Job

Job Chapter 23

Job Replies: Where Is God?

Job 23:1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

They keep telling him to repent and call upon God for sins they imagine he was committing but Job in his misery and anguish wishes he could just come before God bring everything to Him. He was already seeking answers and wanting to know what went wrong. He would love to just stand before Him in His presence and find out what is going on. Not only was he suffering physically but also suffering from the constant criticism and bashing from his visitors. On top of that was the loss of his children and the shunning of his servants and probably many others that we don't hear of until the end of the book.

Job 23:4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

It is obvious now how Job views God. If he could talk to God face to face, Job knows that God would strengthen, not condemn. I can't forget the words Job spoke previously. "I know my redeemer lives." That is something we must all never forget when we go through bad times or good. I remember my dad telling me many times to keep my mind on the Lord.

Job 23:7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 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:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job doesn't seem to be afraid to come to God and see Him face to face. He truly believes that if he stood before Him (God), he would be as pure as gold. He now feels though as if God has been hidden from him and is silent. We all know from reading the end of this book that God is right there cheering him on and waiting until the right time to speak but right then Job feels like he has been abandoned and left to suffer scorn from his visitors. I decided to stop calling them friends because I don't see them as friends.

Job 23:11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

This is the way we all should be. To esteem God's commandments and all His words higher than the necessary food we need daily. God's words are food for our souls. We need it just as much or even more than food that keeps our body alive. Many of us live just for our body's needs and neglect the state of our souls. We need the presence of God within us through the Holy Spirit Jesus gives to us when we come to Him and ask for His salvation. They had a way to commune with God before the coming of Jesus. All the sacrifices they did was pointing toward the one that was to come and die for our sins. Jesus was then resurrected so that all who believe can be resurrected with a new body that can never die in the latter days.

Before Christ came born of a woman to become one of us, those that lived before His coming could look forward to that sacrifice while we today look backward to that sacrifice for sin. They were saved by faith the same as we today. Like I mentioned before, Job's own words, "My redeemer lives." This is explained further in the New Testament. The book of Hebrews being one place we can read more of this.

It is vital and nessessary for all above the age of accountibility to come to Jesus for salvation. There is no salvation in any other. Once we are forgiven of sin, all things become new and our sins are not held against us because He already paid the price for all the sins of those that believe. He could do that because He lived His whole life on earth without committing any sin. He died without having any sin in Him. So when we believe this and receive Christ, His death counts for our eternal death and we can be saved from sin and granted eternal life with no death, sorrow, pain or sin.

The soul and spirit does not die so it has to go somewhere when our body leaves by way of death. Only through Christ can we receive a new body that lives eternally. Our souls are saved from eternal hell where all have to go to keep sin from continuing forever. Jesus saves us from that torment.

Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

Job at this time feared God and didn't know what lies ahead. He didn't know what would happen next and whether he could make it through whatever this trial was.

Job 23:16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

After expressing a strong faith and confidence in God he sinks back into fear and trembling. This is common for most of us who go throught the trials of this life especially now in modern times when we seem to want instant relief and help. Sometimes God does answer quickly and other times there is waiting. We don't know why but we do know it is a trial of faith.

Reading John 14 shows us that here and now God promises to give us the comforter by the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and lead us. We have what those in the Old Testament would love to have had. What we can have now that Christ has already come, is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had to come first in order to bring this to all who would believe, not just Israel.

Salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit is available to all who come to Jesus repenting of sin and giving our lives over to Him. We are then reconciled back to God that the sin of Adam separated us from. It is free to all who come and believe.

As we keep reading until the end of the book of Job we see that God had a way of communicating before Jesus came to earth as a man. Job didn't know then that God was right there listening to every word and waiting until the right time to speak. God is good. DC

Job Chapter 24