Proper 23
Notes
Transcript
When God Hides
When God Hides
Have you ever felt like God was hiding from you? Like you were desperately searching for answers, but all you found was silence? That's where we find Job this week...
Speaking of God - Job says:
9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.
Last week we began a journey through the book of Job - with Job chapters 1 and 2 - this week we are in chapter 23 -
In chapter 1 and 2 we are introduced to Job’s suffering - He loses all his wealth. All his children. And then he is afflicted with sores that itch.
Time of Writing
The story of Job seems to be an ancient story - one of those stories that was passed down by the Hebrew people. But it was written down in fairly modern times - Shortly before 600BC.
When the people of Israel lived in Exile.
When our world falls apart sometimes God seems nearest - but sometimes our questions - our anxiety - make us feel as far from God as possible.
For the people of Israel - who had lived in the promised land for many years - the idea of God being present in a foreign land seemed impossible.
They felt separated from God.
They had lots of questions…
How could a good God allow such suffering.
They dug deeply into their heritage of stories and told the story of Job.
Job helps us to live with the reality - that people suffer.
People Suffer
People Suffer
We began with Job 1:1 and Job 2:1-10.
People Suffer
Job is Righteous
Thought Experiment?
Theology of the Cross
God's Sovereignty and Mystery
Suffering is a Reality: The book of Job doesn't try to explain suffering, but rather invites us to wrestle with it alongside Job.
Job's Righteousness: One thing we learn about Job is that he is righteous and yet he still suffers. Job’s suffering is not a punishment for his sin.
Thought Experiment
In the NIV application commentary John Walton writes:
“this book would fit easily into the classification “thought experiment.” - John Walton (Job)
He goes on to say:
“The scene in heaven is not trying to explain why Job or any of us suffer. Job is never told about that scene, nor would he have derived any comfort from it.
As I have taught Job to students over the years, the question frequently arises, “What sort of God is this who uses his faithful ones as pawns in bets with the devil?” - John Walton (Job)
Theology of the Cross:
Martin Luther contended that the true and consummate place of God’s self-revelation is in the humility, weakness and suffering love of God displayed on the cross of Christ.
God's Sovereignty and Mystery
Finally - in trying to understand suffering we are very limited by the reality of God’s majesty compared to our small minds. Job is not led into answers - but rather - into mystery. And the journey is not an easy one - it is incredibly hard.
Like I said last week - when our lives go pear shaped people try to say things to help us. And most of the things we say are the wrong thing to say - but when we are all saying the wrong thing - simply hear: I love you.
13 They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.
But then they speak:
Eliphaz the Temanite
Bildad the Shuhite
Zophar the Naamathite
Eliphaz: Believes Job's suffering is punishment for sin and urges him to repent.
Bildad: Suggests that Job’s children must have sinned wickedly and deserved their fate.
Zophar: Accuses Job of arrogance and tells him to accept his suffering without complaint.
Job’s fourth friend - Elihu - only enters the picture later - but at this point Job responds to Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar.
It takes a while to get to Job 23 - as you can see. But at this point Job responds.
My Complaint is Bitter
My Complaint is Bitter
I’m quite surprised at Job’s resilience in all his suffering and struggling. Sometimes when the world has fallen apart around you - it is hard to find your voice.
Your voice to tell your friends how you feel.
Or even to tell God how you feel.
And Job’s friends - well meaning though they may be - have really only added guilt to the burden of Job’s suffering.
Perhaps the book of Job is a helpful antidote to those who suffer and then blame themselves for their suffering.
And to the kind of religion that sometimes tells you that suffering is punishment from God and wealth and health is reward.
Even though Job was righteous - he suffered.
So Job teaches us -
Its OK to talk back.
Talk back to your friends who give you bad advice.
Talk back when someone offers you theology that doesn’t make sense.
And even - surprisingly - talk back to God - Job replies to his friends...
2 “Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling!
1 - He is not going to do what his friends keep telling him to do. Repent - just in case he has sinned.
2 - He is going to seek God - to present his case to God.
And when he finds God he is going to share his mind:
4 I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say.
I like Job - he is not going to just take what Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar have to say - he is going to go straight to the source. To God himself.
He is going to state his case to God - speaking up for himself.
But he is also going to listen… find out what he would answer me - consider what he would say.
Job Finds his own voice with which to speak. To argue with his friends - and with God.
Maybe a lesson we can learn from this Job character - find your voice. Talk back, speak up - ask the questions that need asking.
Find your Voice
Keep your Faith
But also - keep your faith. And I don’t mean that in terms of believing when it is hard to believe. I mean that in terms of being mindful of what we have learnt through our faith.
What is God like? What does God say?
God is like Jesus. God is just. God is merciful.
So Job expresses faith that can only be a gift of the Holy Spirit:
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to me. 7 There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.
Bildad - had argued that all Job should do is repent - so that God could restore him. Instead - trusting in God’s justice - Job says no I’m not going to go apologise for something I haven’t done.
I’m going to put my case to God who is just - and God will hear me.
But for Job the trouble is - he can’t find God at the moment. It seems that God is hiding.
So maybe I should add to:
Find your Voice
Keep your Faith
Keep Seekhing
This is the worst part - sometimes God feels so far away. And by God’s grace it is through the hardest of times that I have been most aware of God’s presence.
But sometimes when things are over the edge - when the suffering has been too long. when you find yourself at the end of your rope.
You feel no connection to God.
Keep seeking.
8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
I like the description that Job gives. In it - he keeps his faith…
when he is at work in the north I do not see him, when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
Indicate that he still believes that God is at work - he just feels that God is avoiding him. He feels abandoned - but not completely hopeless.
Job —
Finds his Voice
Keeps the Faith
Keeps Seeking
Job & Jesus
Job & Jesus
So - what we know about Job (or think about Job)
1 - It was written in the form we have today in about 600 BC - the time of suffering and exile.
2 - It seems to be an ancient story - especially helpful to the Israelites in their time of Exile.
3 - It seems to be a thought experiment… the characters offer all sorts of explanations for Job’s suffering - but Job remains resilient - not accepting easy answers - but holding on to his trust in God - what god is like.
One of the amazing things that Job says - seems to be a bit of accidental prophecy - just like Abraham trusted in God’s goodness - so does Job.
7 There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.
Our reading from Hebrews today reminds us:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
In his suffering Job anticipates the justice of God revealed to us in Jesus.
He reminds us - not to take the difficult times ‘Lying down’
But to find our voice, keep the faith - and keep seeking.
Finally - Job 23:16-17
16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. 17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.