THE NEED FOR A MEDIATOR

Job 9:1-35 / Keywords 9:33,34

33 If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, 34 someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

 

9:1 Then Job replied:

2 “Indeed, I know that this is true.

    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?

3 Though they wished to dispute with him,

    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.

4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.

    Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?

5 He moves mountains without their knowing it

    and overturns them in his anger.

6 He shakes the earth from its place

    and makes its pillars tremble.

7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;

    he seals off the light of the stars.

8 He alone stretches out the heavens

    and treads on the waves of the sea.

9 He is the Maker of the Bear[a] and Orion,

    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,

    miracles that cannot be counted.

11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;

    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?

    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

13 God does not restrain his anger;

    even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.

14 “How then can I dispute with him?

    How can I find words to argue with him?

15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;

    I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.

16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,

    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

17 He would crush me with a storm

    and multiply my wounds for no reason.

18 He would not let me catch my breath

    but would overwhelm me with misery.

19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!

    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[b]?

20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;

    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

21 “Although I am blameless,

    I have no concern for myself;

    I despise my own life.

22 It is all the same; that is why I say,

    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

23 When a scourge brings sudden death,

    he mocks the despair of the innocent.

24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,

    he blindfolds its judges.

    If it is not he, then who is it?

25 “My days are swifter than a runner;

    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.

26 They skim past like boats of papyrus,

    like eagles swooping down on their prey.

27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

    I will change my expression, and smile,’

28 I still dread all my sufferings,

    for I know you will not hold me innocent.

29 Since I am already found guilty,

    why should I struggle in vain?

30 Even if I washed myself with soap

    and my hands with cleansing powder,

31 you would plunge me into a slime pit

    so that even my clothes would detest me.

32 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,

    that we might confront each other in court.

33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,

    someone to bring us together,

34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,

    so that his terror would frighten me no more.

35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,

    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

Footnotes

a. Job 9:9 Or of Leo

b. Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.

 

1. Job believes that he is blameless and doesn’t understand why he is suffering the way he is. Job knows that God is a perfect judge, but something seems wrong. He wants to present his case before God, but who can question God and live? Who can make God change his mind? God’s wisdom is profound, and his strength is unlimited. He can move mountains and simply command the sun not to shine. He is the Lord and Creator of the universe. Who can argue with God? Who can stand before him?

 

2. We can feel Job’s anguish as he despises his own life. It doesn’t seem to matter whether he was blameless or not. Calamity entered his life anyway. Life is short and even if he purified himself, he felt that God would still plunge him into a slime pit. But then an idea came to Job. What if he had a mediator? What if there was someone who could restore his relationship with God and turn God’s punishment away from him? What if there was someone Job could inquire of and make his case with? We all need such a mediator between God and us. We need someone who understands and intercedes for us. We need someone who can forgive our sins and make us pure, holy and, acceptable to God. This person is Jesus, our mediator and Savior.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for sending Jesus.

One Word We need a mediator before God