Quote:
Originally Posted by Trapped
I do actually understand where you are coming from on the Job thing. That's one of those I have "put a pin in" to grapple with later when I have more time, because it's a common stumbling block to many.
A few thoughts though:
1. Since you and I are not the author of life, when we take the life of another, it's murder and a sin, because it's not ours to take. But God is the author of life, and He thus has the full right to give it and take it as He sees fit. Period. We are the clay and we talk back to the Potter, but it's just the facts. He has determined the length of our days.
2. We each think that we deserve a life without pain or suffering, fully energetic and healthy all the way to 102 years old, but that's not how it goes. Some live to 2. Some to 32. Some to 82. Most suffer a lot during those years. None of us have earned any right to live to the age we think we should be given to live to.
3. If you are a Christian, you know that people don't really die.....they just change location, if you will. When someone dies, we know their body is no longer alive, but their soul is still indeed alive. So while Job's kids lost their temporal, earthly life of suffering, only their body died, as for us all. In Job 3, Job even speaks of being in death as peace, rest, ease, and freedom.
As for Job himself? The torment he was put through? Yeah. Ya got me. Job 4:18 says "For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal." Sounds like a human being I would be scared of, honestly. So I'm partially with you on this one.
Edit to add: sorry, I don't mean to veer away from the thread topic.
|
Ha! The "topic police" won't come down too hard on this . . . let's see if we can tie it back into the topic. Yes, Job is a little troubling to us humans. I don't think I would call God a "Trickster," but I get it. (hard to trust someone if you see them as a trickster)
The Bible shows us He is a real person who gets upset and I'm sure is even pained by what He sees His creation has fallen into. And He makes various decisions that are way above our pay-grade and some actions seem off to us. But He is still the all-knowing Creator who certainly knows best (that's a huge understatement!). In Job's case, it reveals the behind-the-scene situation and God uses it all. But He is all-knowing and the Life-Giver, so it is His prerogative on how He does this, and Job gets this point clearly at the end.
If the Potter decides to smash the clay vessel to start again and make it better, that's His prerogative. We're dealing with a Real Person here and we are but an image of Him at best.
And if He calls things out as being harmful to us (drunkenness, adultery, homosexuality, lying, etc.), He may let us keep doing these things. Or He may be merciful and cause some consequences to come our way that will cause us to turn to Him.
In any case, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God - but it's also the best thing!