Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Charging God Foolishly

Job 1:22 KJV
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Gill says, "...did not arraign his wisdom, nor charge him with folly; though there might be some things he could not account for, or see into the reasons of them, he knew the Lord could; he considered that he was a God of knowledge, the only and all wise God, and did all things after the counsel of his will, and to answer the best ends and purposes, and therefore he submitted all to his wisdom; nor did he himself speak foolishly of him, arraigning his justice and holiness, as if he had done wrong to him; he knew there was no unrighteousness in God, nor in any of his ways and works, and that he had a right to do what he would with his own, to give and take it away at his pleasure..."[1]

One of the most common things I think I have heard whenever I have attempted to use Job's story to comfort a hurting person is that Job was an unusual character and, "Just because God helped him through his troubles does not mean He will help me through mine." We are so prone to think of the Bible characters as somehow superhuman. But I can't help but think that Job was not much different than we are today, with the exception that he did not charge God foolishly.

What contentment might come to our souls if we could, like Job, "...consider that...God...to answer the best ends and purposes...." What God does is good and right and the very best, even when it seems to hurt us very much. Job did not accuse God of wrong in the troubles Job faced. He admitted not understanding and he got out of sorts with his misguided friends, but he never blamed God nor did he try to place any fault upon God for his troubles.

Lord, help me to be so wise.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

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