Job 31:25 | KingComments | STEP | In his next statement of innocence, Job denies that he is guilty of a materialistic lifestyle. When his wealth increased, he had not put his hope and confidence in it ( ). In Job 1 Job is described as an extraordinarily rich man. To be rich is not sin; to trust in riches is sin ( ). We should not place our hope in gold, but in the Lord, for He is our hope ( ; ). Nor did Job gloat in the fact that his wealth was great, that he was a wealthy man ( ). The source of his gloating was not his wealth, but God. Boasting in his own accomplishments, was not present with him either. Certainly, he worked hard, “my hand”, and therefore “had secured [so] much”. He did not inherit or steal his wealth, but obtained it through his own effort. He is aware that all his work would have been in vain if God had not blessed it. He has not served himself with the results of his work, but others. That is the right way to deal with wealth. He also swears that he does not attribute his wealth to such magnitudes in creation as the sun and the moon ( ; ; ). With this Job says that he is free from idolatry. Relying on earthly possessions is a form of idolatry. Idolatry is closely related to greed and is even identified with it ( ). Job did not walk in the light of the sun and moon, as if he saw them as the source of his prosperity, but in the light of God. His heart was not secretly tempted to worship those impressive celestial bodies that can so gracefully illuminate your way ( ). Nor did he express this by bringing his hand to his mouth and kissing it. This outward expression of love, of which a kiss speaks, happened in cases where the object of worship was too far away to touch it, as is the case with the sun and moon. Here we can think of what we call a ‘hand kiss’. It is kissing the hand and then blowing this kiss in the direction of the object of love. To worship something from creation instead of the Creator Himself is an iniquity ( ; cf. ; ), on which the judge must pronounce a condemnation. It is the transgression of the commandment not to have other gods before God ( ). This sin denies God as the One Who is above all things and sets Him aside. This is a heavy insult to Him. Job lived, as we assume, in the time of the patriarchs, that is, when the people of Israel, and with them the law, were not yet there. Yet he knew what was fitting for God. That was because of his relationship with Him. Even if we still know little about the Bible, we can still feel through the new life and the Holy Spirit whether or not something is in accordance with God’s will. Of little children in faith it is said: “And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know” ( ).

‏ Job 31:25

Greed and Idolatry

In his next statement of innocence, Job denies that he is guilty of a materialistic lifestyle. When his wealth increased, he had not put his hope and confidence in it (Job 31:24). In Job 1 Job is described as an extraordinarily rich man. To be rich is not sin; to trust in riches is sin (1Tim 6:17). We should not place our hope in gold, but in the Lord, for He is our hope (Pro 3:26; 1Tim 1:1).

Nor did Job gloat in the fact that his wealth was great, that he was a wealthy man (Job 31:25). The source of his gloating was not his wealth, but God. Boasting in his own accomplishments, was not present with him either. Certainly, he worked hard, “my hand”, and therefore “had secured [so] much”. He did not inherit or steal his wealth, but obtained it through his own effort. He is aware that all his work would have been in vain if God had not blessed it. He has not served himself with the results of his work, but others. That is the right way to deal with wealth.

He also swears that he does not attribute his wealth to such magnitudes in creation as the sun and the moon (Job 31:26; Deu 4:19; 2Kgs 23:5). With this Job says that he is free from idolatry. Relying on earthly possessions is a form of idolatry. Idolatry is closely related to greed and is even identified with it (Col 3:5). Job did not walk in the light of the sun and moon, as if he saw them as the source of his prosperity, but in the light of God.

His heart was not secretly tempted to worship those impressive celestial bodies that can so gracefully illuminate your way (Job 31:27). Nor did he express this by bringing his hand to his mouth and kissing it. This outward expression of love, of which a kiss speaks, happened in cases where the object of worship was too far away to touch it, as is the case with the sun and moon. Here we can think of what we call a ‘hand kiss’. It is kissing the hand and then blowing this kiss in the direction of the object of love.

To worship something from creation instead of the Creator Himself is an iniquity (Job 31:28; cf. Job 31:11; Rom 1:22-25), on which the judge must pronounce a condemnation. It is the transgression of the commandment not to have other gods before God (Exo 20:3). This sin denies God as the One Who is above all things and sets Him aside. This is a heavy insult to Him.

Job lived, as we assume, in the time of the patriarchs, that is, when the people of Israel, and with them the law, were not yet there. Yet he knew what was fitting for God. That was because of his relationship with Him. Even if we still know little about the Bible, we can still feel through the new life and the Holy Spirit whether or not something is in accordance with God’s will. Of little children in faith it is said: “And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know” (1Jn 2:20).