Job

Job Chapter 13

Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God

Job 13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

To someone who seeks God all the time, keeps all His commandments, is good to his neighbors, lives for God the best he knows how; it would be hard to hear his best friends tell him he has sinned and needs to seek God. That is what is happening to Job. Job is faced with defending himself. Sometimes we have to sit back and admit, "We just don't know," when bad things happen to ourselves or our friends. It's okay to admit, "We just don't know why." We think we have to have all the answers or we might appear to be stupid.

I like to listen to Chuck Smith teach his verse by verse bible studies. One thing I noticed about him is that when we doesn't understand something, he will admit that he doesn't understand. It's okay to be honest.

Job 13:4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

I like this. Job tells them they would have more wisdom if they just would shut up. Instead their words seem as lies. His friends are like doctors that treat patients but it doesn't do any good. They do not heal.

Job 13:6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

Job says they are the ones that need to take heed of their words and assumptions. They should just leave him alone lest God reproves them for their words. In the very last chapter of this book the Lord does rebuke the friends of Job. We need to be very careful when we take it upon ourselves to speak for God but it not be God's word that we speak but our own opinions and assumptions. That is scary. It's better to stay silent and just pray for those that suffer rather than speak to them with human reasoning or try to speak for God.

God does use those that really know Him and can hear from Him but we need to be sure that we are speaking His word and not our own imagination. Even speaking from the written word should be applied fairly and justly. To quote, "Thou shalt not steal," to a person that didn't steal for instance would be a misuse of God's word. The words are true but applied to the wrong person. That is like throwing darts at them.

Job 13:14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Those words are the words we remember Job the best for: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." Awesome to say and live by. This reminds me of the three Hebrews in the book of Daniel that were thrown into the fiery furnace for not bowing down the Nebuchadnezzar's statue. They knew God could deliver them but they was willing to die in the fire if God didn't deliver them.

Job 13:16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

In all the suffering of Job, he does acknowledge that God is His only salvation. He is not a hypocrite pretending to be something he is not. His only fault in all this is that he assumes all this stuff is coming directly from the Lord. He will find out differently but for that time period in his life it seems as if God has forsaken Him yet he wants to trust in God anyway.

Job 13:17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

It seems as if he comments are to God now. Sometimes it is hard to figure out whether he is speaking to his friends or to the Lord. This part is not a bad idea, that is to ask God what our sins are so that we can make it right with Him and be delivered from those sins. I would hate for my sins to keep me separated from God's perfect will in my own life. What He thinks of me matters more than what family and friends may think. Am I right with Him is what counts. If Job is directing these comments to the Lord, that is the right thing to do. If he is still defending himself to his friends, then it is a waste of time because they are no help. God knows who Job is and will soon speak to him directly. His friends are just making assumptions and judgmental statements. It doesn't help.

Job 13:24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Job feels forsaken and punished as one that is put in stocks which is a cruel way to treat one's fellow human being. Oh that we would learn kindness and compassion yet stand for what is right. We have to have law and order but without targeting the wrong people for the wrong reasons like political opponents. Jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness can cause us to judge wrongly. Perhaps Job's friends may possess some of these things and are judging Job because of envy. Examining our motives is good before passing judgments. Above all seeking to be just in the sight of God is the best way to live. DC

Job Chapter 14