A religious conversation starring Job
Let's talk about Job. He got a pretty bad wrap from his friends but then God did something amazing. Watch this..
Job talked plainly to God. God listened then answered Job, then told Job to pray for his friends? Is God crazy? Job needed help his friends, they thought all of Job's troubles were because he made God angry. He wasn’t well when he prayed for his friends! That’s madness. (The Message Bible)
Before God healed Job he and God had a deep conversation. In chapter 6 Job said, "The arrows of God Almighty are in me, poison arrows- I'm poisoned throughout! Is it any wonder that I'm screaming like a caged cat?" He continued his rant and ends it by saying in chapter 6, "All I want is an answer to one prayer, a last request to be honored. Let God step on me - squash me like a bug and be done with me, at least I'd have the satisfaction of not having blasphemed the Holy God before being pressed past my limits!" Wow, I think Job was mad. Later in Job 7 he gets a little more bold while talking to God, "Even supposed I'd sinned - how would that hurt you?...Don't you have better things to do?" Yep, mad... He continued to say in chapter 10, "Here's what I want to say, "God, Don't bring in a verdict of guilty without letting me know the charges you're bringing!' Basically he's looking up in to heaven and saying "What did I ever do to you!" Job even gets in an argument with his "friends". They keep telling him that what has happened has to be his fault. So Job got down right angry with them and said in chapter 12. "I'm sure you speak for all the experts, and when you die there'll be no one left to tell us how to live. But don't forget that I also have a brain!" ... Wow!
In chapter 13 he really let his friends have it. "I"m taking my case straight to God Almighty; I've had it with you - I'm going directly to God. You graffiti my life with lies. You're a bunch of pompous quacks!' Really, people you should read the Bible. These people are very "real". After another one of his friends rants Job says, "God, give it to me in writing, with your signature, You're the only one who can do it! These people are so useless! You know firsthand how stupid they can be. You wouldn't let them have the last word, would you?" All the way in chapter 23 he says, "I'm not letting up - I'm standing my ground. My complaint is legitimate. God has no right to treat me like this! It isn't fair!"
I'll paraphrase the rest. He basically tells God that if they were face to face Job would tell God exactly how he felt about all of it. In Job 29 he says, "Oh, how I wish for the good old days, when God took such very good care of me..." In chapter 38 it's God's turn. "Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what your talking about? Pull yourself together Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers. 'Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, since you know so much! Who decided on its size? Certainly you know that!' Wow, God has an attitude! After God tells Job where to go and how to get there he says, "Now, what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?"
Now Job regained his composure in chapter 40 and he said, "I'm speechless.. I should never have opened my mouth. I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen" God continues questioning Job in regards to his own wisdom in chapter 40. It's quite an argument. Finally Job replies, "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans." You think?
In chapter 42, after Job basically says, "oops, my bad" God looks at his friends and says in chapter 42, "I've had it with you and your two friends,, I'm fed up! You haven't been honest either with me or about me - not the way my friend Job has (What?")" Did you read that? After God is done fussing Job out, he commended him for his honesty! WOW!!! Then he tells his friends what to do. "Take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my friend Job. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf, My friend Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayers". This is a crucial point in the story. Job is still suffering. Nothing has changed on his behalf. But Job prayed for his "no good" friends and God restored Job's fortune and then doubled it." Then each of his "friends" apologized for their stupidity. Yep, the Bible is full of drama.
The one thing I want to point out here is that God called Job his friend. He might have set him straight about who was in charge, but he didn't belittle Job or berate him, he just informed him. Then he called him his friend!" Wow! Then Job lived another 140 years! Talk about healing.
What's the moral of this story? God can handle your honesty. He can handle it when you're feeling depressed, he can handle your anger, he can handle your questions What he can not handle is "religious conversation." Uh oh!
Job talked plainly to God. God listened then answered Job, then told Job to pray for his friends? Is God crazy? Job needed help his friends, they thought all of Job's troubles were because he made God angry. He wasn’t well when he prayed for his friends! That’s madness. (The Message Bible)
Before God healed Job he and God had a deep conversation. In chapter 6 Job said, "The arrows of God Almighty are in me, poison arrows- I'm poisoned throughout! Is it any wonder that I'm screaming like a caged cat?" He continued his rant and ends it by saying in chapter 6, "All I want is an answer to one prayer, a last request to be honored. Let God step on me - squash me like a bug and be done with me, at least I'd have the satisfaction of not having blasphemed the Holy God before being pressed past my limits!" Wow, I think Job was mad. Later in Job 7 he gets a little more bold while talking to God, "Even supposed I'd sinned - how would that hurt you?...Don't you have better things to do?" Yep, mad... He continued to say in chapter 10, "Here's what I want to say, "God, Don't bring in a verdict of guilty without letting me know the charges you're bringing!' Basically he's looking up in to heaven and saying "What did I ever do to you!" Job even gets in an argument with his "friends". They keep telling him that what has happened has to be his fault. So Job got down right angry with them and said in chapter 12. "I'm sure you speak for all the experts, and when you die there'll be no one left to tell us how to live. But don't forget that I also have a brain!" ... Wow!
In chapter 13 he really let his friends have it. "I"m taking my case straight to God Almighty; I've had it with you - I'm going directly to God. You graffiti my life with lies. You're a bunch of pompous quacks!' Really, people you should read the Bible. These people are very "real". After another one of his friends rants Job says, "God, give it to me in writing, with your signature, You're the only one who can do it! These people are so useless! You know firsthand how stupid they can be. You wouldn't let them have the last word, would you?" All the way in chapter 23 he says, "I'm not letting up - I'm standing my ground. My complaint is legitimate. God has no right to treat me like this! It isn't fair!"
I'll paraphrase the rest. He basically tells God that if they were face to face Job would tell God exactly how he felt about all of it. In Job 29 he says, "Oh, how I wish for the good old days, when God took such very good care of me..." In chapter 38 it's God's turn. "Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what your talking about? Pull yourself together Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers. 'Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, since you know so much! Who decided on its size? Certainly you know that!' Wow, God has an attitude! After God tells Job where to go and how to get there he says, "Now, what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?"
Now Job regained his composure in chapter 40 and he said, "I'm speechless.. I should never have opened my mouth. I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen" God continues questioning Job in regards to his own wisdom in chapter 40. It's quite an argument. Finally Job replies, "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans." You think?
In chapter 42, after Job basically says, "oops, my bad" God looks at his friends and says in chapter 42, "I've had it with you and your two friends,, I'm fed up! You haven't been honest either with me or about me - not the way my friend Job has (What?")" Did you read that? After God is done fussing Job out, he commended him for his honesty! WOW!!! Then he tells his friends what to do. "Take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my friend Job. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf, My friend Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayers". This is a crucial point in the story. Job is still suffering. Nothing has changed on his behalf. But Job prayed for his "no good" friends and God restored Job's fortune and then doubled it." Then each of his "friends" apologized for their stupidity. Yep, the Bible is full of drama.
The one thing I want to point out here is that God called Job his friend. He might have set him straight about who was in charge, but he didn't belittle Job or berate him, he just informed him. Then he called him his friend!" Wow! Then Job lived another 140 years! Talk about healing.
What's the moral of this story? God can handle your honesty. He can handle it when you're feeling depressed, he can handle your anger, he can handle your questions What he can not handle is "religious conversation." Uh oh!
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