Job’s Answer to Bildad   (9:1 – 10:22)

9:1-16
It is very easy, when things are not going well, to have a distorted view of God. We often tend to see God through our circumstances rather than seeing our circumstances through God. The result is that we don’t see God as clearly or in a right light. Satan’s attack on Job was now being fought on a new front, his mind. Job’s friends helped Satan to vandalize Job’s view of God. As a result, Job made four mistakes in his thinking.

First, Job mistakenly thought: “God is so big and so busy that He will not listen to me.” Job had been crying to God for relief from his suffering and God had not yet answered him. Job concluded that God wouldn’t listen to him. Job felt that God was too big and powerful to listen to him (9:1-3). And even if Job could present his case before God and plead his innocence, he would not be able to stand God’s cross-examination. He would be unable to answer even one question God might ask him (9:3). Job felt insignificant trying to argue his case before the God who created the universe (9:4-9) and who was incomprehensible (9:10-12).

Job made the mistake of thinking that God is unapproachable and not desirous of a personal relationship with man. Job felt that even if he poured out his heart to God in prayer God would not listen (after all, his circumstances were not changing). Job felt that the only way to get God to hear him was by throwing himself on the mercy of God’s court (9:13-16). Job made the mistake of thinking that because nothing was happening God was not hearing his prayers.

9:17-24
Second, Job mistakenly thought: “God is not fair.” He felt God had given him a punishment that did not fit the crime. Job felt he had not done anything to deserve the things that had come upon him. He did not feel that he could win his case in court before God. He just felt that he had not been fairly treated.

9:25-35
Third, Job mistakenly thought: “God won’t forgive me.” Job felt his life was quickly passing him by without any sign of coming relief from God. He felt that no matter what he did, God was not going to forgive him and that he would eventually die paying for his sin. While Job was not aware of any sin he had committed that could have resulted in the tormenting calamities he had experienced, he felt unclean. Job longed for a mediator, someone who could help him settle his case before God.