Dave Burnette's Commentary

Job Chapter 17

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Unknown, possibly Job, Moses, Solomon, and Elihu
Date Penned: (2000-1800 BC)
Overview: Faith in God's Sovereignty Through Trials (c 1-42)
Theme: Three Friends Answer Job (c 3-31)
Message: Job's Second Discussion (v 1-22)

Job 17 Commentary

(17:10) Wrong Assumptions - Job's three friends had a reputation for being wise, but Job could not find wisdom in any of them. In 42-7, God backed up Job's claim by condemning these men for their false portrayal of him. Obviously, these men had a faulty view of wisdom. They assumed that because they were prosperous and successful, God must be pleased with the way they were living and thinking. Job, however, told his friends that they were starting with the wrong idea because earthly success and prosperity are not proof of faith in God. Likewise, trouble and affliction do not prove faithlessness. The truly wise person knows that wisdom comes from God alone, not from human successes or failures. And the truly wise person never forsakes God. God's wisdom proved superior to the wisdom of Job and to the wisdom of all his friends.


(17:15) Eternal Life - Job was giving up hope of any future restoration of wealth and family and wrapping himself in thoughts of death and the rest from grief and pain it promised. The rewards that Job's friends described were all related to this present life. They were silent about the possibility of life after death. As Christians, we must not evaluate life only in terms of this present world, because God promises a never-ending, wonderful future to those who are faithful to him. Salvation through Jesus, with acceptance into God's family and hope of eternal life with him, forms the essence of the gospel (Good News) in the New Testament (John 1:12-13).


Dave Burnette's Life Application


Discouragement

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Job with Chapter 17. In our text today we see Job continuing to speak to his friends and in discouragement takes his eyes off the Lord and starts thinking about giving up. Little does Job know that God is about to restore Him. In making application we see a pattern for discouragement which is taking your eyes off the Lord. The Lord is not limited by our circumstances and has a plan for your life. How about you? Do you get discouraged? Let us learn from our text today and the life of Job to remember not quit or get discouraged but rather keep our eyes of Jesus who will deliver us according to His Will and Plan for our Lives.

 

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Job 17

Job 17

 1My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

 2Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

 3Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

 4For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

 5He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

 6He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.

 7Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

 8Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

 9The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

 10But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

 11My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

 12They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

 13If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

 14I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

 15And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

 16They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.