Consider What Job Believes in the Midst of His Suffering
After Bildad’s attack, Job stares into the distance. He sits in silence as if this time he will not respond.
Still, his anger bubbles within him, slowly at first and then building until it boils. He scans the three men and closes his eyes. He draws in a deep breath, filling his lungs as if for a final salvo.
“How long will you three persist in tormenting me? Why do you insist on continuing to pile your heavy words on my back? If I am in error, then it is my issue and none of your business.
“I cry out to God for help, but I receive no justice. For some reason he opposes me and stays distant. He’s taken away my honor. In his anger he treats me like an enemy, sending his army to surround me and place me under siege.
“What little family I have left, God has estranged them from me. Everyone I know has deserted me. Even my servant ignores me when I beg for his help. My wife won’t even come near me. All I have left is this broken body.
“Why won’t you take pity on me? God has struck me. Why do you too? Must you also add to my pain?
“Yes, I know that God exists. He’ll vindicate me in the end. Soon I will die, and then I’ll see him with my own eyes. Oh, how my soul longs for that to happen.
“But as for you three, don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself and the judgment you will each face.”
Reflect on Job’s Situation
Job’s friends attack him with their words. And Job believes that God opposes him for a reason he can’t understand. The three men condemn Job out of their ignorance, and God seems to deny Job the justice he seeks.
Despite all this, Job continues to trust God with his eternal destiny.
Though Job roils in physical anguish and emotional turmoil now, he still expects that God will redeem him.
Job looks beyond the pain of his life to expect that when he dies, he will see God at last. Job believes.
And he can’t wait for that encounter to take place.
Questions
When has our faith wavered?
How can we keep our allegiance to God despite the circumstances of our life, whether deserved or undeserved?
Discover more about keeping our focus on God in Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 6:31–33, Matthew 22:37, and Colossians 3:2.]
This post is an excerpt from the Bible study devotional, I Hope in Him.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Job 19 and today’s post is on Job 19:25.]
Discover more about Job in Peter’s book I Hope in Him: 40 Insights about Moving from Despair to Deliverance through the Life of Job. In it, we compare the text of Job to a modern screenplay.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.