Job Chapter 29
Job longed not only for the days before he lost his children and health and wealth; he especially longed for the days before he lost his sense of God’s closeness, there was a time when he felt that God watched over him, and those days were gone. Job fondly remembered the days when it seemed that God was for him rather than against him. Job painted a beautiful picture of his former happy life. He genuinely felt that he was in fellowship with God and the blessing flowed in to every area of his life. Job described how his reputation for wisdom and goodness was deserved. He was a man full of good and noble works, especially to the poor and disadvantaged. Job is also a tremendous example of how a wealthy and powerful man should live his life; not in selfish indulgence, but in care and concern for the less fortunate.
Job Chapter 30
Job was tortured by the irony of it all. The sons of men whom Job would not even put with the dogs of his flock were now his mockers and critics. Job again described his present crisis. He described the persistent, gnawing pains that were ever with him; but for him it was first a crisis of the soul. This was the worst aspect of Job’s suffering, the sense that God had forsaken him. He undeniably felt that God was against him. Indeed, Job felt that God wanted to and would destroy him.
Job felt, “God, you are more merciful than this. You would not afflict a pitiful heap of ruins if only it would cry out to You.” Job wondered why God did not respond to his cries. Job wondered why God did not treat him with the same kindness he had often shown to others. Perhaps Job tried to just take it easy and not get so troubled over his problems, but for him it was impossible. His physical and spiritual agony was more than it seemed he could bear, or his friends could relate to.
Job Chapter 31
This whole chapter is occupied with Job’s solemn oath of innocence. It was his final and explicit answer to the line of argument. In defending his righteous life, Job began with explaining that he was a morally pure man who did not look upon a young woman in impure and inappropriate ways.
