Job 31:9–12

After these sorrowful complaints, Job closed his long speech, as we see in Job 31. He ended with a series of strong declarations that almost amount to oaths. His friends had accused him of definite sins and wrongdoing. As to these things his conscience was clear, though, as we have seen, he admitted he was not pure in the sight of God. So he strongly affirmed that he had not committed the kinds of evil they alleged or hinted at.

Job opens this sevenfold protest of purity and integrity. He dwells on a side of his character and conduct that even his friends had not openly challenged. They had hinted at general wickedness — turning away from God, violent dealings with the needy and others. But they had never touched the subject of personal purity.

In all this he was pure — willing to have his own home violated if this were not so. Here we get a glimpse of his family life, as holy as that of Isaac, Joseph, and the purest of the patriarchs.

Men might draw their conclusions from appearances. Job could still ask God to weigh him in a just balance, and to see whether he had used deceit or turned aside from the way. If he had, then let another reap the results of his labour. And let punishment reach even his own wife for such consuming evil on his part.

Again, he insists. Suppose a woman had enticed his heart. Suppose he had taken the first step in going to his neighbour's house with evil motives. Then let his wife leave him and choose another. "For," he says, "that would be wickedness, deserving of judgment. For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase" (vv. 11-12). He had no doubt about the wickedness of such things, even though many careless people today think otherwise.

Job had shut his eyes, the way into the heart, by a settled purpose — a "covenant" against even a look at what might stir up passion. In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord showed that real purity must lie in the heart. It is not just a matter of outward restraint (Matt. 5:27-28)… "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" said Joseph when the temptress came at him (Gen. 39:9). In an hour of spiritual sloth, David had let his eyes wander, and had fallen (2 Sam. 11:2).

This chapter shows that before God gave the law, a high standard of morality was still found among God-fearing men. That standard looked not only at the outward act but also at the inward motive behind the act.

But we must take note of the self-righteousness that moved Job to speak of himself like this. He was putting himself on display rather than giving glory to God. No doubt at bottom he was a man of genuine piety, but it is no glory to set out one's own glory.

Here, at the close of his last speech, Job makes his most solemn and complete declaration of innocence. He is not denying what he had already admitted about man's condition, his own included. But he flatly rejects the thought of grievous wickedness hidden under a fair exterior, which God might now be waging war against, as his friends had supposed.

His friends had accused him of definite sins and wrongdoing. As to these things his conscience was clear, though, as we have seen, he admitted he was not pure in the sight of God. So he strongly affirmed that he had not committed the kinds of evil that were alleged or hinted at.

He returns to the subject he began with. He dwells on the sin of adultery against a neighbour (verses 9-12). In all this he was pure — willing to have his own home violated if it were not so. We get here a glimpse of his family life, equal in holiness to that of Isaac, Joseph, and the purest of the patriarchs.

This chapter shows that before God gave the law, God-fearing men still held a high standard of morality. That standard looked not only at the outward act but at the inward motive behind it. See the examples: he speaks of what he thought, or did not think, in verse 1; of his heart walking after his eyes, in verse 7; and of his heart enticed in secret, in verse 27.

Again, he knew that deceit and false witness was wrong; see verse 5: that adultery was wrong; see verse 9: that idolatry was wrong; see verses 26-28; since the worship of sun and moon was the most primitive form that idolatry took.

He judges unclean lusts as well as actions. He does this in the fear of Him who had power to cast soul and body into hell — Him who meanwhile took notice of all his steps. Trusting in gold, the covetousness the New Testament calls idolatry, was as hateful to his spirit as giving the highest lights in creation the glory due to God alone. In those early days that sin seems to have been just as clearly punishable before the judge as the sins of those who schemed to destroy another man's home. (Compare verses 9-11 with verses 26-28.)

Set a strong guard around your outward senses. These are Satan's landing places, above all the eye and the ear. Take care what you take in through them; empty talk seldom passes without leaving some stain on the heart. And as for your eye, do not let it wander; impure objects cause impure thoughts. Job knew his eye and his thoughts were likely to go together, and so to secure the one he makes a covenant with the other.

But we must take note of the self-righteousness that moved Job to speak of himself like this. He was putting himself on display instead of giving glory to God. No doubt at bottom he was a man of genuine piety, but it is no glory to set out one's own glory.

He reviews his life to prove that he is clean in the sight of God and of man. But what are his declarations after all? Nothing but the filthy rags of his own righteousness — the empty boasting of a good, moral man, such as we hear on all sides.

The main subjects of the chapter group themselves under seven heads: (1) Declaration of chastity and uprightness (verses 1-12). (2) Kindness at home and abroad (verses 13-23). (3) Refusal of all forms of idolatry (verses 24-28)…

In Job 31 he protests his innocence in the most solemn way, his personal purity, his equity and consideration of his servants, his remembrance of the poor, his horror of idolatry, his freedom from vindictiveness, his cultivation of hospitality, his refusal to conceal any wrongdoing, and this without fear before the Almighty.

Revelation 9:11 shows this name to be the same as Apollyon, "the destroyer," who is called "the angel of the bottomless pit." It is perhaps not so much a name of Satan as his character personified. It occurs six times in the Old Testament. Three of those link it with hell (sheol): Job 26:6; Proverbs 15:11; Proverbs 27:20. One links it with death: "Destruction and Death say," Job 28:22. One links it with the grave: Psalm 88:11. In all these passages, and in Job 31:12, it is translated "destruction."

He was settled in his judgment about the wickedness of such things, though his thinking was contrary to that of large numbers of careless people today.

His eyes, the avenue to the heart, had been closed by full purpose — a "covenant," against even a look at what might stir up passion. In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord showed that real purity must lie in the heart, and not only in outward self-control (Matthew 5:27-28)… "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" said Joseph when the woman tried to tempt him (Genesis 39:9). In an hour of spiritual sloth, David had allowed his eyes to wander, and had fallen (2 Samuel 11:2).

We can be sure of this: not one of the friends who all but accused him could have afforded to test himself as Job does here. He judges unclean lusts as well as actions; and this in the fear of Him who had power to cast soul and body into hell — Him who meanwhile took note of all his steps.

But we must notice the self-righteousness that moved Job to speak of himself like this. He was putting himself on display rather than giving glory to God. Deep down he was no doubt a man of real godliness, but there is no glory in putting your own glory on show.

This "righteousness," as Job 29 will show us, had to do with his outward conduct. The searching light of God had not yet entered his soul. He had been charged with being a deceiver and a hypocrite. He knew he was not this… We too know that he was not, but outward correctness does not in itself count for righteousness in the presence of God.