Job 16–17: ‘I have done no wrong, and my prayer is pure’ (Day 48)

Pray

Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.

Read

Genesis 50 Luke 3 Job 16–17 1 Corinthians 4

Daily reflection: Job 16–17

There’s no comfort in the words of Job’s friends, who insist on seeing his suffering as a sign of his guilt. Neither defending himself nor staying silent alleviate his situation. It does seem like God is his enemy.

In his pain, he pictures God with gnashing teeth and sharp eyes, wild with wrath (Job 16.7–9). ‘He broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces … he slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground ...’ (verses 12–13).

Standing before God and trying to understand this treatment, Job says: ‘There is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure’ (verse 17). We might expect him to curse God for destroying him ‘without reason’ (Job 2.3), but he doesn’t. Instead, he recognises God as the only one who can vindicate him: ‘Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high’ (verse 19).

For Christians, Job’s suffering inevitably calls to mind the suffering of Jesus. He was truly innocent; given up to the ungodly and cast into the hands of the wicked (verse 11); gaped at, struck and spat upon (Job 16.10; 17.6); he saw death approaching and was surrounded by mockers (Job 17.1–2); he felt the same excruciating pain of separation from God.

But unlike Job, he suffered all this on our behalf: ‘He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed’ (Isaiah 53.5).

While Job, contemplating the grave, questioned: ‘Where then is my hope?’ (Job 17.15), in the light of the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection, we can say, ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? … Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15.55,57).

Pray

Lord Jesus, thank you for being my advocate. Thank you suffering and dying in my place and clothing me with your righteousness so that I can be vindicated before God. Heavenly Father, thank you that I am no longer your enemy, but your adopted child. Help me to trust you even when I’m suffering.