Questions

Job 13:15
Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. (English Standard Version)
God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him. (New Living Translation)


Today as I was talking with a friend they pointed out how often the first part of the above verse is quoted as a rallying cry for accepting the difficulty God allows in our life with a stiff upper lip. When people have quoted the first part of the verse (Though he slay me, I will hope in him) without the second they seem to be saying, “My confidence in God is rock solid and no matter what He has or lets unfold in my life I will firmly keep hoping in him.” In such a way that verse is often used as a way to condemn questions, laments or struggling with God. The same friend who mentioned the verse expressed great anguish that the second part of the verse is left off by most people who quote it (Yet, I will argue my ways to his face). When you read the whole verse in the NLT is seems Job is saying, "Because I am going to argue my case with God I am afraid he might kill me but I have no were else to go so I am bringing my case to him." The rest of Job would affirm this reading.* It is amazing to think that by simply not quoting the whole verse people have used it to mean the exact opposite of what it means in context.

When you read Job narratively you will notice that the tension between Job and his friends exists because Job is telling them, "I have no where else to go so I am bringing my case to God and I will have no rest until he answers me." Job's focus is vertical (this is about God and me) while his friends focus is horizontal (this is about you and what you have done wrong). When God finally answers Job I don't take this as God shaming Job for his questions. What I hear God saying to Job is, "Job I affirm your integrity for making this about me because I am sovereign and you were going to the right place. And you where also right to say you would have no rest until I touched you so here I am. I have come with strength to touch you so stand up and prepare yourself for the ANSWER to your question. God then proceeds to give more of himself to Job. Phillip Yancey says, "We go to God looking for answers when he wants to give us more of himself." Job's 'answer' was more of God which to Job was a stronger more transcendent taste of the sovereignty and awesomeness of God. When someone goes through what Job did (unexplainable suffering) their world is more than rocked. The ground beneath them feels like shifting sand. When we answer their questions with platitudes we pour more sand under their feet. However, when we help them ask better and maybe even harder questions and wait with them for God to show up (however long that make take or however slowly that may unfold) then we are helping to facilitate a foundation under their feet that nobody can take away. God answered Job's integrity filled questions with an answer that was hard to forget. No shifting sand there. Although whatever I have suffered in this life is infinitely smaller than an ounce of what Job suffered, I understand the theme. Good questions, hard questions, passionate questions and a little bit of patience can often be a good part of helping us 'pipe down'. I have to imagine Job lived a little bit quieter the rest of his life.

Before I leave the story of Job I do have to say my favorite part of the narrative is when the Lord says to Job's friend Eliphaz, "I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” (vv 42:7-8) Those guys thought they were defending God and in the upside down world of the Gospel the Lord turns their words on them. I think Job was probably so quieted inside that he didn't find so much satisfaction in their humility but I have to think he was struck by the irony of it.


*(As a side note the New Living Translation is a context sensitive translation which means they interpreters are trying to convey the meaning of the words, whereas the English Standard Version is a word sensitive translation which means they are trying to accurately translate each word which at times means you might loose some of the meaning. Good Bible study involves using both types of translations)