Job's words reveal the changes that God's revelations had produced in him. He was aware as never before that God had all power and all wisdom. This resulted in an attitude of awe and submission (v. 2). He saw that it was foolish for him to question God's actions. God knew what He was doing.
By quoting God's first question back to him (v. 3a; 38:2) Job meant, "You were exactly right in saying, Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge.' That is just what I have been doing."He admitted having spoken presumptuously (v. 3b-c).
He also repeated what God had said when He began each of His speeches (v. 4; 38:3; 40:7). God had asked for Job's reply. Now Job gave it. However it was not the courtroom accusation he had said he wanted to deliver to God. It was instead a confession of his own folly.
"He has not only realized his folly in passing judgment on things that were beyond his understanding. He has found the answer to his problem. For at bottom this was not a problem of theodicy, but a problem of fellowship. He has not learned the cause of his sufferings or the explanation of the apparent injustices in the world, but he has found God again. For hitherto he, no less than his friends, had believed that his sufferings meant that God had cast him off and that he was isolated from him who had been his friend in days gone by. But now God had come to him and spoken to him, and he knew that he could have fellowship with God even in his sufferings. Therefore Job declares that he has found a new understanding of God, compared with which his former knowledge was but as the knowledge of rumour [sic] compared with sight. This is the climax of the book, as we should expect to find at the end of the poetic portion, for which the Prologue and Epilogue are but the setting."191
"To Job the supremely important thing is that God has come to him in his suffering, showing him that he is not isolated from God by his suffering. He has cried for God again and again, and God has come to him, not to enter into debate with him on the issues he has thrashed out with his friends, but to show him that now, when he most needs God, God is with him. . . . It is of the essence of its [the book's] message that Job found God inhis suffering, and so found relief not fromhis misfortunes, but inthem."192
Job had heard of God from others previously. This limited secondhand knowledge had led him to some false conclusions. Now after more revelation he saw God more clearly. He had greater spiritual insight (v. 5).
This greater understanding of God enabled Job to understand himself better. He saw both God and himself more realistically.193"Retract"means to "despise"or "reject."Job evidently not only withdrew his charges against God but also despised and rejected his attitude of pride. Job had previously expressed remorse over his losses, but now he grieved over his sins. Job's repentance seems to have been more than turning from his sorrowful condition. He changed his mind and abandoned his rebellious pride and arrogance toward God.194
"He does not repent of sins that have allegedly brought on the suffering; he repents of his arrogance in impugning God's justice, he repents of the attitude whereby he simply demands an answer; as if such were owed him. He repents of not having known God better . . ."195
Job admitted sinning because he suffered, but he did not admit that he was suffering because he had sinned.196
Job forgot his cry for vindication since he had received something much better: a revelation of the person of God and renewed fellowship with God. He had lost all, but he had found God and was now content. He had stopped asking, "Why?"since he had come to know God. We do not need to know why if we know God. This is one of the great lessons of this book.
"Suffering is sometimes a mystery. We must affirm both the mystery and God. . . . The God speeches remind us that a Person, not a principle, is Lord."197
Temptation to become distressed overtakes us all when bad things happen to us. We want to know why things happen as they do. If we know that God is in control and that in His loving wisdom He has permitted our suffering, we do not need to know why we are in pain. That is not to say we should stop trying to discover reasons. Our suffering may be due to our sin, as Job's three friends said, or because God wants to teach us something, as Elihu affirmed. However suffering may not be our lot for these reasons. When we cannot determine why we are suffering we can still rest in God and continue to trust and obey Him because we know He is sovereign and loving.
This is a very important perspective to help other people who are suffering see. By sharing it we can be genuine comforters, not miserable comforters like Job's friends.
