Job 9
Job longs for a mediator to plead his cause. In other words, Job’s heart-felt cry for Christ. Job protests the assumption of hid wickedness. He proclaims to be free of the secret crimes he is accused of. There is evidence that Job is agitated with the friend’s line of thought and is displaying contending emotions.
Job believes that man ought not to presume to sit in judgment of the acts of God on others. He knows that God must be right. This principle is taught in the book of Job. We will see that sufferings do not prove Job is a bad man.
A) 9:1-10 Job accuses God with administering arbitrary justice
B) 9:11 Job accuses God of hiding
C) 9:12-15 Job accuses God of being unreasonable
D) 9:16-24 Job accuses God of dealing unjustly
E) 9:25-31 He sees no hope of being recognized as just in God’s sight
F) 932-35 Job longs for a daysman (a mediator)
In general, Job admits that what Bildad has said has truth in it. Job never meant to imply he was completely innocent of sin. God is sovereign. God distributes judgments and favors according to His will. Men should never sit in judgment of the Almighty. Job’s thoughts are of a man who had full confidence in God. Job’s thoughts show his heart and prove he is a pious man.
The principle advanced here is that God must be right. God is great and glorious, and holy, and men no matter their circumstances ought to believe the principles of His government. When arguing about God in the abstract, he is right. When dwelling on his personal situation he becomes impatient and complains.
Job 9:1-10
Vs. 1-2
Job admits that God is holy and just. It is a truth very familiar to him. It is not a new thing to Job’s thinking. Bildad has not met Job’s need. He has not answered the question, “How can I be just with God?” This would be a good place for Job to have heard the Gospel. Man is conscious that he is a sinner. Yet man’s happiness and his hope depend upon his being treated as if he where righteous. This NEED had led to all forms of religion. The answer is only in the Gospel, only through Christ.
Vs. 3-4
Job knows he cannot contend with God. There is not a question that Job could ask that God could not answer. The language of vs. 3 implies a court setting where God charges man with sin and man has no answer. Thousand denotes the largest of all possible numbers or all. How deeply guilty is man before God! It is useless to hold an argument with God. He is all-wise. Man’s strongest opposition to God is futile. Prosperity is not found in opposing God.
Vs. 5-8
Here is a picture of God a Creator, supreme ruler of the universe. He is able to do what He declares. Job knows him as creator. He knows nothing of the tender mercies of the New Testament. These verses show some of the exhibitions of his power and greatness. An example of this is the movement of the mountains. This movement is an earthquake. Earthquakes are often referred to in Scripture. Judges 5:5; I Kings 19:11; Psalm 65:6; 124:4; 144:5; Isaiah 40:12; and Jeremiah 4:24. There is no better picture of God’s sudden wrath than an earthquake. God even has power over the sun, moon, and the stars.
Vs. 9-10
The ancients placed great stock on the night sky and so Job here is showing that even here God is great. God controls all. Job is recognizing God as creator again.
Job 9:11
Though God is great and Job acknowledges this greatness, he feels that God passes him by and does not pay him any mind. Job cannot see God.
Job 9:12-15
Vs.12
The phrase “who can hinder”, means who can turn God away, who can bring back what he takes away. It is a discussion of God’s mighty power. A similar thought is found in Daniel 4:35. Here Job is saying that no one can stop God and that God can say and do whatever He pleases. Everything that we posses is a gift from God and He has the right to remove them if He sees fit. They have really only been lent to us for a short time. Job, in calm contemplation admits God has a right to do what He has done.
Vs. 13
Job knows that against a holy God he does not stand a chance. He stated that all those bound together to maintain earthly pride would sink under God’s wrath. Things such as wealth, rank, health, and talent cannot stand against God.
Vs. 14
Job again is stating the obvious. He is not match for God. He would actually have to remain silent in the face of God. There are no words to argue with God.
Job here is not accusing God of being cruel or mean. Rather he is in awe of God’s character and states that there is nothing, he, Job can defend against. God’s character is completely pure and righteous.
Vs. 15 Job states that he would approach God, the judge, as a sinner. Spiritually no matter where he stood, God is far greater. Theses verses show Job’s confidence in God’s character and Hid judging of mankind.
1) God knows the heart. - In nothing are we more liable to be deceived than our own character. With regard to our own character we should never trust self-judgment.
2) God is infinitely benevolent. - He will not judge unkindly, fairly, yes but not unkindly
3) God will act on His own view of our character – Not on ours. Therefore, it is wise for us to act on His views
4) We
must accept His views of our character. – Realizing who we are through
the eyes of God we must make supplication for forgiveness.
Job 9:16-24
Vs. 16
Job does not believe that God would even enter into an argument with him. It is the picture of a courtroom setting. Job does not see God even consenting to the question.
Vs. 17
Here the soverigness of God is discussed. He does not need to follow laws or rules as man does. God acts according to His will. This action though, never breaks any law or rule He has ever set. Because God acts by His will and does not give an account to anyone, Job sees it would be useless to argue his cause. Job’s error here it that God acts outside the rules of right that He has set for man, or that God acts regardless of the laws. Sovereignty is not inconsistent with respect for law. To come to God, as the sovereign is to come to God knowing supreme rightness will be done.
Job is clear; he still feels that his sufferings are disproportionate to his faults. This can be seen in the term that Job uses to describe his suffering. The term is multiplies wounds. It is not just a few but multiplied.
Vs. 18
As Job faces this trial, He states that he is not given time to have a break. It is one thing right after the other. Job implies that God is not giving him time to rest, to gather his strength and ability to deal with this problem. He senses more is coming but he cannot prepare for it.
Vs. 19
Job is supposing that if he and God were to come to trial there are reasons why he would fail.
1) Strength – God is by far the stronger of the two.
2) Justice – no one is available that can manage Job’s cause. There is no one equal to God to plead his case.
Job is unwilling to engage in such a case. This is evidently a secret belief that God had dealt severely with him. Job believes that he is submitting not so much to justice but to a powerful and sovereign God. Job knows that God is sovereign but he knows that God is also right. So then how will Job find a witness of his cause?
Vs. 20
This verse continues the trial setting. Job is saying that if he takes his own cause he will expose himself to condemnation. It is essential to say here that Job has a false view of God and His laws. Job’s very attempt to enter into the argument against God shows his heart is not right. (Perfect) It shows an unsubmissive and a proud heart.
When
a person makes a claim to perfection they are reflecting 1) a proud
heart; 2) a self-satisfaction; and 3) ignorance of the true state of
their soul. In the original language the idea conveyed in this verse is a strong and decided indignation. “Perfect I! – What an absurd thought!”
Vs. 21
This verse is a continuation of the previous verse. Job
is saying that if a man advances the claim to absolute perfection, it
is conclusive proof that he does not know his own heart. It is a truth that has stood the test of time and will till the end of time. To claim perfection one must ignore his soul and despise himself and his life.
Vs. 22
In this verse Job says that it makes no difference, God treats the good or evil all the same. He has one and the same rule for all in the subject. He destroys them. Apart from Christ, Job’s view is correct. Considering the mindset of Job’s friends it is a wonder that they did not see this. (compare Lk. 13:1-5) Job’s thoughts here is that punishment does not mean certain guilt nor does escape mean certain favor.
Vs. 23
The word scourge here means oppressor or calamity. God does not set the innocent aside while the evil are punished. For example all suffer through floods, tornadoes, fired, and so forth. The idea of the laughter is not to say that God is mocking, but rather that He is inattentive to the needs of the innocent. The righteous and the wicked are swept away together.
Vs. 24
In
illustration of the principles stated by Job in the above verses Job
uses that fact that wicked people are in places of authority. He says that there is no difference. Good or evil, a man can obtain the position of judge. The use of the phrase, he covereth, Job is showing that man is hoodwinked or made blind to who is in authority. Their true being is concealed. Thus Job is saying that the wicked are in control and the righteous are in obscurity and are not advanced to power and control. If it is not God that is doing this strange thing who then is it.
Job 9:25-31
Vs. 25
Job compared his life to two modes of travel. One is the caravan and the other would be a courier. The caravans travel at about 2 mph. A courier is much fast and would be considered the swifter way to travel. Job sees his life like that of the courier. It is moving swiftly and getting close to the end. He also says that this life that is moving so fast is one of misery.
Vs. 26
This verse goes along with v. 25. He points to the swiftness of his life. He uses two illustrations that we know denote speed.
Vs. 27
Here Job is saying the he cannot rid himself of the heaviness of heart just by trying to will it away. He feels that trying to be cheerful with a heavy heart is vain.
Vs. 28
Job knows that his fears will return. They are there in the dark. He knows that God will not re move his sorrows so that his fellow man will call him innocent. His suffering was proof of his guilt. As Job continues we can see that these are the ramblings of a very forlorn man.
Vs. 29
The translators add the word “if” in this verse. The verse really means, I am held to be guilty. If Job were to meet God on the charge of guilt, it would be vain or a wasted attempt to defend himself. This thought goes with the theme of the chapter. It is vain to contend with God. Job gives up in despair, not because he is convinced of guilt but rather because of God’s greatness and strength. He submits not because he is convinced but because of God’s power, not because he sees God as right but because God is great. This is not true submission.
Vs. 30
Here Job uses a common understood fact. Snow water was understood to be peculiarly pure. Washing in this water was a symbol of washing away the guilt of an action or life. An example of this would be Pilate washing his hands at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. Job says that even this would not remove the guilt that he has or is accused of.
Vs. 31
God would not accept Job’s proofs of his innocence. This verse implies Job’s impatience with God. Job did not grasp the true sense here, that without the blood of Christ it is vain to try and cleanse ourselves. God has the power to remind us of past sins, to lay on the heart the consciousness of those sins.
Job 9:32-35
Vs. 32
Job stated the obvious. The contest is unequal from the start. God is not a man. At this point Job yields because of God’s power not because God is right. True submission is always accompanied with the knowledge that God is right.
Vs. 33
Job is back in the courtroom. He calls for a daysman. A daysman is a mediator, an arbiter, or and umpire. Job recognizes that he does not have the benefit of one. He does not have the benefit of Christ and His work on the cross as we do today. Job complains that there is no judge, no one to set the limits of the trial. The phrase, to lay his hand, is in reference to an old custom in Job’s day. It
means that someone would lay his or her hand upon another to restrain,
to put a check in the way of any improper expression of feeling. Job is saying that there is no one to do this in this case.
Vs. 34
Job is pleading for equal footing. He says that God must remove His powerful hand and come down to an equal place so that Job has a fair chance.
Vs. 35
It is after God would remove His hand that Job feels he would have a chance. Job then laments that it is not to be so for him. He feels that God takes him to be guilty but Job feels he is innocent. Job is not able to vindicate himself in the present circumstances that he finds himself in.
Conclusion
This chapter is a picture of the human struggle with guilt and innocence. Job submits because of God’s power. He has not yet come to terms with the truth of the human state. We are all guilty. Job does not see that God is right in what He does. There is nothing cheerful or joyous about seeing God in this light. We cannot blame Job for such feelings until we have dealt with tragedy with a joyful heart. We too chafe under the pressure of trials and tribulations. Until
we can joyfully go through a trial knowing that God is doing what is
right and is completely in control we cannot judge Job.