Thursday

Insights from the Book of Job

One of the most useful insights from reading the Book of Job is seeing the difference between what went on in Heaven, and how it manifested on earth, in Job’s life. (The worst use of the book is learning theology from Job’s “friends.” What a train wreck!)
  
Job never knew about the dialog between God and Satan. In fact, Job (and Job’s whole culture) didn’t really know about Satan, so they believed that God did all this bad stuff, when the Book *clearly* says it was Satan. (It’s embarrassing how many Christians believe the same way today.)
  
Job blamed God for the disasters that had struck him, and called him throughout the book to account for why he’d done such evil to him. The oddest part, from my perspective, was this: God took the blame. (I observe that at no point, did Job ever ask God, “Did you do this?” or even “Who did this?” Maybe that would have been useful.)
  
At no point during God’s several chapters of response to Job’s accusations did God ever say, “That wasn’t me. That was the devil.” In fact, God’s reply can reasonably be summarized as, “Job, this is above your pay grade. You don’t even have the capacity to understand what went on in this.” 

God took the blame for the devil’s destruction, knowing he was innocent. 

How many other times does it happen in scripture: the devil wreaks havoc, but we blame God for the destruction. 

We have *got* to read the Old Testament through the lens of Jesus, who was the “exact representation” of God’s nature. If we don’t see death in destruction in the ministry of Jesus, then death and destruction is not part of God’s character or his job description. 

Maybe it would be useful to look at the stories of the Old Testament through the revelation that is Jesus, and ask the question:“Who did this?”

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

umm actually the entire point is God brought job before satans attention. Three times God gave satan permission to do what He did. Remember although God said job was blameless and upright. Satan knew He could not touch hinm unless the hedge was removed. Job maintained His innocence throughout and that God was soverign and had not treated Him Right, Job was corrected and commended of God. I'm sorry if you don't like the record of what went on. It is clear for those who see it. another good example is.Tts 2:11
¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tts 2:12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
• That Word teaching is the same as chastening. By not understanding. That part of grace according to the bible is teaching or in the original language-Strong's G3811 - paideuĊ
1. to train children
1. to be instructed or taught or learn
2. to cause one to learn
2. to chastise
1. to chastise or castigate with words, to correct
1. of those who are moulding the character of others by reproof and admonition
2. of God
1. to chasten by the affliction of evils and calamities
3. to chastise with blows, to scourge
1. of a father punishing his son
2. of a judge ordering one to be scourged
3. Many people are denying the means and intents Gods will use to prepare A spotless bride pure of heart for His Son. Some are teaching grace so imbalanced in not integrating central truths of the new testament it is almost deceptive. as evidenced in rev 2 the warning in Hebrews and Corinthians.

Anonymous said...

So good. Often we create a theology that eliminates an enemy. Satan is real, and if it involves loss, death, or destruction, it comes from the one who "comes to steal, kill, and destroy" (john10:10)