The Arbiter

One of the greatest lines in Job comes from his mouth in Job 9. 

Job 9:32–35 (ESV) For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. 33 Would that there were an arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. 35 Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.

Job longs for someone to stand in the gap between himself and the God who allowed all the evil he has endured.

The chapter begins with Job's understanding that no man can be righteous before the Lord.

Job 9:2–3 (ESV) “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? 3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.

The ancient text of Job is well ahead of its time. Here Job utters a profound truth that is first hard to understand, and second, commonly rejected. What truth is that? 

Before God, we cannot stand. Even when Job is wrecked and demolished he knows that he has no argument. There's no debate here. All that Job has experienced has not been without merit. Why? Because mankind before God stands condemned in sin.

Herein lies the great offense of the Gospel. All are helpless before God as sinners doomed to destruction. We cannot argue our way out of judgment. We cannot, as some suppose, explain ourselves to the almighty. God is holy and we are not. God abides in perfect righteousness and we are lost in sin. 

Job 9:4 (ESV) He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?

Answer? No one.

Look at Job's self-analysis:

Job 9:14–15 (ESV) How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? 15 Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.

Now what Job says in verse 15 is key. He does not see any wrong in himself. But that does not make him less sinful. So too, all of us are far more sinful than we understand. It is not simply what we do that offends God, but our very motives for doing it. 

Now you may not have read this far but herein lies the good news. The moment we acknowledge what we cannot bring to God in ourselves is the moment we turn to Someone else who can! And Job prophesies of this Person in his cry of distress:

VERSE 33 Would that there were an arbiter between us...

Job is once again well ahead of its time. He knows he needs someone to stand between Him and the Holy God of heaven. Because a sinful person before a holy God is without excuse. And the good news of the Gospel is that we have a true Job who suffered for us - though He was perfectly innocent - and stands between us and God. He took the wrath of God so that we could get the presence and blessing of God. 

Isaiah 53:4–6 (ESV) Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Now our standing with God is secure in Christ. As Job says in the final two verses of this chapter:

Job 9:34–35 (ESV)  Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. 35 Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.

Jesus has taken the rod away from us. He has given us permission to speak. And in HIM, not ourselves, we come to God boldly to ask for what we need to help us in every moment of life.