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Job Defends His Innocence

Job 6:14 – A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

 Job 6:21 – Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see dreadful [in my flesh and in my house] and are afraid.

Job 6:24 – Teach me [the errors of my ways], and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong.

Job 7:20 – [Oh my God], if I have sinned, what have I done to you, O Watcher of Men? Why have you made me your target [of wrath]? Have I become a burden to You? Why do You not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? [I offered many sacrifices not only for my sins, but the sins for my children as well.] For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more.

Bildad Comes Down Hard

Job 8:3 – Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? [Job, you are getting what you deserve.]

Job 8:4 – When your children sinned against Him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin, [that is why they are dead].

Job 8:5 – But if you will look to God and plead with the with the Almighty…

Job 8:6 – If you are pure and upright, even now He [the Almighty] will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.

Job 8:20 – Surely, God does not reject a blameless man or strengthens the hands of evildoers.

Job is Bewildered by Bildad

Job 9:21 – Although I am blameless [I cannot think of any sin committed against God or man], I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life [death is better than this].

Job 9:29 – Since I am found guilty [by virtue of God’s present wrath on me], why should I struggle [to prove my innocence to you] in vain?

Job 10:2 – I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges You have against me.

Job 10:14 – If I sinned, You would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.

Job 10:15 – If I am guilty – woe to me! [Then, I deserve this.] Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head [against the Creator], for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction, [even though I do not know why this is happening. What did I do wrong?]

Zophar Speaks Indignantly

Job 11:2 – Are all these [foolish] words [of Job] to go unanswered? Is the talker [babbler] to be vindicated?

Job 11:3 – Will your idle talk reduce men [who are not suffering as you are] to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock?

Job 11:4 – You say to God, “My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in Your sight.”

Job 11:14 – If you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent…

Job 11:15 – Then you will lift up your face without shame [before God]; you will stand firm and without fear.

Job 11:17 – [Your sufferings will pass and] life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.

Job Has Had Enough

Job 12:2 – Doubtless, you are the people [that think you know everything about God], and wisdom will die with you!

Job 12:3 – But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things? [You are beating me up with wrongful use of righteous principles.]

Job 12:4 – [Look at me,] I have become a laughing stock to my friends, though [in times past] I called upon God and He answered – [I am now] a mere laughingstock, though [I am] righteous and blameless! [I say this humbly because I can think of nothing that God would hold against me.]

Job 12:5 – [Listen here,] men at ease have contempt for misfortune [you’re not suffering and your pour out condemnation upon me that is torturous because you see me] as the fate of those whose feet are slipping [into sin].

Job 13:4 – You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you!

Job 13:9 – Would it turn out well If He examined you [as He has examined me]? Could you deceive Him [with your self-righteous claims] as you might deceive men?

Job 13:15 – [I personally know God.] Though He may slay me, yet will I hope in Him; I will surely defend my ways to His face [for I have willingly done nothing to offend Him].

Job 13:18 – Now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated.

Job 13:19 – Can anyone bring charges against me [of wrong doing]? If so, [let him speak and] I will be silent and die.

Job 13:20 – Only grant me these two things, O God, and then I will not hide from You.

Job 13:21 – Withdraw Your hand [of wrath] far from me, and stop frightening me with Your terrors.

Job 13:22 – Then summon be [to judgment] and I will answer, or let me speak, and You reply.

Job 13:23 - How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin] and I will quickly make atonement for them.]

Job 14:16 – Surely then You will count my steps but not keep track of my sin.

Job 14:17 – My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; You will cover my sin [and they will be discarded at the bottom of the ocean].

Elihu, A Young Man is Fired Up

Job 32:1 – So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. [Job would not confess to any wrongdoing.]

Job 32:2 – But Elihu, son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying him rather than God.

Job 32:3 – He was also angry with his three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.

Job 32:4 – Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he was.

Job 32:5 – But when he saw that the three men had nothing to say, his anger aroused.

Job 32:6 – So Elihu, son of Barakel the Buzite said: “I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know.”

Job 32:12 – I give you my full attention. But not one of you proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments.

Job 36:5 – God is mighty, but does not despise men; He is mighty, and firm in His purpose.

Job 36:6 – He does not keep the wicked alive [forever] but gives the afflicted their rights.

Job 36:7 – He does not take His eyes off the righteous; He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

Job 36:8 – But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of [suffering and] affliction…

Job 36:9 – He tells them what they have done – that they sinned arrogantly.

Job 36:10 – He makes them to correction [when they are subdued] and commands them to repent of their evil.

Job 36:11 – If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.

Job 37:23 – The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in His justice and great righteousness, He does not [unjustly] oppress [His creation].

Insight # 4

The Bible does not indicate when Elihu joined the meeting at Job’s house. We do know that Elihu sat patiently and listened to the banter of Job and his three friends. When Elihu speaks, the arguments between Job and his friends have been exhausted. Job’s friends had concluded that Job was sinful. He deserved his great suffering because God afflicts the wicked with suffering. Job, on the other hand, has silenced his oppressors by asking them to provide proof for their conclusions. He challenged them to reveal any action that could be called wicked. He was blameless of any known sin. “If I had sinned, show me where,” Job said. Coming to this stalemate, everyone sat in silent confusion. Finally, Elihu broke the courteous norm of that day. (In those days, the elders were respected by the youth. The youth were to be seen and not heard.) Elihu’s frustration burst into an exposition that takes five chapters! He declares that God allows nothing to occur without plan and purpose. (This is the same idea that is found in Romans 8:28.) Therefore, the question of whether Job deserved his suffering is a debatable point. God has allowed this to occur and God is justified in everything He does, even if human beings do not understand why. The young man offers this profound insight: Things are the way they are because of God. Elihu concludes that human beings may never understand why God has allowed Job to suffer like this, but God is righteous and He has a purpose. (If only Elihu had known about the meeting between the angels and the original cosmic purpose for the test.)

Conclusion: God Himself / Speaks to Job

Job 38:2 – Who is this [you and your three friends] that darkens My counsel with words without knowledge?

Job 38: 3 – Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you will answer Me.

Job 38:5 – Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

Job 38:6 – On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone.

Job 38:7 – While the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Job 38:8 – Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb…

Job 38:9 – When I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness…

Job 38:10 – When I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place…

Job 38:11 – When I said, “This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt?”

Job 39:26 – Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south?

Job 39:27 – Does the eagle soar at your command and build his nest on high?

Job 40:2 – Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? Let him who accuses God answer Him!

Job Retreats

Job 40:3 – Then Job answered the Lord.

Job 40:4 – I am unworthy – how can I reply to You ? I put my hand over my mouth.

Job 40:5 – I spoke once, but I have no answer – twice, but I will say no more.

God Makes a Statement

Job 40:7 – Brace yourself life a man; I will question you, and you will answer Me.

Job 40:8 – Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?

Job 40:9 – Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like His?

Job 40:10 – Then adorn yourself in glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.

Job 40:11 – Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low…

Job 40:12 – Look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand.

Job 40:13 – Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave.

Job 41:11 – Who has a claim against Me that I must pay? Everything under Heaven belongs to Me.

Job Acknowledges His Unworthiness

Job 42: 2 – I know that you can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.

Job 42: 3 – You asked, “Who is this that obscures My counsel without knowledge?” Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

Job 42:4 – You said, “Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer Me.”

Job 42:5 – My ears have heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.

Job 42:6 – Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.

Insight # 5

To appreciate God’s comments, you must first bring the cosmic dimension into focus. Remember, this is a test between Christ and Satan, to determine if a man will choose God’s presence over Hid presents. This was a test to see if man will choose to maintain a nonnegotiable faith in God, even when everything has been stripped away from him. Remember Satan’s argument: “God’s hand-servants do not actually have the power of choice. Instead, all they have is the choice of death.” As I said before, the story of Job has a number of insights. Some occur in the cosmic dimension, God says things to Job that Satan and his angels can hear. He does this so Satan ‘s arguments can be silenced. For example, Satan claimed that God’s children only have the choice of death – disobey and die. God responds to Satan’s claim in His discussion with Job (I am paraphrasing):

1.      “Job, if you can create matter and sustain life, and if you are like me, then you have the prerogatives I exercise. If you cannot do these things, then we are not equals. I am a great King. Where can you go and be free of My dominion? This is my universe by right of creation. I have formed the darkness and I created the light. Apart from Me, there is no other God. Everything I do is for the benefit of My subjects.”

2.      “Consider what you know about Me. Am I righteous? Am I worthy of honor? Am I trustworthy? Am I forgiving? Am I generous? Am I compassionate? Am I full of wisdom and purpose? Am I a God of love? If you find Me to have these qualities, then serve Me. If not, brace yourself and prepare to deal with Me, because My house will be a house without rebellion.” On the cosmic level, God is speaking to the devil. He basically says, “Your arguments against Me appear to have merit because you have twisted and distorted the truth. You take advantage of things that have not been revealed yet. You present flawed questions and then offer evil conclusions because you have no faith in Me. You have temporarily succeeded in deceiving a great number of My creation through doubt and suspicion. However, at an appointed time, we will meet in the presence of my creation, I will show Myself what I am, and I will clearly strip you of every pretense and defense. I will reveal to the universe that you are nothing but a liar.”

Of course, when God speaks to Job, Job interprets the words of God from the Earthy perspective. Job feels so foolish for even trying to defend himself in the light of what has happened. Here is the point: Job and his friends knew that the divine law says, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Of course, their arguments swirled from that perspective. However, after God spoke to Job, he began to understand how that law is true, but only within the Earthy dimension. It is not necessarily true within the cosmic dimension. In other words, life and all that happens to us operates on two levels: The cosmic and the Earthy. Since man is not privy to God’s higher plans and purposes, we cannot possibly know the lessons of objectives God is bringing about, even though we can see and understand Earthy consequences. This is precisely why faith in God was to be nonnegotiable!

What Happened to Job?

Job 42:7 – After the Lord had said these things to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have no spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. [Your view regarding my interest in life on Earth is far too shallow and superficial.]

Job 42:8 – So now, take seven bulls and seven rams and go to My servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you [as I should] according to your folly. You have not spoken of Me what is right, as my servant Job has.

Job 42:9 – So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer [asking God to forgive them, for they did not know what they were saying].

Job 42:10 – After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:11 – All his brother and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house [because they had only the Earthy perspective]. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord allowed to happen to him and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

Job 42:12 – The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.

Job 42:13 – And he also had [ten more children] seven sons and three daughters [and hopefully, his wife had a change of heart].

Once the test was over and God’s objectives in Heaven as well as on Earth were accomplished, God blessed Job. He gave him twice the wealth that he had before this event took place in his life and he lived happily ever after. So, why did Job need to suffer in the first place? God had to demonstrate a key component about His government to the angels and to his credit, Job was found worthy in God’s sight to provide that demonstration. Now that you know the rest of the story,” perhaps you will associate the name of Job with incredible victory that comes by faith, rather than the man who experienced horrible suffering for a short season.

One last thought. I have no doubt that God is testing each of us right now for cosmic purposes. We may not understand God’s purposes at this time. We may suffer without understanding, just as Job did. So, be encouraged! I am sure that God is preparing each of His children for a higher life and calling than is possible on Earth. Romans 8:28 states, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” One day we will understand the cosmic picture. Until then, may God find in each of us, the faith He found in his servant Job. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…” (Job 13:15 KJV)

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