In this insightful episode, we reflect on the complexities of Job’s character as he presents his case not only before men but ultimately before God. As we discuss the significance of Job’s unwavering faith and moral standards, listeners are invited to consider how these lessons can apply to modern-day life, highlighting the relevance of Old Testament prophecies and the enduring power of staying true to one’s principles.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Alan J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
Today brings us to Job chapter 31, Job’s final words. In fact, he doesn’t speak again until the very last chapter of this book. This is his final appeal. Let’s listen in to Job as he speaks in chapter 31. Job 31
I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze at a virgin? What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high? Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does not he see my ways and number all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit, let me be weighed in a just balance and let God know my integrity. If my step is turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes and if any spot is stuck to my hands, then let me sow and another eat and let what grows for me be rooted out. If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down on her. For that would be a heinous crime. That would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges. For that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase. If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant when they brought a complaint against me, what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb? If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it, for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow. If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing or the needy without covering, if his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless because I saw my help in the gate, then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder and let my arm be broken from its socket. for I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty. If I have made gold my trust, or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, or because my hand had found much, If I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above. If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him, I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse. If the men of my tent have not said, Who is there that has not been filled with his meat? The sojourner has not lodged in the street. I have opened my doors to the traveler. If I have concealed my transgressions as others do, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom, because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence and did not go out of doors. Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me. Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, I would bind it on me as a crown. I would give him an account of all my steps, like a prince I would approach him. If my land has cried out against me, and its furrows have wept together, If I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last, let thorns grow instead of wheat and foul weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
In 1984, after reading chapters 31 through 34 of Job, I wrote, Job asserts his righteousness before God. In 1997, I read Job 29 through 34 on the same day, and I wrote, Job finishes his defense. And in 2015, after reading Job 30 and 31 on the same day, concerning chapter 31, I wrote, Job concludes by verifying his innocence once again by recapping his life. And chapter 31 ends with the words of Job are ended. Job has spent six chapters answering the last accusations he was faced with from his friends and defending himself before them and before his God. In chapter 31, he defends his character one last time. He begins in verse 1, I have made a covenant with my eyes, how then could I gaze at a virgin? My English Standard Version Study Bible footnote on that verse says this, In affirming his moral purity, Job recalls a personal commitment he had made regarding what he would and would not gaze at, what he calls a covenant with my eyes. In particular, he professes purity in avoiding sexual lust. How then could I gaze at a virgin? in previous chapters we have learned other aspects of job’s character moral purity was another he furthers this thought in verses nine and following if my heart has been enticed toward a woman and i have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door then let my wife grind for another and let others bow down on her For that would be a heinous crime. That would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges. We can step aside from Job chapter 31 for a moment and think about our sexual immorality in our world today. Verses like these remind us to come back to sexual purity. In many other verses in this chapter, Job is saying, If I have done any wrong and I didn’t correct it, then I’m guilty. But I can’t think of the things like that that I have done wrong. Things like verse 5, if I have walked with falsehood. Verse 13, if I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant. Verse 16, if I have withheld anything that the poor desired. Verse 19, if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing. Verse 21, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless. Verse 24, if I have made gold my trust. Verse 25, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant. Verse 29, if I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me. Verse 33, if I’ve concealed my transgressions as others do. But in all those instances, he knows he’s innocent. He is a man of integrity. In verse 35, he cries out once again to God. Oh, that I had one to hear me. Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me. in the whole of the book of job so far job does not blame anybody for his circumstances somehow under all this he understands he is under the sovereignty of an almighty god over and over that’s where he takes his case He is very sure of his integrity. Are you? Do we want to take our filthy rags before the holy throne of God? Do we really want to make a defense of everything we’ve done in our lives? I don’t think so. Do you? And aren’t you glad because of the blood of Jesus at the cross of Calvary, you won’t have to. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the penalty for my sin, for my iniquity, for my failures. Thank you that I will not have to plead my case before a holy God without you standing right beside me. Thank you for the forgiveness of my sin. Friends, the words of Job have ended, but the book of Job has not. We still have 11 chapters to go. Stay with us. The end will be worth it. Father, we thank you for the example of Job’s integrity. We thank you for his desire to plead his case not before men, but before you. And we are thankful that we won’t have to plead our case before you. We’re thankful for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from our sin and our unrighteousness before you. Job didn’t know Jesus, but he knew you. He places his faith in you as we do. He had faith in your mercy and your grace as we do. So we look forward to how you are going to respond to Job in the later chapters of this book. Teach us more about your character. We ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. Maybe you wonder if Old Testament prophecy is true, came true already, or is coming true in the future. First, most prophets had a recurring theme. God loves us. Because he loves us so much, he gave us commandments, rules, statutes to live by. If we live by them, we can be blessed beyond what we can think or imagine. But when we choose to disregard, ignore, and set aside his rules, we are subject to his curses. We live under curses until things get so bad we cry out to God. He’s always there, waiting for our cry. Most often, but not always, He responds with grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness. We get back in line, then the cycle repeats. The Old Testament prophets cover this cycle over and over. Sometimes we wonder how the Israelites could have been so foolish. Yet, in our day, we have the same choice. We know God loves us. We generally know the rules, and we’d know them a lot better if we were more consistent in our time in God’s Word. Yet we decide, like those in the Old Testament, to ignore them and live out our lives. Things don’t often go well, so we finally cry out to God. As we see in the Old Testament, prophecy comes true as God restores rebellious, disobedient people like us back into right relationship with Him. But it is not always the case. Sometimes he has enough and does not deliver them. So yes, Old Testament prophecies are true, they came true, and they will come true in the future as we cycle through the same life choices the Israelites made. Thus, the value of reading all the Old Testament prophets. Maybe we will learn what they tried to teach. God loves us. Keep his rules, love him back, and enjoy his blessings. After listening to AdBible, you may wish members of your family or friends would find a personal relationship with Jesus like you have. But we know most Christians have never shared their faith with anyone else. In fact, it’s about 95% of us. Maybe you want to, but you just don’t know how. I was not very good at it either, but I had a desire to get better at it. Maybe you do too. Check out our teaching on how to share your faith without a fight at EzraProject.net. Sharing our faith is not a gift some have and some don’t. It’s a command to go and make disciples. Learn how to do it, or at least give it a try. Visit EzraProject.net. Find how to share your faith without a fight. I know you’re going to enjoy it and want to share it with others.
In this insightful episode, we reflect on the complexities of Job’s character as he presents his case not only before men but ultimately before God. As we discuss the significance of Job’s unwavering faith and moral standards, listeners are invited to consider how these lessons can apply to modern-day life, highlighting the relevance of Old Testament prophecies and the enduring power of staying true to one’s principles.
