Job 15-17 Purpose In Suffering

“Job’s three friends were not true theologians because they only saw one side of the picture, the side they wanted to see … We are least open to precise knowledge concerning the things we are most vehement about,” my commentary said.

Eliphaz simply repeated his same arguments as before, telling Job he lacked wisdom and that God judges the wicked.  Job then uttered three heartfelt requests – “a plea to his friends for sympathy; then a plea to God for justice; and finally a plea to God to end his life and relieve him of suffering.”  His friends were miserable comforters.  All of their attempts to comfort him only made him more miserable.  “Sometimes we have to experience misunderstanding from unsympathetic friends in order to learn how to minister to others.”

“In spite of the accusations of Eliphaz, Job knew he was right before God and that God would hear his prayers.  As Christians, we come to a throne of grace, not a throne of judgment, and we have confidence that our loving Father will do that which is best for us.”

Job sensed that death was very near.  “When people suffer so much that their spirit is broken then they lose their fight and want life to end.  However, at no time did Job ever consider taking his own life or asking someone else to do it for him.  Life is a sacred gift from God, and only God can give it and take it away … He didn’t know how much more he could endure … God did not answer Job’s plea for death because He had something far better planned for him.  God looked beyond Job’s depression and bitterness and saw that he still had faith … In the darkness of despair and the prison of pain, we often say things that we later regret; but God understands all about it and lovingly turns a deaf ear to our words but a tender eye to our wounds.”

Father, thank You for letting me experience misunderstandings from unsympathetic friends so that You could teach me how to minister to others.  And I thank You greatly for answering my prayers before I ever reached the depths that Job reached.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford