Miserable comforters are you all

Job tells his friends plainly “miserable comforters are you all”. I don’t think any of us could agree more. He then asks where then is his hope.

Job 16: Job Replies: Miserable Comforters Are You

1     Then Job answered and said:

2     "I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all.

3     Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?

4     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.

5     I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.

6     "If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?

7     Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company.

8     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.

9     He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.

10   Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me.

11   God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

12   I was at ease, and he broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his target;

13   his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground.

14   He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior.

15   I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin and have laid my strength in the dust.

16   My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness,

17   although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

18   "O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place.

19   Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high.

20   My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God,

21   that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor.

22        For when a few years have come I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

Job 17: Job Continues: Where Then Is My Hope?

1     "My spirit is broken; my days are extinct; the graveyard is ready for me.

2     Surely there are mockers about me, and my eye dwells on their provocation.

3     "Lay down a pledge for me with yourself; who is there who will put up security for me?

4     Since you have closed their hearts to understanding, therefore you will not let them triumph.

5     He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property--- the eyes of his children will fail.

6     "He has made me a byword of the peoples, and I am one before whom men spit.

7     My eye has grown dim from vexation, and all my members are like a shadow.

8     The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless.

9     Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger.

10   But you, come on again, all of you, and I shall not find a wise man among you.

11   My days are past; my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart.

12   They make night into day: 'The light,' they say, 'is near to the darkness.'

13   If I hope for Sheol as my house, if I make my bed in darkness,

14   if I say to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'My mother,' or 'My sister,'

15   where then is my hope? Who will see my hope?

16        Will it go down to the bars of Sheol? Shall we descend together into the dust?"

Things to think about…

1.    Job’s response to this continual attack, “Miserable comforters are you all”, Job 16:1. True. Job says they are the ones with windy words – I think he is using more sarcasm hear. Their words stink, if you get the drift (no pun intended). Our words matter. Truth applied in a wrong context wounds rather than heals. We have a Spirit of sound mind, and we are to use that discernment to share Christ’s words of life and healing.

2.    Job says he would comfort their pain with his words if the situation was reversed, Job 16:5. We know Job did this before his suffering as the testimony is that he was a comforter and counsellor for others, Job 29:12-17. Sometimes going through deep waters gives us empathy and a compassion that would not have otherwise been there.

3.    Job has even been beaten as part of his ordeal, Job 16:9-11. This man truly is an incredible example of suffering as imposed by the hand of God and the abuse of man. Such abuse is also a prophetic type that points to the abuse our Lord Jesus who had suffered on our behalf prior to His crucifixion, Mt 26:67, 68; John 18:22.

4.    Job’s witness is in heaven – not just by the Lord, but his children who could testify that Job was faithful, Job 16:19. Jesus is our witness before the Father in heaven on our behalf. More prophesy of the coming Mediator, Jesus, is seen in Job 19-21.

5.    In Job 16:21, Job says “that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbour”. This is exactly what Jesus does for us as He intercedes even now on our behalf. Jesus is our perfect witness in heaven – hallelujah!

6.    Job is broken. He says no-one will go as a pledge and be a guarantor for him Job 17:3. No-one will plead his case. Job says he is upright against them – the godless, but he is done. There is some intimation in Job 17:5 that Job’s friends may have been informing against him to get some of his property. People often see a victim and seize on an opportunity to benefit from their calamity. If true, this adds to their evil counsel against Job. His strength fails, Job 17:6-8. It is never wrong to know when you are right and say it as such. It is not a spirit of pride when it is the truth and done with an integrity and humility before the Lord. Some will never hear the truth regardless. If people scorned a Man (Jesus) who was blameless and without sin (undefiled), how much more will be the case with His representatives.

7.    Job says they keep coming at him relentlessly, Job 17:10 – yet there is no wisdom among them. I must confess arguing with people who are relentless in their pursuit without any grace or fruit of the Spirit is a most draining activity. To be in that position is incredibly frustrating, and discouraging. In the end only God’s grace can change the heart to see the truth and apply it into their lives.

8.    Job says if he dies “where then is my hope”, Job 17:15. The only hope in death as we know is only found in Christ. Job declares this to be true in tomorrow’s reading.

 

Vision statement for CBC

CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.

Cell groups off over the school holidays.

 

Prayer Points

1.        Pray that the many invites given out are blessed this week with our carols.

2.        Please pray for Steve Hawkins and Glenys Zawada – Both are recovering well.

3.        The conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. Praise for the peace of Jesus to reign.

4.        Mathys has a prayer time at church on Monday afternoons. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.

5.        That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.

6.        Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.

 

       Praise Points

1.    Praise god for all the invites that have gone out for carols.

2.    Praise God for our Kidz@church program this year. Thankyou to Rosie and all the leaders.

3.    Praise God for new folk, pray they can settle into the church.

4.    Continue to be blessed in our Wed mid-week meeting.

5.    Good ministry after the service. Continue to pray for this blessing to increase.

6.    Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord

 

       Announcements

1.        Carols starting in the afternoon from 4pm Sunday 17th Dec. Please invite and pray.

2.        Christmas day service, Mon 25th Dec 9:00am.

3.        Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1

4.        Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.

 

Catechism questions for December...

Q. 15. Who wrote the Bible?
A.        Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit.

Bible References – 1Pet.1:20&21; Acts 1:16; 1Tim.3:16; 1Pet.1:10&11.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3

Pastor Jay

 

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Jay Beatty