Job 23 Commentary: Let’s turn our attention to Job 23. The 23rd chapter of the book of Job.

And we need to remind ourselves that Eliphaz’s advice in chapter 22 didn’t help Job. Part of what Eliphaz said was accusing Job of committing secret sins. And the other part was holding out false hope for Job that if he stopped sinning God would bless him.

Neither of these pieces of advice were correct. And so Eliphaz failed to do what he came to do – to comfort Job.

And that was his third chance at trying to comfort Job. And you know what they say – three strikes and … you’re out. And so, that was Eliphaz’s last speech to Job recorded in this book.

But Job’s still trying to make sense of what’s going on in his life. Why God is seeming to punish him. Him – who is a righteous man, no less! Why is all of this happening?

And that’s why Job begins in verses 1 and 2 lamenting his utterly confusing current situation.

KJV Job 23:1 Then Job answered and said,

2 Even to day is my complaint [bitter/rebellion]:

And so, Eliphaz promised Job blessings from God if he stopped sinning. And Job hears that and says – Yes, I should be having God’s favor if I’m not sinning against him. And yet even now is my stroke – or the stroke from God’s hand – heavy on me. He hasn’t let up – even though I’m totally innocent.

And so, that leads Job to yearn to be able to locate God and come into his presence.

3 Oh that I knew where I might find him!

And here’s what Job would do if he were to ever be granted audience with God.

4 I would [order/present/lay out] my [cause/case] before him,

So, Job – as he envisions this fantasy of appearing before God to figure out why God appears to be punishing him for nothing – Job imagines that he would lay out his case with God. He would argue that what God was doing to him was wrong.

And surely Job would be telling God that he hadn’t sinned and therefore God shouldn’t be punishing him!

Because that doesn’t make sense to Job. It doesn’t make sense to him that an innocent man should be given difficulties by God. Even though Job had originally told his wife that they should receive both good and bad from God – Job has had enough of it.

It’s one thing to give verbal assent to a spiritual truth. It’s quite another to internally agree with that truth and submit to it when it’s in action in your life.

Well, so, Job plans – in his mind – that he could come to God and sort of set God straight on some things. And – of course – he’s expecting that God will answer back.

5 I would [know/learn] the words which he would answer me,

So, Job wishfully imagines a time when he comes before God and argues that God should stop doing bad things to him.

And we saw that Job is anticipating an answer from God. But the way he spoke about that betrays an uncertainty in his heart as to how the Almighty will respond.

And so, God’s response to Job’s theoretical arguments is what’s in Job’s mind in verse 6. How will God respond to Jo