Job Chapter 10

[JLG]

What does Job believe about God's intentions towards him? Is God pursuing or rehabilitating him? Contrast with what Eliphaz and Bildad believe about how God looks upon the upright.

Job will keep complaining whatever happens. He wants God to answer him. God knows he is not guilty. He thinks God is going to destroy him. But he used to care about him. But God keeps striking him. Everything is getting worse and worse for him. So according to Eliphaz and Bildad he is guilty because God doesn’t act that way with the upright but look with favor at them.

 

[JLG]

Do you detect a change in tone between Eliphaz' first (chapter 4-5) and second (chapter 15) speeches?

In chapter 4 and 5 Eliphaz accuses Job and says that God helps the right one but condems the bad one. In chapter 15 he says Job uses empty words and he violently attacks him. It is a personal fight.

 

[JLG]

Chapters 29 and 30 contrast not just Job's prior happiness and present suffering, but more specifically the honor he once enjoyed and the contempt he now has to put up with. Does this radical change in social standing give us a clue as to what Job wants from God, and why?

Job was and is still a good man helping people. Nobody can take this from him. It doesn’t matter what his companions say about him. The two are connected. But above all Job has a deep connection with God and he doesn’t want to lose it. It is the most important thing to him. We must not forget it. Otherwise we won’t understand Job. There is no better example of faithfulness. That’s also what God says when he speaks about his servant God at the beginning and at the end of the book. It is an example we must not forget if we want to please God and do his will and not ours.

 

[JLG]

God passes from ordinary animals (chapter 38 and 39) to terrifying ones (chapters 40 and 41). Why this escalation?

He controls everything and knows everything. He is aware of everything.

 

[JLG]

God has permitted Satan certain freedoms. He is called the prince of this world (John 14:30) and the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Eph. 2:2). Satan can sometimes use the forces of nature, sickness, plagues and wicked people. Though God dealt a fatal blow to Satan through Jesus’ death and resurrection, Satan continues to struggle against God, and will do so until the end (Romans 16:20).

Another good reason to stay faithful!

 

[JLG]

https://www.olivetree.com/blog/big-questions-from-the-book-of-job/

 

[JLG]

https://www.kevinathompson.com/37-questions-answers-book-job/

5. Should we be scared of God?

No and yes. No if you are a follower of Jesus. If you have experienced the forgiveness of God as found in Christ, there is no need to be afraid of God. His love has been proven and we can trust him. However, if we have rejected Jesus, we should be afraid of God because a day will come in which we as imperfect people will stand and be judged in the presence of a holy God. That will be a scary experience.

Yes, the more we learn about God the more we get closer and the more we try to do his will and the more being scared of god is a nonsense.

 

[JLG]

How would it be possible to be scared of a loving father ?

 

[JLG]

How do you start putting your life back together after it has fallen apart?

There are no pat answers, but I would start here: 1) Recognize your need for God. Everything begins with poverty of spirit. This should result in humility which 2) gives you the courage to ask for help. We can’t handle life on our own and we shouldn’t try. With the help of others, 3) make wise choices. Whether your life has fallen apart because of your choices or the choices of another, we need to choose wisely in every situation. This can only happen as we seek God.

I like « humility » and « ask for help »and « the help of others » and « make wise choices » and « seek God » ! In any case time is necessary to heal wounds !

 

[JLG]

When God uses suffering to get someone’s attention yet they refuse to do so, does God continue to allow them to suffer or does he bring more suffering until they repent?

I don’t know. I assume sometimes he allows suffering to continue, sometimes it gets worst, and sometimes the suffering is removed.

Well, in the Bible we have the examples of the Israelites : they made a covenant with him and they turned their back on him all the time and most of the time he was patient depending on what they did or not but he struck them again and again till he completely abandoned them

 

[JLG]

2.) In the midst of suffering, we must never lose our hope in God.

One of the greatest statements of faith in all of scripture is found right in the middle of Job chapter 13. Job says: “Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” No one and nothing can steal your joy or your peace when your hope is in God. Never lose your hope in God!

We must never forget that God is the creator of everything, he is the one who knows everything and he wants us to decide freely if we are willing to serve him and inherit everlasting life ! Adam and Eve decided the other way ! It’s a free choice and we just have to think about today’s situation of the world to realize that God is our only hope !

 

[JLG]

Comfort for Those Who Hurt
2 # Short Commentary and Lesson from Job 2.11-13

When a friend is suffering or a family is grieving, we rarely know what to say. The sincere words of compassion we use can sound hollow and meaningless. Job's three friends heard of his suffering and came to visit, and they did a remarkable thing. Rather than filling the air with small talk and idle chatter, they sat with Job in silence. For an entire week, they remained by his side in support of their friend.

We can learn an important lesson from this. Job's friends brought comfort... until they opened their mouths (Job 4)

Yes, sometimes it is better to keep silent and be present to help in whatever may be helpful ! Thus, we may get accustomed to the atmosphere ! We need to understand the situation ! We need to breathe it, to feel it, to do like animals when there are in nature ! We must listen to the situation and observe ! It is better to act than say empty words !

 

[JLG]

The Silence of God
13 # Short Commentary and Lesson from Job 26.14

"Why doesn't God speak to us anymore?" is a question that had plagued many of us. What we need to realize is that his words are written upon the pages of his creation, and his syllables are spoken by ten thousand voices. it is our ears that are deaf and do not listen to his sweet voice. It is our eyes that are blind to the words written in the sky. It is the heart of humanity that is dull and sluggish in the presence of the living God.

We must stop to peel the scales from our eyes and remove the plugs from our ears in order to train our hearts to hear the whisper of God's voice. Then we can truly begin to seek the face of God and hear his voice.

And we must listen to him by reading his word but not only reading, by getting deep into it, we must dig and dig and we must keep doing it and pray like we eat and drink and sleep, we can do it whenever we want and open our heart! And we must live according to his principles! We can’t expect him to listen to us if we behave stupidly or without taking into account his advice!

 

[JLG]

https://www.livingfreeindeed.com/2019/05/30/5-striking-lessons-from-the-book-of-job/

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” -C.S. Lewis

In fact, we have four megaphones which are the Gospels and they tell us about Jesus and his life and what he had to get through before dying! He suffered a lot for us! And we have a perfect example of faithfulness to God and of endurance and of suffering!

 

[JLG]

6. Repent When You Sin

Do we have in mind what Job used to do for his sons ? He used to offer sacrifices for his sons fearing they may sin in their hearts ! That’s why we need to pray God to communicate with him as regularly as possible to express our deepest feelings and speak with him about what we do good and bad and tell him about everything !

 

[JLG]

but it is not easy to discern what God means to teach his people through this difficult book.

« I don’t see the Book of Job as a difficult book ! On the contrary it tells us about a normal man even if there was no one like him on earth ! I mean a normal man who suffers and wants to express what he feels ! It seems to be so healthy and natural ! Or maybe not in this modern world where people use cell phones to communicate and find difficult to communicate directly trying to listen carefully ! Or maybe it is necessary to read it many times and think about it carefully again and again ! »

 

[JLG]

Looking for Job

- SO LET’S REPEAT AFTER GOD: THERE IS NO ONE LIKE HIM ON EARTH!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Job

Job7:
Like a slave, he longs for the shadow,
And like a hired worker, he waits for his
wages.

- Here we are: “like a slave”!

- Yes, a negative vision connected to a negative state of mind!

- In this case, your world is closed and it is really hard to get in!

- Definitely not by discouraging the person but by encouraging him or her!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Job

Job 9:
If someone wishes to argue with Him,
That one could not answer one of His
questions in a thousand.

- Simple but balanced!

- And Job knows God personally!

- The creature in front of his creator!

- And a really good one in the case of Job!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Job

Job 9:
How much more when I answer him
Must I choose my words carefully to argue
with him!

- This verse is incredible: it tells a lot about Job’s relationship with God!

- You can be close to someone but yet show respect and here Job says “choose my words carefully to argue with him”!

- I don’t remember something so deep!