Job 6:19  The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
20  They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
21  For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
22  Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
23  Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24  Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25  How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
26  Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
27  Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
28  Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.
29  Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
30  Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

In verse 19 Job compared himself to the merchants of Arabia. They had their merchandise for sale, but no one came to buy it. If a person opens a business, they hope to be able to sell whatever product they have available. It is discouraging when people don’t show interest in what you have to sell.
Job was looking for some comfort in the midst of his suffering. He could not receive that from his wife. His three friends would prove to be unfit to be called friends. In verse 21 Job speaks plainly about what was going on. He was not a politician. There was no point in trying to flatter these men. He needed some truth and that would be encouraging for him. They offered him nothing. They would prove to be a broken record that would not get off their false theology.
In verse 22 Job reminded his three friends that he did not ask them to come. He did not need any financial assistance from them. He needed spiritual comfort. They had none of that available. Many people get caught up in following false teachers. They come away empty time after time, but they still stick with them in the hope that they might eventually find something good there. It is important to choose your friends carefully. A person that is not interested in truth is not a true friend. A person who refuses to listen to facts is not a true friend. Frauds are a dime a dozen. True friends are precious. They are worth seeking out and encouraging.
God created man as a social being. We do not need many friends. We just need a few good friends. We need friends who are not afraid to study God’s Word and live by God’s Word themselves and then seek to help others to know the blessings of God’s Word as well.
In verse 23, Job continued to show these men that he did not call for them. They heard about his situation and they decided to come to him. He knew they could not deliver him from his situation. He knew better than to think that man was the answer to his needs. What he needed was some good men who could help him to weather the current storm and encourage him in the Word of God.
In verse 24 we see that Job was not opposed to learning. He did not claim to know everything. What he needed was truth.

Psalm 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Job was walking in the fear of the LORD. He needed to be reminded of God’s wisdom in this time. He was not opposed to that. He knew the difference between God’s wisdom and the noise that was coming from these men.
In verse 25 Job also understood the power of God’s Word. God’s Word is right all the time. Right words speak to the heart. They are designed to help. It may hurt to hear them at times, but they are designed to help. Job pointed out that Eliphaz, who at this time was the spokesperson, had not helped at all. The other two were in agreement with him and thus they were wasting their time and they were a hindrance to Job’s spiritual and physical life. Job stated that his friends were like the wind. They had nothing to offer. The wind blows and it can move things around. A strong wind can be destructive. You cannot bottle up the wind. The words of these men were like the wind. It is there for the moment and then is gone. Their words were noise for the moment, but there was no substance to them.
In verse 27 Job continued to speak of their destructive nature. In a time when he needed some real help and encouragement, they were only there to tear him down. They did not know what they were talking about, but they would talk anyway.
In verses 28-30 Job asked them to examine his life. Job wanted these men to stop and consider who they were talking to. Job’s reputation was well known. God tells us that in the opening chapters. These men were going down a path that had no support from God. They could easily see that he was not living a lie. They could see that he was an upright man. They needed to turn away from their self-righteous accusations and they needed to deal with him in honesty.
Job had discernment. He was not a “Sunday” Christian. He was not a Christian in name only. His life proved the genuineness of his faith. He could tell that what they were telling him was not true. They needed to stop their foolish talk and start telling the truth.
As we will see, they had no interest in that. After all, they reasoned, Job was the one who had lost his family and possessions. He was the one who’s health was in jeopardy. In their minds he was the guilty one, not they. They refused to believe that ungodly people are often better off in this world, than those who serve the Lord faithfully. The devil already has the ungodly. He already can play with them as a puppet on a string. It is the Godly that he wants to destroy. He does not want anyone to have a Godly testimony.
There is no place for self-righteousness. There is no place for false assumptions. God’s truth is what is needed. Job desired God’s truth. His friends had their own false doctrines. They were not helpful and Job let them know that. He would not find any help from these three men. That was sad. As we continue this study, let us be those who walk in the fear of the Lord and who can help others to know His blessing as well.
Pastor Bartel