Job 29:1  Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2  Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3  When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4  As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
5  When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6  When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7  When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8  The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9  The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10  The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11  When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12  Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13  The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14  I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15  I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16  I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17  And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18  Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19  My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20  My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21  Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22  After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23  And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24  If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25  I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

We see in the book of Job that God gave some room for the false professors, the three friends, to express their views. However, Job was given far more room in this book to speak than they were. Then God Himself finished the book off by correcting Job and rebuking the false professors. God’s truth is more important than the devil’s lies. We need to know what false teachers believe and teach, but our priority needs to be to know the truth. When we know the truth, we will be able to discern the false teachings. If we are not convinced of the truth, we will be drawn into the false teaching.
Job bemoaned the fact that he was not living in the past. He had enjoyed the years where life had been going good for him. He had his family around. He had servants. He was prospering. He had the respect of other people.
The Hebrew word translated as “preserved” in verse 2 speaks of a watchman and of protection. Job did not understand that God never stopped protecting him. If God was not protecting him, Satan would have destroyed his life.
In verse 3 Job wished that God’s candle would still shine upon his head. Job was giving some good answers to the false accusations made against him. He did not get those answers from the wind. God was shining a light upon his head. God was still blessing Job. God’s blessings were of much greater value than the things that Job had lost.
Job was mourning the loss of things in these opening verses. As noted, he did not realize that God was still with him. He did not see his present state as a good thing. The flesh does not like to suffer. The flesh wants smooth things. We like to be able to sit back and relax. We struggle with sickness and even sickness that is going to end our lives. We struggle with the loss of family and friends. These things are quite normal for us. However, God shows us in this book and elsewhere that these things should not regulate how we think and act. We need to ask God to show us the greater blessings that He has for us.
As Job continued on, he noted that he had been well respected in his community. His words were sought after. It was like a refreshing rain to hear from him. He repeated the wisdom of God in his words. He was not a proud man as his friends falsely accused him of. He was a humble servant of God who took his direction from the Lord.
Job had also been generous to the poor and needy. He had sought to help those with genuine needs.
Job was also not ashamed to expose the wicked and to defend the righteous against them. A Godly person will expose the wicked. He does it because the love of God is in him. He loves people too much to see them blindly go the wrong way.
Job pointed out that when he spoke, his words were powerful. He gave good counsel and it could not be refuted. His counsel was such that it helped those who received it.
Job was directed by God to reflect on his influences that he had had over others. His testimony was much different than the accusations made against him by these three friends. There were people that knew him much better than these men did. However, it seemed that when trouble came for Job, the many that he had helped were not there to return the favour.
Many times people like to be around a wise person. However, when trouble comes to that wise person, others do not want to be too close to him any longer. They might be afraid that his troubles might rub off on them.
The Bible tells us:

Proverbs 18:24  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Job was a friend who showed himself friendly. He also had a Friend that sticks closer than a brother. He had trouble seeing that for the moment, but he would learn that his perception was wrong. It is important to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and Friend. He knows our needs better than we know them. He always has the right response to our every need. He is a blessing to those who will turn to God in repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation and direction.
Be sure you know the true God and Saviour in your life. Serve Him faithfully and get to know Him better every day. Attend a good local church and be instructed in the truth. Believe the truth and grow in the Lord. Reach out to others and seek to help them to know the truth as well. Be a true friend to others. Life may not always be easy as our flesh would want it to be. However, life will be rewarding if you know the Lord and walk humbly with Him.
Pastor Bartel