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Job 31

JOB 31
Job chapter 29 repeats the word “when”
Job chapter 30 repeats the word “they”
What they say…
What they think…
What they are doing…
Most Old Testament prophets were either a prophet or a priest. Samuel and Isaiah were actually both prophet and priest.
Priest – takes people’s petitions and difficulties to God
Prophet – hear from God and brings God’s word to the people
A pastor does both taking people’s problems to God and bringing God’s word to the people.
Acts 6:2-4 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Pray – taking petitions to God and hearing from God
Study – hearing from God
Preach – bringing God’s word to the people
A pastor hears from HIM and he hears from “them” – when the two are in concert it is awesome but if the two are in conflict it is a horrible clashing noise and the pastor is in the middle of the noise.
A pastor must learn to buffer that noise and hear HIM.
Pray that your pastor will be able to hear the voice of the people in order to take their needs before the LORD – but also, to listen to God over “they”.
We should not listen to “they”; “They can get us off track more than not.
Job chapter 31 repeats the word “if”

When you find a repeated word or phrase in a section of scripture it usually denotes a theme to that section.

JOB 31:1 (HCSB)
I have made a covenant with my eyes.
How then could I look at a young woman
Job understood that a man’s eyes are the light into his soul – to let lust into his life through his eyes is destruction – it destroys his body
The proper way for a man to look on a woman to keep lustful thoughts at bay is to look her straight in her face – the proper way for a man to hug a woman is shoulder to shoulder.
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
JOB 31:2-9 (HCSB)
2 For what portion [would I have] from God above,
or [what] inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Doesn't disaster come to the wicked
and misfortune to evildoers?
4 Does He not see my ways
and number all my steps?
5 If I have walked in falsehood
or my foot has rushed to deceit,
6 let God weigh me with an accurate balance,
and He will recognize my integrity.
7 If my step has turned from the way,
my heart has followed my eyes,
or impurity has stained my hands,
8 let someone else eat what I have sown,
and let my crops be uprooted.
9 If my heart has been seduced by [my neighbor's] wife
or I have lurked at his door,
verse 9 plays off verse 1: “if I have broken a covenant that I already made…” just because the covenant has been made does not mean he is no longer vulnerable.
Job has moved from denial of anything being wrong in his life into consideration into “what if I did do something” – the possibility of unknown sin in his life.
2 kinds of sins:
1) known
2) unknown
Confess all known sins by calling them by name then go to Psalm 139 and pray:

Psalm 139
1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Asking forgiveness and giving confession is a 2-fold operation – by confessing (calling by name) – less likely to do again.

JOB 31:10-35 (HCSB)

10 let my own wife grind [grain] for another man,
and let other men sleep with her.
11 For that would be a disgrace;
it would be a crime deserving punishment.
12 For it is a fire that consumes down to Abaddon;
it would destroy my entire harvest.
13 If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants
when they made a complaint against me,
14 what could I do when God stands up [to judge]?
How should I answer Him when He calls [me] to account?
15 Did not the One who made me in the womb also make them?
Did not the same God form us both in the womb?
16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor
or let the widow's eyes go blind,
17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone
without letting the fatherless eat any of it—
18 for from my youth, I raised him as [his] father,
and since the day I was born I guided the widow—
19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing
or a needy person without a cloak,
20 if he did not bless me
while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,
21 if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless child
when I saw that I had support in the [city] gate,
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,
and my arm be pulled from its socket.
23 For disaster from God terrifies me,
and because of His majesty I could not do [these things].
24 If I placed my confidence in gold
or called fine gold my trust,
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great
or because my own hand has acquired [so] much,
26 if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining
or at the moon moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed
and I threw them a kiss,
28 this would also be a crime deserving punishment,
for I would have denied God above.
29 Have I rejoiced over my enemy's distress,
or become excited when trouble came his way?
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by asking for his life with a curse.
31 Haven't the members of my household said,
"Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job's table?"
32 No stranger had to spend the night on the street,
for I opened my door to the traveler.
33 Have I covered my transgressions as others do
by hiding my guilt in my heart,
34 because I greatly feared the crowds,
and the contempt of the clans terrified me,
so I grew silent and would not go outside?
35 If only I had someone to hear my [case]!
Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me.
Let my Opponent compose [His] indictment.

God is hearing him. Job asks for an advocate. We know that Jesus is our advocate.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

“my Opponent” – accuser - Satan himself

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it
Satan spends his time trying to get you defeated.
1) accuses with lies
2) gets you to feel good about your sin – to justify what you are doing – giving ourselves “rights”
1 Corinthians 7: 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Job knows he needs a defender but he is tired of being accused.
JOB 31:36-37 (HCSB)
36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder
and wear it like a crown.
37 I would give Him an account of all my steps;
I would approach Him like a prince.
Prince – as a child of the king; have authority with king who is father
We have been bought with a price – we are children of the king – we have authority over others who would accuse us.
Satan is our accuser BUT
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Do not let Satan beat you up.
Do not let him accuse you of forgiven sin.
If there is a sinful issue that you are justifying in your life – tell Satan to go away and confess that sin – get forgiveness and live free from that bondage.
Don’t let Satan in on your weakness.

JOB 31:38-40 (HCSB)
38 If my land cries out against me
and its furrows join in weeping,
39 if I have consumed its produce without payment
or shown contempt for its tenants,
40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat
and stinkweed instead of barley.
The words of Job are concluded.

Words of Job are ended.

JOB 32:1 (HCSB)
1 So these three men quit answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Makes you wonder if possibly Job’s words had ended earlier the friends’ words would have ceased earlier too.
Have we in our lives kept things going by our own talking when if we just shut up then they will shut up too.