Job was a Biblical character known for his great suffering. He lost all he had – possessions and family all in a day. On top of mental and emotional anguish, he suffered physically. His friends came and sat with him in silence for 7 days and 7 nights. (Job 1-2)
In 3:1, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. From then onwards, we read his dialogues with his friends on rationale for his sufferings.
His words ended in chapter 31. (see 31:40b) What was his last discourse about?
vv. 2-4
“And what is the portion of God from above
Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3 “Is it not calamity to the unjust
And disaster to those who work iniquity?
4 “Does He not see my ways
And number all my steps?
Job asked 3 rhetorical questions.
Q1: What is the way of Almighty God? What is His nature or character?
Q2: Is it not bad consequences for bad deeds of bad people?
Q3: Does God not see all of Job’s deeds and how he lived?
Implications and answers to these questions are: God is just. God sees and knows everything there is to know about Job.
And so Job gave a long list of ‘IFs’ in his life.. many possible bad things he could have done but did not. He even cursed himself ‘if’ he did any of them. He was down in the pit… he could not go any lower than where he was.
What caught my attention is v. 14. Against so many ‘IFs’, there are two WHENs.. When God arises… When He calls me to account…
13 “If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?
15 “Did not He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?
IF is not definite. WHEN is definite…
No matter what Job did or did not do, one thing is sure: God will call him to account. To account for something is to be responsible for it. Till the end, Job asserted his integrity knowing that he will have to give an accounting to his Creator for all the things he did in his life to his fellow creatures.
Ponder:
When comes the time that God arises, when comes the day that He calls me to account, when I stand before Him on judgement day, what will I answer Him?
Is my life a bed of roses right now? Let me not rest on that… it is not a sign that I am doing well – that God’s blessings are upon me because I did good. Life is good because God is good. He is gracious and merciful.
Am I suffering right now? Let me not despair either. Sufferings in the world can be consequences of bad choices – our own or others’ One thing sure, God sees and God knows. One day, He will call everyone to account.
I will account for what I do in my life. For the life that He has given me, I am given the choice to do the many ‘IFs’ or not. No matter what I did or did not do, how will I answer God on that day?
