I would lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would pay attention to me.
There an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
Job is in a bad place. His family, his possessions, his friendships, have all been destroyed. The only thing we see in his life at this point is a wife who wishes he would curse God and just die and three “friends,” however their original good intents, have turned to become judge and juror. Bildad, Zophar and Eliphaz have each taken their turn to declare that Job’s plight is due to his wickedness. We know from chapters one and two that they are wrong. Job knows from his life’s body of work that they are wrong. Never-the-less, in this section Job no longer sits by while they attack him. No, he is going on attack. He is going to challenge them (and God). In the above passage Job is wanting to have an audience with God. He believes if he could but talk to God he would get the justice he deserves. This talking to judgmental men is not working for Job. Notice how this aligns with Solomon’s words about justice:
Many seek the face of a ruler,
but it is from the LORD that a man gets justice.
Job’s friends have become his judge. Job believes he is innocent. In chapter 24, Job will talk about all those who abuse others and God does not judge them, at least to Job’s knowledge. Job has reached a place where he begins to justify himself. It was bound to happen. If you accuse someone long enough of things they did not do, it won’t take long for them to defend. God will correct Job for this and his friends for their judgmental spirit. But, the truth is that Job believes if he can have an audience with God that God will vindicate him. He is correct. That is how the book unfolds. However, Job is wrong in that he is not innocent. None of us are innocent. Job should simply ignore his friends (hard to do) and put himself in the hands of a gracious God. He is moving that way. But, he is not yet there. It is God who will vindicate.
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