Taming Tigers...

Yesterday during our family's trip to the zoo we encountered this rather large tiger.

My five year old daughter was quite nervous and would not stand next to the glass by herself. It occurred to me that although we were only a few feet from the massive animal, I was completely unconcerned for our safety. This was obviously because of the secure facility which housed the great beast.

I could not help but ponder the parallel; our lives are lived in close proximity to the treacherous enemy of our souls. 1Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Our God is our shield, our defender, and our fortress. Though daily we walk in the midst of predators we need not tremble for them. Romans 8:31b If God is for us, who can be against us?

Psalm 23:4-5 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Certainly this life affords us various experiences of suffering and trials. This is why the Psalmist uses the phrase, "the valley of the shadow of death." What a solid foundation we have in God's sovereignty over suffering. We can say with the Psalmist, "I will fear no evil, for you are with me." If He is with us, what have we to fear? There will be troubles, there will be trials, there will be dining in the presence of enemies... But He is with us. And our God is the One who can make ALL things, including suffering and tragedies, work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).

I love how John Piper puts it in his poem about Job:

The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God
(Part 4)

I have some friends who thought they knew
The mind of God, and that their view
Of tenderness exhausted God's,
And that severity and rods
Could only be explained with blame,
To vindicate his holy name."
"So you think it was God who made
You sick?" "I think God never laid
Aside the reins that lie against
The neck of Satan, nor unfenced
His pen to run at liberty,
But only by the Lord's decree."
...

That he might kindly show to me
What I would be when only he
Remains in my calamity.
Unkindly he has kindly shown
That he was not my hope alone."
...

And finally, my servant, Job,
Can you draw down and then disrobe
Leviathan, the king of all
The sons of pride, and in his fall
Strip off his camouflage of strength,
And make him, over all the length
Of earth and heav'n, to serve the plan
Of humble righteousness? I can.
I make Leviathan my rod.
Belovèd Job, behold your God!"

To You It Has Been Granted...

"Have you considered my servant Job?"
This single divine inquiry set ablaze an inferno of tribulation for Job. The searing flames of righteous Job's trial were ignited to highlight the glory of the All-Sovereign God. Though a severe cost was paid by Job and his family, their flaming circumstances have since served throughout the mellennia to display the glory of the Sovereign God who reigns over and above all circumstances.

Joseph too suffered great pains. This also served the very same purpose, God's glory put on display for all to see. Such displays of the glory of the Lord are costly. Joseph's painful and trying ordeal set in place both the divine provision for his family, and ultimately also four hundred years of the enslavement of the nation of Israel in Egypt. Tremendous suffering was endured by generations of God's people until the time was right for the Lord to unleash a magnificent display of His glory in the mighty and multi-miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

So also all of humanity is bound to endure an enormously vast array of sufferings. Yet these painful situations and trying circumstances serve to display the glory of our God who reveals Himself in and through them. Our sufferings are not in vain. There is purpose in the midst of this pain. One day all sufferings will cease, but until then we have an opportunity to glorify the Lord on our painful path. This opportunity is unique to this side of heaven, for on the other side the Lord will no longer be glorified through our pain, as it is there that He will be glorified in the eternal removal of it.

For it has been granted to you
that for the sake of Christ
you should not only believe in Him
but also suffer for His sake
- Philippians 1:29

Not only do we among humanity bear the burden of suffering. The Lord Himself also stooped very low to bend beneath the unimaginable weight of divine suffering granting the greatest display of His glory. This side of heaven the most clear revelation of the glory of the Lord is seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Divinity became humanity to deliver mankind from bondage to the insanity of worshipping everything but Him.

For in Him
all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell,and through Him
to reconcile to Himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven,
making peace by the blood of His cross.- Colossians 1:19-20

Though He Slay Me...

Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him
- Job 13:15

Who says things like that?  Who hopes in one who is killing him?  Job does.  Only when one hopes in another greater than he hopes in himself can one say such a thing.  In Job's case his hope in God sustained him, despite the bitter cup he had been given.

Though the category 5 hurricane was still in the midst of demolishing his life, Job had a death grip upon the ledge of the grace of his God.  His life wass utterly devastated and laid in shambles around him like the scattered remains of a trailer park after a tornado has just passed through.  Job's children were snatched away from him, his wife wagged her tongue at him and bid him to give up and to curse the God in whom he hoped, his friends too were fashioned into weapons to be wielded viciously against him, and as if all of that were not enough he was granted a cup overflowing with physical suffering as his entire body was covered with intensely painful sores.  Yet Job's fingers refused to let go, "Yet I will hope in Him."

Job clearly saw where his storm originated; "Though He slay me."  His point of view stands in sharp contrast to that so often heralded to those enduring various storms in our day.  I remember clearly during a funeral service years ago hearing a clergy member declare to the mother of her deceased son, an officer killed in the line of duty, "Don't let anyone tell you that God did this."  I bit my tongue as I sat in the room with hundreds gathered to mourn the loss of this heroic public servant.  My blood was near to be boiling as this man in priestly garb spoke as if he were delivering the words of God.  As if the medicine he had to offer would assuage any discomfort.  He may as well have given her a sugar pill and said that should help.  How can it be that those who would endeavor to speak on God's behalf would neglect that which He has already so effusively spoken.

The Scriptures which teach contrary to the fancily dressed man upon a stage are too numerous to list in their entirety yet I will highlight a few which quickly come to mind:

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
Deuteronomy 32:39

Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it?
Amos 3:6

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
Matthew 10:29

You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah.  You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
Psalm 88:6-8

Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.
Psalm 88:16-18

With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty.   He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders.  He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.  He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light.  He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away.  He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste.  They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Job 12:13-25

I'm thinking Job may have said something like this if he could have been in attendance at that funeral service.

Not only was Job clearly able see from whom the storm originates, but he was also able to see through the pounding rain and fierce wind.  He could see beyond the massive storm surrounding him and into the goodness of his God.  This is faith.  Faith is seeing beyond the storm, it is seeing beyond all that the eyes of flesh can see in order to behold that which only the eyes of faith can see.

Job's faith caused him to be able to see through the blinding storm like radar enables a pilot see in order to safely land a plane in the midst of a dense fog.  His radar-like faith saw clearly through to the goodness of his God.  This is why Job could honestly say, "Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him."

Enemy Tactics

I've been reading in Job again lately. I'm continually struck at Job's persistent (and accurate) attributing of his difficult predicaments to the sovereign hand of God. Job is able to see that although the enemy of our souls is involved in the attack he is not able to run beyond the length of leash permitted him by the Lord.

I recently found a helpful quote on Ray Ortlund's blog. The quote is from William Gurnall on Job and the enemy's tactics:

"Leaving the first kind of fiery darts -- enticing and attractive temptations -- we now proceed to the second kind, those which fill the Christian with fear. It is only the power of faith that can quench these fiery darts.

This is Satan's weapon held in reserve. When alluring temptations fail, he opens his quiver and shoots these arrows to set the soul on fire, if not with sin then with terror. When he cannot carry a soul laughing to hell through the deception of pleasurable temptations, he will try to make him go mourning to heaven by this different kind of attack. It is a sure sign that Satan is losing. . . .

The arrows he shot at Job were of this kind. When God let the devil practice his skill, why did he not tempt Job with some golden apple of profit or pleasure? Surely the high testimony God gave about Job discouraged Satan from these methods. Satan had no tactic left but this."

-William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour

HT: RO

it is HE...

Oh, can you not see? This is Job’s cry to his less-than-helpful friends, who in seeking to highlight the cause for all of Job’s calamities can only point fingers at Job. Oh, can you not see that He reigns over all and nothing happens apart from His knowing and allowing. Job then begins to exposit on the very essence of what it means to be God:

With God are wisdom and might;
He has counsel and understanding.
If He tears down, none can rebuild;
if He shuts a man in, none can open.
If He withholds the waters, they dry up;
if He sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
With Him are strength and sound wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are His.
He leads counselors away stripped,
and judges He makes fools.
He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty.
He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders.
He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.
He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light.
He makes nations great,
and He destroys them;
He enlarges nations, and leads them away.
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste.
They grope in the dark without light,
and He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
(Job 12:13-25)

While reading this portion of Scripture I could not help but to think of the state of our country and those who lead it. There is a reason for the peril we are in. There is a cause of the tremendous ignorance sweeping our nation. There is purpose in the midst of chaos. It is He...

Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; He does all that he pleases.

Daniel 4:35
All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, "What have you done?"

When the Righteous Suffer...

Desiring God recently held a regional conference on the theme of suffering entitled, Job: When the Righteous Suffer. The two messages and the Q&A are available to download for free.

Job: New Illustrated Edition

Desiring God is releasing this new addition of Piper's poetic summary of the book of Job. The book was previously released under the title, The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God.

I must reiterate what I've previously written about this material; this material (book / audio) has had the most significant influence on my understanding of suffering and the sovereignty of God. Again I must highly recommend the audio version (approx. 45 min.) in which John Piper reads his four poems on Job (download for free here). If you've never heard this then I would plead with you to do yourself the tremendous favor.

The audio from the above trailer is merely several different clips from the poems joined together in order to give an audio sample.

Journaling through the book of Job

(This is the previously posted 5 parts combined into 1 with light editing)

Chapter 1
Worship a result of suffering?
In one day Job’s wealth, friends, and family were devastated:
1) Attacking Sabeans stole away 500 donkeys and 500 yoke of oxen (1,000 oxen) and then killed the servants who cared for those animals.
2) Fire destroyed Job's enormous flock of 7,000 sheep and a the servants who cared for those animals.
3) Chaldean raiding parties stole away his herd of 3,000 camels
4) A mighty wind demolished his son’s home which was filled with all 10 of his children who all died as a result of this calamity.

Yet Job responds with worship:
Job 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. Job 1:21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

Chapter 2
More pain.
As if all this were not enough, more truckloads of suffering are lined up and on a collision course with the already battered and tragedy torn Job:Satan gains permission from God to afflict Job’s body.
Job 2:4 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. Job 2:5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." Job 2:6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life."

Interesting to note that previously Satan did not have permission to do this:
Job 1:12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand."

Physical malady is the next in line awaiting it‘s appointment with the miserable Job. Job is afflicted over his entire body with painful sores. His wife, who is as affected by these tragedies as Job, becomes a mouthpiece for Satan himself when she tempts him to forsake his God.
Job 2:9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die."

Chapter 3
Suffering under the weight of such tragedy, Job pours out his complaint.

Friends
Job has three good friends who come to his aid. Three loving friends who care so much for Job that they sit with him in mourning for a week without speaking. This is love. When words fail, love is still seen in the silent companionship of those who will accompany Job along his pathway of pain.

Chapters 4 & 5
Accusation tears through the air as arrows in flight. Jobs first friend fires at him. Surely Job you would not be suffering like this if you had done no wrong.
Job 4:7 "Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? Job 4:8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

Job 4:13-16 is a chilling description of what appears to be a demon planting seeds of accusing thoughts in this friend of Job. Those seeds grew and bore the fruit of cutting accusation.

Sovereignty
In the background of this story of Job’s suffering is another deeper and profound telling of the Sovereignty of God over suffering. Satan came before God and it is God who highlights the righteousness of Job. Satan mocks God’s reference to Job saying that Job merely holds to God because God has been so good to him by protecting him and blessing him. God first grants Satan permission to go after Job, but this leash only goes so far. Satan tears away Job’s possessions and his loved ones. After further relation with God about Job, Satan gains more permission, more length to his leash, but again is limited in not being allowed to take Job’s life.

God allows suffering for His reasons. He knows what He is doing. The seeing of who God is, is much more valuable than the maintaining of Job’s protection and blessing. Job’s astounding suffering enabled us (& God’s people throughout history) to see a tremendous display of God being in absolute control over suffering. God grants beauty for ashes - a glimpse of who God is came through a taste of pain. Some would say that this is not fair. And that would be correct, but things are not exactly as they might perceive them. They might say that Job’s suffering was not fair because he did not deserve to suffer like that. Others (including me) would say that it (beauty for ashes) was not fair because God is so immensely valuable that the seeing of Him is of infinitely more worth than any and every suffering. God is so glorious and magnificent that Job’s suffering was a bargain, a good deal, a steal… because the priceless can never be purchased. It was by grace that Job suffered, so that he might see more of God and so that God’s people throughout history might also see more of God through Job’s amazingly painful ordeal.

Chapters 6 & 7
Job replies to Eliphaz. Job remains in anguish and feels that he is standing on the very edge of the grave.

Chapter 8
Job’s second friend, Bildad, enters the conversation and joins in the accusation:Job you’re full of hot air. Maybe your kids died because of their own sin. Job, friend, what you need is to repent and plead for mercy that God might relent.

Chapter 9
Job replies to Bildad. Who can contend with God. How can my feeble words diminish His wrath. He is God, He is powerful and I am not.

Chapter 10
Job pours out his complaint to God before his friends:
Job 10:1 "I loathe my life; I will give free utterance to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. Job 10:2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me.

Chapter 11
Zophar, friend #3, chimes in.
Job 11:14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not injustice dwell in your tents.

Chapters 12 & 13
Job replies to Zophar, "I’m innocent." This is God’s doing, is it not plain for all to see? Job continues his rebuttal:
Job 13:4 As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. Job 13:5 Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! Job 13:15a “Though He slay me yet will I hope in Him."

This is probably one of the most potent demonstrations of hope in the completely sovereign God in the Bible. Job clearly saw that it was God's arrows that were lodged in his heart and yet magnificently Job says that his hope remains in God. Job saw in God, obviously from his knowing of Him before this unspeakable suffering, His goodness, mercy, and sovereignty. Job's knowing of God was the foundation of his hope in God.

Chapter 14
Job 14:1 "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.
Job 14:7 "For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.
Job does question God as to the reasons for his intense suffering. Would you bring such questions if you were in Job's place? I cannot imagine that I would do otherwise than he. Why God? Why this? Why me? Why oh Lord would you bend your bow in my direction?

Chapter 15
Eliphaz regroups and returns for his counter attack at Job. More arrows of accusation, aimed at the heart of Job, flung sharply from the mouth of Eliphaz:
Job 15:12 Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash, Job 15:13 that you turn your spirit against God and bring such words out of your mouth?

Friends & attempts to comfort
Lessons to be learned remain written here in the responses of Job's friends who saw not the God who reigns supreme over absolutely everything. Attempt not to comfort those sitting in the seat of much suffering with judgment and accusations of "surely you brought this upon yourself" or "this must be your fault."Rather the God-loving and God-fearing friends will hold the tongue of accusation and exchange it for a loving and Scripture-sharing encouragement:
Psalm 42:11 Why cast down, oh my (your) soul, and why are you in turmoil within me (you)? Hope in God: for I (you) shall again praise Him, my (your) salvation and my (your) God.
Romans 8:28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The God whom we serve is able to sustain you through whatever you may face. And more than that He can even make trials and tribulations ultimately work out for your good. Our God is the God who can make good come from much trouble, much sickness, and much suffering. This vision of the God who is completely sovereign, who is good, and who never makes mistakes (even if we don't understand what it is that He is doing) is that which we must bring to our ailing acquaintances if we are to be of any aid.

Chapters 16 & 17
Job replies to Eliphaz:
Job 16:2 “miserable comforters are you all”

Job continues his reply to his would be comforters now turned tormentors. He obviously struggles to maintain hope while under the weight of his affliction.

Chapter 18
Bildad again acts as a mouthpiece for the enemy of our souls:
Job 18:5 Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire does not shine.
18:21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous, such is the place of him who knows not God."

Chapter 19
Job responds to Bildad:
Job 19:2 "How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words?
Job 19:21 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!
Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

Chapter 20
Zophar, apparently not satisfied that his message has sunk in to Job’s head yet, sounds the same note: Suffering comes for the wicked...
Job 20:24 He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through. Job 20:25 It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; errors come upon him. Job 20:26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed. Job 20:27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. Job 20:28 The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God's wrath. Job 20:29 This is the wicked man's portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.

Chapter 21
Job confronts Zophar with his error:
Don’t you have eyes to see that the wicked are prospering all around us?
Job 21:7 Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
Job 21:13 They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol. Job 21:14 They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. Job 21:15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?'
Job 21:34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood."

Chapter 22
Eliphaz comes armed well for this conflict:
Job 22:4 Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you?
Job 22:5 Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities. Cutting words and accusation are flung from Eliphaz like darts at the already wounded and miserable Job.
Job 22:10 Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you, Job 22:11 or darkness, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.Surely Job, you suffer because you have not yet repented. Turn from your wickedness and turn to God then all will be well.Job 22:23 If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents

Chapters 23 & 24
Job deflects the assault of Eliphaz and maintains his innocence and God's sovereignty.
Turn back to God?
Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. Job 23:11 My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. Job 23:12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. Job 23:13 But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. Job 23:14 For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind.

Again, Eliphaz, can you not see that the wicked all around regularly get away with their vileness? It is all around us. If the wicked prosper in their wickedness, then your statement that God only punishes the wicked is clearly false - because they remain thus far unpunished.

Chapter 25
Bildad continues to pile up words.
25:4a How can man be righteous before God

Chapter 26
Job responds to Bildad.
Job 26:4 With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?

Chapters 27 & 28
Job maintains his innocence. God does as He pleases and the Godless will eventually face His wrath. Man does great exploits in pursuit of the riches of silver, gold, and fine jewels but he searches not for wisdom - because he does not realize it’s worth.
Certainly God knows where it (wisdom) is hidden:
Job 28:23 "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
Job 28:28 And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"

Chapter 29 & 30
Job summarizes his defense.
Men used to have respect for me and listen to my words before all this tragedy came upon me.
Now they only mock and torment me.
God has done this:
Job 30:19 God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. Job 30:20 I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me.

Chapter 31
Job insists, “I’m innocent“. Oh that there were balances to weigh me out and confirm my innocence. If I had sinned I would and should bear just punishment if I exchanged the glory of God for idols, then I would deserve all this.
Job 31:24 "If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, 31:25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, 31:26 if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, 31:27 and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, 31:28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.

If I sinned I deserve all this and more, but I maintain my innocence before God and before you all.

Chapter 32
Friend #4, Elihu, after patiently waiting finally enters the conversation. He is the youngest of the group (v.4).
Elihu is very upset with Job because “Job justified himself rather than God.” (v. 2)
Elihu is also upset with Job’s friends:
Job 32:3 He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. Job 32:18 (Elihu) For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me. 32:19 Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent; like new wineskins ready to burst. 32:20 I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

Elihu says that he must speak or he will burst. This seems to me to be an explanation of a spiritual event which took place inside his heart. It seems that it is the Lord who has so filled his heart that he will burst if He does not let it out. It is very much like God, throughout the Bible, to use the least (or youngest) to accomplish what he wants (I think of Joseph, Jeremiah, David, and the small city of Bethlehem where Jesus had appointed to be born). Elihu is also later left out of the rebuke given to Job’s other three friends, which seems to add weight to Elihu’s words.

Chapter 33
Elihu first rebukes Job. He speaks kind but tough words to his friend.Salvation is illustrated:
Job 33:26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. 33:27 He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. 33:28 He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.'

Chapter 34 & 35
Elihu confronts job with the fact that God is just.
Job 34:10 "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.

Chapters 36 & 37
Elihu speaks of God’s greatness and majesty:
Job 36:15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity.Job 36:22 Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? 36:23 Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'You have done wrong'? 36:24 "Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. 36:25 All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar. 36:26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.

Considering that God begins to speak in the very next chapter, Elihu seems to be the preceding agent, preparing the way for God’s word (not that He needs it but Jesus didn't need it either - yet He assigned John the Baptist to this task of preparing the way).

Chapters 38-40
God speaks.
The Lord questions Job in order to show Job’s finiteness, weakness, temporaries, and foolishness also in order to highlight God’s infiniteness, glorious power, eternality, and unfathomed wisdom.
(paraphrase)
Do you not see my glory and majesty displayed in the created universe. If so how could you or why would you question me? Do I make mistakes? Do I not know what I am doing? Has one star fallen out of existence without my knowing or my allowing it to do so? How would you mere clay vessel question the potter who made you? You questioning shows your blindness and your foolishness. Brace yourself. All creation shudders at my voice, at my very breath yet would you dare to speak wrong of me? I even feed the lions and the ravens - not even they in all their God-given resourcefulness can sustain themselves apart from my provision.

Entirely humbled and in trembling Job says he will speak no more and covers his mouth (40:3-5).

The Lord continues to speak to Job:
Job 40:8 Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?

Chapter 41
The Lord references Leviathan, which seems to be a veiled reference to Satan.
Job 41:33 On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. Job 41:34 He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride."

This reference seems to indicate that God is using Satan in order to show that God's sovereignty over all things including him, and that God even allows him to be used as God wills and for specifically for His purposes. Satan runs not free but only at the length of leash given Him by God. Satan would that he could unleash his wickedness and wrath at will, but he is only allowed to do so at God's discretion. Even when he is allowed to run at a prescribed length, he is able to do so it only because it serves the purposes of God. The premier example of this is found in 1st Corinthians 2:8.
1Co 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (ESV)
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (KJV)

Chapter 42
Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD and said: 42:2 "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 42:3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 42:4 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.' 42:5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 42:6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

The Lord rebukes Job’s three friends (who are named v. 42:7-10). Elihu’s distinction of not being named in this rebuke is evidence of his righteousness in dealing with Job (his right words in this matter).

Verses 8-10 displays an Old Testament example of a New Testament principle: pray for your enemies (which includes even your friends that become enemies - who can sometimes be more difficult to pray for than your non-friend-enemies). The Lord accepted Job’s intercessory prayer for his befriending-enemies.

Job is blessed by God after this entire incident more than he had been at first.

Overview:
Job’s suffering was not in vain. An enormous burden was placed upon Job, that through his devastating situation God might be seen. Glimpses of God are very costly.

God’s truth is and always has always been eternally true. Therefore the truths of Romans 8:28 and Psalm 84:11 were true long before they were ever written in the Scriptures.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Because of these truths we can view the book of Job through the lens of such texts and see that God had purposes in allowing Job's suffering. No suffering of God’s people is ever in vain. In Job’s case, he and his three friends saw more clearly who God is through Job‘s trying ordeal.

A glimpse of the infinitely holy, breathtakingly glorious, majestic, and all wise God is worth whatever price solely because God is infinitely valuable. Job’s tragedy was God’s designed method of allowing more of Him to be seen. The ultimate example that the seeing of God is absolutely priceless is the God-Man, Jesus Christ. The infinitely valuable God, became Man, and lived and died to bear our much deserved punishment and to bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18). All this that God may be glorified (seen for who He is) and that He may give us an eternity of seeing Him and enjoying Him, something otherwise too infinitely expensive for us ever to purchase.


Thank you Lord for the costly visions of You in the lives of your suffering servants and in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The misery of Job and the mercy of God, a recommendation

This book by John Piper has had a very significant impact on my understanding of suffering. Piper very skillfully overviews the book of Job in 4 beautiful and sequential poems.

The incredible thing is that this book is available to read for free via the internet and (the best part) the audio is also available to listen to and/or download for free (audio approx. 45 min.)! I would highly recommend the audio version - very powerful. I have benefited from listening to it many times. I have also found this very helpful to give, as a resource, to people who are experiencing suffering in its various forms.