“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
Job gives us one of the most powerful expressions of trust in God in all of Scripture not only for temporal relief from suffering, but for eternal salvation. Contrary to his friends’ accusations, Job never trusted in his own righteousness for salvation. He never denied that he was a sinner in need of God’s grace. Job realized his utter dependence upon God for justification—justification that is based solely on God’s mercy. He, therefore, proclaimed his dependence upon God and his need to appeal directly to God for relief: “He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him … I know that I shall be vindicated.”
Like all of us, Job depended upon God for two things: justification and salvation. These are the two great things we hope for through Christ. Job claimed that he knew he would be justified because his Redeemer lived (19:25). “Those whose hearts are upright with God, in walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit may be sure that through Christ there shall be no condemnation to them, but that, whoever lays any thing to their charge, they shall be justified,” Henry wrote.
While Job did not trust in his righteousness for salvation, as is clear from verse 16, he did stand before his accusers with a clear conscience. He could point to the fruit in his life as evidence of his justified status before God. Job was confident that he would be vindicated by God because he knew he was not a hypocrite, “for a hypocrite could not come before Him.” And that was exactly what Job was doing—going to God to plead his case.
Job’s trust in God remained solid throughout his trial: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” A hypocrite would never say such a thing. Affliction is the broom that sweeps hypocrites from the corners in which they hide. They run from God, blame God, despise God on account of their suffering. They do not rejoice in Him and trust Him in the midst of it. “We must rejoice in God when we have nothing else to rejoice in, and cleave to Him, yea, though we cannot for the present find comfort in Him,” Henry wrote. “In a dying hour we must derive from Him living comforts; and this is to trust in Him though He slay us.”
Satan claimed that Job would turn from God as soon as he faced death. At that moment he would prove himself to be a hypocrite. But Job’s faith remained steadfast. Do you trust God in everything? Even if you struggle with God’s reasons for allowing you to suffer, as Job often did, do you trust Him? Examine yourself for hypocrisy.
