Job 40-Who’s Judging Who?

LINK: Job 40

BACKGROUND
The Lord has spoken to Job for the last 2 chapters. Finally, He dares Job to respond and to accuse Him. Job responds that he is unworthy. He cannot say more. God goes on to question Job on his right to condemn him. He asks Job if he can be God and do the mighty things that God can do. He mentions the Behemoth as a mighty animal of his creation. This animal is thought to be either a hippopotamus or an elephant. God asks if man can capture or tame it.

REFLECTION
Is blaming God for his suffering Job’s sin? Job was righteous before Satan’s “experiment.” His sin came through his judgment of God. He accuses God of forsaking him and questions God’s sovereignty.

Mack, the main character in the book, The Shack, is struggling with why God allows evil to happen. Like Job, he questions God’s sovereignty and assumes that God has forsaken him:

Wisdom, in the form of a woman, is speaking to Mack, “Give up being his judge and know Papa (God) for who he is. Then you will be able to embrace his love in the midst of your pain, instead of pushing him away with your self-centered perception of how you think the universe should be. Papa has crawled inside your world to be with you…” (The Shack by William Paul Young, quoted with permission, pg.165)

Two thoughts impressed me in this quote, first, when we look at the world from our own self-centered perspective, we actively push God away. Secondly, God is with us in our pain.

APPLICATION
We cannot blame God for the evil of this world. However, we can trust God to be with us during suffering. God did not bring on Job’s suffering. Satan did. I find it interesting that God does not put the blame on Satan. He simply tells Job who He is and who Job is not. We, as followers of the New Covenant have a huge advantage over Job. We have the Holy Spirit, indwelling our hearts and speaking to us in ways that Job did not have.

PRAYER
Father, let us trust you with our whole hearts, embracing your love in the midst of our pain. You will never leave us or forsake us. Thank you that we are your children. In Jesus name, Amen