Daily Scripture Reading Job 9:28 - 10:22

There are people who believe that if they sin, God will be quick to condemn them, but if they do good, God will be quick to cut them down so as to humble them. In other words, they are very pessimistic about God and life.

Job was similarly pessimistic; however, Job did not suffer because Yahweh was punishing him or cutting him down. Yahweh allowed Satan to attack Job so that Yahweh could prove to Satan that Job would be loyal no matter what happened to him. In other words, Job’s adversity was an opportunity to prove his loyalty to God.

When bad things happen in our life, we should not assume God is against us. Instead, we should look at adversity as an opportunity to prove that we are willing to follow God at all costs.

Today, we resume reading section 6 which is Job’s response to Bildad’s assertion that God always rewards the blameless and punishes the wicked.

In the beginning of the section, Job stated his belief that since God controls the entire universe and is undetectable, it is futile, impossible, and dangerous to question God or make demands of Him. Despite saying that, the rest of the section, which we will read today, consists of Job complaining to God and accusing God of being unjust.

Job 9:28 I am afraid of all my pains;

I know that You will not acquit me.

Every time Job felt pain, he was afraid that it might be a symptom of a big problem.

Job 9:29 I am accounted wicked;

Why then should I toil in vain?

Job believed he was suffering because God was against him. We know that was not the case; instead, Job was suffering because Satan wanted to prove a point to Yahweh.

Job 9:30 If I should wash myself with snow

And cleanse my hands with lye,

Job 9:31 Yet You would plunge me into the pit,

And my own clothes would abhor me.

Job 9:32 For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him,

That we may go to court for judgment together.

This is a good description of a major difference between our relationship with God and the one we have with all humans. When we have disputes with other people, we can appeal to other humans for help. When we disagree with God, there is no place to appeal, other than God Himself.

Job 9:33 There is no adjudicator between us,

Who may lay his hand upon us both.

Job 9:34 Let Him remove His rod from me,

And let not dread of Him terrify me.

Job 9:35 Then I would speak and not fear Him;

But I am not like that in myself.

Job 10:1 ¶ “My soul is loathed by my life;

I will abandon all restraint in myself to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Look at the phrase “abandon all restraint”. Job was so desperate, he decided to speak his mind and express his bitterness.

Job 10:2 I will say to God, ‘Do not account me as wicked;

Let me know why You contend with me.

Job falsely assumed God was contending with him. The reality is Job was suffering because, when Yahweh interacted with Satan, Yahweh praised Job as an example of a blameless man.

Job 10:3 Is it good to You that You oppress,

That You reject the labor of Your hands,

And cause the counsel of the wicked to shine forth?

Job 10:4 Have You eyes of flesh?

Or do You see as a mortal man sees?

Job 10:5 Are Your days as the days of a mortal man,

Or Your years as man’s years,

Job 10:6 That You should seek for my guilt

And search after my sin?

Job 10:7 According to Your knowledge I am indeed not wicked,

Yet there is no deliverer from Your hand.

These statements were very accusatory. Job accused God of acting like biased, short-sighted humans.

Job 10:8 ¶ ‘Your hands fashioned and made me altogether,

And would You swallow me up?

Job 10:9 Remember now, that You have made me as clay;

And would You turn me into dust again?

Job wanted to know why God created him, but then abandoned him. Keep in mind, Job said this from the perspective that he had always been faithful to God, which was true.

Job 10:10 Did You not pour me out like milk

And curdle me like cheese,

Job 10:11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,

And knit me together with bones and sinews?

Job 10:12 You have made alongside me life and lovingkindness;

And Your care has kept my spirit.

Job 10:13 Yet these things You have concealed in Your heart;

I know that this is within You:

Job 10:14 If I sin, then You would take note of me

And would not acquit me of my guilt.

Think about the pessimistic nature of what Job was saying. Job had the attitude that his faithfulness to God resulted in being forgotten by God, but Job was equally sure that if he sinned, God would come down on him.

Job 10:15 If I am wicked, woe to me!

And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.

I am sated with disgrace—so see my misery!

Job restated his pessimism in this verse. He believed he would be in trouble if he did wrong. On the other hand, if he did good and touted his good deed, then God would intentionally disgrace him.

Job 10:16 Should my head be set on high, You would hunt me like a lion;

And again You would show Your wonders against me.

Hebrew poetry is about repetition. Verse 16 is another way of expressing the pessimism Job expressed in verse 15, that if Job was recognized for doing good, then God would act to cut Job down.

Job 10:17 You renew Your witnesses against me

And increase Your vexation toward me;

Hardship after hardship is with me.

Job’s pessimism is somewhat understandable. Job knew he had been living a moral life, but that did not protect him from losing everything and being afflicted with boils and pain.

There have been people throughout all history, including today, who have Job’s pessimism. They believe that if they sin, God will be quick to condemn them, but if they do good, God will be quick to cut them down so as to humble them.

The fundamental error of that pessimism, and it was Job’s error, is forgetting that we are servants of Yahweh. Job was not suffering because Yahweh was against Job. Yahweh allowed Satan to attack Job so that Yahweh could prove to Satan that Job would be loyal no matter what happened to him. Job was starting to prove that Satan was right when he accused Job of merely following God because God had blessed Job.

When bad things happen in our life, we should not assume God is against us. We should not be pessimistic in life and assume that we will be punished for doing wrong and punished for doing what is right. Instead, we should look at all adversity as an opportunity to prove that we are willing to follow God at all costs. Adversity is an opportunity to prove we love God.

Job 10:18 ¶ ‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb?

Would that I had breathed my last and no eye had seen me!

Job 10:19 I should have been as though I had not been,

Carried from womb to tomb.’

Deep in Job’s heart at this time was a desire to cease living, or to never have existed in the first place.

Job 10:20 Would He not cease for a few of my days?

Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer

Job 10:21 Before I go—and I shall not return—

To the land of darkness and shadow of death,

Job 10:22 The land of utter gloom as the thick darkness itself,

Of the shadow of death, without order,

And which shines as the thick darkness.”

Job believed he would be punished whether he was righteous or wicked. Job’s pessimism is somewhat understandable. Job knew he had been living a moral life, but that did not protect him from losing everything and being afflicted with boils and pain. Job’s fundamental error was forgetting that he was a servant of Yahweh. Job was not suffering because Yahweh was against Job. Yahweh allowed Satan to attack Job so that Yahweh could prove to Satan that Job would be loyal no matter what happened to him.

When bad things happen in our life, we should not assume God is against us. We should not be pessimistic in life and assume that we will be punished for doing wrong and punished for doing what is right. Instead, we should look at all adversity as an opportunity to prove that we are willing to follow God at all costs. Adversity is an opportunity to prove we love God.

Have there been times when you had a pessimistic attitude about life, believing that if you did wrong you would be punished, but that if you did right you would also suffer?

In what ways has the adversity in your life been an opportunity to prove your faithfulness to God?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”