Job 19:5-6

5 If indeed ['omnam] ye will magnify [gadal] yourselves against me, and plead [yakach] against me my reproach [cherpah]:

6 Know [yada`] now ['ephow] that God ['elowahh] hath overthrown [`avath] me, and hath compassed [naqaph] me with his net [matsuwd]. KJV-Interlinear

5 'If indeed you vaunt yourselves against me, And prove my disgrace to me, 6 Know then that God has wronged me, And has closed His net around me. NASB

Up to this point, Jobs friends have not been listening to his reasoning, but they have been quibbling with him. And that is now Jobs complaint against them. He accuses them of magnifying or vaunting, which means to quibble, to nit-pick, to split hairs, to complain, to be mediocre.

They are magnifying his words, distorting his words, taking what he says out of context, twisting the meaning of his words and so forth. Don't politicians or news media folks do this kind of thing?

Jobs friends are really laying the foundation principles of liberal thought patterns. They have made subjective worldly observations, they desire that which Job had, namely authority and prestige and position in society, and now that Job is at some 'apparent' disadvantage, they have drawn conclusions for which they have no proof, but are determined to manufacture proofs to fit their opinions.

Their conclusions are so serious (in their own minds) that they are determined to prove them regardless of the true facts.

And so, Job issues his own complaint. They are determined to prove him as wicked. And they do not listen to any form of reason.

Therefore, 'Know this,' Job says, 'God has already caught me up in His net, and has captured me and rendered me helpless. What more can you all do, that God is not already doing? What additional justice do you add to my situation?'

To be 'wronged' here means to be overwhelmed, to be overthrown, to be rendered helpless.

The other day we studied the nets and traps of the world which wicked man walks right into. Even animals, when they know of or see a trap, will avoid it, but man, with all of his advanced intellect and reason, can't seem to be as smart as animals. So who is the dumber one here, man or beast?

Now we have a trap of a different sort. This is the trap which God sets before us. This is the trap of suffering or helplessness.

In those ancient days, hunters would team up and carry different weapons, or a hunter, hunting on his own might carry a couple of weapons. One would be a net or a snare of some type, and the other would be a sword or a knife.

The snare or net would be used to capture the prey, and then once incapacitated, the sword would be used to finish the kill.

This is the point which Job is making. God has thrown His net over him, rendering Job totally helpless and incapable to escape. And Job, in his helpless state cannot avoid the certain death strike, if God so chose to use His sword.

Job is totally helpless. Job was once prosperous and a leader within his community. He was sought after for opinions and advice. And now, God has slashed his public position down to nothing and he is now looked upon with scorn rather than with respect.

And just what more is there for Jobs friends to do here? How much more discipline can they inflict? What do they hope to gain by their assault? What is it that they are trying to prove? What power do they have, such that they can alter Jobs situation?

Job acknowledges that he is helpless, but that his life is totally in Gods hands. Neither he, nor anyone on the planet, can do anything which will cancel Gods dealings with him.

And that is the way your life is, that is the way history is, and certainly that is the way that Jesus Christs' first advent was. Christ came to complete His mission of salvation. He was looked at as an amazing teacher-healer, and ended up disgraced and despised on the Cross.

God is capable of raising you up to phenomenal heights, and He is capable of knocking you down to phenomenal lows. And, God can do either, in any combination, at any point in time, and there is nothing that you can do to avoid it. All the while, God possesses complete control over every aspect, every detail, and every heartbeat of your life.

In Gods hands, you are completely safe. Out of His hands, you are completely helpless.

There will always be people around you, who will have opinions and criticisms and attitudes both for and against you. Some are brownnosers, opportunists and leaches, and some are just plain gossips and maligners. Some will want to use you and some will want to see you fail.

But no matter. Get with your spiritual life program, and God will see you through life, with amazing ease.

Those who mean you harm will come and go. The world will come and go around you. But you just keep getting up, keep looking forward, and keep your eyes on God, Christ, and Bible doctrine, and you will become your very own hero in your very own life's adventure and, there is nothing that anyone can do about it.

Now is the time to post a prayer.