Sunday, September 03, 2006

Job - Dialogue with Three Friends (3)

III. Second and Third Verse: Same as the First

The first cycle of speeches has ended. There are really no new arguments in the next two cycles. Job's friends spiral downward into more harshness and less credibility in the light of Job's integrity and realism.

The friends continue to insist that suffering follows wickedness. In fact, Eliphaz gets really brutal in his last speech. "Is not your evil abundant?" he asks critically, "There is no end to your iniquities." (22:5). These are not facts, but just Eliphaz' delusions, forced upon him by his inadequate theology to deal with the reality of Job's situation.

It gets really ridiculous when Bildad makes his last speech in Chapter 25 and can only manage 6 little verses about the general sinfulness of man. The important thing to note is that the friends are not entirely false in their statements to Job. They are just incomplete. God is righteous and holy. Man is sinful and evil to his core. But that is not the whole story, especially as it relates to Job.

Zophar finally just remains silent. The symmetry is broken because the theology of Job's friends cannot sustain itself in the end. The simple principle of justice cannot stand. Job is a good man. But he suffers far worse than many wicked people. The cause and effect of wickedness and suffering in this world simply does not hold in every case.

IV. Job's Progression from Despair to Future Hope

Job's cry in Chapter 3 against the wisdom of God at Job’s birth almost defeats the initial stand of faith he took in 1:21 and 2:10. But little by little we watch his faith regaining its strength as he fights against the superficial theology of his friends.

He is finally firmly established in his trust of future hope in God by chapter 19 (19:25-27) Job is confident that beyond the grave he will meet God as a Redeemer and not an angry Judge. He will be redeemed from the misery of the world. This does not answer all of Job's questions or solve his theological problems. He is still utterly confused as to why he should have to suffer in the first place. His suffering continues and God seems arbitrary in the way He parcels out suffering and comfort in this life. But, this confidence in future grace enables him to hold on to his three convictions: the sovereign power of God, the goodness and justice of God, and the faithfulness of his own heart.

He holds out against the simplistic doctrine of justice as argued by his friends and eventually puts them to silence. And so, we are left with Job magnifying the mysterious power of God (26:14); the unsearchable wisdom of God (28:12-13, 23); and relentlessly holding on to his own integrity (27:6)

V. The Point?

First, notice that Job and his friends are agreed on the sovereign power of God. They simply do not question that everything that has happend to Job is sovereignly decreed by a good and just God.

Today we try to limit God to our own imaginations and not as He is shown to be in Scripture. We arrogantly claim to know the unsearchable wisdom of God and claim that He would not will an illness, or an explosion, or a hurricane, so He must not be in control. He is a limited God.

Job and his friends have this great common ground: God reigns. As John Piper has stated, no solution to the problem of suffering that questions God's sovereignty will ever satisfy the heart of a saint. God reigns.

Second, What passes for acceptable doctrine and tactics of "spiritual warfare" today (think TBN) really boils down to methods to seek to avoid suffering.

John McArthur reminds us that

Job's story demolishes the notion that we can avoid Satan's attacks if we're sufficiently strong, or skilled enough, or trained in how to wage warfare against Satan. No one was more spiritually fit than Job. Yet God allowed Satan to ravage him anyway – and there was nothing Job could do about it. Job finally prevailed in the face of Satan's merciless assault, not because he found some secret way to beat the devil, not because he rebuked him or ordered him to desist, but because God was in control all along. He knew how much Job could bear. And He would not permit Satan to cross that boundary. When Satan reached that limit, God stopped him and his attacks ended.
Scripture in fact warns us to be prepared for struggles in the Christian life.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Co 10:12-13)
What does going through this section of Job teach us about comforting those who are suffering? What does it teach us about what our focus should be when we suffer? Freedom comes through abiding not avoiding. Jesus never promised health, wealth and prosperity in this life. Though He assures us the ultimate victory, He never guarantees that Satan will not attack. In fact, He promises that Satan will. Although we oftentimes don't know why God permits Satan to test or persecute us, we are assured that "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Ro 8:28) Satan never acts without God's permission. When God gives permission, He uses Satan's work for His own purposes: often to exalt His power and prove our faithfulness and devotion. Our peace should be grounded in Christ and His cross on our behalf, not our circumstances.

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