Job

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth

Do not be afraid. We hear God and his angels say this so often when they appear in the Biblical narrative that one wonders if perhaps it is the standard greeting in Heaven. But I think this phrase has another application. Job accuses his friends of lying in order to defend God. I think this is a challenge we should receive as Christians today… and every day, for that matter.

How often are we tempted to soften God’s truth. We like to shave off the corners, and sand down the rough edges until we’ve taken the brick for building and turned into a smooth river stone. God does not need our defence. Especially if we are going to misrepresent Him. That judgement will get overturned on appeal anyway.

God flooded the world, drowning almost the entire earth’s population.

God killed the guy who touched the ark, who was only trying to help.

God authorized the slaughter of the Canaanites, He created, He destroys.

God chose to bless and use people who were terrible, like Saul or Saul.

God doesn’t want us to like Him, He wants us to understand who He is. So don’t bother trying to win people to kinder, gentler, fuzzier god… that is NOT the God who created the universe. Once you start changing God so that He better fits our contemporary ideas of what a god should be, you are headed down the slippery slope of preaching what the Apostle Paul calls “another gospel”.

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth. So help me God.

Job 12-14 | 022/365

On Mockery of God

During one monologue Job claims his innocence while insisting that God is far off and indifferent to the suffering of the righteous, or even enjoying it. In response his friend, Zophar, says — basically — “You want God to speak? Well, clearly He has!” He then goes on to say, quite forthrightly, that Job is mocking God. This is a serious accusation, and one that the Apostle Paul would address a great many years later, writing in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (NIV)

The natural question, then is, what does it mean to ‘mock God’? Well, classically we would think it means any one — or combination of — the following; disrespect, dishonour, willful ignorance, ridicule, defiance, contempt, or hostility. These are typically the actions of the non-believer, and we do see Job wrestling with what has happened and trying to understand God’s actions and motivations, I don’t see these particular verbs happening in Job’s speech.

It is the desire of Job’s heart to talk with God, even going so far as to ask for a mediator. He is seeking understanding in a time of immense suffering. This is normal. And talking through our emotions is often a helpful catharsis. But…

Not all mockery happens by outsiders. American Preacher Charles G. Finley wrote, “To mock God is to pretend to love and serve him when we do not; to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey him, love, serve, and worship him, when we do not. . . . Mocking God grieves the Holy Spirit, and sears the conscience; and thus the bands of sin become stronger and stronger. The heart becomes gradually hardened by such a process.”

I think this is a good opportunity to examine our hearts and ask God to come and do a work in the secret place, the most inner parts of us that we keep hidden away from the world.

Lord, have your way in every part of me. Break my flesh. Lead me into all righteousness. Help me rid my life of the sin that seeks to destroy me. Thank you, Jesus.

Job 8-12 | 021/365

Good Council Is Not Always Good Council

Let me explain. Job has been stripped of everything but His life. By God — of at least by God’s consent and decree. He was, however, righteous and blameless as the account records. His friends show up and offer their speeches, Eliphaz is the first to speak with Job and his counsel is good. Resentment destroys the fool! Jealousy kills the simple! God bring correction to those He loves! This is all true and would be great advice… just not for Job in this situation. Job was not resentful or Jealous or in need of correction when these trials befell him. Rather he was a faithful man who loved and feared the Lord.

We must remember that when bad things happen, they are not necessarily judgement from God. So that when we are on the receiving end of some terrible news or situation, God is not necessarily punishing us and when we are in times of great news and prosperity, God is not necessarily blessing us — though we should still be looking for opportunities to learn in both circumstances.

And if a friend is going through something, don’t come in strong with a “What sin led you to this situation?” approach. Weep, mourn, and pray with those who are broken. And as you continue to seek the Lord through the healing process, He will reveal His purposes in good time.

Let’s strive to be quick to hear and slow to speak.

Job 5-7 | 020/365

Love in the Trenches

Job is a righteous and prosperous man. He fears God and loves his children. He would offer sacrifices on behalf of his children, in case they had sinned incidentally or accidentally. It was common belief among the worshippers of pagans gods that those deities were capricious and easily offended, so it is not clear if Job is trying to stay on God’s good side, or if he recognizes the need to sacrifice because of the holiness of the one true God.

So the accuser (we should not assume this person is Satan) says that Job is not worshipping God, but rather trying to appease Him. God — being omniscient — already know Job’s heart, but for reasons not revealed to us here He consents to have tragedy befall Job. And it does.

In a matter of minutes everything is taken away from Job, including all of his children. This absolutely devastating turn of events would be enough to push anyone to brink of despair. Surely this would be enough to push Job over the edge. But his reply is as humbling as it is shocking… upon losing everything Job remarks:

“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be made naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!”

I’ve heard the story too many times to count. People love and worship God so long as things are going well for them. They look at the misery and destruction around the world and it phases them not. But when that misery and/or destruction knocks on their door… God must not exist. It’s okay when it happens to others, but when it happens to me it is proof that God cannot be real.

This is the epitome of self-centredness. Like we’ve talked about before, an eternal perspective is key. It won’t make these things easier to bear, but it will help us understand that when calamity befalls us that God is still in charge, and that this life is but a breath. Those among us who have MUCH can all-too-easily find ourselves worshipping a God of good times and convenience. But those among us who have little, find all their hope in God.

Maybe in some cases those of us who are well-off, are poorer than those who have nothing.

Job 1-4 | 019/365