MY ADVOCATE IS ON HIGH

Passage: Job 16:1-22

Key verse: 19

NIV

Job

16 Then Job replied:

2 “I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters,(A) all of you!(B)
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?(C)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?(D)
4 I also could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
    and shake my head(E) at you.
5 But my mouth would encourage you;
    comfort(F) from my lips would bring you relief.(G)

6 “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
    and if I refrain, it does not go away.(H)
7 Surely, God, you have worn me out;(I)
    you have devastated my entire household.(J)
8 You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
    my gauntness(K) rises up and testifies against me.(L)
9 God assails me and tears(M) me in his anger(N)
    and gnashes his teeth at me;(O)
    my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.(P)
10 People open their mouths(Q) to jeer at me;(R)
    they strike my cheek(S) in scorn
    and unite together against me.(T)
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly
    and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.(U)
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
    he seized me by the neck and crushed me.(V)
He has made me his target;(W)
13     his archers surround me.(X)
Without pity, he pierces(Y) my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
14 Again and again(Z) he bursts upon me;
    he rushes at me like a warrior.(AA)

15 “I have sewed sackcloth(AB) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.(AC)
16 My face is red with weeping,(AD)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;(AE)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(AF)
    and my prayer is pure.(AG)

18 “Earth, do not cover my blood;(AH)
    may my cry(AI) never be laid to rest!(AJ)
19 Even now my witness(AK) is in heaven;(AL)
    my advocate is on high.(AM)
20 My intercessor(AN) is my friend[a](AO)
    as my eyes pour out(AP) tears(AQ) to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads(AR) with God
    as one pleads for a friend.

22 “Only a few years will pass
    before I take the path of no return.(AS)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Job 16:20 Or My friends treat me with scorn
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Job Replies: Miserable Comforters Are You

16 Then Job answered and said:

2 “I have heard (A)many such things;
    (B)miserable comforters are you all.
3 Shall (C)windy words have an end?
    Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
    if you were in my place;
I could join words together against you
    and (D)shake my head at you.
5 I could strengthen you with my mouth,
    and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.

6 “If I speak, my pain is not assuaged,
    and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?
7 Surely now God has worn me out;
    (E)he has[a] made desolate all my company.
8 And he has shriveled me up,
    which is (F)a witness against me,
and my (G)leanness has risen up against me;
    it testifies to my face.
9 He has (H)torn me in his wrath (I)and hated me;
    he has (J)gnashed his teeth at me;
    my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.
10 Men have (K)gaped at me with their mouth;
    they have (L)struck me insolently on the cheek;
    they (M)mass themselves together against me.
11 God gives me up to the ungodly
    and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he broke me apart;
    he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces;
he set me up as his (N)target;
13     his (O)archers surround me.
He slashes open my kidneys (P)and does not spare;
    he (Q)pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with (R)breach upon breach;
    he (S)runs upon me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed (T)sackcloth upon my skin
    and have laid (U)my strength (V)in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping,
    and on my eyelids is (W)deep darkness,
17 although there is no (X)violence in my hands,
    and my prayer is pure.

18 “O earth, (Y)cover not my blood,
    and let my (Z)cry find no resting place.
19 Even now, behold, my (AA)witness is in heaven,
    and he who testifies for me is (AB)on high.
20 My friends (AC)scorn me;
    my eye pours out tears to God,
21 that he would (AD)argue the case of a man with God,
    as[b] a son of man does with his neighbor.
22 For when a few years have come
    I shall go the way (AE)from which I shall not return.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Job 16:7 Hebrew you have; also verse 8
  2. Job 16:21 Hebrew and
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Job’s friends were miserable comforters. If their roles were reversed, Job could speak like them: words of accusation, a disappointed shaking of the head. Or Job could speak encouragement, comfort and relief. Words are so important. We need each other to speak words of comfort and relief.

Job’s own words couldn’t comfort him. He was suffering unbearable loss and physical pain. He didn’t know why this was happening. Although he cried out to God, there seemed to be no answer. Having such a respect for God’s sovereignty, Job believed it was God who devastated his household. God was assailing him; God turned him over to the ungodly, God who seized him by the neck and crushed him. Was there any advocate, anyone who was truly on his side? His friends were implying guilt as the cause; God was not answering. But Job had faith that there was a witness in heaven who heard his pure prayers. He believed that there was an intercessor, a friend, who was not like his three friends, but who was pleading his case.

We too have an advocate with the Father: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He always lives to intercede for us.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus, our friend and advocate. What a comfort to know he pleads for us when we don’t know why suffering happens. Help us to be such advocates and friends for others.

One Word: Jesus is our friend and advocate