Job 27 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 27.  Job is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/27/1/s_463001

Meditate on verses 3-5.

 

For as long as life is in me and the breath

of God is in my nostrils, my lips certainly will

 not speak unjustly, nor will my tongue mutter

deceit.  Far be it from me that I should declare

you right; till I die I will not put

 away my integrity from me.

 

Despite being physically wasted, financially ruined, grieved beyond belief, and incessantly badgered by friends, Job refused to sin with his tongue by agreeing with the words of Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad.  Recall Satan’s goal in persecuting Job was to get him to lose his integrity (Job 2:3, 9).  Job stood firm in the midst of his fiery ordeal.

 

The enemy wants to put you in a tight place, so you will do anything to get out, even compromising the truth of God’s Word.  Satan tempts you to espouse false teaching for a quick fix and promises of prosperity.  Do not fall for his tricks.  God’s goal is not to give us an easy life; His goal is for us to become more Christlike through life’s trials.

 

As you go through the trials, fix your eyes on Jesus and pray Job 27:2-6 as His faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“God Almighty, as You live, even if You take away my

rights and embitter my soul, as long as life is

in me and Your breath is in my nostrils, do not

 let my lips speak unjustly nor let my tongue mutter deceit.

 Far be it from me to declare false teaching as right.

Till I die, do not let me put away my integrity from me. 

Help me hold fast my righteousness and not let it go. 

Let not my heart reproach any of my days.

Because of Your righteousness, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

Job 26 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 26.  Job is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/26/1/s_462001

Meditate on verses 1-4.

 

Then Job responded, "What a help you are to the weak!

How you have saved the arm without strength!

What counsel you have given to one without wisdom!

What helpful insight you have abundantly provided!

To whom have you uttered words?

And whose spirit was expressed through you?”

 

Job answered Bildad with his own sarcasm: “A lot of help you are!”  And, he expressed concern Bildad spoke from a demonic spirit because his words did not reflect God’s Spirit (v. 4).  Thankfully, we don’t have to listen to any more of Bildad, Zophar, and Eliphaz’s words; their discourses ended with Bildad’s maggot and worm spiel (Job 25:6).

 

Most of Job’s words in this chapter are about God (vs. 6-14).  Pray Job 26:7-14 to God as His faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, You stretch out the north over empty space

and hang the earth on nothing.  You wrap up the waters in Your

clouds, and the cloud does not burst under them. 

You obscure the face of the full moon and spread Your

cloud over it. You have inscribed a circle on the surface of

the waters at the boundary of light and darkness. 

The pillars of heaven tremble and are amazed at Your

 rebuke. You quiet the sea with Your power, and by

Your understanding, You shattered Rahab

(pride and arrogance¹).  By Your breath the heavens are

cleared; Your hand has pierced the fleeing serpent. 

Behold, these are the fringes of Your ways, and

 how faint a word we hear of You!

But Your mighty thunder, who can understand?

I am in awe of You, Jesus~”

 

1.     Retrieved from www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7293&t=NASB

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Job 25 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 25.  Bildad is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/25/1/s_461001

Meditate on verse 1.

 

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered…

 

Bildad responded with four sarcastic, rhetorical questions.  How would God answer those questions? 

 

·      LORD, is there any number to Your troops?

 

“I have commanded My consecrated ones;

I have even called My mighty warriors.

The LORD of hosts is mustering the army for battle.”

—Isaiah 13:3a, 4b

 

·      Upon whom does Your light not rise?

 

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.

—Isaiah 9:2a

 

·      How can I be just with You?

 

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have

 peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ.

—Romans 5:1

 

·      How can I be clean?

 

The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

—1 John 1:7b

 

Bildad viewed humans as maggots and worms (v. 6); God sees us as worth saving.  Use the words from Job 25:2 and 6 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, thank You that dominion and awe belong to You and so do I.

Establish Your peace with _____________.

Thank You that we are not maggots and worms in Your sight.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Job 24 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 24.  Job is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/24/1/s_460001

Meditate on verse 1.

 

Why are times not stored up by the

Almighty, and why do those who

know Him not see His days?

 

“Why, LORD?  Why do You not judge those who seize what does not belong to them?  Why does it seem You pay no attention to those who suffer?  Why are murderers allowed to kill?  Why do adulterers get away with infidelity?  Why is a woman who wants a baby not able to conceive?  Why do widows suffer?  Why is a valiant man brought low by Your power?  Why, LORD?  Why do You allow suffering?  Why is my family suffering?  Why am I suffering? Why have You removed Your hand from us?  Why, LORD, why?”

 

Perhaps you have questions to ask God.  Do not hesitate to ask Him why He allows you to go through tough times.  Ask Him how He is going to get you through those times.  Ask Him when He will let the suffering cease.  Ask Him what He wants you to do while you wait.  Ask Him who else is going through difficulties that you can encourage.  Ask Him where this trial will take you in your relationship with Him.  Talk to the LORD, a lot.  I wish Job had continued talking to God in the midst of his suffering instead of talking more and more to his friends, therefore, sounding more and more like them.

 

Ask the LORD your questions starting with Job 24:1, keeping in mind, as His faithful, prayerful watchman, your times are in His hand (Psalm 31:15; Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD Almighty, why are times not stored up by You,

and why do those who know You not see Your days?

LORD, why is this so difficult?

Please answer for the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Job 23 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 23.  Job is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/23/1/s_459001

Meditate on verse 5.

 

I would learn the words which He would answer

 and perceive what He would say to me.

 

Perhaps you are like Job, in a difficult place, desperately desiring God’s favor, but feeling like nothing pleases Him.  Job spoke about God in this chapter.  You can speak to God with Job 23 as His faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7). 

 

“LORD, please forgive me if my complaint

is rebellion.  I need to talk to You. 

Your hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Oh, let me find You and come to Your seat!

 I present my case before You and fill my

mouth with arguments.  I learn the words

 You would answer and perceive what You

say to me.  Would You contend with me by

the greatness of Your power?  No, surely You

 pay attention to me.  The upright reason

with You, and I am delivered forever from

 You, my Judge.  Behold, I go forward, but You

are not there, and backward, but I cannot

 perceive You.  When You act on the left, I

cannot behold You.  You turn on the right;

 I cannot see You.  But You know the way I take.

 When You have tried me, I shall come forth

as gold.  My foot holds fast to Your path.  I keep

Your way and do not turn aside.  I have not

departed from the command of Your lips.

 I treasure the Words of Your mouth more

 than my necessary food.  But You are

 unique, and who can turn You?

 What Your soul desires, You do.  For You

perform what is appointed for me,

and many such decrees are with You. 

Therefore, I am dismayed at Your presence. 

When I consider, I am terrified of You.

 God, You make my heart faint, and

Almighty, You dismay me.  But I am not

silenced by the darkness,

nor the deep gloom which covers me.

Because of You, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Job 22 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 22.  Eliphaz is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/22/1/s_458001

Meditate on verses 1 and 4.

 

Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, "Is it

 because of your reverence that He

reproves you, that He enters into

 judgment against you?”

 

Presuming Job was punished by God, No-Evidence-Eliphaz made up groundless accusations against his friend.  In his mind, the punishment must fit the crime, and by all outward appearances, Job’s judgment was great; therefore, his behavior was obviously wicked (v. 5).  So, Eliphaz falsely accused Job of:

 

·      Taking pledges from his brothers without cause, stripping them naked (v. 6)

·      Withholding food and water from the weary and hungry (v. 7)

·      Ignoring widows and orphans (v. 9)

 

Eliphaz wanted to justify in his mind why God did horrible things to Job.  Convincing himself and others Job did horrible things helped Eliphaz make sense of Job’s situation.  Eliphaz and his friends also wanted assurance they wouldn’t experience such judgment from God, so they painted their friend Job as being much more sinful than they.

 

No-Evidence-Eliphaz, Bildad the Blunt, and Zophar the Zoologist, three men rebuked by God for their lies and behavior (Job 42:7-8).  Learn well from what God recorded about them in His Word, so you can be a faithful friend to others in their time of need.

 

Pray Job 22:22 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, let ___________ and me receive

 instruction from You mouth

and establish Your Words in our heart. 

Not for the purpose of being

 blessed, but to know You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

Job 21 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Job 21. Job is speaking.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/job/21/1/s_457001

Meditate on verse 4. 

 

“As for me, is my complaint to man?

And why should I not be impatient?”

 

“No, Job, your complaint is to God, so why are you talking to your friends instead of the LORD?”

 

The story of Job started with most of his words spoken to God, but now he is talking more and more to his friends and less and less to God, and the conversation is crazy.  Job is caught-up in a foolish argument.  “Hush, Job!  Talk to God!”

 

Have you ever been in a Job situation?  Life is crazy and hard, and there are people with lots of advice for how to make it simple and easy.  But the more you talk to humans the crazier the conversation and life become.  Stop!  The LORD says, “Hush, be still, cease striving, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  Turn your conversations back to Him.  He has the answers you need.

 

Use the words from Job 21:27 and 34 to talk to the LORD as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“Behold, LORD, You know my

thoughts and the plans

 I have, which are wrong for me. 

LORD, I need Your help!

 I want Your thoughts and plans! 

Others vainly comfort me, and their

answers remain full of falsehood.

 I turn to You, LORD, only You

 can truly comfort me, and

Your answers remain full

of faithfulness and truth. 

Let __________ turn to You, too, for

 the answers they need.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell