Job 10
Job continues to speak from the previous chapter and specifically addresses God. Job is weary of his life and longs for rest from his suffering. Job is in confusion over his situation. He clearly does not know why this has befallen him. He places his life at the mercy of God. Job affirms that only God can deliver him from his dilemma. Job continues in his assumption that his life has taken a turn for the worse and will not recover. He longs for the rest of Sheol.
Job 10:1
1My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
It seems that Job has wearied in well doing. He believes he alone hears his compliant, that others are not interested or are just not listening. He intends to take his complaint to the grave. His friends have shown little compassion for him. They do not listen and even if they did; it is doubtful that they would understand. To Job, it seems that God does not hear his voice. Job’s suffering has only produced bitterness.
Job 10:2
2I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
Job makes two requests of God. First, Job asked that God does not condemn him, this leads to his second request. The second request, Job wants to know why God opposes him. Job, whose life prior to the calamity was exemplary, as declared by God, is at a loss as to what he did wrong. Job himself admitted that he was not perfect, but he had done everything in his power to follow hard after God. Job continually sought out God and walked in the knowledge of God. Job’s question now becomes as so many have asked, why me, what have I done? Job is no different than any other righteous individual, he wants to know the issue. Similar to all other righteous individuals, Job would take immediate actions to correct his condition.
However, for Job this is more complicated than most. For Job, he is unaware of what has changed. For us who have the book, we should not be making assumptions as to why this is happening to Job. We are told from the beginning that God did not condemn Job. It was God who told Satan that Job was perfect and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. God stated that there was none like Job in all the earth. So the reason that this is happening is not because Job sinned; it is for a much greater and far-reaching reason.
Of course, Job can no longer make sense of his condition. He is completely unaware of what has occurred and finds no logic in what has happened to him. And our God is logical, Paul stated in Romans 8:28:
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
There are no coincidences nor are there random events occurring in the kingdom of God. There is a reason for everything. As for Job, his suffering has gone beyond understanding. That is from Job’s perspective. He was not aware of the discussion between God and Satan. During Job’s suffering, he has had a very limited view just as many of us do. However, in Job’s case he is not constrained by the limitations of his prejudices.
In Job 10:3-7, Job asks God a series of questions that ultimately result in his actual question.
3Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? 4Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 5Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days, 6That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 7Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
When reading this passage one could come up with one of two conclusions. In the original Hebrew there was no punctuation. So one must ask, are these are questions or statements? Is Job in agreement or is he questioning God? We need to be open to the possibility that although Job was weary, he accepted the punishment of God and only meant to express his understanding of God. It was Job who told his wife in Job 2:10.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
One should be willing to receive both good and bad. We are to worship God because He is God; not because He blesses us. This is one the toughest concepts in Christianity today. To suffer and yet live a life of joy in God. Let us not be too quick to conclude that Job is angry with God or that Job questions the wisdom of God.
Job 10:3
3Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
Again Job is speaking of the God’s allowance for the permitting of evil. Through earlier statements from Job, he stated that God in fact should chastise humans. We have proven time and time again that we are a selfish and self-seeking people. Left to our own devices, we will almost always choose the worldly way of life.
Next Job is starting to speak to God, Job 10:4-5.
4Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 5Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,
These are rhetorical statements. Of course, God is not man. God is not subject to the same frailties as man. However, God has the ability to view life from many facets. God is not some unfeeling object that sees from above and knows nothing of our struggles. That may be a god of Greek mythology, but our God knows the pain that we experience. Yet, God is not subject to a terminal life. God is not subject to our frailties, but He fully understands our weaknesses. It was God’s understanding that provided a way for salvation. Had God not understood, He would have long ago rid the earth of human vanity and life forever.
Job 10:6-7
6That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 7Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
For one to have sin, is different than being wicked. Even a righteous individual will sin at times. But to be wicked is as in Psalm 10:4
4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Wicked do not walk after God. The wicked will not retain God in their mind.
What follows in Job 10:8-22 is Job’s submission to God and His greatness. Job willingly submits to God’s judgment. Job speaks of his frailty.
Job 10:8
8Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
Job acknowledges that God is his creator, but more than just his creator. Everything that is good in Job is because of God. Yet God destroys him. This is the question that Job cannot understand. It is the issue that besets Job, what is his error?
Job 10:9-12
9Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? 10Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? 11Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. 12Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
Job speaks of the favor that God has given him. Job is nothing without God. In all that has happened, it was God that made Job prosper. In this, Job is acknowledging God as the creator and that he is but a breath away from dust.
Job10:13
13And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.
Job acknowledges that God has secrets that we do not know. This is acknowledging Deuteronomy 29:29.
29The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Not all knowledge is available to man. God keeps secrets not because He wants to keep us in the dark. There are a variety of reasons, from faith to as simple as it is just not important in this lifetime. Furthermore, of that which is available to mankind, there is a limit. We, in our capacity, cannot always understand simply because we desire to know.
Yet, we are told in Ephesians 1:17-18.
17That the God of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints
For us to understand all that is available to mankind, God must grant us understanding. And even if God does, it is not immediate nor always in the order we prefer. Job is ignorant of what he has done or what has caused his situation. He submits that God knows.
Job 10:14
14If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
Job understands that if he has sinned God would hold him accountable. Job is not trying to avoid or deny God’s right to chastise. God does not hold us guiltless for the things that we do. However, God does not put forth chastisement as some suppose. God is not waiting to punish His people immediately when they sin. Often there is a time delay between the occurrence of the sin and chastisement. This is evident during the Book of Judges and the reign of the kings. Often a warning would come followed by a time period to repent. There are times when chastisement would not come until the next generation. God is much more gracious than He is portrayed by many. However, make no mistake, God will chastise His people when He deems appropriate.
Job 10:15
15If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;
Job clearly understands the consequences of sin. It is not taken lightly by Job as many of his detractors may assume. Nor does Job believe that being righteous is a reason to be prideful. A righteous man should always walk in humility. One should never acknowledge or proclaim their righteousness. To do so, would to prove their lack of humility and righteousness.
In all this, Job cries out to God that he is in confusion. Job cannot understand why any of this is happening to him. He asks that God look down and answer him; that God would bring enlightenment to Job’s life.
Job 10:16
16For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
Job believes that his affliction is from God, because Job would not have it any other way. For Job, it is better to be chastised by God than at peace in iniquity. Job sees his chastisement increasing with each passing hour. As his chastisement increases, so does his awe for God.
Job 10:17-19
17Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me. 18Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 19I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
Job believes that God is bearing down on him. Job is no different than any of us, as a situation continues, although the chastisement has not increased; it starts to wear out the individual. For us, it is as if there is an increase, for God there is no change. Acknowledging chastisement will not bring about the end, only repentance will. God does not chastise us just to punish us. God stated clearly in Hebrews 12:11.
11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
God is looking for a change in us. For Job, this has been a complicated issue. Job would repent; however, he does not know of what to repent. One cannot simply repent in a general manner, one must repent of the specific issue. Job had a relationship with God, now it seems as if it has abruptly changed with no apparent reason.
Because of this, Job has no answer, and the apparent chastisement continues. He is again asking the question, why did you let me live? Job is seeing no meaning in his life. He questions God, why did you allow me to be born in a life of no meaning? Job’s current preference would be to have died at birth than to have lived and suffered so much. Job would choose to never have experienced life than to experience a life with no meaning in pain and suffering.
Job 10:20
20Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
Since the option of dying at birth is well past, Job would prefer that God would cease chastisement so that he could have some rest. He wearies from his situation because he has nowhere to turn. It seems that repentance and death are elusive for him.
Job 10:21-22
21Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 22A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
Job’s final words of Chapter 10 describe Sheol (7585). It is a place of darkness where there is no light. A place where both the rich and poor, the righteous and wicked go, there is no differentiation. However, for Job this is not his final resting place. Job has much more to say about life and the appointed time, as we continue.
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