May 9-10, 2010 (Job 24-42)

Because I've read Job before and read the end of the story, I know that God rebukes those friends of Job that were giving him counsel. Because of that, even though they said a lot of stuff that makes sense, I'm primarily sticking with Job's comments. In chapter 28 he talks about wisdom and understanding. He asks if anyone can find them and says their value is much greater than gold and crystal and cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. He again asks if anyone can find them and then makes this comment:

²³ “God alone understands the way to wisdom;
he knows where it can be found,
²⁴ for he looks throughout the whole earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵ He decided how hard the winds should blow
and how much rain should fall.
²⁶ He made the laws for the rain
and laid out a path for the lightning.
²⁷ Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it.
He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
²⁸ And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

Then Job continues speaking:

^29:2 “I long for the years gone by
when God took care of me,
³ when he lit up the way before me
and I walked safely through the darkness.
⁴ When I was in my prime,
God’s friendship was felt in my home.
⁵ The Almighty was still with me,
and my children were around me.
⁶ My cows produced milk in abundance,
and my groves poured out streams of olive oil.

Job remembers what life was like before he felt the 'affliction' of God. He longs for those days when he felt God was 'for' him. I feel sorry for Job. He had to hold on to his faith, even when he didn't know the 'end of the story'. And even before he had the promises of God from the New Testament.

This next verse made me think of Cooper and how I need to respond to him:

^29:24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them.
My look of approval was precious to them.

I need to smile at Cooper more. I need to be less frustrated and more loving. This is hard to do during those teen years when they have 'lost their brains'!

And then, after listening to all the talk between Job and his friends, God intervenes. He starts asking some questions of His own. I've listed some of them below:

^38:4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
⁵ Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
⁶ What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
⁷ as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?

⁸ “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
⁹ and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
¹⁰ For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
¹¹ I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’

¹² “Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
¹³ Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
¹⁴ As the light approaches,
the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal;
it is robed in brilliant colors.
¹⁵ The light disturbs the wicked
and stops the arm that is raised in violence.

¹⁶ “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
¹⁷ Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
¹⁸ Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!

¹⁹ “Where does light come from,
and where does darkness go?
²⁰ Can you take each to its home?
Do you know how to get there?
²¹ But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created,
and you are so very experienced!

²² “Have you visited the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of hail?
²³ (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble,
for the day of battle and war.)
²⁴ Where is the path to the source of light?
Where is the home of the east wind?

²⁵ “Who created a channel for the torrents of rain?
Who laid out the path for the lightning?
²⁶ Who makes the rain fall on barren land,
in a desert where no one lives?
²⁷ Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground
and make the tender grass spring up?

²⁸ “Does the rain have a father?
Who gives birth to the dew?
²⁹ Who is the mother of the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?
³⁰ For the water turns to ice as hard as rock,
and the surface of the water freezes.

³¹ “Can you direct the movement of the stars—
binding the cluster of the Pleiades
or loosening the cords of Orion?
³² Can you direct the sequence of the seasons
or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?
³³ Do you know the laws of the universe?
Can you use them to regulate the earth?

³⁴ “Can you shout to the clouds
and make it rain?
³⁵ Can you make lightning appear
and cause it to strike as you direct?
³⁶ Who gives intuition to the heart
and instinct to the mind?
³⁷ Who is wise enough to count all the clouds?
Who can tilt the water jars of heaven
³⁸ when the parched ground is dry
and the soil has hardened into clods?

³⁹ “Can you stalk prey for a lioness
and satisfy the young lions’ appetites
⁴⁰ as they lie in their dens
or crouch in the thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides food for the ravens
when their young cry out to God
and wander about in hunger?

That was just one chapter. He (God) went on for another before asking one final question:

^40:1 Then the Lord said to Job,

² “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”

³ Then Job replied to the Lord,

⁴ “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers?
I will cover my mouth with my hand.
⁵ I have said too much already.
I have nothing more to say.”

But it doesn't end there. God tells Job to 'brace himself' and then He goes on to ask more questions through the remainder of that chapter and through one more. And here is Job's final response:

^42:1 Then Job replied to the Lord:

² “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
⁴ You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
⁵ I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
⁶ I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

God reminded Job of who He was - Job confessed that he had only heard of Him before, but now he had experienced Him for himself. And now he had nothing to say in his own defense. He could not justify himself in the prescence of Almighty God. And then God asked Job to pray for his friends, and God would accept his prayer on their behalf. And when Job prayed for his friends, God restored his fortunes. In fact, He gave him twice as much as he had before.

I don't know what to think of the book of Job. There are a lot of lessons in this book, probably the most important one being that of "The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding." I was also struck by the end. I think we underestimate how much God is pleased when we live for him and when we pray for others.