Job  

Chapter  29  

"Job's self-justification, past prosperity."  

 Job said in the prior chapter that just because God took away my sheep and cattle, my children and my property and all that I had,  I still have my integrity.  That is wealth.  Speaking to these three, Job said that through all the words that you have spoken, you can't convince me that I have done anything wrong, for I have not sinned.  I have kept my righteousness through all that has happened all my life.  Job's problem was that he put the blame of what Satan was doing to him on God.

Job still knew what righteousness is and the importance of God and His Word in his life, and he knew also who Satan is.  Job knew right from wrong.  He knew the promises of God that a Savior Redeemer would be sent, and today we know who Jesus is, that he lived the perfect life, and died on the cross.  When Christ rose out of the tomb, He defeated Satan.  God gave all those that believe on His son Jesus Christ the power and authority over Satan and his realm the right act.  Jesus paid the price that will bring you the wisdom, if you make the effort to claim those promises.  Today we have a wealth that was not there for Job, for Jesus gave us something that Job did not have.

Luke 10:18   "And He said unto them, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."

Luke  10:19   "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Now stop and think for a moment, do you think that God is going to let your enemies take advantage over you, as one of His elect?  Why would you stand still and let your enemies mess you around?  Use wisdom and take control over those that would do you harm.  Use the power and authority to get them out of your life.  We do that through the teachings of Jesus Christ, His Word, and the Spirit of God. 

Now for the next three chapters we will see that Job is giving his final summation or petition to these three men that have accused him of sin and wrong doing.  There is a simple message in these final chapters of Job's defense, and that message to us living today in these final days, is that we will be faced with the exact type of accusations that Job went through.  Job was a type of the elect that live in the latter days of this earth age of the flesh.  It applies to life in these flesh bodies and helps us to learn to get along with others, even when their eyes are spiritually closed, while you are spiritually open to the truths of God's Word. 

Job  29:1   "Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,"

Be alert for we are told that this entire message of Job was a parable, and being a parable means that there is a hidden message and lesson within what Job is saying.  Parables were used so that those that did not have the ears to hear and eyes to see with understanding, would not understand what is being said.  So think of what is being said and look beyond the simple story that is being said. 

Job  29:2   "Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;"

Oh that I could go back to the days when God gave His protection to me, my family, and my possessions. 

Job  29:3   "When His candle shined upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness;"

This is a beautiful thought of God divine favor, that God gave to Job and his family.  By carrying the light or candle of Almighty God on your very head, means that this driving thought follows God's elect even today.  God elect are those sealed with the understanding of God's Word in their hearts and minds are carrying the candle of His Word within themselves in this final generation.  Does that light from His Word shine from your eyes; do people see Christ in you today?  If you are carrying God's truth in your mind, you have God's favor upon you even in the darkest times in the days ahead. 

Job  29:4   "As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;"

When I was in my youth, I enjoyed God's fellowship and protection. 

Job  29:5   "When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;"

This is how it was before Satan brought all this evil down on Job and his family.

Job  29:6   "When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out with rivers of oil;"

This oil in the Hebrew text was "olive oil", This was a Hebrew saying, meaning that Job had everything that one could have or buy. 

Job  29:7   "When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!"

The judgment gate of the city, was the place where the elders of the city met to make to decisions for the community, and Job had a seat with the elders to make the judgments.  He was one of the top leaders of the community.

Job  29:8   "The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up."

What this is saying is that young men did not give me advise, as is common, but they sought my advise, and even the old men arose to pay respect to my coming into their presence. 

Job  29:9     "The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth."

Even the men of authority held their speech until after I had spoke. 

Job  29:10   "The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their roof of their mouth."

Even the rich and famous of that day did not speak until Job asked them to speak.  Job had the respect of the entire community from the top to the bottom.  Job lived his life as God gave him wisdom and the world around him respected that wisdom. 

Job  29:11   "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:"

What this is saying in the Hebrew text is; each of the men of the community did not react to, or say anything until after they had heard my opinion.  This was not because of Job, of course, but because God's candle of light [God's Spirit] shone in Job's mind. Job had God's wisdom in all matters and the light of God's instructions within him. Because of this the people knew that the words of Job came right from the Father.    

Job  29:12   "Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him."

Job is answering Eliphaz's statements from Job 22:6-9, where Elephaz accused Job of gaining his wealth on the back of the widows and orphans.  Job was accused of using his power to take from the needy, as well as acting in sharp business practices.  Job is letting it be know that he did no such thing.  Though not said here, more than likely, those accusation were what Eliphaz was doing to gain his wealth.   

Job  29:13   "The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy."

In other words, when I saw a man about to be ruined, I used my wealth and position to save him from his trouble.

Job  29:14   "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem."

Job is saying that even the garments that he wore reflected his righteousness.  Remember that we are studying a parable here.  Revelation  19:6-9 we are told what the righteous robes of the eternity are.

Revelation  19:6   "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,  "Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."

Revelation  19:7   "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."

This marriage supper takes place after this earth age of the flesh is over, and the Lamb is come right here on earth.  His wife are the elect and those that have prepared themselves for that marriage supper while right here on earth in their flesh bodies.  They studied to know the truth in God's Word and were not taken by the false Christ at his arrival.  They knew the events of the day, and each of the elect knew the times and season that they lived in.  The elect made themselves ready to stand in that final day, and they made the stand against Satan the Antichrist.  God's elect knew there was more to the word of God than just making a simple statement with their mouth, for they were prepared for that wedding supper.  These that are part of the wife of Christ are the elect of God, those that made a stand in the first earth age, that are spoken of in Ephesians 1:4-10. 

Revelation  19:8   "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

The "fine linen, clean and white" are the clothing that we will be wearing not only in the Millennium age, but through the eternity.  That fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.  My friend, is the works that you have done while in your flesh body.  That "fine linen, clean and white" is worn by those that have put their trust in Jesus Christ through repentance to Father in Jesus name.  This clothing of fine linen is made up of the righteous acts of the saints in this age of flesh man.  What you wear at the marriage supper of the Lamb is reflected by, and made up of those righteous acts that you did for Christ in this earth age, in response to His instructions through His Word.  

Revelation  19:9   "And he saith unto me,  "Write, `Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb' "

Now is the time for you to do your studying to know what God expects of you.  When we follow through and do those things that God has told us to do, they become our righteous acts, our "fine linen, clean and white".  Those acts go to make up the material of the fine linen that make up your robe for your attendance to that marriage supper.  How much of a garment will you be wearing at that time.  

Job  29:15   "I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame."

Job was always ready to help the handicapped where ever he could.  This is why Job said that my case is strong, and I am innocent. 

Job  29:16   "I was a father to the poor and the cause which I knew not I searched out."

Job was proud that when a stranger was in the area, he saw to it that the stranger was taken care of. 

Job  29:17   "And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth."

Job did not mess around.  When somebody was offending another with their slander and lies, Job let the truth be know right in front of them.  He set the record straight to defend a person that was not there when evil was spoken of him.  If there were spoils and things taken by that person, Job returned them to their rightful owner.   

Job  29:18   "Then I said, `I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.' "

What this is saying in the Hebrew text; is that before this all happened to me, I thought that my position was well established, and my power and wealth was firm to the day I die.  I figured that my health was good and strong and my life had many years.  "...The days as the sand" means that just as the grains of sand in the desert are uncountable, so were my days. 

Job  29:19   "My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch."

Remember that this is a type of the end times and Job was a type of the elect of the end generation.  There is a verse in "the song of Moses" in Deuteronomy 32.

Deuteronomy  32:1   "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."

Deuteronomy  32:2   "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall destil as the dew, As the small rain upon the tender herb, And as the showers upon the grass:"

Deuteronomy  32:3   "Because I will publish the name of the Lord: Ascribe ye greatness unto our God."

When the real truth falls on the ears of man, it starts out fresh as the dew that forms on in the early morning hours, and increases unpolluted in his or her mind as the soft spring droplets of a spring shower on the tender herbs and plants.  As the knowledge and wisdom grows in your mind with your studying of God's Word, in time your knowledge of the truths of God's Word will increase like the heavy latter rains just before the fall harvest.  

Job  29:20   "My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand."

Before this happened to me, Job is saying, I could protect myself from all those around me. 

Job  29:21   "Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel."

Job  29:22   "After my words they spake not again, and my speech dropped upon them."

My friend in the Lord, when you are carrying forth the Word of God, from within your mind, and you speak the truths that are from His Word, don't let there be no argument to the counsel that you give to others.  Learn to speak with authority, for with that knowledge you are one of God's elect.  Christ gave you that power for you to use with love and understanding.  The purpose is to use that power, even against those seek you harm, in a loving manner, but not with cruelity.

Job  29:23   "And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain."

When they heard my speech, they opened their mouths and spoke the words that they received from me, just like the latter rain.  Remember that the former rain germinates the seek, while the latter rain bring the crop to maturity; ready for the harvest.  We are to be as peaceful as the dove, yet wiser than the serpent, and you do it with the wisdom from all of God's Word.  If it is done in this manner, there can be no trouble by problems that come out of your words.  But before people will respect what you say, they must first respect you as a person.  This is why it is important to stick to the facts, giving only truths that can stand up, and staying within the bounds of God's Word.  

Job  29:24   "If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down."

This is a very poor translation.  What this is saying is that when I smile, they took heart, when I smiled at them it was a sign of my approval, and their faces would light up with joy.  Job is saying that when I smiled at them it gave them hope. 

Job  29:25   "I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners."

Job is saying that I led their enterprises, I comforted them, I am not a thief, I am not a sinner like you claim.  I am not any of those things that you have accused me of.  I don't come down on the widow or against the orphan, nor have I taken anything; but I am innocent of all those things that you have accused me of.  Job is saying that when he looks back on the times before all this took place, I was a righteous man, and those things had no part in my life.  Of course he had admitted that he had his little daily sins, as all of us have that are living in these flesh bodies.  But those things are none of your business.  They are between God and myself. 

All Job wants to know from these three men is "why am I being punished?" Job knows what has happened to him, for he is sitting here with all his boils, having lost everything.  Job knows he has been a righteous man, with a pure mind, so why is all this happening to me?  The boils are not healing, but they break and run all over him.  How could this happen to a righteous man.  That is the question that continues right into the next two chapters.