OUR HOPE IS ALWAYS IN GOD
Though he slay me,
yet will I hope in him;
13:1 “My eyes have seen all this,
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty
and to argue my case with God.
4 You, however, smear me with lies;
you are worthless physicians, all of you!
5 If only you would be altogether silent!
For you, that would be wisdom.
6 Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show him partiality?
Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?
10 He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.
11 Would not his splendor terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 “Keep silent and let me speak;
then let come to me what may.
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
for no godless person would dare come before him!
17 Listen carefully to what I say;
let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,
I know I will be vindicated.
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?
If so, I will be silent and die.
20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then summon me and I will answer,
or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
Show me my offense and my sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
and consider me your enemy?
25 Will you torment a windblown leaf?
Will you chase after dry chaff?
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;
you keep close watch on all my paths
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
28 “So man wastes away like something rotten,
like a garment eaten by moths.
Footnotes
a. Job 13:15 Or He will surely slay me; I have no hope — / yet I will
1. Job has had enough “help” from his friends. If only they would just be quiet! Job’s friends misrepresented God with their pious platitudes. Why must they
take God’s side and try to explain his actions? Can’t he
defend himself? If God examined Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, they would be in
the same boat as Job. Job is ready to move on from their advice and present his
case before God directly.
Job’s hope is
still in God. He is confident that justice will prevail and that he will be
delivered from his trials. This is a great lesson for us. No matter our
circumstances, our lives are in God’s hands and our trust is in him.
2. Before he
presents his case, Job has two requests of God. The first is that God would
withdraw his hand from Job so that Job would be free from the terrors he was
experiencing. God is majestic and almighty. Who can approach him without being
consumed with terror? Next, Job asked for God to communicate with him. If Job
had sinned, would God show it to him? It doesn’t make sense
why God is silent to him and treating him as an enemy. Job feels like a
prisoner who is chained at the feet. Why is this? Job is longing for God’s answer. It
is good for us to ask God to search our hearts and reveal our sins. When he
does, we may repent and receive his mercy and forgiveness.
Prayer Father,
forgive us and draw us close to you.
One Word Yet will I
hope in him
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