Jó 23
Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin
Jó 23:10-11
Morris comments that… quite a number of references in Job refer to the early events recorded in Genesis (for example, the creation, the fall, the flood, and the dispersion. A number of ancient tribes and places mentioned in Job such as the Sabeans, the Chaldeans, and Ophir tie into the Table of Nations (Genesis 10) or other early sections of Genesis, but none that characterize later periods. Job lived 140 years after the events described in the book (Job 42:16). By figuring in the approximate number of years he lived prior to those events (the exact number is unknown, but at least enough to have ten grown children), we can place him in the time of the early patriarchs, perhaps around 2000 B.C. (Henry Morris. The Remarkable Record of Job. 1988) Morris goes on to add this caveat on the "truths" in Job noting that… many of the views expressed by Job contradict those of his friends, so both cannot be true. All the discourses are divinely inspired in the sense of being correctly reported, but they often illumine the faulty reasonings and attitudes of fallible human beings rather than the inerrant revelations of an infallible God. (Ibid) Nevertheless, within the pages of one of the most ancient and fascinating books of the Bible, we find timeless words of wisdom by which we as New Testament believers can order our lives. In short, the purpose of these brief commentary notes is to attempt to glean clues as to how Job was able to endure such incredible trials. In short, we will look at Job 23:10, 11, 12 which give us considerable insight into… JOB'S SECRET OF "SUCCESS" We've all heard the term "role model" to describe an individual who serves as a an example to for others to emulate, imitate or follow, and such role models are especially important in the realm of our spiritual life. From a human perspective, Job is one of the best examples of perseverance or endurance recorded and it behooves us to study his life with the aim of imitating his example of endurance in trials. While all believers will experience trials and affliction, fortunately few of us will ever experience them to the degree that Job did. Nevertheless, his response and specifically his "secret of success" can be applied in all of our lives because suffering and trials are an expected "course" in our matriculation to greater and degrees of Christlikeness. So let us take a moment and ponder some of the principles that enabled this great man of God to hold on when it would have been so easy to have given in and given up. As someone said, it's always too soon to quit and Job helps us understand how we can experience the victorious Christian life even when circumstances might seem to dictate otherwise. Listen to the advice of James… As an example (see word study hupodeigma), brethren, of suffering and patience (see study makrothumia), take (aorist imperative = command to do this now! Don't delay! Do it effectively!) the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed (see study of root word for blessed - makarios) who endured. You have heard of the endurance (see study of hupomone) of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (James 5:10-11) Matthew
Jó 23:10-11
Morris observes regarding Job's affirmation that even though he cannot see God, he knows that God can see him… Job's faith is still strong and, by this time, he is beginning to sense that his sufferings somehow are being used by God as a test of his faith. And why would Job's faith be strong? The answer is found in Job 23:12-note where we see that he treasured the Words of God more than his necessary food. This truth coupled with his obedience to God's Word help understand the "secret of Job's success". Paul links the hearing of God's Word with the growth of faith writing that… faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Ro 10:17-note) Of course hearing must be followed by doing (Jas 1:22-note) and in Job 23:11-note Job affirms that he has been a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer only. In other words he has not just heard but he has obeyed, which is important for there to be growth of one's faith. To hear God's Word and not to do it is to delude one's self. James says it is like looking in a mirror (God's Word) and walking away but immediately forgetting or disregarding what the mirror showed you about yourself… For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten (verb = completely forgotten!) what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. (Jas 1:23 24-note). Job was not a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer and was blessed in the end, as affirmed by James… Behold, we count those blessed who endured (hupomeno). You have heard of the endurance (hupomone) of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (Jas 5:11) To summarize, Job had heard God's Word, believed God's Word, obeyed God's Word and as a result knew God and His character and was confident he could trust Him, even though he could not see Him (cp He 11:1, 2Co 5:7). Job's faith and endurance and ability to see God with eyes of faith not sight remind me of Moses… By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him Who is unseen. (He 11:24 25 26-note He 11:27-note) Evangelist D. L. Moody emphasizes the importance of trusting in God… Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment; trust in your friends, and they will die and leave you; but trust in God, and you will never be confounded in time or eternity. He knows (yada) - Job is saying "God is intimately acquainted (see discussion of "yada" below) with what I am going through." The Septuagint translates yada with the verb eido/oida which signifies fullness of knowledge or absolute knowledge and thus indicates God's knowledge of Job's circumstances and his subsequent journey is beyond a shadow of a doubt. Knows (3945) (yada) is used 873v in the OT and in general means to have knowledge of something and can be used of knowledge which is intimate and experiential. Yada in some context even describes a man "knowing" a woman intimately. Indeed the Scriptures emphasize that our omnipresent, omniscient God is intimate with the righteous man or woman as indicated by the following passages… Ps 1:6 (notes) For the LORD knows (yada; Lxx = ginosko = experiential knowledge) the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Ps 139:1-3 (notes) O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known (yada; Lxx = ginosko) me. 2 Thou dost know (yada; Lxx = ginosko) when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. 3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. 2Ti 2:19 (notes) Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows (ginosko) those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain (command to withdraw or depart) from wickedness." Sustaining consciousness of the soul in sorrow I. That the great God was fully cognisant of His individual trial. “He knoweth the way that I take.” Wherever I am, at home or abroad, in solitude or society, “He knoweth,” etc. He knows the way I take--the way my thoughts take, my feelings take, my purposes take. But what support is there in the knowledge of this fact? 1. God’s knowledge of the individual sufferer is associated with the profoundest love. “As a father pitieth his children,” etc. 2. His knowledge is associated with an almighty capacity to help. The other sustaining fact of which he was conscious was-- II. That the great God was mercifully using his trials as discipline. “When He hath tried me.” Why does He try by affliction? 1. Not that He has any pleasure in our suffering. “He doth not afflict willingly,” etc. Nor-- 2. That He may discover what is in our hearts. He knows all about us. But He does it-- 1. In order to humble us on account of our sins. 2. In order that we may feel our dependence on Him. 3. In order that we may commit ourselves entirely into His keeping. III. That the great God would turn his painful discipline to his advantage. “I shall come forth as gold,” etc. “Tribulation worketh patience,” etc. But how does affliction benefit? 1. It serves to raise our appreciation of the Bible. 2. It serves to develop the powers of the mind. David’s afflictions brought out some of the most brilliant of his psalms. 3. It serves to develop the spiritual life. 4. It serves to detach us from the world. It gradually breaks down the materialism in which the soul is caged, and lets it flee into the open air and light of spiritual realms. (Homilist.) TRIALS: WHEN NOT IF When He has tried me - Two truths come forth from the word "when". First, he does not say "if" but "when". Trials are guaranteed (cp 2Ti 3:12-note, Acts 14:22)! Trials came to Job and will come into the life of every believer. Surely if Job, who by God's Own assessment was a blameless and upright man (Job 1:1 cp "the greatest of all the men of the east" Job 1:3), was in need of testing, then none of God's children will escape the Refiner's fire! Secondly, notice that when is a time phrase which is defined as "during the time that" and so in this verse refers to during the time of the trial. This indicates that the trial has a finite "lifespan" which will come to a blessed end. See in depth discussion of trials - 1Pe 1:6-note;1Peter 1:7-note Trials are the soil in which faith can flourish. God is the Refiner and His fires of testing are never meant to destroy us but to purify us and remove the "dross" from our life. The great old hymn How Firm A Foundation beautifully expresses this eternal truth about our loving Jehovah-Jesus… When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply; The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. (Play How Firm A Foundation) Tried (0974) (bachan/bahan) (See also discussion at Malachi 3:10) is a primary (or root) word which depicts examination to determine (and bring out) the essential qualities of something, and in the moral realm speaks particularly of a person's integrity (think of integer = indivisible - undivided ~ think undivided heart or single minded focus/purpose). In Scripture bachan is used almost exclusively in this moral/spiritual sense meaning to try, search out, examine or prove one's spiritual heart or character. To assay (English dictionary) - To try the goodness, purity, weight, value, etc. of metals or metallic substances. Any operation or experiment for ascertaining the quantity of a precious metal in an ore or mineral. To probe (English dictionary) - To search into and explore with great thoroughness. To subject to a penetrating investigation. In Medicine to probe is to examine the depth of a wound, ulcer or some cavity of the body, by the use of an instrument thrust into the part. To try (English dictionary) - To prove by a test; as, to try weights and measures by a standard. To melt (fat, lard, etc.) in order to separate out impurities. To extract a material from an ore, mixture, etc., usually by heat; refine. Bachan/bahan - 27v in NAS - For all of these Scriptures see also discussion of bachan at Malachi 3:10. Ge 42:15 16; 1Chr 29:17; Job 7:18; 12:11; 23:10; 34:3, 36; Ps 7:9-note; Ps 11:4-note Ps 11:5-note; Ps 17:3-note; Ps 26:2-note; Ps 66:10-note; Ps 81:7-note; Ps 95:9-note; Ps 139:23-note; Pr 17:3; Jer 6:27; 9:7; 11:20; 12:3; 17:10; 20:12; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:10, 15. NAS = assay(2), examine(2), proved(1), test(7), tested(3), tests(3), tried(5), tries(2), try(3). Below are several of the uses of Bachan… 1Chronicles 29:17 "Since I know, O my God, that You try (bachan) the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. Psalm 11:4 The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test (bachan; LXX = exetazo = intently, carefully examine, scrutinize) the sons of men.