A crowd of people are gathered together, the conversations vary from important tones to laughter. People smiling, others nodding as a multitude of conversations are filling the air at one time. Then a sudden lowering in volume and a turning of heads. A man entered into the crowd and a clear feeling of reverence can be felt. Straining to see him and overhearing a voice, “it is Job”. A warm anticipation is accompanied by honor and a respectful silence.
Conversations pause. Princes stop mid-sentence and cover their mouths in respect (Job 29:9). Job’s presence commands honor. The dying bless him. The widow’s heart sings because of him (Job 29:13). Then—flash forward—Job sits in ashes. Men younger than him, whose fathers he disdained, now mock him. They sing songs about him, spit in his face (Job 30:1, 10). The reversal is complete. From honor to shame.
Like slipping back into a dream, the crowds are around Job again. Poor and needy people plead their cases before Job. He does not leave them empty handed; the hungry are fed, the widow’s case is heard, the poor are dressed. People are left in better condition when they leave Job. Again, a sudden realization of a Job sitting with nothing, covered in sores. He is left destitute and in bad shape. He cannot even care for himself, much less others.
Again, a flashback into the previous scene. Much more comfortable, much easier to observe. People asking Job for advice. He shares wisdom with them. He counsels them and even the elderly give their attention to the wise words flowing from the mouth of Job. His words are regarded with high esteem. Finally, as if awakening from a dream into a nightmare, Job is being harassed by children with teasing words as they run away. His friends sneering at him in anger. What a contrast from what was to the man that is now arguing in anguish before his friends. He starts to make his defense. Out of this hardship, he proclaims his position. From a position of honour he fell into this position of shame. He pleads, demanding that God reconsider his case.
Imagine a man standing in the rain, outstretched arms and looking upward as far as his neck can bear. Eyes and mouth open wide. He sways from side to side in a jarring, segmented manner. His eyes cry out with pain; his body seems to be holding back tension. For a moment, all you can hear is the sound of the rain drops. Then, a sudden burst of anguish roars from his open mouth. A single tone of pain bellows from deep-rooted suffering. Job proclaims: God cast me into the mire. I cry to you, God, but you do not answer. You have turned cruel to me (Job 30:19-21). In this raw roaring of pure emotion, Job ends his yearning with this: My lyre is tuned to mourning (Job 30:31). What a sad ending thought—that whatever music he feels is nothing but sorrow.
Imagine reading a letter of recommendation. In this letter you see lists of praise. You see witnesses that confirm a righteous person who turned away from evil. Job chapter 29 gives such a bright report, confirmed in the opening chapter of the book: Job was righteous. Imagine finding wisdom and understanding it (Job 28:28) and then receiving scorn and false accusations. The heavy rebukes and shame that were actually due to the wicked, befalling this righteous person. Job was righteous; he expected blessing and yet he received the wage of the wicked.
Job made one final appeal to God. He stated that he feared God and he turned away from evil. He was faithful in his actions yet he did not receive good but evil. In a call of injustice he proclaims that he has been treated unfairly and unjustly. He even called out a curse if he secretly did evil, that he may be exposed if he lied. He stood very firmly on his position of being innocent. In this statement, he claimed that God made a mistake in treating him this way. He did not abandon his integrity, yet he cried “injustice”.
We see the entire discourse with his friends. Job called out his innocence with an underlying claim of injustice. The friends refused this position by claiming that Job must have sinned, even to the point of sinning themselves in lies. What can Job do except appeal to God for justice? He demands that the Almighty examine his situation and fix this oversight. Job’s final claim is stark: an injustice has been done to him.