Job 19:14 | KingComments | STEP | In this section Job passes from the enmity of God toward the disgust of men toward him. After his total breakdown he feels abandoned by everyone. But here too he says that it is something that God is doing to him. Much of what he says about people’s attitudes toward him can be applied to what people have done to the Lord Jesus and how they have seen Him. The Lord has been truly forsaken of all. Job sees no explanation for what people did to him, but the Lord knew perfectly well why He was treated this way and why people considered Him this way. It is a great torment that those from whom you should expect support have become unreachable to you when you suffer intensely. They no longer come to you, but drop you. And when they come to you, you still feel an enormous distance because they do not understand you, cannot sympathize with you, or even come up with advice that hurts you. God allows us to be disappointed in relying on our relationships, even the most intimate ones, to learn to rely on Him alone. When He has achieved that goal, He reveals Himself to us. Brothers or brethren, who were always there for you, on whom you could count especially in times of need, fail ( ). His acquaintances, those who know him, pretend he is a stranger to them (cf. ). These brothers and friends have nothing of the brother and friend of whom Solomon says: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” ( ). A true friend not only loves when you are doing well, but also when you are doing badly. In times of need, that friend will become a brother, someone who will help carry the burden as a family member (cf. ). The perfect example of this is the Lord Jesus. He is like that for us and never disappoints us. Job is completely on the skids. That is why his close relatives no longer seek him out ( ). They do not want to be seen in the company of such a man. They are ashamed of him. His acquaintances don’t even think of him anymore and forget him. There are more important things to do than to concern oneself with someone who has got himself into such trouble. As long as somebody’s doing well and there’s some honor or benefit to be gained from visiting, we’ll do it. But if something like pity is asked for, we let it go. We can’t deal well with other people’s suffering. Job is considered a stranger by those who live in his house and his maids, as someone who does not belong to them ( ). Not only did they not offer him any help, but they broke off their relationship with him. These are the people who experienced him closely during the period of prosperity in daily life. Now they stare at him as if they had never seen him before, as if he came from a different country, with a different language and different customs. The servant who used to carry out his duties willingly and faithfully is now deaf to the voice of Job when he calls him ( ). He does not answer and pretends that Job is air to him. Why should he still serve Job? Job can no longer give him anything, no reward and no punishment. In the old days a movement of the hand or head could be enough to make the servant do something. Now Job must use his mouth to get his servant to do something. And instead of commanding him, Job humiliates himself by begging his servant. Job’s wife has apparently stayed with him, although she is not what a wife should be, a help to her husband ( ). She too sees him as an object of God’s displeasure, and leaves him alone in his suffering. She stays at a distance, so that she cannot smell his breath. The love that was between her and Job has cooled down. It is extremely tragic when, in a marriage, a tragedy affecting one of the spouses causes separation. On the contrary, need should lead to greater unity between husband and wife. He is loathsome to his own brothers and sisters. They pinch their nose for him, he stinks because of the festering wounds that cover his body. Young children despise him ( ). Little children tend to stare at deformed people and walk around them with a bow. This is more out of fear than contempt. Young children may despise someone and treat him disrespectfully because of his appearance (cf. ). Job must have looked hideous, repulsive. When he stood up, they showed no respect, but began to contradict him, perhaps even to boo him. Young children can be mercilessly hard on the weak and vulnerable in society. How important it is that parents teach their children respect for every human being as a creature of God, according to the command: “Honor all people” ( ; cf. ). All those with whom Job had a confidential relationship, with whom he shared things in confidence to hear what they thought of them, turned their backs on him in horror ( ). With some people he had a special bond, a bond of love. That goes beyond a confidential bond. The people he loved have now become his opponents. They have turned against him. Love is answered with opposition (cf. ). That’s very painful. Job has emaciated so much that he has become even less than ‘skin and bones’ ( ; cf. ). His bones stick through his skin and his flesh. Parts of his skin and flesh have been tarnished away. He has been reduced to a skeleton. All that is left of him is his gums. He can still chew on that.

‏ Job 19:14

Despised by the People

In this section Job passes from the enmity of God toward the disgust of men toward him. After his total breakdown he feels abandoned by everyone. But here too he says that it is something that God is doing to him. Much of what he says about people’s attitudes toward him can be applied to what people have done to the Lord Jesus and how they have seen Him. The Lord has been truly forsaken of all. Job sees no explanation for what people did to him, but the Lord knew perfectly well why He was treated this way and why people considered Him this way.

It is a great torment that those from whom you should expect support have become unreachable to you when you suffer intensely. They no longer come to you, but drop you. And when they come to you, you still feel an enormous distance because they do not understand you, cannot sympathize with you, or even come up with advice that hurts you. God allows us to be disappointed in relying on our relationships, even the most intimate ones, to learn to rely on Him alone. When He has achieved that goal, He reveals Himself to us.

Brothers or brethren, who were always there for you, on whom you could count especially in times of need, fail (Job 19:13). His acquaintances, those who know him, pretend he is a stranger to them (cf. Psa 69:8). These brothers and friends have nothing of the brother and friend of whom Solomon says: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Pro 17:17). A true friend not only loves when you are doing well, but also when you are doing badly. In times of need, that friend will become a brother, someone who will help carry the burden as a family member (cf. Gal 6:2). The perfect example of this is the Lord Jesus. He is like that for us and never disappoints us.

Job is completely on the skids. That is why his close relatives no longer seek him out (Job 19:14). They do not want to be seen in the company of such a man. They are ashamed of him. His acquaintances don’t even think of him anymore and forget him. There are more important things to do than to concern oneself with someone who has got himself into such trouble. As long as somebody’s doing well and there’s some honor or benefit to be gained from visiting, we’ll do it. But if something like pity is asked for, we let it go. We can’t deal well with other people’s suffering.

Job is considered a stranger by those who live in his house and his maids, as someone who does not belong to them (Job 19:15). Not only did they not offer him any help, but they broke off their relationship with him. These are the people who experienced him closely during the period of prosperity in daily life. Now they stare at him as if they had never seen him before, as if he came from a different country, with a different language and different customs.

The servant who used to carry out his duties willingly and faithfully is now deaf to the voice of Job when he calls him (Job 19:16). He does not answer and pretends that Job is air to him. Why should he still serve Job? Job can no longer give him anything, no reward and no punishment. In the old days a movement of the hand or head could be enough to make the servant do something. Now Job must use his mouth to get his servant to do something. And instead of commanding him, Job humiliates himself by begging his servant.

Job’s wife has apparently stayed with him, although she is not what a wife should be, a help to her husband (Job 19:17). She too sees him as an object of God’s displeasure, and leaves him alone in his suffering. She stays at a distance, so that she cannot smell his breath. The love that was between her and Job has cooled down. It is extremely tragic when, in a marriage, a tragedy affecting one of the spouses causes separation. On the contrary, need should lead to greater unity between husband and wife.

He is loathsome to his own brothers and sisters. They pinch their nose for him, he stinks because of the festering wounds that cover his body.

Young children despise him (Job 19:18). Little children tend to stare at deformed people and walk around them with a bow. This is more out of fear than contempt. Young children may despise someone and treat him disrespectfully because of his appearance (cf. 2Kgs 2:23). Job must have looked hideous, repulsive. When he stood up, they showed no respect, but began to contradict him, perhaps even to boo him. Young children can be mercilessly hard on the weak and vulnerable in society. How important it is that parents teach their children respect for every human being as a creature of God, according to the command: “Honor all people” (1Pet 2:17; cf. Jam 3:8-11).

All those with whom Job had a confidential relationship, with whom he shared things in confidence to hear what they thought of them, turned their backs on him in horror (Job 19:19). With some people he had a special bond, a bond of love. That goes beyond a confidential bond. The people he loved have now become his opponents. They have turned against him. Love is answered with opposition (cf. Psa 109:4). That’s very painful.

Job has emaciated so much that he has become even less than ‘skin and bones’ (Job 19:20; cf. Lam 4:8). His bones stick through his skin and his flesh. Parts of his skin and flesh have been tarnished away. He has been reduced to a skeleton. All that is left of him is his gums. He can still chew on that.