JOB LESSON 17


     We will begin this lesson in Job 17:1 "My breath is corrupt, my
days are extinct, the graves [are ready] for me."

     In chapter 16, which this is actually an extension of, Job was
answering his friend and lamenting his situation. He was saying in the
verse above, that even the breath of life within him was ruined. He
fely he was near death. He thought it was the time that God had
chosen.

     Job 17:2  "[Are there] not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye
continue in their provocation?"

     "Provocation", in this verse, means bitterness. His friends had
mocked him, and spoken very hurtful things to him. The truly sad thing
was, that Job had done nothing to cause all of this. After this trial
was over, however, he would have a different attitude toward these
friends.

     Job 17:3 "Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who [is] he
[that] will strike hands with me?"

     Job had discovered, at this point, that the only one he could
trust was God. He was wanting a handshake from God. This would be a
sign that an agreement had been struck.

     Job 17:4 "For thou hast hid their heart from understanding:
therefore shalt thou not exalt [them]."

     Job was trying to say, that it was God who had blinded the eyes
of his friends, so they could not see his innocence. Of course, he
did not want his friends exalted in the eyes of God, because of what
they had done and said.

     Job 17:5 "He that speaketh flattery to [his] friends, even the
eyes of his children shall fail."

     Job was accusing his friends of attacking him, as they would a
prey.  In the past, they had flattered him, when he was a wealthy man.
Now, they were accusing him of every type of sin, because he was down.
They were fair weather friends.

     Job 17:6 "He hath made me also a byword of the people; and
aforetime I was as a tabret."

     Job became a by-word for his generation for the terrible
persecutions he endured. He is still a by-word today to all who read
the Bible. We are all amazed how Job stayed faithful to God through
such terrible trials. All of us have a tendency to measure our trials
with the trials of Job. "Tabret", in the verse here, means smiting, or
contempt.

     Job 17:7 "Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my
members [are] as a shadow."

     He had cried so much that tears were constantly in his eyes. He
could see through tears only, and things looked dim to him.

     Job 17:8 "Upright [men] shall be astonied at this, and the
innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite."

     This is the very effect that this book on Job has on everyone. We
are astonished at the amount of suffering that Job endured without
being overcome. We, also, cannot believe the attitude of his so-called
friends. The least of the terrible things we could call them, would be
Hypocrites. Notice, Job was speaking of this happening after his trial
was over.

     Job 17:9 "The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that
hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger."

     The righteous man does not stop being righteous, because problems
come his way. He will hold fast to his belief in the face of all sorts
of trouble. The Bible tells us that out trials come to us to make us
strong. Those who patiently endure tribulation will become stronger
and stronger.

     Job 17:10 "But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I
cannot find [one] wise [man] among you."

     Job had listened to their accusations, and had been truly hurt by
their lack of faith in him. He had risen above that, and would not let
their accusations bother him anymore. They were not wise, but fools.

     Job 17:11 "My days are past, my purposes are broken off, [even]
the thoughts of my heart."

     Job was so weary and had faced so much suffering, that he felt
his useful days were over. Job was even weary of trying to defend
himself from the terrible accusations. His heart was broken.

     Job 17:12 "They change the night into day: the light [is] short
because of darkness."

     They had thoroughly convinced Job that he had no right to expect
God to intervene in his behalf. He, now, was just waiting until the
time for death. It seemed a cloudy day, when he was so controlled by
the pain wracking his body. It seemed as if it was night all the time.
He could not see a glimmer of hope {light}.

     Job 17:13 "If I wait, the grave [is] mine house: I have made my
bed in the darkness."

     Job was so full of despair, that he had given up hope of any
miracles. He did not even expect to be restored to his old glory in
this life. He was just sitting in his ashes waiting for death.

     Job 17:14 "I have said to corruption, Thou [art] my father: to
the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister."

     He felt as if this disease was gradually doing away with his
body. He felt the corruption of the disease all over his body. It was
his constant companion. He was not complaining to God about the
disease.  He had accepted it as his lot. The mother and sister, above,
were speaking of him embracing this corruption. He had accepted it as
his lot.

     Job 17:15 "And where [is] now my hope? as for my hope, who shall
see it?"

     Job was at the very height of despair. He had decided there was
no hope for him anywhere.

     Job 17:16 "They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when [our]
rest together [is] in the dust."

     He was convinced that his time for death was near. I believe his
sadness was over not being satisfied that he had reconciled with God.
Poor Job had no idea what sin he had committed to bring this terrible
calamity into his life. He knew he must have done something terrible
and had not gotten forgiveness for it, because he did not know what it
was. He actually believed that he might wind up in hell.




























                           Job 17 Questions


1.  What was Job saying in verse 1?
2.  What does "provocation" in verse 2 mean?
3.  Who were the mockers of verse 2?
4.  What was Job wanting from God in verse 3?
5.  What would that mean, if he got it?
6.  What did Job believe was the reasons for his friends not believing
    him?
7.  Quote Job chapter 17 verse 5.
8.  When had the friends flattered Job?
9.  They were _______ _________ friends.
10. God had made Job a ________ of the people.
11. Why is he a by-word to our generation?
12. What does "tabret" mean?
13. Why was Job's eye dim?
14. What is everyone astonished of about Job?
15. What is the least terrible thing we could call Job's friends?
16. What will a righteous man do in the face of trouble?
17. How had Job's attitude toward his friends changed?
18. Job had become so weary and had faced so much suffering, that he
    felt he was about to ______.
19. If I wait, the _______ is mine house.
20. What did he call corruption in verse 14?
21. When Job was at the height of despair, what question did he ask?