seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Job 12:1 Then Job replied:
2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
4 “I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
though I called on God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,
and those who provoke God are secure—
those God has in his hand.[a]
though I called on God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,
and those who provoke God are secure—
those God has in his hand.[a]
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?
Does not long life bring understanding?
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?
Does not long life bring understanding?
13 “To God belong wisdom and power;
counsel and understanding are his.
14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
those he imprisons cannot be released.
15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
16 To him belong strength and insight;
both deceived and deceiver are his.
17 He leads rulers away stripped
and makes fools of judges.
18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings
and ties a loincloth*b( around their waist.
19 He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows officials long established.
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.
21 He pours contempt on nobles
and disarms the mighty.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness
and brings utter darkness into the light.
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They grope in darkness with no light;
he makes them stagger like drunkards.
counsel and understanding are his.
14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
those he imprisons cannot be released.
15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
16 To him belong strength and insight;
both deceived and deceiver are his.
17 He leads rulers away stripped
and makes fools of judges.
18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings
and ties a loincloth*b( around their waist.
19 He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows officials long established.
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.
21 He pours contempt on nobles
and disarms the mighty.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness
and brings utter darkness into the light.
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They grope in darkness with no light;
he makes them stagger like drunkards.
a. Job 12:6 Or those whose god is in their own hand
b. Job 12:18 Or shackles of kings / and ties a belt
Sometimes the simplest expressions take a million words to get across. God is too great to be doing all this to Job.... Job keeps telling everyone... the whole series of events just doesn't make sense. God has more to worry about than little Job. Job has no idea that God was bragging on Job and that's what satan used to ply his way into the bet with God over Job's worthiness...... now Job is in pain.... but for some reason he keeps bragging on God, too.
This is from the enduringword.com site.
I have understanding as well as you… Indeed, who does not know such things as these: In rebuke to Zophar and his friends, Job made two points. First, that he also was a man of understanding. Second, that the theological principles presented by Zophar and the others were really widely known.
“All your boasted wisdom consists only in strings of proverbs which are in every person’s mouth, and are no proof of wisdom and experience in them that use them.” (Clarke)
In response, Job will speak plainly about the wisdom and greatness of God. “I would we had another Job, to chastise the high-sounding language of modern theologians. There are starting up in our midst men, who if they are not heretics in doctrine, are aliens in speech.” (Spurgeon)
Those who provoke God are secure: Now, it seemed to Job that his life and prior understanding was upside-down. Before, everything seemed to make sense – the righteous seemed to be blessed and the wicked seemed to be afflicted. Now, it is all different.
Job did not give up on God, but he had to give up on his prior understanding of God. “Job’s creed has crumbled into ruins, ‘therefore’, he says, ‘I leave my creed, but I deny that I have left God.’” (Chambers)
This is from the easy English site.
In chapter 4, Eliphaz told a story about a spirit. And he explained that nobody is perfect. In chapter 8, Bildad preferred traditional ideas. He explained that God only punishes evil people. In chapter 11, Zophar chose to speak about secret wisdom. He thought that Job deserved an even worse punishment for his evil deeds,
All Job’s friends agree that God would not punish a good man. So when they saw Job’s troubles, they accused Job. They did not realise that Job was a good man. They did not know that God was proud of Job. And they did not understand that the devil caused Job’s troubles.
Zophar said that he knew some secrets about wisdom. But Job did not agree. He thought that Zophar’s advice was too simple. Job even said that everybody knows such things. Anybody can say that God is kind. Or, that God is great. But such words did not help to explain Job’s problem. Job had terrible troubles, and his friends were not helping him.
People often say stupid things to someone who is suffering. Perhaps they do not try to understand the problem. Or perhaps they talk too much. Sometimes it is better just to listen. Often our prayers achieve more than our advice. Sympathy is better than arguments. We should aim for an attitude of quiet friendship with someone who suffers.
Job’s friends did not think that Job was trusting God. But Job’s words show his confidence in God.
My neighbor's husband just passed away. He was very ill for a very long time. I took a couple meals over while he was in home hospice. I saw her once on the bench, once by the pool, and once by the mailbox.....recently. I gave her a painted rock with a scripture verse on it..... when she was on the bench. I talked to her just about inconsequential stuff when I saw her at the pool. At the mailbox, I asked her how her husband was doing..... she told me he wasn't eating and it wouldn't be much longer...... and I asked if she could use a hug..... I gave her a big strong hug.....
I started to go by yesterday.... to find out what I could do for her and her family..... maybe cook or straighten up..... but I've only spoken with the woman three times..... and I haven't figured out if I'm going to make her feel better or myself..... I really don't know her.... am I offering to put a plume in my own bonnet?
Job's friends stopped by to find out what they could do for their "friend". They sat with him for seven days..... while he sat in ashes and scraped pussy boils off his skin and complained about how he didn't deserve this. There wasn't a lot of "the devil made me do it" stuff back in Job's day. There was the right way and there was the wrong way.
Job followed the instructions laid down by God through Moses. Job even sacrificed an animal "in case he forgot he sinned or didn't know he sinned". Sounds odd but Job even sacrificed an animal for the "unknown sin"..... the sin he didn't know he committed.... Job liked God and wanted to please Him. Job had prayed that God keep His protective hand over Job's children..... and something terrible happened..... God lifted His protective hand..... Job did not understand why..... his friends all insist that Job must have overlooked something or Job might have a hidden sin.....
It's as if Job constructed his life using the instructions in the box and when it was all assembled.... it didn't work. It didn't make sense.
Still Job says.... "God is great.... He controls kings and nations.... everything and everyone answers to Him.....and I'm sure He's got better things to do than bother with me!"
