Asking Why with Job

The following post was written in a collaborative effort with my wife and is written from her perspective. She wrote her part three days after our son died.

"We haven't seen any signs of life in a while. He's already gone." I had been pushing for over three hours when my doctor confirmed what my heart already knew; Joses' little body couldn't take all of the stress he was going through. Up until I had started pushing, my labor had been easy, his heartbeat was incredibly strong, and I could feel so many of his movements. As I felt him lowering before I pushed, I remember looking at my nurse and saying "He's fighting! He's going to make it. I'm going to see him alive." How could he not be born alive? He was so far down and just a few pushes and he would out, right? They could see his head. He was so close.  I thought God was going to answer my prayer with a "YES!".

My pleas to see Joses healed or at least to see him alive were not answered the way I wanted. Even while I had him in my arms, I just wanted to know "WHY?! Why didn't I get to see him alive?! Why does his little body have to seem so broken? Why didn't God save him?" I almost felt robbed.  I wanted answers.

I have felt comfort from the Bible account of a man named Job who lived thousands of years ago. He not only lost one son, but all of his sons and daughters on the same day because of a natural disaster. On the same day, he received news that all of his oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and many of his servants were either killed or taken by robbers. Job lost everything. He went from having a houseful of children to having an empty home. Job never lost his faith. He still worshiped God. But having faith in God didn't change the pain Job felt. He was so low, he wished for  his life to be taken, too.  Job didn't know why he was going through these trials. He wanted to plead with God for answers. His friends thought they had the answers and they tried to "enlighten" Job. Now, more than ever, I understand Job asking God "why?". Fortunately for us, the last five chapters of the book are devoted to God answering Job's question of "Why?". However, God never says exactly why those terrible events occurred. Instead, God takes a different approach.

In Job chapter 38, God first comes to silence Job's friends. He made it very clear that he was not pleased with the counsel of Job's three friends by asking "Who is this who darkens counsel WITHOUT knowledge?" (Job 38:2). His friends might have guessed at why God acted this way or that, but God says that no one knows His mind. We have been given advice and council from a number of people who are guessing why God chose to take our son away. The truth is, not a single one of them knows the mind of God and why I never felt him breathing. Thousands of people were praying for his healing and God said "no" to every single one of them. Why? Only God knows.

Next, God says:

"Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!" (Job 38:3)

Notice how God starts by telling Job to put on his big boy pants and get ready for a series of questions. He starts by asking:
 

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? "On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? "Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, And I said, 'Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop'?

(Job 38:4-11)

God created the world with a plan. Job did not know any more of the details of that plan than I do. We are overwhelmingly ignorant of how God created the world. Not only did He create the world, He maintains it by His decree.

"Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place, That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? (Job 38:12-13)

Sure, we have science which somewhat explains how we have observed the way some things work, but we cannot command the sun to rise nor to stop it. We can study and observe, but we still know very little of everything there is to know about this earth. In fact, there is an entirely different type of world underwater of which man has explored very little. God asks Job:

"Have you entered into the springs of the sea Or walked in the recesses of the deep? "Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? "Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. (Job 38:16-18)

He asks about light, how light travels, the source of light, and the relationship between light and darkness. Even the greatest experts today still have many things they cannot yet explain. The truth is, no one is old enough remember when set all of these things in motion. In a beautifully sarcastic sentence, God tells Job; "You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!" (Job 38:21)

But God does not limit the discussion to this earth. God then asks about the stars and their constellations.

"Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion? "Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites? "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth?

(Job 38:31-33)

We may be able to study and observe from a far distance, but we have no power over stars that are light years away from us.

In the next chapter, God asks Job about how much he knows and controls the behavior in animals. For example, He asks, "Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south? "Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up And makes his nest on high? (Job 39:26-27).

We see that in all things, great and small, God is in control. God's hand cares for all things.

After two chapters of unanswerable questions, God comes to Job in chapter 40 and asks "Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it" (Job 40:2). Job had no answer but to say "I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth." Job could not answer, Job had to see how small he was in comparison to God.

God again tells Job one more time to put on his big boy pants and this time, not just to answer some questions, but this time to do God's job for Him. If you really want to question God, He will look at you and say "you think you could do better?" Notice this "if you can" inquiry:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said, "Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. "Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? "Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His? "Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity, And clothe yourself with honor and majesty. "Pour out the overflowings of your anger, And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low. "Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him, And tread down the wicked where they stand. "Hide them in the dust together; Bind them in the hidden place. "Then I will also confess to you, That your own right hand can save you. (Job 40:6-14)

Do you want to annul God's judgment and condemn Him so that you might be justified. Are you really sure that your way is the best way? He then challenges Job to an arm wrestling match and then voice comparison. If you can Job, just try to adorn yourself with eminence and dignity. Why don't you try, by your own power, to clothe yourself with honor and majesty. Job does not have the power and complete control over the destination of the wicked like God does, but God challenges Job to try. Then and only then would God have to confess to Job. However, that confession would only be that Job can save himself from his trouble.

God's plan is complete, perfect, and is exactly what needs to be done. Who am I to condemn God so that I could get my way. I do not have an arm or a voice like His. I do not know the entire plan like He does. I cannot obtain righteousness, eminence, dignity, honor or majesty without God. I need God's salvation, grace, and mercy in my life. Who am I to turn around and demand answers from Him?

The Lord never tells Job why anything happened to him. Instead, he questioned  Job  and in beautiful detail He reminded Job that there was so much more to His plan  than what Job could possibly imagine. Job was not there when God put all things into motion. Job couldn't see the big picture. He had no grounds on which to argue with God.  God's reply to his servant Job reminds me that God does not answer to me and I do not have the big picture. He is aware of all things, great and small, because He is the Creator of all things (Job 38-42), He declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), knows and wants what is best for His children (Mathew 6:25-34), and is the giver of every perfect gift (James 1:17). That should be enough.

God did bless Job. He not only became wealthy again, he was given far more than he had before. Job also went on to have ten more children. Even so, Job still went through a great loss. Those first children were never brought back to him. I will likely have more children, but my Joses will never be brought back to me. He is gone until I meet him after I die. We are never told that God explained to Job why those children had to die. In the past several thousands of years, who knows how many people have found comfort in Job's story. Yes, Job had great pain when he lost his children, but it is mind blowing to think about how much that event has impacted the world.

 I'm realizing that I have a very small viewing window of God's purpose and how he uses his servants.  I only have glimpses of how God has used Joses' life.  Just as I don't know how far God has and will make Joses' life reach, I also don't know why God allowed Joses to leave this Earth when He did. I do  know that for eternity, my son is in God's care and there is no greater joy than that (III John 1:4).

I don't know why. Only God knows His purpose for Joses. All I know is God is the giver of all good gifts and my sweet son is a good gift. May God use my life and my son's death for His eternal purpose.