Take Two: Job 42, Proverbs 27

In this final chapter, we find some interesting features. [NOTE: This story contains a more familiar part of Job's story...the restoration of his fortunes and the blessing of many generations. Many people have read about his loss (in the beginning chapters) and his restoration (in this final chapter) but skim over the in between. To do so..would be to miss something that God saw fit to inspire and preserve throughout the ages.]

In vv.1-6, Job admits his presumptive attitude and confesses it as sin before God. His repentance is recorded, but it is not a lengthy account. It is a heartfelt admission/ agreement before God.

In vv.7-9, God rebukes Job’s 3 friends because they spoke foolishly when they counseled Job. The “had not spoken of God what is right” (v.7). IOW: The “one string on their banjo” was the wrong string. God tells them to go to Job with an offering and ask Job to pray for them. [This is powerful if you consider that they had spent voluminous pages chastising Job for being a sinner under the judgment of God.]

V. 10 jumps out. It is a testimony of Job’s heart. God restored Job’s fortunes WHEN he prayed for his friends (the ones who said he was an unrepentant sinner!)

WAIT!! Is this coincidental? Is it just by chance that this info is included? Certainly…NOT. Job was restored when he FORGAVE his friends which is observed in his intercession for them…as he had been accustomed to doing before. His act of forgiving PRECEDED his restoration.

Now how could Job be so quick to forgive? WAIT FOR IT…Go back to vv.1-6. God was quick to forgive and Job knew that he had no right to do anything otherwise.

In light of his own sin and forgiveness, Job could respond appropriately to his friend’s sins by forgiving. In fact, he interceded on their behalf asking for mercy for them from God.

It is not a far leap to assert that if Job had been unforgiving…God would not have restored. If Job had held a record of wrongs, God would not have restored.

APPLICATION: If a person has difficulty forgiving…two probabilities exist. First, they are not forgiven/saved/redeemed/restored. Lost people do not “get” forgiveness as it is intended to be. They just don’t. They can gloss over or move beyond a trespass…but the idea of restoration is foreign. Second, they have been forgiven but have forgotten “for what, by Whom, and how often.” Yes…it is possible for Christians to be so far removed from their own conversion that they become embittered toward the lost, haughty in their minds, and judgmental in their actions. They LOOK DOWN on others with pity or contempt, but not empathy. As such…they become as effective at restoration as your “run-of-the-mill” Pharisee.

Pastor…how can I learn to forgive like Job…like Jesus? Start by getting a firm grasp of who you were when God forgave you…and NEVER turn loose of that.

God’s restoration in Job’s latter days was twofold for what he had lost. (No truer picture of the gospel is ever spoken). He died a blessed man.

Proverbs 27:3 is the takeaway today. “A stone is heavy and the sand is weighty, but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.”

Tomorrow, let’s go back to the NT and read the Gospel of Mark again. See you there!!

Take Two: Job 41, Proverbs 26

This chapter concludes the speech of God to Job. Continuing with the illustrations from creation, God now turns from the Hippo to the Leviathan (i.e. dragon or crocodile…or some such creature.)

NOTE: Let me just confess that, as a God geek, I am greatly entertained by the commentators who have written on this chapter. Some claim the Leviathan is a great dolphin…others, a serpent…many…a large crocodile…some…a dragon…and still a few…satan himself. [Each commentator has his own reasons and there are so many options because the text does not tell us anything except what it tells us...and we don't know what this creature was. We only want to believe that it, or a type of it, still exists today.]

The two most prominent explanations are that of a dragon creature…like those of myth and legend. This explains the appearance…as well as takes literally the breathing of fire and snorting of smoke that is described in the chapter. The other explanation is that of a crocodile which certainly does justice to the description of its hide and fierceness…but requires one to adopt an allegorical interpretation of the fire and smoke. (BTW: Proponents do this well as they claim that which the croc surfaces and breathes out, the mist from his mouth reflects the sun and appears as fire while his breath would feel like fire if you could survive the encounter.) I mean no disrespect to the “smart people” who have written boundless chapters to defend this position…but seriously…can we really know?

[My 2 cents: If you think it is a dragon type creature that is now extinct...I won't argue with you. If you think it is a crocodile...I will snicker, but I won't argue. If you think it is a former quarterback or offensive lineman for UF...now you are inciting a belly-laugh from me...but I still won't argue.] (Why won’t I argue? Because I have gotten comfortable with the fact that there are some things mentioned in the Scriptures that I cannot know and explain with absolute certainty…and they don’t really matter that much anyway.)

Here is what IS important. God says to Job…are you able to go fishing and catch a leviathan…then domesticate it and have it as a pet? [All the while inferring that He can as the Creator]. Are you able to destroy it if you wish? [Inferring again that He can if He wishes.]

V.10…if you can’t even stand before one of God’s creatures and master it…what makes you think you can stand before God and dominate Him? [Let that sink in.]

When we call God to account, we are asserting some level of perceived superiority. God simply says to Job…”If you can’t claim superiority over one of my house pets, how can you claim the ability to judge Me?”

APPLIED: While we have opinions…and we have a relationship…we should always hold God and His ways in the deepest reverence. Anything less…is foolish at best and blasphemous at worst.

Proverbs 26:17 is the takeaway today. “Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.” [Translated into Mississippi speak- If you want to get bit, stick your nose into somebody else's troubles.]

Take Two: Job 40, Proverbs 25

God challenges Job again…this time more directly. He asks him, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” (v.2). Job’s response…wise. He shut his mouth and placed his hand over it…so as not to eek out even a sound.

The problem was not in Job’s righteousness or even in his response per se. (i.e., God can handle our questions…but He will not handle our self-righteousness.) In Job’s condemnation of the actions of God…he was thus seeking to justify Himself (v.8).

POINT: Don’t miss that. When we question God…we do so for a reason. When we accuse God of bad choices…we do so to justify ourselves. Our relationship with God (and it is a relationship and not just religious activity) must never be such that we remake God into our image. He is God and He made us…not the other way around. We fail but God never fails. We attempt to justify ourselves but God is both JUST and JUSTIFIER.

In Job’s claim that He was righteous and God had acted without appropriate mercy, Job sought to justify himself and his depression, his attitude toward suffering, and his disgust toward his circumstances. Job was righteous as God said…but his response toward God as a result of his suffering went from “naked I came from my mother’s womb…blessed be the Name of the Lord;” to demanding God account for Job’s circumstances (31:35).

God now turns back toward examples of his creatures…beginning with the Hippo (i.e. behemoth-v.15 ). The point, I think, is that God deals with the beast as He chooses to…and cares for and provides him with strength in His own way…not necessarily the way one might expect. [NOTE: He will continue with the discussion of the Leviathan (i.e. dragon type creature tomorrow) ].

APPLIED: As we consider God’s confrontation of Job, I think it is important to consider our own response to God. When we complain against God or question His wisdom (accusing Him of making a mistake), aren’t we simply seeking to justify ourselves? Yes, we have a relationship and can pursue honest dialogue with God…but in the end, we cannot debate with Him since He is ALWAYS God and is therefore never in err. The sooner we submit to that, the better we will be.

Proverbs 25:12 is the takeaway today. “Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.”

Take Two: Job 39, Proverbs 24

This chapter bear similarity to the previous one as God continues to question Job. In the previous chapter, much of the questioning revolved around the origin of Creation. Now…there is a subtle shift to questions about the behavior and characteristics of specific creatures.

One verse that stuck out in my mind is v.12. “Will you have faith in [the ox who was wild and then brought into service for the farmer]. Will you trust that you can obtain from him labor greater than the investment you make in him?”

As I just meditated on this, I was reminded of the difference between God and man. God created the ox and did so in such a way that the ox…as powerful as it is…is willing to be placed under subjection and will work for its owner. No ox can be overpowered. Yet, God created it in such a way that will submit to its owner.

How does this happen? (That is the question for reflection). The owner does not know, yet he relies on the ox for its labor. The ox simply does as it is told.

APPLIED: No more than we can understand the way of the oxen, can we understand the ways of God. We trust that the oxen will work for us and not turn on us to kill us. We believe that the oxen will bring a harvest greater than the cost of its upkeep. We have no basis for this belief except our observations of other oxen and other fields.

We do not know everything about God and we do not even suggest that we can bring Him into submission. We can only look at His actions and see His revealed characteristics. As we do, we have grounds for faith in Him. If we would trust the ox…why wouldn’t we trust the Lord?

FURTHER: We find it easier to place our security in the Federal Reserve and our retirement security with the government or the Social Security Administration…than we do in placing our trust in God. In one sense…we have no worries about the future because God is for us. We have no reason to question our fate in the present because God is for us. He lack no power or insight regarding our circumstance. His character is unimpeachable. Why would we not trust him.

My mind is drawn back to the empty faith that some of my M friends place in their understanding of God. They say…if Allah wills…and simply move forward. I understand better now what Jesus meant when he heard the Centurion say, “just command it and it will be done…for I also am a man under authority.” Jesus’ response…”I have not found such great faith in [among] all Israel [God's people].

Do we trust God? Do we trust Him to simply believe His promises…seek His presence and purpose for our lives…and commit to pursue Him in whatever way He wills?

Proverbs 24:10 is the takeaway today. [Contemplate this...read it several times slowly and consider it.] “If you are slack in the day of distress, your strength will be limited.”

Take Two: Job 38, Proverbs 23

This chapter begins the speech of God to Job. It is an extended speech but we will take it in parts.

Job had asked for God to give answer or cause for the suffering. Job has experience the entire range of emotions in this experience. At times he cries out with great faith…and at other times, he winces and declares that he is not being treated justly. (Sounds human to me).

God speaks to Job and initiates the talk by telling him to brace himself like a man. Job has asked questions and asserted that he was somehow treated unfairly. God’s response…as we will see…is essentially “you can only make those declarations if you know everything. Do you know everything Job? Let’s see.”

Beginning in v.4 is one of the most humbling monologues I have ever read. God begins to rehearse and recount His activity and wisdom through the ages. He does so by way of question: Where were you when I did this? Who do you think did these things? How did I do them? Why did I do them?”

The intended response is not an outright answer, but an introspective consideration.

APPLIED: Often times we make value assessments and judgment about the economy of God. In doing so…we place ourselves in the place of Job and open ourselves to the response HERE of God.

When we feel as though God is slow, or unjust, or unconcerned…aren’t we asserting that we know better than God and thus judging Him for His actions or inactions? Who are we to counsel God? That is the point of this monologue.

I am certainly not saying that it is wrong to question God. Questions can aid understanding. I would assert though…that we must humbly question Him…with reverence and awe of the fact that He knows far more than we could ever hope to grasp…and He always acts according to His character. Therefore, what He causes or allows is perfect and beyond reproach. The more we scrutinize the power and Person of God…the more we see ourselves as the creature and Him as the Creator. We see ourselves as we are and worship Him for who He IS!

Proverbs 23:24 is the takeaway today. “The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.”

Take Two: Job 36-37, Proverbs 22

In these two chapters, we complete the speeches of Elihu and this is the last we hear from him. It is important, I think, to remember that Job never responds to him or addresses his thoughts.

There are two primary thoughts or approaches in these last two chapters: CH36…magnifies the truth that God is purposeful in His dealing with man. God’s wisdom is unassailable and He wisely opens the ears of man to hear Him (vv.10-12). Those who HEAR and respond by SERVING, God blesses; whereas, those who do not hear die without knowledge of God or of His blessing.

The issue communicated in “hear” is not the awareness of or ability to recognize God. He opens the ear to hear. The issue is a willingness to hear and a willingness to respond…which place the responsibility to respond squarely on the shoulders of man. [So, as a side not...God is always portrayed as absolutely Sovereign and man is also absolutely RESPONSIBLE to respond. Both are true.]

As I said, God’s wisdom…particularly in dealing with man (which is the point here) is unassailable. No one can claim that God overreaches, falls short, or handles something poorly. He is PERFECT. So, whatever is occurring is according to the plan and purpose of God.

Ch 37 reiterates that God speaks powerfully through the storms and behind the storms (v.4). That is powerful. It is often after the storms have blown through and “knocked us back” that God speaks. He is not sheepish…nor does it require that God “yells.” It is that God does speak.

The image of the storm…particularly the rain…is a beautiful image. See, God uses rain to both bless and curse. What can be destructive…is also absolutely necessary for survival. Then…also…what is necessary for survival…can also be/become destructive.

The difference is, in part, on the preparation of the recipient. We must be prepared to receive God’s provision. Picture a new fill of dirt on an embankment. Uncovered dirt, when faced with a storm…erodes. It is destroyed. But the same dirt, when covered with grass…withstands the power fo the rain and actually flourishes. Rain is both beneficial and destructive.

Someone once said in regards to challenges…”What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.” There is some truth to that.

The point here in these last two chapters is that God deals with people through circumstances and the benefit is determined by the person’s responsiveness to God.

APPLIED: How do we respond to the storms in our lives? Are we prepared for God to rain on us? If he rained right now…would it strengthen or destroy? The answer is not mystical…it corresponds with our preparation for God’s response.

Proverbs 22:12 is the takeaway today. “The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous man.”

Take Two: Job 34-35, Proverbs 21

These two chapters contain the 2d and 3d speech of Elihu and are difficult to follow unless we keep the entire context in mind. Elihu offers no “new” information in his argument…but does shade Job’s statements differently (and even incorrectly)…so his argument is interesting to read.

To summarize, Elihu claims that Job has “dug in” to the position that he is righteous and God is somehow unrighteous since God has not vindicated Job. This doesn’t seem to the position of Job at all. To this point it seems that Job has consistently held that he is unaware of his own sin and therefore cannot find any cause for his suffering.

What it seems we find in Elihu’s responses here…is a philosophical approach to the situation. He does point out the words of Job…but he also draws some conclusions personally. He then makes categorical assertions that may not be helpful.

For instance, Elihu states that God is Sovereign and as such…is the standard for right and wrong. While this is true (i.e. we know justice because God is just. We know truth because God is truth), it doesn’t answer the question as to why Job is suffering when no one can point to sin. Elihu attempts to develop a “black and white” answer to a “grey” or “unknown problem.”

APPLIED: Sometimes we do this of find it done in the course of our life. A child will die and when the question “why” is asked…we want to answer…so we say “because of parent’s sin”…or, “because God needed the child in heaven more than on earth.” These are possibilities of course…but it is a LEAP to strongly assert that this is why. A FAR BETTER approach is the truth…”I don’t know.” It is far better to declare that we don’t know and yet we trust…than to try to codify every action of God.

Elihu made a mistake that we all make or have made. He wanted to answer for the mysteries of God. He wanted to clear up the question, “why.”

Make no mistake…Job is not perfect. He was human throughout this book…but at the same time, God declared him righteous…not Job. Job did develop some depression and bitterness (my observation) to which God would soon speak…but to categorically declare that he is wrong to question God simply because of who God is…is an academic argument divorced from the human experience. Ultimately, God is the arbiter of truth, justice, and righteousness. He is also loving and gracious, and longsuffering toward us…His creation…made in His own image.

POINT: Don’t be so quick to get to “black and white.” Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know and I’m sorry, but I trust.” This is an answer of faith, humility and trust…and it magnifies God.

Proverbs 21:13 is the takeaway today. “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.”

Take Two: Job 32-33, Proverbs 20

[ENTER STAGE LEFT]. A newcomer to the conversation, Elihu, enters the scene and speaks. He makes (consequently) the second longest speech in the Book (next to Job’s). His speech (or more accurately, his speeches) is never responded to.

Elihu claims to speak for God and speaks out of anger at the self-justification of Job (32:2), and at the failure of the three friends to convince Job of anything (32:3). He claims that the words from God had welled up in him and he would burst if he did not speak.

Elihu (in a particularly verbose manner) sees himself as equally able to share his perspective on the situation…even given his age. He notes that while age is a teacher, it does not alone indicate wisdom (vv.6-9). In the first part of his speech, Elihu recites some of Job’s claims (33:8-11) and declares that Job is wrong to bring charges against God.

Unlike the argument of the friends, Elihu does not directly claim that Job’s situation is caused by his own sin necessarily. He argues that sometimes God uses suffering and circumstances to protect us against sin (33:29-30).

[NOTE: While you may agree or not, this is the first real argument brought that gives another explanation for Job's suffering...other than that he was a closet "bad guy."] Job, in his argument had asserted that he was innocent and that God was dealing justly with him. The friends declared unequivocally that Job was evil and God was getting him for it. Elihu offers a third option…that God was protecting Job from abandoning God. He closes this first speech by asking Job to please allow him to continue before defending himself (33:31-33).

OBSERVATIONS: Job had asked his friends to listen to him and they had not. Elihu did listen, responded by using Job’s own words in the shaping of the argument, and asked Job to listen to him.

Don’t overlook the fact that the actions of this young man are bold and courageous. For a young man to speak in the presence of these older men was BOLD. BOLD! Whether one agrees with Elihu or not, his actions are worthy of note and his words are not without merit. He draws us to the place of CONSIDERING…”what if there is another way to think about my current situation or the actions of God in my life and in the world?”

APPLIED: When boldness is required…will you step up courageously and speak? Do you feel compelled to speak on God’s behalf when others accuse Him of being too passive or even impotent? Are you willing to give an explanation of your faith in Christ…at ALL times? Should you reconsider your approach to these matters now and in the future?

Proverbs 20:5 is the takeaway today. “A plan in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding draws it out.”

Take Two: Job 29-31, Proverbs 19

OK, so I took a longer passage again (maybe because I am trying to get through Job.) Actually, I wanted to capture all of Job’s final speech in its entirety. Here it is in broad strokes.

In Ch 29, Job remembers how glorious his past (before this testing) was. He in reminiscent of how he was blessed, how others respected him, and how he was FAITHFUL to use his blessing to minister on God’s behalf (29:11-17).

POINT: His regret includes not only his loss of blessing…but also his loss of ability to minister to the widow and the orphan. It is not unusual to find folks who bemoan losing their “blessings,” but it is more rare to find people who complain to God that they cannot bless others due to their own calamity.

In CH 30, Job describes the contrast of his current situation. Not only is he not blessed, but he is despised. On every point…the exact opposite of his previous state is expressed. Everything that was good and glorious is now a curse and contemptuous.

In CH 31, we find his appeal to God to “weigh him out!” IOW: Job begins to delineate the areas of his life where he intentionally has embraced holiness. These areas are the implied areas of sin by the friends and are central to the argument made all along with the doctrine of retribution.

OBSERVATION: What grabbed me was the BOLDNESS that Job expressed toward God. He said, without hesitation, “If I have lusted, cheated, stolen, failed to advance justice, mocked, taunted, mistreated, lied, or any other sin…may God wear me out!”

That is a huge statement and it comes from the fact that Job regularly and intentionally examined his own life. He was unaware (after searching) of ANY cause for judgment.

POINT: I wonder how many of us are bold enough to say to God these things when we are suffering? Job’s confidence came from his commitment to living according to God’s plan. He was successful…we know…both by his own testimony, the lack of evidence presented by the friends, and by the testimony of God!

His statement is the equivalent of say, “If God can produce one shred of evidence…anything…I will beg Him to judge me as I deserve.”

Yes, this is bold…but it is not arrogant or undeserved. It is unusual for us…because I fear that we are far more tolerant of sin and rebellion in our own lives than Job was. We have sins we “wink at” or “look past.” Job says…I have none of those. I lived blessed because I lived Holy…and God Himself cannot bring a charge against me that I know of.

Honestly…as I was considering whether I would make such a statement before God…I am shamed to say that I would not. Many sins flood my mind this morning. What I can, could, and would do though…is say boldly that there is NO SIN which has not been completely, totally, and unreservedly atoned for. My Lord took upon Himself the punishment and weight for my sin. My boldness is not in my perfection, but in my perfect righteousness which was IMPUTED to me by the work of my Jesus…ALONE. I do stand with boldness…but it is His boldness. I do stand in absolute righteousness…but it is His. He alone is my boast. He alone is my redemption. He alone is my strength and my shelter. He is…my Salvation.

Proverbs 19:19 is the takeaway today. “A man of great anger will bear the penalty, for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.” [That's worthy of reflection....]

Take Two: Job 28, Proverbs 18

This chapter opens with Job illustrating what it is to search for minerals in the earth. It is contrasted with the search for wisdom…and it is illustrated that…as difficult as it is to mine for minerals and precious gems, the seeking of wisdom for man is much more difficult.

In the end, the beginning of the search for wisdom…is the fear/reverence/proper understanding of God. The fear of the Lord is never divorced from the resistance to evil.

For God…wisdom is normal. For man, wisdom is fleeting. The quest for wisdom is a journey that involves constantly surrendering strongholds in our lives, resisting evil, and embracing good. It is not merely the acquisition of more information. Books…Philosophies…piety…all of these are good but wisdom is surrender. It is “Spirit-led.” It is pursuing God’s purpose in God’s way for God’s glory. It is yielding tot he refining work of God in every area of our lives as God reveals them. It never ends in this life.

When a man considers himself wise…he has stopped being so. When a man considers another man to be less wise than himself…he has stopped demonstrating wisdom…because he has asserted his own superiority and therefore…his diminished need for wisdom.

When I think of the odds of drilling for and finding oil…panning for and finding gold…or mining for and finding diamonds…I consider it a million to one shot. Job says…it is easier more probable to attain these things than to find wisdom…and that finding it requires first…a fear of God. There is no wisdom apart from God.

Proverbs 18:2 is the takeaway today. “A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind.”