In today’s episode, we delve into the profound responses of Job as he grapples with suffering and accusations from Eliphaz in chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Job. Hear Job’s poignant plea as he reflects on his vexation and questions the harshness of his circumstances, all while maintaining a sense of faith and conviction. The episode also includes reflective insights from the host’s personal Bible readings that span over the years, drawing parallels between Job’s endurance and modern-day struggles many believers face.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Alan J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
SPEAKER 03 :
Today in Job 6 and 7, Job responds to the accusations from Eliphaz in chapters 4 and 5. Let’s listen in. Job 6
SPEAKER 02 :
Then Job answered and said, Oh, that my vexation were weighed and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea. Therefore my words have been rash, for the arrows of the Almighty are in me. My spirit drinks their poison. The terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass, or the ox low over his father? Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the juice of the mellow? My appetite refuses to touch them. They are as food that is loathsome to me. Oh, that I might have my request, and that God would fulfill my hope, that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off. This would be my comfort. I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One. What is my strength that I should wait, and what is my end that I should be patient? Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze? Have I any help in me when resource is driven from me? He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers are treacherous as a torrent bed, as torrential streams that pass away, which are dark with ice and where the snow hides itself. When they melt, they disappear. When it is hot, they vanish from their place. The caravans turn aside from their course. They go up into the waste and perish. Caravans of Tima look, the travelers of Sheba hope. They are ashamed because they were confident. They come there and are disappointed. For you have now become nothing. You see my calamity and are afraid. Have I said, make me a gift, or from your wealth offer a bribe for me? Or deliver me from the adversary’s hand? Or redeem me from the hand of the ruthless? Teach me, and I will be silent. Make me understand how I have gone astray. How forceful are upright words! But what does reproof from you reprove? Do you think that you can reprove words when the speech of a despairing man is wind? You would even cast lots over the fatherless and bargain over your friend. But now be pleased to look at me, for I will not lie to your face. Please turn. Let no injustice be done. Turn now. My vindication is at stake. Is there any injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity? Job 7 Has not man a hard service on earth, and are not his days like the days of a hired hand? Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like a hired hand who looks for his wages. So I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise? But the night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn. My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt. My skin hardens, then breaks out afresh. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and come to their end without hope. Remember that my life is a breath. My eye will never again see good. The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more. While your eyes are on me, I shall be gone. As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up. He returns no more to his house, nor does his place know him anymore. Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Am I the sea, or a sea monster that you set a guard over me? When I say, My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint, then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions, so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones. I loathe my life. I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are a breath. What is man that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning, and test him every moment? How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit? If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind?” Why have you made me your mark? Why have I become a burden to you? Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth. You will seek me, but I shall not be.
SPEAKER 03 :
In 1984, concerning Job chapters 6 and 7, I wrote in my personal Bible reading journal, Job replies, does not understand God’s action, but remains faithful. Thirteen years later, in 1997, I read Job 6 through 11 on the same day, and I wrote the wisdom of man is foolishness before a holy God. Is there a time of hard service for man on the earth? Allotted months of futility, wearisome nights, days spent without hope, anguish of spirit, bitterness of my soul. Even in that time, God is sovereign and worthy to be praised. And 18 years later, in 2015, I read Job 6 through 7 on one day, and I wrote concerning these chapters. Job speaks again. His problems are heavier than the sand of the sea, and the arrows of the Almighty are in me. The terrors of God are arrayed against me. Chapter 6, verses 1-4. All true. Suffering hurts. He would rather die. 6, verses 8-9. And then I wrote, in pain people say this. He claims his innocence again. Chapter 6, verse 10. And he is. Life is hard for Job. 7-1. Months of emptiness. Nights of misery. My eye will never again see good. You scare me with dreams and visions. And then I wrote, does God really visit us every morning and test us every moment? That’s referring to verse 7, 18. He cries out to God, why have you made me your mark? Why have I become a burden to you? Job is desperate for answers for circumstances he did not cause. Part of my prayer after reading Job 6 and 7 was this, cast me not away from thy presence, hold me in the palm of your hand. In chapters 6 and 7, Job cries out to God. Chapter 6, verse 8, O that I might have my request, and that God will fulfill my hope, that it would please God to crush me, and that he would let loose his hand and cut me off. And yet in verse 10, Job says, This would be my comfort. I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One. In Job’s mind, he’s innocent. And from chapters 1 and 2, we know he is. yet he speaks for all of us in chapter seven verse one has not man a hard service on earth and are not his days like the days of a hired hand like a slave who longs for the shadow and like a hired hand who looks for his wages So I am allotted months of emptiness and nights of misery are apportioned to me. Like Job, you may be experiencing the hardness of life. At times we all get news that is very difficult to take. But also just the routineness of life can get very wearisome. For Job, life has become tough to bear. I hope that’s not the case for you. Father, we come to you bearing the hardness of life. Sin entered the Garden of Eden long ago and made life tough on all of us. Yet most of us have not faced the complete despair that Job is facing. So we plead with you like Job pleaded with you for your mercy and for your grace and for your love extended. Help us through the hard times of life. Be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Hear our prayers. Hear our cries to you. And by your grace, lighten our load in the hardness of life. We ask it not because we’re worthy, but because you said we could. In Jesus’ name, amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. 2025 will be an amazing year on AdBible as we cover 44 books of the Bible. Yes, that’s two-thirds of the 66 books of the Bible in just one year. If you’ve never read all the books of the Bible, 2025 is going to be an exciting year for you. We are going to cover Old and New Testament books going back and forth throughout the whole year. We’ll spend the month of January in Job. Then we’ll move on to Ruth. Then we’ll go on a journey through 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and conclude with 1 and 2 Chronicles. You won’t want to miss any of these dramatic historical writings in the first quarter of 2025. In the second quarter of 2025, we will jump into the New Testament with the writings of Mark, Peter, James, Jude, and Hebrews. Going from the Old Testament to the New will be like the newness of spring. New life and flower buds, leaves, and showers to keep us growing. Summer, we will go back to the Old Testament, diving into the writings of all 13 of the minor prophets. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, and some of the most obscure minor prophets, Obadiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah. It will be easy to keep up with these short, powerful books in the busy summer months. And then in the fall and the winter, we will cover all of the New Testament writings of Paul. Books like Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, and his personal letters to Timothy and Titus. You will get all of Paul in the fall. 44 books of Ad Bible in 2025. To order the four day-by-day through the Bible books we will be using in 2025, visit EzraProject.net and find the 2025 plan. All four books individually are $85, but the set is on sale for only $59. Yes, that’s a 30% savings plus free shipping. So go to EzraProject.net today and order your set. I know you’re going to enjoy it. And want to share it with others.
In today’s episode, we delve into the profound responses of Job as he grapples with suffering and accusations from Eliphaz in chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Job. Hear Job’s poignant plea as he reflects on his vexation and questions the harshness of his circumstances, all while maintaining a sense of faith and conviction. The episode also includes reflective insights from the host’s personal Bible readings that span over the years, drawing parallels between Job’s endurance and modern-day struggles many believers face.
