Job and his friends

"I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all!" says Job to his friends. [Job 16:2 (NIV)]

Boy, I sure can imagine what Job felt when he said those words. To cut a long story short, I recently felt broken-hearted and disillusioned at something, and tried to speak to a friend about it, only to have it turned (somehow) into a theological argument. Of course it wasn't entirely his fault (and, for the most part, he was in the right), but Job 16:2-4 described my feelings entirely... my friend was not able to give me much comfort, but thinking of Job did. Reading the book of Job this morning brought me back to faith; and reminded me what it's all about. I remembered that I had wanted to write a blog about Job since the start of this year, but med got in the way... so here it is now.

Who is Job, and why does he puzzle us the way he does? Job is one of the oldest books of the bible, and describes a man who went from a life of prosperity and comfort, to an existence of excruciating physical, mental, and spiritual suffering. God's hand in his suffering, Job's responses, and the responses of his friends, make Job a very confronting and challenging book. Job is indeed intriguing, but unnerving, and not all Christians like the book. The book of Job offers no answers to our pain and sufferings, and so there is no way I can fully understand or explain Job... but I will make an attempt to explain what I get out of it and why it has comforted me today.

Job begins unlike other books of the bible - we are given a "behind-the-scenes" look at Job and what is about to happen, before we meet Job himself. God and Satan (literally, The Accuser) meet, and God says: have you seen my man Job? There is no one like him, he is blameless and upright." Satan's response? "Only because you have blessed him with so much! Take all his possessions away from him, and he will curse you to your face!"... God then allows Satan to "test" Job by taking away first his possessions, then his family and his health. [Job 1-2]

Philip Yancey mentioned in several of his books, that from the outset it is apparent that Job is on trial here, being tested. What is at stake? The glory of God... Satan effectively accused God of being loved only for the material comforts He provides, and not for God himself. It is like saying to a boy: your girl only loves you because you buy her nice things. Stop buying her nice things, and she will curse you to your face.

We are then taken to the scene where Job is sitting, alone, and covered in painful sores. Three of his friends come along, and instead of giving words of mercy, they give words of "wisdom" -- Job must have sinned for these bad things to happen, so therefore Job should confess to God and appeal for forgiveness. Either Job sinned, or God is not just. The former must be true (the friends imply), since the latter is undeniably false.

They found themselves faced an unrelenting Job, confronting them with pain and suffering that they were not able (and perhaps not willing) to understand. Job insisted he was innocent, and yearned for a "hearing" with God, although, Job admits, he can not make God answer, and besides, God is perfect, and how do you have a hearing with a perfect being? C. S. Lewis said that we have a tendency to put God on the dock, on trial, for an explanation for our suffering... and I guess this is an example.

In some ways I can relate to Job, even though our situations are vastly different. I am capable of being very stubborn in my decisions, my reasoning, and my arguments... and often I'm even stubborn in being inconsolably hurt. Like Job, I have high expectations of my friends... and like Job, I also sometimes lament that having this relationship with God is unlike any other relationship. With a friend, I'd put their strange actions down to various idiosyncrasies - it is much easier to forgive someone who is not perfect. With God, what is there to forgive?

I'm going to skip a large chunk of the book and skip straight on to the ending. A storm brews, and God speaks out of the storm. God does not tell Job his reasons (does God need to explain himself to a mortal?), but only merely reminded Job of His majesty and perfection. Were you there when the universe was formed? Does the waves and the mountains come at your call? Who are you, then, to want a hearing with God? Job did not need to hear any explanations, this reminder of God's omnipotence was enough. Job repented, his friends were rebuked by God, and Job's health, family, and wealth were restored to him. We are reminded that this journey was never about proving God's faithfulness, it was about Job's. Even though Job's life and fortunes were restored, I get the feeling that he'd never see things in the same light again.

I guess, for me, this is the crux of the story. I could wallow in my self-pity obstinately (and I am quite adept at that sort of thing), wonder why God doesn't answer back, or what the logic and reason is for the way things happen (I am also quite adept at trying to use logic on things that I shouldn't)... but I won't get an answer, and there isn't much point in scrutinising God to look for clues. Like Job, I need to realise that God is not the one on trial, God is not the one tested. I am.

As an interesting aside, Job verbalises our need for Christ. Job wishes that there were an intercessor between God and himself, to plead his case for him (Job 9:32-33, Job 16:20-21). We see many cases of Christ being our arbiter - the classic example being: Forgive them, they know not what they do. (Luke 22:34). Job also wonders if God knows how he feels. "Do You have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?" (Job 10:4).

The answer to which, is yes. Christ came in the flesh, and suffered greater suffering than we ever did.

(Yay, it's out of my system now. 00:34 am. Time for my beauty sleep, I think.)