Job 29 - 30

Job Looks Back And Considers His Condition

Chapter 29 is a poignant recollection by Job of his past life.  He had great joy and wealth.  His family was with him and rejoicing.  His cows gave great amounts of milk and his olive trees gave countless gallons of oil.  Job was a man who was well respected and honored by all in the city, from the least to the greatest, the poorest to the richest, the young and the old.  All reverenced his presence.

Job was not haughty or aloof in his greatness and wealth.  He was a charitable man assisting the poor and the orphans (a direct rebuttal to the accusations of his friends). He helped the widows, led the blind, carried the lame, fathered the orphaned, and assisted strangers in need.  He smote the oppressors of the down-trodden. In all of this, Job was secure and looked forward to a long and peaceful life of happiness. His counsel and wisdom was sought out by many, including the leaders and captains. "I lived like a king..." (29:25).

 But of course, all of this changed drastically.  In his condition, no one seeks his counsel. Ironically, his friends give their unsolicited counsel. He is mocked by the lowest and most degraded members of society, "young men whose fathers are not worthy to run with my sheepdogs." (30:1).  These people doggedly pursue and torment Job daily.  They sing mocking songs and lay traps for him.  They spit on him and kick him when he is down.

While at one time he had numerous friends, now he has no one (v. 13).  He thought he would live a long peaceful life, but now his very life is slipping away in anguish and insufferable pain. He is in constant torment physically. In addition, he feels like the very God who was so good to him early in his life has not completely abandoned him. "I cry to you, O God, but you don't answer." (v.20). His good deeds to others are not reciprocated by them.  The needy he used to help have done nothing for him.  Those he once assisted have abandoned him. "I stand in the public square and cry for help." (v. 28), but none is forth coming. The arc of Job's life has brought him to a point of inescapable despair where even his good memories haunt him.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.