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Hello, Darkness…
Job 34 and Psalm 88
Fall is a season of change and transition, a time for cozying up the house and pulling out the flannel and wool. Winter is gathering and so are we. And the dark is creeping in on our sunlight hours. The days grow shorter as the nights lengthen. We turn the lights on earlier each evening. We light candles throughout the house. Woodstoves are lit, and smoke curls from their tall chimneys. This is how we press the cold darkness back into the night and keep it out of our living spaces. It’s practical, and defensive.
There is something about the dark that draws fear to the surface—something about late nights, dark rooms, and shadowed corners that make the hair stand up on your neck and make every noise important and ominous. I’ve laid awake at night, straining to hear if that little click I heard was the sound of someone trying to open the back door, or I will stare into the dark hallway, trying to decide if that weird shadow is the jacket I hung on the hook or a hooded figure. Sleep is precious and necessary; nighttime fear is a waste of precious sleep time. Yet, there we are again, letting our imaginations run the show. This fear will collect like cobwebs in your mind if you let it.
Job has truly suffered and lived through much sorrow and tragedy by God’s allowance and at the hand of the enemy. It seems reasonable for Job to notice the dark that has gathered around him and forced its way into his life. This is no imaginary, nighttime fear. This isn’t a cozy, dark, fall evening with warm wood fires and fragrant fall soups. Job is bereft and broken. His life is filled with deep darkness. Yet, he prays still. Like Heman the Ezrahite in Psalm 88, Job brings his complaint, his sorrow, his brokenness to God in prayer – fractured prayer from a shattered heart, but prayer nonetheless. Hear Heman’s words:
“For my soul is full of troubles,
Psalm 88:2-7
and my life draws near to Sheol.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am a man who has no strength,
like one set loose among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
for they are cut off from your hand.
You have put me in the depths of the pit,
in the regions dark and deep.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves.”Heman the Ezrahite – who is he? He is mentioned in I Chronicles 6, where he is identified as the grandson of the prophet Samuel and a music leader in the tabernacle and temple. Asaph (another Psalm writer) is listed as Heman’s assistant.
In I Chronicles 25, we read that King David set Heman and others apart “for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.” Heman’s sons also participated in the music in the tabernacle under Heman’s leadership. This passage tells us that Heman was father to fourteen sons and three daughters!
II Chronicles 5 explains how King Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD to the temple. ALl of the musicians and priests were gathered to celebrate this moment and to praise God. Verses twelve through thirteen say, “All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
‘He is good;
his love endures forever.’”Heman was a man of praise, of music, of wisdom, a leader in the temple and in worship. He sang praises with the temple worship team, exalting God for His goodness and love. Yet he experienced deep darkness. He found himself shrouded in it, buried in a pit, desperate for rescue from God. So he prays…
“You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?”
Psalm 88:8-12“This good man, Heman the Ezrahite, went by this rough roundabout road that some of you have taken, and thus he found himself in terrible places. He seems to have been brought about as low as a man can be brought, but all the while there was this fact in his favor, he continued praying. He did pray. He would pray. He could not be made to leave off praying. If, by some process or other, Satan could have dragged him from the mercy seat, he would have had the diabolical hope of his ultimate destruction. But as long as the man kept on his knees, repeating his earnest cry to God for mercy, it was not possible that he could be destroyed.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (https://www.spurgeongems.org/sermon/chs2433.pdf)“But I, O Lord, cry to you;
Psalm 88: 13-18
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
Your wrath has swept over me;
your dreadful assaults destroy me.
They surround me like a flood all day long;
they close in on me together.
You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
darkness has become my only companion.”Elihu speaks into the darkness Job has been living in. He speaks some good things, light-filled things, into the crevices and corners of Job’s experience. Some key truths to gather from Elihu’s words are: God is the holy Creator of all; without Him, we would return to the dust we are made from (v. 13-15). Our lives are truly in His hand, and His hand is always good (v. 10-12). There is no darkness or evil in Him, and nothing can be hidden from Him. He knows all things, and always acts in justice and in righteousness. He does not answer to us (v. 21-30). Though we are tired, worn, struggling, and sorrowing, our God is always good. He is light, and no darkness can overtake Him. Even when His face is hidden from us (Isaiah 8:11-22), we must trust Him; He is still good.
Edward Mote (My Hope is Built on Nothing Less)“When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil.His oath, his covenant, his blood,
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay.” -
The Taste of Bread
Job 33
I use my mother’s hand thrown stoneware bowl; she gave it to me when Gram’s pink Pyrex bowl broke. Mom’s bowl is taller than Gram’s old Pyrex, so kneading the dough is a bit tricky. But I don’t knead the dough anymore – I have gained bread wisdom since the first rough loaves I baked as a newlywed homemaker. Time can do the kneading for me, and time is most valuable these days.
pan ordinaire First, the flour. We feel so precious about the grains we use – are they genetically modified? Pesticide free? Bleached? Stone ground? I’ve tried a variety – whole wheat, einkorn, bleached white, gluten-free. For a time, I bought hard red and hard white wheat berries from a farm in Montanna and milled my own flour in a K-Tec kitchen mill. That was beautiful flour, and I’m excited to try it again. But for now, I use whatever flour I have in my flour crock. Yet again, bread wisdom prevails.
There are four ingredients in my favorite bread recipe. It is pan ordinaire in its simplest form. Flour. Yeast. Salt. Water. I add the flour to Mom’s bowl, around 3 or 4 cups. I add the salt, a teaspoon at least. Yeast – 1/4 of a teaspoon, definitely not more than 1/2 a teaspoon of active dry yeast. Then the water, 1 to 2 cups depending on the time of year and how humid the kitchen is. I stir them together in the bowl; the dough ends up very sticky and shaggy looking. This is exactly right. I cover the bowl with a towel and go to bed. The magic (science) happens as I sleep. In the morning, I’ll move the transformed dough into a greased and corn-mealed stoneware pie plate. It rises again for an hour before baking in a hot oven until the top is golden and the edges have pulled away from the pan. Fresh, hot bread for breakfast.
a sticky dough…exactly right If you bake bread, you can likely remember the smell of it now, perhaps even the taste of it. Bread is basic in every culture across our planet. It’s a staple for most meals. But there are times when we forget the taste of bread – we forget to eat. Times of grief, trial, suffering, great loss, conviction over sin – these are the moments when our bread is like ash. Psalm 102 speaks to this:
“My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread.”
“For I eat ashes like bread, and mingle tears with my drink…”
Psalm 102:4, 9Elihu mentions this to Job – the loss of appetite for bread or even fine food. He reminds Job that God confronts His people about their sin, allowing them to feel miserable until they confess and repent.
“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that his life loathes bread,
Job 33:19–21
and his appetite the choicest food. His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.”In Job 33, Elihu continues his confrontation of Job, speaking to the sin he sees in Job and his friends. He says some good things, this younger man who showed up out of nowhere. Elihu reminds me of a younger me – the bread baker who knew all the ways to mix, knead, rise, and bake the bread. The new homemaker who found THE BEST wheat berries and THE BEST kitchen mill to make better whole wheat bread. If you had asked me then, I would have told you my curated ingredients and extensive methods were the only right way to make bread. Since then, I’ve gained a pinch of bread wisdom. This wisdom has taught me to use what I have (frugal) and do it in the time available (efficient) so that my household can have fresh bread in the morning.
Elihu isn’t wrong. He speaks truth. He seems to focus on God’s sovereignty and glory, God’s power and holiness. Yet, he lacks experience. Perhaps he lacks struggle and suffering. He hasn’t yet heard the LORD speak. He knows some things, and he is missing some information. Can we still learn from Elihu? Do his words have any wisdom for us? I believe we can find some wholesome bites of hearty bread in Elihu’s monologue.
Consider what Elihu says about God in chapter 33. He reminds Job that it is God who gives life and His Spirit; it is God who made us from dust, from clay (vv. 4-7). “God is greater than man” (v. 12). God does communicate, but man is deaf to it much of the time (v. 14); and it is God who helps man understand (vv. 15-18). God also is the one who convicts man of sin and “restores to man his righteousness” (vv. 19-28). When a man is restored to righteousness, he sings praises (v. 27-28) about his redemption so others can hear and know that God is gracious.
“Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.”
Job 33: 29-30The bread has cooled. This loaf will be served with potato and sausage soup. I’ll add the kale greens and cream last so the greens can soften without losing their bright color. A little butter on the bread, a little dip into the hot soup…it is good.
Lord, let us remember Your goodness, mercy, and steadfast love as we remember the taste of our bread. Fill our hearts and minds with memories of Your wonderful works, Your righteousness, Your redemption, even as we, by Your grace, enjoy our daily bread.
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A Time to Speak, a Time to Shut-up
Job 32
There is a time for everything. There should be a place for everything too, God help us. That would save a lot of strife between mothers and teenagers with an overabundance of shoes, hoodies, and notebooks, but we can at least agree there is a set time for all things. Cello practice is at 1:30 PM on Wednesdays; the Sunday Service begins at 1o:30 AM; and my dog eats precisely at 7 AM, 11:30 AM, and 5:30 PM. If you are late, he will be sad and will tell you. The Preacher (Ecclesiastes 3) lists a few more timely things: a time to be born and to die, a time to plant and harvest, a time to grieve and celebrate, a time to shut your mouth and a time to speak. There is a time to speak.
Job, chapter 32 introduces a new character. An entirely new character. He hasn’t been mentioned at all in the previous chapters, and he just shows up, seemingly out of the blue. Hi. My name is Elihu, and I have something urgent to say, so listen up. Who even is this guy? I would call him a NPC, but his message is too important, and God preserved it for us in His Word, so there’s that-definitely not a non-player. Elihu could be considered the “herald” of the story, giving key information to the main character at a vital point. But typically, a herald is at the beginning of a story, the one who inspires the hero to embark on a grand adventure. Job’s adventure (if we can call it that) seems to be coming to a close soon. Or is it? Is Job even the actual hero of this book? He is not.
So far, our focus has been directed towards Job, feeling his pain with him, mourning with him, understanding his suffering, each in our unique ways. We’ve even been able to identify occasionally with Job’s three thoughtless friends. We’ve spoken stupid words at the wrong time before. We understand that perspective also. So it makes sense that we could have misidentified Job as the hero of this story when he is not. There is only one Hero in this book, and Elihu’s young wisdom will direct our attention to this Hero, who will soon break onto the scene.
Are Elihu’s words trustworthy? I get it, reader. You’ve been tricked before in this book. Job’s friends have talked in endless circles, unkind, cruel, self-righteous words from self-righteous pompous men. Job’s words have also been a mixed bag, sometimes a hallelujah, other times a bowl of bitterness. Who can we trust? Whose words are wise?
Consider that the narrator, or human author, of Job can be trusted. We know God’s Word is inspired by the Holy Spirit. We also know that Biblical narratives record the good, the bad, and the hideous facts. In Job, as in other narrative accounts, we can trust the narration as true facts and hold the dialogue up for scrutiny with other Scripture. That helps some. When Job says he knows his Redeemer is alive and that he will see Him with his own eyes at the end of all things (Job 19:25-27), we can feel confident that these words are true as we compare them with other scriptures about Christ’s return as our Redeemer-King.
Use the same method with Elihu’s words. Compare Scripture with Scripture. And, take note of the following facts: First, Elihu is given a lot of time to share his thoughts – six chapters worth. Second, when God speaks, He will rebuke Job. He will also rebuke Job’s friends, except for Elihu. Third, The narrator introduces Elihu with some important information, mainly that Elihu was angry with Job and his friends for good reason.
“Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.”
Job 32:2-5The truth about Job – “he justified himself rather than God.” The truth about Job’s friends – “they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong.” Elihu sees the truth about these older men, and he burns with anger over it. He tried to wait out of respect for their years, but he just can’t keep silent any longer.
“I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.’ But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty that makes him understand. It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right.”
Job 32:7-9“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my mediation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.”
Psalm 119:97-100I love the fatherly advice Paul gives to the young pastor Timothy, encouraging him to be bold even though he is young – bold because of the truth of God’s Word which Timothy is learning, practicing, and preaching. Paul encourages him to be an example to the older people in his congregation by being a man of the Word (I Timothy 4:11-16). Note well the necessity of a mind and heart saturated with God’s Word for speech to be rich with wisdom. Nota Bene.
Elihu laments the lack of wisdom coming from Job’s friends. He waited for them to speak something profound, helpful, wise, but they had no wisdom to share. Nothing. Elihu explains that he feels like he’s going to explode with the words he’s been holding in. He just has to speak up!
“For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me. Behold my belly is like wine that has no vent; like new wineskins ready to burst. I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.”
Job 32:18-20There is a time to speak, a time to share wisdom. And there is a time to be quiet. See here’s the crux of it: Am I bursting to speak because I want to vindicate myself? Is it my goal to lovingly direct someone to the truth, or am I longing to be known as “right” and “correct” in front of others. Does the Spirit in me constrain me, or is it my own agenda pushing me, egging me on? It can be a bit confusing. But we can be sure of some things. One, we can be sure that our mouths will spill out what is overflowing in our hearts (Luke 6:37-45). Please, God, let that be Your Word. Two, we can be certain that the Holy Spirit will use God’s Word, not our own, earthly wisdom, to direct us to speak in love, not with malice or selfishness (Ephesians 4).
As we look at the next five chapters of Job, we will read Elihu’s rebuke to Job, his reminder of the justice of God, his condemnation of Job’s self-righteousness, and his praise for God’s majesty and greatness. And then…finally, we will read God’s words. That’s the best part, reader. We’re almost there.
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If, Then.
Job 31
Sin is an uncomfortable topic. It should be. We should squirm a little at least when sin is part of the conversation. Preachers stand at the front of the room, sometimes elevated on a platform, Bible on the stand in front of them. They preach (hopefully) what the Bible says about everything, including sin. There’s generally a hushed, sorrowful feeling in the room as the listeners nod in agreement and thank God they aren’t like those kind of people…sinners. But we are all like those kind of people. We are THOSE people. We are all sinners. We commit sin every day, multiple times a day.
In chapter thirty one, Job makes his list of sins that he did NOT commit. All the Sins I Never Did, a commentary, by Job. Forty verses where Job declares his innocence. He forgot the part where he fills the whole world with the list of sins he DID commit. We will leave that for later posts when God addresses Job’s sin perfectly. For now, let’s take a walk through Job’s hall of innocence. The mirrors are wonky, and the floor tilts a bit.
“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high? Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?”
Job 31:1-4Whoa. Job jumps right in to discuss a big pile of smelly sin right at the start. Job declares he is innocent from looking and lusting after virgins. In our current culture, he would be a man who has never looked at pornography. Job says he hasn’t looked, and he won’t look. He knows God sees everything he does; God knows each step he takes. Nothing escapes God’s attention. If you have any concept of the world-wide, sticky spider web we call the internet, then you know it is so easy to find and view what our eyes should not see. Many have fallen into this trap; and many have not. Those who haven’t can praise God with the psalmist, “This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts” (Psalm 119:56). Those who have fallen for this cheap trick can pray in agreement with the same psalmist, “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways” (Psalm 119:37).
If we believe that God is always with us, that he knows all things, that he knows our thoughts even before we think them…if we truly believe this, then looking and lusting should feel impossible to us – should be impossible to us. How can we sin so rebelliously in front of our gracious God Who gave His only Son to redeem us from sin? Yet we do, we have, we will again, in countless ways. The sorrow of this should fill our eyes with tears (Psalm 119:136). Job has made a covenant with his own eyes that he will not look and lust. A worthy commitment. In our current age, this might look like robust computer filters, focused accountability software, compassionate counseling, bold brothers and sisters who ask us about the struggle against looking and lusting and stand shoulder to shoulder with us in the fray. Next, Job addresses deceitful living, a life of duplicity. This sin goes along with the sin of lust, because lusting and looking often lead to hiding it, living a double-life.
“If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit; (Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!) if my step has turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has stuck to my hands, then let me sow, and another eat, and let what grows for me be rooted out.”
Job 31:5-8“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”
“Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?”
“Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”
Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1“Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the LORD GOD.”
Jeremiah 2:22“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
Isaiah 1:18“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
Psalm 51:1-2“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
Robert Lowry (1826-1899)“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I John 1:8-9Job moves the conversation from the eyes (our gaze) to the walk (our way of life) and then to the heart (our inner person). This is so often the path sin takes in our lives. We look, we desire, we act on that desire, we hide. On this sin progression, consider Achan (Joshua 7:20-21), and Eve ( Genesis 3). Also, consider James’ good words of warning on this topic: James 1:12-15. Job expands on this thought by describing the heavy toll adultery and infidelity have in verses 9-12. He calls adultery a “heinous crime” that should be brought before the judges. He calls it a “fire that consumes as far as Abaddon.”
Job lays out his innocence in the areas of equity and justice (v. 13-15), caring for the poor and needy, the fatherless, and the widows (v. 16-23), not idolizing wealth, not worshiping himself (v. 24-28). He explains how hospitable he has been, how he has not wished for those who hate him to die, and how he has not hidden any transgression – he has lived an honest life (v. 29-37). Finally, he claims innocence in his treatment of the land he farmed (v. 38-40). And then he ends his case: “The words of Job are ended.” Really?
Dearest Job, You were not finished speaking. Your words were not actually ended. You had millions more to say about your guilt before the Holy God. You forgot to finish your story. But no worries, friend – God will show up for you to set things right. He will make everything right – even you, Job. He will set you right. Praise God for that mercy.
“You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes…”
“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”
Psalm 119:65-68, 71 -
That Was Then, This is Now
Job 30
Job was the guy, the guy you called when your plans didn’t work out the way you thought they should, the guy who listened to your problems and gave you fresh confidence. He was the one people listened to and followed his counsel, hanging on every encouraging word. That was then…but now? Now the young men who used to follow Job’s leadership and counsel laugh at him. These are young men whose character has gone astray…rogues, scoundrels, troublemakers. They laugh at Job and the calamity that has taken hold of him. Job has become their hilarious, mocking song.
“And now I have become their song; I am a byword to them. They abhor me; they keep aloof from me; they do not hesitate to spit at the sight of me. Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me, they have cast off restraint in my presence.”
Job 30:9-11Job states that God has loosened his cord…it hasn’t snapped yet, but he feels the pull. This is vivid imagery depicting the physical process of dying. The wise “Preacher,” King Solomon, meditates on this in Ecclesiastes.
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’; before the sun and the the light and the moon and the stars are darkened…”
“…before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
Ecclesiastes 12:1-8Not only is Job laughed at and made fun of by those he used to lead and counsel, he is also still experiencing the suffering for which he is being mocked! He says his soul is “poured out,” and his bones ache all night (v.16,17). He tosses and turns all night until his clothing wraps around him like strangling hands (v.18). He is in pain physically, and emotionally, and the mocking adds to his suffering. Job also grieves God’s lack of attention, the seeming silence from the Almighty regarding all the hardship Job has experienced.
“God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand and you only look at me. You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me. You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it, and you toss me about in the roar of the storm. For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.”
Job 30:19-23Job has gone from honor to disgrace in the eyes of the ones he previously helped and advised. He has moved from vitality to pain and fragility. He was one who used to weep for those who suffered, those who had hard days, the needy. Now, he is the one in need, and there is none to listen to his cries or help him, none to counsel him with words of wisdom. He feels his hope is gone (v. 26), that there is no light, only darkness. He experiences physical affliction, emotional pain, and mental anguish; he is left lonely in wild places (v. 27-30). His joy, singing and music, have turned to weeping and mourning (v. 31).
Friend, have you been where Job sits? Have you walked the same paths, seen the same sorrows, felt the same betrayals? Have you faced death through illness or injury? Have circumstances threatened to drown you? Have you wondered if God has forgotten to be merciful, good, long-suffering? Have you questioned whether God loves you at all? Doubted if He is listening? Let me point you to one powerful truth in this chapter of Job. As he laments his “now” versus his “then,” Job is gripped by steady trust in the sovereign hand of God at work. It IS God who has brought him close to death. It IS God who has humbled him. It IS indeed God who has allowed all of his suffering. This is not a soft, cushy, hearts-and-flowers kind of comfort in the middle of traumatic pain, but it is a solid truth to stand on while the storm rages. God has a reason – HIS reason – for everything Job is experiencing. God has HIS reason for our suffering as well.
It is exhausting to fight against the “that was then, this is now,” reality. But this reality does not need to discourage or break us. On the contrary, this reality can be a bracing comfort to us in challenging times. We are not the same people we used to be (I Corinthians 6:9-11). Thank God! There is no benefit in trying to claw our way back to what once was. We move forward from here. God has and is doing great work in us to change us into the image of His dear Son. Suffering is part of this beautiful, messy process. I have mentioned some of these passages before in previous posts, but they might be helpful again all in one spot, and they are certainly helpful for continued study on this topic.
- James 1:2-4
- II Corinthians 4
- Romans 8:18-39
- Psalm 32
- Isaiah 55
- Isaiah 64
- Psalm 37
- Psalm 13
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I Miss the Way…
Job 29
I miss the way I could run up steps without getting winded. I miss the way I could fall asleep in a couple of minutes after my head hit the pillow. I miss the way I had predictable hormones and patterns, predictable health. I miss waking up with energy. I miss being able to eat anything I wanted and still be a size four. I miss running because I loved it instead of running to stay alive. I miss my kids being little enough for me to pick them up and protect them from hurt or danger. I miss laughing. I miss that well-being feeling that comes with youth and health. I miss feeling fearless, indestructible, powerful. I miss driving fast on dirt roads. I miss roller skating. Age, time, circumstances, health, finances – these can all change over time, affecting the dynamics and details of our lives. I don’t roller skate anymore (much) because I now have vestibular migraines. Roller skates + Vertigo = Me, on the floor in pain. So, I avoid roller skating these days, and I miss it.
Job misses his old life. He has experienced the loss of many good things. Chapter twenty-nine outlines some of them. Job laments his losses one by one. Have you done this before, friend? Have you listed the things you miss? The things that used to make you who you were? The things that were good in your life? Even sweet times in your spiritual life can be missed – we can find ourselves wishing for the “good old days,” when God seemed so close, and blessings were abundant. Hear Job’s list of losses with compassion. We are not that different from the sorrowing patriarch after all.
“Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me…”
Job 29:1-5Do you hear it? The look back that brings loss into bitter focus? The vacuum where life once thrived? The spiritual brightness now dimmed? Job misses his old life. He misses the friendship of God! He misses how good it was between them. He misses his children. Ten of them, struck down, gone from the earth in a moment. Job misses who he was when God bathed his every step with blessing. Have you felt this loss, friend? A broken marriage, a child gone too soon, job insecurity, a friendship cut open and left to bleed out?
“When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood…”
Job 29:7-8Job misses the respect he received in the public spaces. He misses the honor of being the man with the answers for the poor and the fatherless (v. 12), the dying and the widows (v. 13). He misses his good reputation as a man of righteousness. He wore it like a garment (v. 14). It was apparent to everyone who knew him. He misses helping people in need and those in danger. (v. 15-17).
“Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches, my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.’”
Job 29:18-20Job misses the prospect of a good future! He had it all worked out. His future was secure and well planned. He was going to be comfortable in his last days on earth as an old man, all tucked in to his little nest. He was certain he would retain his good name and reputation. He was, after all, the man with the answers. He was the one people consulted on hard matters (v. 21). He was the one who offered guidance that refreshed the listener like rain (v. 23). He was the one who offered confidence and encouragement to the weary (v. 24). And now, he is the one who is weary. His backward glance offers nothing but miserable emptiness in his state of current loss.
We are not made for looking back too long. We are made for forward progress, for an upward and onward mindset. The past is gone; we can’t undo it. There is no reset button on past decisions or sins, no time machine to go back and “fix things” or redo them. But there is this moment right now, this decision, this step forward. We are not like Lot’s wife who, longing for her home behind her, her home destined for destruction, glanced back – just once – in disobedience, looked back and perished. Paul exhorts the Philippians to press forward without the backward look, to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-16). In chapter twenty-nine, Job has not seen it yet. By the end of the book he catches a glimpse of it…future goodness, future glory. What lies ahead is far more glorious than anything that could possibly be pulling our attention backward.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
II Corinthians 4:16-18 -
A Word on Wisdom and Where to Find It
Job 28
This is one of my favorite chapters in the book of Job. Job has experienced so much sorrow, loss, darkness, but here…here he begins a conversation on wisdom, and light floods the scene. Job is about to expound on how to locate wisdom. He asks, “But where shall wisdom be found?” Knowing where to find something we need is great! But if I don’t understand what I’m looking for, how will I find it? So, first things first: what IS wisdom?
“And [God] said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to run away from evil is understanding.’”
Job 28:28“To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth – Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:1-7Consider Proverbs 1-4, the wise words of a father to his son, instructing him in the ways of wisdom, warning him of the dangers of ignoring wisdom, listing for him the benefits of a life lived in wisdom. The father identifies the source of all wisdom in chapter two, verse six: “For the LORD gives wisdom.”
So what are we looking for? What is the thing we will find with Job’s treasure map? We will find the fear of the LORD. We will find understanding, knowledge, insight, right judgments, guidance, learning, instruction. We will find true treasure. I could use some of this in my life right now. Wisdom herself warns in Proverbs two, that those who do not choose the fear of the LORD will reap their own harvest of foolishness. She says, “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD…therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them.”
No thank you very much. I would like to avoid destruction and mayhem and chaos as much as possible in my life. I would like to walk in wisdom and so “dwell secure…at ease, without dread of disaster.” This is the fresh air I’ve been longing to breathe. Wisdom. NOW, we can start the hunt with Job. Now that we know what we are actually looking for.
All of the secret treasures of the earth are turned over, dug up, sifted through, sorted, organized, documented, priced, sold, bought, consumed. People can dig deep into the earth’s crust to find precious metals and gemstones, ores for refining. People can search and find all manner of treasures in the earth. But wisdom? You can’t dig for that. It isn’t hidden in the forests. You can’t uproot a mountain, or tunnel deeply enough to find wisdom.
“Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. He dams up the streams so they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?”
Job 28:9-12Do we even really understand the value of wisdom? If we stumbled across it one night on a dark street, would we recognize it? Do we see the need in ourselves for it? Job says, “NO.” Man does not understand wisdom. “Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.”
Job imagines a conversation with the ocean – is wisdom found there? No. It isn’t found in the depths of the sea. He tries to place a sticker price on it. How much is wisdom worth? More than gold? Silver? Precious gems? They don’t even come close to the value of wisdom. He says simply, “Gold and glass can not equal it…the price of wisdom is above pearls.” Even death and the grave cannot tell where to find wisdom. They have heard about it, sure, but they have no helpful information for the seeker…just rumors, only whispers of this treasure.
“From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?”
“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.”
“And he said to man, ‘Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Job 28:20, 23, 28So there you have it. So simple, right? Fear the LORD, and you’ll be wise and will live in security and safety. Right? Nothing can touch the one who fears the LORD? Right? Am I right? Is this the message Job is preaching?
When I fear the LORD, wisdom becomes a part of my life. Understanding takes root and blooms. Decisions become clear because I am basing them on what I know about God from His Word, and that matters to me most. Bad choices are quickly identified and eliminated. But trials and struggles are not gone. Living in security in God’s kingdom doesn’t mean my investment portfolio won’t take a deep dip. It doesn’t mean the car won’t break down or be totaled in a random crash. It doesn’t mean I won’t have health issues. It doesn’t even mean my children won’t be sick or injured or wayward. It means I will safely navigate all of these rough waters with wisdom and understanding, secure in the knowledge of God, focused on Him, fearing Him in awe and wonder.
So. What now? We see the value of wisdom. We understand that it can’t be found by digging or hunting for it in the earth. We know now that gold can’t buy it. Wisdom is important and valuable and something we should desire. Yep. Check. We GET that. Only God knows where we can find it. He is the only source. So what now? How do I get it? I know I need it. I actually really want it! How do I GET it?
I really didn’t want to remember the James passage at this moment. Circumstances being what they are, and my attitude still needing a course correction, I wanted to avoid this passage. I was thinking maybe I could gather wisdom just by reading the Bible more (except for this part in James, of course), or by listening to more spiritual podcasts or sermons (none on the book of James, of course), all very helpful in learning and growing in knowledge and understanding. But, God brought James chapter one to mind. Immediately. As soon as I typed “How do I GET it?” James, chapter one popped into my head, and I had to look at it. And in looking at it, I also saw the verses above the part I was thinking of (context is key), and so I’m facing information on wisdom AND conviction about my stupid attitude. I was really trying to avoid the conviction part, because, to be completely transparent, I’M STILL MAD (see my last blog post), and I kind of wanted to go on being mad. But there it is – practical wisdom from James that must not be ignored. I can’t unsee it. James has the words of wisdom right there for me, for you too, maybe. His words smacked me across the face, and said, “Pay attention!” So here they are…
“Count it all joy, my brothers [and sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
“Know this, my beloved brothers [and sisters]: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
James 1:2-5, 19-20Joy. In the trials. Because of the trials. Tested faith. Steadfastness…not giving up. And yes, finally, a word on wisdom and where to find it. And so, I ask for wisdom, Lord. And I thank you for the conviction of sin that reminds me of Your love. You lead so gently. You point so tenderly to the wrong in me. It still hurts. The circumstances are still uncomfortable. But You are here with wisdom for me. And I am here, fearing You in wonder and in awe.
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A Bitter Promise and a Better Way
Job 27
“As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit.”
Job 27:2-4Bold words, Job. You made a promise to not speak falsehood. You promised that you would not let your tongue say a lie. Is this a promise a human can make? Is this an actual thing? Yesterday, at church, I smiled and told my friends that I’m doing fine. Is that falsehood? I laughed when the jar of sauce shattered on the tile floor on Saturday, but I really felt like screaming or crying…or both. Is that deceit? Or maybe, taking a hard, honest look at my inner person here, maybe the entitled diva mindset I’ve been cultivating is a bold lie I’ve been telling myself? (Yes. The answer is yes.) Job, did you have trouble keeping this promise? I know I would.
I’ve been having a pity party over my own everyday, little difficulties. Someone close to me confronted me with an actual fact: “You sound bitter.” Yes. I FEEL bitter. Honestly? I’m mad. My little feelings are hurt, offended, put-out. Is this too honest for you, reader? Does it seem sinful for me to say it? To say – I’m mad at God? You know God already knows this. Me telling Him I’m mad isn’t a shock to Him. Job says he’s going to maintain his own integrity and his own innocence. He doesn’t feel any guilt over his behavior. in his own words, “…my heart does not reproach me for any of my days” (Job 27:6). I can’t say those words with Job. I know my attitude stinks like last week’s garbage. There is plenty of appropriate reproach for me.
I’ve been mad at God about stupid, little, trivial trials that are nothing, NOTHING, in the over-arching plan/scheme/existence of all things. But they are not “nothing” to me. To me these trials are shaping up to be a pattern between me and God. This road feels so familiar. To me these trials are full of meaning, and my belief in the sovereignty of God personalizes them all even more. The repetition of the trials places me square in the middle of some spiritual lesson that I keep failing. Or, perhaps this isn’t a spiritual lesson about me at all. Could these little, uncomfortable trials be in-the-field reminders of God’s goodness and grace in every circumstance? Has God “taken away my right,” as Job complains, or am I being reminded that my rights are in Christ only? And what are my rights in Christ?
“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake…”
Philippians 1:29The thing is…this suffering talked about in Philippians is not the trivial, temporary trials I’m experiencing at the moment. Nope. This suffering is Christ focused – hatred and persecution because we belong to Jesus. The “suffering” I’m experiencing is called life. These are the common experiences of humans around the globe. Stupid things happen, sometimes because God is doing a work in and around me. And, sometimes because I made stupid choices. So, let’s be clear here: we (I mean me…of course) are not exempt from pain, tragedy, calamity, sorrow, or chaos in our lives. We are not exempt, and…but, we are also not defeated by these things. We are transformed. God has not taken away our rights or bitterly afflicted us. He is working in us to make us more like Jesus, who has suffered on our behalf. Lord, let me say with Paul and so many others…
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith – that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
Philippians 3:7-11That I may know Him! This is the one necessary thing in my life. All the petty struggles – even the big things that have weighed so heavily on me these past couple of weeks – these are nothing compared to knowing Jesus. And a funny thing happens when I focus my attention on Jesus, taking it off of my own discomfort or stress – the trials and stress of this earth diminish in power and impact. They fade away as Jesus shines brighter in my eyes. God make this so. Root out the bitterness I collect on my journey – the stones I pick up in my shoes along the way. Teach me again to train my eyes on Jesus, His cross, His resurrection, His love, His beautiful glory. This is the necessary attitude adjustment my heart needs.
The second part of Job 27 is Job’s explanation of what God will do to the wicked. He doesn’t count himself among them. His suffering is not the same as theirs will be. Look ahead, in chapter twenty-eight, where Job will detail the search for wisdom. Job’s attitude adjustment is coming soon. Before long, he will glimpse the glory of God and understand the limit of his own feeble knowledge.
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No, Really…Thanks. You’ve Been a Huge Help.
Job 26
Job’s three friends have stopped talking. They talked and talked and finally sputtered to a halt with no more words to say. My imagination runs a bit at this scene – does Job pause and take a moment to look at each friend, making eye contact one by one? I picture Job waiting for the really, truly, actual, final last word from one or another of them. Months of endless misery mixed with a barrage of empty words have worn Job thin. He is down to his skin and bones now. And yet his friends offer no real consolation or love. They have no mercy for Job’s suffering. Job speaks from a worn out heart when he says (this is, obviously, my paraphrase), “Thanks, guys. No, really. You’ve been a tremendous help. What would I have done without you? You’ve been so uplifting and motivating. I hardly know what to say.” Okay, I know Job didn’t actually say those words. What he really said was…
“How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!”
Job 26:1-3Lest we think we are above this accusation, consider the last time you offered “wisdom” to a hurting friend and that so called wisdom was two biscuits and a chicken short of a picnic lunch. You knew you missed the mark as soon as your words flew from your lips. You cringed inwardly, wishing you could gather your words back and stuff them down. We have all received unhelpful words during dark times, and we have all given. Guilty as charged. The mouth is impossible to control perfectly. God help us.
After his sarcastic thanks, Job directs his friends to the Source of each breath. Whose breath do we think allows us the ability to speak anyway? We have two lungs filled with breath provided by God alone. Our breath should power words of praise and wisdom. Yet, here we are, standing shoulder to shoulder with the three stooges, speaking blessing and cursing and emptiness from the same mouth.
“With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?”
Job 26:4Job then gives some details of the power and majesty of God. The One who gives us breath and life? Yeah. He’s also the one who created this world and the whole universe, and all created things. He’s the One who has earth hanging in space like an ornament, suspended by His very word and power. He’s the One who created the terminal line, that demarcation between night and day that circles the globe.
An aside: how did Job know about this line? Had he seen it? According to what I’ve read on the world wide spiderwebs, the terminal line is visible only in the far North and from space. Did Job see it with his own eyes? I’m assuming Job did not travel to space. Did he hear northern travelers talking about it? I’m so curious!
“Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
Job 26:14Just the outskirts of the power of God…just the edges of it…just the hem of His garment. I’m drawn to the passage in Luke 8 where the woman afflicted with a menstrual disease reaches out her hand (she knows she is considered unclean, yet she dares in bold faith!), and touches the fringe of His garment, the outskirts of His mercy. And Jesus knows right away. He knew all about this woman already. She has dared to believe that His mercy could extend to even her. And it does extend to her. And she is healed.
We stand before the One Who made us, gave us breath, created our world and everything for His own glory, controls the moon, the seasons, the hours of the day, North and South, the turning of our planet, the dark and the light. We stand with Job. Sometimes we stand with Job’s friends. We stand with the faithful woman from Luke’s account. And we…what? Do we speak? Do we accuse? Do we stay silent, ashamed? Do we reach out our hands for mercy?
Be patient, reader. God is coming to speak to Job and to his friends, to set things in order once again with the power of His word. The comfort of God’s sovereignty is near. Have faith to reach your hand out to touch just the edge of His mercy. He already knows you are there, longing to do so.
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Children and Stars
Job 25
Six small verses to mark the last words of Bildad, the last of Job’s friends to speak into (or rather against) his suffering. Bildad chooses to give the Sunday School answer, tried and true, already given a million and one half times before. If you’ve ever taught Children’s Church or Sunday School, you know exactly how that goes. Every question receives the same answer, with little variation.
- Teacher: Who made the world and everything in it?
- Class: God.
- Teacher: Great! Okay, children, Who was with God in the beginning?
- Class: God.
- Teacher: *blink, blink*
- Class: *yawns and fidgets all around*
- Teacher: Okay. You’re not wrong.
- Teacher: Alright, kids, Who died on the cross?
- Class: God.
- Teacher: *rapid blinking*
- Class: *giggles and wiggles*
- Teacher (head in hands): Okay. Sure. Yes. Also, not entirely wrong, but actually, it was Jesus, Who is God, so…
- Class: *general nose-picking, feet tapping, and squirming*
- Teacher: Okay. How about Play-Do?
- Class: Yay!
Kudos to you if you just signed up for the children’s ministry at your church. Also, fair warning, and may God bless you immensely. Sunday School kiddos can leave you scrambling for theological answers you didn’t know you didn’t know. Bless them. Their simple faith is an example to us. They answer truthfully, innocently.
But not so for Bildad. He isn’t speaking from a heart of faith. His words are a repeat of what has already been said multiple times. It’s almost as if he just wants to have the last word. He gives some basic truths that read like a fragment sentence. Did he finish his thought? It seems like there’s a big “but” coming…except, there isn’t. That’s it. Bildad just ends with this hanging, hopeless idea, maybe because he doesn’t really have anything thoughtful or helpful to say.
“Dominion and fear are with God; he makes peace in his high heaven. Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise? How then can a man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes; how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man who is a worm!”
Job 25Let’s take a moment to see through the eyes of a child and wonder together at the immensity of God. The piece that Bildad is missing is found in Psalm 8, where David examines the stars in the night sky and comes away in awe of Who God is. Yes, he sees his own inadequacies, but above that, the psalmist is overwhelmed by the majesty of God. As we should also be.
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
Psalm 8:1-5Out of the mouths of babies and infants indeed. Next time you have the privilege of teaching a children’s Sunday School class, consider their faith. Consider the simplicity of their one word answers and marvel at the way God works. Concerning the majesty of our God, children and stars are our teachers.
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Christina Grubb 