In JD Greear’s book “Not God Enough” he invites us to imagine a seven year old on a field trip to Cape Canaveral to observe a rocket launch. The child begins lecturing the rocket scientist about why the rocket won’t fly. “That rocket is too heavy. It’s the wrong shape. It needs wings.” The scientist might try to explain to him why he is wrong, but it’s unlikely that the child will understand. Instead, the scientist might simply say, “Um, no, son. Sit back and watch.” The scientist’s ability to do invalidates the challenge from the child. This is essentially how God deals with Job in the later chapters of the book.
JOB ANSWERS OUR WHY QUESTIONS – READ JOB 38-40
I do not know of a more commonly asked question by a suffering person than why? Why is this happening to me? I know that we all have to die one day but why did my loved on have to suffer for so long? Why did my child have to die before me? Why did you have to do it this way? It is perfectly natural for us to ask “why” questions. The psalmist does it all the time (Psalm 22:1; 43:2; Psalm 73). In fact Jesus himself takes up the cry of Psalm 22 when he is hanging from the cross and agonisingly asks “my God my God why have you forsaken me?” Job also asks an abundance of “why?” questions (3:11; 7:20; 10:18; 13:24). In 3:11 he asks his first “why” question; “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?” In 10:18 he has the same grumble; “Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me.” In 7:20 his questions become more barbed; “If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me our target?” In 13:24 he asks the forlorn question; “Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy.” Why! Why! Why! “Lord I think you have made a mistake and I want to argue with you.” How did God set about answering Job’s questions in chap 38-40?
- How does God respond to Job’s why questions in chap 38-40? After the arguments between Job and his friends had ground to a halt God finally speaks at the beginning of chapter 38; “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man: I will question you, and you shall answer me.” In chapter 38-40 God takes Job on a tour of creation. “Where were you Job when I laid the earth’s foundations . . . who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb . . . when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, this far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt? . . . Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place . . . can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?” For a few chapters God continues to ask Job questions like these. The only answer Job can give is “No. I don’t know. No. I don’t know.” The Lord continues with his questioning; “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, here we are . . . Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens when the dust becomes hard and the clods of the earth stick together?” The only answer Job can give is “No. I can’t do it!” The Lord continues. “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of lions.” Answer – No! “Can you provide food for the ravens?” “NO!” “Can you master the complexities of flight that enables hawks to spread their wings and eagles to soar in the heavens?” “No!” I believe that all in all God poses Job seventy seven questions.
- What impact did Job’s tour of creation have on him? In 40:3, 4 then Job answered the LORD: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer -twice, but I will say no more.” After the barrage of questions were thrown at Job he replies in 42:3-6 by saying; “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know . . . my ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job had encountered God. You see in the midst of his sufferings what Job really needed was not information as much as a Person. It is almost as if God is saying to Job; “You cannot even begin to understand the complexities of the universe how then could you possibly understand my dealings in the lives of 5 billion people. You trust me to order the universe correctly don’t you? Can’t you trust me with your life as well? I am not going to give you information. Instead I will give you me.” In response to Job’s “why?” questions God never told him how his story would be used in generations to come to help millions of believers. His questions were never answered. But he did encounter the person of God and that was enough.
- Would Job’s life have been any easier had God given him comprehensive answers to his questions? It would not have ended his pain. He would still have to wake up the next morning and see ten empty chairs at the family breakfast table. Knowing why does not always ease our pain – it just generates more questions. Suppose you were sick and could not go to your matric dance. What if God whispered a reason into your ear? “I let you get pneumonia so you wouldn’t develop a relationship with that guy – and so that your parents would go to the shops to get your favourite pudding and see a poster advertising jobs. You applied for the job and met a girl who would become your best friend and would help you in twenty years when your husband got cancer” “Wow. A husband! What’s he like? Why would you let him get cancer?” “To teach you to grow in Christlikeness and help you be a better servant, and help your servant to depend on me and draw your children and grand-children closer to me.” “Children! Grandchildren! Boys or girls? How will they deal with their father’s cancer?” Do you see where questions lead? More questions and still more questions.” To ask “why” is not always the best question. Perhaps there are better questions that we could ask. “What can I learn from all of this?” “How can this problem teach me more about you?”