Devotion: Job 16:20-21

Job 16:20-21 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.

Job is not one of my favorite books of the Bible because I have a difficult time reconciling the God I love with One who allows such suffering in one man. But despite this, I am always reminded that ALL Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching… (2 Timothy 3:16). And that includes this book, so I have to pray that the Spirit reveals what it has to teach me.

Job’s friends are interesting. They faithfully come to sit with him and offer comfort, though at times it doesn’t seem they are saying anything to help him. But they remind me what friends should do – be there and offer what they can.

And then we come to this verse. My intercessor is my friend. Who is his intercessor and what does it even mean? An intercessor is one who intervenes on behalf of another, especially by prayer, petition, or begging. There are many mentions of intercession and examples of people being intercessors throughout the Old and New Testament. But who is Job 6:20 referring to?

Earlier in Job 16 he tells his friends they are lousy comforters. In different translations we see Job claiming his friends scorn him and he cries to God, who he knows hears him. Some commentaries say that this verse and the next speak of Jesus, our ultimate Friend and Intercessor. Others say Job is referring to himself in these two verses. What we do know is Job was mocked by his friends and his only comfort was to appeal with tears to God. Whether this “Intercessor” alludes to Jesus or the Holy Spirit or to himself, Job cries to God for comfort.

What can we learn from this, especially since there are differing views amongst commentaries? We are to seek God for our comfort. Friends are fallible and sometimes disappoint us with their lack of comfort. So we need to remember that God provides the comfort we need.

In addition, we have an additional comfort to keep in mind, something Job did not have because it had not yet been written. In Roman’s 8:26 Paul tells us the Spirit helps us in weakness and intercedes on our behalf when we don’t know how to pray. Even when we are uncertain of what the pray, we have an Intercessor already praying for us. Isn’t God amazing?

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