Helping the Suffering

Lessons in Job: Helping the Suffering Job 2:11-31:40 | March 3, 2024 Back in 2022, the Pew Research Center did a study on how men and women respond to people who are suffering. Frankly, the results did not surprise me. Here's what some of the findings revealed: When seeing or hearing about terrible things happening to people, women are much more likely than men (71% vs. 53%) to say they often feel sad for those who are suffering. Similarly, a larger share of women (46%) than men (34%) report often feeling the desire to help those suffering. And when hearing about bad news, women are more inclined than men to say they often feel thankful for the good things in their own lives (76% vs. 67%). I don't think it's any surprise that men just want to "fix things." I think this video [It's Not About the Nail video] will help illustrate this better. This week, we'll see that there is a right way and a wrong way to respond to someone going through something. Last week, Pastor Pat got us started in what I would argue to be the two most important chapters of this book. Without these two chapters, we would not understand the answer to the question of "why." Why was Job suffering? God allowed Satan to test Job, because of his faith. You see, Satan's motivation was to prove to God that Job only followed Him because of his health and wealth. God set out to show Satan the faith of Job through suffering. One commentator put it this way: "The point of the book is not suffering: Where is God when it hurts? Rather, the point is faith: where is Job when it hurts? How is he responding? To understand the book of Job [we] must begin there." Author, writer, and disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, who suffered a spinal injury at the age of 17 and became a quadriplegic, was quoted as saying: "'Why' at its roots is a 'me-orientated' question." This is to say that instead of seeking the "why," we should be seeking God. That's all well and good, and easy to say, isn't it? Before we explore that further, I want to remind you of the book's structure, as introduced last week: * Ch. 1-2 - Prologue (Prose) * Ch. 3-31 - Job's dialogue with three friends (Poetry) * Ch. 32-37 - Elihu's monologue (Poetry) * Ch. 38-41 - God speaks (Poetry) * Ch. 42:1-6 - Job's response (Poetry) * Ch. 42:7-17 - Epilogue (Prose) This morning, we're covering that second part: Job's dialogue with three friends (Poetry) Last week, Pat mentioned that if we were to cover the entire book each week for the next 4 weeks, we'd be preaching 4-hour sermons. So, I've accepted that challenge. First intermission will be at 11:00am. All joking aside, let's pick up where Pat left off: Job 2:11-13 reads: 11 NOW WHEN JOB'S THREE FRIENDS HEARD OF ALL THIS EVIL THAT HAD COME UPON HIM, THEY CAME EACH FROM HIS OWN PLACE, ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE, BILDAD THE SHUHITE, AND ZOPHAR THE NAAMATHITE. THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT TOGETHER TO COME TO SHOW HIM SYMPATHY AND COMFORT HIM. 12 AND WHEN THEY SAW HIM FROM A DISTANCE, THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM. AND THEY RAISED THEIR VOICES AND WEPT, AND THEY TORE THEIR ROBES AND SPRINKLED DUST ON THEIR HEADS TOWARD HEAVEN. 13 AND THEY SAT WITH HIM ON THE GROUND SEVEN DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, AND NO ONE SPOKE A WORD TO HIM, FOR THEY SAW THAT HIS SUFFERING WAS VERY GREAT. This is a great testimony to the character of Job. His friends travelled from different regions to be with Job in his time of need. The tearing of the robes and sprinkling dust on their heads was, evidently, a custom of showing grief in their day. Notice how well they started. They sat with Job in silence for 7 days and 7 nights. Now, interestingly, Job is the one who breaks the silence. In chapter 3, he opens with his complaint. Many of us struggle with opening up or even finding the right words to express how we feel. What's extremely important to note is that Job is unaware of the dialogues between God and Satan in chapters 1-2, nor were his friends. Please don't forget that it is critical to this entire section of Job's story. Job's response is probably not unlike many of ours in times of suffering. Have you ever heard this from anyone? "Everyone would be better off if I wasn't here." Job was feeling like this. His kids wouldn't have died. His servants wouldn't have died. His livestock wouldn't have died, if only Job wasn't there. Again, at this point, he has no idea what is going on, and why. So, his natural response is "why?" Therein lies the problem. After Job's opening speech, so to speak, a cycle of speeches makes up the entire section, it goes like this: * Cycle 1 o Eliphaz - Chapters 4 & 5 o Job - Chapters 6 & 7 o Bildad - Chapter 8 o Job - Chapters 9 & 10 o Zophar - Chapter 11 o Job - Chapters 12-14 * Cycle 2 o Eliphaz - Chapter 15 o Job - Chapters 16-17 o Bildad - Chapter 18 o Job - Chapter 19 o Zophar - Chapter 20 o Job - Chapter 21 * Cycle 3 o Eliphaz - Chapter 22 o Job - Chapters 23-24 o Bildad - Chapter 25 o Job - Chapters 26-31 o Zophar -(silence) If you read the daily devotional this week, particularly Monday, you were introduced to these three so-called friends. Since reinventing the wheel isn't necessary, let's review that again: * Eliphaz the Temanite - the gentle mystic. He claims to speak absolute truth and is a proponent of the traditional theory of retribution - God punishes the sinner and rewards the righteous. We see that most clearly in Job 4:7, where he says: "REMEMBER: WHO THAT WAS INNOCENT EVER PERISHED? OR WHERE WERE THE UPRIGHT CUT OFF? o Effectively, Eliphaz's theology was "trouble comes to those who sin, but the innocent do not perish. Suffering is the result of sin, and prosperity is the result of righteousness." o This is difficult, because we do understand the root of why we hurt, cry and eventually die, is because of sin. We're also fully aware of the law of reaping and sowing - both Paul and Jesus taught this. However, we are also aware that not all suffering is because of sin. * In Luke 13, Jesus answers a question about a group of people who died when a tower fell on them, concluding that they didn't die because of any sin that they committed, they just simply died. * Or how about John 9, when Jesus healed a blind man: 1 AS HE PASSED BY, HE SAW A MAN BLIND FROM BIRTH. 2 AND HIS DISCIPLES ASKED HIM, "RABBI, WHO SINNED, THIS MAN OR HIS PARENTS, THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND?" 3 JESUS ANSWERED, "IT WAS NOT THAT THIS MAN SINNED, OR HIS PARENTS, BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED IN HIM. 4 WE MUST WORK THE WORKS OF HIM WHO SENT ME WHILE IT IS DAY; NIGHT IS COMING, WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK. 5 AS LONG AS I AM IN THE WORLD, I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." * So, you see, while people do suffer from their sin, that is not always the case, as we see and know about Job. Next up is ... * Bildad - the firm traditionalist. Like Eliphaz, Bildad has an unbending allegiance to the traditional idea that all suffering is a result of sin. But because he is also observant of Job's situation, he takes things even further. He adds to Job's suffering by proclaiming that Job's children died because they, too, were guilty of sin and warns Job that unless he repents, he will suffer the same fate. For Bildad, even the fact that Job questions God's actions is evidence of his wickedness. We see his viewpoint clearly in his opening words [in Job 8:2-3] where he says: 2 "HOW LONG WILL YOU SAY THESE THINGS, AND THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH BE A GREAT WIND? 3 DOES GOD PERVERT JUSTICE? OR DOES THE ALMIGHTY PERVERT THE RIGHT? o Bildad picks up just where Eliphaz left off ... rude and without any compassion. o Ever met anyone like that in the church? Someone who shows no compassion? Someone who silently or otherwise judges you because of the things going on in your life? o What's ironic about these types of people is that many times they are dealing with sin in their own lives. I think it was Jon last week who said that these friends were projecting a lot of their own problems onto Job. * Next on the list is Zophar. As in SO FAR we haven't seen anything useful from these friends! * Zophar [was characterized as] the rash dogmatist. He was a straight talker who believed in speaking the truth, but he certainly didn't do that in love. He presumes to speak for God, as we see in his opening words [in Job 11:2-6], which reads: 2 SHOULD A MULTITUDE OF WORDS GO UNANSWERED, AND A MAN FULL OF TALK BE JUDGED RIGHT? 3 SHOULD YOUR BABBLE SILENCE MEN, AND WHEN YOU MOCK, SHALL NO ONE SHAME YOU? 4 FOR YOU SAY, 'MY DOCTRINE IS PURE, AND I AM CLEAN IN GOD'S EYES. 5' BUT OH, THAT GOD WOULD SPEAK AND OPEN HIS LIPS TO YOU, 6 AND THAT HE WOULD TELL YOU THE SECRETS OF WISDOM! FOR HE IS MANIFOLD IN UNDERSTANDING. KNOW THEN THAT GOD EXACTS OF YOU LESS THAN YOUR GUILT DESERVES. o For Zophar, everything is black and white, there is no grey. o He presumes that he has all of the answers. o Again. Have you ever met anyone like that? In the church? In the workplace? At family gatherings? In your home? Oh. I'm getting personal now, aren't I? o At this point in our story, Job speaks some of my favorite words in this book, chapter 16:2, Job says: 2 "I HAVE HEARD MANY SUCH THINGS; MISERABLE COMFORTERS ARE YOU ALL. o None of these words provided comfort. Which, according to 2:11, was one of the purposes of their visit, instead they made things worse. There you have it. This is the background of this entire section. Well, frankly, we scratched the surface of the first cycle, and peaked at the second cycle, but the reality is, the following cycles don't really add too much to the arguments. Rather, they progressively become more harsh and less credible. The back and forth of Job friends and Job was almost like a wrestling match between them. Author and Pastor, John Piper titled this section when he preached on in back in 1985, "Wrestling with Suffering." If we fast forward to Job 31, Job essentially lays down his final argument. His whole argument is focused around his character. Recall, God Himself, declared Job as righteous and blameless. So, regardless of how we see ourselves or others see us, neither trumps what God has already declared. In fact, I read somewhere some time ago, that Job 31 describes the characteristics of a good man or husband, just like Proverbs 31 describes the characteristics of good woman or wife. This closes out this section. So, the obvious question has to be (and I'm borrowing this from Piper): what does the author of this book want us to learn from the speeches of Job's three friends and from Job's responses to them as he endures month after month of misery? So, naturally that brings us to our main idea: When I go through trials, what matters is who I know not what I know. Looks familiar, doesn't it? Frankly, that theme could be a summary statement of the entire book. And it fits perfectly in this large section of Scripture. Think about it. Anything we face in life - the good or the bad - should draw us to the Lord. His friends, as we've seen, relied more on what they believed to know about God, and less about God Himself, or even Job, the one in whom they were "ministering to." Each of us, at some point, will be called upon (if you haven't already) to come along side someone who is suffering. It's not just the job of the pastors or the elders. It's not just the role of the parent. All of us, within the community of believers, will - and should - come alongside a brother or sister in need. So, the question is ... HOW TO HELP THE SUFFERING I think this long poetic narrative helps us by giving us many pointers. In no particular order, here are five tips that this text helps us to see clearly. First: * Rely on God, not on self. o By the time we get to chapter 19, Job's ... * Patience is wearing thin, * he feels abandoned by God, * and he appeals to his friends for pity. * But take a look at 19:25: FOR I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES, AND AT THE LAST HE WILL STAND UPON THE EARTH. * Job helps us to see where our focus needs to shift in times of suffering, back to God. o In times of trouble, we must go to the One who knows all. o Job, however, in chapter 23 believes that God is absent. Maybe you've heard this before. During a test, the teacher is silent. During the test, we rely on what we've been taught. God wasn't absent, He was silent. Next, * My information should be biblically based. o It's difficult to miss the difference between Job's friends' responses, and his. o His friends spoke about God (recall the generic name of God that Pat addressed last week), while Job spoke to God. * Of course, Job also spoke about God too, but as one writer pointed out, in chapters 9-10, Job refers to God over 70 times, most of which were in relation to his relationship with Him. o Obviously, none of these men had the Scriptures at this time, but head knowledge (such as the trio), versus a heart knowledge (like Job). Each of these reveal the source of their understanding of God. o For us today, that means, of course, we search the Scriptures for understanding in all circumstances. o Does that mean other sources are not useful? Of course not, I read hundreds of pages and multiple sermons on this section of Scripture this week, but I compared that learning to what the Scriptures say. o The tricky part, as we've seen, is that the friends are not always "wrong" in what they are saying, but they are misguided in its application. Which leads to ... * It's okay not to know how to "fix it." o Sure, Job was looking for answers, but not from them. o In chapter 3, he is asking rhetorical questions, in chapter 10, he takes these concerns to God personally. In chapter 16, as noted earlier, Job reminds them of how poor they are at comforting him. * See that? He was looking for answers from God, and comfort by his friends. o We can accomplish that with the next tip: * Listen more, talk less. o Proverbs 18:13 reminds us: IF ONE GIVES AN ANSWER BEFORE HE HEARS, IT IS HIS FOLLY AND SHAME. o Granted, they listened to Job's outburst, as one writer called it, in chapter 3, but their response didn't match the outburst. o When we speak, we should seek for understanding, then respond accordingly, not come in with solutions and answers, as that may not be the most appropriate, then finally ... * Be genuine, warm, and sympathetic. o It all comes back to the heart. o Job's friends started well, but something changed, they began to diagnose instead of showing genuine, warm and sympathetic care. o We do this with each other all the time. Men, we're famous for it. Just like the video we saw earlier, even though the problem was obvious, that's not what she was looking for. o Job wanted to understand, not to be diagnosed and accused. o There's only one true antidote to our trials, returning to God. That's why we said earlier: When I go through trials, what matters is who I know not what I know. You see, the book of Job is less about the trials, and more about man's relationship to God, in all circumstances. I know many of you are facing trials. Many of you are suffering, whether it be your health, your finances, or maybe the loss or illness of a loved one. Let these moments draw you closer to those friends that will offer genuine support, a warm response, and be sympathetic to your needs. If we are blessed to be called upon, let us listen more and talk less. Let us be humble enough to know we can't fix it all. But most of all, let these moments draw us all closer to God, not further from Him. Let's pray. 2