Most scholars translate the text in verse-13 to say: “he (God) is one…” vis-à-vis of one mind or purpose (Job23:13), then going on to say that the Lord is unchangeable. However, I think the better rendering is, according to the minority reading, “he is alone…” (so the Vulgate) and even, “it is he, himself, alone” (so Coverdale). The idea seems to be that no one is with God! That is to say, he has no partner, who would be powerful enough to disagree with him and thereby influence his will or purpose for mankind. Certainly, man is unable to change the Lord’s mind or will, but more to the point, neither is there anyone with God who would be able to do so. Thus, the Lord is unchangeable! Whatsoever he proposes to do is what he does, and no one is able to prevent that from occurring (Job 23:13-14; cp. Isaiah 55:8-11).
Job seems to conclude that death without vindication is inevitable, for he understands that his fate is not designed for him, alone. Rather there are many other instances that he could point to, whereby the innocent suffer and die without a favorable judgment on the part of the Lord – “…and many such things are with him” (Job 23:14). Job’s conclusion is given with a kind of moaning, wishing it weren’t true, but yielding to what he knows is true!
Therefore, Job says he is troubled at God’s presence, because the inevitable truth of the matter isn’t encouraging. Job feels helpless, in that the Lord is silent when he prays. God is immovable, unchangeable, and there is absolutely nothing Job is able to do to cause him to reconsider what he has done. So, he’s afraid of God. Job’s inner strength has been melted, and he finds himself troubled in the presence of this Almighty and relentless Authority (Job 23:15-16).
Job isn’t afraid of death, but he laments the fact that the Lord had not taken him in the midst of his prosperity. There, he had been known to be the friend of God, the one whom the Lord had blessed abundantly. Before his trials, Job was honored by men. He was a figure sought after in the gates of the city, and his name was unblemished. Now, however, the friends had labeled him as the chief of sinners (Job 4:7-8; 15:5-6; 22:5; cp. 1Timothy 1:15). Even he didn’t know why the Lord had treated him so terribly. Although he protested that he was righteous, appearances denied his words, according to the popular traditional beliefs, and he would go to his death with everyone believing he was a great sinner.
Hope had faded, as Job sought to remain above the dark waters of the Lord’s purpose for him. It was disheartening for him to be unable to see the order that must be in the chaos that is ever present before him (Job 23:17). He, therefore, concludes that his obedience to moral responsibility, and his sense of justice and truth were no more than worn out tools that don’t avail much in attaining the answers he seeks. With nothing left but a sigh of despair for life and vindication, Job must, finally, admit that the Lord is that Unknown God (cp. Acts 17:23), who was yet to be fully revealed in Christ. While it is true that God could be known to exist through the things he had created (Romans 1:20), the deep things about him, the unknowable things, the things not revealed in his creation, can only be taught us by the Spirit of God, which was yet to be given man (1Corinthians 2:10), because Christ had not yet come and was not yet glorified (John 7:39; 1Corinthians 3:17).
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38 responses to “It Is He, Himself, Alone!”
“Saying It”, my original response that your article: just bs but failed to explain why? Valid. Hence I explained why: the 2nd Sinai commandment rejects Monotheism as a theological argument of God.
Do not worship other Gods. The 2nd Sinai Commandment. If no other Gods live, only One God as the Muslims demand, then the 2nd commandment utterly in vain.
Your concluding declaration comes totally out of context to the current discussion.
No justice No faith. Just that simple. Theological constructs which attempt to dictate how man MUST believe in God …. utter drivel bull shit.
No justice No faith. Just that simple. Theological constructs which attempt to dictate how man MUST believe in God …. utter drivel bull shit. Israel demands the return of all Oct 7th stolen hostages. Jabber of Cease-Fire or 2 State solutions, equal bull shit as a theological dictate to believe in this or that or some other Gods.
It is late mosckerr, so I don’t know how many of your comments I’ll be able to reply to tonight. Some will have to wait until morning.
I’m sure you are aware that the Book of Job is about worldviews in conflict, as well as Job trying to make sense out of what God is doing. My point is that you and I have conflicting worldviews. You seem to have taken a very literal stand on the wording of the 2nd commandment. Let me explain mine. I believe in ONE God. However, the Lord’s **oneness** is complex, just as the **oneness** of Adam and Eve was complex. The Hebrew is ‘echad’ and you probably know Hebrew as a first language, am I correct? I don’t believe ‘echad’ (H259) is the same as ‘yachid’ (H3173). The both can be translated to “one” in English, but they are different.
Concerning the 2nd commandment God is our God, the gods he doesn’t want us to be beholding to are men. Men in authority are called gods in Psalm 82. We owe our devotion to God alone, not men. The gods of the Hebrew Scriptures were men who had died, but they continued to be revered and followed by men. It was a kind of patriotism to worship them. There is only ONE God.
I’m not a Trumper, mosckerr, and my blog isn’t political. I pray he will lose his grip on American politics. Many in America worship him, both religious and lay folks. I consider him a rod in the hand of the Lord which he will continue to use to punish America as long as he has power over one of our political parties.