Job 10 – 20

As Job and his friends mull through the calamity that has befallen Job, a clear picture of the cultural understanding of God and mankind emerges. In his day, people believed in a deity (or, in many cases deities) essentially hold scales of justice. Good deeds would provoke the god(s) to acts benevolently toward the person and he would prosper and live in a state of well-being. Conversely, bad deeds would provoke the wrath of the god(s) who would bring injury or distress upon the person. That was the conventional wisdom of the day.

The monkey wrenches thrown into those works, however, were instances of unjust suffering of good people and unjust prospering of evil one. These two “exceptions” to the conventional wisdom of the day were difficult for folks to grapple with and discern. As we read through Job, we must remember there is a principle of biblical inspiration at work highlighting the importance of context in interpretation. In the book of Job, we have accurate accounts of false statements. The biblical account is true, but the perspective spoken is simply incorrect or purposefully false.

One of the first occurrences of this in scripture is the encounter of Eve and the serpent in the Garden. Elohim had clearly stated that they could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for if they do, they would surely die. The serpent comes along and says “You will surely NOT die”. Now, if we give the serpent the benefit of the doubt (stick with me, it is a principle of understanding scripture) he COULD have meant you will not die TODAY. As it turned out that would have been true, but it would still have been deceptive because that was not how God MEANT His statement. On the other hand, the serpent could have been intentionally making a statement he knew to be false. In either case, the bible accurately records his false statement and the bible account is true.

The same principle must be applied to Job and his friends. The assertions they make are based upon their understanding of God and His justice. So they make claims which, taken out of context, give us an inaccurate understanding of the nature of Yahweh Elohim or the nature of the circumstances befalling Job.

Should a multitude of words go unanswered, and a man full of talk be judged right? Should your babble silence men, and when you mock, shall no one shame you? For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ But oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you, and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

Job 11:2-6

Did you catch that? God brought all of this on you, but in so doing He actually cut you some slack because you deserved worse. Earlier we are told Job was upright and blameless, so if he deserved worse than he got, why haven’t other received much, much worse? Is God arbitrary and capricious in His judgments? All that being said, the truth about God is that in His mercy He does not exact of us what we deserve and in His grace He grants us what we do not deserve. Take care not to allow an accurate record of an inaccurate statement about God’s nature distort your understanding of His majesty.

Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If he passes through and imprisons and summons the court, who can turn him back? For he knows worthless men; when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it? But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man! “If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward him. If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not injustice dwell in your tents. Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure and will not fear. You will forget your misery; you will remember it as waters that have passed away. And your life will be brighter than the noonday; its darkness will be like the morning. And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security. You will lie down, and none will make you afraid; many will court your favor. But the eyes of the wicked will fail; all way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last.”

Job 11:7-20

Here we find some wonderful truths about God, His justice and mankind and our need for repentance. The only problem is these great truths are spoken in untrue circumstances. Job is blameless because he is repentant and forgiven by God. These calamities are not a result of his sin as Zophar opines. This time, the bible contains an accurate account of truth misapplied to the circumstances. Blamelessness is not sinlessness, rather it is renewed innocence for the repentant sinner. This concept simply did not fit with the conventional wisdom of their day.

The great truths of repentance, forgiveness, mercy and grace are unfolding throughout scripture. The trusting belief that God is righteous and just draws people to Him, while the faithless belief that God is evil and unjust repels them. That is the ultimate battle in play in this grand scene between God and Satan. Will Job’s integrity in faith persevere, or will his circumstances crush him?

The amazing thing in all of this is when we trust that God is Who He claims to be and will do exactly as He has promised when we obey Him, we do not have to have a perfect understanding of everything in order to be right with God. Make sure you really understand what I just said and, then, consider this …

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,

Job 19:25-26

Who is Job’s “redeemer”? Jesus. In the unfolding revelation of God to mankind, the truth and identity of Messiah, the Redeemer of souls does not come for many years after Job’s death. Yet, by faith, Job KNOWS He lives. Job believes that he will be redeemed and that he will see God in the end. He doesn’t have a perfect or complete understanding of all of the details, but he believes it. He knows it. Jesus was living when the universe was an idea, because He is the everlasting God of the universe. Jesus was living when Job walked the earth, although He had not yet become and man and walked the earth on the road to the cross. Jesus is alive today, risen from the dead and will come claim the redeemed for Himself one day.

Job certainly did not know the details, but He knew His God.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!