Job 2:11-13
11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great
Job Speaks
3 After
this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 He
said:
and the
night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
4 That day—may it turn to
darkness;
may God
above not care about it;
may no
light shine on it.
5 May gloom and utter
darkness claim it once more;
may a
cloud settle over it;
may
blackness overwhelm it.
6 That night—may thick
darkness seize it;
may it
not be included among the days of the year
nor be
entered in any of the months.
7 May that night be barren;
may no
shout of joy be
heard in it.
8 May those who curse days[a] curse that day,
those
who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9 May its morning stars
become dark;
may it
wait for daylight in vain
and not
see the first rays of dawn,
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb
on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
and die as I came from the womb?
12 Why were there knees to
receive me
and breasts
that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying
down in peace;
I would
be asleep and at rest
14 with kings and rulers of
the earth,
who
built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
15 with princes who had gold,
who
filled their houses with silver.
16 Or
why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,
like
an infant who never saw the light of day?
17 There the wicked cease
from turmoil,
and
there the weary are at rest.
18 Captives also enjoy their ease;
they no
longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
19 The small and the great
are there,
and the
slaves are freed from their owners.
and
life to the bitter of soul,
21 to those who long for
death that does not come,
who
search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22 who are filled with
gladness
and
rejoice when they reach the grave?
23 Why is life given to a man
whose way
is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?
24 For sighing has become my daily food;
my
groans pour out like water.
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me.
26 I have no peace, no quietness;
I have
no rest, but only turmoil.”
12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven.
Job's friends yelled wept tore their clothes and sprinkled dust on their heads and shared silence with Job for 7 days. Have you mourned with your friend? Have you wept and sat in silence with a dear friend. There is no better way to help a friend then to come without words sharing in sadness.
I imagined that the world has gone about their work. Nothing stops. While Job lay on the ground weeping everyone else went about their busy lives. Sadness cannot move, it is numb. Job's body would have had to completely shut down and stop to grieve. The three friends stopped with Job. They cried with Job. No words can ever make pain go away. Nothing said or done could ever help to sooth a numb body and soul. Have you cried with a friend and sat with them in silence?
In verse 12 we read that Job's Friends did not recognize him. This has reminded of Isaiah 52:13-15 describing the suffering of Christ. The appearance of Christ was disfigured that beyond that of any human.
and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
4 That day—may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine on it.
5 May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm it.
6 That night—may thick darkness seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months.
7 May that night be barren;
may no shout of joy be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days[a] curse that day,
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9 May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn,
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
and die as I came from the womb?
12 Why were there knees to receive me
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest
14 with kings and rulers of the earth,
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
15 with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,
like an infant who never saw the light of day?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 Captives also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
19 The small and the great are there,
and the slaves are freed from their owners.
and life to the bitter of soul,
21 to those who long for death that does not come,
who search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22 who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave?
23 Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?
24 For sighing has become my daily food;
my groans pour out like water.
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me.
26 I have no peace, no quietness;
I have no rest, but only turmoil.”
The Suffering and Glory of the Servant
13 See, my servant will act wisely[b];
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him[c]—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form Lomarred beyond human likeness—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations,[d]
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
13 See, my servant will act wisely[b];
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him[c]—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form Lomarred beyond human likeness—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations,[d]
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him[c]—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form Lomarred beyond human likeness—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations,[d]
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
God did not saved his own son from the suffering at the cross. God loves his people and desires to draw his people near to him. Our lives are a tiny speck in eternity. God's love for Job is eternal. Job is on the journey of everything wasting away and what is remaining is love of Christ.
This is a love story.
Job's friends have left and Job now sits alone. Silence has given Job time to find the words to speak. Job is alone and he wants to die. Nothing could relieve the great pain except death. Who is Job talking to? His wife? God?
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me.
Thoughts
Have we considered that the loss of a soul of one of our children a death? Have you contemplated that when a soul is lost this is permanent? Do you grieve for the souls of your friends, loved ones and family more than you grieve for their lives in this tiny speck of time?
This is a love story.
what I dreaded has happened to me.
Amen
Amen
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