Job Chapter 17
Please read: Job 17 –
The vivid description of Job’s suffering is hard to read about, we feel great empathy for him. But the emotional toll that his suffering has caused his well-being is far greater. He feels that God has subjected him to this suffering. His friends have told him it is his own fault because he must have sinned some great and terrible sin. And now he feels there is nothing left except death. He feels that death would be a relief.
I am sure that Job felt that God in His silence had forsaken him. There can be seasons in our walk with God where He seems silent. But if we keep asking, believing and walking by faith we will hear His voice once again. And usually there comes an understanding of why God was silent in that season. Most often we learn that He was waiting for us to exercise more faith to become more dependent on Him, more reaching for Him, rather than depending on self.
Let's Reflect
1. According to verse 2 what did Job call his friends?
2. Job tells God (probably out loud) that his friends cannot vouch for him. They are lacking what, because of their closed hearts? They are more like people who circle round the property of the deceased to see what possessions they can get for themselves.
3. Job feels that the physical sight of his body is such that people would detest getting near him. According to verse 6 how does he describe how people would treat him?
4. In verse 10 he sarcastically invites his friends to speak more against him. What did he say would be the result of their speeches?
5. Job thinks his only relief from all his agony is to die and go to sheol (the grave). According to verse 15 what has he lost?
But this is not the end of the story, there is more life and purpose that God has planned for Job. We will find this truth as we get to the end of the book.
