Day 140 Job 13-17 Supplemental Note

Job Chapter 13
Although poetic in structure, the Book of Job is a book of wisdom (Job is variously classified as both), based on God's Wisdom, which is the only true wisdom that exists i.e. anything that contradicts God's wisdom is not wise. Despite the humanity of the words, and at the same time because of it, the book of Job is filled with knowledge of Christianity and Prophecy e.g "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God" (Job 19:25-26 RSV).

"Lo, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God [see also What Almighty God Can't Do]. As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips. Will you speak falsely for God, and speak deceitfully for Him? Will you show partiality toward Him, will you plead the case for God? Will it be well with you when he searches you out? [see When Will You Be Judged?] Or can you deceive Him, as one deceives a man? He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality. Will not His majesty terrify you, and the dread of Him fall upon you?
Your maxims are proverbs of Ashes, your defenses are defenses of Clay. Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand. Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope; yet I will defend my ways to his face. This will be my salvation [see The Way To Salvation], that a godless man shall not come before him. Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be vindicated. Who is there that will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.
Only grant two things to me, then I will not hide myself from Thy face: withdraw Thy hand far from me, and let not dread of Thee terrify me. Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do Thou reply to me. How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. Why dost Thou hide Thy face, and count me as thy enemy? Wilt Thou frighten a driven leaf and pursue dry chaff? [see also Baptism Of Fire] For Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me inherit the iniquities of my youth. Thou puttest my feet in the Stocks, and watchest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet. Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten." (Job 13:1-28 RSV)

Job Chapter 14
Job understood that temporary mortal life is merely the means of opportunity to accept or reject The Lord's free offer of eternal life, "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my release should come."

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower, and withers; he flees like a shadow, and continues not. And dost Thou open Thy eyes upon such a one and bring him into judgment with Thee? [see also Judgment Unto The Son] Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass, look away from him, and desist, that he may enjoy, like a hireling, his day. For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. But man dies, and is laid low; man breathes his last [see Giving Up The Ghost], and where is he? [see What Happens When You Die?] As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, so man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake, or be roused out of his sleep.
Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in Sheol [see Sheol and Hades], that Thou wouldest conceal me until thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my release should come. Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; thou wouldest long for the work of Thy hands. For then Thou wouldest number my steps, thou wouldest not keep watch over my sin; my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and thou wouldest cover over my iniquity.
But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; the waters [see also Hydrogen] wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man. Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passes; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not. He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself." (Job 14:1-22 RSV)

Job Chapter 15
Job's three visiting friends were "preaching to the converted," while at times ignoring that Job was a man who was suffering tremendously. When all was done, it was Job who was commended by God, while his three friends were told to learn from him i.e. "After The Lord had spoken these words to Job, The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." (Job 42:7 RSV)

"Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered: "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good? But you are doing away with the fear of God, and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you [see also "By Your Words"]. Are you the first man that was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills? Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us? Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, older than your father [see The Senate]. Are the consolations of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash, that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
What is man, that he can be clean? Or he that is born of a woman, that he can be righteous? Behold, God puts no trust in His holy ones, and the heavens [see Heavens Below, Heavens Above] are not clean in His sight; how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
I will show you, hear me; and what I have seen I will declare what wise men have told, and their fathers have not hidden, to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them. The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless. Terrifying sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him. He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is destined for the sword. He wanders abroad for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand; distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king prepared for battle. Because he has stretched forth his hand against God, and bids defiance to the Almighty, running stubbornly against him with a thick-bossed shield; because he has covered his face with his fat, and gathered fat upon his loins, and has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no man should inhabit, which were destined to become heaps of ruins; he will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will he strike root in the earth; he will not escape from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots [see They Shall Be Ashes], and his blossom will be swept away by the wind.
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness will be his recompense. It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not be green. He will shake off his unripe grape, like the vine, and cast off his blossom, like the olive tree [see also Good Fruit]. For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery. They conceive mischief and bring forth evil and their heart prepares deceit." (Job 15:1-35 RSV)

Job Chapter 16
Job's "I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all" response to his friends was not inappropriate. Even amidst his suffering, he then gave a lesson to them in how to help someone during their time of tribulation, "I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain."

"Then Job answered: "I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you. I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain. If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me? Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. And he has shriveled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness has risen up against me, it testifies to my face. He has torn me in his wrath, and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.
Men have gaped at me with their mouth, they have struck me insolently upon the cheek, they mass themselves together against me. God gives me up to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, and he broke me asunder; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his Target, his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys, and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior.
I have sewed Sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my strength in the dust. My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness; although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and He that vouches for me is on high [see also What Is Jesus Christ Doing Right Now?]. My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, that he would maintain the right of a man with God, like that of a man with his neighbor. For when a few years have come I shall go the way whence I shall not return." (Job 16:1-22 RSV)

Job Chapter 17
Job then resumed his lament in a world full of people suffering the same labor (see The Beginning Of The Birth Pangs).

"My spirit is broken, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me. Surely there are mockers about me, and my eye dwells on their provocation. Lay down a pledge for me with thyself; who is there that will give surety for me? Since thou hast closed their minds to understanding, therefore thou wilt not let them triumph. He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property, the eyes of his children will fail. He has made me a byword of the peoples, and I am one before whom men spit. My eye has grown dim from grief, and all my members are like a shadow. Upright men are appalled at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless. Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he that has clean hands grows stronger and stronger.
But you, come on again, all of you, and I shall not find a wise man among you. My days are past, my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart. They make night into day; 'The light,' they say, 'is near to the darkness.' If I look for Sheol as my house, if I spread my couch in darkness, if I say to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'My mother,' or 'My sister,' where then is my hope? Who will see my hope? Will it go down to the bars of Sheol? Shall we descend together into the dust?" (Job 17:1-16 RSV)