Job 12:7-10 states, “Ask the beasts and they will teach you; the birds of the sky and they will tell you, or speak to the earth, it will teach you; the fish of the sea, they will inform you. Who among these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In His hand is every living soul and the breath of all mankind" [Tanakh]
It is easy to read through the story of Job and to be pretty hard on him. We say, “How could he doubt the goodness of God? How could he challenge God?” We must always remember that even though the reader sees what is going on behind the scenes (in discussions between God and Satan - cf. Job 1:6-12 and 2:1-6), there is no indication that Job knows what we know. All he knows is that he has been doing what God wanted him to do and is now facing challenges that just don't make any sense. It is always good to ask ourselves the question: "What would I do if I found myself in Job's situation?" We would be a lot more humble in our judgment.
One of the biggest challenges that Job faced in all of this is outlined in Job 12:7-10 where he makes it clear that GOD is the one who orchestrated the tragic events that he was going through. We can get technical about how active God is in suffering and evil (James 1:13-14) - but this fact cannot be denied. In Isaiah 45:7, God says of Himself, "I form the light and create the darkness; I make well-being and create calamity. I am the Lord who does all these things". Can you imagine the emotional weight Job was going through in admitting this? He was basically saying that the God he loved and served with his whole heart, was the same God who allowed the Sabeans to steal his oxen and donkeys - the same God who allowed fire to fall from heaven and consume his sheep - the same God who allowed the Chaldeans to steal his camels - the same God who allowed his sons and daughters and most of his servants to be killed. That doesn't make sense??? Why would God do this??? Doesn't he care??? If he had the power to do it, wouldn't he also have the power to prevent it from happening? Many of us may feel the same way today. We say, “I'm doing my best to live right....I'm trying to honor God.....but all I get is suffering and pain. Either God is not powerful enough to help me OR He just doesn't care.”
It is in these moments of utter confusion that we learn one of the greatest lessons about God. He is ABSOLUTELY committed to his own glory. When God showed up in Job 40-41, he didn't come with an explanation - he didn't come with a defense....God came with a statement: "I AM THE ALMIGHTY AND I HAVE BOTH AUTHORITY AND MORAL RIGHT TO DO AS I CHOOSE FOR MY PURPOSES AND MY GLORY". Like it or not, that's just the way it is. God's glory matters more to Him than our comfort, our ease, even our understanding. This truth may not take the pain away, but it gives us the basis upon which we maneuver through the pain. There is a song that says, "God is too wise to be mistaken; God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand...when you don't see his plan...when you can't trace his hand - trust His heart".
This is a heavy truth - What do you think?
Pastor Andrew
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