RENOUNCING SELF

 “Wherefore I abhor myself…” Job 42:6

In our study of the words “curse god,” we saw, to begin with, that for Job they meant for him to be honest with himself and with God. We then began to look at the aspect of these words meaning to renounce. First, we saw Job’s need to renounce the false image he had of God and salvation. Second, we saw Job’s need to renounce his unhealthy fear of God that was fostered by his good works philosophy.  Now, Job’s attempts at appeasing God by his good works also leads us to the third thing he needed to renounce—his own self-image. If we look into those verses where Job tries to justify himself by all of his “good” works, we can sense a hint of the self-righteous attitude of Job. We also get the feeling that he enjoyed being looked up to and the prestigious position he held in the community. The blessings of God which he enjoyed were causing him to think more of himself then he should. Pride, especially religious pride, can blind one to their own frailty and need of a Saviour; it can also poison our relationship with other humans, especially those that we consider to be inferior.

Job 29:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Job 30:1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock

Job 30:8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We, as humans, have an insatiable desire to promote our own self-image because of the vanities of our flesh. The very spot where Satan attacked Eve was this same desire. He lured her with the temptation to become a superior being, even to be like God. Adam and Eve were already created as good as they could be in the realm of being human. That does not mean that they could not continue to learn knowledge and wisdom throughout their lives; but their desire to be more than what God intended them to be was at the very heart of their fall. By being dissatisfied with how they were created, and seeking to be more than what God intended for them to be, they actually become worse or fallen. Lucifer fell from being an arch angel who dwelled in heaven, to become the Devil—doomed to everlasting fire. Adam and Eve, and with them the whole human race, fell from being perfect human beings into depravity; they lost their Paradise on earth and were doomed to hell, even as Satan.  Job enjoyed the admiration and respect he gained by his good works, and he even looked down upon other men whom he considered to be of a lower class. However, God caused Job to lose everything he had in order to destroy the pride that would have forever bound his heart through vanity.

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Matt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

As believers in Christ, we are taught to look upon others as better than ourselves; to remember that what we are, we are by the grace of God; and to be content with the position that God has placed us in. Moses, whom God used in a powerful way, was called the meekest man of the earth. Even Jesus said of Himself, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” To be meek is to not lift oneself above others—thinking that for some reason we are better than someone else. To those who are in Christ, we come to see that the ground is level before the cross; that no redeemed sinner is elevated any higher than the rest of God’s children; and that those fleshly vanities we thought made us better than others, are as a common flower of the field that soon dies. Do we esteem ourselves to be better because of our race, gender, social position, or even because we are a Christian? If we do, we are standing upon the false vanities of this world; and the higher we are standing the farther we must fall, because “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

Phil 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Num 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

1 Pet 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Pet 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Job’s mindset may also be seen in how he received the advice of his three friends. We realize that their counsel, although it contained elements of truth, was not the message Job needed to hear. They had not spoken “the thing that is right,” and were rebuked of the Lord for doing so. However, what we need to consider is that they were his friends. They had traveled a long distance to be with Job, and they had sat silent for seven days before they even attempted to give Job counsel. How many of us would spend even an hour with a friend in the hospital or nursing home, to bring them comfort and to show them that we care? Job was stewing in his own self-righteous, self-important attitude, and failed to even consider if anything his friends had said was true. His retorts were harsh and self-justifying, and he bristled at even the idea that he needed correction. We are admonished in Scripture to receive the advice of godly friends and to treat them with honor, but we see nothing of that in Job’s attitude.

Job 2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job 6:24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

Job 12:1 And Job answered and said,
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

Job 13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Job 16:1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Pro 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Prov 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Prov 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Job’s haughty spirit even overflowed toward God in his attempt to justify himself at all cost. Although he realized he was not perfect, he felt that his calamities were unjust; and he appealed before the universe to have an audience with God and to present his claims against the Almighty. Trials are meant to humble us and to prepare our hearts to receive the truth of God, but Job was defiant until almost the end of the book. Job had initially resigned himself to the sovereignty of God, but the length of trials will bring out the worst in the best of men. God will turn up the heat and keep the fire burning until the dross comes to the surface. The Lord saw that vanity and pride had begun to overtake Job, and that is one of the reasons He allowed Satan to test Job in the first place.

Job 19:6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

Job 23:1 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.

Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

1Pet 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Now in summary, how do we interpret the phrase “curse God” as it might be applied to ourselves? With Job it meant to be honest with himself and before God, to express what he felt instead of masquerading in his religion. His wife may have seen what was going on inside of Job, and God most certainly did. Only Job did not see nor did he want to face the truth. So first of all, if we are still in our sins, unsaved, unregenerate, lost, and without God, we must be honest about our present condition and come to grips with what is our true state before God. We are sinners, part of an accursed race. God is not our Father and we are not members of His family. We have nothing to do with God nor He with us, except to be our Judge. We may think we are a Christian because we go to church, have been raised in a Christian home, live in a Christian country, believe the Bible, or try to keep the Ten Commandments, but these things are all a part of our self-deception.

Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

If we are believers we must also be honest with God, both in what we are thinking and what we are feeling. It is of no use to try and hide what is raging on the inside of us, because God already knows our hearts and minds. Getting things out in the open begins the healing process, but denial will never admit that something is wrong. Therefore we linger on in our suffering and mental torment. God requires honesty, confession, and truth in the inward parts; which must be expressed to Him before He will act to bring us healing.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Job also needed to “curse” the “god” of his own making before he could see the True and Living God. He needed to renounce all of his own efforts to please God before he could receive the grace and mercy that the Lord would offer him. All of us have ideas about what God is like and what He requires to let us into heaven, but what does the Bible say and teach? Unless we can resurrect ourselves from the dead and make our own heaven, we had better seek to trust in the One who can.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Job needed to renounce his fears and all of his efforts to appease the wrathful god he had envisioned. He needed to “curse” “the god of this world” who was controlling him by using his fears. We also need to be set free from our fears before we can begin to live in peace and love before God, and be at liberty to serve Him.

2 Cor 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Job needed to “curse” the “god” of himself and to renounce all that he vainly thought himself to be, in order to see his need of God’s mercy and grace. Every man and woman of Adam’s race is “subject to vanity,” and we all walk in a vain show. We are not what we think ourselves to be, and we must come to see ourselves as God sees us. Even as believers we are tempted by the pride of life to think more of ourselves than we should. We must constantly be brought to the place where we “abhor” ourselves by being shown again and again our wickedness apart from Christ.

Psa 39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

1 Cor 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.