Job

Figuring out the Unknown Unknowns

Dan

It has been my observation while reading The Book of Job, Chapter 28 is a subtle but remarkable chapter about God’s wisdom. When I first reviewed the chapter, I was able to barely discern the message. It took several passes and a look at other writers who had already passed through the chapter to form an opinion. Before I start on chapter 28, we need to amass a few basic ideas on operations from God’s viewpoint.  John Piper said, — “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” The 9,997 are unknown unknowns. God works many unknown operations all around us.

Please indulge me to provide additional insight from my military heritage. Donald Rumsfeld was well known for teaching leaders the three basic categories of battlefield awareness: (A) Stuff we know for sure in detail (known knowns), (B) Stuff we need to learn about (Known unknowns), and (C) Stuff we do not know about and are not trying to discover. (unknown unknowns). With these two tidbits of intel from Piper and Rumsfeld, let us take a brief look at Job 28.

In the chapters that precede Job 28, Job and his friends are engaged in a debate, his friends don’t think anything is unknown. To them Job’s situation is all known knowns. They think they have it all figured out. They think it is a simple case of a personal sin causing his suffering. But from Job’s vantage point, he does not embrace the barrage from his friends, and he knows some righteous people suffer, and some unrighteous people do not seem to suffer. For Job, his situation is a known unknown. More importantly, we know from reading chapter 1 and 2 the actual problem is an unknown unknown; Job and his friends about the conversation were unaware of the conversation between God and Lucifer. But we know. That conversation is documented to help us gain insight into the operations of God, from God’s viewpoint.

Job 1:8 and 2:3 The Lord said to Lucifer, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” The truth was the opposite of what they were saying: Job was suffering because he was so righteous. He’s like the tree that rose above all the others and ended up being struck by lightning as a result. By the time we finish reading chapter 27, Job was weary of the friendly platitudes presented as wisdom. He wanted real wisdom. Look at Job 28:12 “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?  Job 28:20 “From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is this place of understanding?

I believe that God desires us to have knowledge (known knowns) of Elohim and what is expected of us. To be obedient, we first should know the author of the directives and know the directives. Without knowledge, what hope do we have to become willing servants? But there is trouble when we equate knowledge with wisdom. Knowing facts and platitudes is not the same as having wisdom. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.” God blesses us with wisdom so we can glorify Him and deploy the knowledge we have of Him.

We gather Knowledge over time from Scriptures. Wisdom is knowing how to properly use knowledge to serve God. Proverbs 1:7 speaks of both knowledge and wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge … fools despise wisdom and instruction.” To fear (to respect) the Lord is to say — “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Knowledge identifies a snare in our path, wisdom determines how to disarm and avoid the snare.  In my next post we explore how to look for true wisdom.

I choose Jesus.

Condemnation does not seem like Enough (Part 1)

Dan

It was my observation that Ezekiel chapter 13 is addressing the vain vision and divinations that were floating around the Hebrew culture. They were hunting for some scrap of truth they could rest their life decisions upon. This chapter is focused on the impact of aimless wandering. In this case the message from God expressed through his prophets is very clear when speaking about false prophets.

Every day we hear people comment on what will happen in the future if some event or policy is implemented. The soothsayers (talking heads) abound in their message of woe or hope depending upon their situation. When the talking heads are passionate and judgmental against others, they sometimes move into the realm of prophecy. They set themselves up as judge and jury.

This is God’s job not ours. God tells us — Get it right or close your mouth (Deuteronomy 18:22). Do not flatter others, do not present illusions as truth, stay away from deceptive messaging. Get it right! Why, because true wisdom and strength are sourced in God; we learn how to live from him, we learn what to live for by listening to the message (implied in Job 12:16).

Esekiel 13:2-5 says — Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolishprophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord. [NIV].

Some of the receptors for this message were local to Jerusalem and the immediate area surrounding Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 23:14). Others were among the captives in Babylon. Ezekiel and Jeremiah addressed the problem of false prophets (see Jeremiah 29:8) when Jeremiah said — Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed [NIV].

This specific dual message is reasonable evidence they were guided by the same Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the false prophets worked hard to create a unique message that set them apart from the heard and drew listeners to their events. As you might guess there was little hope the false prophets would repent, but God made the provision, offering grace to all. At the same time the message went out to the remnant to caution them from embracing the false messages.

The deeper truth – I cannot recall a time in Hebrew history that God’s people rejected false prophets and God did not shower them with grace. Furthermore, the examples of false prophets operating rarely occurred until the true prophets of the one true living God were ignored and maligned. Arrogance led to the magnification of counterfeit messages and troublesome guidance. The false prophets were exposed to the word of God, some repented, most did not. They were trying to make a living.

They made a folly of their own message (see 2 Timothy 3:9). They are blocked by the Holy Spirit from rendering too much damage for the people of God (the remnant). nature of the false message. Thus, the listeners who ascribed to the false prophet rendered These false voices were called foolish prophecies, their followers did not ascertain the serious damage to their own soul. How do the listeners recover? They should repent! I choose Jesus.

Avoiding the Traps

Dan

It was my observation while reading Ecclesiastes 12, in the first few verses we have an interesting call to action from Solomon for the young men of his generation (and for us). He tells young men to get focused now, find your cadence, your walk with God, get to know Elohim, and become comfortable with his yoke before trouble starts. Learn to trust him now, so when the days fill up with trouble, we do not lose sight of hope or stray from his path. He paints a sense of urgency, that we should not wait until we are getting older to find the path; we need to get started now.

Solomon comments in Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 – Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, I find no pleasure in them [the activities of the day] — [So, do this] before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark [before your vision fades], and the clouds return after the rain [find your cadence] (paraphrased, NIV).

He encourages us to consider our actions, choose things of merit, avoid foolish activities that do not feed the soul and others around us. He encourages us to focus on Elohim, delivering the honor and respect due to the King of all Kings. Troubles come and go, but God stays the same. When he speaks of dark days and clouds coming after the rain, we are reminded that our health is tenuous. We need to get things done while we can move forward. Solomon knows that trouble is coming; our processing ability will wane, even though Elohim is long-suffering, providing ample space and time for restoration of our walk; we do not have unlimited time.

Job 35:9-12 says — People cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. But no one says, where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’ He does not answer when people cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked [NIV].

Oppression is difficult for the old and blind, our useful days are behind us, our strength is diminished. Friends are few, we gradually decline. If we were fortunate to meet wise people who helped us to prepare for the autumn of our life, then we can reflect and teach how to embrace the good life and how to find a forever life on the golden streets of the City of God. Life continues, death eventually arrives, and the cycle of life continues with the next generation. We are wise to draw close to God now when it is easy, rather than waiting until we get a little fuzzy in our thinking. Job tells us that we are wise to not lose sight of God, we do not want to fall into the troubles of the wicked and stop hearing God’s advice.

Psalms 71:17-18 says — Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come [NIV].

I know some of us do not have a clear idea of God’s plan. Now, today, this moment is the time to start searching the scripture, looking for clues about the nature of this God we serve and to find the plan he has put into place for us. Easy? Not so easy. Doable? Yes. Patience and a focused heart will bring the will of God for you to light. I am and old guy, I can see seasons in my life where I was productive for my family but not very productive for God. I still can serve God, and do engage, but the psalmist says much of my role at this stage is to declare the power available to the next generation, to help paint the path for others, to help others avoid the traps I stepped into.

I choose Jesus.

The Wise Man Knows

Dan

It was my observation while reading Ecclesiastes, Solomon delivers an amazing compendium of wisdom in chapter 8, the nature of true humility is defined, a humility enabled by all manner of awareness and discernment. Solomon intimates that the wise man exhibits meekness, walks with God, and this man attributes all success in their life to the grace of God. This wise man knows himself and carries himself in an upright manner, is content with the things of God, is content in his place; is gentle in spirit, and able to communicate this wisdom to others in need.

Solomon wrote In Ecclesiastes 8:1-5 — Who is like the wise? Who knows the explanation of things? A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes their hard appearance. Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?” Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure [NIV].

Solomon suggests in this passage that wisdom will give a person an edge when dealing with the people that surround him. It will help him understand things, respond properly to things, and know when to stand firm and when to let things go. This type of wisdom sets us apart from others. Not in a haughty or elevated manner, rather in a quite assurance, grace driven, confident but not arrogant, competent but not prideful, comfortable with himself and others in his circle. This person becomes rich, not in wealth but in contentment, content with the place his has been given by God. Content that he walks with God, content he serves God, and lives at peace with his surroundings.

This type of personality will cause people to find us, Why? We are helpful on the job or at home with our family. This type of personality is somebody you can rely upon. This type of person understands the larger set of events that drive our life, understands the times and events, can identify the critical junctures and discern how to move through the mine field of life events (see 1 Chronicles 12:32).

This wisdom can make his face shine with the shekinah glory that comes from God, similar to what happened to Moses when he walked from the mount. This kind of wisdom brings a quiet confidence that draws people to his words and guidance (see Job 29:7) and the strength of his resolve when confronted with the troubles of the day, bring peace to the situation. This man is never very far from God’s word. He walks with God. There is something obliging and calming with God’s presence.

Even for people who have a natural temperament of roughness, they are altered by the grace of God, they become easier to be around, mild and gentle – God intervenes into their firmness and build a new work in them. Their roughness is transformed by God into courage, their strength is transformed by God into helpmates for the downtrodden.  They see beyond themselves to the larger need.  Where wisdom goes, grace follows. The enemy has no tools, no power, no influence. God prevails.

In this wisdom a wise man learns to respect the things of God. When dealing with human affairs we are to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to hand all things that belong to God, to God. We know to always hold back and not quarrel with God in any fashion or manner. We may not always know why God has moved the way he did, we may not understand why evil appears to be prevailing at the moment, we may not always understand why we feel alone. But the wise man knows – above all else, to respect the decisions of God, in all things, in all places, no matter what the outcome.

I choose Jesus.

The Song of our Heart.

Dan

It was my observation that God’s love for us exhibits a beautiful eccentricity — he chose to bring us into his circle of friends, choosing to emotionally connect us with him. To be sure, He is self-sufficient. Yet he clearly states he desires our love and will not cease the pursuit until we acquiesce. This quest for us, on his part, is forever. This is God’s love, not that we loved God first, but that he loved us first, and permitted his Son to mediate our rebellion (see John 3:16).

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 — Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away (NIV).

Paul assures us love will remain; God is our friend; he wants to be friends with us. Please note – no man alive would be foolish enough to think we came up with the idea to become friends with God. On our best day we defy, retreat, run, and hide from him. Yet he hunts us down. Abraham never said, ‘I am a friend to God’ but we read in James 2:23 that God said to Abraham – You are my friend. A smart person smiles and says, ‘yes sir.’  Abraham was a smart person. The disciples were not quick (out of respect) to claim friendship with Jesus, yet Jesus said – You are my friends (John 15:15). A wise person, who understands humility also understands the gravity of this situation. We are wise to honor what he says, and act with courage when the need arises – given we are his friend. We have no reason, because of this redemptive love, to hide in the brush.

Love is self-sacrifice. It considers nothing related to self but gives freely to the object of its affection. We see this constantly. A young mother, thin and tired, nurses a healthy baby, she gazes at her child with eyes of love. Jesus said – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” God takes pleasure in His creation (Psalms 104:31). God’s purpose in creation of people was His own pleasure (Psalms 149:4). His pleasure is unmistakable when we read about his handiwork. Psalms 104 is an amazing poem about his creation, full of the delight of God for us and the things he made.

Love builds community. Elohim smiles broadly with us when we are walking with him. He is not a gloomy cranky old guy gazing down at us with a passing interest. I have found nothing in scripture that defines him this way. He is very affectionate. He is protective of us; Jesus endured the atonement process to open the door for fellowship. When we yield to the Spirit of God, he grins and reaches out to embrace us. Zephaniah 3:15-17 says — The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing (NIV).

Finally, we look at music. As you might guess – love embodies music. Speaking to Job in the 38th chapter, God asks – where were you when I laid down the foundations of the earth you are standing on, did you not hear the morning stars singing together, did you not hear the sons of God shouting for joy? (Job 38:7-9). Music is an expression of the heart, we use our hands and voice to express emotion, we communicate emotion with and without words. Music is as much about silence (gaps between notes) as it is about hearing notes. Just as God blurted out the universe bathed in love when the stars were singing – we blurt out our secrets when we create music. The things we love become the song of our heart.  We are wise to respond to the hand of God extended towards us – he is offering his friendship to each of us.

I choose Jesus.

How Long Did Job Suffer?

Dan

It has been my observation that when the Bible speaks on a topic, the Bible speaks absolute truth. Furthermore, I find no path available (within the confines of absolute truth) to yield on this point and remain faithful to scripture (God’s message). But sometimes, we observe that scripture leaves gaps in the information presented.

What do we do? What should we do? The focus of this essay is one of those gaps. Let us explore the duration (timeline) for the troubles of Job. Scripture does not comment on the complete timeline, but I have attempted to form a reasonable estimate of the timeline drawing from available scripture and a close reading of a map. I chose this subject because it does not present the same struggles that other gaps in scripture do.

Let us start at the beginning. Job was a real person who experienced the real events described in the book of Job. I start with that truth. I believe his friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) were earnest but misguided – they were scolded by God at the end of the account (see Job 42:7-9). I believe that Elihu was on point – he was not scolded by God at the end of the account. But it remains, how much time did the story traverse?

The following dialogue is ‘one man’s opinion’ — a safe way to demonstrate how to deal with an unknown. I am not recommending that you build life theology on my findings, rather I traveled this path to try to wrap my mind around the message of Job and to form an understanding for the duration of his woes. 30 years, 3 years, 3 weeks, 3 days, 3 minutes – these various spans of time all affect the intensity of the account.

We know that Job’s suffering began with the death of his servants and the loss of his livestock. Then his troubles became progressively worse with the deaths of his 10 children and his physical afflictions. We are told that four messengers came, one after the other while the previous one “was yet speaking…” (Job 1:13-19). Scripture says this encounter with the four messengers happened in a single day (Job 1:13).

I think Lucifer would strive to create the maximum amount of chaos in Job’s life (within the limits place upon Lucifer by God) to create the maximum impact on Job. This seems intense but we know God does not permit trouble we cannot endure as long as we lean on God (implied in Psalms 37:24, 1 Corinthians 10:13).

In Job chapter 1:13-19 we read — One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”  While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” (NIV)

What a mess. Then a conversation happens between God and Lucifer. This happens while Job is recovering from the troubles. His wife comments on the troubles. (see Job 2). Again, these conversations take about a day. We are prudent to allow time between each key day.

Next, we are told that three of Job’s friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) decided to visit him when they heard of his suffering (implied in Job 2:11). We know the name of the places they come from; but we are unsure where the places are located on a map. What do we know about this situation? Numbers 1:2 suggests it takes about 11 days to travel from Egypt to the promised land. I choose to assume Job’s friends lived closer than Egypt. Friends tend to live near each other. I suspect they arrive at Job’s place within 10 days of the initial event (three days to get the notification, four days to prepare, and three days to travel). This assumption suggests a maximum of about 2 weeks from notification to arrival (why? Because they lived close to him).

We know Job’s three friends sat with Job in silence for 7 days. Then his friends conducted a debate with Job containing 9 discourses (see Job 3-27). After Job’s three friends ceased debating, Job speaks on a deeper level (Job 28-31). Finally, Elihu, a young man, arrived and spoke up (see Job 32-37). When Elihu ceased speaking, then God spoke. God first asked questions of Job (Job 38-41), and then He rebuked Job’s three friends. Overall, I estimate about 3-4 weeks for the debate (1 week of silence, 2-3 weeks of debate).

Given the first few days of notifications from the four messengers, the conversation with his wife, the notification and travel time for Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, and the debate, we find ourselves with about 6-8 weeks of time.

Let us pause to notice how Job responded to the Lord (Job 42:2-6) “I know that You can do everything, … You asked, ‘Who … hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. … I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. “

After the three friends left (implied in Job 42:9), God restored Job (implied in Job 42:10). Based on this analysis I suggest the timeline for the troubles of Job and the assorted conversations traversed a couple of months. I prefer to think the restoration (see Job 42) happened over a few years. The Bible simply does not say. But it helps me to understand the flow of events if I place the occurrences for most of the Book of Job into a window of a few months. You may hold a different opinion — I’m good with that. I do not think it would be fruitful to debate this topic much. I formed this opinion as a tool, a framework, to help me visualize the events unfolding as described in the book of Job.

The deeper truth from Job — When God allows us to suffer in any way, or for any length of time, we must remember that He has a purpose (implied in Romans 5:3-5). The absence of a timeline in the Book of Job helps us to avoid comparing the duration of our suffering to Job’s suffering. We are promised God will work all things for our ultimate good and His glory (implied in 1 Corinthians 10:13). Therefore, what matters most is not the length of suffering, or even the severity of our suffering, it is how we choose to embrace the suffering (implied in Ecclesiastes 5:1-7). Where do we turn for comfort and hope? When we turn to God in faith, our hearts change, and troubles eventually evaporate (implied in James 1:2-4). Then the desired effect of the unknown timeline may produce the outcome God intended (see Psalms 46:10).

I choose Jesus.

Gladness of Heart

Dan

It has been my observation while reading Ecclesiastes that Solomon often commented on the vanity of gathering and holding wealth. He suggested the best course we can take is to carefully use what we have, save some for the future, but at the same time — provide for our families, serve God with it, do good with it, and most important; deliver this support within the limits of our income; furthermore, we are to avoid fretting because of limits presented by our income (take a fresh look at my last essay).

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 says — This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. (NIV)

I think Solomon is suggesting we are to be sober and moderate in the use of our resources granted as a gift from God for the labor we accomplish each day. God gives us work and income to ease our days and to provide things for our family. It is not proper to starve because of covetousness, or, on the other hand, to aggressively spend to satisfy our ‘nice things’ pursuit. We are wise to contain our spending within our means. We are advised to feed our families and keep our families safe as we serve the one true living God. Acquisition is not the goal. Service to God and family is the goal.

Ecclesiastes 2: 24-25 — A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. (NIV)

We are not being asked by God to work ourselves into the ground and then leave wealth for others to enjoy. We are being advised to do things in moderation, use the wealth gained to live a quiet life, and allocate the income so it sustains us for the days of our life. Job wrote — A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed (Job 14:5). We are wise to manage our income with a focus towards our family and God’s service. Let us spend our days serving our family and God’s family with as much joyfulness as we can muster. Find work we can do, learn to love the work, and be happy to share the fruit of our labor. This call to service is not one of drudgery, we are not slaves, but take pleasure in the calling and dive into the work with cheerfulness.

Hebrews 6: 9-12 says — we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. (NIV)

The deeper truth – Happiness is an attitude, attitudes are a choice we make; I have said many times — as a man thinks, a man is. Move your mind towards happiness, firmly embrace the goodness of God. You will be surprised by the cool stuff that happens when you enter His gates with praise on your lips. When you use a few gifts wisely, God will bring more your way, because you have proven yourself to be a good steward of a few things (see Proverbs 3:6, Proverbs 3:9-10). Plan. Decide. Move. Assess. Adjust. Move. Do the right things for the right reasons. Take pleasure in your work as a sweet offering to God.

I choose Jesus.