Audio Links

Video Links

With Comments by Larry Groenewald

Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Job 31:2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Job 31:3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
Job 31:4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Job 31:5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Job 31:6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
Job 31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
Job 31:8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Job 31:9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Job 31:10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
Job 31:11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Job 31:12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Job 31:13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Job 31:14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Job 31:15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Job 31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Job 31:17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
Job 31:18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)
Job 31:19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
Job 31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
Job 31:21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
Job 31:22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

Introduction

This is the last chapter in which Job, as the type and shadow of who we are, will be the main speaker. He and his “miserable comforters have spent all their time comparing themselves among themselves and pointing their fingers at Job as He did the same to them.

2Co 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

By comparing himself to his accusers, Job, showing us who we are, is blinded to his own faults to such an extent that he actually reproves, contends with and condemns his own Maker. As Job, to this point, we know nothing of the sin of self- righteousness. He is so confident in his own integrity that he actually wants God to be made aware of just how good a man he is and just how righteous he is. Job, the type of God’s elect before their eyes are opened to see who they are, honestly believes that God has simply overlooked all the good works he has performed for God, in being a righteous and an equitable man in his dealings with God and with his fellow man. In chapter 29 Job, declares to us and to God, all the wonderful works he had performed for all his fellow men. He never mentions God’s sovereign hand because He believes he himself is the source of all these good works.
In chapter 29 Job takes to himself all the credit for all the “many wonderful works” he had done instead of acknowledging that he could do nothing without the strength, health and the support of his God.

Job 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Job 29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Job 29:16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
Job 29:17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
Job 29:18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

In chapter 30 he is still blind to his self- righteousness and spends that chapter viciously deriding his accusers, as if their humble means of sustaining themselves was their own fault, and therefore that somehow made them less worthy than himself.

Job 30:1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
Job 30:2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
Job 30:3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
Job 30:4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
Job 30:5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
Job 30:6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
Job 30:7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
Job 30:8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
Job 30:9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

Our Lord reveals to us how we are all, in our own appointed time, just as disdainful of those who we see as being below ourselves, just as Job did:

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

In this chapter Job continues to reprove and contend with God by asking a multitude of questions, which he thinks will finally open God’s eyes and somehow convince God that he is, of himself, much too good a person to be treated as God’s enemy. These are his last words to that end, and he makes the most of this opportunity to claim his own righteousness and integrity, independent of his God who sustains his life.
This is the spirit the Lord finds so offensive in us all. It is the attitude and spirit of “Look God, just open your eyes and take note of just how good I am. I may not be perfect, but I certainly do not warrant being counted as your enemy, and treated as I am being treated.”
Here is that spirit:

Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

This question alone reveals that Job, who was indeed, from a natural perspective and from the perspective of any person who believes in the false doctrine of ‘free will’, ‘a perfect man who loved God and eschewed [ hated] evil’.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect [ Hebrew, good] and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

But this question Job puts to God, “Why should I think upon a maid?”, demonstrates that he is not yet aware of the fact that God created him, and all mankind, as a sinning machine:

Psa 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay [ Adam, and all who are in Adam] was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Job obviously does not believe that “there is none that doeth good, no not one”. Nor does He believe that “it is not in man that walks to direct his steps”. He just told us “I made a covenant with my eyes…”

Job 31:2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Job 31:3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

The question posed in verse 2, “What portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?”, is answered by the question asked in verse 3. “Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?” Both of these verses, as far as Job is concerned, are simply the result of his own choice, made of his own self- righteous, ‘free will” to not “think on a maid”.

Job 31:4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Job 31:5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Job 31:6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

Here we have Job’s sense of frustration. “Does not He see my [ righteous] ways, and count all my [ wonderful] steps?” ‘Cannot God “see my ways, and count my steps? If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hasted to deceit, let me be weighed in an even balance, that [ my poor blind, unfair, monstrous] God may know mine integrity”. Job may not realize that he is doing so, but God tells us that Job is reproving, contending with, and even condemning God in questioning God’s right to do with His own creation as He sees fit, and he is doing it “that God may know mine integrity”. This spirit of self- righteousness, which questions God’s own integrity, is what God calls “filthy rags”. He does not tell us that our ‘sins’ are like filthy rags. Rather He tells us that ‘ our righteousnesses’ are as filthy rags, and then He tells us that “our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away”. This sin of self- righteousness is one of the most insidious sins with which we all must contend.

Job 40:1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
Job 40:2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
Job 40:3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 40:6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

It is because we see ourselves as being much better than God sees us as being, that we continue to condemn God with our self- righteous questions aimed at what we perceive as a blind, and heartless Being.

LARRY

Verses 1-6:

Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Job 31:2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Job 31:3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
Job 31:4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Job 31:5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Job 31:6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

Job sees an uneven balance in God’s judgment on him. Job did not as yet receive eyes inside to see what is all in his own heart (inner world = ‘in the world’). Job has an outward form of godliness. He only sees and keeps the outside of the cup clean and thinks those outward rituals and good deeds clean the inside also – just the opposite to what Jesus said:

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

It seems Job expects a reward from God for all his good works. His boldness speaks of a man who is totally blind to his true spiritual condition. This serves to emphasize Job’s outward life as ‘perfect’ and ‘upright’ and an overall hatred for evil. He does not see himself as the wicked (man of sin) – so what happened to him is not deserved. Dust or clay deserves nothing because God works all.

Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Job 31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
Job 31:8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

Self- righteousness is unknown to Job. His definition of righteousness, is for him to simply be a good man who is good to all other men. What more could God expect? If Job has not “turned out of the way” of being good to his fellow man, and fair in all of his business affairs, and generous to the poor and needy, then surely God can see that there is no justification for treating Job as His enemy.

Job 31:9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Job 31:10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
Job 31:11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

These are graphic words, which in type describe the very sin of which Job is guilty, inasmuch as he is presumptuously crediting himself with the Lord’s righteousness. This sin of self- righteousness is nothing less than worshiping and serving the beast. It is nothing less than worshiping the creature instead of the Creator.

Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jer 51:10 The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Job, as the Biblical type of what we all do when God pours out the seven vials of His wrath upon us, truly believes that these questions he is asking God, are proving beyond any doubt that he himself is righteous and above reproach. All the while, the very fact that he (and we) dare to question our Maker demonstrates that our Creator has blinded our eyes to the foolishness of attempting to discredit our own Maker.
Here is God’s own solemn warning against this natural reaction to rebelling against the doctrine of needing God’s wrath poured out upon us:

Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay [ Adam, you, me, Job] say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Isa 45:10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Isa 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
Isa 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

The translators do not seem to have understood that verse 11 is a question which God is posing to demonstrate the absurdity of questioning His ways. The point is that anyone who does that is, in effect, attempting to command God about what He is or is not to do. Verse 12 demonstrates the absurdity of questioning God or ever attempting to “command [ Him]… concerning the work of [ His] hands”. “I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.”

Job 31:12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

“It is a fire that consumes to destruction”, refers to the unfaithful, adulterous mind and actions which Job alluded to in verses 10-11. Adultery is the sin of infidelity, and it is “an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.”
What we, as Job, cannot see while God is pouring out His wrath upon us, is this spirit of self- righteousness which causes us to be so proud of all of our own good works. It is the very spirit of that harlot Babylon within us, and it is this spirit which is being judged and destroyed.

Rev 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

We, as Job before we are judged, truly believe that our righteousness is so great that it is not possible for God to be displeased with us, and we do not believe we will ever see any sorrow,

LARRY
Verses 7-12

Job 31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
Job 31:8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Job 31:9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Job 31:10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
Job 31:11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Job 31:12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

Isa 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me (?)

As Mike pointed out, this is a question God posed to our daring beast when we in effect command God to reconsider or change His ways when we question and contend with Him concerning the works of His hands in our lives, especially those works we don’t agree with. We usually do this under the guise of a prayer, like the Pharisee did in the temple of God:

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Our natural mind cannot accept the spiritual things of God even when we rightly confess with our lips that good and evil come from the hands of God:

Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job 31:13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Job 31:14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Job 31:15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

What do we do when God rises up? What do we do when He visits us, as He has visited Job? What will we answer Him? We answer him as Job is doing. We answer him by declaring to Him how righteous we are and how undeserving we are of Him rising up against us and visiting us in His wrath against our old self- righteous man. These words are all coming out of the same mouth that has just told us:

Job 30:1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

Yes indeed, you and I might very well be spiritual millionaires, but we have no reason to glory of ourselves. The spiritual blessings and the spiritual knowledge we have been given, and our understanding of spiritual matters is all just a gift to us from the very same God who only yesterday had us as deceived as the multitudes who come in His name, but do not abide in His Word. So when we do look down on others, whether they are our servants or not, we are all “that man” who at first “disdain[ s] to have [ such ignorant and spiritually poor people to] set with the dogs of our flock”.
How then is it possible that we can act as if we have never raised up ourselves above our manservant or our maidservant? Here is the only way to account for such blind self- righteousness:

Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Job 31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Job 31:17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
Job 31:18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)

“He was brought up with me as with a father” refers to the fatherless and the poor, and “I have guided her from my mother’s womb” refers to the widow. Once again Job is protesting that he has always been a father to the fatherless, and he has always been the widow’s song. Going back to chapter 29 he has already told us this:

Job 29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

God may not see things as we do, as Job typifies us, but we ourselves are in absolute awe of our own goodness and our own righteousness.

Job 31:19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
Job 31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
Job 31:21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
Job 31:22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

For those who can see it this is the very spirit for which Christ has these words:

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

When we pour out our resources on the poor of this world, while taking the credit for our own works, we are placing the poor of this world ahead of the body of Christ, and Christ will tell us “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity”.

Mat 26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Mat 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Mat 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mat 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Mat 26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

We are not pouring our ‘ointment’ out upon Christ’s body, when we think that the good works we bestow on this world are far more important and are far more expedient to our salvation than anything we may do for His body. We are totally unaware of it, but in truth our arm has spiritually fallen from our shoulder blade, and our arm has been “broken from the bone”. That is just how crippled we are, when we are in the spirit of Job, as we all must first be.

LARRY
Verses 13-22:

Job 31:13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Job 31:14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Job 31:15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Job 31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Job 31:17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
Job 31:18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)
Job 31:19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
Job 31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
Job 31:21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
Job 31:22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

Verse 13 is crucial to see how Job indirectly instructs God how He should treat His righteous servant (Job) when he brings his righteous case before Him. Job will never despise his servants the way God is doing to him.

Job 31:13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

The flesh and our natural mind will always disagree with God’s ways of doing things. And it will always respond with indignation and self- justification:

Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

How easily we claim entitlement or rewards when God has gifted us with everything we have. We deserve nothing because how can the word “deserve” even make sense and be used when we consider that we are just a piece of dust. We do not get higher dust or lower dust – dust is dust.

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will continue to see the self- righteousness which so afflicts “the vessel… of clay, the symbol of all men, at first. Here are Job’s last words before he “comes to himself” and is granted to hear Elihu, as the symbol and type of God’s “two witnesses” who must have the testimony of Jesus, just before Christ Himself reveals the Father to us.

Job 31:23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Job 31:24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
Job 31:25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
Job 31:26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
Job 31:27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
Job 31:28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
Job 31:29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Job 31:30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
Job 31:31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
Job 31:32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
Job 31:33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
Job 31:34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
Job 31:35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
Job 31:36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
Job 31:37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
Job 31:38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
Job 31:39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
Job 31:40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.