Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 17 HCSB; Ch. 18-19 NASB

Podcast Introduction

This is Poetry Thursday, and we’ll read Job chapters 17-21. I’m calling this episode “Hang On.”

Comments on Job 17

Job opens by confessing that his spirit is broken. Why? Because his so called friends have become mockers in his eyes, and he can’t get away from them. They have made him an object of scorn.

Allow me to remind you of how they initially came to him. Job 2:11-13 tells us, “Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place–Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that [his] grief was very great.” (NKJV)

By all appearances, these three men loved Job. At least they regarded him highly. And now, they have become, according to Job, mockers. To mock is to tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner. What a heartbreaking picture this is. 

I have two very close friends that I’ve known since I was a boy. I’ve told you about Del. I first met him in junior high school, and we became best friends in high school. The other one’s name is Mark. We met when I was about 9 and he was 10. We were on our city’s swim team. These are literally life-long friends. We have been through all the highs and lows of life together. Our weddings. The births of our kids. I’ve prayed for them when they had life threatening sicknesses, and they prayed with LeeAnn and me when our son, Steven almost died. And now we’re all growing old together, with everything that brings. I cannot fathom the utterly crushing heartbreak I would feel if I were in Job’s shoes, and Del and Mark turned on me as Job’s friends did. The alone-ness. The betrayal. The pain.

But Job will not do what they want him to do. They have told him that he needs to confess his sin, but Job knows that he has done nothing to deserve what has befallen him. So in verse nine, Job says that upright men will be appalled at the treatment he has received from his friends, whom he now calls godless. He goes on to say that he will continue hold on to his determination to do what is right, and that because his hands are clean from sin, he will gain strength. 

Beloved, when you are persecuted, hang on. Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.”

We cannot go through life without times where the world seems heavy, bleak and dark. But like Job, we must hang on. If you are in a right relationship with God, know that He is with you, and He will hold you up. He will see you through. The night may be dark, but there is the promise of the morning. He will not let you down. God is faithful and He never changes.

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Transcript

Download .txt file.

Transcript corrected by Sister Denise

Job 17-18: Hang On (LSOYB S13E110)

[TEASER – 0:00]
God will not let you down.

[INTRO S13E110 – 0:09]
This is the Lifespring One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’ll read through the entire Bible in a year and it’s Poetry Thursday. We’ll read Job chapters 17 through 21. I’m calling the episode “Hang On.”

Before we read, let’s pray.

Our heavenly Father, we thank you for our time together to read your Word and I ask Lord that you would teach us. Bless this time, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Okay, let’s begin.

[JOB 17 (HCSB) – 0:47]
Job, chapter 17.

(1) My spirit is broken.

My days are extinguished.
A graveyard awaits me.
(2) Surely mockers surround me
and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.
(3) Make arrangements! Put up security for me.
Who else will be my sponsor?
(4) You have closed their minds to understanding,
therefore You will not honor them.
(5) If a man informs on his friends for a price,
the eyes of his children will fail.
(6) He has made me an object of scorn to the people;
I have become a man people spit at.
(7) My eyes have grown dim from grief,
and my whole body has become but a shadow.
(8) The upright are appalled at this,
and the innocent are roused against the godless.
(9) Yet the righteous man will hold to his way,
and the one whose hands are clean will grow stronger.
(10) But come back and try again, all of you.
I will not find a wise man among you.
(11) My days have slipped by;
my plans have been ruined,
even the things dear to my heart.
(12) They turned night into day
and made light seem near in the face of darkness.
(13) If I await Sheol as my home,
spread out my bed in darkness,
(14) and say to corruption: You are my father,
and to the maggot: My mother or my sister,
(15) where then is my hope?
Who can see any hope for me?
(16) Will it go down to the gates of Sheol,
or will we descend together to the dust?

[JOB 18 (NASB) – 2:13]
Job, chapter 18.

(1) Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,

(2) “How long will you hunt for words?
Show understanding, and then we can talk.
(3) “Why are we regarded as beasts,
As stupid in your eyes?
(4) “Oh you who tear yourself in your anger—
For your sake is the earth to be abandoned,
Or the rock to be moved from its place?
(5) “Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out,
And the flame from his fire gives no light.
(6) “The light in his tent is darkened,
And his lamp goes out above him.
(7) “His vigorous stride is shortened,
And his own scheme brings him down.
(8) “For he is thrown into the net by his own feet,
And he steps on the webbing.
(9) “A snare seizes him by the heel,
And a trap snaps shut on him.
(10) “A noose for him is hidden in the ground,
And a trap for him on the path.
(11) “All around terrors frighten him,
And harry him at every step.
(12) “His strength is famished,
And calamity is ready at his side.
(13) “His skin is devoured by disease,
The firstborn of death devours his limbs.
(14) “He is torn from the security of his tent,
And they march him before the king of terrors.
(15) “There dwells in his tent nothing of his;
Brimstone is scattered on his habitation.
(16) “His roots are dried below,
And his branch is cut off above.
(17) “The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name abroad.
(18) “He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased from the inhabited world.
(19) “He has no offspring or posterity among his people,
Nor any survivor where he sojourned.
(20) “Those in the west are appalled at his fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.
(21) “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

[COMMENTARY – 4:01]
Chapter 17 begins with Job confessing that his spirit is broken. Why? Because his so-called friends have become mockers in his eyes and he can’t get away from them. They’ve made him an object of scorn.

Allow me to remind you how they initially came to him in Job chapter 2, verses 11 and 13.

“(11) Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place–Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. (12) And when they raised their eyes from afar and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. (13) So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that [his] grief was very great.” [NKJV]

By all appearances, these three men loved Job. At the very minimum, they thought very highly of him, and now they’ve become, according to Job, mockers. To mock is to tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner. What a heartbreaking picture this is.

I have two very close friends that I’ve known since I was a boy. I’ve told you about Del. I first met him in junior high school and we became best friends in high school. The other one’s name is Mark. We met when I was about nine and he was ten. We were on our city swim team together. These are literally lifelong friends. We’ve been through all the highs and lows of life together, our weddings, the births of our kids. I prayed for them when they have life-threatening sicknesses. And they prayed with LeeAnn and me when our son Steven almost died. And now we’re all growing old together with everything that brings. I cannot begin to think about the utterly crushing heartbreak I’d feel if I were in Job’s shoes and Del and Mark turned on me as Job’s friends did to him. The aloneness, the betrayal, the pain.

But Job doesn’t do what they want him to do. They’ve told him that he needs to confess his sin. But Job knows that he’s done nothing to deserve what’s befallen him. So in verse 9, Job says that upright men will be appalled at the treatment he’s received from his friends, whom he now calls godless. He goes on to say that he will continue to hold on to his determination to do what is right. And that because his hands are clean from sin, he will gain strength.

Beloved, when you’re persecuted, hang on. Isaiah 40, verse 31, tells us “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

You know, we cannot go through life without times where the world seems heavy, bleak, and dark. But like Job, we have to hang on. If you are in a right relationship with God, you have to know that he is with you. And he’ll hold you up. He’ll see you through. The night may be dark, but there is a promise of the morning. And God will not let you down. He’s faithful and he never changes.

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 7:25]
Aren’t you thankful that God never changes? Let me know. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at +1-951-732-8511 or comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Tomorrow is Prophecy Friday. We’ll read Jeremiah 17 through 21.

[SUPPORT THE SHOW JINGLE – 7:46]
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[OUTRO S13E110 – 7:55]
Thank you so much for the time you allow me to be in your life. I appreciate the honor and the gift.

Thanks to Kirsty, Denise, Michael Haner, Scott Snider, and Jason Paschall. God bless you guys.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Hang in there. Bye.

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai