A Friend so Faithful – Job 6:1-30

Summary of Job so far

• Job is introduced as a blameless and upright man who fears God.
• He is wealthy with seven sons, three daughters, and large herds of livestock.
• Satan challenges God, claiming Job only serves God because of his blessings.
• God allows Satan to test Job by taking away his possessions and children.
• Despite losing everything, Job maintains his faith and does not sin against God.
• Satan again challenges God, claiming Job would curse God if his health was affected.
• God permits Satan to afflict Job with painful sores.
• Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die, but Job remains faithful.
• Three friends – Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar – come to comfort him and sit with him in silence for seven days.
• After seven days, Job breaks the silence by cursing the day of his birth.
• He questions why he was born and expresses his deep anguish, wishing he had died at birth rather than face such suffering.
• He describes death as a place where the weary find rest.
• Eliphaz, the first friend to speak, suggests that Job’s suffering must be due to sin, as the innocent don’t perish.
• He claims to have received a vision confirming that no human can be more righteous than God.
• He implies that Job should acknowledge his sin and seek God’s forgiveness.
• Eliphaz continues his speech, advising Job to appeal to God.
• He argues that suffering is a form of divine discipline and that if Job accepts this correction, God will restore him.
• He presents a simplistic view that good people prosper while the wicked suffer, suggesting Job should humble himself before God to receive restoration.

Summary of Job Chapter

In chapter 6, Job responds to Eliphaz’s speech with raw honesty about his
suffering:

Expresses the intensity of his pain

Job 6:1-4 (ESV):

“Then Job answered and said: ‘Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.'”

Job is expressing that his grief and anguish are so great that if placed together on a scale, it would be heavier than the sand of the seas

I also know my words have been rash and wild.

Itʼs because it feels like Godʼs poisoned arrows are in me, draining my spirit

The sores afflicting Job were painful skin lesions or boils – severe skin infections that caused intense physical suffering. They covered his entire body “from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (Job 2:7). These sores would have been open wounds or ulcers that caused constant pain, itching, and discomfort.

I remember when I was a child, I had chicken pox on my body. Anybody here? – It was a terrible experience. My mom would cover us with need leaves, wipe our open wounds with warm water.

Job was so afflicted that he “took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes” (Job 2:8), showing how desperate he was to find relief from the physical torment of these sores.

• In verses 5-7, he defends his right to express the pain – it is natural

Job 6:5-7 (ESV):

“Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass, or the ox low over his fodder? Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow? My appetite refuses to touch them; they are as food that is loathsome to me.”

Job uses two powerful analogies here to justify his complaints:

1. Animals only cry out when they lack food, suggesting his complaints come from real distress
2. Just as bland food needs salt to be palatable, his suffering needs expression to be processed

• In verses 8-13, he hopes to find comfort, not from being alive, but from death

“Oh that I might have my request, and that God would fulfill my hope, that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off! This would be my comfort; I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should be patient? Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?”

1. He sees death as release from pain: Job views death not as an escape, but as the only relief from his unbearable suffering. He even says he would “exult in pain unsparing” if it meant final release.
2. Still maintains faith while wanting death: Even in wishing for death, Job carefully notes that he “has not denied the words of the Holy One” – showing his desire for death isn’t rebellion against God.
3. Acknowledges human limitations: Through rhetorical questions about his strength, Job acknowledges he isn’t made of stone or bronze – he’s human with limited endurance for suffering.

This passage shows Job’s raw honesty before God – he doesn’t pretend to be stronger than he is or hide his desire for relief through death. Yet even in this dark wish, he maintains his integrity and faith.

• In verses 13-30, he expresses disappointment over his friends. In verses 13-30, Job delivers a powerful critique of his friends’ response to his suffering:
• Betrayal of friendship (v.14-17):

Job 6:14-17 (ESV):

“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed, as torrential streams that pass away, which are dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself. When they melt, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place.”

Job compares his friends to unreliable streams that disappear when needed most – flowing in winter but dry in summer heat when travelers desperately need water

• Deep disappointment (v.18-21):

Job 6:18-21 (ESV):

“The caravans turn aside from their course; they go up into the waste and perish. The caravans of Tema look, the travelers of Sheba hope. They are ashamed because they were confident; they come there and are disappointed. For you have now become nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid.”

He describes how caravans search hopefully for these streams only to find them dry – just as he looked hopefully to his friends for comfort but found none.

• Not asking for much (v.22-23):

Job 6:22-23 (ESV):
“Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’? Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’? Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless’?”
Job points out that he hasn’t asked them for money or rescue from enemies – he only wanted genuine comfort and understanding

• Challenge to show his error (v.24-27):

Job 6:24-27 (ESV):
“Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray. How forceful are upright words! But what does reproof from you reprove? Do you think that you can reprove words when the speech of a despairing man is wind? You would even cast lots over the fatherless and bargain over your friend.”

Job invites them to point out his actual sins if they can find any, rather than making vague accusations. He criticizes how they dismiss his words as “wind” while attacking a desperate man.

• Appeal for justice (v.28-30):

Job 6:28-30 (ESV):
“But now, be pleased to look at me, for I will not lie to your face. Please turn; let no injustice be done. Turn now; my vindication is at stake. Is there any injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?”

He ends by asking them to look at him directly and judge if he’s lying. He asserts his integrity and ability to discern right from wrong despite his suffering. In the light of the pain and anguish Job is experiencing, I want us to reflect on our lives today.

I donʼt know where you are right now, but hereʼs perhaps some of the scenarios that you are facing in your life today.

• Perhaps you are experiencing intense physical pain and suffering right now— pain that has lingered in your body for years and only seems to grow worse with time. Maybe it’s due to sin, or perhaps it’s part of a spiritual battle like Job’s. The pain and anguish feel heavier than all the sand in the sea, as if God’s poisoned arrows are piercing your body, draining your soul and spirit.
• Or perhaps the pain isn’t physical—maybe it’s watching your loved one endure intense suffering. You feel helpless, unable to ease their misery. Your pleas to God seem to go nowhere, as though He doesn’t care, as if He has turned His face away. You desperately want to help but don’t know what to do.
• Or perhaps you are sick, and watching your loved ones experience sorrow and distress over your condition is tearing you apart inside.
• Or maybe the pain isn’t physical—it’s mental anguish. Perhaps you’re struggling to maintain relationships with your loved ones (husband, wife…), and no matter how hard you try, things seem to get worse each day. Maybe the anguish comes from being separated from someone you love—you desperately wish to be with them, but circumstances keep you apart, and the distance and loneliness are consuming you.
• Maybe your pain comes from watching a loved one drift away from the Lord— despite your many attempts to guide them back, they seem to move further and further from their faith.
• Maybe you are experiencing pain and anguish in your workplace—no matter how hard and sincerely you work, your efforts go unnoticed. Perhaps someone else in the organization is taking credit for your work and receiving promotions you deserve. Perhaps you are suffering from office politics and favoritism. Or maybe you are struggling to find a fulfilling and rewarding job, and you have reached a point where you have given up hope.
• Perhaps in your pain and anguish, you’ve been speaking rash, wild, and foolish words to yourself and others

And above all …

• Perhaps, in all your pain and anguish, you’re feeling desperately lonely — perhaps there’s no one you can talk to. Or perhaps you do have people around, but they either show up at the wrong time or say things that hurt instead of comfort, like Job’s friends. Or perhaps you’re surrounded by genuine friends who truly care for you, who show up at the right time and constantly encourage and pray for you, but you’re unable to receive it—your heart is closed to counsel and prayer. Perhaps your pain has made you stubborn and has dried up your faith in God and in people.

I don’t know where you are right now, but I know one thing with unshaken
confidence: whether you choose to believe it or not—and I urge you to believe— God has not left you. He is not absent from your life. He is closer than you think.

• Just like when he was with Abraham, who left his home, wandered in a foreign land, and struggled to believe whether god would bless him with an offspring
• Just like Moses, away from his family, struggling to believe whether god would keep his promise of rescuing his people
• Just like Joseph, in the pit and in prison, wondering if god had forgotten him and if his dreams would ever come true
• Just like David, running from Saul, hiding in caves, questioning whether he would ever see the kingship god promised him
• Just like Daniel, in the lions’ den, trusting god even when facing certain death
• Just like Paul, in chains and imprisoned, suffering persecution yet holding onto his faith in god’s greater purpose
• Just like Ruth, who lost everything but remained faithful, not knowing how god would provide for her future

He is Sovereign God, and he knows what he is doing

But here’s the greatest comfort we have – Jesus Christ, our truest and most faithful friend, who knows our pain intimately:

• Jesus experienced the deepest human suffering – He was betrayed, abandoned, tortured, and crucified. He understands our pain not from a distance but from personal experience

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
without sin.” – Hebrews 4:15

• Unlike Job’s friends, Jesus never fails us. He promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” and He keeps His word
• Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers us not just temporary comfort but eternal hope – a hope that transcends our current suffering

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

The gospel brings us these precious promises:

1. Our suffering is not meaningless – Christ redeems every tear and pain for His glory and our good
2. We are never alone – The Holy Spirit, our Comforter, dwells within us, interceding for us with groans too deep for words
3. Our present sufferings are temporary – They cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed in us
4. We have a High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses – Jesus invites us to come boldly to His throne of grace to find help in times of need

Even when we feel like Job – overwhelmed, misunderstood, and in deep anguish – Jesus remains our unwavering friend who sticks closer than a brother. He doesn’t dismiss our pain or offer empty platitudes. Instead, He walks with us through the valley of shadows, holding us close to His heart until we reach the other side.

Let me conclude with this powerful truth: No matter how deep your suffering, how heavy your burden, or how lonely your path may feel, you have a friend in Jesus who understands completely. He’s not a distant observer but an ever-present help in trouble.

Where Job’s friends failed, Jesus succeeded. Where human comfort falls short, His presence sustains. You may not understand why you’re going through what you’re experiencing right now, but you can trust the One who holds your future in His hands.

Remember, your current season of suffering is not the end of your story. Just as Job’s latter days were blessed more than his beginning, God is working even now – through your pain, through your tears, through your questions – to accomplish His perfect will in your life.

Let us pray with confidence, knowing that we approach not an indifferent deity but a loving Father who gave His only Son for us. In your deepest valleys, may you find strength in this truth: You are never alone, for you have a friend so faithful in Jesus Christ.