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The Book of Job

Chapter Twenty-nine: God Was With Me

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Job Reflects

Job: chapter 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.

From the lofty heights of God's riches, Job now turns back to himself. “Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me” (29:2). Chapter twenty-nine is Job's nostalgic look backwards. Note that his first remembrance is that of God's care towards him (29:2-5), even before that of his children (29:5). This backward glance is pathetic or worse. Seeing what Job has become contrasted against what Job was is chilling and almost repulsive. It is hard to empathize with Job without a worm of dread entering.

Outside of the brief opening remarks (1:1-5), this is the best look we get of Job the man, before God and Satan change the equation. Even though the chapter is almost syrupy in its admiration for Job's life, we have no real reason to doubt his description, considering that God himself admired Job (1:8).

Barnes suggests that the wording of verse one indicates a pause to allow a reply (Barnes, notes to 29:1). Given the apparent three cycles of three attacks and three replies, it is odd that Zophar declines to speak in the third round. The lack of reply to Job is one of the reasons for Elihu to jump into the fray against Job (32:5). The length of Job's reply without answer, until Elihu's interruption, indicates that the three friends have chosen silence for whatever reason.

When the Almighty was With Me

Job briefly mentions his worldly blessings, “When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil” (29:8), and then tells how he was honored by the young and old, nobles and princes (29:7-11). The picture is of very blessed man, who counts his righteousness as the reason.

By Job's testimony, his righteousness flowed out to those around him in continual kindnesses so that he was widely admired and beloved. “I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him” (29:12). Job took care of the widows for dying men (29:13). He cared for the poor and disabled (29:15-16). He was careful to search out the truth before passing judgement (29:15-16) and punished the wicked, returning that which was stolen (29:17). “If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down” (29:24). The picture is that of a benevolent and kind man who very presence radiates joy.

Having reached a level of comfort, Job had said to himself, “I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand” (29:18). Job paints the picture of total self-satisfaction: “My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel” (29:20-21). “I chose out their way, and sat chief” (29:25). This is the picture of a self-realized man. Financially successful, a pillar of the community, head of a large family, almost universally admired. He has every reason for satisfaction with himself. But personal satisfaction is Job's greatest danger. Self-satisfaction is at the heart the matter.

There is a controversy over whether “sand” in verse 18 shouldn't be translated “Phoenix”, the legendary bird that continually springs back to life (Vicchio 2020, loc. 6667). The essential meaning is the same either way, Job expected a long and happy life.

Job clearly understands that his blessings come from God. But he believes that he is entitled to these blessings on the basis of his righteousness, his works. Self-satisfaction is the hook that Satan believes he can use. Job's righteousness brought him comfort with his walk before the Lord. Job is dangerously close to self-righteousness. As the self expands, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit diminishes until the living Word of God, the still small voice, is cut off altogether. Oswald Chambers states it this way, “When a man comes to Jesus it is not sin that is in the way, but self-realization, pride, his claim to himself... Self-realization is anti-Christian” (Chambers, 1992; from The Place of Help, 1935). God is not reaching Job.


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*All Bible quotes are from the King James Version unless otherwise indicated.



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