Overview
This is the final defense for Job. He recounted all areas in his life, and stand on his position that he has lived a righteous life as much as a man could live.
He said he was
- faithful to his wife (v1-12);
- treated his servants with respect (v13-15),
- helped the poor, widowed and orphans (v16-23)
- didn’t put his trust in gold (v24)
- treated his enemies, men under his care, and aliens all with dignity (v29-32).
- didn’t cover his sins (v33)
Job was willing to accept additional curses from God is any one of his claims was not true.
His purpose is so that God will hear his appeal. He has written this down and signed the document. Now he wanted God’s signature on the document to prove his friends indictment on him was wrong (v35). This is his only hope for the future.
[Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written] (v35)
Life’s Lesson
A man’s dignity is more important than his life. Job was able to wait for the Lord and praise his name when he lost his treasures, when he lost his children, when he lost the support from his wife, and even when he lost his health. But Job couldn’t keep silent when his dignity was intruded by his friends. At the end of this debate, all Job wanted was vindication from God, and proved his friends were wrong about him. He wanted his name to be cleaned.
How much do you watch for your own dignity? Are you willing to keep silent and wait for the Lord when people misunderstood you?
When you are being misunderstood, being “crucified” by others, meditate on how the Lord responded to people who mocked him: [“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”] (Luke 23:34)
