Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Job 23 -Job proclaims God’s righteous judgments. According to Bible scholars, the events of the book of Job took place approximately before 2100 B.C.
I encourage you to turn to Job 23 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Job 23 with me. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scriptures that you find highlighted in purple in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Job 22, we read about Eliphaz accusing Job of wickedness and urging him to return to God. Well, in this Bible study on Job 23, we will read about Job proclaiming God’s righteous judgments in response to Job 22. As I have already mentioned before, most of the chapters of the book of Job are conversations between Job and his friends. They go back and forth between them.
Without any further delay, let us read and see what is Job Chapter 23 about, shall we?
God Is A Righteous Judge
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;
My hand is listless because of my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
6 Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
7 There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
In Verses 1-7 of Job 23, Job answered Eliphaz and his friends, in response to Eliphaz’s discourse in Job 22, by telling them that his complaint is bitter and his hand is numb. If only he knew where to find God, he would go to His seat (His Throne) to present his case before Him. He would fill his mouth with arguments to question God about his suffering. And when God would reply, he would be able to understand everything that He says and the reason behind His suffering. According to Job, God, certainly, would not contend with him. Instead, He would take note of him because the upright could reason with Him in the courts of grace and be delivered from destruction.
In short, Job would be his own advocate before God and get deliverance from his situation as there is no one who would stand in the gap (intercede) for Job.
Job Is Loyal To God
8 “Look, I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.
In Verses 8-12 of Job 23, Job explains how he cannot find God. He (Job) goes to and fro, but he is unable to find God. Even if Job found God, he did not have the ability to perceive Him. However, he proclaims that God knows him and the paths he walks (it refers to his ways, including his conduct). Job is confident that he shall emerge victorious after his test (suffering and losses) like gold put through the fire. Job said that he has been loyal to God. He held fast to God’s footsteps. He had kept His ways and not turned aside from God’s ways. Job did not violate God’s commandments and have treasured (esteemed) it more than the food he ate.
Job Is Terrified Of God
13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God made my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
17 Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness,
And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.
In Verses 13-17 of Job 23, Job explains how he is terrified of God. He is unique and there is no one like Him and no one can make Him change. God does whatever He desires. He does whatever He has appointed for Job since the time of his birth and many such things are with Him. Therefore, His presence terrifies Job and when he considers His uniqueness and the things He does, he is afraid of Him. He goes on to say that God made his heart weak and He terrifies him because He did not hide darkness from Job. The darkness here, refers to Job’s trial and suffering which had come upon him.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the bible study lesson on Job 23. Job defends his position to his friends and claims that He is terrified of God after experiencing suffering, destruction, trials and tribulations. He also is confident that if he could plead his case before God then God will deliver him because His judgments are righteous. God is always right whether a man accepts it or not. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey.
If you have any comments or questions for me, kindly leave them in the comments box below. I highly appreciate it. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time!