Job 23:1-17
Job Has Questions for God
1 Then Job replied:
2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.
3 If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!
4 I would state my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would find out what he would answer me,
and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?
No, he would not press charges against me.
7 There the upright can establish their innocence before him,
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.
8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?
He does whatever he pleases.
14 He carries out his decree against me,
and many such plans he still has in store.
15 That is why I am terrified before him;
when I think of all this, I fear him.
16 God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me.
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
As we read Job's talk of looking for God, we see that part of the lesson of Job is the human experience of God's Absence, even in our darkest hour...
Job says, "Even today my complaint is bitter; His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning...If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling!...I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments...I would find out what He would answer me, and consider what He would say to me...Would He vigorously oppose me?...No, He would not press charges against me...There the upright can establish their innocence before Him, and there I would be delivered forever from My Judge...But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him...When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him...But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold...My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside...I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread."...
As we read these words, we can see the love Job has for His Maker....In all the experiences of tragedy and up till still seeking God only to find Him absent...Job's faith has endured...And Job somehow assumes that God is near and watching...Job is still closely following God's ways-His steps...Job kept God's Way without turning aside...Job with all His tragedies and troubles and illness has not departed from the commands of God...Job has treasured God's Word more than his own daily bread...There is no hint that Job is losing faith or disbelief in God as we read these words...Job is a firm believer who is looking for God's dwelling and wanting to go there and speak or maybe even debate with His Judge...But Job cannot find Him, even after he has looked to the east, west, north, and south...Job was a good man, a blameless man and God was testing him...And God knew the path that Job would take; when He tested him...And Job said he would come forth as gold in these experiences...He had kept the faith...