Blind Spot
“But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” Job 1:11 NASB
Your hand– yadeka. Your hand. The pronoun carries a lot of weight here. This isn’t just any external force. This is the hand of God. That is uncomfortable.
Do we ignore the bad in order to proclaim that God is always good? Do we ascribe all evil things to human error or Satan rather than hold God accountable? Where is the evidence that God isn’t behind bad things? Do we simply say that whatever He does is good even if it looks terribly bad to us? Is this paradigm blindness?
Consider Job. What’s really the message in this very odd story? Is it that we shouldn’t question God? Is it that our paltry understanding of divine matters is so inept that we don’t have the right to ask why? Is it that bad things happen to good people? Or perhaps that Satan loves nothing more than making the lives of the righteous a living hell? Is it about the “great cosmic battle” between good and evil? Is it about the necessity of persevering despite horrible trauma? Is it about the insignificance of material and physical well-being? Or perhaps it’s a description of the true character of faith that remains steadfast through every conceivable disaster.
Or maybe it seems to be about all these.
From our perspective (post-Christian, post-modern, Western, Messianic), Job’s story is often treated as an answer to one of these questions. We focus on Job’s reactions. We cite his declarations of faith. We hear the mighty God pushing us into corners. But we don’t really ask why God would even allow this litany of tragedy. We emphasize the role of Satan, attributing Job’s experience of the world’s evils to his manipulations. But we overlook the fact that Satan needs God’s permission. Behind all this tale of woe is some kind of divine malfeasance. Isn’t God responsible for Job’s horrors? And if that’s the case, what does this say about God?
These are terrible questions. They are terrible because they are so unsettling to our conception of the “good God of creation.” They unseat our commitments to love and care. They leave us feeling like most men of the ancient world; unsure of the constancy of the divine. Yes, we might ascribe the actual misery to the Accuser, but how will we reconcile the fact that the text tells us God allowed it? Where is the divine protection that we proclaim? Where is the God who shows compassion to His people? One must wonder: What theological assumptions have I made that prevent me from accepting what the text says and implies?
O maybe it’s just too difficult to think about.
The story of Job is very, very old. It is perhaps the oldest of the books of the Tanakh. It reflects a consciousness of the divine that was very much a part of this ancient world. Job’s friends endorse the principle of divine causation; i.e., if bad things happen to you, you must have offended the gods in some way. It’s your fault. Admit it. But the story itself rebukes this thinking. It’s not your fault. Then whose fault is it? Ah, that’s the tricky part. Do you suppose that our concepts of God began in a world where the gods were really responsible for everything, and over the course of thousands of years we’ve altered this idea? Do you think Job reflects a worldview that we really don’t embrace any more? Just how much paradigm blindness do we need to incorporate in our contemporary understanding that allows us to not even ask such disturbing questions?
Topical Index: yadeka, your hand, evil, Satan, Job 1:11
I am no Job, but I have known trauma for three score and more. The way I preserve (on the days I do) is the knowledge that ‘this too shall pass’. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Psalms 90:10
I am hopeful that in the millennium the acronym TBI no longer means Traumatic Brain Injury, but something like: To Be Included or Taking Back Injustices. I admit I struggle with the issue of theodicy, but then I remember He is the Potter and I am the clay. I may be broken here and now, but I will be whole then and there.
Excellent perspective, Michael. So well said.
I think one of the things I like about this group is that we seem to be people that have come through traumatic events in our lives, and because we have, we have the capacity to relate to one another in understanding and comfort as well as in conflict and questions. It’s the balance that is so healthy. Praise be to God.
What does ‘perfect’ mean? Job was living up to all the light he KNEW, but do any of us have complete awareness of all? Doesn’t faith have to cover what we don’t know? What does it mean to not have sin “imputed” to us? To be “covered”? What about the sin we don’t KNOW ABOUT? What did Job “repent in dust and ashes” FOR? If I live up to all that I know, and my faith covers the rest, doesn’t God “not impute” the rest to me? Who is “perfecting” my connection so that I can be “blameless”? Wouldn’t that be my Intercessor? And when more light is revealed to me, don’t I at that point “repent in dust and ashes” of what I didn’t know before? Do any of us understand – much less do – righteousness (perfect connection with all) ‘perfectly’ yet? Then how can we be in agreement with what we don’t even know YET? Isn’t faith necessary that we are forgiven for what we don’t know about? At least until we know it?
Somebody has to be taking the fall for us – holding the connections where we still don’t know how – completing the gap between us and all else – forgiving us for what we don’t even know to repent for: at least until we know to repent for it. Didn’t Job, in his ignorant places, need Somebody to “impute righteousness” to him – cover for him – keep him connected with love even if he was out of line? Doesn’t the gospel work in the Tanakh exactly like it works in the NT era?
Why did Job repent if he was “perfect”? Why was he called “righteous” if he was still sinning (um, you know, that stuff he repented in dust and ashes for)? Why was Abraham called “righteous” BY HIS FAITH when we all know that he wasn’t without sin, either? What did his faith DO? Didn’t it give heaven permission to fill in the love gaps for him – keep him connected – even if he was not doing his end of (repenting for sin in that place and doing the actions of righteousness) that connecting – at least until he knew better? Doesn’t faith unleash the actions of grace – gratuitous connections – for us until we know better and repent and step up to the plate and start doing it for real? What does it mean when it says that Christ “died for us while we were yet sinners”? Doesn’t it mean that His death – His blood – “covers” our sins of ignorance – connects us with HIS love -until we know enough to repent and thus allow His love to operate THROUGH us instead of in spite of us? (I don’t think it meant something stupid like that the people before the cross were those particular sinners who had to ‘wait’ until He went to the cross to be forgiven, while those post-cross are somehow being forgiven ‘ahead of time’!) The operations of heaven are declared “mysterious” and I don’t think we will ever “enter into” all those “deep council” meetings.
We have to take on faith all we don’t see yet ourselves; at least until we all “come into the fullness of knowledge”. That would include knowledge of sins of ignorance, surely. Job, surely, was sinning in that he ignorantly thought that because love was pouring through him that HE had opened all those channels with his own efforts – his own righteousness – when they were being opened by grace through his faith; faith that was, I am sure VASTLY increased as soon as he saw that he needed a whole lot more to cover all those places he just thought were covered before! I know I would have if I had been in his shoes!
May I repent in dust and ashes today and every day, remembering that I stand in the same place Job stood so long ago. I am still so grossly ignorant of just how far I still am (sinning) from where I was made to be! So help me, God! Please, Yeshua, cover (“intercede for”) me today!
Brilliant and so helpful, Laurita. It’s a place I’m coming into in my life. There are areas of our lives that we are unconscious of until the Holy Spirit awakens us to them. Once He does, then as the great Processor He works to ( for it is God who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure) bring those areas into maturity/righteousness. But he only does this as we submit to him. But it is in difficulties , frustrations, and the working out process where the rubber meets the road and this is what seemingly takes so much time. Just having mental understanding is not enough. We always tend to look for what makes sense to us. Once again, I think we tend to make God into our own image . This is the way we are, this is the way people have been toward us, so it must be who God is. Wrong! God is greater than our hearts and knows all things! There is so much stretching that goes on in the process of giving birth, not only physically but spiritually. A time of discomfort and change. A season, just like Michael was saying “this too will pass “. Such a healthy outlook! We don’t like the idea that there is travail involved in birth! We don’t like the idea that in order to be resurrected, death is required! “ except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and dies, yet abides alone. But, IF, it dies, it brings forth much fruit”. Unchangeable principles! Think of the breaking process that Job went through, to finally get to where he ended up.
Job 37:19–24 (Tanakh): We cannot argue because we are in darkness. Is anything conveyed to Him when I speak? Can a man say anything when he is confused? Now, then, one cannot see the sun, Though it be bright in the heavens, Until the wind comes and clears them. By the north wind the golden rays emerge; The splendor about God is awesome. Shaddai—we cannot attain to Him; He is great in power and justice And abundant in righteousness; He does not torment. Therefore, men are in awe of Him Whom none of the wise can perceive.
This is what I think: At the end of the story, we can find the answer to all these questions. Job acted righteously because he had “heard” about HaShem. This is what we might call a “religious” person in our days. But HaShem wants Job to really meet Him. This is the simple version of the answer.
“The story of Job is very, very old. It is perhaps the oldest of the books of the Tanakh.”
Yet there is a revision of this truth building in Christianity. Several years ago (2005) the Protestant Christian “Archaeological Study Bible” was published. Great articles, full-color photos. The youth pastor at the congregation we attended bought it, shared it, liked it. It came out in a chronological version. I was looking for a gift for someone who wanted to read the Bible chronologically, so I went to the local Christian bookstore to see about this version. Opening it, the book of Job wasn’t in there with Genesis where it was in my other chronological bible. “That’s odd,” I thought as I looked for it. Not at the end of Genesis, not woven into Judges… I flipped to the indices, wondering.
Modern scholars had moved it to the time of the exile, with their explanations for why.
I closed the book, set it back on the shelf, and grieved.
The facts that, in Job, the adversary requires YHVH’s permission and that Yah sets the boundaries bear witness in David’s error taking a census, of Micaiah’s run-in with Ahab and his prophets, and when the legion of spirits talk with Yeshua (very eye-opening when reading in a chronological bible).
And I have learned over the years to check when reading quotes from Job, who it is that is being quoted. Richard’s post is a good example. That was Elihu, the young man, speaking, right before YHVH speaks to Job from the whirlwind.
YHVH says in Job 42 that Eliphaz and his two friends “have not spoken of me what is right.” Hmmm, denominationalism or syncretism in the oldest text? “Read carefully,” whispered the still small voice.
Excellent observations Leslee. So many quotes and words are often said without truth and proper reference …read carefully indeed.
Indeed, Christine! For example…Just who is “Elihu” (meaning, “whose god is… he” [is “he” YHVH?])? He is not one of the “three friends”. He is younger than they (his “status” is different than theirs). Why does God condemn the three friends’ counsel, but makes no mention of Elihu or his comments? What are we to make of Elihu’s comments? Read carefully, indeed. And be assured, whether from the whirlwind or in the still, He is speaking.
Yes, Richard, I have long wondered about the sequence and Yah’s comment… could Elihu be speaking rightly of Yah? Is he the young man Timothy could look to when Paul encourages him about his youth? so much careful reading.
Got a late start this morning. But… you said, “they ( these questions regarding God) leave us feeling like most men of the ancient world; unsure of the constancy of the divine “. The fear that God has changed his mind after all. The fear that He ran out of mercy. The fear that He is angry with me or maybe not even angry but weary with me”. I have reduced God to being human. The more I get to know God the more I realize if he doesn’t change in any frustration doesn’t come from God that comes from my own inability to accept his unchangeability. It goes against reasoning and logic. This is the type of subjects that takes a lot of conversation, back-and-forth etc. Thank
you, Skip! I’m sure I will have more comments and questions once I get a chance to read everyone’s feedback !
I have come to appreciate that Job is about the desire God wants from us to dedicate our lives towards knowing the truth. When we question the insights that are we find a new paradigm a new conviction a new person in ourselves a new life… When we are there we pray for others rather than for our predicaments or concerns… Yeshua is manifested and God blesses without us being concerned about ourselves. Now I desire that result… The path to that one is the same path Job followed which results in when two or more are gathered in his name…
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Job 3:25 (KJV)
I believe this verse points to the crux of the issue, and that it tells me two important things:
1. What I focus on, I make room for in my life.
2. God takes my fears seriously, and will go to great lengths to deal with them.
I like how the story ends.
Job had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels,
a thousand yoke of oxen, a thousand donkeys, seven sons,
three daughters . . . and because of his faith, God granted him
the incomparable riches of His love and grace divinely deposited
deep within his heart.
Had he bumps along the road? Bigger than most.
But Job never lost touch with the “connector” between himself and
God: his faith. He stood on it like a rock. And touched God’s heart through prayer.
“but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.” Ps 32:10
Faith is not meant to give us all the answers.
It does, however, introduce us to THE answer!
There are some other biblical passages that come to mind that offer opportunity for additional insight to this question about God, satan, man, and the allowance of trauma.
Can you see the similarity of the following scene to that of Job’s, with the characters being Yeshua, satan, and Simon Peter:
“Simon, Simon! Indeed, satan has demanded to sift you all like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” [Luk 22:31-32]
So here’s another situation where satan asked for permission to “traumatize” someone. It was Simon (Peter), and maybe the other disciples as well, who would be “attacked”. And it was either Messiah Yeshua or YHVH of whom satan asked permission, we may not know, but at least we know Messiah Yeshua knew about this request of satan’s, and therefore it was likely that he also at least knew YHVH’s response. And we know that his request was not denied. It, too, was allowed, as it was with Job. But here, also, we see that Messiah, our Intercessor, “stood in the gap” to pray for Simon so that when this work of satan had begun or when it was complete, Simon’s faith would not fail and that he would carry out the purpose of strengthening his brothers.
Now, here’s a second reference:
“As Yeshua was passing by, He saw a man who had been blind since birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?’ Yeshua answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This happened so that the works of God might be brought to light in him. We must do the work of the One who sent Me, so long as it is day! Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’” [Joh 9:1-5]
Of course, we all know that suffering can be the result of our own doing, whether by deliberate sin or mistakes or even just the natural consequences of life in this world. However, not all suffering is due to our sin, nor even necessarily the sin of another. But is it not always “so that the works of God might be brought to light”?
Joseph, seems to have had the right understanding of his sufferings, as expressed here in speaking to his family when he said, “Yes, you yourselves planned evil against me. God planned it for good, in order to bring about what it is this day—to preserve the lives of many people.” [Gen 50:20]
Finally, I offer this passage from Romans 8 (the main concept is capitalized below if you don’t want to read the whole passage):
“For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of the One who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers birth pains until now—and not only creation, but even ourselves. We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Ruach, groan inwardly as we eagerly wait for adoption—the redemption of our body. For in hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, then we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. In the same way, the Ruach helps in our weakness. For we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Ruach Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Ruach, because He intercedes for the kedoshim according to the will of God.”
“NOW WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.”
“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say in view of these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? It is Messiah, who died, and moreover was raised, and is now at the right hand of God and who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Messiah? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.” [Rom 8:18- 39]
So, it seems evident that all that occurs in life must be approved by the Almighty One, that satan, who quite apparently is a created being with free-will like every other heavenly creature, is the adversary who plans and executes evil, Yeshua prays for his followers that their faith will not fail and that they will persevere in loving God by doing the will of the Father, like Yeshua, himself, and his followers must choose to love God and follow after His purposes, living by faith and doing the will of God, if the works of God are to be brought to light and suffering is to work together for the good of the ones who are traumatized and suffer, by which ever means it comes.
Thank you for these added passages, Jerry and Lisa. It is a wonderful thing when these threads connect and connect, witness after witness, that we just might be “getting it right”, and being strengthened!
There was a professor out in California-I want to say Los Angeles, but not sure. He talked about the actual wording of Romans 8:28. I used to listen to him in early 2000s’ occasionally but I can’t remember his name. He was like 70 or older and was married to a young, beautiful woman in her 20’s. Sorry but thought that might help. If anyone reads this and knows who I am talking about, will you inform me. I am pretty sure he is no longer with us. But I think his wife continued the ministry they had.
Skip asks, what is the real message of this odd story? He concludes it is many things. One more thing I might add is that Job can be seen as typography, a foreshadowing of Israel/Jacob’s trouble.
Job had 7 sons who held feasts, each on his (particular) day; afterwards Job sanctified them with burnt offerings in case they sinned.
Israel had 7 feasts, and the High Priest made sacrificial atonement for all in the nation.
Job had 3 daughters who were called to attend the feasts.
The men of Israel were called to attend 3 of the feasts in Jerusalem.
Job’s sacrifices kept them in a righteous relationship with God and Job became very rich and the greatest man in the east.
God promised Israel that if they kept a righteous relationship with God they would be blessed with abundance and peace and they would be great and feared by all other nations. (Deut 28)
Satan was walking around and he complained that God had blessed Job and built a hedge around him.
Satan is still stalking like a lion looking to devour (1 Peter 5:8); and trouble is coming for Israel. Job typifies Israel going through the great tribulation. Jer 30:7 Woe! for great is that day, without any like it, Yea, a time of adversity it is to Jacob, Yet out of it he is saved.
Calamity first came to Job’s processions and his children.
Rev 6 brings war, destruction, famine and death.
Then calamity came to Job himself.
Rev 9 brings not death but disease and suffering.
Yet righteous Job remains faithful throughout it all.
Israel/Christians are to endure to the end rejoicing in the fellowship of the sufferings of the Christ (1 Peter 3&4). Ezekiel and James both cite Job as an example of the endurance of faith during persecution and tribulation.
For me, a guiding principle from Job is found in Job 40:8.
How often do we take a position to defend ourselves – “I haven’t sinned to be going though these hurtful things, God is being unfair to me, you can see that can’t you? ” We tell our Christian friends in our defense.
To me, His response from Job 40:8 is simple; “in this relationship with Me, I reserve the right to use you as I see fit.” My paraphrase. It also involves this “So trust Me in what happens.” Again, my words.
The events have purpose. Is God just? Is God allowing these things to happen? Is it just then, that they happen?
Joseph’s character was tested while he awaited the dreams to manifest. He exposes me but reveals Himself through these events. Others around me get exposed by how they react to me during these times. Is it so unique to think these events are so unfair? Does He need to remind me that it pleases Him?
The very manner of my personal testimony has changed over the years. Those events are part of His purpose. Do they not help to conform me? Do they not give witness to Him, in particular by how I receive them?
He arrays the enemy around us, does He not also give us access and opportunity to witness, minister to those who need to see us go through the things we go through? After shipwreck and a snake bite, didn’t the people of the area look long at Paul to watch him die? Didn’t they see him as a murder? And didn’t he survive and be seen differently.
I’ve come to see that He trusts all of us with the testimony of the Son. Some are shown privilege to experience harsher or more severe events. Like Job, they were chosen for this.
The end result of restoration for Job is indeed encouraging. But, greater still is the one on one with Him, as He speaks to Job – “this is who I am, these are the things I’ve done.” My words.
Pat, how graciously you have put it: you gave the glory back to God where it belongs! This sang to me this morning. I like what you said about our trials exposing us (and others, too! I know this – I saw that, too; people don’t like the trials of others because it, like the man in the ditch, EXPOSES them! So true!) but REVEALING Him. Loved it!