Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
You made some great points Trapped, but isn't Job's assessment here inaccurate? The beginning of Job makes it clear just who "wounds and strikes." Yes, God permitted it, but it is Satan who always does the evil to us. In His wisdom, God uses all the damages done by His adversary to perfect His seekers, though damaged by the fall. The encouragement drawn by all from Job, is not that we will understand "why" such and such is happening in our life, but that we are assured the God is sovereign and truly loves us.
Is not this the real result of the fall, Adam's disobediance in the garden? Nothing is easy, and all "easy" things become worthless to the children of God. All the precious things in life are not physical possessions, but things like love, faith, hope, etc. These don't come cheap. They all require testing and proving to make them valuable. Like Peter learned the hard way, "the proving of our faith more precious than gold."
Which man of God in the Bible or church history did not follow this narrow and difficult way? Adam tried the easy way, and thus he seemed to learn nothing. Yes, Job's suffering was extreme, because he established the groundwork, the example, for others. In this regard Job was a type of Christ; he was not punished for his own sins, rather he was clearly righteous according to God's demands. I think Job's raw cries are quite similar to David's and the Lord's on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" Yet unlike the Lord, Job was proud and righteous in his own mind. In the end, however, he repented, and God seemed to reward him like no other.
|
I can only give some head-scratcher type responses on this topic. I read through much of Job last night (save some of the latter unhelpful chapters from his "friends"), but I recall a few things that furrowed my brow:
1. Satan does indeed come to God, and God grants him the permission to mess with Job's belongings/family but not Job himself, in chapter 1. But then at some point one of the people who narrowly escaped being killed in the events says something like "
the fire of God came down from heaven" (Job 1:16).
2. Also Job's immediate response was "
the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."
3. Then in Job 2:3, God says this, "
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”"
Incited Me against him to ruin him without cause??? What do we do with THOSE words from God's mouth?
4. Then in Job 2:10, Job responds to his wife this way, "“
You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."
It seems Job is saying the adversity is "from God". And the scripture keeps saying Job didn't sin in what he said. If Job was off or wrong or blaming God for something God didn't do, then that would be identified as a sin. But it never identifies sin in Job's conduct or speaking.
5. And then in chapter 4 we get to Job's assessment about wounding/binding/striking/healing. We don't know yet if it's true or not, but, we see in point 7 below that it actually was.
6. In Job 38 or thereabouts God shows up in a swirl of wind and, frankly, comes across kind of arrogant and blustering about His power. Does He have a ton of power? Oh yeah. But to have basically zero compassion on the anguish and bewilderment of someone who did nothing to deserve the treatment He allowed and/or did, kind of, I mean, His actions just don't seem just here. I don't know what to say.
7. Then in Job 42:7-8, God says twice that Job was correct in what he said about God: "
After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has. So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.”" As I mentioned in point 5, this means Job's comments about God hurting/wounding and healing are true. I just don't know what to do with that.
I know Job retracted his words and repented in chapter 42, but I honestly don't see why. The book repeatedly says he didn't sin in what he said. What is he retracting or repenting for if he didn't sin?
I don't want to derail this thread with this topic, a new one can be made if there is interest, but all that I wrote above just leaves me kind of ...... wanting some milk and cookies for comfort.