I don’t know about you, but the book of Job is one of the hardest for me to get through. It’s a book filled with suffering, unanswered questions, and a man seemingly punished because of the whim of the enemy. I too have experienced times in my life where like Job I cry out to God, “Why?” I demand to know His reasons behind what is happening in my life and challenge Him for answers. But like Job soon discovered, God is not One to be challenged. And the lesson to be learned is that He is sovereign in every and all aspect of our lives, and we need to trust that He knows exactly what He’s doing.
Chapter 38 begins with God speaking to Job, “out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man and I will ask you, and you will instruct Me!’”(vs. 38:1:3) Could you just imagine? Waiting for God to respond and He comes back with this! Eugene Peterson simplifies God’s challenge, “Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about? Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers!” And over the next few chapters God asks Job a series of questions that as a mere human, he can’t possibly answer.
In Isaiah 55:9 God declares, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” There is no way we can ever understand why God does what He does. And you know what? We don’t need to. All we need to do is obey His will even when we don’t comprehend or even agree with it. For there is only one Living God, and we aren’t Him. “He is the Creator, we are the Created. He is the Original, we are the image. He is our Friend, but not our peer.” (Dr. Charles Stanley) In verse 38:4 God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me if you have understanding.” God is warning that if Job, or us for that matter, dare to question His dealings with us, we’d better be able to prove that we have the same knowledge and wisdom that He does. And of course, we don’t.
I don’t think that God minds us asking questions. After all He is the One who gave us an inquisitive nature. And there’s not a single Christian who at some time hasn’t had doubts or questions. It comes with being human. Instead I think God looks at the motive behind our questioning. In verse 40:2 God asks Job, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” When we cry out to God from a point of pain and truly wanting to know His will, He understands. Even Jesus Himself while nailed to the Cross cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46) What gets us into trouble is when from a prideful heart we question God or His authority because we think we know better, or have the audacity to presume that the God of the universe owes us an explanation.
In the end after his encounter with God, Job understands just how wrong he was and confesses, “I have heard of You by hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (vs. 42:5-6) And how does God respond? By blessing, “the latter days of Job more than his beginning.” (vs. 42:12) Once again God shows that even in His sovereignty, He is loving, caring, and eager to bless our obedience. James 5:11 talks about Job this way, “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”
As long as we are on the earth, we will all have to deal with suffering in our lives. So the next time you are knee deep in sorrow, remember that even though you may not understand the reason for your troubles, God does. And He will see you through to the other side. Because of this you, like Job can say, “Though He will slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)
