Job 23: Job desea abogar su causa delante de Dios

Job 23: Job desea abogar su causa delante de Dios.

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1 Y RESPONDIO Job, y dijo:

2 Hoy también hablaré con amargura; Que es más grave mi llaga que mi gemido.

3 Quién me diera el saber dónde hallar á Dios! Yo iría hasta su silla.

4 Ordenaría juicio delante de él, Y henchiría mi boca de argumentos.

5 Yo sabría lo que él me respondería, Y entendería lo que me dijese.

6 ¿Pleitearía conmigo con grandeza de fuerza? No: antes él la pondría en mí.

7 Allí el justo razonaría con él: Y escaparía para siempre de mi juez.

8 He aquí yo iré al oriente, y no lo hallaré; Y al occidente, y no lo percibiré:

9 Si al norte él obrare, yo no lo veré; Al mediodía se esconderá, y no lo veré.

10 Mas él conoció mi camino: Probaráme, y saldré como oro.

11 Mis pies tomaron su rastro; Guardé su camino, y no me aparté.

12 Del mandamiento de sus labios nunca me separé; Guardé las palabras de su boca más que mi comida.

13 Empero si él se determina en una cosa, ¿quién lo apartará? Su alma deseó, é hizo.

14 El pues acabará lo que ha determinado de mí: Y muchas cosas como estas hay en él.

15 Por lo cual yo me espanto en su presencia: Consideraré, y temerélo.

16 Dios ha enervado mi corazón, Y hame turbado el Omnipotente.

17 ¿Por qué no fuí yo cortado delante de las tinieblas, Y cubrió con oscuridad mi rostro?

Reina-Valera Antigua (RVA)
by Public Domain

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Reflexión por Noemi Dominguez:

! ¡Quién me diera el saber dónde hallar a Dios! ¡Yo iría hasta su silla! [versículo 3, Versión Reina Varela 1960]. Job está temeroso y frustrado porque ni en oriente ni en occidente, ni el en norte ni el sur encuentra a Dios [versículos 8 y 9]. Sin embargo, Job reconoce que Dios sí conoce donde esta Job [versículo 10]. Siglos después el Salmista afirmaría con lujo de detalles que nunca podremos escapar de su presencia [Salmos 139:7-12]. Luego nosotros descubrimos que una de las declaraciones más frecuentes en las Sagradas Escrituras es: No temas, yo estoy contigo. Job no tenía una “Biblia” a la cual acudir para encontrar las promesas que tanta paz y seguridad nos dan en los tiempos difíciles de la vida. En su desesperación busca una audiencia con Dios sin darse cuenta de que no necesitaba una audiencia porque Dios estaba a su lado. Su dolorosa enfermedad, su soledad, el abandono de todos los suyos y la pérdida de su familia y de sus bienes desfiguran la imagen de Dios en su mente y en su corazón al extremo que llega a decir: “Por eso tengo miedo de verlo; cuando pienso en ello, me espanto. Dios me ha arrancado el valor, me aterroriza el Todopoderoso.” [versículos 15 y16, Versión La Palabra (España)]. Oh si Job hubiese leído la invitación que nos hace Dios en Hebreos 4:16: “Acerquémonos, pues, llenos de confianza a ese trono de gracia, seguros de encontrar la misericordia y el favor divino en el momento preciso.” [Versión La Palabra (Hispanoamérica)]. No permitas que el temor te detenga para entrar confiadamente. ¡Jesus te está esperando!

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Job 23: Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments.

1 Then Job answered and said,

2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

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Reflexion by Noemi Dominguez:

Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat! [verse 3, 21st King James Version]. Job is fearful and frustrated because he cannot find God neither in the East nor in the West, neither the north nor the south [verses 8 and 9]. However, Job recognizes that God does know where this he is [verse 10]. Centuries later the Psalmist would describe in fine detail that there is nowhere to run, that we will never be able to escape his presence [Psalm 139:7-12]. Then we discover that one of the most frequent statements in the Holy Scriptures is: Don’t be afraid, I am with you. Job did not have a “Bible” to turn to find the promises that bring to us so much peace and security when we face the difficult times of life. In his desperation he seeks an audience with God without realizing that he did not need an audience because God was always by his side. His painful sickness, his loneliness, the abandonment of all his own, and the loss of his family and his wealth disfigure the image of God in his mind and in his heart to the extreme which he says: ” Therefore I am terrified in his presence; when I consider this, I am afraid of him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.” [verses 15 and 16, Christian Standard Bible Version]. O that Job would have been able to read God’s invitation to us in Hebrews 4:16! : ” Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” [Amplified Bible Version]. Don’t let fear stop you from confidently entering His presence. Jesus is waiting for you!