Job 29
Job continues his discourse, reminiscing about (or, rather, longing for) “the good ol’ days”, before everything he enjoyed was ripped away from him: Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me… (v. 2) Given Job’s integrity, I think we can accept at face value his description of his prior position and actions:
- Job 29:2-6 — Job’s relationship with God
- God watched over him (v. 2)
- God provided light, guiding his path (v. 3)
- God was his friend (v. 4)
- God was with him (v. 5)
- Job was blessed (v. 6)
- Job 29:7-11 — Job’s high standing as a leader in the community
- He was honored by young and old alike (vv. 7-8)
- Princes and nobles deferred to him (vv. 9-10)
- Everyone approved of him (v. 11)
- Job 29:12-17 — Job’s acts of charity and justice
- He helped the poor, the orphan, the dying, the widow (vv. 12-13)
- He was clothed in righteousness and justice (v. 14)
- He helped the blind, the lame, the needy, the stranger (vv. 15-16)
- He opposed the unrighteous and rescued their victims (vv. 17)
- Job 29:18-20 — Job’s security and glory
- He felt secure and prosperous (vv. 18-19)
- He was strong (v. 20)
- Job 29:21-25 — Job’s position as a wise counselor, a chief, a king
- People listened to him and sought his counsel (v. 21, 23)
- They accepted his word as final (v. 22)
- He provided encouragement and comfort (vv. 24-25)
- He was a chief and lived as a king (v. 25)
Given that Job is providing an accurate description of himself and his position (and with God’s own assessment in Job 1:8, we have every reason to believe him), one wonders what sin(s) the “friends” could possibly imagine Job to be hiding! There just simply isn’t anything there, so it is hard to blame Job for lamenting his losses.
I loved this chapter, for a number of reasons. First, as John notes, Job DID take care of the poor (Job 29:12-17). We had asked that question in earlier discussions, asking whether Job had abused the poor in any way and his friends might find him guilty that way. Evidently, NOT!!
Second, Job is calling to mind all the good that he has done, the honors that he has been accorded, as John says, ”the good ol’ days” and “his prior position and actions”. And I maintain that it’s occasionally good for us to recall those good things in our lives – not to boast of our accomplishments or to bolster ourselves, but to recognize God at work in our lives! If we have done good in the past, we surely have had the Lord leading us in that activity or in that direction. He was there, leading and guiding us through! We may not have known it back then, but we can look back now and see His hand at work in our lives, bringing us to that point of service. And therein we can humbly be thankful for all that He has done for us, how He has used us and blessed us. So take a minute, folks, look back – and be thankful!