Heritage Reformed Baptist Mission
Job
Chapter 30
Job 30:1-31
In this chapter, Job speaks of the condition of his life since the calamities and affliction came upon him.
I. HE IS HELD IN CONTEMPT BY THE MOST DEGRADED PEOPLE - vv. 1-14
v. 1 - Those younger than he
vv. 2-8 - Those who had come to poverty and were the outcasts of society, probably due to their own lack of industry and laziness, and were thus no help to anyone, forced to forage where they might in order to barely survive.
v. 11 - "he" = God
"let loose the bridle" = unrestrained contempt
v. 12 - "right hand" = the place of honor, now being used by those younger than he to show contempt for him.
"push . . . feet" = allow him no word of defense
"raise up . . . destruction" = besiege him as an army, trying any way to destroy him
v. 13 - "mar my path" = place obstacles in the way, as to impede the progress of an army; in Job's case, further hindering his hopes of being delivered from his affliction
"set forward my calamity" = add to my grief and affliction
"they have no helper" = an Arabic proverb which denotes a worthless person, someone whom no one would help in any way; even these are now Job's adversaries
v.14 - "a wide breaking in" = a breach in a line of defense, whether a dam or a wall, through which water or soldiers would pour to destroy or plunder
So it has happened to Job that people who before would not dare to speak against him are now doing everything they can to destroy him.
II. HE IS DISTRESSED IN BOTH SOUL AND BODY - vv. 15-31
v. 15 - "Terrors" = the calamities and affliction, as well as the contempt and false accusations of others.
Like hounds pursuing a rabbit, these things cause Job's innermost being to be constantly troubled and the hope of his prosperity to vanish like a cloud that dissipates never to be formed again.
v. 16 - "soul poured out" = in the complaints he has uttered.
"days of affliction . . . taken hold" = he is in the grip of affliction from which there is no escape apart from the intervention of God.
v. 17 - a description of the intense pain he was suffering, especially at night - cf. Rev 16:10
v. 18 - Job's affliction had changed his very appearance; indeed, he was wearing the disease as a garment in which he was bound tightly.
v. 19 - "He" = God
"mire" = calamity and disease
"dust and ashes" = Job was sitting in these and no doubt had them all over him; but he was also esteemed to be such by those who now had contempt for him.
v. 20 - Though pleading, even standing as a suppliant before a king, God did not answer Job's prayers immediately so Job considered he was not heard.
"Standing was a common posture of prayer among the ancients." - Barnes Notes - cf. 1Ki 8:14, 55; Neh 9:2; Luk 18:11-13
Standing for prayer is still the custom among believers in Romania.
v. 21 - "cruel" = "fierce"; to act harshly
Job believes God has changed from being benevolent toward him to treating him as an enemy.
v. 22 - Job considers himself to have been taken as chaff and blown away by a whirlwind, even as such a wind destroyed the house of his son and killed his seven children.
v. 23 - Though at times Job has hope of being delivered from his affliction, yet at others, as here, he fully expects that death and the grave will be the result.
v. 24 - This is a difficult verse and has about as many interpretations as there are interpreters. The simple sense seems to be that Job knows his affliction will not follow him to the grave, that there he will have relief.
vv. 25-31 - Job recounts how he had wept and grieved for those who were in similar circumstances. Therefore, he expected to be repaid in kind. But, the calamities and affliction and the contempt of those for whom he had wept and grieved were just the opposite.
v. 27 - "prevented" = anticipated; preceded; came unexpectedly
Old English use of 'prevent', the way it is used throughout the KJV Bible. cf. 1 Th 4:15
v. 28 - "congregation" = people who assembled around him. How many there were can only be conjecture. We know there was one (Elihu) and there were probably others there listening to the debate between Job and his three friends.
v. 29 - Job's cries were like those of these solitary animals, whose cries bring neither pity nor regard from others.
v. 30 - The effects of the disease.
v. 31 - "organ" = Heb. = a reed instrument of music
Both harps and reed instruments are those of joy. Whatever music there now is in Job's life is not joyous, but mournful.