WHAT IS GOD’S DESIRE FOR US?

Passage: Job 10:1-22

Key verse: 8

NIV

10 “I loathe my very life;(A)
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.(B)
2 I say to God:(C) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges(D) you have against me.(E)
3 Does it please you to oppress me,(F)
    to spurn the work of your hands,(G)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?(H)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?(I)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,(J)
6 that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin(K)—
7 though you know that I am not guilty(L)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?(M)

8 “Your hands shaped(N) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?(O)
9 Remember that you molded me like clay.(P)
    Will you now turn me to dust again?(Q)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh
    and knit me together(R) with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life(S) and showed me kindness,(T)
    and in your providence(U) watched over(V) my spirit.

13 “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:(W)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me(X)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.(Y)
15 If I am guilty(Z)—woe to me!(AA)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,(AB)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in[a] my affliction.(AC)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion(AD)
    and again display your awesome power against me.(AE)
17 You bring new witnesses against me(AF)
    and increase your anger toward me;(AG)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.(AH)

18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?(AI)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.(AJ)
19 If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!(AK)
20 Are not my few days(AL) almost over?(AM)
    Turn away from me(AN) so I can have a moment’s joy(AO)
21 before I go to the place of no return,(AP)
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,(AQ)
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness(AR) and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”(AS)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Job 10:15 Or and aware of
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Job Continues: A Plea to God

10 “I (A)loathe my life;
I will give free utterance to my (B)complaint;
    I will speak in (C)the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not (D)condemn me;
    let me know why you (E)contend against me.
3 (F)Does it seem good to you to oppress,
    to despise (G)the work of your hands
    (H)and favor the designs of the wicked?
4 Have you (I)eyes of flesh?
    (J)Do you see as man sees?
5 Are your days as the days of man,
    or your (K)years as a man's years,
6 that you (L)seek out my iniquity
    and search for my sin,
7 although you (M)know that I am not guilty,
    and there is (N)none to deliver out of your hand?
8 (O)Your hands fashioned and made me,
    and now you have destroyed me altogether.
9 Remember that you have made me like (P)clay;
    and will you return me to the (Q)dust?
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese?
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,
    and knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and steadfast love,
    and your care has preserved my spirit.
13 Yet these things you hid in your heart;
    I know that (R)this was your purpose.
14 If I sin, you (S)watch me
    and do not (T)acquit me of my iniquity.
15 (U)If I am guilty, woe to me!
    If I am (V)in the right, I cannot lift up my head,
for I am filled with disgrace
    and (W)look on my affliction.
16 And were my head lifted up,[a] you would hunt me like (X)a lion
    and again work (Y)wonders against me.
17 You renew your (Z)witnesses against me
    and increase your vexation toward me;
    you (AA)bring fresh troops against me.

18 (AB)“Why did you bring me out from the womb?
    Would that I had died before any eye had seen me
19 (AC)and were as though I had not been,
    carried from the womb to the grave.
20 (AD)Are not my days few?
    (AE)Then cease, and leave me alone, (AF)that I may find a little cheer
21 before I go—and (AG)I shall not return—
    to the land of (AH)darkness and (AI)deep shadow,
22 the land of gloom like thick darkness,
    like deep shadow without any order,
    where light is as thick darkness.”

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Job 10:16 Hebrew lacks my head
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Have you ever felt that life could not get any worse? This is how Job felt. He cried out to God in anguish and searched for answers. Why has God done this to him? It appears God was behaving like a mortal and smiling on the plans of the wicked. It simply didn’t make sense to Job. Why would God shape and form him, just to turn around and destroy him? Why would God give him life and show him kindness just to completely crush him? If Job was guilty, he would understand God’s actions. But even if he was innocent, it didn’t matter anymore. Job was already full of shame and affliction. Even if he could somehow raise his head above his circumstances, God would bring him low again.

In verse 18, Job wishes that he had never been born. If only God would give him a moment’s rest before he died! Even in death, there was no hope for Job. Job describes death as a land of gloom and utter darkness. What Job needed was a hope that penetrated the darkness. He needed a hope that lifted him above his sufferings and gave him peace and joy in the midst of his troubles. He needed a hope that overcomes even the power of death. God did not create us just to crush us. He created us to have eternal life in Christ and dwell in his presence forever. We all need this hope.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant us hope that overcomes.

One Word: God shaped us for his glory