February 19th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

To catch up on the posts in this series that you may have missed, they are all indexed here.

On Wednesday we looked at the evidence that Job was also working from a perspective of retribution theology.  He knew he had not sinned, and he knew that he was suffering.  Therefore he concluded that God was unjust and had wronged him.

Perhaps we haven’t been so bold as to say to the Lord, “You have wronged me!”

But have we asked, with a whining or accusatory tone, “Why me/ her/ him, God?” We list before him the list of accomplishments, relationships, contributions.  We accuse Him of not being fair.

There is a difference between asking “why” as a request for clarification and asking “why” as an accusation against God’s character. Notice the terminology Job uses as he speaks of his desire for “justice” from the Lord.

“How can I find words to argue with him?” (9:3)

“Even if I summoned and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.” (9:16)

“But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated.” (13:3)

Friends, it is a serious thing to demand that God give us an account.  Job bodly uses courtroom terminology, demanding that God answer him – and he believes he will have the final say!

He will not.

“Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm.

He said:

Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?”

Job 38:1-2

Sometimes we initially respond to suffering well, like our friend Job.  But over time, our hearts turn bitter, accusing, angry with God.  We want to drag God into the courtroom.

The courtroom is not a place we want to be with God on trial.

[to be continued...]

February 17th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

To catch up on the posts in this series that you may have missed, they are all indexed here.

On Monday we looked at the fact that Job’s friends had a view of God that was too small – they were operating from a perspective of “retribution theology,” which basically means that righteousness will always result in prosperity, sin will always result in suffering and poverty.  Their wrong assumptions about the nature and ways of God caused them to accuse Job of wrongdoing, when in reality Job was suffering because of Satan’s attack upon this faithful God-fearer.

Now today we’re going to take a look at Job’s response to his suffering.  It seems that many of us have been taught to view Job as the hero of this story.  The thing is, he does respond in faith and worship at the beginning of the book (as we discussed last week)… but he falters.  Never forget that the Bible is not about people!

When we were going through the first few chapters, did these verses jump out at you?

1:22 – In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
2:10 – In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Those are very specific statements!  When the “narrator” of a Biblical account makes specific, recurring statements like this, take notice!  There’s a reason!

As the dialogue between Job and his friends unfolds, we clearly see Job’s friends’ wrong theology showing up.  Unfortunately, we also see some things in the dialogue from Job which should raise a red flag.

Job 9:14-17
“How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?

Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;
I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.

Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

Job 13:3

But I desire to speak to the Almighty
and to argue my case with God.

Job 13:17-23
Listen carefully to my words;
let your ears take in what I say.

Now that I have prepared my case,
I know I will be vindicated.
Can anyone bring charges against me?
If so, I will be silent and die.

“Only grant me these two things, O God,
and then I will not hide from you:

Withdraw your hand far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.

Then summon me and I will answer,
or let me speak, and you reply.

How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
Show me my offense and my sin.

Job 19:6-9

…then know that God has wronged me
and drawn his net around me.

Though I cry, ‘I’ve been wronged!’ I get no response;
though I call for help, there is no justice.

He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.

He has stripped me of my honor
and removed the crown from my head.

You see, Job was also operating from retribution theology.

February 15th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

Today we’re continuing on in our look at the book of Job as we seek to answer that ever-present question, “How could a good God…?”  To catch up on the posts in this series that you may have missed, they are all indexed here.

Now, if you’ve read through the book of Job recently, you probably buzzed through the first few chapters and then may have found yourself wandering in a fog through chapters 4 through 37.  These chapters contain a cycle of dialogue between Job and his friends which fall into a pattern.  (“E” for Eliphaz, “B” for Bildad, “Z” for Zophar.)

What is going on in these chapters?!

Here are a few quotes drawn from the dialogue – obviously this is a VERY brief summation, but hopefully it will help us glimpse the larger picture.

(From Eliphaz) Job 4:7-8

Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?

Where were the upright ever destroyed?

As I have observed, those who plow evil

and those who sow trouble reap it.

Job 5:17

Blessed is the man whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

(From Bildad) Job 8:3-6

Does God pervert justice?
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

When your children sinned against him,
he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

But if you will look to God
and plead with the Almighty,

if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
and restore you to your rightful place.

(From Zophar) Job 11:14-15

if you put away the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,

then you will lift up your face without shame;
you will stand firm and without fear.

February 12th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when my dear friends are experiencing such deep and gripping agony that I just have no idea what to do.  I want to offer words of comfort… I want to help… and then later on I feel like a fool for saying what probably came across as trite rather than comforting.

We have good friends who lost a child several years ago.  A few months later I was talking with her about their experience; she told me that some of the most painful things to deal with were the well-intentioned words from others. Words that were meant to heal left deeper wounds in their path, because those who were trying to comfort could not fathom the depth of their pain.

I wince and wonder if some of those unintentionally cutting words came from me.

For this reason, Job 2:11-13 is so profound to me.

Now, Job’s friends end up not being terribly helpful or encouraging… but they started out great.  They saw the depth of his suffering and sat on the ground in silence for seven days and nights.

When we see those we love experiencing unimaginable pain and despair, we would be wise to follow the example of these three men.  We need to keep our “helpful” words to ourselves.  Weep with them.  Mourn with them.  Sit on the ground in silence with them.

Because sometimes no words can help.

Have you been the bearer of too-quickly-spoken words?  Have you been hurt by the “comfort” offered by others in times of loss?  What would it look like to sit in the dust with someone you love?

All the posts in this series are indexed here.