3:25 Amidst all his laments Job highlights that he had been concerned that he might end up in the state that he was and he was afraid of that prospect. May it be that the Lord was showing Job that he was, in fact, able to cope with the thing which he 'greatly feared'?.

ch. 4 - The speeches break down into the following pattern
Each of the three friends speak three times, Zophar twice. Job responds to each one in turn. As you go through the reading of the book you will notice the different speeches.
So here Eliphaz speaks.
On this occasion Eliphaz speaks conciliatory words. Notice this because in his later speech he becomes more belligerent.

3:13-16 Job's eloquent description of those with whom he would share the grave if he had died as a child demonstrates his understanding that wealth gives no favour in death.

4:3-4 Eliphaz recounts the good things that Job did and then (4:6) suggests that he know what Job 'fears' - responding to 3:25. This implies that Eliphaz thought Job was despairing because of the evil because he thought that he should not be so treated. It does not follow, however, that Eliphaz was correct in his analysis of Job.

3:1 This is the first time that Job spoke - and his first reaction is a cry of despair. We should not think that it is wrong to be in despair. The problem comes when we wallow in self pity.

4:2 Eliphaz seem to realise that his words will not help Job - but he still says them. One wonders how often we feel constrained to say something even if we know it will not be helpful!

God has allowed this to be written so that we can benefit. Job 3 is a very sad account of this Godly man’s miseries. Despite the fact that he wishes he had not been born, he still does not “sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10)

Job reveals an interesting fact about himself in 3:25.  Why would such an upright man fear calamity? Was his faith incomplete - was that the reason for the LORD's testing him?  Was his love incomplete (1John 4:18)?

And now the friends' counsel begins.  As we observe the discourses, let us put ourselves in the position of counselling a brother or sister in need.  Would our counsel be spiritually wise, or would it be worldly philosophy posing as spiritual wisdom?

3:11-12  Notice the repeated ‘why?’ This is the cry of the one who does not understand. Doubtless there were times when we might be moved to ask ‘why?’ Maybe the motivation for the question is the determinator of its validity. If it the ‘why?’ of complaint then that is wrong. If it is the ‘why?’ which desires to understand so that changes in our character can be made then that is fine.

4:12-16  Eliphaz seems to be claiming, in poetic terms, that he had received a special revelation form God. A very dangerous way of entering into a discussion!

4:6 Eliphaz, in speaking of ‘thy fear’ is drawing upon Job’s own comment implying that he feared personal loss – Job 3:25 - rather than fearing God, though the record has already told us that Job feared God – Job 1:1

3:1      So after a week of Silence it is Job who speaks first. Such a response from Job invited a compassionate response from his friends. However, due to their misplaced understanding of suffering, they did not help. Rather than criticised. Maybe we should take care lest our prejudices get in the way of helping others.

4:7 Compare Eliphaz's assertion with that of the Preacher (probably Solomon) in Ecc 9:2.

3:1-10 Job’s lament about himself and his sorry state maybe indicates a state of self pit but as we work our way through his speeches in the book that he moves from despair to a defence of his position before God. His friends, rather than helping Job to understand his position drove him to self justification.

4:4-5 Eliphaz now accuses Job of just being able to encourage those in difficulty but is unable to help himself.

Does our attitude to preaching reflect Jonah's attitude or are we like God?

...and now we see why Jonah was reluctant to go to Nineveh. He knew that the LORD was merciful, but he (Jonah) had already decided that the Ninevites were not worthy of salvation. He had passed judgement. The Pharisees, and even the Judaizing brethren in the first century ecclesia, did the same thing. They decided who were and were not fit to be saved. We must avoid the same error. The LORD holds out the invitation for salvation to everyone, and we must preach accordingly. Ironically, the Ninevites repented on this occasion but later regressed and were destroyed. Likewise, there are brethren who fall away from the Truth. But the LORD's mercy is forever (Psa 118).

4:1 So Jonah was a reluctant preacher. He was not the only one who responded similarly to God’s command. Ezekiel was struck dumb because he did not want to take the message of his God to the rebellious nation who had been taken to Babylon. There is something about the human mind which baulks at the degree of God’s willingness to forgive. This attitude spills over into our own feelings about whether God will give us the kingdom, despite Jesus’ assertion that the Father wishes to give us the kingdom Luke 12:32

4:9 Whilst Jonah was ‘angry unto death’ because of God’s mercy Jesus – Matt 26:38 – was sorrowful unto death. Jonah lacked compassion so was angry. Jesus was abundant in compassion and so was sorrowful unto death..

4:6-9  Jonah already knew God’s character but he needed to learn a lesson. His experience which was of God was a little like an enacted parable. Through the events that God organised Jonah now learnt about himself. So it is with us. We can know about God but not know about ourselves. Jonah learnt that he was not lick God and by implication had to change the way he thought. What about us?

4:4 Jonah looked for the destruction of Nineveh, looking over it. Jesus’ attitude to Jerusalem was very different Luke 19:41 – as he mourned over the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem.

4:2 We know that God is gracious and merciful. Does that cause us a problem? Would we rather worship a God who is full of judgement and punishment? Jesus taught us that God will judge us in the same way that we judge others Matt 7:2.

Vs. 26,27 These verses in the KJV sound ominous and troubling. They do not mean that if we sin occasionally (as we undoubtedly will) after baptism into Christ, we are doomed. They mean that if we wilfully continue to sin (or as the NIV renders it: deliberately keep on sinning), then there is no hope of (ultimate) forgiveness.

Encouraging

10:24-25 - encouraging each other to love and good works; the importance of meeting together and "exhorting" Grk "parakaleo" (3870) means "to call near, invite, beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, exhort, intreat, pray", etc. one another.

Enduring 

10:23,35,36,37,38 - hold unswervingly to the hope; do not throw away your confidence; the need to persevere in order to receive what God has promised; he shall come without delaying; living by faith and not shrinking back.  1Cor 9:24-27 - running a good race so you don't get disqualified. Matt 24:13 - he who endures to the end will be saved.

10:4 There was, of course, nothing intrinsically special about the blood of Jesus compared to that of an animal. Jesus, as is seen by the use of Psalm 4 here, gave himself in total service to God. ‘Blood’ stands for total commitment.

10:22,23,24 The threefold repetition of ‘let us’ highlights the way in which the writer appeals to those priests who believed. That they might take hold on something better than the Levitical system that they had been brought up in.

10:30   Those Jews who were turning back to the law of Moses needed to be aware that they would be judged according to the strictures of that law – Deut 32:36

Vs.24,25 True believers in Christ will have great love for other believers, and will want to associate with them.  Breaking of bread and drinking of wine together, in remembrance of Jesus, affords believers a very special occasion for meeting.  This meeting should always be cherished and never avoided. 

What v1 is actually saying is that the law was a poor shadow of Jesus Christ. He was the true image and likeness of God (John 1:14). So if we apply the rest of the verse to Jesus, we also see that, unlike the law, Jesus was able to take away sin for those who approach him. There is therefore the exhortation for us to approach him in faith, even if we find ourselves condemned by the law (v19-22) because God has said "their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more" v17.

Incidentally, assembling together with other believers is very much part of drawing near to God. If we don't do this, we could be in danger of despising Jesus, as it says in verses 25-31.

10:16 The quotation from Jer 31:31 of the new covenant language which we saw before (Heb 8:8-12) show the only way to be sanctified ‘for ever’ is through the death of Jesus. Animals will not do.

Hiding from God

Have you ever wondered what exactly faith in Jesus does for us? We know that "by grace you are saved through faith" (Eph 2:8, Luke 7:50). But what does that faith do to save us? We could have faith in a friend, but that friend couldn't save us from death. We could have faith in the law, like the Jews did, but that law can't gain forgiveness of sins (v2-4). So faith in itself is worth nothing. It's what we have faith in that counts. What's so special about having faith in Jesus?

The answers to this question is in this chapter, and stated hardly anywhere else in scripture. The answer is that by faith in Jesus we have our conscience cleansed. This is a remarkable thing if we think about it. If we have our conscience cleansed we can come boldly in prayer to God asking for what we need (v19-22). With a stricken conscience this is impossible. Did you ever have a family pet; a dog that put its tail between its legs when it had done something wrong? Could that animal approach you boldly when it thought you were displeased? And think about when you have hurt someone and are ashamed of yourself. Can you look them in the eye?

This is the situation that Jesus died to remedy. If you think about it, God could easily have given us life through the law if He wanted to. But our conscience wouldn't be cleansed (9:9). The boldness in His presence would not be possible. Instead only a proud or arrogant "I've done good" attitude would prevail, or else just self pity. So God devised the death of His only son so that He could show the extent of His forgiveness. Once we realise how far He has removed our sins from us, we can come with clean concience and "have boldness to enter the Holiest" (v19). This rectifies the problem that has existed since Adam and Eve hid themselves from God (Gen 3:8-11).

10:35-36  The ‘confidence’ was their conviction which they confessed at their baptism. It was that hope which they were to be confident in, not in the sacrifices of the Law of Moses.