Lesson 13 Job 6:14-23

I. Introduction.
A. We have been discussing, in our last two lessons, the response of Job to Eliphaz's first address.
B. In the first lesson, we saw Job's response to the allegations of hypocrisy.
C. In the second lesson Job defends his position of preferring death rather than suffer from the onslaught
of his illness.
1. In verses 9-10 Job thought death would be a comfort to him.
2. In his argument he stated that he did not hide the word of the Holy One.
3. In verse 11 Job puts forward his dispair,and utters his weariness of life.
4. In verse 12 Job makes a pitiful plea pertaining to his weakness and helplessness.
D. Now, in our next section, Job declares his friends useless.

II. To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend. {vs. 14}
A. Most forcefully does Job strike out against his friends.
1. The hard principles that Eliphaz was applying to Job contained no mercy.
2. The hard principles that Eliphaz was applying to Job contained no sympathy.
B. It is a fundamental principle that pity should be shown to a sufferer by his friends.
C. There are times in life when the need of friendship is deeply felt.
1. Man was made for friendship.
a. Deep and constant is man's craving for the love of others.
b. Without friendship man's nature could no more develop than an acorn can develop without
sunlight.
2. Man requires friendship.
a. Without friendship, man would die in infancy
b. Friendship is required for nourishment.
c. Friendship is requires for succoring.
d. Friendship is required for training.
3. Affliction intensifies the need for friendship.
III. Disappointment.
A. Verses 15-18.
1.The analogy of these verses may be viewed as the friends being like a summer stream, swollen by
melting snow and ice in winter, which gives promise of perennial supply for the thirsty, but when the
troops of travelers come, they find only dry stones to mock them.
B. Verses 19-20, combined with verses 15-18, paint a picture of disappointment.
1. The forms in which disappointments occur.
a. It must be noted, here, that disappointments are as numerous as our hopes.
b. We may have disappointments which relate to the acquisition of property.
c. We may have disappointments concerning our aims at honor and office.
d. We may have disappointments concerning our children.
2. The reasons why disappointments occur.
a. Because our expectations are beyond any reason.
b. Because our expectations are improperly placed on things we should not cherish.
c. Because disappointments may be beneficial to us.
3. Lessons that disappointments teach us.
a. All our plans in life should be formed with the possibility of failure in mind.
b. We should form such plans and cherish such hopes as will not be subject to disappointment.