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Job

CHAPTER 12

12:1 And Job answered and said, 2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. 3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? 4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. 6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

Zophar has just called Job a liar (11:3), and Job quips that Zophar really must have all wisdom. Then he states that nothing Zophar has said is unknown to him (vs 3).
It is easy for someone who is well and happy to have all the answers for someone who is suffering. Compassion is certainly a better tact in friendship than abrasiveness.
Job goes on and says that he doesn't understand why the wicked prosper and he is left desolate and ill.
There's an old song that is very appropriate here.
"Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder,
"why it should be thus all the day long,
While there are others living around us,
never molested, though in the wrong.
Farther along we'll know more about it;
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine;
We'll understand it all by and by."

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. 11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? 12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17 He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. 18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. 19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. 20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. 21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. 22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. 23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. 24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. 25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Job says, "Just look around you, and you can see that God is SOVEREIGN."
God, Who has CREATED all things, and is the "Ancient of Days," is certainly full of true wisdom (verse 12-13)).
And it is GOD Who is in control of all circumstances (verse 14), not man! Man cannot control the circumstances in which he lives. Yes. Our actions do have much bearing; but ultimately it is GOD Who controls how we live. And that is the subject of the next eleven verses.
It is God Who decides where the floods go (vs 15).
It is God Who decides whether the wise lose wisdom (vs 16).
It is God Who decides which kings rule and which are put under bondage (vs 18).
Indeed all mankind "grope(s) in the night" when we are without God (vs 25).

CHAPTER 13

1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Job is quite familiar with all the variant theories of reasoning concerning retributive suffering. All that Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar have said, Job has known.
But he also knows that suffering cannot be directly traced to sin in a person's life (Chap. 12, vs 4).
Therefore, Job would desire to speak directly to God, Who is totally sovereign over all His creation (vs 3).
These friends have not been defending God, they have been defending their own VIEW of God. Since they have been more interested in being right in their own views, they have purported LIES (vs 4). And they have ministered to Job without help.
Job says it would be wise for them to keep quiet (vs 5).

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. 13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

God is "no Respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). And if a person bases theological reasoning giving respect to persons, then he is speaking of God "wickedly" (verse 7).
Good and bad come to the upright and the evil, anyone can see that. Therefore, the reasoning of Job's friends has been based not on an omnipotent, omniscient, sovereign God, but upon their own "life-experiences." And that type reasoning is only "clay and ashes" (vs 12).
Job has said that he wants to take his plea directly to God (vs 3). Now he pleads with his friends that they shall allow him to do just that (vs 13). And if God reprove him for asking "WHY?", then so be it.

14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

Going directly to God in prayer is to put one's life in his words. For when we come to God, He sees the depths of our hearts and knows whether what we say matches who we really are!
Job contends that this is the ONLY proper perspective! Even if God were to slay him, Job would still TRUST God for deliverance (vs 15).
Job contends that when a believer is TRYING to please God, then he can only TRUST God for deliverance (vs 15-16).

17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

Job calls upon his "friends" to witness his prayer to God (vs 17).
Then he pleads with God to show him WHY he is suffering. If God were to attribute it to sin in his life, then he would die willingly (vs 19).
Job knows that he is a sinner, but he has diligently sought God's forgiveness and believes completely that God Himself will justify him (vs 18).
Friends, all our good deeds and works will not justify us for even ONE sin! For ALL our works of righteousness are as FILTHY RAGS before God (Isaiah 64:6).
The only justification a man can have before God is if GOD HIMSELF justifies the man through faith.

20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. 21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

Job makes two requests before God as he enters his plea once more. First, he asks that God not led the "dread" of God overcome his faith to come "boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
When we pray, we enter the presence of ALmighty God, Who is a "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). If God did not, by grace, hold back his anger for our sin, we could never come before Him!
Secondly, Job requests that either God "call" to him , or that God allow him to speak freely.
In all his life, Job has talked with God in prayer. He has always received answer before; but now God has been SILENT concerning this suffering. Even though he realizes the Awesome God "with Whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:13), Job is not used to God not answering his prayers.
Job is requesting that God give him grace and provide an answer.

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? 25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. 27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. 28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

It is painful to Job to not hear from God (vs 24). His greatest difficulty at the moment is the silence of God. This weighs more heavily than the suffering.
Have you ever had a period of time in your life when God was SILENT? Has there ever been a time in your life when you thought your prayers weren't getting through the ceiling? There have been several times in my life that were like that. And it is indeed a very perplexing thing.
The first time I prayed about going to the Philippines on mission with my fellow pastor and friend Bro. Shane Duke, I received NO ANSWER. God NEVER did give the "go" signal.
The only thing I could do was to TRUST that His Word was true for me, and specifically in that instance. God has specifically given us instruction to go and tell ALL people. God had given me the ability physically and monetarily. Therefore, I could only TRUST that it was His will.
While in the Philippines on that trip of trust, I heard from God like I never had before! My heart was broken for the millions of people dying without Christ. God was saying to me that as long as He gave me breath and support, I should indeed GO!
Yes. There are times when God seems to be silent. But, those are times when God wants us to TRUST Him!
Those times are indeed "bitter" (vs 26); but the result of TRUST is the JOY of God's GOODNESS!

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