Job 9:11 Commentary and Bible Study

Job now speaks of how irresistible are God’s purposes, and how impossible to discern they are. God is working when we are unaware of it. He has countless means open to him, and in spite of knowing he has been at work and has fulfilled prophecy, when we examine how he did it, we cannot understand it. It is as if he passes us on the road of life, and goes ahead and prepares something for us, and we do not even see him pass. He has surrounded us with his knowledge, and it is quite futile to think that we can escape his influence and control. ‘O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. ² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. ³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. ⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me’ (Psalm 139:1-5).The Lord does as he pleases and he does not explain himself to us. He takes away a life, a loved one, and we cannot prevent it. All things that happen to us must simply be accepted. Furthermore, all things that happen to us, happen for our good. This is a New Testament promise, but God does not change and it was true for Job also. So many of his works are beyond our scrutiny. We must continue to trust him in spite of this, and by means of these things he trains us to trust him. Who can call him to account, or force him to give an explanation for the things they find hard? No one can question what he does, for God answers only to himself, and it would be abhorrent to require him to answer to his own creation. Everything he does is perfectly wise, but his wisdom is out of sight for us. His will is far more profound than mere retribution.