Job's Crucible
"Instead of His Glory there will be a fire kindled,
Like a blazing flame and it will be like when a sick man faints."
—Isa.10:16-18
In Chapter 30, Job describes in even more graphic detail the pain of his trial. Before, everyone hung on his every word. Now, even the young mock him.
It is strange how the fallen nature seems to rejoice in the downfall of someone else. When a man is truly used of God and esteemed very highly by others, there are always some who look on with jealousy and envy—even Christians—and actually seem happy to see them fall. I have seen the same attitude when the topic was a successful businessman, a religious figure, politician or coworker. When they fall, we rejoice. What about when someone wins the big jackpot in a lottery? Do we rejoice for them or deride them? Complain that we should have won it, not that person we don't even know. We should be able to rejoice to see someone else exalted, even if it means that it will be at the cost of our own humiliation. For example, we should be ecstatic if someone else wins a soul even if we don't. Or if someone else is given the service that was once given to us, we should be glad for them. I suppose there are many ways that it could happen, and we should be excited to see someone else exalted, and disheartened to see someone who is fallen.
Job complains, "They are younger than me." How would you react if you had been working in an area of your church, or even your job, when you have sacrificed your time, energy, and creative ideas to make it "happen"? Then some young whippersnapper comes along, full of zeal and feels he can do a better job then you. He even criticizes you for what he perceives is an apparent lack of blessing in the "vineyard" that has been entrusted to your care. Would we accept it gracefully and actually be willing to retire from the work that had been our very life?
The Foreshadowed Cross
Some believe that at this point in the story, a crowd began to gather around the dunghill where Job was "crucified to the world." "They abhor me, they don't hesitate to spit in my face, on my right hand rise the rabble just like the tide breaking in, they come in the midst of the ruin they come rolling in."
Jesus had the same kind of "rabble" gathered around him. Base men testified against him; men spoke of him as "this fellow." Even the drunks were singing about him. He was crucified with a couple of thieves and I am sure their cohorts were there to watch it happen.
Job has spent his life blessing the poor and needy. Now the outcasts look at him, are repulsed by his condition, and are not even ashamed to spit in his face!
Psalm 2:7 says of Jesus: "All who see me mock me; they hurl out insults shaking their heads."
Job cried, "They have cast off all restraint," as he looks at the sorry bunch that is around him. "They kick my feet aside, they succeed in destroying me." "In the midst of ruin they come rolling in."
It is written of Jesus that "dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me."
"My dignity is driven away as by the wind," Job cried.
"You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed" (Ps. 69:19) said the Son of God.
"My soul is poured out within me," cries Job!
Jesus had "poured out His soul unto death" (Isa. 53:12).
"Night pierced my bones and my gnawing pain never rests . . . I've been cast into the mire and I'm reduced to dust and ashes," complained Job.
"They have pierced my hands and my feet" and "you lay me in the dust of death" was Jesus' cry. (Ps. 22:16, 15)
Job's bitter complaint was that he "cried to God and He did not answer."
Jesus' most pitiful cry, after he was smitten of God and afflicted on our behalf was "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me . . . Oh My God I cry . . . but you do not answer" (Ps. 22: 1, 2).
In point after point, we could trace the whole story of
During all this abuse, all these forces of evil pouring out on him, Job's heart was pouring out on the inside. His bones were pierced and gnawing pain gave him no rest. He was disfigured and pushed into the mud. Above everything else, the bitterest pain of all was that God was silent! How could the Lord watch all the suffering of His creation, this faithful servant, and yet not do something, anything, to help him out? "Lord, why? . . . it isn't supposed to be like this . . ."
Job's Collapse
As Job thinks about this unaccountable silence of the God he had served so long, he cries out with anguish in his voice, "You have turned on me ruthlessly!"
Oh, oh! Watch out! What did he just say? I really think that his conscience did grab hold of him here because he tries to justify it as being his "right" to complain.
Hey wait, just a little while ago, he had told his friends that he would trust God no matter what, even if it pleased the Lord to slay him. He had boldly said that when everything was said and done he would come forth as gold, and now, he is charging the God that he believed was faithful with turning against him.
Even as those words were leaving his lips he knew they were wrong, but he silenced that still, small voice with the excuse, "I have a right to complain because of these things!"
Job had just reached the most important point of this whole affair and he did not even realize it. Up to this point, Job had maintained unshaken confidence in God. The battle of words with his friends actually served to strengthen his faith in God. But when he started to dwell on the "good old days," he blew it. That is when he started looking even more intensely at his present condition and became very bitter.
Next came self-excusing when he should have just repented and let it drop. After he tried to justify himself, he fell into dejection over his blackened condition and finally mourning and crying over himself in helplessness and hopelessness.
When Jeremiah fell into the same self-pity and said, "everyone curses me . . . I sat alone because your hand was on me . . . are you going to be like a deceitful brook? One who has failed? " (Jer. 15:10-18). When the Lord heard this from Jeremiah, he replied very sternly, "If you repent I will again let you stand before me!" The Lord doesn't play games with grumbling and complaining.
I remember when we were trying to get one our kids to quit his constant whining. Every time he talked, he had this annoying whine in his voice. At the dinner table, instead of simply asking for the milk to be passed, he would give out this horrible, irritating whine, "Pleeeaase paaasss the milk . . ." One day I had it. I told this child to stop with that whining and simply ask for whatever it was he wanted! Right then, in the holy spot within my being, I heard the voice of the Lord state, just as emphatically, "I would appreciate it if you would do the same thing, Nicholas!" Ouch!
If only Job had listened to that still, small voice and just repented, I am convinced that he would never have sunk into the self-pity, despair and unworthy self-vindication that followed. Instead, he proceeded to give his friends the evidence they were looking for to prove that they had been right all along—Job was righteous in his own eyes!
A Contrast
The biggest error we can make here is to try to justify Job's reaction. You might be asking, "Who could blame Job for feeling like that?" Be careful, though. Jesus is our example, not Job.
I suppose, humanly speaking, we can understand Job's complaint. On the other hand, "humanly speaking" we cannot blame Jeremiah for all of his complaints either. Yet, God told him to be careful of what he said and to repent.
It has been said that by nature we fear suffering more than sinning and it seems to be true that we will do anything at times to avoid suffering. Using the "human nature" line is just an excuse. I remember giving a talk one time and making the statement that "if you try to excuse your carnal behavior by telling me you're 'just human,' I'll slap the carnality out of your head."
Look at Jesus. He had a calm and steadfast acceptance of everything that was required of him, even things that were painful. In every step, he was obedient "even to the point of death, even the death of the cross."
Jesus was led to the judgment hall and there were men gathered around him, just like Job's three friends. They were religious men who figured they knew God and considered themselves to be fit to instruct.
Jesus was charged with blasphemy by those who should have been his friends, and condemned as a sinner and a deceiver, just like Job. Unlike Job, Jesus never answered a word. "When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously."
Even on the Cross, when in his deep anguish, Jesus cried to the Father, "You don't answer me," adding immediately, "but you are holy" as He rested on the immutability of His Father's character of love and faithfulness.
Then we hear Job say, "You don't answer me . . . You've turned on me ruthlessly" and then fainted under the hand of God!
