Daily Bible Nugget #512, Job 23:10

The Nugget:

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (KJV)

Job 23:10 For he has knowledge of the way I take; after I have been tested I will come out like gold. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)

My Comment:

Thirty-three years ago, that would be Thursday, March 13, 1986, at 7:15 in the morning, I was shot at point-blank range in the back of my head while entering Denby High School from the back teachers’ parking lot.

The motive for the crime against me has never been determined. It might have been simply robbery. But my assistant Union Representative called me at home afterward and warned me not to return. She believed the motive was murder. One of the English teachers wrote me a letter and expressed a similar opinion, warning me not to come back, for she feared for my life. The school athletic coach who was on duty that morning came to see me in the hospital. He brought me my broken glasses, found in the mud of the school parking lot. He warned me that the person who shot me intended to murder me. Strangely, one of my nicest students spoke to me after class one day, warning me to get another job immediately because I was about to be murdered. That was three weeks before I was shot. At the time, I took his advice “with a grain of salt,” but he turned out to be correct. I have never learned what he knew, or how he came to know it.

At the hospital, I was joined by my wife and our children and my mother-in-law who drove them there. Apparently the athletic coach had called my wife to let her know what had taken place. When he called, my wife was on the phone arranging for repair of an appliance that stopped working. The operator broke in on that call so my wife could get the emergency message. My near-fatal incident was by this time on the news. My long-time teacher friend and mentor, Mrs. Vida Malik, came to the hospital to see me. My name had not been mentioned in the news yet, but Mrs. Malik told us that she “just knew” it was me who had been shot, so she came immediately. I was thankful to see her there.

The next day I heard on the radio news an official from the Detroit Public Schools disclaim any responsibility because, she said, there were 212 school buildings and they could not guard all of them.

At the time unexpected things happen to us, we may wonder just why the Lord allows such events to take place. The answer to that question can be found in the Bible by studying the cross references given for Job 23:10.

Job 23:10
he knoweth. Job 10:7, *Gen 18:19, *Deut 2:7, Jos 22:22, +*2Ki 20:3, *Psa 1:6; Psa 31:7; +**Psa 40:17; Psa 103:14; Psa 139:1, 2, 3; Psa 142:3, Jer 12:3, +**Joh 21:17, *2Ti 2:19.

the way that I take. Heb. the way that is with me. Job 22:3, %+**Rth 1:13, +*Psa 37:34; *Psa 142:3, +*Pro 4:18, Isa 26:8.

he hath tried me. Job 1:11, 12; Job 2:5, 6; Job 13:15, Deut 8:2, Jdg 2:22; Jdg 3:1; Jdg 7:4, 2Sa 22:22, Psa 17:3; Psa 66:10, *Pro 17:3, *Isa 48:10, Zec 13:9, Mal 3:2, 3, Heb 11:17, *Jas 1:2, 3, 4; *Jas 1:12, +1Pe 1:7.

I shall. Job 42:5, 6, 7, 8, Mic 7:9, Mat 15:28, 2Co 1:12, Jas 5:11.