Job 19:19-22
All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me.
I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home. (Mark 6:4) Job felt like a stranger to his friends and an alien to those whom he loved dearly. Job’s friend accused him of doing something wrong, despised him and were disgusted by him ,rather than consoled and encouraged during his time of grief and anguish. To add salt to injury, even his wife and children found him repulsive “ My breath is an offensive to my wife and I am repulsive to the children of my body.” And when he looked outside his home for help there was none.
Proverbs 12:25
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up
Job’s friend forsook him and questions his integrity with God. Eliphaz insinuated Job’s words saved others but the same words could not save him” Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees; but now it comes upon you and you are weary. It touches you and you are trouble. Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?
Proverbs 13:3
“He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his mouth have destruction”
Job expected his friends to empathized with him with compassion and mercy; when he said “have pity on me, have pity me, o you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! Yet, his friend believed Job was being punished for something he did wrong in the eyes of a just and righteous God; Job assumed he was persecuted by both God and his friends (Job 19:22,)
Jesus said: You could have no power at all against me unless it had been given you from above….(John 19:11) Job and his friends were not privy to the truth that God granted Satan permission to take all Job had except his life. “ And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:12
Job experienced of being alienated by those whom he loved is similar to what Christ experienced when He interacted with his own people, and the religious leaders. Many bared false witnesses against Him but their testimonies did not agree. The high priest asked Him, saying to Him “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the cloud of heaven. His disciples at the cross forsook Christ; Only 1 of the 12 disciples were present at His crucifixion.
Matthew 27:42
“He saved others, they said, but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross and we will believe him.
He was accused of blasphemy, spit on blindfold, beaten yet he was not angry but demonstrated the love of God in deed and in truth. Anxiety must have weighed His heart when He said, “Father why have you forsaken me, yet in His anguish He humbled himself, trusted God and submitted to Him.(Matthew 27:46)
May the Lord empower us to be friends that stick closer than a brother who are not quick to judge particularly on matters we do not fully understand but rather we should ask the Lord to give us utterance to speak a word in season to him who is weary. The actions of job friends should empower us to resist the temptation to judge and condemned others or blame God for things we do not fully comprehend. Rather, we should go boldly before the throne of grace to intercede for one another to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need and show compassion to the weary. Jesus said: Come to me you who are weary and heavy burden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.(Matthew 11:28)
Hebrews 5:15-16.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are –yet he did not sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 2:17
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus.
Pause & think?
What can we learn from Christ demonstration of compassion to others?
- Hebrews 5-15-16, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 8:6
- How can we show compassion to the hurting or persecuted?
- What was each of Job ‘s friends narrative on his experience? (Job 4, 8,11,1518,20,22,25,32-36)
- How does Job respond to his affliction enhance our understanding of God and God’s relationship to man? (Job 19, 22:3-4, 38, 42)
Job 19: 23-37
Oh that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead forever! But I know my redeemer lives and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Job had unwavering faith and trust in God as a shield who would redeem and save him from whatever life throws at him. ( Isaiah 44-6-8,43:1-3) In confidence, he poured out his heart to God and asked Him to captured and stored his words permanently on a book, rock, or lead forever to vindicate him from all the false accusation and condemnation that was cast on him. “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity and I have trusted in you without wavering”. Psalms 26:1. He wanted a permanent record that would captured his vindication and faith in God and the Lord granted Job desires as written in scripture for all generation. (Job 19:23-24)
Job in faith proclaimed, “I know my redeemer lives”, because he serve a God who has a history of protecting, rescuing and saving those who put their trust in Him time and again. “Behold, the eyes of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. He will redeem his soul from going down to the pit and his life shall see the light of light. (Psalms 33:18-19,Job 33-28-30)
Job believed to be absence from the body is to be present with Lord; therefore, he would see God in the flesh, foreshadowing the first born among the brethren, the first fruit among those who have fallen asleep, Christ, who redeem us from sin, the curse of the law and death. Jesus said: I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And He who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
1 Corinthians 15:20-13
But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Since by man came death, by man also came resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his order, Christ the first fruits, afterward, those who are Christ at His coming.
Galatians 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
John 5:24
I tell you the truth; whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, he has crossed over from death to life.
Job knew that he would not return the dust from which he was made; he believed he would see God in the flesh, in his spiritual body foreshadowing the image of the last Adam. ‘The first Adam was made of dust; the second Adam the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as the heavenly man so also are those who are heavenly. As we born the image of dust, we shall also bore the image of the heavenly man. (1 Corinthians 15: 46-19). Even after his skin became dust, Job believed his corruptible would put on incorruptible and his mortal would put on immortal then it shall be brought to pass the saying that is written
” Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15: 53-54.)
Job was fully convinced that he would see God with his eyes and behold the beauty of the Lord in the splendor of His holiness as he yearns to be one with him. Jesus said: Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me; for you love me before the foundation of the world. And then again He said: that all of them may be one , Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.May they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ( John 17)
Pause &Think
- How does the promise of a future resurrection reinforce your belief in Christ?
- What happens to our bodies when we die? 1 Corinthians 15:35-57
- What is the significance of the phrase my redeemer lives? (Job 6:23, Luke 24:5-6)
Job 19:28-29
If you should say, “How shall we persecute him? Since the root of the matter is found in me, be afraid of the word for yourselves; for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.
Job warned his friends that they would face God’s judgment, for our Father is impartial and He judges everyone according to his or her work. He warned them to be afraid of the sword, which is the word of God. The friend who accused against Job would be judged by the same measure they judged him, out of their own mouth they would be judged. Job suffered because he was righteous not because he sin. The good news is in Christ, we are the righteousness of God, for all righteousness has been fulfilled in Him. Jesus said: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use it will be measured back to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother ‘s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eyes. Instead of focusing on the wrong, treat other, as you would have them treat you.Do you not still understand, when you judge others, you are not keeping truth rather you are condemning yourself, because you are passing judgment on yourself. We should carry each other burden to fulfill the law of Christ and walk in love to obey His commandment- love one another as I have loved you.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good of bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10.
Jesus said: Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Acts of Faith
- Show compassion and empathy with others;
- Do not be quick to judge, hold each other accountable
- Remember the works of the Lord, mediate on His deeds and seek His will
- In prayer, seek the Lord with all your heart; ask him difficult questions and listen with a teachable spirit.