Devoid of context
We weren’t there in the beginning. Knowledge precedes us, there’s always something we didn’t see or experience prior to our time. It can affect how we perceive things; what we make of our world and the circumstances that we find ourselves in. Bereft of the truth, misunderstandings prop up, discontent abounds, and often we can enter into a state of woes and regrets. There existed a man named Job who fought with the issue of incomplete context. Blameless and upright, God-fearing and a shunner of evil, he was revered by God unlike anyone else in his time. He was the wealthiest man in Northern Arabia, blessed with ten children, a large number of servants and plentiful cattle (Job 1:1-5). All was well indeed, until a deadly day occurred. He did not feel happy, he did not feel grateful and he did not feel fulfilled. He was not happy because he never expected it….. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8KY-9OVwFs).
The angels came to present themselves before God and Satan accompanied them. Post Satan surveying the Earth, the Lord asked to see if he’d come across the great Job, one who followed him wholeheartedly. But Satan replied that the Lord’s protection around him was the reason for Job’s devout faith and suggested that he would curse God once this safety net was removed. Following this, the Lord obliged to remove his protection from Job, only that the devil should not touch his body. What resulted from this discussion was the loss of all Job’s cattle, servants, and children in the space of a day. His life had been ravaged, all had been lost in a matter of hours, yet Job 1:20-22 details:
“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”
Another deadly day followed where angels presented themselves before God and Satan accompanied them. The Lord again praised Job, this time earmarking his integrity despite the afflictions he suffered from the devil without cause. Again there was a retort from the accuser, which led to boils covering all of Job’s body. Yet despite the provocation of Job’s wife to relinquish his integrity and curse God, Job recognised her folly and accepted both the good and the bad that may come from God’s hands (Job 2:10). In all this, devoid of the context yet aware of God’s sovereignty, Job did not say anything wrong. It was when his dear friends:
1. Caught wind of his terrible situation
2. Travelled to his home to visit him
3. Saw him from afar and barely recognised him
4. Wept aloud, tore their robes and threw dust in the air over his head (as a sign of sorrow)
5. Sat on the ground for seven days and nights with him without speaking
It was after these seven days and nights that Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. What followed from chapters 3 to 31 was a series of back and forths between Job and his three friends; the former detailing his innocence and the futility of life whilst the latter concluded of Job’s guilt even though they were unaware of the context. All four of these men misinterpreted the cause of the situation, failing to understand that in all scenarios there is more that meets the eye. Was Job aware that a hedge of protection had been placed around him? Did his friends understand that Job was blameless before God and his afflictions were without cause?
Enter Elihu into the fray, one younger in age but possessing greater understanding. He saw the errors in all four men; Job straying from wisdom where he justified himself rather than God, and Job’s three friends as they failed to offer a convincing refutation (Job 32:2-3). As he stated in verse 7 and 8 of the same chapter:
“I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.’ But there is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent.”
He began his retort with the ultimate conclusion- to everyone formed of dust, the way to intelligence and appropriate context is through the spirit, the breath of the Almighty. He, like the others, may have not been aware of the discussion that occurred between God, the angels and Satan, however he knew that the only source of intelligence was from the Spirit of God. As he recognised, no one gave God charge over the earth or appointed him over the world (34:13), nor could one who hates justice govern (34:17). The Spirit was the one who made him speak through inspiration on God’s behalf (36:2), so it was fitting that the Lord buttressed his points by answering Job saying at the beginning of chapter 38:
“Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.”
God detailed the intricacies of the earth, spanning from the depths of the sea to the storehouses of snow which he holds in reserve. Job caught a glimpse of the knowledge required to rebut God thus he recognised his insignificance and realised that in situations where things are too wonderful for him to understand (42:3) it is better for him to place his hand over his mouth (40:4). The story ends with the Lord blessing Job with double his former possessions and his latter days more than his beginning, however my point of emphasis is where God rebukes the three friends for their folly. Their inaccurate depiction of God is where the issue began, plus their entrance into the scene coincided with the onset of Job’s curses. They spoke out of ignorance and presumption, something we all may have done at some point or another.
The frequently quoted scripture in Isaiah 55:8 speaks about how God’s thoughts are higher than ours and His ways following suit, yet the verses preceding this often go unmentioned. It is an invitation to those in need, not just of bread and milk, but also of a revived soul, all through the everlasting covenant that would be made via the Root of David. In acknowledging the disparity between our thoughts and His, He foreknew that this gap would only be bridged if One came who could be the mediator. There are examples of those gone by such as Moses and Solomon who sort out the wisdom of God for their time. Moses wrote in Psalms 90 about the everlasting nature of God, where he concluded that the appropriate response would be for God to teach man to remember the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom (Psalms 90:12). Solomon, tasked with leading the mighty Israel as king following his father David’s death, asked of the Lord one thing when presented the opportunity in 1 Kings 3:8-9:
“And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
The Lord gave him an understanding heart and wisdom greater than all who have and ever will live, plus he also adorned him riches unlike any other. However, the following chapter added further nuance to the transaction, where in verse 20 and 29 we see the specificity of the gifting he received:
“The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink. God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.”
Was it happenstance that Solomon received exactly the measure of wisdom and understanding required to govern a nation as vast as the sand on the seashore? Is this not an example of the God who provided for Paul also supplying all Solomon’s needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19)? Better yet, when we further see how the start of the chapter speaks of Paul’s contentment in every living situation, culminating in his assurance that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him, does this not marry with the contentment Solomon felt in God for remaining faithful to his family (1 Kings 3:6). We follow on from the example that the set for us, but we also understand the advantage that we now have with the Spirit of God in us:
“But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”- 1 Corinthians 2:10, 12-13, 15-16
In this time now, in scenarios where we are devoid of context, let us take heart, especially in times where we know not what to say to God or to pray to him. The Holy Spirit that was given to us to live in us, takes on this burden and prays for us. Rather than the occasion of Job and the three friends who led him astray with words devoid of knowledge, the Holy Spirit pleads for us in cohesion with God’s will. Our great consolation comes in not only this but the assurance that all things in our life will work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:26-28).