Lesson 11 Job 6

There was so much material in Lesson 10 that it took 3 weeks for the class to work through it all.
Here, finally is Lesson 11.
Lesson 11
Job Ch.6
I. Introduction
A. In our last lesson we finished up on the address of Eliphaz.
B. We saw that Eliphaz had a solemn view of God. {ch.5:9-11}
C. We saw that Eliphaz had a working knowledge of the law.
D. What is missing in the address of Eliphaz is sympathy and consolation.
E. We broke down Eliphaz's address into seven distinct parts.
F. It is not surprising, then, that Job's reply has seven parts.
1. The reality of his sufferings. {ch.6:1-7}
2. Longing for death at the hand of God. {ch.6:8-13}
3. Friends manifested as useless. {ch.6:14-23}
4. Let them truly test him. {ch.6:243-30}
5. The brevity of life. {ch.7:1-11}
6. God his enemy. {ch.7:12-19}
7. The appeal in view of sin. {ch.7:20-21}
There are two things indicated in scripture that relate to Job's
suffering.
1. They were unutterable. { My words are swallowed up. vs.3}
a. Job's whole humanity was in torture.
b. Job suffered in body.
c. Job suffered in mind.
2. They were irrepressible. { Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his
fodder? vs.5}
a. The idea here is, I cannot but cry; my cries spring from my agonies.


II. The reality of Job's suffering. {ch.6:1-7}
A. Eliphaz had reproached Job for succumbing to despair.
B. Job's great suffering was unappreciated.
1.Eliphaz had no idea of the depth of Job's suffering.
a. It was keenly distressing to Job's feelings.
b. It was strongly influential on his emotions.
C. Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed. vs.2
1. It is a duty to weigh the saddest estate and affliction of our brethren thoroughly.
a. It must be weighed to see what it is which a man suffers in every circumstance and aggravation of
it. { consideration of circumstances}
2. He that would weigh an affliction thoroughly must make another's grief his own. { sympathy for the
pain}
3. It is an addition to man's affliction when others are not sensible of his affliction.
4. We can never rightly judge till we thoroughly weigh the condition of an afflicted brother.
D. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. vs.4
1. The arrows appear as boils as well as all the other outward health problems that Job suffered from.
2. This also implied his inward temptations, and the sense that God's wrath flowing therefrom.
E. It must be seen here that Job's mood was that of one who was sad, mornful and depressed.
1. Chief reasons for melancholy.
a. Indisposition {illness} or distemper {disorder, or disease} of body.
b. An apprehension of exclusion from mercy by some positive decree from God.
c. The fear of having committed sin against the Holy Spirit.
d. The conscience of past sins, and of present remaining infirminities.
F. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? vs.5
1. Job introduces this illustration to prove to his friends that his complaining were not in vain.
2. This verse teaches that one who is satisfied does not complain.
G. Job's suffering was misunderstood by his friends. { can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt?
vs.6}
1. This language seems to suggest that Job is pointing to the contents of Eliphaz's address.
a. Job felt that the address of Eliphaz was without any pleasing qualities.
b. Eliphaz's address, as far as Job was concerned, was pointless, dull, and tasteless.
c. Job was considered the address of Eliphaz as nothing more than unsavory meat.
2. Lessons learned from the text.
a. The want of savour is a very great want in anything that is meant for food.
b. That which is unsavory from lack of salt must not be eaten.
H. Verse seven suggests that Job's sufferings were like food to him.
1. Job intimates that with what loathsome food is set before him, how can it be expected
that he partake of it without complaining.