It’s interesting to me that in the opening verses of chapter 30, Job talked about people who were on the margins of society. People were marginalized even back then! And Job, blameless as he was, shared the prejudices of society. These people were gaunt “from want and famine” and were reduced to digging for roots for food and living in caves for shelter. He tells in the next chapter how he has understood his slaves’ equality with him before God, and how he has cared for the needy; so how is he justified in disdaining these other people as even lower than his dogs (who were not cherished as pets in that day, were looked upon then much as we look upon rats in our culture)? Remember that God called Job blameless. Also recall that this is a book of poetry, not teaching.
Job details in chapter 31 his character demonstrated by his conduct. This is the character and conduct of a blameless man. This should be our goal. One good method in Bible study is to make a list when given this kind of valuable information. We should understand each item on the list in terms of what it meant for Job, and then, in light of that, what it means for us. For example, the widow and the orphan are of special concern for God throughout Scripture, because they were the neediest, most helpless people in ancient society. Today this is not so because the government cares for them. But understand what he was doing in caring for their needs: he was caring for those whom society would be inclined to forget, who were so unimportant as to be overlooked, who mattered to no one and so mattered not at all. Often they had no homes, and didn’t eat except at the charity of others. And who gives charity to those who don’t matter? So if the blameless person takes care of the needs of those whom society overlooks, who in your life needs your care? Likely that care doesn’t look like what Job’s care to the needy looked like, because times are so different. Perhaps that care looks like a kind word to one in your life whom society has marginalized, or befriending the friendless.
Note also in verse 31:38 Job’s care for the land. Does it surprise you that there were environmental advocates in Job’s day? Does it surprise you that responsible care for the land is a characteristic of the blameless man?
What else on the list surprises you? What on the list needs your attention?
Again Job expresses longing for Messiah. Do we appreciate the work of Jesus in giving us access to God?
We are swiftly making our way through Job, our first book of the Bible that we will complete, and not one of the easiest books to read and follow. Keep going; we’ll finish it in only three more days!