For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.
Passage: Job 29:1-25
1 Job continued his discourse:
2 ‘How I long for the months gone by,
for the days when God watched over me,
3 when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me,
6 when my path was drenched with cream
and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
7 ‘When I went to the gate of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside
and the old men rose to their feet;
9 the chief men refrained from speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
13 The one who was dying blessed me;
I made the widow’s heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy;
I took up the case of the stranger.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims from their teeth.
18 ‘I thought, “I shall die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
19 My roots will reach to the water,
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 My glory will not fade;
the bow will be ever new in my hand.”
21 ‘People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;
my words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face was precious to them.
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;
I dwelt as a king among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.
A. Find Out
- Of what time does Job first remember? v.1-6
- How was he thought of in the city? v.7-10
- Why did he have that reputation? v.11-17
- What had he expected about his future? v.18-20
- How was his counsel considered? v.21-23
- How did he appear to them? v.24,25
B. Think:
- What had Job’s relationship with the Lord been like?
- What sort of man had he been in society?
- What does all this tell us about what he had been like?
C. Comment:
We are given a unique insight into Job’s life in this chapter. First of all, the thing that comes first, was his relationship with the Lord when he had a sense of being guarded (v.2), of guidance (v.3) and of intimacy (v.4) and of being blessed (v.5,6). Those had been good days with the Lord.
Then he reflects back on his station in life. He had been a respected elder (v.7) who sat as a judge (in the city gate) and civic dignitary (seated in the square), respected by young and old alike (v.8-10) and well known and honoured (v.11) for his good works, helping the poor and orphans (v.12), comforting the dying and widows (v.13), rightly bringing justice (v.14), and looking after the poor and needy and persecuted (v.15-17).
In all of this he gave no thought to future catastrophes for the future looked good (v.18) and he appeared well provided for (v.19), an ever renewing source of strength (v.20).
In those days he had been a voice to be listened to (v.21) and his words proved to be adequate answers (v.22) so people eagerly listened to him (v.23), so much so in fact that when he did speak to them they considered themselves honoured (v.24) to have this great leader give them his time (v.25). This is how it had been. What a contrast!
D. Application:
- Can we look back to days of fruitfulness in our earlier years?
- Can we rejoice at the blessing we have known?