Job
05.14.10
Job
This often misquoted, misunderstood book in the Bible has been the cause of much blame to fall on God for causing sickness, poverty, despair, loss of loved ones and suffering. In fact it’s almost strange if any Christian has not at some point in their life blamed God for something bad that’s happened to them, thinking: “If He allowed it to happen to Job, He’ll allow it to happen to me”.
According to some theologians Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible, written even before Moses recorded Genesis to Deuteronomy. Job was an upright and God fearing man: [Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil]. Since the Law and 10 Commandments had not been introduced yet, there was no standard of holiness to try and measure up to and Job had free and open access to God’s presence. Then one day the following happened: [Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it”]. How did satan ever manage to get to Heaven and appear before God? This is a topic we will look at in depth in our next message.
The point is, even IF satan could manage at one point to stand in heaven before God, he can’t do it any longer. Shortly after Jesus had sent out the 70 disciples, they came back to Him, rejoicing that even demons were subject to His name: [Luk 10: Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven]. Satan was cast out from heaven (again) on that day! He no longer had any right to stand before God and accuse mankind of anything! Therefore we do not have to fear that satan can report any bad conduct to God anymore. It has all been forgiven at the cross.
During the period that satan tried to destroy Job, things were made even worse by Job’s friends who came and talked with him, trying to share their “wisdom”. We saw in Job 1:1 that Job was a righteous man, but now Eliphaz accused him of being sinful and that his suffering was because of his iniquity: [Job 4:7 “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? 8 Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same].
Job himself also accuses God of quite a few atrocious things: [Job 9:31 God throws me into a pit with filth, and even my clothes are ashamed of me. 32 If God were human, I could answer him; we could go to court to decide our quarrel. 33 But there is no one to step between us – no one to judge both God and me. 34 Stop punishing me, God! Keep your terrors away!] (GNB). Job claims it is God who is killing Him: [Job 13:15a Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him].
In the end, after going around in circles many times and having the issue even more confused by his 3 friends, God steps in and speaks to Job from within a violent storm: [Job 38:1 And now, finally, GOD answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said: 2 "Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about? 3 Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers] (MSG).
God then goes on to describe the spectacular ways in which He created the universe, including animals, the oceans and the heavens and asks Job if he was ever present when these things were created. In the end Job realizes the error of his ways and his foolish words and he becomes too distressed to speak: [Job 40:3 Job answered: 4 "I'm speechless, in awe – words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth! 5 I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen"] (MSG). [Job 42:3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know].
Now if we can forget about being religious and think logically for a moment: If somebody were to talk about things they did not understand, what are they actually doing? They are talking rubbish! Job was talking rubbish! He even admitted it several times! We can therefore not accuse God for punishing us, allowing difficulty in our lives, stealing from us or anything of the likes since we would be talking rubbish.
Our Father is a good God and a giver of good things: [Jam 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning].
If anybody claims they are going through a “Job experience” but does not come out twice as rich and blessed on the other side as they were going in, then they have not really experienced what Job went through but have instead experienced first hand what it’s like to be robbed by the devil: [John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly]. These are the only 2 job descriptions in the Bible – it’s up to us to decide who is responsible for which…
Yours in Grace
Andre van der Merwe
