For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Job 13:1-16

1 ‘My eyes have seen all this,
    my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty
    and to argue my case with God.
4 You, however, smear me with lies;
    you are worthless physicians, all of you!
5 If only you would be altogether silent!
    For you, that would be wisdom.
6 Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show him partiality?
    Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?
10 He would surely call you to account
    if you secretly showed partiality.
11 Would not his splendour terrify you?
    Would not the dread of him fall on you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defences are defences of clay. 13 ‘Keep silent and let me speak;
    then let come to me what may.
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
    and take my life in my hands?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely defend my ways to his face.
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
    for no godless person would dare come before him!

A. Find Out

1. What does Job now claim? v.1,2
2. But what does he say he wants to do? v.3
3. What does he say about his ’friends’? v.4,5
4. What does he ask them to do & what is his concern? v.6-9
5. What does he say God would do and why? v.10-12
6. What does he realise about him speaking to God? v.13,14
7. Yet what does he believe? v.15,16

B. Think:

1. What does Job think about his friends?
2. What concern has he about speaking out to God?
3. Yet what is his confidence?

C. Comment:

This is quite a remarkable passage. First of all Job declares that he is aware of the truth of all that he has just said (v.1), that God is sovereign, and this understanding shows he is not inferior to his friends (v.2). Nevertheless he wants to speak to the Lord (v.3). Arguing with them isn’t doing any good (implied) for they don’t speak the truth about him (v.4) and they’d do better to remain silent (v.5). He wants them to listen (v.6). He implies that as they have sought to speak on God’s behalf they have not told the truth (v.7), nor have they been impartial (v.8). If He examined them they would not show up well (v.9) and He would tell them off if they were not impartial, even if they tried to hide it (v.10). His greatness would terrify them (v.11) and all their words appear as ashes (v.12), so they should keep quiet and let him speak (v.13).

Yet now he realises he is treading on dangerous ground, daring to challenge the Lord (v.14), but then comes an amazing statement of confidence in the Lord: even if God should kill him (v.15) for daring to speak (implied), he will yet trust the Lord (for his eternal destiny?) and speak out the truth as he sees it. Indeed, he feels his speaking out will be the cause of his deliverance (v.16a), for his very confidence is a sign of his righteousness (v.16b)

D. Application:

1. Do you and I have such confidence in God’s love and goodness?
2. Do we declare our righteousness?

Passage: Job 13:17-28

17 Listen carefully to what I say;
    let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,
    I know I will be vindicated.
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?
    If so, I will be silent and die.

20 ‘Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
21 withdraw your hand far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then summon me and I will answer,
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
    Show me my offence and my sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
    and consider me your enemy?
25 Will you torment a wind-blown leaf?
    Will you chase after dry chaff?
26 For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;
    you keep close watch on all my paths
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

28 ‘So man wastes away like something rotten,
    like a garment eaten by moths.

A. Find Out

1. What does he ask, what has he done & what does he expect? v.17-19
2. What two things does he ask of the Lord? v.20-22
3. What 3 things does he ask of the Lord? v.23-25
4. What does he feel the Lord does? v.26
5. What does it feel like the Lord has done? v.27
6. What is an end result of such things? v.28

B. Think:

1. Summarise verses 17-19.
2. What again are the two things he asks of the Lord?
3. What does he then go on to ask the Lord?

C. Comment:

Having declared his assurance in being able to approach the Lord (v.15,16), Job now challenges his friends over what he has to say (v.17) because he has thought this through (v.18) and is confident that he is innocent (v.19). He asks just two things of the Lord (v.20a) and will then willingly stand before the Lord to answer anything else (implied (v.20b).

He first asks the Lord to lift off His hand that seems to bring him such strife (v.21) – presumably to allow him to be more clear headed, to be more clear thinking – and then asks the Lord to bring him into His presence and let him speak (v.22). He then proceeds with his questions, assuming he is in the Lord’s presence.

First he asks what his sins are (v.23), why it is that it seems that the Lord has withdrawn from him (v.24). It seems to him that the Lord is pursuing him (v.25) and bringing him to account for all the failures of his youth (v.26) so that it feels like he is chained in this place of suffering from which he can get no relief (implied v.27). The consequence of this – for him and for any such person – is that it feels like he is slowly rotting away (v.28).

Remember that this is what Job FEELS the situation is, not what it actually is, for the Lord has allowed this NOT because of Job’s sin but for exactly the opposite – because he is righteous!

D. Application:

1. Sometimes feelings can make life feel bad.
2. Sometimes feelings don’t convey the truth.