If Only I Could Find God
Study note
Job's complaint is still bitter. He longs to find God so he can present his case. He believes that if he could stand before God, he would fill his mouth with arguments. He is confident that God would not use his great power to crush him but would listen. Then Job would be delivered forever.
1 Then Job replied, Then Job answered and said,
2 'My complaint is still bitter even today. His heavy hand weighs down on me no matter how much I groan.' Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 'If only I knew where to find him! If only I could go right to where he is!' Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4 'I would spread out my whole case in front of him. I would fill my mouth with every argument I have.' I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 'I would find out exactly what he would say back to me. I would understand how he would answer.' I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6 'Would he use all his mighty power to come against me? No, I believe he would pay attention to me.' Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7 'An honest person like me could reason with him there, and my judge would set me free once and for all.' There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
God Is Nowhere to Be Found
Study note
Job looks in every direction -- forward, backward, left, right -- but cannot find God anywhere. Yet in the midst of this frustration comes one of the most beautiful verses in the Bible: 'He knows the way that I take. When he has tested me, I will come out as gold.' Job insists he has followed God's steps and treasured God's words more than his daily food.
8 'But when I go looking for him in the east, he is not there. When I search in the west, I cannot track him down.' Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 'When he is working in the north, I cannot spot him. When he moves south, I still cannot find him.' On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 'Yet he already knows the path I am walking. Once he has put me through the fire, I will come out pure as gold.' But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 'I have walked right in his footsteps. I have followed his path and never turned off to the side.' My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 'I have not ignored what he told me to do. I have valued the words from his mouth even more than my daily meals.' Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
God Does Whatever He Pleases
Study note
Job acknowledges that God is unchangeable -- he does whatever he wants. God will carry out what he has planned for Job. This terrifies Job. God has made his heart faint, but the darkness has not silenced him.
13 'But he makes up his mind, and no one can talk him out of it. Whatever he decides he wants to do, he does.' But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 'He will finish what he has planned for me, and he has plenty more where that came from.' For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
15 'Therefore being near him fills me with dread. The more I think about it, the more afraid I am.' Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 'God has drained the courage right out of my heart. The Almighty has filled me with terror.' For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17 'But even so, the darkness has not shut me up. The thick gloom covering everything has not silenced me.' Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.