Job 9:23
When punishment brings instant death,
He disappoints the hopes of the innocent’s plea.
When I was little, I stole a piece of gum from the grocery store. My babysitter (who we called Nana) saw me and busted me once we got around the corner on the walk home. She made me go back and apologize and return the piece of gum. It is one of the few things I remember super clearly from childhood as it made such a huge impression. I am certainly glad that any sin does not bring eternal instant death, or I would have for sure got it then, not to mention the other times I sinned in my life. The opportunity to grow and learn about Jesus and give my life to Him was a godsend thereafter. I loved that woman so much I named my second kid after her.
“Punishment”(1) was also “disaster”(1) or “a scourge”(6). “Instant”(1) was mostly “sudden”(7). The combination of punishment and instant seemed too much the point.
“Disappoints the hopes” was “mocks”(6) and “laughs at”(2). “Plea” was also “plight”(2), “calamity”, “despair”, “trial”, “failure”, and “melting heart”. I crafted this verse into what I felt the author was trying to convey as obviously my sources were not consistent on the overall meaning.
One of the reason’s my friend always points to the “context” to understand a difficult passage is that the Bible as a whole is just as consistent as every other aspect of our unchanging God. When Job’s friends are spouting out their less than accurate concepts of how God works in the world, it is context that reminds us that not everything in the Bible is just as the words on the page might lead one to believe.
His friends are saying God punishes the evil doer. Job says I agree, but not instantly. Our existence is on an eternal plane and when we limit it to the confines of earth, we miss the mark. Yes, a single sin brings eternal death and damnation, but not instantly. Christ came to pay the price for each and every sin so that we might not suffer the consequences of our sin but live in eternal grace with God.
Throughout history the innocent will cry out for someone to save them and punish those who persecute them and want it done immediately. But God is working on us, molding us, and sometimes that means pressure to trim out the fruitless parts of our lives. I have read about people being run off from their apartments by evil people hiding in Christian clothing (so to speak) and not being able to find recourse from the police or the government. The folks plea their innocence and have hope to be rescued. It rarely happens. It is the way of the world. Thankfully our journey is eternal and we know that eventually we are rescued from the presence of sin.
(Written 9/4, Posted 9/21, Job 195)