Job 13:22

He asks, "Only do not do two things to me" (v.20). If so, then Job would not try to hide from God. First, "Withdraw your hand far from me." That is, do not go on with this affliction, which Job felt he could not bear. Second, "let not the dread of You make me afraid" (v.21). He did not want the thought of God's glory to terrify him.

"Withdraw your hand far from me" — that is the outward thing. "And let not your dread" — the inward — "make me afraid." "Then call, and I will answer" — and so he did — "or let me speak, and answer me."

Was there not a possibility of some communication with God? Either let God call him and let Job answer, or let Job speak and God respond to him (v.22).

Relieve me from the sufferings. Withdraw Your hand, which rests on me, and keep it far away. And let not Your terror make me afraid. Then call, and I will answer (verses 20-22). Or let me speak, he says, and answer me. Then the right note sounds once more. In the end he must sound that note in full in his wretched misery — "How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sins." But it lasted only a moment. He breaks out in fresh charges against God.

But how dare he speak before that One from whose presence he would instinctively flee? Let Him at least remove the awful dread that chills Job's heart. Let Him relieve his pain, and Job will answer or speak to Him. How these words, beautiful in their very anguish, cry aloud for the blessed Daysman, the Mediator! Blessed be God, we can "with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

You see Job could not answer God, and he is struggling under this: what does he say he wants? "There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both." Oh, I have no arbiter! "Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not dread of Him terrify me." What Job said he did not have is exactly what we have now in Christ. Was Christ a terror in this world?

On the one hand, there was a remarkable spirit of faith... He had wanted to die. If God granted that wish and killed him, he would not lose confidence but would still trust Him. This was excellent. But Job also showed his weak spot. He was determined to "maintain," or "defend" his own ways before Him. So we see that a true saint may have very real faith in God, and yet a determined streak of self-esteem can spoil it.

Look back at the beginning of Job 23. There Job had expressed his wish to get into contact with God, in a self-confident way. He felt sure he could set out his case before Him... Now the moment had come for his wish to come true. Jehovah tells him to dress for action like a man, and to be ready to answer the voice of God. The questionings now should come from God.