Reverent wrestling with suffering

One of my responsibilities as a parent is to raise my children into wise adults.

And by that I don't mean experienced and educated adults.

I mean wise adults.

We are told in Proverbs, the beginning of wisdom,

the very first foundation of wisdom is in fact the fear of the Lord.

And so wisdom is not a collection of knowledge and experience per se.

And it's not a collection of pithy sayings or abstract thoughts.

It is in fact relational.

It's about a relationship.

To grow in wisdom is to grow in relationship with our Lord

through all the ups and downs of our lives,

in all the ups and downs of our daily experiences.

And so my responsibility is to teach my children a knowledge of God.

Not that they might have a knowledge of the Bible,

but in fact that they might have God.

They might know God and that they might fear Him

so that they don't have to fear Him.

A big part of that teaching is me being a wise parent day by day.

That is that they see me fearing the Lord day by day.

And one of my responsibilities as your pastor is to do the same thing.

To preach and to pray and to live in such a way

that you are prepared in mind and heart to grow in relational wisdom,

especially in the day of calamity, the day of disaster.

The day that the biopsy test comes back positive.

The day that the police knock at the door to break the news of a fatal accident.

The day that you discover a terrible secret in a relationship.

These are the days that can be the start of unimaginable grieving and suffering.

And so my job is to prepare my children and you for those days

so that instead of cursing God,

you would in fact bow humbly,

worshipping Him and blessing Him as your sovereign and merciful Father.

And I don't mean, when I say that,

a stiff, upper lip, cavalier attitude.

Where you are resting on your own resources,

I mean a reverent and trusting worship of God.

And so this book of Job, as we begin in this search of wisdom,

takes us to the life of a man who loses everything.

As we just heard just then,

Job's possessions, his livelihood, his children and his health

are ripped away from him in tragic circumstances.

And even what he has left,

his wife and his mates,

turn out to be no help at all.

Job enters into crippling, mind-numbing anguish.

And on one level, you could say that the book of Job

is all about suffering.

It does offer certain insights into why bad things happen.

But I want to suggest to you that it is fundamentally

so much more than about suffering.

Because although there are a few insights into the issue of suffering,

the central idea of the book is not why suffering occurs.

The reason I say that is because it's no mystery at all to the reader

why suffering occurs.

We know the answer to that by the end of chapter 1.

The real mystery and the tension of the book

is not why suffering happens or why Job suffers,

but how he will behave towards God in his suffering.

Will Job curse God as Satan predicts?

Or will Job continue to trust God?

And this is the tension that draws us on as we read through the book.

Because it appears right at the very first couple of chapters

that Job does well.

And then you start reading chapter 3 onwards.

And it appears that Job's not doing so well.

The central theme is the nature of wisdom and where it can be found.

And the way it tackles that issue of the nature of wisdom

is by creating a conflict between two different views of wisdom.

One is the rigid connection between actions and consequences.

For instance, if you are lazy, you'll be poor.

If you smoke, you'll get lung cancer.

And if you have a rigid connection between actions and consequences,

then what happens is when you see the consequence,

you start reading the consequences back into actions.

The person's got lung cancer.

Must have been a smoker.

That person's poor.

Clearly they're lazy.

That is, in this idea of wisdom,

the world is ordered

and wisdom is about knowing the order.

Wisdom is about understanding the set rules

and principles of order in the world.

Or as the people on the video said,

wisdom's about knowledge from experience.

That's what that sort of wisdom is.

Knowledge from experience.

I've experienced this in the world

and that's what wisdom is understanding

as you grow older,

understanding what the order is.

Job's three friends are working with that kind of framework.

Because all this bad stuff is happening to Job,

it must be because he's done something really bad.

That is their experience.

And that is only partly right.

What Job helps us to see,

another idea of wisdom on this side,

is that life is rarely, if ever, that straightforward.

And that is the limitation over here of human wisdom.

My experience.

That's the limitation of human wisdom.

And Job helps us to see that biblical wisdom

is not so rigid.

It helps us to see that the order of our universe

is not always there for us to see.

We can't always see the order of the universe.

And so therefore our experience is limited.

And it helps us to see that there is a God

who stands above the order

and knows the order

and is not restricted to the order.

And therefore biblical wisdom is being in relationship

with that God.

Which goes way beyond human wisdom.

That's the clash as we go throughout this book.

It is fundamentally about knowing and trusting the God

who knows and is sovereign and is good.

And this need for relational wisdom is especially crucial

when life is tough.

How do we grow in wisdom

when the world isn't as we think it ought to be?

And so in that respect

the book of Job

is kind of like a first aid manual.

You see a first aid manual

doesn't normally go into great detail

about all the different ways

that you can break an arm.

It's more concerned about

how do you fix the arm when it's broken.

So Job doesn't give us an exhaustive list

of why suffering happens.

He's more concerned to explain

how to behave towards God

when suffering happens.

And so let's have a look at it there.

Get your sheets open up.

Job 1 and 2.

In verses 1 to 6 of chapter 1

we get a glimpse of what Job is like.

He is unquestionably godly.

Three times in chapters 1 and 2

we are told that Job

was a blameless and an upright man.

The book begins with this declaration

in verse 1.

In the land of Uz

there lived a man whose name was Job

and this man was blameless and upright.

And then if you go down to verse 8

we are told what it means

to be blameless and upright.

A man who fears God

and shuns evil.

Which is the definition of wisdom.

According to Proverbs chapter 1.

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

To be blameless and upright

means to fear God and shun evil.

We are supposed to see Job

as the model of a righteous

and a wise man.

Not that he was perfect or sinless.

Not saying that for a moment.

All the contributors in this book

Job and his three mates

particularly his four mates

are convinced that all people are sinful.

And in fact Job's first act

in the book

is in fact to offer sacrifices

for sin.

So he's not sinless here.

We're not saying that at all.

We're meant to see Job

as an extremely well-to-do man.

He is upright

and he is blameless.

He's the complete man.

In fact it says

there is no one like him

among all the people of the east.

He is a head and shoulders

above everyone.

Everything

is

as we would want it to be.

A good man

enjoying a good life.

Actions are consequences.

We might even say

that Job has worked hard

on his godliness

and he's therefore

getting the rewards

from God

for that.

And so imagine the shock

within the space

of two days

all your children

are killed

you lose your job

your wife thinks you're mad

all your employees

are murdered

your superannuation

nest egg

is stolen

and just to top it all off

you now have no roof

over your head

because it probably

doesn't matter anyway

you've been admitted

to hospital

because from the top

of your head

to the soles

of your feet

you are covered

in gaping sores

which are oozing pus.

Oh one more thing

while you're there

lying in hospital

wondering about

how you're going to

pay the medical bills

and the funeral

for your kids

your long time

Christian mates

come in

and tell you

that the events

of the past two days

are all your fault

as you sit there

with a piece of brick

scraping your sores

it's all your fault

Job

if it wasn't for you

Job

none of this

would happen

in the space

of two days

Job

goes from prosperity

to poverty

from great comfort

to crippling

from pain

from the greatest

man in the east

to sitting on a rubbish tip

scraping

his body

with a broken piece

of pottery

and one of the worst

things for Job

is that

why

you see

Job

doesn't have

the full picture

Job

does not know

what we know

we get a glimpse

into the meeting

between Satan

and God

verses

6 to 12

describe the encounter

in verse 7

Satan says

that he spends

his time

going to

and from

the earth

we know

from 1 Peter

that he

prowls around

like a roaring

lion

looking for

someone to destroy

and then God

puts on display

to Satan

a trophy

that he delights

in very much

verse 8

have you considered

my servant Job

there is no one

on earth

like him

he is blameless

and upright

a man

who fears God

and shuns evil

doesn't seem

like a clever

thing to say

does it

it's like

the owner

of a jewellery

store

meeting a thief

in his

store

late one night

and saying to him

what are you

doing here

and he says

just

wandering around

your store

and the owner

says

oh

why are you

here

let me show you

the most

valuable diamond

we have

doesn't seem

to make a lot

of sense

it might look

as if God

has made a mistake

but God

never says

oh dear

oops

I didn't see

that one

coming

so let's

just leave aside

that God's

making a mistake

here and

leaves us

with one

possibility

he is

setting Job

up for

trouble

he is

proud of

Job

Job's

fear of

God

has

endeared

God

to Job

in a

very deep

way

but Satan

quite naturally

is not

impressed

in verse

9

he insinuates

that Job

is not

such a

great example

of reverence

of God

he says

that the

only reason

Job

fears

God

is to

get rich

and so

Satan

says to

God

in verse

11

stretch

out

your

hand

and

strike

everything

he has

and he

will

surely

curse

you

to

your

face

now

what

God

could

have

said

at

that

moment

is

I

don't

need

to

prove

anything

to

you

or

to

anyone

else

I

know

the

heart

of

my

servant

Job

and

that

is

enough

for

me

he

could

have

done

that

but

he

didn't

in

this

case

God

chooses

to get

an

open

victory

over

Satan

for

his

own

glory

a

test

will

show

that

in

the

heart

of

Job

God

is

more

highly

esteemed

than

any

possession

or

any

family

member

so

why

is

God

doing

this

the

answer

is

something

of

immense

heavenly

significance

is

happening

here

God

is

in

the

process

of

demonstrating

to

the

heavenly

realms

and

to

us

the

readers

of

this

encounter

that

he

himself

is

supreme

in

the

heart

of

Job

God

is

not

because

of

what

he

gets

out

of

it

as

if

God

himself

was

of

no

value

Job

is

based

on

the

value

of

God

for

who

God

is

and

God

is

about

to

reveal

that

to

the

heavenly

realms

God

is

the

revelation

of

this

truth

is

so

important

that

God

is

willing

to

subject

his

great

servant

Job

to

grief

and

poverty

and

sickness

in

order

to

make

it

known

to

the

heavenly

realms

and

so

verses

20

and

22

record

the

great

victory

over

Satan

Job

got

up

tore

his

robe

and

shaved

his

head

then

he

fell

to

the

ground

in

worship

and

said

naked

I

came

from

my

mother's

womb

and

naked

I

depart

the

Lord

gave

and

the

Lord

has

taken

away

may

the

name

of

the

Lord

be

praised

and

in

all

this

Job

did

not

sin

by

charging

God

with

wrong

doing

Satan

has

proven

to be

wrong

Job

did

not

curse

God

when

he

lost

his

wealth

and

his

children

he

worshipped

and

he

blessed

God

and

so

the

superior

value

of

God

becomes

evident

to

all

in

the

heavenly

realms

and

to

us

the

readers

he

treasured

God

he

treasured

God

what

a

response

well

now

God

Job

will

be

blessed

by

God

for

such

a

great

response

and

he

will

go

back

and

be

healthy

and

wise

and

wealthy

and

everything

else

that's

actions

and

consequences

isn't

it

well

no

chapter

2

Satan

comes

back

again

to

God

and

runs

down

Job's

character

he

makes

the

accusation

that

if

you

take

away

his

health

he

will

curse

God

and

so

this

time

God

allows

Satan

to

touch

his

health

but

he's

not

allowed

to

take

his

life

and

according

to

chapter

7

verse

5

Job

was

covered

with

boil

like

sores

that

opened

and

were

running

with

pus

and

then

got

clogged

with

dirt

and

they

were

infested

with

worms

from

the

top

of

his

head

to

the

feet

open

gaping

sores

running

with

pus

with

maggots

this

was not

a case

of the

flu

and again

the worth

of God

is challenged

in that

moment

is it

God

himself

the

Job's

treasures

or is

it

the

earthly

treasures

of

family

and

possessions

and

health

the

great

tragedy

is that

when

Job's

health

fails

it

proves

too

much

for

his

wife

she

with

Job

have

endured

the

loss

of

the

possessions

and

their

children

but

now

with

the

life

of

her

husband

draining

away

leaving

her

utterly

destitute

her

faith

collapses

in

verse

9

are

you

still

holding

on

to

your

integrity

curse

God

and

die

and

you

can

just

imagine

in

that

moment

that

a

smile

comes

on

the

face

of

Satan

it's

not

going

to be

a

victory

for

God

this

time

but

then

comes

the

shattering

victory

of

Job's

faith

in

verse

10

you

are

talking

like

a

foolish

woman

shall

we

accept

good

from

God

and

not

trouble

in

all

this

Job

did

not

sin

in

what

he

said

her

response

was

foolish

that

is

it

was

unwise

here

is a

lesson

in

wisdom

in

the

face

of

calamity

comforts

and

calamities

come

from

the

hand

of

God

is

what

Job

says

comforts

and

calamities

come

from

the

hand

of

God

Job

will

not

relinquish

a

rock

solid

confidence

in

the

sovereignty

of

God

and

neither

should

we

remember

too

that

Job

is not

aware

of

this

dialogue

between

God

and

Satan

all

Job

knows

is

the

suffering

in

fact

as

you

read

through

Job

Job's

greatest

suffering

is

silence

from

God

that's

what

he

cannot

bear

is

silence

from

God

and

this

is

a

reality

for

us

as

well

decisions

are

made

in

heaven

which

affect

us

but

which

we

like

Job

know

nothing

about

and

one

thing

that

is

so

blatantly

obvious

in

these

early

chapters

is

the

controlling

hand

of

God

did

you

notice

that

in

the

two

heavenly

scenes

here

God

handed

Job

over

to

Satan's

power

not

to say

that

that

power

is

limitless

Satan

recognises

here

his own

limitations

he

has

to

go

and

get

permission

from

God

before

he

is

allowed

to

do

anything

and

so

in

chapter

1

verse

12

God

gives

permission

for

Satan

to

take

away

everything

from

Job

but

he

isn't

allowed

to

touch

Job's

life

you

can't

touch

his

body

that

is

Satan

couldn't

even

in that

moment

give

Job

a

common

cold

unless

God

allowed

it

to

happen

it's

because

Satan

is

not

equal

to

God

he

doesn't

know

what

God

knows

he

doesn't

have

the

power

that

God

has

he

does

not

control

life

and

death

he's

a

created

finite

being

and

he

needs

permission

but

when

Satan

has

done

his

work

of

taking

Job's

wealth

and

family

Job

says

in

chapter

1

verse

21

the

Lord

gave

and

the

Lord

has

taken

away

blessed

be

the

name

of

the

Lord

Job

says

that

it's

ultimately

the

work

of

the

Lord

himself

who

took

away

his

family

and

his

wealth

and

similarly

in

the

second

heavenly

scene

God

says

in

chapter

2

verse

6

to

Satan

he

is

in

your

hands

but

again

in

chapter

2

verse

10

Job

says

shall

we

accept

good

from

God

and

not

trouble

in

other

words

Job

again

goes

all

the

way

up

to

the

sovereignty

of

God

over

Satan

and

says

that

his

sickness

is

from

God

Satan

may

have

been

the

immediate

cause

but

ultimately

it is

from

God

and

the

inspired

writer

warns

us

not

to

criticise

Job

here

in the

very

same

verse

he says

in

all

this

Job

did

not

sin

in

what

he

said

he

did

not

accuse

God

by

going

all

the

way

up

to

God

and

saying

it

came

all

from

his

hand

Job

rock

of

refuge

and

hope

when

everything

else

was

crumbling

was

the

absolute

sovereignty

of

God

I

love

one of

Charles

Spurgeon's

quote

who

himself

went

through

enormous

physical

and emotional

suffering

in his

life

he

said

that it

was an

unbearable

thought

for him

that his

suffering

would come

from

anywhere

else

than his

sovereign

gracious

father

it was

unbearable

to him

that there

was any

other source

for his

suffering

than his

sovereign

gracious

merciful

father

to be

wise

to live

well

in

God's

world

is to

say

with the

psalmist

in

115

3

our

God

is in

the

heavens

and he

does

whatever

he

pleases

it's

to fear

God

and to

shun

evil

and so

let us

make the

absolute

sovereignty

of God

the

rock

on which

we build

our lives

and our

church

but let me

say as well

that this

does not

the sovereignty

of God

does not

work itself

out

in a

flippant

insensitive

superficial

fatalistic

response

to

suffering

for Job

or for us

verse 20

of chapter 1

Job got up

tore his

robe and he

shaved his

head

let your

tears

flow

freely

when your

day of

suffering

comes

the tears

of grief

and pain

are not

the signs

of unbelief

let me say

that again

the tears

of grief

and pain

are not

the signs

of unbelief

what made

Job's

worship

magnificent

for us

to behold

was that

it was

in grief

not because

it replaced

grief

it was

in grief

let your

tears

flow

freely

when your

suffering

comes

and let

us

at least

model

the silent

friends of

Job

at the end

of chapter 2

not when they

start speaking

but the silent

friends of Job

as they

gathered

and sat

with him

to weep

with those

who weep

friends

suffering

and hardship

are a certainty

both for you

as an individual

and even for us

as a church

let me tell you

that change

in any group

of people

brings hardship

and loss

it results

in grief

suffering

and hardship

is inevitable

individually

and corporately

growth

is optional

so given

the certainty

of suffering

and our

limited

understanding

of suffering

what Job

teaches us

is to trust

in God

that is in fact

what it means

to be wise

to go all the way

up to the God

who knows

even when our

experience

doesn't

in Philippians 4

Paul speaks

of a peace

that transcends

all understanding

it says this

rejoice in the Lord

always

I'll say it again

rejoice

let your gentleness

be evident

to all

the Lord

is near

do not be

anxious about

anything

but in everything

by prayer and petition

with thanksgiving

present your request

to God

and the peace

of God

which transcends

all understanding

the peace

of God

which transcends

your experience

and your knowledge

will guard

your hearts

and minds

in Christ

Jesus

you see

what Paul is

talking about

there in

Philippians

is a state

of being

reconciled

with God

through Jesus

in such a way

that we are

more satisfied

in him

than in

any understanding

that we may

have of our

passing circumstances

why would we

treasure Jesus

and rest in him

and the peace

that we have

in him

because he is

near

this God

is near

we see that

Job ultimately

looked to a

redeemer

in chapter 19

he says this

in chapter 19

I know

that my redeemer

lives

and that in the end

he will stand

upon the earth

in Job chapter 19

Job 19 · chapter mention

he says

I am here

God is there

and we need

someone in

between us

we need

someone in

between us

to help

in the day

of calamity

and he says

I know

that my

redeemer

is alive

and in the end

this redeemer

will stand

upon the earth

and how did

Job's redeemer

and our

redeemer

redeem

by living

more righteously

than Job

ever did

and suffering

more than

Job ever could

and by

taking upon

himself

more suffering

than he ever

could

Job's

patient

endurance

in suffering

is meant

to point

us

to this

redeemer

this

Jesus on

the cross

where he

ultimately

defeated

this work

of Satan

where the

victory over

Satan

is finalized

he is the

one who

can make

us stand

on the day

of calamity

and so

to be

wise

to live

well in

God's

world

is to

trust

in the

sovereign

goodness

of God

and for

this

Jesus

to be

your

peace

and your

treasure

and your

joy

in the

day of

calamity

so no matter

what happens

I have

everything

in Christ

even

if God

had in

fact let

Satan

take

Job's

life

I know

that Job

would have

said with

the psalmist

in 63

3

the steadfast

love of

the Lord

is better

than life

so when

your

calamity

comes

may the

Lord

give you

the grace

to be

wise

and live

well

may he

give you

the grace

to affirm

the sovereignty

of God

may he

give you

the grace

to let

your tears

flow freely

and give

you the grace

to let

Jesus himself

be your

treasure

and your

joy

Amen