Pressed to Bless

“Pressed to Bless” Job 1: 6-12 “The good Lord giveth, and the good Lord taketh away.” Oh, how I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard my father say that while growing up. It seemed when troubles hit, this was his response every time. It’s funny, really. How most people, well versed in the Bible or none at all, are quite familiar with the story of Job. Now, they may not know the details but they know it exists. When asked, many reply with, “Oh, yeah! The guy that had a lot, then lost it. Then gained twice as much!” So, just who was Job? The Bible tells us Job was an upright, God-fearing, blameless man that shunned evil; and everyone knew it — his family, friends, community, and his God. Scripture tells us Job so feared God that each day (each day!) he brought a sacrifice to the Lord in case (in case!) any of his children sinned. Wow! Was Job really that blessed? He sure was! Seven sons and three daughters, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, and many servants. He was known as one of the greatest men in the entire East. Today’s reading portrays a scene similar to a courtroom setting taking place in Heaven. God’s angels come one day to present themselves before the throne. Satan strolls in with them. One asks why? Why is Satan permitted to be in company with the angels before God? Because God permits it ... that’s why. God comments on how upright and blameless Job is. Satan blurts out that the only reason Job is blameless is because God has blessed him so well. He goes on to say that if God will allow his possessions to be taken that surely Job will curse God (to His face). God permits this to happen, telling Satan he is not permitted to lay a finger on Job. Satan wastes no time. So, the breaking of Job begins. Satan destroys Job’s grazing oxen and donkeys. Servants are slain. A messenger brings the news to Job. Before Job even has time to react, Satan sends a second messenger stating that fire fell from the sky and burned the sheep and more servants. Still reeling, Job gets more bad news. His camels have been carried off and more servants slain. Job, at this point, had no idea the worse news was yet to come. Another messenger comes bearing the news that Job’s children have all died. Satan strikes fast and hard. Blow by blow, with no time to grasp what is happening. At this, Job goes into mourning, shaving his head, tearing at his robes, and falls to the ground. And worships. He declares … here it comes…”The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be PRAISED.” What? Could we do this? Job did. Chapter one concludes with Job not sinning by charging God with wrongdoing (NIV). Satan must have been seething at this. The Bible states that, once again, the angels go to present themselves before God. Satan falls into line again with them. He isn’t finished (is he ever?). God comments to Satan on how upright Job is; and that despite all done to him, Job never cursed God. Satan responds with “skin for skin!” telling God that man will give all to keep his life; but strike his flesh and bones and surely Job will curse God. Face to face even. Once again, God agrees but tells Satan he must spare Job’s life. Satan leaves God and afflicts Job with painful sores from his head to toes. Further along in the reading the Bible states that as Job’s physical body deteriorated, his skin became black and peeling and his breath was offensive. Job was decaying. Job scraped at his body with pieces of broken pottery. His wife starts to nag at him to curse God and die. Just get it all over with (Job has enough on his plate and now the nagging, unsupportive wife). He tells his wife she is foolish and asks her if they really should only accept the good from God and not the bad. Again, the Bible states, in all of this Job did not sin. Good friends. Who wouldn’t need support during all of this? Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, journey to see Job and to offer support and comfort. Imagine their surprise when Job was unrecognizable to them at a distance. Job was suffering physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually as he questioned why his God was allowing this to happen. So much so, they didn’t know how to respond to their friend’s suffering, so they all sat in silence for seven days. When Job finally speaks, he does not curse God but curses the day he was born. He cries out in agony and questions why the wicked do not suffer. For many chapters, Job and his friends take turns speaking, each friend trying to reason and comfort Job. They try their best, but it isn’t working with Job. He wants more. He wants the “why” to all of this. Not their empty words. He wants answers. During the discussions, things get misunderstood. Feelings get hurt. Some of the conversations seem a little heated. Job tells them they are “worthless physicians” and “mockers” and that they should all just be silent. This goes on for many chapters. Things take a turn when Job becomes indignant and a bit self-righteous in his predicament. Job begins to declare how blameless he has been all along. In his desperation for answers, Job recounts to his friends how others perceived him. How great he was. He was always complimented and commended wherever he went. He helped the hungry, widowed and lowly. He made sure his eyes did not wander with lust at women. People would rise when he walked in a room. He refers to himself as having been the eyes for the blind and the feet for the lame. The list goes on. In all of this, Job continues to praise and fear God in his suffering. But Job crosses a line. In his quest for answers to his suffering while a blameless man, he starts making demands. When he couldn’t get answers from his friends, he goes to God. He is done asking. He starts demanding answers. He wants his day in court, so to speak, to plead his innocence. He wants a face-to-face with his Creator. He states that he is sure he will come out of this as “gold” and vindicated. In verse 35 he declares to the Almighty to “answer him.” Be careful what you wish for, Job. Plot twist. Enter Elihu from the family of Ram. The Bible states that he had been listening all along but chose not to speak as he was younger, stating his elders should speak first. When it’s his turn to talk, Elihu had much to say. He tells them all to sit and listen, stating he speaks from the “spirit.” He tells them they have it all wrong. God does not owe anyone anything. God will use warnings and do what He needs to do to keep man from wrongdoing. Oh, and to rescue him from his pride. Ahhhhh, pride. Always gets in the way. There it is. Upright, blameless, God-fearing Job was full of himself. When he was pressed, his heart revealed he was puffed up in pride. Elihu goes on to tell them that in no way should we expect to be rewarded on our terms. In chapter 38 he goes on in reprimanding Job. Chapter 38. This begins my favorite part of Job. Someone else was listening. Who? God, of course. Five straight chapters of God laying it out there to Job. A sobering reminder to Job in just how awesome, amazing and almighty the Almighty truly is! I cannot do this justice by trying to summarize the conversation between God and Job. One must read it. Again and again. I have to say I had no idea the middle of Job was God speaking. I, like many, was only familiar with … Job had. Job lost. Job had. I found this to bring me closer to the reprimanding, yet intimate, love God has for us. A closeness. I have no idea the tone God used when addressing Job. But here is what I did. I took some of my favorite verses and used different tones that my own father would use. For example, the “you better get in this house right now, young lady,” tone. The middle-name-used tone. The “do you really think I was born yesterday tone?” tone. The “you best better not be lying to me” tone. But then also the loving, comforting tone. The worried tone, “I’m so glad you made it home ok” tone. You get it, I’m sure. Ok- a couple of my favorites. I encourage you to read through (God even asks Job if he has any idea why He made the ostrich with very little wisdom but an awesome laugh ... I kid you notread it!). At the end of the day God is our Father. He has our best interest at heart and will do and allow whatever it takes to keep us close. A father like no other. God tells Job in 28:3 to “brace yourself like a man, I will question you and you will answer Me.” And so it begins… “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” “Can you loose the cords of Orion?” “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way and do they report to you?” And I love this one, chapter 39, “Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?” Do you know the time they give birth?” This goes on with God questioning Job. He also asks Job if Job is really willing to condemn God to justify himself. Chapter 40 the Lord continues with telling all accusers to answer to Him. He reminds Job that no one stands against God. There is no claim that God must repay to anyone and that everything under Heaven belongs to Him. Job listens and replies to God saying, “My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You.” Job states he spoke of things he did not understand. Of things too wonderful for his mere mortal self to know and comprehend. He ends with saying he despised and resented his own self and repented in dust and ashes (42:3-6). In the end, God goes to Eliphaz, one of the three friends, and expresses his displeasure in how they responded to Job. He instructs them to offer up a sacrifice of seven bulls and seven rams. God tells them to take the sacrifice to Job. Job offers up prayer on their behalf and the Lord accepts. The Lord took — but He gave back to Job twice as much as he once had in livestock and servants. And children. Seven sons and three daughters. His daughters were the most beautiful in the land. God blessed Job with 140 more years and saw him through four generations of children. Hard pressed to bless. Of course, this doesn’t mean we will be double blessed each time a storm overtakes us. We must be careful we are not demanding answers from God. Obviously, we cry out and our Father hears. God owes us nothing. We owe Him everything. Like any parent, He will do what He needs to to keep us walking with Him. Even if that means administering medicine and treatments we don’t like. Medicine doesn’t taste good. Ever. Tough love isn’t easy. Remember Satan is constantly presenting our faults. We have, however, the best defense attorney around. Jesus. Our intercessor. Mediator. The One who truly knows what it’s like to be pressed by the world. Who gave anyway. We each are a unique vessel in this sea of life. Sometimes we bob along and the ocean is calm. We are quick to praise while watching the sunrise and sunset. Sometimes we see the storm brewing and other times the rogue wave swallows us. Like Job. Sudden and with no warning. When this happens, remember the One who walked on water. The One who calmed the wind with a word. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and not the raging water, we won’t sink. We may get tousled around a bit, but we will not be alone. Blessed is the man whom God corrects. So, do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures, but His hands also heal (Job 5 17-18). Blessings, Janet