Laws Publishing

Job’s Responses

Jim Laws

In every one of his speeches Job affirmed his innocence.

"Now therefore be content, look upon me;

for it is evident unto you if I lie."

 (Job 6:28)

"My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the

shadow of death; not for any injustice in mine hands:

Also my prayer is pure."

 (Job 16:16-17)

"My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go. My

heart shall not reproach me so long as I live."

(Job 27:6)

The reader finds affirmation of these strongly worded pledges of innocence throughout. Notice as Job pledges his innocence repeatedly to Eliphaz (6:10, 29-30; 16:17; 23:10-12), to Bildad (9:35; 10:7), and to Zophar (12:4; 13:18-19).

In the first five speeches Job states that God had afflicted him. Throughout the book Job is under this false impression, when the truth of the matter is that God was only allowing such to transpire. God’s statement to Satan (2:3) is best understood from this standpoint. Satan was allowed to afflict Job by destroying his family, wealth, and position (chapter 1). He then comes before God a second time, as if nothing had happened, implying still that the earth is his and under his control (2:2). To prove him false God allows Satan to afflict Job physically. Here again, Satan is limited in what he can do in that he is not allowed to take Job’s life (2:6). It is clear from this that God did not directly afflict Job, as Job had mistakenly thought. He allowed such to take place, but it is Satan who is the direct cause of the suffering of Job.

The suffering of Job endured physically is almost beyond description. He was afflicted with incurable boils (2:7), itching (2:8), a drastic change in appearance (2:12), difficulties in eating (3:24), depression (3:25), worms and running sores (7:5), shortness of breath (9:18), darkness of eyes (16:16), odorous breath (19:17), loss of weight (19:20), corroding bones and gnawing pain (30:17), and blackened skin and fever (30:30). It seems that Job suffered from such for months (7:3; 29:2).² Satan has brought Job to the very point of death without actually killing him. All the time Job, Job’s wife, and Job’s friends were under the false impression that God had brought such suffering upon Job, while Satan’s terrible hand was hidden. While Job sits on the ash heap and scrapes himself with a potsherd (a broken piece of pottery), his wife comes to tell him that God must surely hate him, therefore, curse God and die (2:9). Since Satan cannot kill Job, it may be that he can get Job’s wife to convince Job to kill himself. To Satan one way is just as good as another. This, perhaps, is the very reason why Satan spared Job’s wife, while killing all his children, in order to use her for his diabolical purposes.

The feeling is evident, however, that God was responsible for Job’s suffering (vv.9-10). From our vantage point, that is, having the advantage of understanding the events which have transpired in chapter one, one knows that it was, indeed, Satan and not God who was in reality guilty.

Second, Job asks the question, “Why?” For some seven days (2:13) the friends sit in silence seeing Job suffer with great affliction. It is Job who begins (chapter 3) to bemoan his birth and expresses his longing to die. In what has been called a “niagara of anguish,” Job regretted his birth (3:1-10), wished he had been born dead (3:11-19), and longed to die (3:20-26). Even though to some the language of Job is at times shocking, still in all this Job did not curse God, as Satan had predicted, nor did he seriously contemplate suicide. Job sees death as the only escape from his misery. Please keep in mind the great anguish of this sufferer. However, Job maintained a sufficient amount of faith to be pleasing in the sight of God. Job questioned God’s justice, Job hated God’s silence; yet, he repented of this and all other weaknesses. (42:1-6).

Job asks,

"Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee,

so that I am a burden to myself?"

(7:20)

Job longs for God to leave him alone (7:16). Job expresses his sadness that God haunted him (7:17-18). God will not leave him alone (7:19). He could not understand why God had set him up as a target (7:20). “You will be sorry when I am gone” (7:21). It is clear that Job is filled with questions regarding his suffering--the primary one being “Why?” Naturally, this would be the first and foremost question that would arise. Notice this characteristic in Job, which is not in the three friends. Job continually turns to God; always looking upward; pleading for God’s help.

"If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men?

Why hast Thou set me as a mark for thee,

so that I am a burden to myself?"

(7:20 ASV)

Even in his affliction and his struggle to understand, he turns to God to ask the sufferer’s question: “Why?”

Third, Job longs to present his case before God. Job repeatedly expresses his desire to approach God, but believes that all such appeals have no real benefit.

"If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand."

 (9:3)

Job’s desire for a “daysman” (9:33, KJV), that is, an arbitrator or umpire between one party and another, is one of his many statements expressing his need to present his case before God. Job desires to turn away from the visitors that are so severe and to turn to the omniscient one (13:3). This desire to plead his case before God is but another indication of Job’s great faith. He cannot reconcile the problems that are upon him, yet with what he knows of God, Job will not denounce Him. Consequently, Job comes to feel that there is no hope—no hope in coming before the presence of God, no hope in answering God, and no hope, because he has no mediator. Yet, through it all Job would not turn his back on God.

Job continue

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