Year 2, Day 125: Job 31

Job’s Last Defense

Job 31 is the end of Job’s defense.  What a defense it really is!  This is a great chapter in which Job finally returns home to seeing what is important.  This is a chapter in which we can finally see a great portrait of righteousness.  It is here that we see righteousness abound brightly in Job’s words.  Here we gain confidence that although Job has faltered along the way, he has never lost the faith.

Verses 5-8 speak about falsehood.  Job has not lived a life of deceit.  He has not lived a life of cheating other people.  He has not lived a life of trying to cheat God, either.  He has taken the pursuit of righteousness seriously.

Verses 9-12 talk about sexual purity.  Keep in mind that Job likely lived in a time and a place where polygamy was a reasonably well accepted way of life for men.  For Job to speak about being sexually pure and not being turned aside to be enticed by any woman besides his wife it is a pretty bold claim.  We could even say that such a claim would be in the vast minority.  We understand that Job’s sense of righteousness can be seen through his view of sexual purity.

Verses 13-15 speak about observing the rights and needs of employees (or slaves).  In other words, Job is speaking seriously to watching over those who are under him.  Job has tried to treat those under him fairly because he knows that he desires to be treated fairly should he have a complaint with God.

Verses 16-23 talk about watching over the poor and those in the community who cannot do anything to help their condition.  Job speaks about caring for the fatherless.  Remember that in Job’s day it was the man who could buy and sell food, clothing, etc.  So without a father the children would not have much access to food, clothing, and maybe even shelter.  Job also talks about caring for the poor.  He was a source of help to them.

Verses 24-28 speak about Job’s ability to put his trust in God rather than wealth.  In fact, these verses talk about Job’s ability to have wealth in a way that the wealth does not instead have him.  The verses speak about Job’s ability to not use his wealth as a reason for thinking himself better than others.

Verses 29-37 talk about relationships and Job’s view of other people.  He has not gloated over the downfall of people who are now gloating over his downfall.  He has not tried to hide the times when he made mistakes.  He has tried to be upright in his dealings with others.

Verses 38-40 talk about Job’s relationship with nature.  Job has not pushed the land too hard.  Job has not demanded of the land more than the land could reasonably bear.  He has been a good steward.

All in all, we have a really good image of righteousness in this chapter.  We can see a righteous perspective on these topics: sex, money, relationships, stewardship, caring for those under us, caring for the poor, caring for the orphans.  I’m not saying Job is completely innocent; given the fact that he talks about not hiding his failings I don’t think Job is claiming perfection, either.  But we do have a really good summary of what righteous behavior encompasses.  I give Job much credit for coming through his physical trial and the trial of his friends and still being able to give a reasonable perspective on righteousness.

Keep in mind that as I have spoken I have occasionally spoken in ways that may sound like works-based righteousness.  If that comes across, let’s not forget that earlier Job has spoken about knowing that his redeemer lives.  Job has already given us a picture of knowing that his righteousness comes from heaven.  Therefore, we can be confident as we read this chapter that Job is speaking about these acts as a response to righteousness, not an attempt to make himself righteous because of these works.  Job is not saying he is righteous because of these things.  Job is claiming that he does these things because of his righteousness.  We should think similarly as Job.

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