Job 31:24-40 (ESV)

“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 heart, 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.

At last, Job says the words that get him called on the carpet. He wants to question God.

Let the Almighty answer me!

Oops! Job’s pride has just bubbled to the surface. There’s something he needs to learn, and he’s about to learn it. We’re finally getting to the place where the book of Job answers the great questions.

We know that God’s ways are higher than our ways; God is infinite and we’re finite. But we still crave a deeper understanding. If only we could just get a glimpse of God’s grand priorities – or at least gain an understanding of how some tragedies could make sense.

Until then, we’re stuck with just trying to relax and accept our lack of understanding. Yes, we know that our tiny brains can’t know the great things of God, but that doesn’t get rid of our hunger for more.

The ending will fix that – for Job and for us.

There’s a difference between trusting what God has done for you and really trusting God.

Satan was wrong to predict that Job would curse God, but he does know how people think. Really trusting God is an advanced skill. God’s infinite creativity and infinite priorities mean that the future may not be what you expect.

A bad turn of events can challenge anyone’s faith to the core.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies