Speaking Bluntly

O. T. #1120  "Speaking Bluntly"
Dec. 26, 2017
Job 3-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Why is my life going on? What good is it? Job continued to ask the "why's" five times in verses 20-26.  We know about those why's if we have lived long enough. We can have apathy for him. Job was a godly man bombarded with the loss of children, wealth, and health. (Satan was behind them all, striving to get Job to curse God, but Job remained faithful.) Don't you know he was overwhelmed by the calamities, trials, tests? He complained about the trial that came despite his right living. This man lost his perspective on life. He wished he had never been born, or died at birth. But it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, wouldn't you agree? (I recall some literary person said that.)

Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, whom God has hedged in? (verse 23)

Satan spoke of a hedge of protection and blessing in 1:10 in contrast to Job speaking of a hedge as a prison of living death. (MacArthur)

That guy has hit the rock bottom, the bottom of the barrel, at the end of his rope. And Job is known for his patience? Hmm. Maybe endurance is a better word to describe Job.

Job did not know the purpose of his sufferings. Let's not be too hard on him until we have sat where he sat. It is easy to trust God in the midst of prosperity, but when we loose everything, have pain so intense that we want to die, exercising faith is another matter. Actually, Moses, Jonah, and Elijah prayed to die. If he understood why God allowed his pain, Job could have endured it.
God is in control, events are part of His loving plan, so one day He will make His purposes known. (Wiersbe)

In Job 23:10, Job expressed his faith: But He knows the way I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

He sees us through the deep waters of doubt, over the mountains, and though the dry deserts, so to speak. However, through Christ, we can do all things because He strengthens us.
God assigns the impossible to His people. Look at Mary, Jesus' mother.

LET IT GROW

Before we get into the discussions Job's friends initiated, let's take an overview. Swindoll gives us 3 cycles:

1. After each of the 3 friends speak, Job answers them.
2. Apparently, Eliphaz is the oldest, based his words on experience, with Job answering each of them.
3. Zophar stepped out of the dialogue, with the youngest, Elihu, stepping in to his place.

Bildad is different, basing his words on tradition;  Zophar's angry words are based upon assumptions. All three were legalistic, judgmental, condemning. How could they speak like that to a friend?
Do e ever speak bluntly? Do we  ever get into a verbal fistfight? Debates can get heated up with tongue lashings before we realize it. That is when self control of the Spirit needs to be within us.

Throughout the years, my words have developed speaking bluntly. I get right to the point, not beating around the bush. People seem to not take to that so good. I need to work on the skill of eloquently speaking. Honey attracts more flies.

LET IT GO

Consider by words before speaking.
Watch out for words of tradition, assumptions, and experience.
Trust God's purpose in my trials.