Job 6 – What Are Friends For?
This is Job’s first response since we heard from him in Job 3. He admits that he has been ‘rash’ with his words, even though he did wait 7 days and 7 nights before speaking. But he now feels that he has to give a response to the counsel of Eliphaz from Job 4-5.
Job reminded his “friends” that he wasn’t made of stone, that he was flesh and bone, and that he didn’t have the strength within himself to endure and hope for a good outcome, such as what Eliphaz had said was possible for the one who truly believed God (See Job 5:24-27). But he also said that he feels let down by his friends, and that, “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend” (See Job 6:14-23), and that his friends and brothers should be a source of refreshing to him. We were reminded of Prov.18:24 which says, ‘A man who has friends MUST himself be friendly‘, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother‘, and the question is asked, “What kind of a friend would you be? Are you one that is like a well of water or a river of life?” (See John 4:10, 13-14; 7:37-39), or are you like ‘clouds without water’, such as those mentioned in Jude v.12?
When it comes to proving that we are righteous, we shouldn’t need to be looking to others for their opinion, like Job seems to be doing in vv.24-30. We can have great confidence by looking to Rom.8:33-34; 8:1, to see that once we have been ‘Justified‘, there is nobody and nothing that can reverse or overturn God’s verdict. And even if and when we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). Therefore we can thank God that though the enemy will accuse and slander us (See Rev.12:10), “If God be 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…NOTHING SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Rom.8:31-39).
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