Here Job asked God why He was keeping him alive, when all seemed lost and futile. Job wanted God to show him what all his suffering was accomplishing? Job was in a lot of pain and he had lost everything he had. He didn’t understand what sin he committed to deserve the curse God put on him. Job asked God saying in Job 6: 9 “Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!”
What he was saying was, if I am a great sinner then either pardon my sins or take my life. This was how Job thought it all made sense, but God knew better. Walking in faith is the best way for us, because God knows His plans for us, and what is best for us in the long run. Another thing to learn from this is that people in pain physically or mentally need encouragement, not argument to help them.
You see when Job’s friend Bildad affirmed that God is just to Job, it didn’t help him because he already knew he was blameless. Now Job was getting frustrated because he knew he could not contend with God. Job knew and feared God and His greatness and power and wisdom. Job knew no one has a chance against God. He couldn’t rebel against God.
Job’s frustrations were further deepened by knowing he couldn’t argue his case before God. Job knew if he argued against God in His court, Job would lose because God is the judge in the case. He would lose.
Job was frustrated at himself for not being able to understand God’s logic with dealing with him. Job knew God had made him, but was destroying His own work. Job cursed the day he was born; wondering that God would have saved Himself a lot of trouble if he hadn’t been born.
Job now heard from Zophar the third friend, saying in Job 11:verse 6: “And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are doubled to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less that thine iniquity deserveth.” What Zophar was saying was, if only Job could see both sides of his situation, he would realize that God’s case against him was just. This didn’t help Job, having lost everything. Zophar was responding to what Job was saying, not what he was feeling. All Job heard was Zophar warning him if he didn’t repent he would die.
Job at this point reminded his three friends that he knew of the wisdom they spoke of and in fact all creation knew of these things. Job knew God kept everything alive, but Job wanted to die and end his misery. Job knew God had his life in His Hands. At this point Job stopped calling God his Creator and was calling Him the Judge. In Job 14:verse 3: “And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one and bringest me into judgment with three?” Job was looking to reason with God because he knew it was better then arguing with his worthless friend.
In Job 15 Eliphaz thought himself a wise man, and so he rebuked Job for his sins and having no fear of God in him. Eliphaz knew Job claimed to be wise but Eliphaz knew he and his two friends knew better then Job. Eliphaz thought because they were older then Job he couldn’t know as much as they did about these things. Most of all Eliphaz and his friends knew Job had refused the consolations God had sent Job through him and his friends. Satan and Job’s friends argued Job was a sinner at heart and that Job obeyed God only because God blessed him. They all missed the point that all Job’s blessings were gone and God was still Job’s Lord. That was a big flaw in their argument against God and Job.
What Job was looking for at this point was to meet God and get a fair trial. But where would someone find God? In the end God showed up on his terms and asked Job to present his case. Not surprising Job was speechless by the majesty and presence of God! Job did his best to make his case, pointing out it seemed to Job some sinners seemed to be getting away with their sins. Job wasn’t denying God’s judgment but stated man could not explain how God worked in these matters. Job just wanted a fair trial but knew that taking God to trial would fail because God is also judge.
Job had his integrity. His friends were urging him to admit to his sins, but he chose not to do so. They thought the admission would gain favor with God.
Job made his defense by naming specific sins and denying he had committed them. He knew God sees everything and wanted God to either accuse him of sin or defend his innocence. In the end Job claimed to know a great deal about God. God examined Job on several subjects that God knew intimately. He asked Job about creation, regulating nature and the stars and clouds in the heavens. The ways of the animals and birds. And God demanded answers. Job failed to answer, who could? Job was finally meeting God in court. What Job didn’t count on was in the presence of God he couldn’t speak. He saw himself as insignificant and ignorant and totally unable to face God.
Being in the sight of God stopped him from speaking. God began to ask Job many humbling questions. He asked, “Are you My equal? Can you explain the behemoth? Can you control the Leviathan?” Through all of this Job had said some rash things during this discussion, but unlike his friends, he was speaking the truth about God. From these questions and discussion he had a new understanding of God’s power and purpose. Job realized all this and repented.
Job’s sufferings gave him a new vision of himself and the glory and greatness of God. Unknowingly Job proved Satan wrong and showed the world that God is worthy of our trust and worship, no matter how much God allows us to suffer. In the will of God, our trials work for us, not against us. We learn from this, that we can work for God as we suffer. In the end God blessed Job abundantly.
“ So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more then his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
So Job died, being old and full of days.”
(Job 42:12-17)
All Glory to God
His humble servant Lee M Buchanan