Job’s Complaint and God’s Response

So far we have talked about Job’s encounter with his three “friends” and with the wise Elihu. After his debates with these people, God steps in. Job has been through a lot. It is not surprising that he would have some complaints. But as he talks with his friends, he begins to defend himself and tells them of all the accomplishments he has done and how righteous he is. He complains to God and questions God. Often times, people of faith had doubts and turn to God and ask why and ask where he was. Many of the Psalms are like that. But this is different. Job makes accusations and forgets his place. He becomes a little arrogant. In the beginning of the book, God brags about Job’s righteousness and commends him, so we know that he is a righteous, godly man. But sometimes we need a little reminder of who God is and that we are not perfect.

Isaiah 55:6-11

Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. “

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.“

These verses in Isaiah may be the theme of Job. We all have our weaknesses. We all go through hard times, but in the end, God is faithful and gives us what we need. His timing is not our timing. His ways are not our ways and it is often hard to understand. But, perhaps our struggles were meant to encourage others or to teach us something.

Job 19:23-27

“Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

Job did not forget who God was, but he did stray a little. We must remember, even in our darkest times, Our Redeemer lives! Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again, and he has reconciled us to God that our sins are forgiven. Nothing we can do can save us, only by His grace and His blood. We are saved by grace through our faith in Him.

Job 23:1-12

Then Job answered and said: “Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is listless because of my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me. Would He contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me. There the upright could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.“

“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; when He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.“

As time went on Job became bitter, and maybe a little self-righteous. He needed to put things in perspective and perhaps a little humility. I think we have all been there a time or two. James and Peter both quoted Proverbs that we need to humble ourselves.

Proverbs 3:34

Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5:5b-7

….be clothed with humility, for “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

James 4:10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

But Job has more to say to God. He has been suffering and He has questions and accusations to God.

Job 21:7-9

Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become mighty in power? Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

Job 30:20-31

“I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me. But You have become cruel to me; with the strength of Your hand You oppose me. You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success. For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

“Surely He would not stretch out His hand against a heap of ruins, if they cry out when He destroys it. Have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor? But when I looked for good, evil came to me; and when I waited for light, then came darkness. My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; days of affliction confront me. I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help. I am a brother of jackals, and a companion of ostriches. My skin grows black and falls from me; my bones burn with fever. My harp is turned to mourning, and my flute to the voice of those who weep.

When you ask God for answers, be ready for His answer. It may not be what you want to hear, and it may not be as vivid as it was with Job, but He will answer in His time, in His way, and it will always be the truth.

Job 38:1-7

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Many remember the scripture where God spoke in the still, small voice. But sometimes He speaks with thunder, an earthquake, or a whirlwind. When He does, people listen. God continues to put Job in his place and remind Him who He is

Job 38:16-21

“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. “Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, that you may take it to its territory, that you may know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great?

After God speaks and questions Job, Job admits his mistakes and acknowledges God. Job repents and gets things back into perspective. Although Job had doubts and questions, his faith stayed true to God. Then God speaks to Job’s friends. As we discussed in a previous post, Job and His “Friends”, Job’s friends had some harsh words for him and tried to use their knowledge and experience to tell him that God was punishing him. Now it was time for God to set them straight.

Job 42:1-10

Then Job answered the LORD and said: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job. And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

So it was that God set Job and his friends straight and they repented. What a sight that must have been when these men encountered God! It is interesting that He does not address Elihu. My personal opinion is that Elihu was sent by God to speak truth (He may have even been an angel!). But that is just my unfounded opinion. Anyways, God gives grace and grants forgiveness to these men, and Job is restored. One lesson we can get from this story is that God comes through in His timing, that through our troubles and testing, that even if we mess up, God forgives us and He gives us more than we can ever imagine, whether it be in this life or the life to come. There is still a lot about what happened to Job that I do not understand, but I do know that God is faithful.

Romans 8:18

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.