Job 31
by Pastor David Groendyk

Here is Job’s final monologue in the book. He will speak again later, but only very briefly. These are his final words in an extended format. The whole chapter is essentially Job’s final appeal before God and before his friends that he is innocent and undeserving of the judgment being poured out on him.

Job is a good model for us in that, despite all of his trials and doubts, he’s still able to confess truths about God in good faith. God is just and punishes all evil and wickedness (v. 3). God is all-knowing (v. 4). God is the Almighty (v. 35). Are you able to confess these things about God in the midst of suffering? This is the difference between a faith-ful complaint and an un-faith-ful complaint. The faith-ful complaint still confesses the truth about our Lord and remains obedient to him in the midst of sorrow. The un-faith-ful one runs from God and disowns him in the trial.

The faith-ful complaint is also humble enough to be corrected if needed. Most of the rest of this chapter is Job’s stating that if he has sinned in any way at all, that it would be right for God to judge. Implicitly, however, Job is also stating that he has not sinned in these ways. He’s placing himself under scrutiny and asking to be examined thoroughly, and the assumption is that he will pass the test. So, this chapter serves a double function: Job is open to correction, but he also proclaims his innocence. Look at these examples of wickedness Job that mentions, and see if there are any applications to your own life:
• Lusting after the opposite sex with your eyes (v. 1)
• Lying and deceiving others to gain an advantage (v. 5)
• Not giving the time of day to someone below you in status or employment when they have a complaint (v. 13)
• Not giving generously to the poor, widows, and fatherless (vv. 16–17)
• Ignoring the needy because of more important business to attend to (v. 21)
• Putting confidence in and trusting money (v. 24)
• Rejoicing at my own wealth (v. 25)
• Rejoicing at the misfortune of my enemies (v. 29)
• Hiding sin and not confessing it to others (v. 33)
Can you stand up to this scrutiny? Have you failed in any of these areas? Do you fail regularly in any of these? Are you humble enough to be corrected? Those are partly genuine questions that should make you examine your life and heart but also partly rhetorical. This list is damning to every one of us. None of us can stand up to this examination. And Job is not cutting himself any slack here. He doesn’t say, “If I’m a regular offender in this area…” His attitude is more along the lines of, “If I have ever done any of these…” Each one of us ought to examine ourselves in these areas and strive to grow in holiness in each aspect without making any excuses.

Of course, we have all failed, we continue to fail, and we will always fail in some way in these things. And that’s why we need someone else who is perfectly righteous on our behalf to stand before God and make our appeal (see v. 35). God hears our cries for mercy and forgiveness and salvation because Jesus was perfect on our behalf. This chapter should spur us on both to greater faith and greater faithfulness. Rest in the only One who was perfect for you, and go forward in his strength and grace to grow in your sanctification in these specific areas.