Calendar

NOT ALONE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11
Job 19:1-15

Psalm 35:24-28

 

“…Let the LORD be magnified…”

 

NOT ALONE
 
In all of his torment, Job found no comfort in the words of his friends, complaining that their words merely tormented him. The phrase “ten times have ye reproached me” (Job 19:3) is not a literal ten times but a Semitic expression signifying the extent of human possibility. Job was simply saying that his friends had already exhausted their arguments, so why did they not just leave him alone (Job 19:1-4).
 
Job cried out in his anguish that God had misjudged him. He had asked for mercy but received no answer, and now, although he was innocent, everything had been taken from him, including his honour. That Job actually believed God was just and the Justifier of those who had faith in Him is clear from many other portions of Job. These occasional outbursts against God’s dealing with him must be attributed to Job’s terrible physical and mental torment (Job 19:5-11).
 
Job saw himself as having become the object of God’s attack. Although he was God’s friend, he had been treated as an enemy (Job 19:12). Job saw himself as being all alone. His brethren, that is, his acquaintances and friends, had been estranged from him, even the three that were with him at this time had attacked him as an unrighteous sinner (Job 19:13). Also, his relatives and most intimate friends had abandoned him (Job 19:14) and, finally, even those that lived in his house, who ought to have thanked him for giving them work and looking after them, now treated him as if he were a stranger (Job 19:15). Job was speaking again out of anguish of his suffering. He had momentarily forgotten that those who know the Lord are never really alone.
 
In times of difficulty and hardship, we, as God’s people, must always fix our eyes on Him rather than on our troubles and difficulty. In this way, God will lift us up and we will understand the all-sufficiency of His grace.
 
THOUGHT: What was Job’s main complaint in this portion?
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Father, that knowing Thee I will never know loneliness.

Search