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What should have Job's friends said to Job?
- Thread starter billwald
- Start date
Well, silence would have been a lot better than what they did say. To have accused him of bringing this on himself was awful. You don't kick a person when they are down.
Also, silence isn't that bad. I don't know why human beings feel like they have to say something profound to someone when that person in grieving or hurting.
It's like when a person finds out that their spouse has cancer and they tell a neighbor and the neighbor has to go into this big 15-minute tirade of how their great-uncle Jimmy-Joe had the same type of cancer and how he died a horrible and painful death.
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preacher4truth
Active Member
They should've said "We want to be Calvinists like you Job."
SaggyWoman
Active Member
They should have shut their mouths.
idk, maybe a little encouragement? Trust that there's a reason for what's happening?
Btw, did you ever notice that when Satan wanted to make Job as miserable as possible, he took away his children and all his possessions, and covered him with sores, but left his wife right there? Kinda argues for the idea that at one time Satan was married. :laugh:
Btw, did you ever notice that when Satan wanted to make Job as miserable as possible, he took away his children and all his possessions, and covered him with sores, but left his wife right there? Kinda argues for the idea that at one time Satan was married. :laugh:
He didn't kill Job's wife because a husband and wife are one flesh and God told Satan that he couldn't kill Job. I highly doubt that anything could have been worse, physically, than the bodily sores. And I highly doubt, for Mrs. Job, than anything could have been worse, emotionally, than knowing her 10 children were all dead and that her husband was suffering agonies untold and she could do nothing for him. They both endured extreme torment - in different ways, but Satan could kill neither of them. And as we all know - there are things to suffer on this earth that are worse than death.
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Yes, I know all that. I was just adding a little levity to the discussion. On the other hand, she did tell Job, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" Not exactly helpful.
Yes, I know all that. I was just adding a little levity to the discussion. On the other hand, she did tell Job, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" Not exactly helpful.
Or possibly "Bless God and die!"
Same word: could be a translational issue,
although commentaries rarely discuss this...
Dr. Walter
New Member
I believe his friends were his "friends"and at the end of the story they were still his "friends" as he prayed for them.
I think his "friends" were honestly evulating Job's state from all the circumstantial evidence available. What was not available to them was the scene and discussion that took place in heaven between God and Satan. They were correct in seeing these things were from the Lord and thus logically concluded that such things would be more like indicators of judgement than indicators of God's approval. If we were in their shoes and knew only what they knew we most likely would have made some of the same conclusions. However, we have the book of Job before us and for that reason do not make such conclusions today when providential calamities strike our godly friends.
Yes, I know all that. I was just adding a little levity to the discussion. On the other hand, she did tell Job, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" Not exactly helpful.
Why do you think that she said that? I was always taught in my younger days that it was because Mrs. Job was just a harpy old shrew who was a burden to her husband.
I see her as a woman who cannot bear watching her husband suffer anymore and understands that death could be a relief. In her own grief, she tells him to curse God and - a mistake certainly, but not spoken from shrewishness.
WestminsterMan
New Member
Dr. Walter
New Member
Getting nasty now aren't you?
They should have said we love you. If there's anything we can do for you or you just want to talk, let us know. We'll pray for you.
In the meantime, they could have fed his stock, cleaned the stables, made repairs on his home, encouraged their wives to comfort Mrs. Job...ect ect ect.
In the meantime, they could have fed his stock, cleaned the stables, made repairs on his home, encouraged their wives to comfort Mrs. Job...ect ect ect.
Yeah, you would. :sleep:
And there it is
Dr. Walter
New Member
My reply is they treated him as "friends." However, your insinuation that God is comparible to his friends is false. His friends acted within the limits of their own understanding of the situation - but simply did not have all the facts to make their judgements. On the other hand God, does not lack understanding of the circumstance as He is the One unto Whom Satan had to get permission for the circumstance to occur.
The lesson in Job is very simple - "lean not to your own understanding" when dealing with your circumstances because appearances are sometime deceptive. Second, Job was God's display case for the nature of saving faith. Satan believed that if God would turn Job over to him that he could get him to curse God just as his wife instructed him to do. God deliberately gave Job over to Satan because God knew something neither Satan or Job knew. God knew saving faith was not of Job but of God and saving faith is kept by the power of God, as the author, sustainer and finisher and therefore Satan could do whatever he wanted and would not be able to accomplish his mission as the only responses he could get from Job - "Though he slay me yet will I serve Him." and "I know my redeemer liveth and I shall see him....." even after my body perishes yet with my own body, my own eyes I will see him - God knew that tribulation only WORKETH for the true child of God not against them. Tribulation turns them to God not against Him. Satan found this out, Job found this out and some on this forum need to find this out.
This very simple lesson is a lesson that many on this forum have not learned. Satan learned it. Job learned it but many on this forum have a pre-Job Satanic concept of saving faith because just like Satan they think a true child of God can turn anti-christ.
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WestminsterMan
New Member
They should have said exactly what they said.
Every word is inspired by God, written down exactly as God wanted it to be written down. It is God's Word, foreordained before the foundation of the earth. God knew what words he wanted to convey to us. Thus those are the words that God wanted written down. So they said what God wanted them to say. They are the inspired words of God. How can one argue with that?
Every word is inspired by God, written down exactly as God wanted it to be written down. It is God's Word, foreordained before the foundation of the earth. God knew what words he wanted to convey to us. Thus those are the words that God wanted written down. So they said what God wanted them to say. They are the inspired words of God. How can one argue with that?