Carefully Examining the Text

Tommy Peeler
  • 4.8 (57)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

To know God and to make Him known through the teaching of the Scriptures

  1. JAN 29

    Job 9:1-13

    Carefully Examining the Text

    24 min

  2. JAN 19

    Job 8

    What does Bildad say that is right? 1.He says God does not pervert justice. If this were not true, there would be no moral order to the universe. There would be no hope that righteousness would ultimately prevail. Thankfully, God’s throne is built on righteousness and justice (Ps. 33:5; 89:14; 97:2; 99:4). These qualities are what God expects of His rulers (II Sam. 8:18; I Kings 10:9; Jer. 22:15-16) and His people generally (Isa. 5:7; Amos 5:24). Sin and suffering are connected Biblically. The blessings of the covenant in Lev. 26:6-13; Deut.28:1-14 and the curses of the covenant in Lev. 26:14-39; Deut. 28:15-68 illustrate the link between blessing and righteousness and sin and suffering. Much of the story of Israel’s history recorded from Joshua- II Kings demonstrates the working out of those principles.  But what does this mean to Bildad? Does he mean that a righteous person will not suffer? Ecclesiastes 3:16-17; 7:15; 8:14 show that this is no true. It is the very fact that things do not always work out in this life that drives us to a life beyond this one where wrongs are righted and the wicked and righteous are given the results of the different paths they have pursued.    2. He says that the godless will perish. He says that the confidence of the wicked is placed in things as fragile as spider’s web The fundamental question of life is Where is our confidence? On whom do we rely? On whom do we depend? Isaiah 36-37 deals with the days Assyria was attacking Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah. Sennacherib asks Hezekiah why he is rebelling against him. Where is your confidence? Word “confidence” (36:4), “rely” (36:5, 6, 6, 9), “trust” (36:7, 15) are all from the same Hebrew root word. The word is used 8 times in Isaiah 36. It is used as a verb except in 36:4 where it is translated with the noun confidence. The question that the king of Assyria asks is a fundamental question in the book of Isaiah and to the Bible as a whole and it is the foundational question of our lives. To put our place in the wrong place means that we will inevitably be clothed with shame.    3. There will an ultimate separation of the righteous and the wicked in eternity 8:18 Ultimately that the statement that it place does not know it anymore will be God’s pronouncement on the wicked (Matt. 7:13-14, 23; 25:12). 8:21 In God’s presence our mouths will be filled with laughter.    Job 8 and Jesus Bildad says that God does not reject the blameless in 8:20. He anticipates those who will cry to Jesus, “He trusts in God. Let God deliver him” in Matt. 27:43. “Job has a lesser Calvary, and each person has his own. But when we know of God’s rejection of Jesus, our dereliction can never be as dark as Job’s again”[1] It is through the suffering of God’s perfect servant, Jesus, that God ultimately showed His justice and righteousness (Rom. 3:21-26). Job’s battle foreshadows the even greater battle and the more intense suffering that God’s servant, Jesus, would endure.    [1] Anderson, 142-143.

    20 min

  3. JAN 9

    Job 7

    Jesus and Job 7 7:1-2 Jesus confronted with unbelief from the disciples and crowd asked, “How long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” Matt. 17:17; Mark 9:19. In a sense Jesus was like a hired man counting his days (Isa. 16:14; 21:16).  7:5 While Job suffered horribly in his flesh, Jesus’ flesh was beaten in scourging and suffered the horrors of crucifixion.   7:9 Jesus did go down into Hades and come up. Hades is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word Sheol. Jesus went down to Hades but was not abandoned there (Acts 2:27, 31) and He was brought up (or ascended as Acts 2:34 uses the same Greek word for the ascension and the LXX uses in Job 7:9). Through his death and resurrection, Jesus gives firm hope to all who put their trust in Him of victory over death (I Cor. 15:50-58; II Tim. 1:10).   7:11, 13 The Hebrew word translated complain is the same word translated considered in Isa. 53:8. As for His generation, who considered (complained). Job spoke in bitterness, but the Suffering Servant did not complain (Isa. 53:6).   7:18 Jesus was tested and tempted when He came to earth (Matt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13).  7:19 Isa. 50:4-11 is a servant song that ultimately finds fulfillment in Jesus. While it seems like God will not let Job swallow his spit, men could not let God alone but spit in His face (Matt. 26:67; Mk. 14:65) in preparation for His crucifixion.   7:20-21 What sin have we committed to cause Christ to have to die for me? Gal. 2:20. Job longs for God’s forgiveness and that forgiveness is given through Jesus. Would God rather punish and destroy or forgive and carry away man’s guilt? The answer to this is found in the cross of Jesus. God forgives sin in Jesus in a way that is right (Rom. 3:21-26). God cannot simply say that sin is not so bad because that is not true. But God punishes sin in a way that opens up salvation for the sinner.   7:21 God seeks to save us in and through Jesus- Luke 19:10.  Jesus is the answer to Psalm 8 and Job 7. God is so big that He built the world with His fingers (Ps.8:3) and His hands (Ps. 8:6). This enormous God became a man in the person of Jesus (John 1:1, 14). He subjected Himself to shame, abuse, and even murder in the cross. He was tempted and tried (Job 7:18; Matt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13). He was spit upon (Job 7:19; Isa.50:6; Matt. 26:67). He defeated death and Hades by the resurrection. He gave hope to all who put their trust and hope in Him (John 11:25). Job’s sufferings and pain should help us to stand in awe of what Jesus willingly endured for us.   Hebrews 2:6-8 quotes Psalm 8:4-6 and applies the words to Jesus in Heb. 2:9. Notice how the text picks up on the words of the Psalm and applies them to Jesus. Some form of the word “subject” or “subjection” is used in Heb. 2:5 to introduce the quotation, and three times in Heb. 2:8 after the word is quoted from Psalm 8. Heb. 2:7 quotes Psalm 8 in saying, “You have made Him for a little while lower than the angels” and Heb; 2:9 applies it to Jesus being made a little lower than the angels by the suffering of death.  Heb. 2:7 quotes Psalm 8 in “You have crowned him with glory and honor” and Heb. 2:9 applies those words and to Jesus. As Jesus was crowned with glory and honor, He also brings many sons to glory- Heb. 2:10.

    23 min

  4. 12/29/2025

    Job 6

    6:1-13 Job gives a defense of Himself Several writers on Job say that the various speakers say little about the previous speech or speakers. A strong point of Habel’s commentary is that he points out connections between the various speakers. First, there are several vocabulary connections between Eliphaz in Job 4-5 and Job’s speech in Job 6. The word ‘anguish’ in 6:2 is the same word translated ‘anger’ in 5:2. The word ‘hope’ in 6:8 was used by Eliphaz in 4:6; 5:16. The word ‘crush’ in 6:9 was used in 4:19; 5:4. ‘Fear’ in 6:14, 21 is from the same root at 4:6. The word ‘perish’ in 4:7, 9,11, 20 is used by Job in 6:18. Second, it may be that 6:1-7 is a specific response to Eliphaz in 5:1-7 where he spoke of the foolish man and Job’s words in 6:8-13 are a response to 4:2-6 that Eliphaz uttered about Job’s hope. 6:14-23 Job expresses his disappointment with his friends. The friend’s behavior was exemplary in Job 2:11-13. They came from distances, they wept over Job’s condition, and they sat with him in silence. Now, Job feels betrayed by them.  6:14 For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend- There are three words in the Hebrew text that lead to the translation here. The word kindness is the word hesed. The word usually describes God’s love for man and loyalty to His people (Deut. 7:9; Neh. 1:5; Ps. 25:10). It also describes man’s love for one another (I Sam. 18:1; 20:14-16; Prov. 17:17; 18:24; Hos. 4:1) and in a couple of cases man’s love for God (Jer. 2:2). He speaks of his relationship with these three as being a relationship among friends and one in which he could expect lovingkindness.   So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty- Job uses the term Shaddai as Eliphaz did in Job 5:17. This verse is translated differently in various versions. The NIV has the that the man’s friends should stick by him even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. The NAB and NEB have similar translations. This translation line up with Biblical teaching (Deut. 13:6-11; I Sam. 2:29; Matt. 10:34-37). While the idea of the NIV does not fit Bible teaching does not necessarily mean that Job did not say it. Remember he too said some things that he should not say. However, it does make up think about other possibilities. Other translations have the idea that man should be encouraged that he might not forsake the fear of God (NASB).  Some translations convey the idea that the friend who withholds encouragement forsakes the fear of God (ESV, RSV, JB). I John 4:7-8.  Eliphaz wants to know why Job’s fear of God does not sustain him in his trial in Job 4:6. Job here wants to know why Eliphaz, and his friends do not encourage him more because of their fear of God.

    20 min

  5. 12/19/2025

    Job 5:17-27

    5:17 Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves- Ps. 94:12; Prov. 3:11-12; 23:12, 23; Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 3:19. How happy in 5:17 is the word translated blessed in Ps. 1:1.   5:18 For He inflicts pain, and gives relief- Deut. 32:39; I Sam. 2:6; Isa.19:22; 30:26; Hos. 6:1.  Job 1:21; 2:10 Each of the speakers understood the sovereignty of God in the affairs of the world.   He wounds, and His hands also heal- The friends never resort to Satan as the answer for human suffering.   5:19 From six troubles He will deliver you- The closest way to parallel a number is to give the next highest number.   Even in seven evil will not touch you- Ps. 91:10. This is a passage like Job 2:10 where the evil refers not to sin but to calamity.  5:20 In famine He will redeem you from death- Ps. 34:23; 49:8,16; 55:19; 69:19; 71:23; 119:134. The word redeem in Psalm 49:7, 7, 15. Ps. 49:15 and Ps. 103:4 speak of God redeeming the life, or soul, of the Psalmist from Sheol, the pit, or the grave.  5:21 You will hidden from the scourge of the tongue- For the tongue as a weapon- Ps. 52:2,4; 64:3. Vicious words can destroy the one they are spoken against, and undo the one who speaks them as well (Prov. 10:8, 14; 13:3; 18:7). Neither will you be afraid of violence when it comes- Ps. 91:5-6. God can protect His servants even in the midst of a severe judgment (II Peter 2:4-9).   5:22 You will laugh at famine and violence- The verb laugh is used in Ps. 2:4; 37:13; 59:8 to speak of God’s reaction to the wrongdoer. Neither will you be afraid of the wild beasts- Lev. 26:4-5; Ps. 91:13; Ezek. 34:25; Hos. 2:18-20  5:23 For you will be in league with the stones of the field- Isa. 5:2; II Sam. 3:19-25 stones present difficulties for an otherwise fruitful field or vineyard.    5:24 You will know that your tent is secure- contrast this with 4:21. Compare this with 21:7. The word secure is actually the word peace which is used as a verb in 5:23. For you will visit your abode and fear no loss- Job lost his wealth in 1:13-17. Job will say that it is the children of the wicked that are safe and secure in Job 21:8-10. The word generally translated sin is used at the end of vs. 24. Sin is the idea of missing the mark (Judges 20:16) and the proper idea behind it is experiencing loss.  5:25 You will know also that your descendants will be many- These two lines are in stark contrast to 5:4-5. They are also contrary to Job’s experiences as Job lost his children in 1:18-19.  And your offspring as the grass of the earth- Isa. 53:10; Job 42:16; Ps. 37:16. This will ultimately be true of Job (42:13-15).  5:26 You will come to the grave in full vigor- Premature death is considered a great disaster (Job 22:16).  Are the statements of Job 5:17-27 promising too much? Notice how many things said in Job 5:17-27 sound like Psalm 91 and other Psalms Job 5:19 God will deliver him from all troubles; Ps. 34:19 Many are afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all Job 5:19 evil will not touch you; Ps. 91:10 No evil will befall you Job 5:22, 23 not be afraid of wild beasts, beasts of field at peace; Ps. 91:13 tread upon lion, cobra, young lion, serpent Job 5:24 your tent is secure/ Ps. 91:10 no plague near your tent Job 5:26 long life Ps. 91:16

    20 min

  6. 12/10/2025

    Job 5:1-16

    5:8-16 The doxology of Eliphaz There are similar doxologies in Job 9:4-12 and 12:13-25. 5:8 But as for me, I would seek God- (Amos 5:4, 6) The Hebrew text actually says but I seek God.   Is seeking God in this passage to inquire of the LORD as the word sometimes means in Gen. 25:22; Ex. 18:15; I Kings 14:5; 22:8; II Kings 1:3, 6,16; II Kings 22:18; II Chron. 32:31; Ezek. 14:7; 20:1.   5:9 Who does great and unsearchable things- 9:10; Ps. 136:4. God’s glory is beyond our ability to search or understand (Job 9:10; 11:7; 36:26; Isa. 40:28). Bildad will use the same word for searched in Job 8:8 in which he will say that former generations have searched out this problem of suffering and come to the same conclusions where he and his friends arrived.   5:10 He gives rain on the earth- Ancient people would have attributed the rain to the blessings of their God or gods. Modern man tends to view rain as a natural phenomenon and just as illustration of how the world works. The Bible does not attribute rain to Baal (the contest between Baal and Yahweh in I Kings 17-18). The Bible does not make rain simply a natural law that God built into the world. The Bible speaks of it as a blessing from God’s hand, both in Job 36:27-28; 38:25-26. God sending rain on the just and unjust is a continual illustration of him doing good to those who are His enemies in Matt. 5:45. 5:11 So that He sets on high those who are lowly- The word translated lowly, shakal, is translated humble in Prov. 16:19; 29:23. God often dramatically reverses a person’s situation (I Sam. 2:7-8; Ps. 113:5-8; 147:6; Luke 1:46-56). God exalts the lowly (Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14).  5:12 He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd- God used the counsel of Hushai to thwart (same word translated frustrates here) the good counsel of Ahithophel (II Sam. 17:14).This word shrewd can be used in a positive sense (Prov. 1:4; 8:5; 12:16, 23; 13:16; 14:8, 15, 18; 15:5; 19:25; 22:3; 27:12) or in a negative one (Gen. 3:1; Job 5:12; 15:5).  5:13 He captures the wise by their own shrewdness- The idea is the wise man falling in his own trap he has set for others- Job 18:7-10; 36:8-10; Ps. 7:15; 35:7-8; 57:6; Prov. 26:27; 28:10; Esther 7:10.  This verse is quoted by Paul in I Cor. 3:19 and introduced by the wording “For it is written." Does the fact that I Cor. 3:19 shows us that Eliphaz spoke truth demand that he used these words in a proper way? His words are truth, but he seems to place Job among the shrewd who will be brought down.  5:14 By day they meet with darkness- Job 12:24-25; Deut.28:29; Isa.  59:10.  And grope at noon as in the night- In the brightest times of the day they will encounter complete darkness (Amos 8:9).  5:15 But He saves from the sword of the mouth- For the tongue as a weapon- Ps. 52:2,4; 64:3; Isa. 54:17; Jer. 18:18; Ps. 12:3-5; 31:21; James 3:5-6.  5:16 So the helpless has hope- 8:13; 11:18; 14:7; Jer. 31:17; Ezek. 37:11; Prov. 19:8; Ruth 1:12; Lam.3:29 The fact that God does these things is a reason for help for the broken. God will catch the world’s expectations by surprise.  And unrighteousness must shut its mouth- Ps.107:42.   Is Eliphaz placing Job among those who are lowly who will be lifted up or among those who are shrewd who will be brought down? The fact that he emphasizes more about the shrewd who are brought down (vs. 12-14) suggests to me that this is Eliphaz’s emphasis here.

    21 min

  7. 12/01/2025

    Job 4

    4:1-6 Introduction to Eliphaz’ first speech to Job 4:7-11 Eliphaz: We reap what we sow 4:12-16 Eliphaz’ dream vision  4:17-21 The content of the vision What is wrong with what Eliphaz says? The statements of Job 4:7-8 seem to be the basis of the argument of Eliphaz against Job. The idea that we reap what we sow is a fundamental Biblical truth uttered often in Scripture (Hos. 8:7; 10:12; Prov. 11:18; 22:8; Gal. 6:7-9).  Matt. 26:52 makes the same point as a general principle Why is Eliphaz stating the same truths as Jesus and inspired writers and yet something seems wrong with his comment? How does these other statements about reaping what we sow differ from his statement in 4:8?  How does Psalm 37 fit into this argument? The heading of Psalm 37 mentions it as a psalm of David. Psalm 37:25 says, “I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” He appeals to his experiences as Eliphaz did. David makes the same kind of observation that Eliphaz does in Job 4:8. Psalm 37:25 asserts the same type of thing that Eliphaz and Job’s other friends argue. Job’s friends believe that his intense suffering must be because he has done something terribly wrong to deserve it. The reader knows on the basis of the prologue of Job that this is not true, and that Job is not suffering because of his sin (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). How did they misinterpret Scripture and Job’s experience?  Passages like Psalm 37 were not given for the purpose of stating that the life of the righteous is always easy and the life of the wicked will always be hard. The intent was to  stress that righteousness is the path of blessing and wickedness is the road to disaster. The world of Psalm 37 was a world (like ours) where the wicked often prospered (vss. 1, 7-8, 35) and the righteous were often their main targets of hatred (vss. 12, 14, 32).  One sometimes had to choose between being righteous and having little and being wicked and having much (vs. 16). The righteous were sometimes “hurled headlong” (vs. 24) and faced troubles (vs. 39). As already mentioned in the paragraph the righteous experienced the hatred and opposition of the wicked. Yet In spite of appearances of the moment, the Psalm stresses that the wicked would be cut off (vs. 9, 22, 28, 34, 38) and the righteous would inherit the land (vs.9, 11, 22, 29, 34). The prosperity of the wicked though it may be real at the moment was going to be short lived (vs. 1-2, 10, 20, 35-38). The purpose of the writer is to show that the ultimate path to blessing is righteousness, and that wickedness and evil is going to fail regardless of how attractive it will look in the short term.  Psalm 37 was not given for the purpose of helping us to distinguish the righteous from the wicked. Psalm 37:25 is not a statement that everyone who finds themselves in financial need is giving clear evidence of their sin. That is not the purpose of Psalm 37. Job’s friends use the same kind of statement as Psalm 37:25 but for the purpose of saying that Job has sinned.

    21 min

  8. 11/20/2025

    Introduction to the Dialogue of Job

    The Bible is God’s message, God’s word (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21). However, in the Bible there are speakers that say things that are incorrect or particularly designed to deceive. For example, the words of the serpent, the devil in Gen. 3:4-5; Matt. 4:1-11. The words of false prophets are recorded in I Kings 22:9-12 or Jer. 28:1-4 and false accusations against John and Jesus are recorded in Matt. 11:18-19 and Luke 7:33-34. When the Bible reports something happening it is true but there are those in its pages who do not speak on God’s behalf.   Job is the most difficult book of the Bible to determine whether the spokesman is from God or not. In the epilogue the LORD says that Eliphaz and his two friends have not spoken of Him what is right (Job 42:7). The LORD plainly says it, these men do not speak for Him. Does that mean that everything they say is wrong? In Job 5:13 Eliphaz says, “He captures the wise by their shrewdness.” Paul quotes these words in I Cor. 3:19 and introduces them with “For it is written.” The only time that Job is specifically quoted in the New Testament it is the words of Eliphaz. Obviously, not everything that Eliphaz and his friends said was wrong. On the other hand, Job was said to speak of God what was right in Job 42:7. While Job spoke what was right, does that mean that all he spoke was correct? The LORD said that Job, “Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) and Job repeats these words confessing his sin of speaking of the things “which I did not understand” in 42:3. After this confession, he retracts and repents in 42:6. Clearly, Job says things that are not right. Also, how do we take the words of Elihu? Elihu is not mentioned at all by God at the end of the book. Does that mean that he said nothing different from the friends or does it mean that God approves of his words? The question is how do we know what the various speakers say that is from God and what is not? These factors make Job an extremely difficult book.

    12 min
See All (187)

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
57 Ratings

About

To know God and to make Him known through the teaching of the Scriptures

Information

  • Creator
    Tommy Peeler
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    187
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Carefully Examining the Text
  • Show Website
    Carefully Examining the Text

You Might Also Like