Job 23:3 | KingComments | STEP | When Eliphaz has finished speaking, Job replies ( ). It is not so much an answer to what Eliphaz said, but more a complaint about his misery ( ). Nothing has changed about his complaint. Also “today” he feels rebellious against God. He does want to suppress his sighs himself, “my hand” [according to Masoretic Text, and not “His hand”]. Here we see the dilemma of Job. On the one hand there is the dissatisfaction with his suffering. On the other hand, there is his fear of sinning against God through his dissatisfaction. This causes the effort he makes to suppress his dissatisfaction and rebellion. He suffers so much that he can only express his suffering through groaning. Eliphaz advised Job to yield to God ( ). That is what he wants. He wishes he could find God ( ). If only he knew where He was. Then he would go to His dwelling place. There he would ask Him for an explanation for the suffering He is inflicting on him. We too sometimes have the desire to talk to God and ask Him why He allows certain things in our life or in the life of others. We would like to know how to behave in such situations. Now we must be content with the revelation He has given of Himself. We must learn to accept that the things hidden from us are known to God ( ). To Him there are no hidden things ( ). Job sees himself in spirit in a courtroom. There he would like to present his case before God ( ). He would present a multitude of arguments in his defense to prove that he is not a sinner and a hypocrite. That would convince the Judge, God, that he does not deserve all this suffering. It is not so much about his suffering as about its injustice. He looks forward to the Judge’s verdict with confidence ( ). He knows he is innocent, so the Judge will declare him innocent. Later Job comes into the presence of God, but then he is silent (Job 38). Of all his prepared arguments nothing remains. For before God every mouth is stopped ( ). He listens and then has to acknowledge that the ways of God are higher than his own. Job is convinced that God would not contend with him for his rightness, but would listen to him ( ). God would not use the advantage of His power against Job and therefore triumph over him. No, God would not simply push him aside, but give him the opportunity to present his case to Him. The Judge would hear the “upright” speak, who would defend his case with conviction against Him ( ). The Judge would have to agree with Job that he is a righteous one. Job can leave the courtroom as a righteous one, acquitted of all charges, with his head held high. The Judge has annulled all charges and Job is free from Him forever. There is no higher court and no one will dare to sue him anymore. Just as Job is placed before God here in a courtroom, so we should be aware that for us there is a judgment seat of Christ, before which we will be placed ( ; ). There our whole life will be made manifest. It is important that we live as if we are already there, that our life is already manifest to God and people. Job had no fear of meeting God. Neither did Paul. The thought of the judgment seat made Paul feel that he was already made manifest to God and that he wanted to be so to the consciences of men ( ). This is how it can and should be with us. If we can’t boldly look forward to the moment when we have to appear before the judgment seat, there may be things in our lives that are not right. Then we must confess them. It is not a question of being perfect already, but of serving God with a blameless conscience (cf. ). Job wants to appear before God, but he does not know where He is ( ). When he goes forward, to the east, where the sun rises, God is the great Absent ( ). Disappointed, he then goes backward, to the west, where the sun sets. Also there is no sign of His presence anywhere. A new disappointment is his share. Let’s see if He is on the left side ( ). The left side is the north, the side of darkness and concealment. Could He be found there? He doesn’t see Him there either. There remains one side, the right side, the south, the side of the wilderness and the heat. Can He be seen there? Again it turns out to be a disappointment, because even there Job doesn’t see Him. There is still a long way to go before he will testify that his eye sees God ( ).

‏ Job 23:3

Job Wants to Present His Case to God

When Eliphaz has finished speaking, Job replies (Job 23:1). It is not so much an answer to what Eliphaz said, but more a complaint about his misery (Job 23:2). Nothing has changed about his complaint. Also “today” he feels rebellious against God. He does want to suppress his sighs himself, “my hand” [according to Masoretic Text, and not “His hand”]. Here we see the dilemma of Job. On the one hand there is the dissatisfaction with his suffering. On the other hand, there is his fear of sinning against God through his dissatisfaction. This causes the effort he makes to suppress his dissatisfaction and rebellion. He suffers so much that he can only express his suffering through groaning.

Eliphaz advised Job to yield to God (Job 22:21). That is what he wants. He wishes he could find God (Job 23:3). If only he knew where He was. Then he would go to His dwelling place. There he would ask Him for an explanation for the suffering He is inflicting on him.

We too sometimes have the desire to talk to God and ask Him why He allows certain things in our life or in the life of others. We would like to know how to behave in such situations. Now we must be content with the revelation He has given of Himself. We must learn to accept that the things hidden from us are known to God (Deu 29:29). To Him there are no hidden things (Heb 4:13).

Job sees himself in spirit in a courtroom. There he would like to present his case before God (Job 23:4). He would present a multitude of arguments in his defense to prove that he is not a sinner and a hypocrite. That would convince the Judge, God, that he does not deserve all this suffering. It is not so much about his suffering as about its injustice.

He looks forward to the Judge’s verdict with confidence (Job 23:5). He knows he is innocent, so the Judge will declare him innocent. Later Job comes into the presence of God, but then he is silent (Job 38). Of all his prepared arguments nothing remains. For before God every mouth is stopped (Rom 3:19). He listens and then has to acknowledge that the ways of God are higher than his own.

Job is convinced that God would not contend with him for his rightness, but would listen to him (Job 23:6). God would not use the advantage of His power against Job and therefore triumph over him. No, God would not simply push him aside, but give him the opportunity to present his case to Him.

The Judge would hear the “upright” speak, who would defend his case with conviction against Him (Job 23:7). The Judge would have to agree with Job that he is a righteous one. Job can leave the courtroom as a righteous one, acquitted of all charges, with his head held high. The Judge has annulled all charges and Job is free from Him forever. There is no higher court and no one will dare to sue him anymore.

Just as Job is placed before God here in a courtroom, so we should be aware that for us there is a judgment seat of Christ, before which we will be placed (2Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10). There our whole life will be made manifest. It is important that we live as if we are already there, that our life is already manifest to God and people.

Job had no fear of meeting God. Neither did Paul. The thought of the judgment seat made Paul feel that he was already made manifest to God and that he wanted to be so to the consciences of men (2Cor 5:11). This is how it can and should be with us. If we can’t boldly look forward to the moment when we have to appear before the judgment seat, there may be things in our lives that are not right. Then we must confess them. It is not a question of being perfect already, but of serving God with a blameless conscience (cf. Acts 24:16).

Job wants to appear before God, but he does not know where He is (Job 23:8-9). When he goes forward, to the east, where the sun rises, God is the great Absent (Job 23:8). Disappointed, he then goes backward, to the west, where the sun sets. Also there is no sign of His presence anywhere. A new disappointment is his share.

Let’s see if He is on the left side (Job 23:9). The left side is the north, the side of darkness and concealment. Could He be found there? He doesn’t see Him there either. There remains one side, the right side, the south, the side of the wilderness and the heat. Can He be seen there? Again it turns out to be a disappointment, because even there Job doesn’t see Him. There is still a long way to go before he will testify that his eye sees God (Job 42:5).