If you have ever read the book of Job, I wonder what stuck with you.
Maybe it’s the manner in which Job deals with immense, sudden grief, or how his friends attempt to offer reason and wisdom – or maybe, how all of it seems to be happening on the backdrop of a curious scene that takes place in heaven between Satan (the accuser) and God.
I’ve often wondered what I am supposed to get out of this book from the Old Testament. Especially the finally appearance of God and his challenging Job has always left me puzzled: Is God reprimanding Job? Is this simply putting Job in his place? And what does that mean for me?
You may gather that for years the end of the book of Job left me with a slightly daunting picture a God whose response felt less like comfort and more like intimidation.
As it is, I found myself once again reading through Job’s lament and his friends’ frustrations and seemingly incomplete wisdom. This time, however, I decided to see wether some background knowledge might help me gain a better understanding of the story.
The Bible Project has this short videos on the different books of the Bible, and they have often helped me place the things I was reading into a broader context – historical, cultural, and even in terms of traditions of translations. They also offer videos on specific themes, characters, words, and concepts found throughout Scripture.
Regarding the book of Job, they have two main video clips: one that explores the book itself – its central ideas and structure – and another that places the book of job in conversation with the other two other books of „wisdom“, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
I will share the former with you, as it opened my eyes to the question I had been missing: Is God just?
Suddenly, my own efforts to discern God’s justice and His ways become liberatingly foolish. The final scene, in which God takes the stage and confronts Job with the intricacy of His creation, evoked a very different emotion than it had before. Like Job, all I could find within myself was a sense of deep humility and awe. There is no way I can even begin to fathom all that God perceives, knows and orchestrates every moment of every day. And while knowledge has always seemed to offer me comfort or sense of security, the sudden revelation of my profound lack of understanding came with a deep peace.
A liberation from the need to reason and figure out why and how things come about – what may be and what may not. A joyful lifting of hands in surrender, deeply content in the realization that I indeed lack the means to pass any judgment on the happenings around me, and instead reflecting on how awesome and almighty my God is.
My God how marvelous are your ways.
We are in awe with your works, your intricate design
Knowing that we only have a glimps of the vastness of all you made.
May we rest in your wisdom, rest in your almighty power
And contend ourselves in looking to you.
Where our reason ends, freedom begins.
I may never know, never understand but this I trust,
You know, you are involved and you are sovereign forever.
You love me and consider me.
So, let me lie down and remember in all of life’s trials – you are God.
Thank you.
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