As I started a study that originated with Proverbs 3:24-25a,26, I found that the more I dug into the word study the more I was learning about Job, his "righteous friends" and what they had to say to Job during his most difficult trial.
I was studying out the words "sudden fear" that was found in Proverbs 3:25a. Then I found that the only time that very same statement was used is in Job 22:10 as Eliphaz was telling Job what he thought Job should do...and God took me a whole different direction than my original study intentions.
Now, the passage in Job where this term is used in the third scolding if you will that Eliphaz made to Job. Eliphaz was in the middle of telling Job what he believed he did wrong to be in the place he was in. After all, he must have done something for this to be happening to him, right?
Job 22:5-11
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
Eliphaz is falsely accusing Job of some pretty bad things in this passage, and insists that he must be guilty of them for him to be in such a position. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar have all taken multiple turns sharing their thoughts on the matter. Each having their own speech, and speaking in parables to Job over the course of many chapters. This time Eliphaz has decided on speaking plainly, he intends to tell Job exactly why he believes Job to be suffering the way he is.
Job, you see...you have deprived the poor of food and water. You refuse to give to the widows and the orphans. You have brought this all on yourself. You did this to you. Job later combats this in Job 29:12 telling Eliphaz that he is guilty of none of what he has said, he has done the exact opposite.
The phrase that caught my eye was obviously the two words in v10 that I was originally studying. Sudden fear.
Sudden: Strongs 6621 H. instant; unexpectedly
Webster 1828 Dictionary: 1) Happening without previous notice; coming unexpectedly 2) Hasty; violent, rash, passionate.
Job's friends had been watching him, and they have probably seen him face anxiety, maybe panic attacks...he could have had PTSD after all that has happened to him. Losing everything, all of his kids in one day, and his wife was hurt and bitter. Am I saying "yes, he had these things"...no, I'm saying its possible, or else this term would not be in the passage at all. His friends had seen the terror on his face, the shaking of his body, the tears he has cried.
Job's friends decided that it would benefit Job to tell him that the reason why he was struggling was because he needed to get some things taken care of spiritually. He needed to pray and ask God to forgive him, and he would be restored.
Job 22:21-28
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
They believe they are doing their job, they are doing what they need to do to "help".
Job, just return to God. Repent. Tell him you're sorry, and he will forgive you, and restore you. You won't have to face this sudden fear, the physical pain, and sickness anymore if you just get it right.
Job is already in a painful spot. Again, he has lost his home, his family, his wealth, everything he had, even his health was taken from him. Job is as low as he has ever been, and he has these "wonderful friends" who come up to him, and instead of encouraging him, and trying to be there for him, they are telling him what all he has done wrong to deserve this, and how to get out of it. How Job could fix this awful thing he is going through.
Job's response to his friends in the next chapter, he knows God has placed him where he is. He says he can't find God, he can't see God in what he is going through...but he knows that God knows where he is, and that this trial will make him stronger.
Job 23:8-11
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
He goes on to add in Job 27:5-6
God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Basically what he is saying is:
God forbid (Far be it) that I should justify (be right; clear self)
I get the feeling that at this point he is tired of the relentless scolding from these three men who for who knows how long have talked, and talked, and talked about what they think. He has responded to them many times over, and he just gets fed up and says "I don't have to explain myself to you anymore". He knows that he is morally innocent. He knows that he is right where God wants him to be. He knows that his life isn't going the way he planned it, but God has a plan different than his.
Many times those of us that suffer from mental illness (again, we don't know if Job struggled in that way) have many fellow Christians that tell us how to fix us. How we can return to our happy normal lives. That if we will just fix the spiritual problems in our lives that our condition will go away. That God will restore us to what we were before.
I truly wish it were that easy! To be able to repent of everything and that it would mean God would take away my panic attacks, and my anxiety. My struggles would have been gone from the first attack.
Keep yourself rooted in God's word, keep the lines of communication open between you and the Lord. I could in no way do this without God! He is my rock, and he has brought me through so much and has pulled me away from the fear of my attacks.
If you have friends like Job's friends that believe they know why you are going through your struggles and exactly how you can fix it, speak out! Respond. And if they keep it up...be like Job! Stand up for yourself!