Job 27

The End of the Line

Job 27

FRIDAY  Reflections

“Just admit you did it,” says the police officer in every or nearly every mystery book or movie. In most of those situations, the first suspect isn’t the guilty party. The person the police are trying to get a confession out of isn’t guilty. Most of the time the person refuses to cooperate and is eventually found innocent. Job is in this same place. His friends are telling him to confess. Job refuses to admit he’s in the wrong.

 

Job also points out he understands what will happen if he was a hypocrite. Though not expressed, I believe Job is saying it wouldn’t do him any good to try to pretend to be righteous if he wasn’t. This is especially true considering where he currently was, the proverbial “end of the line.”  

Job 27:1-23
(1)  Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
(2)  As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
(3)  All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
(4)  My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
(5)  God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
(6)  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
(7)  Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
(8)  For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
(9)  Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
(10)  Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
(11)  I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
(12)  Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
(13)  This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
(14)  If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
(15)  Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
(16)  Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
(17)  He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
(18)  He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
(19)  The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
(20)  Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
(21)  The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
(22)  For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
(23)  Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

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