As we continue Job in this tenth chapter, remember that Job is still blaming God for all his losses; the loss of his family and all his wealth, as well as his health. Job's three friends are trying to put the blame for Job's trouble on some sins that Job might have committed. This is as most people in their flesh bodies do when they are letting Satan get off entirely free from the sickness and confusion that he has committed. Though most of the instruction given to Job in these first thirty eight chapters are not sound and wise, we still can gain knowledge and strength from the lessons that are taught within these verses.

First of all it will help strengthen us in our lives today, when those around us start accusing us of wrong doings that we have not committed. Without Christ it would be almost impossible to live a sound life. In Job's day, Christ had not yet been born of woman, nor suffered and died on the Cross. However in our day, we have the power that Christ gives to us, as an elect of God, for we have power over Satan, his evil spirits and all his realm. But we must take that power through repentance, as a child of God, and rise above those pitfalls that Satan would put before us. Now here in this tenth chapter Job is saying that he is sick of living, and I am going to speak out of the bitterness of my mind. Job knows the situation that he is in, and he is asking, what do I do?

Job 10:2 "I will say unto God, `Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore Thou contendest with me."

Job is asking God, I have been righteous, and what can I do to please you so that you will not condemn me?

Job 10:3 "Is it good unto Thee that Thou shouldest oppress, that Thou shouldest despise the work of Thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?"

Job has three complaints within this verse. These three complaints are that God oppresses the innocent; to despise the work of his own hands; and the third complaint is that he thinks that God is out to bless the wicked. When you get all tied up in self pity, then these are the same three complaints that you would have also.

Job 10:4 "Hast Thou eyes of flesh? or seest Thou as man seeth?"

Job asks God; Have you become like one of us that you would be unfair to mankind?

Job 10:5 "Are Thy days as the days of man? are Thy years as man's days,"

He continues to ask God if He is as inexperienced as one of us men or women? Keep in mind that Job is speaking from the bitterness of his heart, for he still doesn't understand that it is not God that is ringing all this trouble into his life. You have probably heard this same question asked in your life by many others; Why does God allow us to suffer? Of course there are many answers to this question.

Job 10:6 "That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?"

Job 10:7 "Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of Thine hand."

Job is trying to reason with God, and he is telling God that he should know that I am innocent of all wrong doing. Why then would You bring this trouble upon me. You can make it end if you just want it to be. Job is coming very close to the answer, for the wicked one is the gilty party that has brought on all these problems to Job.

Remember what God asked Satan back in the first chapter? What do you think of my servant Job? Then Satan told God that if you just turn Job over to me and allow me to take those comforts and wealth that God has given Job and allow me to mess him up a little, Job will curse you to your face. So starting in the third chapter that is exactly what Satan did to Job, messed him up a great deal. it wasn't God that caused the trouble, but Satan, and Job just hasn't figured it out yet, where the trouble is coming from. God allowed Satan to take Job's family from him, and take his wealth. Satan caused all the boils and sickness. So we see here that Job is still questioning God, but he is not cursing God.

Job 10:8 "Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet Thou dost destroy me."

In the Hebrew text you have to catch this expression. "Round about" means "as a potter fashions a pot out of clay on the wheel." Job is telling God that you are the one that formed me from the dust of the earth.

Job 10:9 "Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt Thou bring me into dust again?"

Job is asking God if it is His intention to turn me back to dust again?

Job 10:10 "Host Thou not poured me out as milk and curdled me like cheese?"

Job is referring to the formation of his body, in much the same fashion as the curds of cheese are formed when the milk is poured into the vats.

Job 10:11 "Thou shat clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews."

Job is saying: You have knitted me together with skin and flesh, fenced upon my bones.

Job 10:12 "Thou hast granted me life and favour, and Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit."

There is more to this in the Hebrew text, so what Job is saying; "Every time you come to me, it has always been with blessings." Job was the richest man in his world, and all he understood was success. Now out of the clear, all these troubles have come over Job, and he just can't understand why.

Job 10:13 "And these things hast Thou hid in Thine heart: I know that this is with Thee."

In the Hebrew there is a little suspicion against God. Job is asking God if this trouble has come over him for the sake of throwing me off guard?

Job 10:14 "If I sin, then Thou markest me, and Thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity."

Job is getting a little bitter now, and starting to accuse God of unknown things.

Job 10:15 "If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see Thou mine affliction;"

As we look around the world today, we see most of the Christians today are full of confusion also. They don't know who is doing what to whom, whether it is God persecuting them, Satan having his way with them or just their own blunders. They simply do not know God's law or God's plan for this age or the times that we live in. To most Christians, when the going gets a little tough, the first thing that they like to do is get on some guilt trip, and blame themselves.

If you are one of God's elect, you had better take a second thought when things just don't go your way, for God may be trying to move you into a position to witness for Him. He may have a service that He is going to require of you, and He will bring you to the point to where you can do that duty for Him.

Job 10:16 "For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again Thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me."

Some translator really did a hatchet job on this verse. Job is saying, "If I hold my head up as a proud lion, then you come along with your marvelous might and put me down again."

Job 10:17 "Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and increasest Thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me."

Job is saying that these plagues are the witnesses that you bring against me. The "changes" are "hosts", and Job is saying that God sends his hosts to war against me. When one host of enemies leaves, here comes another host of enemies coming down upon me. This is like that expression, "when it rains, it pours."

God wants you to be happy, and when these things come your way, stop and think for a moment. Are you taking the authority and ordering Satan and his realm out of your life. As one of God's elect you have the right and the power to order Satan out of your life. Cut those things out of your life that bring unhappiness, and set your mind on the things of God. Luke 10:18 gives us the power and authority to put a stop to these things coming into our lives.

Luke 10:18 "And He said unto them, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."

Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

The serpents are the Kenites, while the scorpions are the fallen angels and evil spirits. God has given each of us power to stand up to them, and take authority over those spiritual evil things that they can bring your way. This is not to say that if God is correcting you or moving you into a position of witnessing for Him that He will not allow those things to come up in your life. If it does, then thank God for the direction.

Job 10:18 "Wherefore then hast Thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!"

This is saying, "Oh that I would have been still born". I should not have even been born. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. Do you see how Job is feeling sorry for himself in all his trouble. Remember that Job's opening statement in this chapter was that Job was sick of life.

Job 10:19 "I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave."

Job 10:20 "Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,"

Job is asking for just a little rest before they come to lay him in the grave.

Job 10:21 "Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;"

Job 10:22 "A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.' "

At the time of the writing of the book of Job, it was believed that this place of darkness, the place of the shadow of death without any order and light, was the place of the departed spirits.

Remember when Judas was coming up the path to betray Christ, and they questioned Christ. Jesus said that, "it is the hour of darkness". The meaning was that Satan would have authority from that point forward to the time that Christ returned. That prince of darkness that would reign as the prince of this earth until Christ's return, was Satan. Satan is darkness and destruction. Satan is here on earth today in spirit, while he personally stands before the throne of God as our accuser. Satan will do many things against you, your family, your habits, and even those things that appear to be done in innocence. Though we should have our minds on the Higher things of God, many times we listen to those other spirits of Satan and his realm, just as Job was doing here.