Rounds 1 – 4

ROUND 4 Continued…

Job’s friend, Eliphaz continues his rant in today’s reading. He says, “If I were you, I would entreat God for help [Job 5:8]] [and it is implied, God would have heard him – though He seemed not (according to Eliphaz) to hear Job.

Eliphaz goes on to advise Job that he should endure this “chastisement” and sin no more. Job must have been a patient man. The scripture implies that Job allowed Eliphaz to make his dissertation without interruption. It takes strength and discipline to hold your peace and listen to nonsense when you know that is has no foundation in truth. Job was not a weak man.

After Eliphaz made an end of speaking, then, Job answered [Job 6:1].

Job was too kind to say to Eliphaz, “Shut up.” Instead, Job mentions that his reaction to all that had befallen him could be weighed in the balance and he found worthy [Job 6:2].

Now here is a message in the words of Job…

I even wish that it would please God to crush me, that He would let loose His hand and cut me off! Job 6:9  AMP

The natural oil of any vegetation is expressed through crushing. Vegetation is for the nourishment of living things. Thus the oil tends to life. An olive is crushed for its oil. A grape is crushed for its wine. An aloe plant is crushed for its salve. This natural order is mirrored in the spirit realm, as various pressures in life crush the spirit and cause it to express the oil of anointing. A person with great anointing is usually someone who has endured and overcome hard trials.

Job asked that it would please God to crush him as to end his life. What he did not know is that if he was crushed in the spirit and continued to worship God as he did, he would more likely live because the oil of anointing is expressed when man is under pressure; and this manner of oil tends to the glory of God. It empowers the receiver to worship God more fully in the Spirit – and God seeks such to worship Him. Moreover,

God never wastes the oil of anointing.

He preserves it [anointing] for His intended purpose and only allows it to be poured into vessels that He intends to use. Recall that when David was anointed King, he was not the first son of Jesse to be chosen, or tried for the anointing. However, the oil would not pour until it was over David’s head, because God had instructed the prophet Samuel not to pour the oil until it was over the one whom God would anoint to be King; and God rejected every other candidate. Once David had been anointed, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him [I Samuel 16].

ROUND 5

When Job had responded to Eliphaz in making his case that he [Job] was not reaping sown iniquity, another of Job’s friends spoke up. It is quite sad that Job, a perfect and upright man, was now in the middle of the hater huddle.

Still, another of Job’s friends, Bildad, cuts Job with a statement that many would toss in this situation. Bildad explains, “God would deliver you if your worthy, wouldn’t he?” Bildad accuses Job of forgetting God – Job – the man who gave sacrifices for his children according to the custom of burnt offerings in his day. A man who constantly prayed for his children could scarcely forget God. Bildad mocks Job saying, “God would not cast away a righteous man” – implying that Job could not be righteous, else he would have deliverance even now [Job 8:20].

Job did not have the benefit of knowing the story of the Apostle Paul, who prayed repeatedly for the thorn in his flesh to be removed, though it was not taken from him.

COMMENTARY

All of the afflictions of Job were unmerited through sin – meaning that he had not done anything to deserve any of these calamities. When you face such tribulation, it is easy for onlookers to point a finger. Like the case of the man born blind, people often want to know who has sinned that a man might lose his sight. The sight of man is ever under attack because the enemy takes out of context to their hurt, that people perish for lack of “vision.” Job eventually (after evil communication corrupted his good manner of total faith) began to despair of life. He struggled to see God in the midst of His trial.

The spiritual eyes can however be opened, even if the natural eyes are dim. Jesus healed sight more often than any other ailment in the scriptures. God wants you to see Him as He truly is, without the veil of illusion that Satan creates in order to make schism in the body of Christ. If the hand cannot see it is connected to the body, it may despair of life in a false vision that it has no purpose. God wants to open blinded eyes that He may reveal Himself as the author and finisher or faith. The work He begins your life, He is committed to complete it.

The enemy wants you to battle depression, battle loneliness, battle poverty, and fight against anything else that will distract you from clobbering him. It is written, the battle is not yours. Give God the battles that would take all of your might to conquer. These are meant to tax your spiritual resources to the point of no return. God wants to free you to worship Him. Let Him fight for you and take up the sacrifice of praise as oil that you pour on His feet.