Job 31:2 Commentary and Bible Study

‘For what portion of God is there from above?’ By these words Job reminds himself that he cannot sin with impunity. God is over all the ways of men and observes all their devices and no one can get away with sin in secret. They will certainly receive a portion from God: a portion of judgment to punish what they have done. The believer reminds himself of this when he is tempted and this knowledge acts as a self-imposed restraint to prevent him from giving way to evil. Those who transgress have their lot cast by the Lord and they certainly will experience it. Justice is inescapable and we delude ourselves if we think that by some twist or turn we can avoid it. To the wicked God has assigned destruction and each one, in spite of the freedom they have been given by the Lord, will unquestionably arrive at that point. They of course have no wish to travel the road to disaster and, to the extent that they have any foresight regarding where they are heading, they will try to avoid it. But they do not take account of the overruling influence and control of God on their lives. Therefore they will come to disaster with a sense that they are being steered to their destiny by an unseen hand.Job reminded himself of such things. He feared God; he feared to stand with the wicked for he was certain that if he did, the lot of the wicked would become his lot. He did not reason, ‘Once saved, always saved.’ Though he could not see God, he knew that God saw all his ways and followed all that he did with the closest scrutiny.