Earlier in this series I posed the question, “is it wrong to serve God because it benefits us?”
We looked at retribution theology‘s conclusion that righteousness should always be rewarded with prosperity. While living wisely and righteously definitely avoids a wide swath of self-inflicted pain and suffering, it begs the question:
If I am serving God because it is good for me…
Am I serving Him at all?
Or, to make this a little more convicting to us -
Am I “serving God” because people can see me? [Even if it is intended to give a "good testimony?"]
“The effect of both action and non-action for human approval is to push the presence of God aside as irrelevant and to subject ourselves to the human kingdom.
We may think it is okay to avoid evil for fear of being seen, for in any case we do avoid the evil. But that only shows we have no respect for God and would disobey Him but for the opinions of others.”
In both avoiding evil and doing good, our respect should be for God alone.
(pg. 200)
What, or whom, are we serving? Do we truly fear God?
On Monday in Cross-Examining the Witness, we started to look at God’s amazing series of rhetorical questions to Job.
I ended that post with this question: Notice that after this challenge from the Lord in chapter 40, Job seems to give a humble answer. Why does God start the questioning over again? What is missing in Job’s statement in 40:4-5?
So today, let’s take a look.
The LORD said to Job:
“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Then Job answered the LORD :
“I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more.”
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:
“Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
Job 40:1-5
A few observations:
If there was any doubt in your mind that indeed Job had sinned in his accusations of God’s justice and righteousness, God’s response in these verses should erase that doubt. “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Job does acknowledge that he is unworthy.
Apparently, Job’s response was not what God was looking for, because we have a repeat of Job 38:3 – God is starting the questioning over again.
Be sure to read these chapters in their entirety on your own… amazing and humbling, to say the least. God focuses in on several of his most powerful created creatures in these chapters, emphasizing his sovereignty over all creation. These statements especially jump out to me:
“Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Job 40:8
Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me.
Job 41:11
In Job 42:1-6, Job gives a second answer. Apparently this one was satisfactory to the Lord, because after these verses God corrects Job’s friends and tells them two different times, “you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.“
So, what’s different about Job’s response in 42:1-6?
“I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.’
My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”
In these verses, Job:
Acknowledges God’s supremacy and sovereignty over all.
Recognizes that he spoke hastily – he accused God rather than recognizing that he was unable to understand it all.
He REPENTS.
Repentance is always key. Job is restored and his friends are chastised – Why? Because Job was sinless and they weren’t? Clearly no. It’s because Job repented.
Let me tell you a little secret here: God doesn’t expect you to be perfect.
The Old Testament law starts right off the bat with sacrifices – why? Because God knew the people would sin. Revelation 13:8 tells us that Jesus was slain “from the creation of the world” – why? Because God knew we would sin and Jesus’ sacrifice was His plan all along!
God knows that we are sinners. In his holiness, He cannot just turn a blind eye and pretend that we aren’t, even though He loves us. We must repent and be cleansedso that our relationship can be restored!
So, I have good news for you today. If you have found yourself, like Job, accusing God of wrongdoing, you can be restored. You, too, can submit to His sovereignty, admit that you don’t understand everything, humble yourself before Him, recognize your sin, and repent.
In the words of Steven Curtis Chapman, we must recognize that God is God, and we are not. I encourage you to take a few minutes to prayerfully watch this powerful video – may God humble us all before Him and teach us to recognize that He is God, and we are not. When we do, we will be able to worship him through the deepest, darkest valleys of life – we will know that God is big enough to trust.
In Friday’s post, Dragging God to Court, we looked at the dangerous ground Job stood on as he demanded God give an answer for his suffering. Job believed that God had wronged him.
Remember all of that courtroom terminology Job uses as he accuses God of wrongdoing?
Notice how God answers him.
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
Job 38:1-3
I don’t know about you, but that instills some vivid fear of the Lord in my heart! Throughout the next chapters, Job will get a serious reality check as God “cross-examines” him in their court-room encounter. We would be wise to listen and learn along with him.
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
Job 38:4-5
“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death ?
Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
Job 38:16-18
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Job 38:35
“Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
and spread his wings toward the south?
Does the eagle soar at your command
and build his nest on high?
Job 39:26-27
“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Job 40:2
Notice that after this challenge from the Lord in chapter 40, Job seems to give a humble answer. Why does God start the questioning over again? What is missing in Job’s statement in 40:4-5?
We’ll discuss more in the next post. I’d love to hear what you’re thinking in the meantime!
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.
