Job 27:1-23

Job continues to defend his integrity, but he also talks about the plight of the wicked.  In many ways it seems that his friend’s words have rubbed off on him in that what he says is basically the same thing that they have been saying all along.  The difference is that he is not including himself as one suffering because of wickedness.  Even though he has suffered the plight that he describes as that of the wicked; he continues to insist that he has been honest and righteous.  It seems as if Job is demonstrating that he agrees with the evaluation of his friends to a certain point and he wants to assure them that he understands their argument; while at the same time, he wants to continue to defend his own integrity.  Job’s adversity seems to be building an even deeper character in his life and we can begin to sense that his heart is opening up to whatever God might be doing in his life.

JOB COMMENDS HIS INTEGRITY: Job seems to be moving away from his response to Bildad and now seems to be speaking to all of his friends in general.  He is about to discuss the trials of the wicked, but before he does so he want to make it very clear that he is not admitting to having been wicked himself.  Even though it sounds like he is describing his own experience, he wants everyone to know that he is not admitting to being wicked.  Job insists on the fact that God has inflicted him with this reality apart from his sinfulness.  Job remains committed to being honest and upright.  He will not use the pain he has suffered as an excuse for going off the “deep end”.  He will continue to worship the Lord and live righteously before Him as he insists that he has done throughout his lifetime.  We must not give up on doing what is right just because it does not produce the results that we imagined.

JOB CONDEMNS THE WICKED: Job now turns his speech towards that wicked and the consequences of wickedness.  Their family is destroyed, their wealth is taken away, their peace of mind is shattered and their health vanishes.  In general the wicked will be swept off the face of the earth and forgotten.  They have a miserable plight that should be avoided at all cost.  There are several things that are important to note.  First of all, we notice that the person does have all of the family and wealth in the first place in order for it to be swept away.  The wicked may prosper, but it is not permanent.  Second, Job has already made clear that this same type of disaster has fallen upon him even though he was not wicked.  The wicked will surely perish in time, but not all suffering is due to wickedness.  It is important that we learn not to make broad generalizations.  Suffering should not cause us to assume that the person is wicked, just as temporary prosperity should not cause us to presume a person is righteous.