When a footballer commits a blatant foul and neither the referee nor the line judge blows the whistle, the other team's members will often gather round the referee gesticulating angrily. ″Didn't you see that terrible thing that he did? Why don't you give him a red card, or at least give us a penalty?″

We are familiar with that sort of righteous indignation, the longing that a wrong should be put right. At a deeper level, this is what Job expresses in Job 24. His friends have repeatedly insisted that God does punish sinners; indeed, He punishes them without fail and quickly. This is why, they say, Job's sufferings are clear evidence that he must be such a sinner. But no, counters Job, it is not as simple as that.

Verse 1 asks the question which is the subject of this chapter: ″Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?″ God ought to come and judge, but He doesn't; why not? That is Job's question.

In verses 2-12, Job movingly describes both the crimes and–especially–the pain of the victims of those crimes. In verses 2-4, people shift boundary stones, steal sheep and valuable farm animals, and force poor people and widows into destitution. It is a scenario that is familiar in every economic context at every period of human history.

But look at the victims (vv. 5-8)! These poor people are forced to forage in wild places. Today, we see such people scavenging among rubbish piles around cities. The wicked have splendid vineyards (v. 6), but if you look carefully, you will see poor, desperate people scavenging there.

These victims are deprived of proper clothing and shelter (vv. 7-8). Why does God not act? People snatch children and traffic them as slaves (v. 9). Listen to the groans of these victims, wounded and dying by the unpunished wickedness of their powerful oppressors (vv. 10-12). Why does God not come to judge and bring justice? That is Job's question.

In verses 13-17, the catalogue of crimes continues with murder, theft, and adultery–and they all take place at night. These people turn day into night and night into day, reversing God's proper order of creation. Why does God not come to judge? That is Job's question.

It is not easy to understand the remainder of this chapter (vv. 18-25). Probably, Job agrees with his friends that there will be a judgment. But he disagrees that judgment always comes now. No, he says, we have to wait. And, in the meantime, there is much injustice.