Job 23:10 "Growing from the Test"

TEST - The process of proving one’s worth. When ascribed to God in his dealings with people, it means that God tests his peoples’ faith and moral character.

When the word is used in a negative way, it means “to tempt”—that is, to entice, solicit, or provoke to sin.

Both senses of the word could be applied to Jesus’ forty days of trial in the wilderness. He was tested by God and found faithful, while he was tempted by Satan and found sinless.

God has provided various means by which believers may grow spiritually.

Of these various means is suffering and testing.

23:10 This statement of faith has lent strength to believers through the ages as they passed through fires of tribulation and trial.

Alden, R. L. (1993). Job (Vol. 11, p. 241). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

There are three noteworthy items of faith here:

(1) Job believed that God knew his situation;

condition ⇔ way n. — the condition of things generally.

“Nothing comes to you that has not already passed through the hands of God.” (Tony Evans)

(2) Job believed that God was testing him;

test metals by melting; metaph. to examine, put to the test

to test v. — to put to the test in order to ascertain the nature of something, including imperfections, faults, or other qualities.

Brannan, R., ed. (2020). In Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible. Lexham Press.

(3) Job believed that he would emerge a better man.

Alden, R. L. (1993). Job (Vol. 11, p. 242). Broadman & Holman Publishers.