Notes on Job 21-23

Chapter 21

Bildad and Zophar's reasoned that God blesses the righteous and the wicked suffer.  If Job was suffering then, according to their reasoning, Job was wicked.

Job tells them their words of supposed comfort were based on false assumptions and therefore meaningless. They had a view of God that was shallow and took the "what is in it for me"approach to obedience.  .Job had seen the wicked proposer and gives example after example to back up his claim.

As I said in earlier studies, I believe Job's three friends were living in fear of suffering and trials.  They comforted themselves with wrong doctrine...if they obeyed...God would bless and protect them.  If they did not obey, they would suffer.  This gave them the an illusion of control.  Job refuted their reasoning and this made them angry!

Jesus told us that in this world we would have tribulation.  He was obedient to the point of death...the death of the cross.  Jesus was not wealthy nor was His life filled with much physical comfort. Job's friend's looked at the outside...by their estimation then Jesus would have been among the wicked.  Religion is not outward.  God desires truth in the inward parts.  Man looks upon the outward, God looks at the heart.

Chapter 22


Even though Job's children were dead, his possessions gone and his body wracked with illness, Job held on to God and continued to trust Him.  What a witness Job is for God...what an example of endurance he is for us.  Chapter 22 continues with more of the same from Job's comforters.  Job you are a sinner.  Get right with God and things will get better.  Eliphaz introduces a new twist but still more of the same.

Chapter 23


Chapter 23 is a beautiful chapter of faith from start to finish.  Job expresses his longing here for God.  He wants to present his case before Him.  He wants to understand why he is suffering.  He affirms God's sovereignty (13-17) and his own faithfulness. (verse 11-12) For more on 23 see study called Refining Fire.  Here is the link.