Chapter 8 Bildad
Despite Job’s pain and incredibly tough situation, Bildad is already tired of hearing him speak.
8:2—Wrap it up Job, seriously. Your words amount to nothing.
Probably not what Job expected Bildad to start off with. Bildad is already harsher than Eliphaz was.
8:4—Bildad implies Job’s children have sinned and have therefore been dealt with according to God’s justice.
***One aspect of Job’s grief over his children is that they are dead. Not only this, but they died while at a feast at their oldest brother’s house (1:18). We know from 1:5 how Job would carry out priestly duties after these feasts by offering animals for sacrifice for each of his children in case they had so much as a wrong thought toward God. Job couldn’t do this for the last feast since his children were all killed during it. Job would likely be in turmoil wondering if any of his children had sinned at that feast. Since he couldn’t consecrate them afterward like usual, he would have to worry about his children and wonder if they were holy during that last feast.***
8:5-6—If you would look for God and plead for mercy, THEN he would take care of you. Bildad is saying whatever Job has done wrong, he has rejected God.
8:7—Bildad offers some encouragement to Job by saying that the best hasn’t come and gone, but his later days will be better
8:8-9—Bildad defers to the wisdom of “bygone ages” to prove his point. He is using a generality which can’t easily be pinned down and is rather elusive. Bildad asserts that everyone present knows nothing compared to this older wisdom. This is kind of like when people refer to the “good ‘ol days”, which usually involves very filtered memories and skewed perspective on things rather than a clear picture of what actually happened.
8:10—Bildad asserts his opinion that Job is in the wrong but refers to old wisdom to clue Job in rather than what Bildad speaks of. ***This reminds me of when someone not very well versed in the bible tries to use it to make a point and says something like “It’s in the bible somewhere, I know it is”. ***
8:11-13—Bildad says the godless are like plants that wither before their time, much like it appears Job has.
8:14-18—The godless person is cut short, denied and forgotten. Nothing he does endures or works the way he wants it to
8:20-22—God will still help you, Job. He won’t reject a blameless man after all. With God, your life will come back together and your enemies will be shamed.
Chapter 9 Job
***Job agrees with the principles Bildad has stated although doesn’t think Bildad is declaring him to be one of those wicked people. Job can see the logic in what Bildad is saying, but does not consider himself to be in the wrong nor the ways of the wicked to describe him. Job knows he is blameless.***
9:3—No human could possibly have words to answer God.
God demonstrates his power over his creation. Verses 4-10 give examples of things God does which are beyond the ability of man to perform or understand. Nobody can oppose God and succeed.
***We usually attribute naming the constellations to the Greeks. They were not the first to do this. Some of these constellations Job names were listed in the story of Gilgamesh, which is said to be written around 2000 B.C.***
9:11—Job can see the workings of God’s power but is unable to perceive him and understand why he does the things he does.
9:12—God is not able to be questioned. When he acts, no one can change his mind.
9:14—What am I going to say to God? What words are there?
9:15—Even though I’m in the right, I have no answer for him. I must ask for mercy instead.
9:19—If it’s about God’s strength, no one can match him, he wins. He is just and can’t be summoned.
9:20—I’m afraid I would say something stupid even though I know I’m innocent. Compared to God I would be proven perverse.
***Job isn’t in the wrong in this situation. Probably since he remembers that he has sinned in his life can he say that God would prove him perverse even though he is innocent in this case.***
9:21—Look guys, I’m not just saying this because I think highly of myself. Seriously, my life is terrible now and I hate it.
9:22—Major turning point in this verse. Job believes God destroys people regardless of whether they are wicked or righteous. He believes God’s dealings with man to be arbitrary and out of the hands of the people involved. God is involved with his creation, but the people he made are basically along for the ride and helpless before him.
9:23-24—Not only does it seem that God allows disaster for the innocent, but he mocks at the people it happens to. Everything is reversed and messed up. The judges of the earth are blinded and unable to perform their tasks properly. It’s because God wanted it that way—he has blinded them.
9:27-28—There is no pretending things are okay. I am unable to do this because of my fear of my troubles.
9:29-31—If I’m condemned, why do I still have to wait around for my death and go through the motions of living? If I’m headed to death and the pit, what are you waiting for?
9:32-33—Job knows he and God aren’t equals. He has no hope of a fair hearing.
9:34—Please stop destroying me and let me not fear him.
9:35—I can only speak of God through a lens of fear.
***Some things make you cringe to say, DMV, Wal-Mart, the IRS, etc. Job can’t speak of God in a way that isn’t influenced by fear.***
Chapter 10 Job
Like any of us going through troubles, we can’t understand, Job wants to know why.
10:1-2—Job states what he would say to God. This is a change from 9:12 when Job said that God couldn’t be questioned. Perhaps knowing why would offer some small amount of comfort in his misery.
10:3—Does God oppress? Does he favor the wicked and their plans?
10:4-5—Is God’s perspective limited to what man’s perspective is? Can God see what’s going on as a person can? Is he involved with his creation more than just knowing what has happened?
10:6-7—Why are you coming after me when there is no one who can help me or defend against you?
10:8-11—Job describes how God made him and asks him not to forget about him.
10:12—Life is still considered a gift from God despite the pain Job is experiencing
10:13—You seem like you have forgotten that you made me. I know what you’re up to…
10:14-15—God is out to get me! Righteous or not, I’m his target.
10:16-17—As if this wasn’t bad enough, if I were prideful you would strike me again. As it is, you increase my troubles with these “friends” of mine who have come against me.
10:18-19—Why did you let me live?
10:20-22—If I can’t die, please leave me alone so I can have some peace and happiness before I do die. Once I’m gone, that’s it. This is my only chance to live and then it’s over.
Chapter 11 Zophar
Zophar is the most abrasive of Job’s friends. This is even more apparent after his 2nd speech.
11:2—Like I’m going to let all that speech of yours pass with no questions asked. There’s no way you can be holy after saying so much.
***Think how you feel hearing some politician give a winded answer that you know is full of lies or avoids the issue.***
11:3—I’m not going to sit here quietly because you’ve spoken. You mock and deserve to be ashamed.
11:4—You claim to be blameless
11:5-6—If God spoke to you he’d set you straight.
Zophar calls it the “secrets of wisdom”, implying God knows the answers and Job doesn’t (it’s true in this case).
In fact Job, you got off easy!! You deserve worse!
11:7-8—How can you possibly understand the wisdom of God?
***All of Job’s friends claim wisdom can’t be grasped but still insist on giving their opinions***
11:9—God’s wisdom is too vast to grasp
11:10—Who can stop God from carrying out justice? (After all, he carried out his justice against you, Job)
11:11—God only does this to worthless men
11:12—You’ll be smart when donkeys give birth to men as their children!!
***Zophar has used an expression similar to how people say “When pigs fly”***
11:13—The change begins with your heart, Job. You will reach for God
11:14—Separate yourself from your sin and remove injustice from your tents
11:15-19—When you are holy again you will have no reason to fear. You’ll have security, no more misery or even bad memories of it. You will be secure and feel secure. You won’t be afraid to lie down and people will be there for you again.
11:20—The wicked have no hope and simply want to die.
***Zophar ties what Job said in chapter 3 with advice on how the wicked think. (Breathe their last)***
