- Job continues his reply. He feels justified in pouring out his complaint.
- David poured out similar complaints. In all but one Psalm, there is a turn from complaint to rejoicing or quiet trust.
- Job hasn’t gotten there yet.
- There are fascinating verses in here.
- For one, he’s asserting that he has not sinned, but then he asks God why He hasn’t forgiven his sins.
- He knows the truth that no man is good. He understands that.
- He made atoning sacrifices to cover his sins. He thought they were forgiven. They were.
- He seems to be agreeing with his friend that there is sin and that God hasn’t forgiven it and has punished him instead. He just knows he keeps himself from sin and continually offers sacrifices. He’s not thinking of a specific sin that he now remembers doing. He does seem to know there is some truth to the fact that trouble follows sin. Sin leads to death, destruction, and loss.
- This wasn’t punishment. God will use it to polish Job up some, but it is not punishment.
- God doesn’t punish us. He’s not out to get us.
- Well, actually, He’s completely out to get us. He’s out to get us for Himself, not get back at us.
- His heart is for us to be united with Him. He’s working toward that end always. He can use discipline and suffering as part of that inasmuch as it will bring about His good and perfect purposes of salvation.
- His plans are never to harm us. His thoughts toward us are peace.
- I don’t have room to talk about it, but here’s another great verse full of Scriptural truth. It says so much!
- Job 7:17-18 What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning and test him every moment?
