Bible Study: Job 6-9

I couldn’t stop thinking about Job yesterday and (since I’m a day late in publishing) into today. What an incredibly hard spot to be in! Poor Job is like the innocent pawn in a test/game between God and Satan. Honestly, here Job was – this kind, good, man who loved his God, family, and friends, and he gets caught in a game where Satan insists his loyalty isn’t out of love. Poor Job! His appeal directly to God (Job 7:12-21) is especially wrenching. It seems even in sleep he is being tormented (Job 7:13-14) “If I say, my bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint, then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.”  All this to allow Satan to try to prove a point…

I think of myself. If God took away my home, my family, my means of support, and my health…I don’t think I’d mentally make it. I know I would break. Job, himself, sounds like he’s close to breaking but he never ever once blames God!

He is double pained, again tonight, as his friends don’t fully believe him. His “friend” Bildad implores Job (in Job 8:1-22) to speak to God, and to “implore the compassion of the Almighty”, but Job responds that (in Job 9:1-35) that there’s no one to act as an arbitrator between him and God. He feels that, even if he should try (Job 9:14-15) “How then can I answer Him, and chose my words before Him? For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.” that he wouldn’t and couldn’t be able to because of the great suffering he is enduring (Job 9:17-18) “for He bruises me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause. He will not allow me to get my breath, but saturates me with bitterness.”. He then goes on and speaks to God directly, telling him that no matter how clean he becomes, that he feels God will not hear or respond favorably. What a hopeless feeling to have! 

…hoping to a positive outcome to this story.