QT 11 Apr 16, Job 10:1-3, The real Job, raw, bitter and angry

Job 10:1–3 (NRSV) “I loathe my life;

I will give free utterance to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me;

let me know why you contend against me.

3 Does it seem good to you to oppress,

to despise the work of your hands

and favor the schemes of the wicked?

NOTE: Only one conversation and Job's patience has broken. He is complaining and he admits that he is bitter. He blames God and believes that God is fighting against him. He questions God's motives, not realizing that in fact there is good that will come out of these events. This is Job, the real Job, the person that God says has spoken what is right (42:7). In the end (chapter 38) God does question Job's understanding of what has really happened, but he does not rebuke his emotional outburst. Job is a far different man seven days after he stoically pronounced "shall we receive good from God and not the bad," and "blessed be the name of the Lord." We focus too much on Job's early responses, while the shock and numbness has still not worn off, and we forget the days afterwards as Job increasingly lets his emotions out. He is wrong in one thing though. He condemns God for his actions without realizing his need or the good that can come out of suffering. But being mad at God or bitter or complaining in the midst of suffering is not unusual, and is not necessarily wrong either.