Job 10:15-16, “If I be wicked, woe to me; and if I be righteous, yet I will not lift up my head. I am full of confusion: Therefore see my affliction; for it increases. You hunt me as a fierce lion; and again you show yourself marvelous to me.”
Job is in a state of confusion here. He is willing to take an honest assessment of himself although still not coming up with an answer to his situation. How many of us would be willing to take such an honesty test. This can be helpful for us if done right or harmful to us if done wrong. Let me explain. Many of us either think too less of ourselves, or more highly than we ought to. So we either look like the next best thing to sliced bread, or worse than the scum of the earth. Neither of these outlooks speaks balance and order. If we are Christians we are NOT even sinners saved by grace. We are saints that struggle with sin. Why do I say this, because the Apostle Paul NEVER wrote to the “sinner’s saved by grace” in Ephesus, Corinth, Galatia, etc…. NO, he wrote to the saints in those places. I will save “the sinner saint devotion” for another time soon. However I will say we need to look at ourselves in the right way, like Job.
He said of himself, “If I be wicked, woe to me;” He was willing to dig up any possible link to wickedness in his life. Job was the kind of man that knew the Lord desired “Truth in the inward parts” of our lives. However, he couldn’t put his finger on any wicked dealings that he had taken part in, whether actions, thoughts, or intentions. Job was serious about sin, wickedness, and uncleanliness before the Lord. Oh, that we would be as serious about these same things as Job was.
He also said of himself, “And if I be righteous, yet I will not lift up my head.” WOW, if he looked great in God’s eyes he wouldn’t even lift up his head [on high]. Perhaps Job knew that it was God that would be a shield around him, the one that would bestow glory on him and be the lifter of his head. (Psalms 3:3) Job wanted to be careful if things looked great in his integrity that he would not brag in self-righteousness. Pride comes before a fall, and so one need proceed with caution or better yet humility when we are doing well. In an oath that I have to say as part of my job part of one line says “I will remain humble in my accomplishments…,”which is a good reminder to us to look at ourselves in truth. 1Peter 5:6-7 reads, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. Perhaps Job realized this when he said “I am full of confusion.” He had cares upon his mind, because he couldn’t place his finger upon his situation. His “friends” certainly didn’t help at all.
He asks that Lord to look upon his afflictions because they increase as a fierce lion; “AND AGAIN SHOW YOURSELF MARVELOUS UPON ME.” It seemed that Job was saying that it did not make any difference whether he was innocent or guilty because he was full of shame and drowned in affliction anyhow (vv. 14-15). No matter how much he tried to assert his integrity, it seems that God insisted on stalking Job like a lion, showing his awesome power in wave after wave of oppression. Job still recognized God’s awesome power. He knew that only God has the awesome power to turn these things away from Job, and bring any sense and comfort to Job.
Job says in 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face”. Job felt that his ways pleased the Lord and that the Lord knew that and would take that into account, so even if God killed Job, he would still hope in the Lord.
What do you do when you’re confused? Do you take an honest assessment of yourself? Most of us don’t have the integrity of Job; however could we have the humility of Job whether wicked or righteous? Blessings Phil
He Has Magnified His Word 