Job

Job Chapter 30

Job 30:1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

When before all this calamity hit Job, he was well respected and honored by both young and old. Those in poverty that dwelled in places like caves to hide, those that were evil, and the children of the foolish were now after hearing of Job's plight, are making fun of him with songs. A lot of old songs people would sing at parties or while drinking a little too much would often make fun of someone in their songs. Songs or poems that make fun of overweight people, ugly people and just silly ones I heard as a child. I seldom hear them anymore. Job became a byword and someone to make fun of to those that lacked compassion and assumed God was against Job.

Job 30:10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.

There are some that show compassion but others that are rude and despise the suffering. I don't see too much of this now but I was on a social media sight once where they heard of some famous person being struck with a disease and I was shocked to hear someone write that they hoped the person would die. People can at times be cruel and even feel justified in their cruelty if the person is someone they envy, hate, or oppose politically. Politics and some in the news media are really bad about demonizing people they oppose in politics.

Job 30:12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.

Either Job is imagining this or the parents of once respectible young people are making things worse for Job thinking they are justified in their actions.

Job 30:14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.

I wonder if Jesus felt this way as He was dying on the cross. Jesus came to take away our sins by dying in our place, suffering the pain and afflictions of every sin mankind has ever committed. He who never sinned suffered for all who have sinned. Yet some of the people standing and watching Him suffer began to make things worse by reviling Him and taunting the Son of God while He was suffering. Those same people though after Jesus died and gave up His spirit trembled at the earthquake and thought surely this was indeed the Son of God.

Matthew 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Later Jesus thought that even His Father had forsaken Him.

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

I have to include what happened next:

Matthew 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

The story of the sufferings of Jesus is one that shows us how much He loved us. Jesus saw where we were headed. A place that was made for the wicked angels that departed from God was the ending for all mankind also. Jesus knew that He had to reverse this curse by taking our place. It is available only for those that repent of sin and believe in Jesus as the Son of God that came to save them from sin and in turn grant them eternal life. Because He was resurrected, we also have the hope of the resurrection with a new body that can never die.

Job 30:18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.

Poor Job did truly believe God was doing all this to him for some reason he did not understand. He felt abandoned both by men, neighbors, former friends and even God whom he trusted.

Job 30:25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

He reminds those that could hear him that he was one that weeped for others who were poor and suffering.

Job 30:26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

He now does not enjoy any music or singing. His skin turned dark from infection and fevers. He probably was profusely sweating, It seems as though his suffering was a long period of time, perhaps even months. He was in total despair. Probably how Jesus felt also abandoned by God. At least we that read this know his end is good. We know that Job will be healed and restored but he doesn't know this at that time. Jesus was resurrected and is now sitting at the right hand of God awaiting the time when He returns to gather those that believe in Him. DC

Job Chapter 31