Yesterday’s Ch. Today

Job 23

Enough! This must have been going through Job’s mind while sitting through the verbal abuse of his friends. Could you imagine having a skin problem where your skin would be itching so bad that you had no relief. You are grieving over your 10 dead children and then you lost everything and what you call home is the city dump. Then on top of all that, your friends start trying to point the finger at you as the source for all of this calamity. 

I am amazed still that Job never hit his friends, became violent towards them, cursed them out, or any of the sort. Instead he just spoke truth. In this chapter Job changes his attention from Eliphaz to God. 

The Tough Question

In this chapter Job is asking God why does he seem like he is absent from my affairs. To be honest this is a question that I would think everyone has asked one time or another. Why is God allowing evil to exist? Why does bad things happen to good people? Job asked, “Why do you seem to disappear when I need you most, God?”  Some people may look at this and say, “How could you ask that?” But anyone who has ever gone through any type of sorrow would think this at some point. 

What Job is doing is being honest with his sorrow. He is in pain and is frustrated. But we can not stop here. In spite of Job’s pain, sorrow, and grief, his hope still remains in God. Remember in 13:15, Job said, “Though he may slay me, my hope is in him.” Job knew God is just and fair and that he would judge Job right and find no fault in him. Job knows that it is tough and that God is there but it just is hard.

Job’s Stands on the Solid Truth

In verses 10-12 Job says, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured his words of his mouth more than my portion of food.” This is how he knew it was true. He knew that he is just. His hope was in the truth of what God has said.

Job states at first his feeling is that God is silent but God is not silent. Albert Mohler wrote a book called, “God is not Silent.” and he goes on to say that God speaks through the preaching of his Word. In order for us to know what God says we need to know his Word. Just like Job said, “I treasure his words more than my portion of food.

I love food, especially good food. I can’t imagine not eating it. The question is how is it with God’s Word? His word is food for my soul. I need it, daily. Could you say what Job said and trust in God. What better medicine for our sorrowful soul is the Word of God. When we think God is silent we must go to his word and we can be spoken to. Remember it was the still small voice that spoke to Elijah when he faced his deep depression (1st Kings 19).