Feb 25 2018 Wisdom from Job - Who is Responsible for Troubles?

Lord, we thank You for Sally’s testimony of the working of God and the Holy Spirit, that You are a divine God who rules over and is acting in this world through Your people – thank you for doing that for Sally through those brothers at Cleveland Clinic. We ask for Greg, her brother, that you would help him to recover – to go home, back to a healthy life. We ask for grace upon Sally’s father and for Sally – as she is working so hard. Now, speak to us, through this Book of Job.

Some call this section of Job a wager – a bet – between God and Satan – and Job is going to suffer greatly because of this bet – and this might be an oversimplification of the story -

We’ll pick up in verse 13:

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

In the first scene – there was this pattern – a day of celebrating each sibling’s ‘day’ – and then in scene 2 – there was a ‘day’ in the heavenly council, with a discussion there – and now, in scene 3 – there is a picture of this ‘day’ on earth again and this pattern continues. What it tells us is this: What happens on earth is not independent of what happens in heaven. There are spiritual forces and heavenly events that influence earthly events, much like we heard in Sally’s story - and in this case, Job has to see terrible things happen in his life as a result of what is happening n heaven.

14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

These tragedies come upon Job’s life like waves - ONE AFTER THE OTHER. It is like he doesn’t even have time to process – like being in the ocean and a wave hits you and you go under and you start to get up and another comes and knocks you under again.

It may never be as dramatic as this for all of us – but all of us will have times in our lives where waves of catastrophes hit us. Job’s story is written for those times - That is where Job’s story comes into our reality.

We just want our lives to work, don’t we? We look for that day where our lives are just simply moving forward. In this

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Job’s initial response is extraordinary. Let me say this – I have had difficult things come into my life, and Job’s response was not how I responded. Let me say for all of us – our initial response is not going to be this. Rarely would our response be so extraordinary. But this is fitting for the story, because Job is an extraordinary hero.

The first line – he tore his robe and shaved his head – that is standard practice for his day. That is just what people did. What is extraordinary and amazing is – he fell to the ground and worshiped. He didn’t just grieve, he worshiped. And this answers the question between God and Satan. This tells us that God has won the wager/contest. Satan had said – if you take away his stuff, Job will curse you and leave you. But Job proves Satan wrong and worships and holds to his righteousness. “The Lord gave – the Lord takes away – blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job realized that everything he had was a gift from God. I think that is so important – to be able to see that everything good in our lives is a gift from God. Now he may have also believed the Retribution Principle – if you are righteous you will be blessed – but I think it is only because He understood it was all God and God’s – that he could say – blessed be the name of the Lord.

This initial grace-filled response will fade as we get into the story. And grief is often that way. People come and help – but then down the road, anger and pity and sorrow come in and we have to deal with it. And Job will go through this same thing. Even as extraordinary as he is – he will experience the normal process of grief we all experience.

Scene 4: Day in heaven:

Job 2:1 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where do you come from?"

Same question as last time.

Satan answered the LORD, "From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it."

Same answer.

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.

And he still holds firmly to his integrity,

I think this is God still rubbing it in – you lose, Satan!

so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason." 4 But Satan answered the LORD, "Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life! 5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!" Satan doesn’t take losing lying down – so he ups the ante – he raises the stakes – double or nothing!

6 So the LORD said to Satan, "All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life."

And Job is probably saying – Why would you do that?! Enough is enough! Not that he knew what was going on - And we have to ask – is this happening with me?

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the sole of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, "Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!" 10 But he replied, "You're talking like one of the foolish women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?" In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

Amazing! Job’s wife is much maligned in history – as Job is the example of patience – On the other hand, Job’s wife is not a very sympathetic character. We shouldn’t be so harsh on her – in one day she lost all she had and 10 of her children. What she is saying – is really amazing! Are you holding to your integrity? Wow. Job is still righteous – not doing anything wrong.

She believes in the Retribution Principle – and what she is saying – when she says curse God and die – what is happening – the one thing she knew to be true, all of her life – has failed her. Think about that for a few minutes. What if the thing you thought to be most true your whole life is taken away and gone?

She is saying – Look, Job, if you have been righteous and this is how God repays you – then just curse Him and He will kill you – I can’t take it anymore!

As you read through the story – it is a little confusing -

Who is responsible for Job’s troubles?

1. God Protects: Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? (Job 1:10)

We know that God protects – Satan says it is no fair – we know that God protects us – this should give us hope and encouragement. We should be thankful and recognize that God has protected us in so many ways in our lives. We would probably be amazed at how much God protects us – and we should be grateful.

2. God Removes Protection: So the LORD said to Satan, "All right then, everything he has is in your power. (Job 1:12)

Not so encouraging – and we have to ask – does He do that to me? I don’t have an answer – nor do I want to know – the answer to that!

3. Satan Acts: So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:12)

He inflicts -

4. Evil people and nature (Job 1:13-19)

The Sabeans and Chaldeans and nature (wind and fire) do all the damage – so, 2/3 of a sixties rock band. Can’t use that in the second service…

5. Job Blames God: The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (Job 2:21)

Job blames God.

6. God: And he (Job) still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you (Satan) stirred me (God) up to destroy him without reason.“ (Job 2:3)

Now this verse looks like it is saying that it is God who is responsible.

7. Satan: So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the sole of his feet to the top of his head. (Job 2:7)

So now it is clear - back to Satan being the problem…

8. Job blames God: Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?“ (Job 2:10)

Job says no – it is God.

Confused? Unclear? Good. That is the point of the whole thing – the point of the story of Job – it is unclear and seems to contradict.

When we suffer, we want to know why. It is human nature. Job DEMANDS to know why. And what we will find – God will never tell him! God will refuse to tell him!

What happens – Job’s friends come in – and we’ll start looking at that next week – how to help (or, how NOT to help someone who is in pain) and the following week, how to deal with (or not deal with) our own pain – and then what happens when God enters the story.

We look for an answer – Job/Job’s wife/Job’s friends – we look for the answers that make us feel the safest – We’ll look at some of those answers as we move on. Our tendency is to try to give answers – and I caution you – be very very (x10) careful trying to give an answer.

And the real answer is – essentially God saying: Job, I need you to trust Me – My wisdom, My Power, and My love.

It is not what theological position we take on suffering.

Job wouldn’t have been able to handle the answer – it is out of our league… - much bigger than we can understand from these human frames.

And we have to be careful to not draw too many conclusions from the first two chapters. When things start to go wrong, we might be tempted to think there was a heavenly council…

We could ask – does God remove the hedge from us? This story only happens one time in the Bible. It is like the Red Sea or the Burning Bush –

When Jesus heals blind men – or goes to heal Lazarus – “This sickness is not unto death” – usually it is – this time, it was for God’s glory. But most of the time – it leads to death.

There are four basic reasons for suffering:

22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. 23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

First – we live in a fallen world and suffering is part of it. Jesus said, in this world we have tribulations. The only way to not have tribulations is to leave this world.

Then when Jesus was called to heal his friend, Lazarus - It is the sickness that leads to death. It is just part of the world we live in. Sometimes God does a miracle and heals.

2 – there are evil spiritual forces engaging in this world trying to bring suffering into the world

3 – Sometimes God is testing someone for His purpose.

4 – the bad and evil choices of people –

However evil happens – wherever it comes from – that is not the most important thing.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28 NASB)

I think what we do, oftentimes – we stop at “God causes all things” – Here is how it would be translated literally:

And we have known that to those loving God all things do work together for good, to those who are called according to purpose;

This doesn’t make as much sense in English – but it shows that stuff happens – and there are numerous ways that stuff happens – and when stuff happens – God can work through it. Our role is not to find out WHY the stuff happens, but to focus our attention on HOW God wants to use this for good in our lives – in 29-30 – to transform us into the image of Christ. That is the good work that God wants to do through our sufferings.

“If you don’t transform your pain, you will transmit your pain” – Richard Rohr.

I will add this to it: If you don’t allow God to transform your pain – you will transmit it. Ignoring your pain never tranforms it.

How do we transmit our pain? To family members – through anger, addiction, and abuse – but when we transform it – our pain becomes the source of all the good that God has for us to do – the foundation to focus the most on God in this world.

God, through the pain, wants to transform us into the people He wants us to become – to benefit others.

We will benefit others the most in our lives through the transformation of our pain.

Let's pray...