For though I were right, I could not answer;
I would have to implore the mercy of my Judge. (v. 15)

I am guilty,
Why then should I struggle in vain?
If I washed myselfI am guilty,
Why then should I struggle in vain?
If I washed myself with snow,
And cleansed my hands with lye,
Then You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would loathe me.
For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him—
That we may go to ^[n]court together!
There is no arbitrator between us,
Who can place his hand upon us both.
Let Him remove His rod from me,
And let not the dread of Him terrify me.
Then I would speak and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself. with snow,
And cleansed my hands with lye,
Then You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would loathe me. (vv. 29-35)

I’ve been trying to keep the law perfectly. I am more righteous than any other human on the earth. Yet, I go through much suffering. What is the point of trying to obey God’s commands? Those who are unrighteous don’t go through suffering as much as I do. God will always find a fault in me so I can’t argue. There should be a judge between God and me who can judge fairly according to my righteousness. Then God will be rebuked and then He will remove my sufferings. But there is no such judge and God is always the mightiest as the Creator. I have no hope even though I am more righteous than others. And I am more righteous than God because I am right. This is Job’s argument.

Throughout the Old Testament, we read the same rhetoric that God punishes people for their lawlessness and breaking of the law. The law was given for a specific purpose: to show the difference between God and us.

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; or sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it, killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (Romans 7:7-12)

God did not give us the law to become righteous through it. If you misinterpret the Old Testament, you will have the same argument as Job’s. You consider yourself more righteous than God. You think you only need someone to keep the law perfectly on behalf of you to become perfectly righteous. This is the argument of false teachers.

The Israelites were punished for not keeping the law. But the problem was not in their actions but in their heart and understanding.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

The essence of the law is the sacrificial love of God, which changes a person. That person becomes reborn. Knowing that the knowledge of God came through Jesus Christ, we conclude that the law is about Jesus Christ. His sacrificial love for God and His people shown on the cross is all we need.

If anyone separates the law and the cross of Christ, that person has no understanding. Anyone who separates Christ’s obedience into two will be condemned.

If the law is the source of our righteousness, it means the law is above God. Anyone can condemn God for His actions. And that is what the Pharisee and the Teacher of the Law did.

The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken in this way!” The Pharisees then replied to them, “You have not been led astray too, have you? Not one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” (John 7:46-49)

Our Lord was condemned by the law and was put to death. He was accused of breaking the law and humiliated. Theologians and ministers are doing the same.

I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)