Chapters 11-14 Lessons 11-12

Let’s read Case Story #4 on page 31 In the midst of suffering, I like to point people to the Cross and the empty Tomb of Jesus. , , The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • Why does God want us to hear all of these words between Job and His friends? Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • Job’s friends responded to him because of what he said in Job 3. Job was being honest with his feelings. • Often we wear masks to hide how we truly feel. • Smiles • Switching the subject • Leaving early • Avoiding people • Denial of any problem Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • It can be hard to share with others how we truly feel. • Why is that often the case? • Because we are embarrassed. • Because we think everyone wants to see a smile. • Because we are private. • Because we think no one can help, cares, or, what they will say will work. • Because we want to avoid a lecture. • Because we don’t want people to see us cry. Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • It can be hard to share with others how we truly feel. • Because we don’t want to appear to have weak faith. • Because we don’t want someone talking to the elders about us. • Because, like Job’s friends we fear that others will only make us feel worse, guilty or ashamed. • Because we feel that we are the only one with problems. • Because we think people will talk about us. Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • It can be hard to share with others how we truly feel. • Because we’ve had a bad experience in the past with people. • Wearing Masks Leads To: • Suffering alone • Taking the opportunity away for others to pray and bear our burdens. • Makes us jealous of others. • Opens the door for other types of deception. • Eventually messes with our faith/relationship with God. Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • Job 2:11 “They made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.” • Job 2:13: “Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.” • Job 4:1-2: “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, ‘If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?” • Job 4:7: “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?” Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • Job 5:27: “Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is. Hear it, and know for yourself.” • Job 8:4: “If your sons sinned against Him, then He delivered them into the power of their transgression.” • Job 8:5-7: “If you would seek God and implore the compassion of the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, surely now He would rouse Himself for you and restore your righteous estate. Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly.” Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar The Progression of Job’s friends during his suffering • Job 11:6 “He would show you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your iniquity.” • Job 11:13: “As for you, if you redirect your heart and spread out your hands to him in prayer – if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents…” • Job 11:15: “Then you will hold your head high, free from fault. You will be firmly established and unafraid.” Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar What they didn’t do. • Never offered to pray. • Never said, “I’m sorry for what you’re going through.” • Never invited Job to come with them. • Never offered to rebuild his flock, loan him money, or try to get Job back on his feet. • Never volunteered to take Job to a doctor. • What was missing is what we find in passages like Ephesians 4:32 and 1 Corinthians 16:18 What’s Job’s response to Zophar and his friends? • 12:4-6: Their arguments don’t fit. • 13:4: They are speaking lies and are worthless healers. • 13:5: It would be good for them to shut up!