Who Will Defend You?

The book of Job has perplexed me. God seems cruel to allow a man to suffer so much. When I was assigned 30 minutes of teaching this past term I took the opportunity to put some time into reflecting on and praying about this puzzling book. I'm so thankful for the truths and insights God reveals to us through these passages. I am more in love with Christ our Advocate as a result. I've compiled my findings below.

Who Will Defend You? 

(pondering the book of Job)

When I was little, my sister Heidi and I did everything together. She wasn't much older than me but she was much more tough and brave. I had great confidence in her and held her in highest esteem. Places I would be terrified to go alone I'd feel safe with her. Walking down an alley once I questioned “what if someone came to kidnap us.” She stood tall and said “I'd just kick 'em with my shoe.” I resumed our peaceful stroll feeling perfectly safe and content. Heidi is a great communicator. When I'd been turned down over a request to watch a movie or get out of a household chore Heidi would appeal and, more often then not, she would have my parents convinced that her idea was brilliant. In the book of Job he is accused by Satan. All of his speeches about his righteousness fall to the wind. He needs an advocate and a defender. Human wisdom fails him. His own righteousness fails him? Before all is lost, God takes up his defense. God doesn't defend Job on the basis of Job's uprightness but on the solid ground of His own.

The book of Job opens describing the life of this righteous man. In those days righteousness was thought to be synonymous with obtaining blessing and prosperity. We're not sure the exact time Job lived or when the book was written, but it is predicted that Job lived around the time of Abraham. In the Canon the book of Job is placed after the Law and first among the books of wisdom and poetry.

In the Old Testament God lays out the laws to be obeyed and declares the blessing following and the curses that go along with disobedience. Common wisdom is understanding what is right and therefore brings blessing while foolishness leads to harm. The book of Proverbs spells out much of this cause and effect, paralleling the consequences of foolish living with the beauty and rest of wisdom. The book of Job however shows up the loop holes in this kind of wisdom in a fallen world. According to Proverbs Job's righteous living should secure him with a problem free life. As we read on we find Job's life soon becomes far from carefree.

After a short description of this righteous man “Job” we are hoisted up to peek in on the assembling of the sons of God in the heavenlies. Satan is also there to report. God is bragging on his servant Job and Satan starts accusing “Does Job fear God for no reason?” Thus God and Satan enter into a debate that acts out in the life of Job. God puts limits on Satan and allows him to do away with virtually all of Job's material and relational blessings.

The people of the day didn't get in on this exchange between God and Satan. They see a well renowned man of honor crumpling to the floor. In one day Job loses all of his 10 children, all his flocks and herds as well as most of his servants. His wealth and his family are whammered away in a moment. If this isn't awful enough, next his very body is covered in dreadful sores. Three of Job's friends come to grieve with him, but rather than comfort they bring him more sorrow and opposition.

Job's friends find him sitting in the dust with a potsherd to scrape the sores on his body. Job and his friends wrestle like many of us wrestle in the face of adversity. They seek to interpret and make sense of the story unfolding before them. We see Job and his friends grappling with questions like: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? If Job is upright why did God allow this calamity? Why me? What have I done to deserve this? Where is God in all of this?

We hate to be in a place where we don't know or understand what is going on. We often jump to conclusions and judgments to make sense of the misfortune of others. If we can explain it away we are less likely to run into it ourselves. We feel more comfortable with what we can understand and control. Job's friends arrived at the conclusion that surely Job must have sinned in some way to bring upon himself this awful calamity? Eliphaz spoke up declaring the verdict “You must be in the wrong because the innocent prosper.” Bildad chimes in “Repent and God will bless you for God punishes the wicked.” Zophar spoke up like a good Calvinist “You deserve worse than what you're getting.” Job's friends were emptyhanded. Their wisdom didn't have room for a good man suffering. They only had more condemnation. To settle their own hearts they condemned Job.

In Chapter 32, a young man Elihu shows himself. He's been listening and keeping quiet to hear the wisdom of the old guys but after hearing them go on and on with empty words he feels compelled to speak. He rebukes Job for defending himself on the grounds of his own merit. Elihu declares that a mediator is needed, a ransom is needed to plead before God. The Mediator is needed in order that God might accept us and be merciful to deliver. Lets read a portion of Elihu's words from Chapter 33:23-33.

“If there is a messenger for him. A mediator, one among a thousand, to show man [God's] uprightness, then God is gracious to him and says 'Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom....(v26b) For He restores to man [God's] righteousness...(v29) Behold, God works all these things , twice in fact, three times with a man. To bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.”

I believe this is a beautiful and outstanding passage in the book of Job. Elihu's ear is inclined towards wisdom. He knows that a Savior is needed for Job. He recognizes that he himself is made of clay (33v6).

It is at this point that God enters the conversation. Like a symphony rising with tension, Elihu sets the stage for God declaring His glory and God takes it up from there. God's majesty silences. It seems ironic how little man knows, understands, or controls and yet we make great claims of wisdom, understanding, and judgment. God's anger is aroused. Starting with the foundations of the earth and various creatures God questions Job on his knowledge, wisdom and power compared to the Almighty One. At last He paints a picture of the most powerful of creatures; Leviathan. Some think that Leviathan is a crocodile or a dragon of the sea. According to eastern tradition Leviathan is an enemy of the light. This word is also used figuratively for a cruel enemy. There are a lot of parallels in the description of Leviathan and descriptions of God's chief opponent Satan. Here in Job it is said of Leviathan that there is nothing like him on earth made without fear (41v33). In the garden of Eden, Satan is described as the most cunning of all the creatures God had made. Leviathan is described as King over all the sons of pride (41v34). In the leading verses of Job 41 God asks of Job “Will Leviathan make a covenant with you?.. Can you defeat him?” It's as if God is saying to Job: "Satan is your enemy. Choose whose side you want to be on. You cannot stand up to him. You can't appease or make it right." "Any hope of overcoming him is false." (41v9)

Like the Jews in the day of King Ahasuerus who were powerless to undo his verdict, they needed an advocate and God raised up Esther. Similarly, at Sinai the Israelites stood terrified at the foot of the mountain - afraid to approach the King of Kings but God had raised up Moses to speak to Him on their behalf. In the face of Goliath's threats, the Israelites were shaking in their boots until God brought in David to fight on their behalf. In the face of Job's adversity he needs an advocate. Job needs someone to fight his adversary and he needs someone to defend him before God.

Finally Job gives up defending his name, humbles himself, and casts himself on the mercy of God. Job has found that his own righteousness and strength is insufficient to defeat the enemy of his soul. All the good works in the world are not good enough to safe his soul from the accusations of this relentless adversary. On his own he couldn't stand. Job renounces his accusations against God's injustice and throws himself upon God's mercy. Those who oppose God fail but those who humble themselves and join God's side will stand. Leviathan is spoken of a handful of times elsewhere in the bible. I'd like to look at Isaiah 27v1: "In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea." Only Christ can stand up to the opponent Satan. Another passage that speaks of this battle and the glorious victory of our Savior is Rev 12v7-12a: 
"And war broke out in the heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of the brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!"

God silences the enemy and blesses Job - not because of Job's wisdom or righteousness but because of God's own. Job isn't vindicated. God is! Because of God's righteousness and mercy and strength Job is saved!

God rebukes Job's three friends (excluding Elihu) for not speaking right of God as his servant Job has.” Often when I read the words of Job's friends I think “where did they go wrong? Job's friends quote large doses of scripture and yet they arouse God's anger. They knew the scriptures but they missed the Redeemer. They missed the one the scriptures pointed to. They were too much like the Pharisees of whom Christ spoke in John 5:39-40: "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life."

Can you can identify with Job's friends? Do you have people in your life that are struggling? Like me, do you try and figure out where they've gone wrong and recite verses so they can get it back together? Do you bless them with your magnificent words of wisdom, advice and insight? When you have a friend in trouble do you use scripture to lecture and condemn them? How about when you are downcast or in trouble? Do you lecture and condemn yourself? Or, do you give yourself/your friend Christ? Do you comfort yourself and others with His righteousness and faithfulness and nearness? In the face of trials and suffering (whether your own or someone else's) Christ is our only hope...He's the only one who can bring healing and restoration and save us from this world of sin and despair. He's the only one that can face up to our adversary and defend us before our holy perfect Lord.

Job's friends spoke “wisdom.” Their speeches sound good and right. They spoke of the general cause and effect of human behavior, they even lifted up God's greatness, but it was devoid of relationship with God. It was truth without love and so the truth was foolishness. Jesus is wisdom, truth, all-knowing. We don't have wisdom if we don't have Christ. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Without Christ, wisdom falls short. (Job 28:20-23,28) Job's friends joined Satan in pouring accusations and condemnation on Job. Job couldn't stand up to the accusations and eventually tried to plead his own righteousness. Job knew he needed someone to plead his cause. Three times he cries out for an advocate. (Job 9v14-20, 16v21, 19v25-27) The most glorious of these is in Job 19v25-27: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God...”

He knew God's holiness and God's mercy well enough to know that he needed a ransom to be paid for his deliverance. In the face of His calamities he clung to the hope of His Redeemer.

Job saw God dimly as if behind a veil. Now the curtain has been torn in two. We have the whole Bible. We know that the Advocate and Redeemer that Job cries out for lives. Not only does He live but He came in the flesh and died that we might live with Him. Job is said to be a righteous man. Jesus however is the only One truly righteous. Jesus is the one who bore unjust torment. Jesus is the one whose family and name and body was torn away from Him and broken. Jesus is the only One who could stand before Satan's accusations and yet He took on the curse for us that we might live in His place!

The book of Job could be said in fewer words. The poetry however allows us to enter into the story. We hear Job's angst and we identify with his sorrow and despair. We can see their trains of thoughts as Job's friends grapple with bits of truth trying to make sense of what's going on. Our heart is stirred as Job gives voice to the anguish of his heart and body. An emotion-packed book. Not only do Job and his friends get into a heated argument but God Himself enters the discussion. When God speaks He uses the same passionate tones. He engages with them in their emotional state. God is an emotional God, just as we are emotional beings. We are molded in His image.

In the midst of our struggles and concerns and questions of living in a fallen world we grapple. We don't get all the answers. We don't see all that is going on in the heavenlies. We do however have an Advocate there, someone to plead our cause before the Father. In the midst of our suffering we know that Jesus Christ has given His life for us, He is with us in our struggle and He will take us to Himself. Because He's alive. Because He's not silent on our behalf. We can trust and rest and even rejoice amidst our struggles. God didn't assure Job “Yes, you are good. It wasn't your fault all this bad came upon you." Instead he showed Job Himself and He fought the battle for Job. This is how we receive comfort in our trials. We see Christ and we see that He has already fought the battle for us. Satan's accusations are dead and buried with Christ. We are justified before God. We stand pure and holy before God. We have a new identity. We are known and loved. In the face of trials and temptations and hardships and difficulties we wait on God to restore all things, to make all things new. Job didn't know all would be restored to him. We however know the end of the story. No matter what the sores and ashes we sit in today we know all will be restored. Christ will make all things new.

Like me have you been placing your trust in a false form of safety/security? I naively placed my trust in the strength and bravery of my big sister. My world crashed when I found she was as weak and frail as I am. What do you place your hope in? Is it the faith of your parents? Is it all the good things you've done? Or the evil you haven't done? Is it all the committees you've been on? All the people you've helped?

Sometimes it's the most pure and upright of us that fail to see our need for an advocate. If we don't see our shortcomings and failings, why would we cling to God's mercy? Considering ourselves more holy than the people around us we don't see our need for a Savior. We watch others get burned and we think to ourselves “I'm beyond that.” “Why would I be condemned, I'm rather good compared to _______.”
Do you see your need for an advocate? When Satan's accusations come, how will you defend yourself? (Romans 8v18-27) Is Christ standing before the Father pleading for you with groans that cannot be uttered or are you fighting a losing battle. When I stand before God my sister's good communication or boldness will not keep me standing. My right theology or good parenting will not keep me alive. Only in Christ do we stand secure.