Page 96 - Job
P. 96
As a matter of fact, it gets so hot he says, if God has a bias, it is toward
the wicked and against the righteous. I cannot believe the mental anguish
that Job was going through.
Now if you can imagine that he was filled with awe and confusion, scared
silly and trembling. Job is crushed feeling that God is so strong I can’t
resist Him? “Let’s say”, Job says, “I am right and He is wrong. How can I
ever prove that? How can I go up against God and prove Him wrong?” He
feels as helpless as a housefly in a tornado. There is just no possibility for
Job because he cannot prevail against God. And so, this reckless speech
comes from a man in total mental confusion. It is bold, it is irreligious and
it sounds like blasphemy.
I suppose, as a general outline, chapter 9 forms one thought and chapter
10 forms another. At least this much of a division is clear. Chapter 9 is
addressed to Bildad and chapter 10 is addressed to God. In chapter 9, Job
expresses the reason for his despair. Then in chapter 10 he gives five
questions to God. He says, God, You answer these five questions. Boy,
they are hot. In an impassioned plea, he gives his twisted concepts of God.
He is not playing games; he is not playing the hypocrite. He really harbors
these feelings, and he’s not afraid to say it. Not many would do that. We
would play spiritual and we would say, “Oh, I do not really feel that way
about God”, because you would be scared to death.
Let’s look at chapter 9. Bildad gives his philosophy. God is discriminately
righteous. He rewards the righteous and He condemns the unjust. Job
gives a sneering remark to that philosophy. Chapter 9:1–3,
“Then Job answered, ‘In truth I know that this is so; But how can a
man be in the right before God? If one wished to dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.’”
What he is saying is, “How can a man substantiate his righteousness?”
Let’s say that I am right, Job said. How could I prove that with God? If
God says I am wrong, how could I go up before God and say that I am
right? Have you ever heard this human proverb? “Might, makes right”.
That is what Job believed about God. Sure He is right, because He is God,
and who can stop Him? Whatever He says is right. Did you ever hear
this human proverb? “You can’t fight City Hall”. That is what Job
believes about God. So, Job is frustrated. Job viewed his sufferings as a
verdict from God that he is guilty. For example, look at chapter 10:17,
“You renew Your witnesses against me and increase Your anger
toward me; Hardship after hardship is with me.”
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