Job 10 Devotional
by Pastor David Groendyk

Job continues his response to Bildad. Both chapter 9 and chapter 10 begin with the word “contend” (9:3; 10:2), which in Old Testament language means that this is some sort of legal speech or argument that Job is making. He’s arguing his case like a lawyer would. However, his conclusion at the end of chapter 9 was that there was no arbiter who could adequately and fairly go between God and him (9:33), so chapter 10 is more of a lament to God rather than an argument against him.

There are many similarities in this chapter with previous chapters. Job again discusses the day of his birth, this time particularly highlighting the fact of God’s sovereignty in creating him (vv. 8–12). He knows that he is the “work of [God’s] hands” (v. 3). He also knows that it’s God’s sovereignty that has brought about his severe trials (vv. 13–22). But rather than comfort him in the midst of his grief, Job ends his speech by saying something along the lines of, “Why would you create me just to make me suffer?” All along he’s contended that he’s innocent, but that doesn’t seem to help Job now. He claims he’s in a lose-lose situation: either he is actually guilty like his three friends have said and God is punishing him, or he’s in the right and God is not punishing him but there’s no way he could possibly have the strength to carry on with all of these continued trials that God is sending him (v. 15). God is playing with Job, and there’s no rest or relief for him. You can hear even in Job’s words at the beginning that he is borderline accusing God of acting like a man would (vv. 3–7)!

As one author puts it, sometimes telling a fellow believer that God is in control in the midst of their suffering just doesn’t cut it. Here’s a theme you can see running all through this book. Job knows that God is sovereign, but it’s not a comfort to him. It only aggravates his suffering to know that it’s God who sends it (at least, it aggravates Job to be told about God’s sovereignty; when he comes face-to-face with God himself at the end of the book, it will be a different story). Again, as another author puts it, God’s sovereignty may be comforting for some believers when they’re convinced of God’s love, but it can be offensive for those believers who are currently trapped in their own personal hell and feel like they’re living under God’s condemnation. We must be convinced of more than just God’s power and control in our circumstances in order to recover our faith and gain hope again. At the very least, we must be reminded of God’s love that never leaves nor forsakes us, that provided for us Jesus Christ who was the truly innocent one that was condemned by God instead of us, and that has rescued us from actual condemnation and eternal hell. Even as we’re reminding our own selves and fellow believers of these truths, they won’t be a magic cure for our grief and sorrow, but they should give us at least some sense of hope and peace in the midst of our grieving and sorrow.

Job continues his response to Bildad. Both chapter 9 and chapter 10 begin with the word “contend” (9:3; 10:2), which in Old Testament language means that this is some sort of legal speech or argument that Job is making. He’s arguing his case like a lawyer would. However, his conclusion at the end of chapter 9 was that there was no arbiter who could adequately and fairly go between God and him (9:33), so chapter 10 is more of a lament to God rather than an argument against him.

There are many similarities in this chapter with previous chapters. Job again discusses the day of his birth, this time particularly highlighting the fact of God’s sovereignty in creating him (vv. 8–12). He knows that he is the “work of [God’s] hands” (v. 3). He also knows that it’s God’s sovereignty that has brought about his severe trials (vv. 13–22). But rather than comfort him in the midst of his grief, Job ends his speech by saying something along the lines of, “Why would you create me just to make me suffer?” All along he’s contended that he’s innocent, but that doesn’t seem to help Job now. He claims he’s in a lose-lose situation: either he is actually guilty like his three friends have said and God is punishing him, or he’s in the right and God is not punishing him but there’s no way he could possibly have the strength to carry on with all of these continued trials that God is sending him (v. 15). God is playing with Job, and there’s no rest or relief for him. You can hear even in Job’s words at the beginning that he is borderline accusing God of acting like a man would (vv. 3–7)!

As one author puts it, sometimes telling a fellow believer that God is in control in the midst of their suffering just doesn’t cut it. Here’s a theme you can see running all through this book. Job knows that God is sovereign, but it’s not a comfort to him. It only aggravates his suffering to know that it’s God who sends it (at least, it aggravates Job to be told about God’s sovereignty; when he comes face-to-face with God himself at the end of the book, it will be a different story). Again, as another author puts it, God’s sovereignty may be comforting for some believers when they’re convinced of God’s love, but it can be offensive for those believers who are currently trapped in their own personal hell and feel like they’re living under God’s condemnation. We must be convinced of more than just God’s power and control in our circumstances in order to recover our faith and gain hope again. At the very least, we must be reminded of God’s love that never leaves nor forsakes us, that provided for us Jesus Christ who was the truly innocent one that was condemned by God instead of us, and that has rescued us from actual condemnation and eternal hell. Even as we’re reminding our own selves and fellow believers of these truths, they won’t be a magic cure for our grief and sorrow, but they should give us at least some sense of hope and peace in the midst of our grieving and sorrow.