1 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look upon a virgin? 2 What would be my portion from God above, and my heritage from the Almighty on high? 3 Does not calamity befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity? 4 Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?"
A. Job is right "in our face" in the first words of the chapter. He not only says he won't "look at" a virgin, but he puts it in "hyper religious" language. Have you ever made such a "covenant" with any part of your body? Your mouth? Mind? Eyes? What did you resolve to do, with God's help?
B. Would you use the type of language that Job uses to express this resolve?
C. The last phrase is derived from 14:16 but also from the thought world of Ps. 139. Is Job seemingly more accepting of God's watching over him here than in 7:11-21?
31:13-15
13 "If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves, when they brought a complaint against me; 14 what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? 15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them? And did not one fashion us in the womb?"
A. Job turns to his uprightness with respect to the "little people." Read also vv.16-20. What is the tone and subject matter of this series of "if-clauses"?
B. What is your attitude toward the many "little people" that do things for you? Do you have any moral principles that guide your action toward them?
C. Do you think that Job believed in the statement in v.15 before his distress, too?
31:24-28
24 "If I have made gold my trust, or called fine gold my confidence; 25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, or because my hand had gotten much; 26 if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, 27 and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand; 28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I should have been false to God above."
A. What would be indications that a person has made gold his or her trust today?
B. Job talks here about the allure of other religious systems or practices (worship of sun and moon). These practices may not be much of a temptation to us today, but what may be their modern equivalents?
C. Job seems to have a theology of money--that is, he relates his attitude towards his possessions to his attitude toward God. How does money relate to your faith?
31:35-37
35 "Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! 36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me like a crown; 37 I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him."
A. Scholars approach this passage two different ways. The majority of current scholars see this passage as a bit of an "aside." That is, Job's major interest in the chapter is the series of oaths, and not his "signature." Another perspective, which I adopt, sees these words as a sort of culmination of Job's speech. Do you want to weigh in on the debate?
B. The last thing a lawyer does in our society, before filing the complaint, is to sign it. How does that help us interpret this passage?
C. How does this "twofold 'Oh'" relate to the three-fold "Oh" of 19:23-25 in terms of spoken and felt intensity?
31:40
40 "The words of Job are ended."
A. Can you hear the echo after he stops talking?
B. Has Job said all that he wanted to say, or do you think he just becomes weary and has to quit?
C. What impression are you left with of Job after his last words have been uttered? Has he been too "ornery" for your taste? Just about right? Does he stop speaking too soon?
D. Do you think you will know when your have spoken all your words of significance?
E. To what do you attribute Job's remarkable creativity in his ten or so speeches?