Job 9:4

Job's reply starts quietly, moves on to bitter charges against God, and ends in a wail. It falls into seven parts. In this full survey of his case he sounds all the heights and depths of misery. (1) God supreme; who can contend with Him? (Job 9:1-4). (2) His unstoppable power (verses 5-10). (3) He cannot be reached, and He deals as He pleases (verses 11-24). (4) Job's utter weakness (verses 25-28). (5) Longing for someone to arbitrate between them (verses 29-35).

Although he speaks quietly, there is an intense bitterness in what Job says here. Apparently agreeing with Bildad that God is just, Job says, "Of course He is just, for there is no appeal from whatever He does. He has both wisdom and power, and can crush any useless effort to reason with Him." This is terrible. It is not someone humbly asking God for a reason; it is the hardness of despair — might is right, and God has might on His side.

In verse 3 Job admits that even if he wanted to argue his case with God, the odds against him were at least 1000 to one! There was evidence enough that God was wise in heart and mighty in strength. If one hardened himself against God he would certainly not prosper. God could remove mountains by an earthquake. He shakes the earth and makes its steadiest parts tremble. He could also tell the sun not to rise, at least as far as our sight goes, and seal the stars off from view. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. Whether earth or sky or sea, He is in perfect control.

"Who has hardened himself against Him, and had peace?" (or, "has prospered"). Job well knew there was neither peace nor prosperity in seeking to refuse obedience to God. Jonah (and you and I) should know this same great truth, and yet how slow we are to learn it!

The folly of rebellion shows up at once: "who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?" The folly is so great that men have to hide from themselves the truth about what they are doing, and the "heart is" indeed "deceitful above all things"... Only one reason can be given for the insanity of rebelling against Him: "the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot." (Rom. 8:7.) Satan is the determined enemy of the Almighty, and he knows it.

The frogs died, and Pharaoh hardened, or made heavy, his heart. But "who has hardened himself against Him and has prospered?" (Job 9:4). Job said it, and Pharaoh was no exception to the truth of that ancient saying. And God was not going to waste time with the king. He was in earnest.

Suppose a man takes a defiant attitude and argues his case against God. What then? Disaster, and no justification! Sin has made mankind into rebels, so defying God is their first instinct. But Job saw how ruinous such an attitude would be. God is so infinitely great that no rebel can prosper.

There is more emphasis than we are often aware of in this chapter. "How should a man be just with God?" More emphasis on "with God." Man may be just in a certain sense. He may not fail in any way that troubles his conscience in his dealings with other people. But to be just with God is another thing... This chapter works that out, though Job does it in impatience. In the end he arrives at a need — the very need the Saviour met.