Covenanted Eyes and Feet

 Job 31:1-23

1 "I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I look upon a young woman?

2 For what is the allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3 Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

4 Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?

5 "If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,

6 Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my integrity.

7 If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
8 Then let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.

9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
10 Then let my wife grind for another,
And let others bow down over her.

11 For that would be wickedness;
Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.

13 "If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,

14 What then shall I do when God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?

15 Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

16 "If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it

18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother's womb I guided the widow);

19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;

20 If his heart has not blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;

22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.

23 For destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

Job not only justifies himself, but goes further to remind himself of his covenanted eyes and feet to live uprightly before God and man.  These echo the Ten Commandments in not coveting another’s wife, and the second greatest commandment to love his neighbors as himself.  He knows that because of the command to (Exodus 20:17, Leviticus 18:20) not desire his neighbor’s wife or anything else not his own, and to not have carnal knowledge with her either, that he has made a covenant agreement with the LORD to keep his heart and hands pure.  Jesus explained this in Matthew 5:27-28 as aa heart matter; just looking with desire to commit adultery is equal to the physical act itself.  That is why Job knew God gives a wife from above and he is not to take another in thought or deed, for such wickedness deserves the consequences of His judgment.  He knew that God sees everything he did and measures out his actions, just as we are accountable for our words and works (Matthew 12:36-37, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:15, Revelation 20:12, 15), even though not to perdition.  Job spoke of avoiding lying and deceit, integrity, justice and mercy (knowing the same God made the servant and himself equally), care for the poor and widow, and more.  He had met needs of the needy and not abused what God had given him by withholding from them what provision he first received.  If he had not given so freely, he wished that he would lose his arm and thus any ability to do anything else for himself.  Job feared God.  Do we?  Job exalted God in His majesty with praise of his lips and life (Hebrews 13:15-16), sacrifices of praise we should imitate. Do we take this to heart for ourselves?  May we have eyes and feet in covenant with God in and through Jesus Christ our Lord.