Job 9

Written on 07/05/2024

Verses 1-21

  • Job affirms that Bildad is correct, at least, in stating that God generally grants more favor to the righteous, but then Job questions whether it's even possible for a man to be righteous before God at all!

    • Since God is so great in comparison to us, we cannot question or challenge Him, nor would we be able to speak if He were to challenge us (verses 3-4, 14-16).

    • Let this be a reminder to fear and be slow to speak whenever you're discussing or speaking about God and His decisions (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2). His ways are truly past finding out (verse 10).

 

Verses 20-26

  • Then Job seems to say that a claim of blamelessness is itself evil (verse 20). If you claim to be righteous, you condemn yourself with your own mouth! How so?

    • Claiming to be righteous because of your own works is pride. We know that by our own works it is impossible to become righteous before God (Romans 3:19). 

    • It is only through Christ that we can be justified (Romans 3:24), and it only by God's grace that we are able to do anything righteous (1 Corinthians 15:10). Remember this, and be careful not to speak of any righteousness as coming from yourself.

  • Knowing that none of us are righteous on our own, Job concludes that God retains His right to destroy all people alike, if He so chooses, and that He is not unjust to do so, since we're all guilty. This is true. He will not destroy all people, but even if He did, He would not be wrong.

    • There is no person who deserves to be spared. So, asking questions like, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, is based on a false premise that extends only from pride. There is no such thing as a “good person” (Romans 3:9-19). We all deserve bad things because we're all guilty of sin!

      • Besides, God is already good to everyone! If He wanted to, He could give up on humanity and send us all to hell. But He doesn't because He is good to us! Be thankful for His patience and grace for you!

  • Therefore, simply trust God with everything that happens, and never think that any person's own goodness entitles them to escape suffering (this is empty religion). Everyone will experience hardship and for reasons that we will not always understand; but it's part of life and for a good purpose that God has in mind.

 

Verses 27-31

  • Since Job has concluded that God holds us all guilty, he wonders what purpose there is in trying to be righteous. Or if all people will be plunged into hell regardless of what they do (verse 31), what purpose is there in trying to be righteous? 

    • He's right in that all people, regardless of their works, will be condemned if they don't have belief in Jesus Christ (John 3:36). So there is no point in doing good, ultimately, if one will never believe in Jesus. 

      • Without belief in Jesus, works are empty (Philippians 3:6-9, Isaiah 64:6, Colossians 2:20-23).

  • So, if you ever feel discouraged from continuing in obedience to the Word because of hard times, it may be because you were relying on your own works to spare you from hardship. And in such a state, when hardship comes, you will see your good works as purposeless, which then causes discouragement.

    • Remember that the ultimate purpose of good works is not to gain a comfortable life, but to love and glorify God (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, 1 Corinthians 10:31). Do good and obey God simply because you love Him (Mark 12:28-33)! Then everything will work together for good (Romans 8:28). 

 

Verses 32-35

  • Without a mediator—without someone to bridge the gap between us and God—God is unapproachable, and we are too terrified to come near Him. But because of Jesus Christ, the one Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), we can approach God and draw near to Him with boldness (Hebrews 10:19-22). 

  • If you ever feel distant from God, remember what Christ has done, and you will know that nothing separates you from His love (Romans 8:39). 

    • God will surely draw near to you if you draw near to Him (James 4:8). Jesus made this possible!

 

 

Additional thoughts – 

It seems that the entire argument, so far, is all based on mortal men trying logically to set an understanding of an eternal God's exact pattern of behavior. Does God destroy the righteous or the wicked? Can anyone be righteous? How does God decide? The focus of the argument is on whether God is right in doing what He did to Job (or allowing what He allowed), but this is the wrong question. The question should be, rather, “Will we be content with what God decides and trust His sovereign plan no matter what happens?” Let's concede, and trust Him always!