JOB 9 Job’s First Reply to Bildad The Need for a “Mediator”

Introduction : In this chapter Job responds to Bildad’s first discourse and expresses his theological understanding of things. The irony is that Job’s understanding of God’s character and purposes is directly responsible for his anguish, which only magnifies his frustration and anguish. Job also begins to verbalize the reasons he is confused about what has happened to him. In v.1 Job begins by saying that he basically agrees with the points Bildad has made. Job believes he is “blameless”, that is, he knows he has not done anything immoral or unethical to deserve such proportionate “punishment”. But on the other hand he also knows that God will not allow the wicked man to prosper and will judge him for his evil deeds. Job may be thinking something like, “Is God judging me and if so, why?” However, Job has not considered that his terrible calamity is the work of Satan rather than God, which is understandable—Job’s relationship is with God not Satan. So Job is not even considering that aspect of things. At one point Job actually considers having the attitude of “grin and bear it” concerning his troubles. In v.27 he says, “ If I say 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile’ ." But in the very next verse, v.28 , he says, “ I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent ”, indicating that he might be guilty of some dreadful sin he may be ignorant of.

After going back-and-forth in this debate Job finally bemoans the fact that he needs a MEDIATOR qualified to represent him before God’s judgment seat. In vv.32-33 Job speaking of God’s holiness says, “For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both .” This chapter points us to the need for a Mediator between God and man, but one whom is appropriate and whom God will accept.

vv. 1-3 JOB AGREES WITH BILDAD —BUT CAN RIGHTEOUSNESS BE ATTAINED [1 Then Job answered and said: 2 “Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God? 3 If one wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.”] The first thing Job says in response to Bildad is to agree with him. He knows that the “hope of the hypocrite shall perish ” {Job 8:13 } and that “God will not cast away the blameless, nor will He uphold the evildoers ” { Job 8:20 }. But that only made Job’s plight worse—why then was he suffering? He knows that he has not done anything so immoral or wicked as to be proportionate to his suffering. Job has suffered greatly, perhaps more than any other person except the Lord Jesus Christ. He had all his livestock taken from him; 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 oxen and 500 donkeys, which represented all his wealth; about $34 million at current prices (2014) { Job 1:13-17 }. He had lost his children, 7 sons and 3 daughters, all in the same day he lost his wealth! { Job 1:18-19 }.

1 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 If that weren’t enough, shortly thereafter, Job lost his health after God allowed Satan to afflict him with a horrible skin disease. This illness affected him with open sores from the top of his head to the soles of his feet { Job 2:7 }. These would putrefy and get infested with maggots {Job 7:5 }, which required him to fashion a scrapping tool to clean out his open wounds { Job 2:8 }. Job must have considered his terrible disease as a “living death”—one which he didn’t think he would recover from { Job 6:11; 7:6-10; 17:1 }. Additionally, Job also lost his position as a city official ; acting as counselor, protector, judge, arbitrator, even as a “savior”. Thus Job lost his valuable influence and powerful ability to “deliver the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper ” and “ break the fangs of the wicked and pluck the victim from his teeth ” { Job 27:7-17 }. In this capacity Job proved himself to be a man who was blameless, righteous and full of integrity, and this only further added to his confusion. Job had reason to believe that he is “blameless”, that is, he knows he has not done anything immoral or unethical to deserve such proportionate “punishment”. But on the other hand he also knows that God will not allow the wicked man to prosper and will judge him for his evil deeds. Job may be thinking something like, “Is God judging me and if so, why?” So it is completely understandable that Job is genuinely trying figure out the reason for his great suffering when he knows he has been blameless and has acted in righteousness. God Himself has already given this testimony about Job: Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man , one who fears God and shuns evil ?”—Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man , one who fears God and shuns evil ? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” —Job 2:3 Also, Job could not have possibly known [at the time] that it was Satan who was the instigator of his troubles. Thus, he directs his anguish and frustration towards God, even accusing Him of having made him a “target” { Job 7:20 }. All this is contributing to the confusion of Job. God indeed does do things which are “past finding out ”, but does such seemingly undeserved suffering fall into that category? So Job is trying to understand if the God whom he has faithfully served, the One-and-only Creator God, fickle? Is He capricious like the gods of the pagans? Deep down I believe Job knows his God is not capricious because his discourse in chapter 21 affirms Job’s understanding of God’s dealings with the “wicked”. In Job 4:17 Eliphaz recounts a “ night vision ” he had in which the “hair-raising” spirit asks two rhetorical questions: (1) “ Can a mortal be more righteous than God ?” and (2) “ Can a man be more pure than his Maker ?” Both of these questions have the obvious, and emphatic, answer; “No!”. Now Job uses almost the same wording to ask another question; “ How can a man be righteous before God? ”

2 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 However, it is very important to recognize that Job’s question is not rhetorical in nature. This question is fundamental and the consequences of answering it correctly or incorrectly will have eternal ramifications. To answer this question, the only example Job may have had would have been Abraham 1. In regards to God judging the wicked but saving the righteous we are told: And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?”…..”Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”…..And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”—Gen 18:23, 25, 32- 33 In regards to how a man can become righteous before God 2: After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”…….And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the LORD , and He accounted it to him for righteousness . —Gen. 15:1, 4-6 A person becomes righteous in agreeing with God and believing what He says! Fortunately, the New Testament gloriously gives us the answer to Job’s desperate question, his heartfelt plea, as well as for millions of others—an answer to the question which has eternal ramifications; “ But how can a man be righteous before God? ” For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness”…….He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness”. —Rom 4:2-3, 20-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness , because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness , that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.—Rom. 3:21-26 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.—Rom. 5:20-21 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness , have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.—Rom. 10:1-4

1 In the Introduction to Job it was mentioned that the events depicted in this book probably took place sometime shortly before or during the time of Abraham. 2 See also Gal. 3:5-9 and James 2:20-34 .

3 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”—Rom. 10:8-13 Job then admits that if someone wished to contend with God, that person would never be able to give an reasonable and satisfactory answer when interrogated; “he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. ”

vv. 4-10 GOD IS THE AWESOME CREATOR [4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered? 5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know when He overturns them in His anger; 6 He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; 7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise [lit.; “ shine ”] ; He seals off the stars; 8 He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; 9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; 10 He does great things past finding out, yes, wonders without number.”] Job declares that God is skillfully intelligent and He is mighty in His exercise of strength . God has no weakness in Him nor limited in His knowledge. His ability to act in any way He pleases is not restricted. After all He designed [God’s wisdom] and created [God’s mighty power] the Universe, the earth and all that is in them. God’s wisdom is manifest in the design of the natural world and His mighty strength is manifest in its creation ! God is uniquely wise and powerful —Job is in essence describing the HOLINESS of God. But most of all, and most importantly as far as man is concerned, God is “ mighty to save ” {Isa. 63:1 }. In v.33 Job mentions his wish for a mediator, special council, to help him once- and-for-all in his pleadings, his “controversy” with the LORD . Ultimately, that Mediator will be Joshua Messiah, Jesus Christ: Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.—Heb. 7:25 In the Book of Revelation we see that the saints of God and the Heavenly host are all praising God and the Lamb of God; Christ Jesus, singing of His attributes, which include the same two that Job mentions here. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom , and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”—Rev. 5:12-13 "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom , thanksgiving and honor and power and might , be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”—Rev. 7:12 [Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?] In lieu of the fact that “ God is wise in heart and mighty in strength ” Job asks a rhetorical question. The way in which this question is worded requires an obvious answer: “No one”!

4 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 Job implies that anyone who would dare to stubbornly fight against God and remain steadfastly prideful in his/her ways will never win. God is simply too wise, too powerful, too holy to be conned, tricked, deceived, fooled or hoodwinked. God can’t help it—it’s intrinsic to His character! To support his claim that “ God is wise in heart and mighty in strength ”, Job metaphorically describes several examples from geology, astronomy and oceanography. This is interesting because it points out the fact that during Job’s time people had knowledge of volcanic activity, seismic activity and various astronomical bodies 3. [He removes the mountains and they do not know when He overturns them in His anger ] This is describing volcanic activity , which are accompanied by earthquakes. The Bible is full of references to the LORD ’s power over the earth: The prophet Micah foretells the time when the Lord will come to judge the earth and metaphorically describes the events that will take place, including what appear to be volcanic eruptions and lava flows: For behold, the LORD is coming forth from His place. He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. The mountains will melt under Him , and the valleys will be split, like wax before the fire, like water poured down a steep place .—Mic. 1:3-4 See also: The Lord GOD of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts , and all who dwell there mourn; all of it shall swell like the River [i.e., the Nile], and subside like the River of Egypt. He who builds His layers in the sky, and has founded His strata in the earth ; Who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth—The LORD is His name.—Amos 9:5-6 Mountains quake because of Him , and the hills dissolve ; indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence , the world and all the inhabitants in it. Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken up by Him.—Nah. 1:5-6 A fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about. His lightnings light the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD , at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.—Psalms 97:3-6 Note that when Mount St. Helen’s erupted on May 18, 1980, it was preceded by numerous earthquakes and almost 100 billion cubic feet [0.7 cubic mile] of the mountain was blown away—equivalent to 24 megatons of thermal energy. This resulted in the melting of snow, ice and several entire glaciers which in turn produced a series of large mudslides that reached as far as the Columbia River, nearly 50 miles away. The total volume of these mudslides has estimated to be about 105 million cubic feet. Prior to the eruption the mountain was 8365 feet high and after the eruption it was only 4605 high. Indeed, a major portion of the mountain was “moved”.

3 In the introduction it was mentioned that the events described in the Book of Job took probably took place just before or during the time of Abraham; 2000-1800 BC [400-600 years after the Great Flood]. By testifying about these astronomical observations, Job reveals that ancient man had already a fairly sophisticated understanding about the relationships between volcanism and earthquakes and various astronomical bodies.

5 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 [He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble ] This is describing seismic activity and earthquakes ; the dynamics of which God designed, created and can control. Below is a description of just one of these in modern times. The Dec. 26, 2004 East Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea mega thrust earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 and it is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph [after the 1960 Chilean (9.5) and 1964 Alaskan quakes (9.2)]. The earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8–10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Its epicenter was about 160 miles offshore, about 18 miles under the sea floor, in the Indian Ocean between the northwestern coast Sumatra and the northeastern coast of the smaller island of Simeulue. After about a 1000 mile stretch of the northern section of the Sunda megathrust fault ruptured, in just several minutes one side of the fault dropped by about 50 feet and a 250 mile section of the fault split apart 60 miles. The resulting Indian Ocean Tsunami [as it is referred to] caused massive tidal waves, some as high as 100 feet, along the coastlines of Sumatra, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, the Philippines, India and even of appreciable size along Madagascar and the eastern coast of Africa in the west and Mexico and Chile in the east. Secondary “pop up faults” caused long, narrow parts of the sea floor to pop up in seconds, which quickly elevated the height and increased the speed of waves 4. The initial propagation of the rupture proceeded at a speed of about 1.7 miles per second [6,200 mph] over a period of about 100 seconds. Right after this, there was a pause of about 100 seconds and then the rupture continued for another 5 minutes at a rate of about 1.3 miles per sec [4,700 mph] to the plate boundary. The total energy released on the surface by this earthquake [primarily the massive movement of water] has been estimated to be about 26 megatons of TNT, which is equivalent to over 1500 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. However, the total energy released underground, in just a few minutes, was equivalent to 9,600 gigatons of TNT [550 million times that of Hiroshima]. This has been calculated to be about 370 years of energy use in the entire United States at 2005 levels. There have been other earthquakes throughout history and there will be others in the future. Biblically, there was a notable earthquake during the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel, and Uzziah, king of Judah, and the ministry of Amos and Isaiah { Amos 1:1; Zech. 14:5 }. When Christ Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom and there was an earthquake that split rocks and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the believers who had died were resurrected and came out of their graves after His resurrection { Matt. 27:51-53 }. The Last Day Tribulation Period, also known as “Jacob’s Trouble” { Jer. 30:7 }, will be characterized by earthquakes in various places { Matt. 24:7; Mk. 13:8; Luke 21:11 }. When Paul and Silas were imprisoned for preaching the Gospel there was a great earthquake and shook the foundations of the prison opening the doors and detaching everyone's chains from the walls. From this, the prison keeper and his entire household were saved {Acts 16:25-28 }.

4 The tsunami had an unexpected archeological effect: In a twist of irony, the tsunami washed away centuries of accumulated sand from some of the ruins of a 1,200-year-old lost city at Mahabalipuram on the southern coast of India. The site, containing such notable structures as a half-buried granite lion near a 7th-century temple and a relic depicting an elephant, is part of what archaeologists believe to be an ancient port city that was swallowed by the sea hundreds of years ago but was uncovered by the action of receding water from the tsunami in a matter of hours!

6 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 When the Two Witnesses are raised back to life and ascend into Heaven, there will be a great earthquake which will destroy 10% of Jerusalem and kill 7,000 people and cause the survivors to repent and give glory to the God of Heaven { Rev. 11:11-13 }. When the Seventh Angel pours out his Bowl of [God’s] Wrath into the air, there is a great earthquake, more intense than any that has occurred since men were on the earth, islands sink and the mountains are not found {Rev. 16:17-21 }. When Jesus Christ returns back to earth to claim His Kingdom, His feet will touch the Mount of Olives and there will be a great earthquake and half the mountain will move north and the other half south { Zech. 14:4 }. Truly, by God’s wisdom and mighty power he designed and created all the forces and processes that control the earth—Indeed, “ He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble ”. [He commands the sun, and it does not rise ] The Hebrew word used here is literally “shine” and thus Job is referring to a solar eclipse. God created the earth and moon of a particular size and set them into position and motion so that periodically they obscure each other. [He seals off the stars ] Conversely, during the day, when the sun IS shining, one cannot see the stars; they are “sealed” off and out-of-sight. [He alone spreads out the heavens …..] Although a metaphor, this is actually a fairly accurate description of the Universe—it is like a fabric when one visualizes the gravitational fields between planets, stars and galaxies. Note Isaiah in speaking of the glory of the Lord says: “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain [“a lattice ”], and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.”—Isa. 40:22 [….. and treads on the waves of the sea ] The Hebrew word translated “waves” is literally “elevated or high places ” and of the 102 times this word is used in the Old Testament, this is the only place it is translated “waves” instead of “high places”. Job is metaphorically describing the huge swells that can occur in the sea and saying that they are subservient to God [i.e., He treads on them]. Especially note, Jesus Christ as God incarnate had the ability to literally tread on the “high places” of the sea 5: Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid”. Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.—John 6:18-21 Note that the LORD treads the “high places” of the earth as well: “For behold, the LORD is coming out of His place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.”—Micah 1:3 Now Job gives several tangible examples of God’s wisdom and power by specifically referring to several astronomical bodies. He is no longer speaking metaphorically. In so doing Job demonstrates that God is both the Designer and Creator —the Engineer and the Manufacturer .

5 Refer also to Matt. 14:25-33 and Mark 6:48-51 .

7 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 [He made the Bear, …..] Job uses the Hebrew word 6 Ayish [ah'-yish] here [and God uses it Job 38:32 ] meaning “swift or hastening ”, and because of its migration through the sky, most probably refers to collection of stars, or constellation, well-known in ancient times— Ursa Major, or the “Great Bear”. This constellation “shares” seven of its brightest stars with that of the “Big Dipper” 7, which is visible in the northern sky above a northern latitude of about 25 degrees. [{He made} Orion, …..] Job uses the Hebrew word Keciyl (kes-eel') here [God uses it Job 38:31] meaning “ fat or enlarged ”, and in this context it refers 8 to any notable constellation made up of numerous stars visible to the naked eye. This word is also used in Isa. 13:10 in the context of describing the DAY OF THE LORD where it refers to constellations in general: “ For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light .” It is also used in Amos 5:8 in describing the LORD ’s power: “ He made the Pleiades and Orion ”. Here, it most probably refers to the stars that make up the “Belt of Orion ”9; which the Orientals call a “giant” as they perceived this constellation as a figure of a large, imposing “giant” in the night sky who wore a thick belt. This is the reason that God rhetorically asks Job; “Can you loose the belt of Orion?” { Job 38:31 }. On the celestial maps Orion is represented by the figure of a man in the attitude of assaulting the Bull [another constellation named “Taurus”], with a sword in his belt [represented by three very bright stars, all closely aligned in a straight row], a huge club in his right hand, and a lion-skin in the left to serve him for a shield. Orion is especially visible during the winter months. The constellation of Orion may be seen by anyone first locating the three bright stars in the “belt”; which point to the Pleiades or “Seven Stars” on the northern side, and to Sirius [the brightest star in the night sky] or the “Dog Star” 10 [since it’s part of the constellation Canis Major] on the southern side. The constellation of Orion is over the equator, midway between the poles of the heavens and made up of 78 stars of which about 24 are visible to the naked eye. Orion is regarded as one of the most beautiful of the constellations that the celestial sky exhibits. This constellation is also mentioned by Homer, as well as by most of the Classical writers.

6 The word was translated “Arcturus” in the Latin translation of the Bible [the Vulgate] and persisted in the KJV of the Bible. It is the name of a very bright star in the constellation Boötes, which is next to and east of the constellation of Ursa Major—the Great Bear. The name of the star derives from ancient Greek Arktouros and means “Guardian or Watcher of the Bear”. 7 One side of The Big Dipper is always pointing the Polaris, the “North Star” which appears stationary throughout the year because it is directly “above” the earth’s North Pole. 8 Note that this Hebrew word can also refer to fatness in the sense of being dull, sluggish and figuratively, foolish . Hence, the word is also translated “fool” such as in Ps. 49:11; Prov. 1:32; 10:1. 9 The Septuagint [Greek translation of the Old Testament] translates this word as “Hesperon” meaning “evening star”; i.e., the planet Venus. But a constellation is probably meant as it is used in Isa. 13:10 . 10 The ancient Greeks referred to the “dog days” of summer because the hot days of July-August coincided with the appearance of Sirius.

8 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 [….. and the Pleiades, …..] Job uses the Hebrew word Kiymah (kee-maw') here [and God uses it Job 38:31] meaning “ storehouse of jewels ”, and refers to a cluster of stars —most probably the tight cluster of stars known as the Pleiades , which have been commonly known since ancient times 11 . This cluster of stars is now known to be comprised of almost 200 stars; most of them too faint to be visible with the naked eye. The seven stars in this cluster that can be seen with the naked eye appear as beautiful, sparkling “ blue diamonds ” and because of their unique beauty are often times referred to as the “Seven Sisters”. They can easily be located by first locating the 3 stars of Orion’s “belt” and then, using these stars to form a line, looking up towards the northeast. Like the constellation Orion, the Pleiades are primarily observable during the winter months. This word also occurs in Amos 5:8 [see above]. [and the chambers of the south …] Lastly, Job mentions the “ chambers of the south ”, literally the “ apartments of the south ”. Since the ancient Chaldeans referred to constellations as “mansions of the sun and moon”; Job is probably referring to the constellations of the southern hemisphere, which from the perspective of his location [northern latitude] would represent unobserved sky south of the equator. The inference is that this would include countless other stars and constellations with even more amazing heavenly features. What is interesting to note that when God replies to Job, He emphasizes His creative control over these heavenly bodies { Job 38:31-33 }. “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?”—Job 38:31-33 In Job 38—41 the LORD answers Job and in a symphony of declares the wonders of His creation. Note that it not until Job is confronted with the awesome power of God to design and create all things that he repents and he says; “ I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes ” { Job 42:5-6}. This points out an crucial fact that is central to the Gospel message: There cannot be a Savior without a Creator. If the LORD is not the Creator then He has no claim on us and no real authority to be a Savior. Jesus Christ’s role in creation is intimately connected with His role as Savior. Note the following scriptures: For by Him all things were created , both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him . He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together .”—Col. 1:16-17 “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things , and by Your will they exist and were created .”—Rev. 4:11 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”—Rev. 5:9-10 Jesus Christ is to be worshipped because He is both Creator God and Savior God!

11 Greek astronomers later considered this star cluster to be a distinct constellation.

9 Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 The Theory of Evolution is the greatest scientific hoax to ever be perpetrated on mankind. This is why the promotion of the Theory of Evolution is utterly deceitful and willingly ignorant of the truth {see Rom. 1:18-24; 2 Pet. 3:1-7}. But the worst effect is that the teaching of Evolution robs the Lord, Jesus Christ, of His glory and it obstructs the message of the Gospel because people do not feel compelled to believe. It gives people a sophisticated excuse, wrapped in the guise of “science”, to continue in their sin by rejecting God’s Word and temporarily ease their guilt. But Evolution in reality is pseudo- science and a false belief that has destructive, eternal consequences 12 ! Indeed, as Job concludes, the Truth is that; “ God does great things past finding out, yes, wonders without number .”

vv. 11-13 GOD CANNOT BE SEEN & HE HUMBLES THOSE WHO ARE PROUD [11 “If He goes by me, I do not see Him; if He moves past, I do not perceive Him; 12 If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’ 13 God will not withdraw His anger, the allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him .”] Here Job is in essence alluding to the fact that “ God is a Spirit and those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and Truth ” { Jn. 4:24 }. In other words, God cannot be seen. He probably longs to “see” or sense God but he finds that a futile exercise. Even if God were to move past Job, he wouldn’t perceive Him. This is how we as believers feel sometimes; we long to sense God’s presence in our lives but He seems to be silent. We can sometimes go through a “valley” in which we cannot see God’s work in our lives. And we might sometimes feel that our prayers make it only “as high as the ceiling” and no further. No one has seen God at any time { 1 Jn. 4:12 } or can see His “face” and live {Ex. 3:20 }. And yet many are said to have seen the LORD God such as Moses and the prophets: Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel . And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God , and they ate and drank.—Ex. 24:9-11 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face , even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?”—Num. 12:6-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD [ Yahweh ] of hosts.”—Isa. 6:1-5

12 For example see Ez. 18:4; Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 2:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk. 13:28 ; Acts 4:12 ; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:11-15 .

10  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 What is the resolution to this apparent contradiction? Note: Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father ; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”—John 14:8-11 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God , the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him 13 . And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. —Col. 1:13-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…….And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him .—John 1:1-4, 16-18 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword , and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last 14 . I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore . Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”—Rev. 1:12-19 This is truly amazing! Jesus Christ has made God known to us because He was “the Word made flesh”; He was God in the flesh. Therefore, all those occurrences in the Old Testament are actually pre-incarnate appearances of the 2 nd Person of the Godhead, Christ Jesus who can be seen! In essence, Jesus Christ is God made known to us! [If He takes away, who can hinder Him? ] The word for “hinder” here is the Hebrew word that means “to turn back ” or “ to retreat ”. J In other words Job is asking the rhetorical question, “If God decides to take away who has the power and wisdom to turn Him back— who can stop Him from doing what He wants?” The answer of course is “No one!” Here Job seems to be alluding to the fact that God has allowed everything, except his life, to be taken from him. Job has lost his friends, his property, his children and his health. It appears that Job has accepted, or at least is reminded, of the fact that a person is powerless against God plans. But that doesn’t make trying to understand “Why?” any easier.

13 This attribute, creation, is reserved only for God therefore Jesus Christ is the Creator God! 14 This attribute is assigned to the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts. See Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12 .

11  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 [Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing? ’] By the same token, who can say to God with any authority, “What are You doing?” This is very similar to the conclusion that the great Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar came to after he was humbled: And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”—Dan. 4:34-35 The meaning is obvious. Since our property, health and even our life are a result of God’s creative power; everything we have has been granted to us by His sovereignty and grace. Therefore, God has a right to remove any thing which we possess; be it property, health or life when it seems good to him. When God takes these things away, He is but taking that which is His own, and that which has been “loaned” to us for a time. This truth Job now fully admits and, in the midst of his sorrow over his losses, he acknowledges that God had a right to do as he had done. Note that this is the attitude Job first has when all these disasters fall on him. Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped . And he said: “Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.—Job 1:20-22 [God will not withdraw His anger …..] First, it should be noted that the Hebrew word translated “ anger ” here is literally the word for “ nose or nostril ” and refers to the flaring of nostrils when someone expresses anger. God’s anger is not something to be trifled with. The word translated “ withdraw ” is literally “ turn back ”. God does not retreat from expressing His wrath and indignation . Second, because of this God does not lightly express His wrath and anger. Note that the Old Testament repeatedly testifies that God is “ slow to anger, abundant in kindness, ready to forgive, merciful, gracious, great and abounding in mercy and full of compassion ” { Neh. 9:17; Psalms 103:8; 145:8; Prov. 15:18; 16:32; 19:11; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3 }. However, because all wisdom, power, glory and honor belongs to God { Rev. 4:11; 5:12-13; 19:1 } He is HOLY so when He does pour out His anger it is righteous and just . He does not turn back from it. Indeed the scriptures describe the Lord’s fierce wrath as poured out into a wine cup {see Job 21:20; Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15; Rev. 14:10, 18-20; 16:19 }. Sometimes people ask me, “If God is so all powerful, righteous and just, why doesn’t He do something about all the evil in the world? Why doesn’t he destroy the wicked?” He will— but He is storing up this judgment for the time of the end. That is His prerogative. The ultimate example of God’s wrath and anger is the GREAT TRIBULATION that is prophesied to come upon the earth and its inhabitants. It is the subject of most of the book of Revelation {chapters 6—19 }. The Bible refers to this as “ the Day of the LORD ” or, more graphically, “the Day of God’s Wrath ”. Refer to Isa. 2:12; 34:18; 58:13; Jer. 46:10; Lam. 2:22; Ezek. 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18-20; Obad. 1:15; Zeph. 1:7-8, 14-18; 2:2-3; Zech. 14:1; Mal. 4:5; Acts 2:20; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10 .

12  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 Perhaps the purpose of God’s anger and wrath is best, and most graphically, summarized by this passage of scripture from the book of Isaiah: Wail, for the Day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will be limp, every man's heart will melt and they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; they will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; they will be amazed at one another; their faces will be like flames. Behold, the Day of the LORD comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger , to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its going forth and the moon will not cause its light to shine. “I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, a man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth will move out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts and in the day of His fierce anger . —Isaiah 13:6-13 But it is also God’s prerogative to extend on-going patience , grace and mercy . Until the final judgment of God upon this earth it is His patience and His wonderful grace and mercy that is extended in Jesus Christ that “rules the day”; the present, “today”, is a time of salvation: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us , not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance .” —2 Pet. 3:9 “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says 15 : ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you and in the day of salvation I have helped you’. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation .” —2 Cor. 6:1-2 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation , which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”—Heb. 2:1-4 [….. the allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.] Note that in some translations v.13b reads: • "God will not turn back His anger; beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab .” NASB • “God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet .” NIV • “God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him .” ASV • “God's anger is constant. He crushed his enemies who helped Rahab , the sea monster, oppose him .” TEV However, the NKJV as well as several other translations render the following: • “God will not withdraw His anger, the allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him .” (NKJV) • “If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him .” KJV • “God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him .” Darby • “And God does not abate his anger. The pride of man collapses before him .” TLB

15 This is a quote from Isaiah 49:8 .

13  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 • “And God does not restrain his anger. The mightiest forces against him are crushed beneath his feet .” NLT • “God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers .” YLT You’ll notice that the same Hebrew word is translated “proud” in some translations but in others it’s translated using the proper name “Rahab”. Also note that Job 26:12 has been translated as: • “He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud .” KJV • “By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces .” NIV In our introduction it was stated that since references to the Abraham, Isaac, Jacob [Israel], the children of Israel, Moses, the Law, the Tabernacle, are missing in the book Job; the people and events described in this book probably took place either during or before the time of Abraham. However, the historical Rahab lived about 700 years after Abraham and it appears that we have a reference to her here. So what is the resolution of this difficulty—how should this verse be understood? The obvious question that one should be asking; “Is this referring to the historical Rahab mentioned in Joshua 2:1-3 and 6:17-25 ?” If the answer is “Yes” then the events described in this book need to set in a time much later than the time of Abraham; despite the absence of other references to the patriarchs [Abraham Isaac and Jacob/Israel], the Twelve Tribes Of Israel, Moses, the Law, or the Tabernacle. However, the resolution to this apparent contradiction is fairly simple and it revolves around answering the question posed above. Although the Hebrew word being used is “rahab”, the word itself means “to bluster”, that is, “to be prideful or arrogant”. This should be a major clue in resolving the quandary. This is made evident in Isaiah 30:7 , which in the NKJV reads: “For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab- Hem-Shebeth ”; literally, “….. her pride is to rest ”. Thus, this Hebrew word is sometimes used to emphasize the aspect of pride, rage, fierceness, insolence or arrogance rather than specify a proper name. It should be noted that “Rahab” was a symbolic name given to Egypt {Ps. 87:4 }, which was prideful , and also used to refer to a sea monster [or “dragon”] { Isa. 51:9 }. Therefore, in both v.13b and Job 26:12 , Job is alluding to the pride and arrogance of those who fight against God and the early date of the book of Job is preserved.

14  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 vv. 14-20 JOB ACKNOWLEDGES HE IS POWERLESS AGAINST GOD [14 “How then can I answer Him, and choose my words to reason with Him? 15 For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge. 16 If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice. 17 For He crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause. 18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness. 19 If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; and if of justice, who will appoint my day in court? 20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse” .] Job is thinking that God must want something from him. But in the previous verses Job has basically stated three things about God that appear to make Him unapproachable. • God seems to have abandoned him. • God does what He wants, when He wants, how He wants; no man can stop Him nor legitimately question what He is doing. • God does not turn back His anger when He judges the proud and the arrogant. So Job now asks how can he then answer God or even find the right words to speak 16 with Him. The word translated “ answer ” literally is “to eye” and it means to “ pay heed or pay attention to ”. Job is correctly saying that if I can’t understand who God is anymore, how can I rightfully respond to Him. Job is in anguish over the fact that he cannot communicate with God and appears to be taking the attitude of an “outsider”. He seems to be analyzing the situation as one who does not have a relationship with God through faith because he is fatigued, exhausted and in severe pain. Although Job is rightfully describing the contrast between God and man, he neglects to remember that God is also loving and kind and faithfully rewards those who diligently seek Him { Ex. 15:26; Deut. 6:17; 28:1 }. Note: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”—Heb. 11:6 I am beginning to wonder if Job is contemplating giving up on seeking after God. But extreme pain and suffering will test even the most faithful Christian to remain faithful. Job says that even if he were “righteous” he doesn’t feel qualified to answer God and instead would simply beg for mercy from the One he acknowledges as his Judge. Job goes so far to say that even if God did answer his pleas he couldn’t believe that God was actually listening to him. Job’s self-esteem before God is at an all-time low. Job feels like his prayers are going “no higher than the ceiling.” Job now gives two main reasons for feeling this way with their respective results: Perceived Action : God crushes me with a tempest ….. Perceived Result : He multiplies my wounds without cause. Perceived Action : God will not allow me to catch my breath ….. Perceived Result : He fills me with bitterness.

16 Note that the word “reason” does not appear in the original Hebrew text.

15  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 Literally, from his viewpoint Job is saying that God bruising me with a mighty wind-storm and increasing my wounds without cause. What is interesting about this last perception is that in Job 7:19 Job uses a common oriental proverb, “ let me alone till I swallow my saliva ”, which alludes to the fact that he is requesting time to catch his breath, recover from his horrible ordeal and get some time to rest from his fatigue. [If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong …..] God is referred to as the “Almighty God”; El Shaddai. Job is acknowledging that human strength is no match for God—one should not even think of trying to overcome an all-mighty God. [….. and if of justice, who will appoint my day in court? ] In Job’s day there was a court system. From what Job has already mentioned that system had a judge and also an attorney for the defendant. In v.15 Job says, “ though I were righteous, I could not answer Him ” and now he confesses that even “though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me ”. Job is beginning to humble himself but he does not yet fully personalize the fact that God is much greater then he is. Rephrasing this Job goes on to say that even “ though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse ”. This is also the place where the Lord finds Isaiah before he is commissioned to prophesy for the Lord. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”—Isa. 6:5 Job has highlighted two of the most notable attributes of God: His power and His justice . On both accounts Job is acknowledging that he is totally inadequate to challenge God. If it is a matter of strength, who is so foolish as to fight with God?—He is too mighty. If it is a question of justice, who would be foolish enough to take up my cause against Him?—He alone is holy, true and just. At the beginning of this chapter Job has already said: “Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God? If one wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.”—Job 9:2-3 Job is submitting to the fact that he has no recourse but to accept what is happening to him. He knows he needs a good “lawyer” and ultimately he needs God to come to his aid. Job needs God Himself to be his Savior! Note: “Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but Me; for there is no savior besides Me.”—Hos. 13:4 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”—Acts 4:12 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”—1 Tim 2:5-6 But at this point in his experience, Job views God more as an adversary than a friend, mediator or Savior. Note v.34-35 .

16  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 vv. 21-24 INTENSE SUFFERING CAN LEAD TO EXTREME CYNICISM TOWARDS GOD [21 “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life. 22 It is all one thing; Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked’. 23 If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent. 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, who else could it be? ”.] During my time working as an aerospace engineer, while I was working at Hughes in the city of Fullerton, CA (a shopping center is there now), I met man who was the head of the drafting department. He eventually became a friend. However, this man was always cynical about his job and the company and he was adept at making a sarcastic or disrespectful remark to insult a person. He was routinely rude and curt with fellow engineers who were simply trying to get their work assignments completed. Most people tried to avoid dealing with him altogether. The best, and most descriptive, way I would describe his personality perfectly was a cross between Rodney Dangerfield and Don Rickles. He knew that I was a Christian and in my professional dealings with him he would make it a point to try and aggravate me to the point that I would “lose it” and begin to use foul language. That was his goal, to make me frustrated and angry enough to begin swearing at him. But I was wise to his schemes and the Lord gave me the grace and wisdom to always respond civilly. In the end, he was the one always frustrated! I think I ended up being one the few people who would converse with him. One day I realized that there must be a reason that he acted this way because it was almost comical—he seemed like a caricature of cynicism. So I asked him, “Bob, what makes you so cynical? Why are you always so rude and disrespectful to people?” He asked me, “Do you really want to know?” I said, “Yes, I really would because I know there’s got to be a reason you act this way and I’m interested to know what it is.” He proceeded to tell me the following story: Several years earlier his oldest daughter was engaged to be married. About a week before the wedding, she and her fiancé were driving home one evening when a woman, who was intoxicated and driving a pick-up truck loaded with bags of concrete, ran a stop light and plowed into the passenger side their small compact car, crushing it against a concrete wall. Both his daughter and her fiancé were instantly killed by the impact. Later, during the trial, it was revealed that she had done this before in Arizona. She was DUI, hit another car, killing the driver so this was her second offense at killing someone while driving intoxicated. What the judge did next both infuriated and frustrated this father: Since she was a single mom and was the only support of a small child, a daughter, the judge let her off with a suspended sentence and a $500 fine. After the verdict, he told the woman, “What are you going to do now—kill my other daughter?” This heartbroken father, seeking some kind of justice from our court system was denied that satisfaction. Ever since then this man had lost his respect for humanity and “justice”. The pain of that loss and lack of justice was sadly never reconciled for him. The only thing I felt I could do is pray for this man and show him grace and compassion. This is where we now find Job. Alone, hurting, frustrated, angry and confused Job becomes cynical because he does not think that justice is being served to him by God. Job claims to be blameless, yet he admits that what has happened to him does not support that claim {“ yet I do not know myself ”}. He has become unsure of himself and his standing with God and he therefore despises his life ; literally, rejects his life. The interesting and important thing to remember is that despite any confusion or doubts Job may have had, God considers Job blameless . Note that on two separate occasions: Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”…….Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” —Job 1:8; 2:3

17  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 But Job may also be admitting something that God later asks Jeremiah. Do you really want to trust the feelings of your own heart; especially when they are being influenced by faulty reasoning and a lack of understanding? The rhetorical question that God asks relates to trusting one’s own heart; that is, one’s own understanding about things—which can be deceiving and dangerous: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it ? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. ”—Jer. 17:9-10 Job is physically and mentally exhausted, he’s in pain and his soul is full of anguish. He has proverbially wrapped himself “around the axle” in trying to understand what is happening to him. Job is perhaps admitting that this is indeed the case for him. Because of this quandary of having experienced the goodness and blessing of God but now seemingly suffering unjustly, Job does not know for sure where he stands with God. Therefore, Job despises and rejects his life; and as a result he becomes very cynical . The first thing Job says about God is that “ He destroys the blameless and the wicked” . But of course that is not true; matter of fact it is a lie! The Judge of all the earth will always do that which is right. Abraham asks the LORD a rhetorical question related to this which has an affirmative answer: Abraham : “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked , so that the righteous should be as the wicked ; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?”—Gen. 18:25 From Job’s perspective, if he is blameless [which he still thinks he is], then where is the “justice” in what’s been happening to him. After all, if God is pleased with him shouldn’t He be helping and healing him of his horrible skin disease! On the contrary, it appears to Job that God is indiscriminately punishing him for being blameless! In other words, Job is saying that to God there is no difference between the wicked and righteous—so, by implication, what advantage is there to being blameless; “ It is all one thing ”. Job is saying it doesn’t really matter if, contrary to what the popular Christmas lyrics imply, whether or not “you’re good or bad”. This is the height of cynicism towards God! Next, Job claims that when the Lord suddenly sends a plague upon men to judge and kill them, God “ laughs at the plight of the innocent”. Whether Job was referring to a recent and local event is unclear. What a perverse view of the One True God. But this comes from a mind that is not thinking straight. Job is confused and frustrated in mind, anguished in soul and suffering in a body that is wracked with pain. We need to remember the utter depth of despair that Job is in because of his intense mental and physical pain and suffering. But still—the Lord is the only One that can help ease Job’s suffering. Note: “I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”—Ps. 118:5-6 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go ? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”—John 6:66-69

18  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 In his distress and anguish, and not understanding [or forgetting] God’s in charge and has a plan for his saints, Job is really wondering if the LORD is like pagan gods who are oftentimes depicted as frivolous, malicious and spiteful . At least where Job is at intellectually it would explain why is he suffering. This is human or earthly wisdom in it’s rawest form. It’s almost as if Job wants to challenge God to prove his thoughts otherwise. Again, this is dangerous territory; note: For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “ He catches the wise in their own craftiness ” [ a quote from Job 5:13 !]; 20 and again, “ The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile .”—1 Cor. 3:19-20 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.—1 Cor. 2:13-14 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”—James 3:15-17 Of course the Lord is not frivolous, malicious or spiteful. Yes, He is Sovereign, Holy, Just and Righteous; but He is also merciful, gracious, kind, patient, loving and forgiving. But in the agony that Job is going through it makes it difficult to see that God never changes. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow { Heb. 13:8 } and He is the same when viewed from any “angle” { Jam. 1:17 }. He is the same God that Job knew before His present calamity! Even to us today, we can understand why Job says, “The earth is given into the hand of the wicked ” and “ God covers the faces of its judges ”. Job is saying that the “foxes are in charge of the hen house” and the inmates seem to be running the “jails”. From Job’s cynical position, God blinds the judges to justice. Note that at this point, in the depths of his cynicism, Job is focusing only on the injustice in the world—and there’s plenty of that. It seems like corruption is everywhere and God does not seem to be doing much about it. Is God powerless to do anything about the injustice and evil or does He simply not care? What is the answer, the solution to this dilemma? Well it shouldn’t be surprising that it is found in God’s Word. Habakkuk asks God the following question. “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ And You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds.”—Hab. 1:2-4 God responds by saying. Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. ‘Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith’.” — Hab. 2:2-4

19  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 The importance of this truth is testified by its use no less than three times in the New Testament. In each instance a different aspect of “the just shall live by his faith” is emphasized. Gal. 3:11 emphasizes the “ the just ” or “who ”; Rom. 1:17 emphasizes “ shall live ” or the “what ” and Heb. 10:38 emphasizes “ by faith ” or “how ”. Job finally, and logically asks, “ If it is not He, who else could it be? ” In other words, if the Almighty God is not doing all this (and He seems like the one who is in control), then who is? Well there are two other possibilities that those who have become this cynical don’t seem to consider: (1) man’s sin and (2) Satan’s schemes. Consider the following: “……for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”—Rom. 3:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Rom. 6:23 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”—James 1:12-15 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion , seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”—1 Pet. 5:8-11 So the great dragon was cast out [ of Heaven ], that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death.” —Rev. 12:9-11 But is it possible to maintain one’s faith and proper perspective on God through such difficult and painful times? The answer is an emphatic, “Yes!” The prophet Jeremiah lived to see some horrific times. He was an eyewitness to the Babylonian army’s relentless siege on Jerusalem in 586 BC and he lived to see that city eventually conquered, destroyed and the survivors taken back to Babylon as captives. For about 18 months the people in the city had no food to eat { Jer. 52:6 }, they had only water from underground wells. Mothers were killing and eating their babies in crazed hunger {Lam. 2:20; 4:10 }. It was a horrible time of despair, pain and death. Yet in that awful setting Jeremiah’s faith was strong and in his diary in the book we know as Lamentations he would write the following: “Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not . They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness . ‘The LORD is my portion’, says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him’!”—Lam 3:22-24 “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies . For He does not afflict willingly , nor grieve the children of men. To crush under one's feet all the prisoners of the earth, to turn aside the justice due a man before the face of the Most High, or subvert a man in his cause—the Lord does not approve.”—Lam. 3:31-36

20  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 “I called on Your name, O LORD, from the lowest pit. You have heard my voice: “Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.” You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, “Do not fear!” O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul ; You have redeemed my life .”—Lam. 3:55-58 We too can be tempted to become cynical when we go through the pain and heartache of trials. But as we read our way through the book of Job we’ll come to see that it teaches us what our proper response should be to adversity, pain and suffering. But more importantly this book will reminds us that “ if God is for us—who can be victorious against us ?” { Rom. 8:31 }.

vv. 25-31 SELF -JUSTIFICATION IS FUTILE : IT LEADS TO HOPELESSNESS [25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good. 26 They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey. 27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile’,” 28 “I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent. 29 If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap, 31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me ”.] Compare vv.25-26 with Job 7:6-10 . Job is again contemplating the brevity of life. In Job 7:6-7 he says that, “ My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. Oh, remember that my life is a breath !” Job uses several allegories to describe his feelings about his life. First, he likens his days to that of a runner , who is seen for only a moment and then disappears over the horizon or the next hill. Job complains that those days, as short as they are, see no good . Second, he likens his life to fast ships, with their sails full of wind they pass by and like a runner, are soon out of sight. Job implies that his life too, will soon be out-of-sight. Third, he likens his life to an eagle swooping down on its prey. The rabbit on the ground has no idea it is about to be snatched for dinner—this action happens so fast that the prey barely knows what just happened. Job is implying that what has happened to him was just as fast, just as surprising. And then, whoosh , life is over! In v.27-31 Job seems to be facetiously responding to what has happened to him from the perspective of someone who has lost sight of the true character of God and his insincerity oozes from his words. First he basically says, “Hey, you know what? I’ll just forget about my complaint against God. Instead, you know what I’m going to do? I’ll just change my sad face and just keep smiling. That will solve my problem”. But of course it won’t because Job is being insincere. Job is expressing the classic refrain of those who are wallowing in self-pity [like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh], yet want people to know they are properly dealing with their suffering. The modern expression is, “grin and bear it” or “laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone 17 ”.

17 Which continues: “For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth; But has trouble enough of its own” from the poem, Way of the World , written by the American poet and author, Ella Wheeler Wilcox (Nov.5, 1850 – Oct.30, 1919). She, along with her husband, became heavily involved with the occultic teachings of Theosophy, New Thought and Spiritualism and promoted them through her own teachings and books. She is not someone who’s writings should be looked to for wisdom and advice!

21  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 Although Job is speaking from a prideful heart, he teaches us that the things that happen to us in life will be meaningless, and ultimately hopeless, if God cannot be trusted to act consistently with His righteous and Holy character. If God acts frivolously then one can never know for sure where he/she stands with God. But we have the testimony of prophets and kings, and God Himself, that His character is unchanging: “For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob”. —Mal. 3:6 “But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.”— Ps. 102:27 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.—Heb. 13:8 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.—Jam. 1:16-17 Job’s faith is also wavering. He has blasphemed God by accusing God of being unjust by saying { vv.22-24 }, “ He destroys the blameless and the wicked’. If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent ” and then puts an explanation mark on his statement by asking, “ If it is not He, who else could it be?” But we saw that the answer to that question is two-fold: (1) man’s sin and (2) Satan’s schemes and devices. It was actually Satan that had caused the disasters in Job’s life and who was now responsible for Job’s anguish, confusion and crisis of faith! Again note: Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world—1 Pet. 5:6-10 We need to remember that the Bible teaches us that God has already won the victory over Satan and death for us! So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written18 : “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.—1 Cor. 15:54-58 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble 19 ”. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.—James 4:6-7 Job was worried that death might be “just around the corner. But death no longer has, or should not have, a hold us on us for as Christians our future is assured and our destination, Heaven, is secure . Our Savior’s return and our resurrection is also promised, which is our “Blessed Hope” { Titus 2:11 }. [“I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent. ] Job admits that he is afraid because in the likelihood that his sufferings are a result of sin, then God will not hold him innocent [as he believes he is] and judge him.

18 Isa. 25:8; Hos. 13:14; 19 Prov. 3:34 .

22  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 [If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? ] Not sure of why he is suffering, Job reasons that if he is being justifiably condemned by God [as obviously indicated by the extent of his suffering] then what reason does he have to go on? Job is saying, why am I laboring so hard to understand my situation because there’s no purpose in it anyway! Job has concluded that any efforts to appease God at this point are futile. [ If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap, Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me ] Here Job uses allegorical language to describe the process of cleansing oneself from sins. Evidently, at this point in his experience Job is presuming that he can somehow work out his own salvation, perform some work that will allow God to forgive him and restore his relationship with Him. Unfortunately, Job is cynically thinking that even if he were to cleanse himself with pristine water from freshly melted snow and along with some soap , yet God would still plunge him into a pit to die [the word translated “pit” speaks of the corruption of death and is so translated in the Messianic prophecy of Ps. 16:10 ]. But the irony is that Job is right! No person can provide for their own salvation. Note:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD , search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”—Jer. 17:9-10 “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”—Isa. 64:6 It is obvious that we need a Savior who the same as the One who created us—that is the only solution! In vv.32-35 Job concludes this chapter with a yearning for such a Mediator that could straighten things out, bring some understanding and relief to his plight. Job is torn between knowing that he needs someone bigger and better than himself to save him out of his plight, yet clinging to his belief that he is innocent of any wrong-doing that deserved such horrible punishment. maintaining his innocence Humility and faith will conquer all doubts, knowing God’s perfect love for us will cast out all fear. But Job is being prideful and losing, or more accurately, forgetting his faith. Because of that he is being tormented by the fact that speaking as if he doubts that God still loves and cares for him. However, the apostle John puts this into perspective by telling us: Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.—1 Jn. 4:17-19 God is still merciful and gracious, loving and kind. But in trying to figure out what is happening to him in human terms, Job is forgetting that aspect about God and he’s wrapping himself around the proverbial “axle”—in this case the “axle of human logic”. Job still thinks that his complaint [that God is punishing him without cause] against God is justified. He’ll never resolve his problems that way. Matter-of-fact, this kind of false reasoning also leads to another error in judgment and attitude.

23  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 We too, like Job, can become spiritually short-sighted in the midst of our own suffering and trials if we take our focus off of Jesus Christ. Our own personal tragedies can weigh on us like anchor chains, pulling us down and away from our Blessed Savior. At is during those times that we need to remember what the apostle Paul has written to us: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written 20 : “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter”. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Rom. 8:28-39

vv. 32-35 MAN ’S DESPERATE NEED FOR A MEDIATOR [32 “ For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. 33 Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both. 34 Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let dread of Him terrify me. 35 Then I would speak and not fear Him, but it is not so with me.” ] Job has expressed his complaint against God and has maintained that he is righteous and innocent of any wrong-doing deserving such calamity as has befallen him {ref. Job 6:22-30 }. But Job also recognizes that God is completely separate and distinct from man. In a word, God is “Holy”. This shows us that Job had knowledge of the fact that God is Creator and he was his creation. Because Job understands his place before God, he also admits that God is Holy and unapproachable by a mere man. God already knows the thoughts and intents of men and therefore can judge them before inquiring of them {Job 34:23-25; Heb. 4:12-13 }. Therefore, any thoughts of arguing his case directly before God would leave him speechless. And since man and God are not “peers”, there are no terms under which that they could simply appoint a time and place to court with Him! In v.3 Job has already admitted, “If one wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand ”. Neither is there a mediator [lit. ‘a reciprocal ’], an advocate, an attorney that could mediate his case with the Holy One, the Creator. Job implies that he needs an intercessor , a mediator between himself and God—and One that is equal with God! Little does Job know at the time that the Mediator will ultimately be God Himself!

20 Ps. 44:22 .

24  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014 [Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let dread of Him terrify me. ] So in lieu of not having a Mediator, Job is asking that at least God could take His rod of judgment away. That way, the harshness of his suffering would no longer terrify him. Of course it wasn’t God that was applying the “rod” to Job, it was a result of Satan’s attack—which God allowed knowing full-well that Job would persevere to the end, repent and his faith would be strengthened. [Then I would speak and not fear Him, but it is not so with me. ] Job realizes if that could happen then he would be able to speak without fear, but he doesn’t see much chance of that happening. We need to note that, just like with Job, Satan also accuses you beloved brother and sister in the faith. But we don’t need to “wring our hands” or wonder if there is anyone to help us. We just need to remember that Jesus Christ is our Holy Mediator and Intercessor, here is Heaven’s testimony: My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [ in our defense ] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation [ atoning sacrifice ] for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”—1 John 2:1-2 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men , the Man Christ Jesus , who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.—1 Tim 2:5-7 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. “This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their righteousness is from Me”, says the LORD.—Isa. 54:17 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus . For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit .”—Rom. 8:1-4 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life . For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned ; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”.—John 3:16-18 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them .—Heb. 7:24-25 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant , and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.—Heb. 12:22-24 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us .—Rom. 8:31-34

25  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014

Bibliography (1) New Unger's Bible Dictionary , Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. © 1988. (2) Nelson’s Bible Dictionary ; Thomas Nelson Publishers, © 1986. (3) Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament , Cook Communications Ministries; Copyright © 1983, 2000. (4) Barnes Notes , (5) Thru the Bible Commentary: Poetry (Job) , Vol. 16 ; J. Vernon McGee, Thomas Nelson; Nashville. ©1991. (6) Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament , Hendrickson Publishers, Copyright © 1886. (7) Wycliffe Bible Commentary , edited by Charles F. Pfeiffer, Everett F. Harrison, Moody Publishers, Copyright ©1962. (8) New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary , International Bible Translators, Inc; Copyright © 1994, 2003.

26  Job Chapter 9 Klaus G. Schiessel Copyright © July 2014