Carefully Examining the Text

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

  1. 22h ago

    Job 21:1-16

    Job's picture of the wicked man is 1. opposite of the friend's picture of the wicked man. 2. It is the opposite of what we might expect from other passages that describe the kind of behavior God blesses and curses. 3. It is the opposite of Job's experiences. Job's picture of the wicked sounds much like the picture painted in Psalm 73:1-14.  21:7-16 The world that the friends described is a world that “exists only in their own minds.”  21:7 Whey do the wicked still live,- The word wicked is used in vs. 7 and vs. 16. The friends spoke of the wicked dying early (15:20, 32-33; 18:19; 20:11). While Zophar spoke of the wicked perishing (20:7; also 18:17), Job says that they continue to live on. Long life is a blessing of the godly in Ps. 21:4 but here it is enjoyed by the ungodly.                                                                                                                                   21:8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,-  Contrast 20:10, 26.  And their offspring before their eyes,- This is contrary to the words of Eliphaz in 15:34 and Bildad in 8:4; 18:19.   21:9 Their houses are safe from fear,- The word safe is the Hebrew shalom which is often translated peace. This peace was only available for those right with God (5:24) and is only temporary for the wicked (15:21).   21:10 His ox mates without fail;-  Zophar said that the prosperity of the wicked will not last (20:21, 28) but that does not fit Job’s observations. 21:11 They send forth their little ones like the flock,- They have a flock of children. Zech. 8:5 uses the same picture of a Jerusalem blessed by God. 21:12 They sing to the trimbrel and harp- The lives of the wicked are more familiar with celebration than with pain or even labor.  And suddenly they go down to Sheol- The word suddenly, rega, is the same word used of the short-lived prosperity of the wicked in 20:5. Here the idea seems to be that death comes suddenly without prolonged suffering. This word is used negatively in 20:5 but is used positively in 21:13.   21:14 They say to God, ‘Depart from us!- These prospering wicked have no desire to know the God who has given them every good gift. They want to be as far away from Him as they can. We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways- Psalm 16:11; 25:4.  21:15 Who is the Almighty that we should serve Him,- Ex. 5:2. Having an abundance often dulls our senses to our absolute dependence upon God (Deut. 8:10-20).  And what would we gain if we entreat Him? Entreat, paga, is used of the Servant interceding for transgressors (Isa. 53:12). Satan had said that the only reason that Job feared God is because of how God blessed him (1:9-11).  21:16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;- But, from Job’s perspective, why does God bless them so when they live defiantly toward Him? The counsel of the wicked is far from me- He has no sympathy for their counsel regardless of how comfortable their life is. While his friends have identified him with the wicked, Job has no agreement with their world-view.

  2. Aug 17

    Job 20

    What does Zophar say that is right? 1. 20:5 The triumphing of the wicked is short- Ps. 37:2, 9, 10, 35-36; Ps. 73:18-20; Prov. 10:2; 11:18; 13:11; 22:16. 2. 20:6-7 The LORD will bring down the pride of the wicked- Prov. 11:2; 16:18; 18:12; 29:23 Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14. 3. 20:8 The wicked will disappear like a dream- Ps. 73:19-20. 4. 20:9 Wicked will soon be gone- Ps. 37:35-36; his place will deny him- 20:9; Ps. 103:16. 5. 20:11 The wicked dies a premature death- Ps. 55:23; Prov. 2:22; 10:27.  6. 20:24-25 The wicked cannot escape God’s judgment- Amos 5:18-20.  How does Zophar point to Job as the wicked man? Zophar uses Job’s own words against him. Things Job used to describe his status are said by Zophar to be pictures of the evil man.  1. 20:4 Job knows his redeemer lives (19:25), but he does not know these time-honored truths. This seems to be a mockery of Job’s claim to know.  2. 20:9 Job spoke of “eye that will see him no more” in 7:8. Zophar uses this to describe the wicked man.  3. 20:9 the wicked man’s “place no longer beholds him” was spoken by Job in 7:10. 4. 20:16 poison fills the wicked 6:4 5. 20:23 Job’s children are killed when they are eating- 1:13, 18-19. 6. 20:25 God shoots arrows at Job in 6:4; 16:13 and the arrows do great damage 16:13. 7. 20:26 The fire of God devours and consumes in 1:16. 8. 20:27 heavens and earth reveal his sin- 16:18-19 and 20:27 will rise up against him- 19:25. What is wrong what Zophar says? 1. The Bible does emphasize that wickedness ends in disaster. That is different, however, from thinking that all who experience disaster are wicked.  2. It is striking that the friends focus on material loss. Are they materialist in the sense that they think the greatest of gains are material possessions? 3. In the last words of all the speeches by the friends in the first round, there was a call to return to God and the promise of blessings that will bring (5:17-27; 8:20-22; 11:13-20). In the second round each of speeches, end their speeches with only words of judgment about the wicked who do not know God (15:34-35; 18:21; 20:29). Job’s time for repentance may be over from the friend’s perspective. Zophar does not mention anything of God’s mercy or compassion. Zophar intends this to announce Job’s judgment and not to offer him a chance to repent.  We do not preach, teach, and warn friends against their sin only to leave them in their distress, but we do so to point them back to the God who saves.  4. They think all God’s scores must be settled in this life. “In the long term the righteous are blessed and the wicked are punished, but the long term extends beyond this life.”[1]  Job 20 and Jesus 20:3 The word translated reproof in the NASB, NET in this verse is used to describe the chastening of the Suffering servant in Isaiah 53:5. Zophar was not willing to endure Job’s reproofs, but the Suffering Servant was willing to endure them on our behalf.  Most of all Jesus answers Job 20 by demonstrating that one may look so guilty but indeed be innocent. It happened to Job and it happened to Jesus.   [1] Longman, 271. Hailey, 183, 165, 186 has good statements about Zophar’s statements about the ultimate destiny of the wicked being true but that does not always work itself out in this life.

  3. Aug 6

    Job 19:23-29 I know my redeemer lives

    I know My Redeemer lives A form of the word for redeem גאל the verb translated redeem is used to talk of the kinsman- redeemer- Lev. 25:25, 26, 33, 48, 49, 49, 49, 54; Numbers 35:12, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 27; Deut. 19:6, 12; Joshua 20:3, 5, 9; Ruth 2:20; 3:9, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13; 4:1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 14; II Sam.14:11.  1.In the OT the kinsman-redeemer redeemed the property of near kinsmen- Lev. 25:25, 25, 26; Ruth 4:1-12; Jer. 32:6-15. If a man was forced to sell a piece of land handed down in the family over the generations, the kinsman-redeemer would pay the debt and keep the land in the family.   2. They redeemed a poor relative from slavery- Lev. 25:47-49. Specifically, the word appears in Lev. 25:23-24, 48, 49, 49, 49. If a near relative had to sell himself into slavery to pay off a debt the kinsman-redeemer paid his debt and released him from bondage.   3. The kinsman-redeemer avenges the death of a relative- Num. 35:12, 16-28; Deut. 19:6, 12; Josh. 20:3, 5, 9; II Sam. 14:7, 11. The word is used specifically in Num. 35:12, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 27. This may be the best comparison for Job invoking a redeemer here. Job had been done a great wrong that must be avenged. He has been the victim of violence (19:7).   4. The redeemer, if needed, married the wife of the near kinsman to raise up a descendant for the late relative- Ruth 3:9-13; 4:1-8. This responsibility is not specifically stated in the law, but it is lived out in the historical books. The practice in Ruth is a seeming implication of the law of the kinsmen-redeemer. The Levirate law of marriage in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 extended to other relatives beyond brothers living together.   The go’el plays a significant part in the book of Ruth (2:20; 3:9,12; 4:1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 14). A go’el demonstrated great commitment to and sacrificed himself for another- Ruth 4:1-8. The relative closer than Boaz was willing to redeem when he knew there was no heir, and the land would be his. However, when he realized that he had to marry Ruth and raise an heir up to inherit the land then he did not because it might endanger his own inheritance. A redeemer often acted at great expense to himself. The law required that a landowner leave the corners of his field- Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22. The landowner was not go back over their field, olive tree, or vineyard a second time for anything missed- Deut. 24:19-22. Boaz went far above and beyond anything the law required. Boaz invited Ruth to glean in his field- Ruth 2:8-9, 21. He gave her access to the water- Ruth 2:9. Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him- Ruth 2:14. He served Ruth- Ruth 2:14 Boaz commands his workmen that if Ruth gets ahead do not rebuke her- Ruth 2:15. He tells his workmen to deliberately to miss some things for Ruth- Ruth 2:16. Boaz did not do the bare minimum for Ruth, but he went above and beyond the call of duty for her.   In the Exodus God acted as Redeemer- Exodus 6:6; 15:13. The term is used for God thirteen times in Isaiah 41:14; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 54:5; 59:20; 60:16; 63:16. Many of the references in Isaiah focus on the return from Babylonian captivity. God is redeemer in Jer. 50:34. “In the Bible God is the ultimate Kinsmen Redeemer who sets the people free and restores them to their land” Ross, 461. Also see Jer. 31:11; 50:34; Lam. 3:58; Hos. 13:14; Micah 4:10. This word communicates God’s love to His distressed people- Isaiah 41:14; 44:24; 49:7-9, 26.

  4. Jul 27

    Job 19:13-22

    19:13-20 Job a byword and outcast (17:6) Job mentions some twelve groups here that have been alienated from him. The mention of these groups show how isolated and alienated Job has become.  A common theme in psalms of lament is how the writer or speaker has been isolated from family and friends (Ps. 31:11; 38:11; 41:9; 55:12-14; 69:8; 88:8, 18). 19:15 Those who live in my house and my maids consider me a stranger- The one who dwells in his house, gar, would refer not to blood relatives but to outsiders taken in by the good will of the homeowner. These were outside the bonds of family (Ex. 20:10, 12; Deut. 5:14; 16:11, 14). These would generally be bound by the strongest bonds of loyalty to his benefactor but not in this case. “The tables are now so completely turned that the very persons who owed their places in the household to Job now look upon him as outside the family.”[1] I am a foreigner in their sight- The terms stranger (from the first line) and foreigner are used in parallelism. Often sojourners and maids were taken from foreign nations (Lev. 25:44-46; II Kings 5:2). Job has taken in people outside the nation and now these treat Job as if he were the stranger and foreigner.   19:16 I call to my servant, but he does not answer;- Job 9:14-16 uses the verb call (vs. 16) and answered (vs. 14, 15, 16).  The servant was the lowliest member of the community (though see Job’s respect for them in 31:13-15). The servant usually was very attentive to the master’s wants (Ps. 123:2; Luke 17:7-10). Just as God did not answer in vs. 7 so the servant does not answer. Job gets no answer from God, his friends, or even his servants, he is “a man without an answer.”[2] I have to implore him with my mouth- The word implore is the word translated pity in vs. 21. The proper of order of things is not that the master begs the servant but even after this, the servant still does not properly respond. Job’s world has truly been turned upside down.  19:13 He has removed my brothers far from me,- In Ps. 69:8 David was estranged from his brothers. This word far from me, rachaq, is also used begging God not to be far away (Ps. 22:11, 19; 35:22; 38:21; 71:12). God is the One driving the wedge between Job and those closest to him. “The whole sorry catalogue of Job’s losses of human intimacy is laid at God’s door.”[2] Job experiences what many sufferers, even innocent sufferers experience, though their friends may be many in times of blessing, they are often few in times of suffering. In suffering the sufferer is often left to fend for himself. Ps. 38:11-12; 69:9; 88:8, 18. And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me- No friend with words to comfort nor hand to help was there for Job.  19:13-20 Job being forsaken by his closest associates foreshadows the greatest innocent sufferer of all who was forsaken by those closest to Him. His brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:5). His own family sought to take custody of Him thinking He has lost His senses (Mk. 3:20-21). Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of the twelve (Matt. 26:14-16; 21-25, 47-50). His most outspoken follower Peter denied even knowing Him (Matt. 26:69-75). All the disciples forsook Him and fled at His arrest (Matt. 26:31, 56), including the youngest and strongest (Mk. 14:51-52). He came to His own and His own did not receive Him (John 1:12). The servants in God’s house rejected Him and He was viewed as a stranger in His own house (Matt. 21:12-17, 23-27).

  5. Jul 17

    Job 19:1-12

    19:7 To cry, tsaaq, violence is implicitly a cry to God for help from violence. The weak party cries to God for relief from suffering (Ex. 8:12; 14:10; 22:23, 27; Deut. 22:24, 27).  But I get no answer- Often God’s servants uttered similar cries, and God heard them (Ps. 34:17). But in Job 35:12 Elihu is going to use both the verb cry and answer to say that sometimes God does not answer because of the pride of evil men. It is sometimes true that God does not answer one’s cries because of our attitude or behavior. For example, the one who refuses to hear the cry of the poor will also call himself and not be answered (Prov. 21:13). However, that is not the case with Job. I shout for help, but there is no justice- The verb translated shout, shava is used in Job 24:12; 29:12; 30:20, 28; 35:9; 36:13; 38:41. Putting together several of these passages in Job is interesting. In 36:13 the godless does not cry for help. In 30:20 Job shouts to God and gets no answer (30:28). In 24:12 when the wounded cry out, God does not pay attention. However, when Job was able to help and the weak cried out to him, he delivered them (29:12). However, Job 38:41 offers hope because God hears the cry of raven’s young therefore there is hope that He will hear Job’s cry.  19:9 He has stripped my honor from me- This verb stripped is used of the brothers stripping Joseph’s coat in Gen. 37:23, Aaron’s garments (Num. 20:25, 28), and Saul’s weapons  (I Sam. 31:8, 9). Also see Ezek. 16:39. Honor is portrayed as a garment to be put on or stripped off. Character and blessings are garments to be worn in Job 29:14. It is God who has stripped off these things.  And removed the crown from my head- God removed crowns in Jer. 13:18; Lam. 5:16. This language does not indicate that Job was actually a king, but the respect that Job had among his people was as great as that of any king in 29:8-10, 25.  This line serves as quite a contrast with Psalm 8:5. “His experience is diametrically opposed to the traditional belief that God crowns (‘atar, the verb that corresponds to the noun used in Job 19:9) a man with glory (kabowd) and honor (hadar).”The Hebrew word translated honor in Psalm 8:5 does not appear in Job 19:9.  Jesus and Job 19 19:2 Job spoke of the words of his friends’ crushing him. The word crush, daka, is used in Isaiah 53:5, 10 to speak of the servant of the LORD being crushed by God.   19:7 God’s ultimate display of justice was the cross. The irony is that the most horrible act of injustice in all history demonstrated the justice of God. God punished sin in way to provide salvation to the sinner (Rom. 3:21-26).

  6. Jul 8

    Job 18 Part 2

    What is the truth and error of Bildad’s words? Bildad says several things about the fate of the wicked that are elsewhere said in the Old Testament about the end of the wicked. 18:5 The light of the wicked goes out. This is stated in Proverbs 13:9; 20:20; 24:20.  18:7 The schemes of the wicked bring him down. This is stated frequently in Scripture in Psalm 7:15-16 and Prov. 26:27. 18:11, 14 Terrors frighten the wicked man. Ps. 73:19 tells us that the wicked are swept away by sudden terrors.  18:13 pictures the skin of the wicked devoured by disease. In Zech. 14:12 the LORD will strike those who go to war against Jerusalem and their flesh will rot as they stand on their feet.  18:15 tells us that brimstone will be scattered on the habitation of the wicked. Ps. 11:6 says the same basic thing. 18:16 The picture of the wicked is of a plant totally consumed, both its root below and its branches above. This is a picture of judgment upon the wicked in Isa. 5:24; Hos. 9:16. 18:17 says that the memory of the wicked perishes. This is also stated as a judgment upon the wicked in Ps. 9:6; 34:16; Prov. 10:7.  18:19 The statement that the wicked would have no posterity nor offspring is the same thing said of the king of Babylon in Isa. 14:22.   Bildad speaks truth about the ultimate fate of the wicked.   Is anything wrong with his words? To focus on one example, in 18:5 what is the problem with Bildad’s statement that the lamp of the wicked goes out?   The problem is also not in the statement itself but in how it is used. The statement affirms that the way of the wicked will end in disaster though it does not say when nor how it will end in disaster. These statements are not given to help us to determine who is wicked and who is righteous.   There are plenty of passages in Proverbs that contrast the fate of the righteous with the fate of the wicked (Prov. 10:24; 11:5; 12:13...). Is this always revealed in this lifetime? What the friends say about the fate of the wicked is correct. But is the wicked man fully repaid for his wickedness in this life? The whole Bible reveals that the final balancing the scales of justice will come in final judgment. Often it will not be evident until eternity as to who was wicked and who was righteous. In this light, the statement about the wicked leading to disaster is always like Bildad pictures it but the full truth is not revealed in this life.   It may be that the picture of the wicked particularly at 18:14 may represent in a seed form the doctrine of eternal judgment. The language of 18:15 may invoke the language of judgment on Sodom. The judgment on Sodom is given as a picture of warning for God’s judgment upon the wicked for all time in II Peter 2:6-9 and Jude 6-7.   Jesus and Job 18 18:5-6, 18 Jesus is the light of the world. The gospel of John portrays Jesus as the light (John 1:4, 5, 7, 8, 9; 3:19, 20, 21; 5:35; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9, 10; 12:35, 36, 46).   18:13-14 Jesus gives victory over the terrors of death- I Cor. 15; Heb. 2:10-18.   18:19 The wicked has no offspring or posterity. This is contrasted to Jesus- Isa. 53:10. This is contrasted with Jesus as He will see His offspring. As many as received Him to them He gave the right to be the sons of God (John 1:12).   18:20 The word appalled is used in Isaiah 52:14 of the suffering servant.

  7. Jun 28

    Job 18 Part 1

    Job 18:1-4 Bildad asks why Job regards him and his friends as ignorant 18:5-21 Bildad's description of the wicked man  Ways Bildad's description of the wicked agrees with Eliphaz’ description of the wicked 18:5-6, 18 Darkness is the ultimate dwelling of the wicked 15:22-23, 30 18:16 A plant that is destroyed 15:30b, 32-33 18:15 Fire plays a part in his destruction 15:30, 34 18:7 His success will not last 15:27-31 18:11, 14 Anguish terrifies the wicked 15:21, 24 18:6, 14-15 The tent of the wicked is destroyed 15:34 18:21 The wicked does not know God 15:4, 13, 25-26  Ways Bildad’s words are especially directed against Job  18:11 Terrors hounded Job- 3:25-26 18:13 The word for skin, or, is used in Job 2:4; 7:5; 10:11; 19:20, 20, 20; 30:30; 41:7 elsewhere.  18:15b The fire of God consumed Job’s livestock (1:16). 18:19 Eliphaz stated the same kind of thing about the wicked in 15:34. These things match Job’s experience (1:18-19). Bildad is describing the wicked man to say to Bildad that you are the man. What is the essence of the disagreement between Job and his friends? 1. 18:4 Tear and anger are the same Hebrew words used in 16:9. Job said God is tearing me in His anger but Bildad says no Job, you are tearing yourself.  2. 18:5 The lamp of the wicked goes out. In 12:22, 25 Job emphasizes God making people grope in darkness but sin is never given as the reason for that in Job 12. In 21:17 Job questions how often the lamp of the wicked goes out. 3. In 18:6 the lamp in the tent of the wicked goes out but in 12:6 Job asserted that often the tent of destroyers prosper. The use of the word tent highlights the difference between the wicked in the thoughts of the friends and Job.  4. In 18:8-10 Bildad pictures the wicked laying traps and hunting devices for himself by his own sin. In 16:9 Job said God is hunting him and in 16:13 shooting arrows at him.

  8. Jun 17

    Job 17

    What does Job 17 say? About the friends- 17:2, 4, 5, 10, 12 God Himself- 17:3, 6 About Job and his hopeless situation- 17:1, 7, 11, 13-16 Jesus and Job 17 17:2 Jesus was surrounded by mockers- Servants of God often found themselves as surrounded by hostile mockers (Ps. 119:51; Jer.20:7) and Jesus is the ultimate illustration of this (Ps. 22:7, 12; Matt. 27:29, 41).   He was surrounded by them even in his death  17:6 Job is a byword as the innocent sufferer of Psalm 69:11-12. Psalm 69 is often quoted in the NT and applied to Jesus. (Ps. 69:4/ Jn. 15:25; Ps. 69:9a/ Jn. 2:17; Ps. 69:9b/Rom. 15:3; 69:21/ Jn. 19:28-30). Spitting is a major form of disgrace. Job endured people spitting in His face. Job’s experiences foreshadow the experiences of the ultimate righteous sufferer (Matt. 26:67; 27:30; Mk. 10:34; 14:65; 15:19).  17:8 This verse speaks of the upright being appalled. The verb appalled is used of the suffering servant in Isaiah 52:14. Many will be appalled at the appearance of the Servant.   17:13-16 Jesus’ death and resurrection can provide us with hope, a hope that even sin and death cannot take away (I Corinthians 15; Heb. 2:10-18).

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

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  • Creator
    Tommy Peeler
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    208
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