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Job 31:33-34
33 If I covered [kacah] my transgressions [pesha`] as Adam ['Adam], by hiding [taman] mine iniquity [`avon] in my bosom [chob]:
34 Did I fear [`arats] a great [rab] multitude [hamown], or did the contempt [buwz] of families [mishpachah] terrify [chathath] me, that I kept silence [damam], and went not out [yatsa'] of the door [pethach]? KJV-Interlinear
33 'Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, 34 Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, And kept silent and did not go out of doors? NASB
Knowledge and inventions come easier for us today, simply because we have all of human history behind us which has served to create building blocks of knowledge from which we can draw.
But innovation and invention is not the only thing we can draw from history's data bank. The stories and principles taught by history have always been there for us to learn about ourselves, about God, and about life in general.
Job knew of Adam. He knew of the stories about Adam. He did not have our modern Bible from which to read and learn of the stories. He did not have the libraries for written text on the subject. He certainly did not have any of our modern technologies at his disposal, to help in his learning and understanding about life.
But he did know the story of Adam and Eve, and especially about the answer which Adam gave the Lord (Christ), when he was questioned, in the Garden, Gen 3:7-8. And, Job knew what Adam was trying to do, when he gave his answer to the Lord.
The Lord was walking in the Garden, and calling for Adam. Adam was hiding, and was already in the process of covering himself up with leaves, after he had eaten the forbidden fruit.
Adam had crossed the line, committed his first sin, by disobeying God, and was now trying to make up excuses.
Although Adam had put on the leaves to hide his nakedness, his real problem was in his soul, not on his body.
People, when they commit a wrong of any kind, and knowing that they have done something wrong, then when they get caught, will begin to conceal their transgressions, or even try to make up excuses, or even justify their behavior.
Adam tried to cover up his sin and then make up excuses for his sin. 'Not my fault. The woman, gave me the fruit.' And not only that, 'The woman, which You, Lord, gave to me.'
So the sin compounds itself and dominoes into many other areas of self justification, even in finding grounds for fault in others.
And in addition to this, did Job fear the peer pressures of his day? Did Job avoid being seen in public? Did Job hide inside his home, isolating himself, becoming a hermit of sorts? Did Job attempt for cast a low profile in order to not get noticed?
And the answer to all of these is that Job has done nothing with which he was ashamed. He lived his life independent of public opinion. He was never deterred by any type of public outcry that might have arisen against him or as a result of his decisions or actions.
Job did what he believed to be right, all of his life. And this suffering he was going through, was not going to deter him from speaking that which he knows is right and true. Even the arguments and accusations of his three friends was not going to force him to submit to their will.
Job did not act stubbornly or arrogantly within his opinions and beliefs. He was open minded and listened intently to all that was said to him. But when it came time to make up his own mind, he did so for himself. And he never tried to force his own beliefs onto others.
If others did not believe as he did, then so be it. Within his own organization, he enforced his authority as was appropriate, but as far as other organizations go, he did not interfere with their functions.
Job was neither in fear nor intimidated by life from this world. That response was reserved for God.
