Job 6:2–3

Eliphaz had reproached Job for giving in to despair. But Job asks him only to weigh his misery. It would be found as heavy as the sand of the sea — an image used elsewhere for great numbers. That is why his words are "rash" — which is probably the better translation. Who can hold back hasty words when the arrows of the Almighty pierce him and His terrors hang over him?

"Oh that my vexation were weighed" — that is exactly where they were wrong. They only looked at the surface — "and all my calamity laid in the balances!" No, they had no proper balances. They were all one-sided.

He knew Eliphaz had not weighed Job's grief properly. If he had, he would have had more compassion for the poor sufferer (vv.2-3). Job says, "Therefore my words have been rash." He had spoken as a man in deepest anguish. So he had concluded that God was not just in allowing such suffering to an upright man. Of course it is rash to say such a thing, but his friends should have seen that his condition all but forced the wrong words out of his mouth. Could they not make some allowance for this?

Job's piety made him admit that God not only must be, but was, involved in all these calamities; and he was right so far. Job did not lay the blame on the men of Sheba or the Chaldeans, the lightning, the hurricane, or the disease, but looked far beyond the secondary instruments. He was right to bring God into the trouble. But he was wrong, as we shall find at the end. He supposed either that there was nothing in his soul to correct, or that God could be anything other to him than gracious while faithful, and patient while righteous.

Here we have the part of his suffering that was probably worse than the physical side. What gave his grief its sharp edge was the sense that God's wrath was on him. He felt the dreadful poison of His anger consuming him. We know this was a mistake. God was chastening His poor servant, and that was another proof of His love. But he did not know it, and we should not be harsh with one who felt that the Lord was dealing bitterly with him.

Satan used this misuse of truth in the speeches of Job's friends. Chapter 6 shows that it gave Job a terrible shaking… He felt the arrows of the Almighty inside him, their poison drinking up his spirit, and the terrors of God lined up against him. This was a great mistake. They were the arrows of Satan. God was not against Job. If Job had only known it, God was for him.

So Job is now (Job 6, Job 7) taken up not so much with his misery as with his right to complain and answer back the suggestions of his friend. He is taken up with defending himself. At the same time he is only more convinced that his days are empty. What lessons of anguish one has to learn before one sees the wisdom of giving up self! How the soul is tormented by one suggestion after another. These could never reach or trouble it except for the amount of self that is there.

Job's answer is in chapter 6. "Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed" — that is just where they were wrong. They only looked at the surface. "And my calamity laid in the balances together." No, they had no proper balances. They were all one-sided. "For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea" — and so it was — "therefore my words are swallowed up." They were all confused. He admits his language was not what it ought to be. Inward suffering and desperate pain pressed him so hard that his words were quite confused. They were not quietly spoken, but swallowed up in the violence of his emotion.

Eliphaz had reproached Job for giving in to despair. Job asks him only to weigh his misery. Weighed, it would prove as heavy as the sand of the sea — an image used elsewhere for great numbers. That is why his words are "rash" — which is probably the better rendering. Who can hold back reckless words when the arrows of the Almighty pierce him and His terrors overshadow him?

Job's godliness made him own that God not only must be, but was, concerned in all these calamities; and he was right so far. Job did not blame the Sheba or the Chaldeans, the lightning, the hurricane, or the disease. He looked far beyond these second causes. He was right to bring God into the trouble. But he was wrong, as we find at the end. He either supposed that nothing in his soul needed correcting, or that God could be anything other than gracious while faithful, and long-suffering while righteous. He left out the power of evil and of Satan, which God permits but also measures. And he did not hold on, as he ought, to this: God allows His own to suffer in a special way in this world, and He does it in love.

Satan used this misapplied truth in the speeches of Job's friends. Chapter 6 shows that it gave Job a terrible shaking. He said, "For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me." This was a great mistake. They were the arrows of Satan. God was not against Job. If Job had but known it, God was for him.

He knew Eliphaz had not truly weighed Job's grief. If he had, he would have shown more compassion for the poor sufferer (vv.2-3). Job says, "Therefore my words have been rash." He had spoken as a man in deepest anguish. Out of that anguish he had concluded that God was not just in letting an upright man suffer like this. Of course it is rash to say such a thing. But Job's friends should have seen his condition. It almost forced the wrong words out of his mouth. Could they not make some allowance for this?