Reading from Monday, August 23

How ya'll doin?

Reading for August 23
Job 8:1-11:20
Wow - there is probably an entire books worth of material in these three chapters. I'll try to hit on the main points I want to get across without getting into too much babble and rabble.

So the rest of this book seems to be these "big question" philosophical debates between Job and his friends. They debate the character and personality of God. What he would do and what he wouldn't do. The interesting thing about this whole scenario is that this exact thing - or worse - has happened to other people in Jewish history at the hands of God. The mothers of Egypt - their sons were killed for no fault of their own. The Midianite women and children - struck down for no reason other than their husbands and fathers were evil. So what we're seeing here is a sort of in depth case study of how that kind of thing effects people. It's an experiment to test the limits of faith and Job is the test subject.

The first one to speak tries to comfort Job, going for the "everything has a purpose" answer. I think as people we're often tempted to provide this response to someone when tragedy strikes them, but telling a mother who's young child was just killed - "Hey, this is all gonna work out for something better" isn't really gonna do much. And Job is in that boat - no words of comfort can heal him.

Job is getting another view of God - this "dark side" of him that I theorized about a few months ago. He is not getting the forgiving, patient-ish God that forgives the Israelites time and again, Job has been punished by the same side of God that killed all the first born children of Egypt. Look how his perception of God has changed overnight:

 ¹⁵ Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;
       I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
 ¹⁶ Even if I summoned him and he responded,
       I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
 ¹⁷ He would crush me with a storm
       and multiply my wounds for no reason.
 ¹⁸ He would not let me regain my breath
       but would overwhelm me with misery.

 ²² It is all the same; that is why I say,
       'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'

This is a relationship with God that has been utterly destroyed. And while he still believes in him, perhaps more than ever, the anger and hatred toward God is evidence of a shattered marriage.

Then Job hits on something that's more profound than I think he realizes.

 ⁴ Do you have eyes of flesh?
       Do you see as a mortal sees?
 ⁵ Are your days like those of a mortal
       or your years like those of a man,

This is the absolute direct center of the heart of the matter. At this point, God had no idea what it was like to be a mortal - to "have eyes of flesh" or live like a man - and that was why the tension between God and his creation was so constant. He could not comprehend their repeated mistakes and failures. Until he disgraced himself to finally understand what it really is like for people to suffer the wrath of God. It's likely that God felt that Job was overreacting to his loss. God never had a wife or children in the literal sense - he would have no idea what it would be like to have those things or to lose those things.  I think this story is in place partly to make that distinction.


1 Corinthians 15:1-28
Pretty simple once again - Paul is preaching on Christ's resurrection. He asks "How can you say that resurrection from the dead is impossible and yet believe that Christ was resurrected?"


So you have to believe that is a possibility if you profess Christianity. Then again, Jesus was kinda God, so it's cheating. I probably couldn't resurrect myself - should I try it?

"It's a great trick, but I can only do it once"

Psalm 38:1-22
Looks like Job and David spent some time together at emo rehab:

¹ O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
       or discipline me in your wrath.
 ² For your arrows have pierced me,
       and your hand has come down upon me.
 ³ Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
       my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

Proverbs 21:28-29
 ²⁸ A false witness will perish,
       and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever. ^[a]
 29 A wicked man puts up a bold front,
       but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

Good night.