one!


- Something which makes you stronger each day!

 

[JLG]

183) Looking for Job

Job 21

Can anyone teach knowledge to God,

When He is the one who judges even the highest ones?

One man dies in his full vigor

When he is completely carefree and at ease,

When his thighs are padded with fat

And his bones are strong.

But another man dies deeply distressed,

Never having tasted good things.

Together they will lie down in the dust,

And maggots will cover both of them.


- A man can have a good or bad life!


- But for Job one thing is clear!


- When a man dies, his end will be the same: dust and maggots!


- Before, he was looking for death!


- Because for him it was a relief!

- But now he doesn’t say that anymore!


- Only that death is the same for all people that is the void!

 

[JLG]

184) Looking for Job

Job 21


Look! I know exactly what you are thinking

And the schemes you devise to wrong me.

For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prominent man,

And where is the tent in which the wicked one lived?’

Have you not questioned travelers?

Do you not carefully study their observations,

That an evil person is spared on the day of disaster

And rescued on the day of fury?

Who will confront him about his way,

And who will repay him for what he has done?

When he is carried to the graveyard,

A vigil will be kept over his tomb.

The clods of earth of the valley will be sweet to him,

And all mankind follows after him

Like the countless number before him.

So why offer me meaningless comfort?

There is nothing but deceit in your answers!”


- According to Job’s experience, the wicked one thrives !


- Thus the men who are speaking to him are wrong !


- They are not helpful at all !


- Thus they should keep silent !


- But sometimes someone’s presence is better than words !


- Dogs don’t speak but their presence can do a lot !


- But empty words don’t bring comfort !