Job 24:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters | Metropolitan Tabernacle

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Job 24:1

Comments

In verses 1-17 of this chapter Job asks how God can allow such injustice to exist in the earth? How can he allow the wicked to be so successful in their evil intentions and to get away with so much at the expense of the poor and needy? How can he be so indifferent to this situation that he does nothing about it? Verses 18 to the end of the chapter have caused problems for interpreters, since they appear to then reverse Job’s view. He appears to say that the wicked are not able to get away with their sins, that justice catches up with them. The apparent contradiction has caused some to conclude that these verses are misplaced and should be re-assigned to one of the speakers. Others however have a higher respect for Scripture and reject this ruse. The NKJ solves the problem by frequently inserting the word ‘should’ in verses 18 to 20 – this is what should happen to them. The ESV makes verses 18 to 20 Jobs’s quotation of what the comforters had said. But at verse 21, most versions revert to asserting what does actually happen to the wicked, as even the NKJ understands. The chapter therefore becomes a description of the ultimate destiny of the wicked, and Job is sure that justice does prevail in the end. Taken as a whole, he argues that the comforters are wrong to insist that the wicked are always brought to justice in this life, so that all are forced to see that an evil life does not profit. For much of the time they get away with their evil schemes. Job however is certain that ultimately – though he does not say precisely when – God’s justice catches up with them.He starts however with a troubling question: If God knows everything that occurs, if nothing is hidden from his eyes, if he loves his children and is angry with the wicked, why does he allow injustice to take place on the earth? Why do the righteousness not see the intervention of his justice on earth? Why does he appear to be indifferent to the happiness of the saints, those who know him and love him? Why is it such a struggle for them to uphold the principles of justice, and knowing how weak they are, why does he not come to their aid? This might be a source of tremendous discouragement to the righteous. It risks them concluding that God does not love them, or that he is not very concerned about how men behave, or that he lacks the power to do anything about it, or that he is not just after all. It is as if the righteous are left to fight the cause of righteousness single handed without any aid from on high. This is bound to raise perplexing questions in their minds. But the truth is that the Lord has provided all that is necessary to cope with this. He has given his revelation to the world and in that revelation he makes it abundantly clear that he does care for his people, that he will judge the wicked, that he deeply loves his people and has an eternal reward in store for them. This revelation is all that the righteous need to handle the trials of this world. They are called to exercise faith in God’s word, and this is sufficient to quench every fiery dart that is thrown at them. God allows the wicked to triumph prematurely so that their downfall should be all the striking when it comes.

Application

‘We must conclude that God’s judgments are secret and wonderful, and pass all man’s capacity, so that our wits fail us, and therefore we must reverence the secrets of God that are unknown to us, acknowledging him to be righteous, though we find his doings strange … When God does not punish the wicked, nor deliver the good, nor hear their requests at first, we are as it were in the dark, and God seems to be hidden and withdrawn out of the world, and to separate himself from it to let all go to havoc. Unless God makes us feel his providence, and proves to u openly that he governs both above and below, we are as it were in the night, and all becomes dark, for there is no light except in the countenance of God when he shows himself the Father of all good men in preferring them by his grace, and on the other hand punishes the wicked as they deserve … God’s hiding of times is not that he omits to exercise his judgments every minute of an hour, but because he delays and prolongs them, so that in the meantime we do not perceive his days … If God ordered things to that as soon as a man offended, he was punished according to his offence, and that the good lived here in peace and rest, what hope would there be of everlasting life? We would never allow ourselves to be plucked from below. If God gave us a peaceful and perfect state in which nothing was amiss, there would be no faith at all. We would no longer hope for eternal life; we would imagine that there was no resurrection … we would fall asleep here below and be tied fast to this world. But it is much better that things are out of order so that we remain awake … but when things go amiss we are compelled to think on God and to set our minds on high, and to consider that there is a judgment prepared which is not yet seen’ (Calvin – in modern English).

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Job 24:1 Commentary and Bible Study