The Voice in the Mountains
Voices we all hear them. There have been times voices have
had a dramatic impact in our lives and on our world. I began thinking the other day about how
one vote or how even one voice has made a difference.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1775 Americans’ chose English over German as the official language of America.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1801 Thomas Jefferson
won the Presidency of the United States over Aaron Burr when the election was
thrown into the House of Representatives.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1824 John Quincy Adams
became President in a deadlock between himself and Andrew Jackson.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1868 President Andrew Johnson was saved from impeachment.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes won the Presidency of the United States over Samuel J. Tilden when the states of Louisiana, Florida, Oregon, and South Carolina were deadlocked.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1876 France transitioned from a monarchy to a republic.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1923 Adolph Hitler won leadership and
control of the Nazi party.
BY ONE VOTE: In 1982 the House election was decided in Maine and
Massachusetts.
What about one voice? Well if we begin our search on
significant voices in the Bible. Well, we have to voice of Jesus, Peter, Paul,
and John who come to mind first.
As we narrow our focus to the Old Testament, we have the
voices of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah,
and David to name a few. When we consider the first written book
of the Bible there are significant voices promoting their point of view. I am
not talking about the book Genesis; I am talking about the first written book
in the Bible which is Job. Here, are some interesting facts about the book of
Job:
§
The book of Job is one of only two books in the
Bible whose author is not defined, the other book is Hebrews.
§
The book of Job does not mention the
Nation of Israel.
§
The book of Job mentions Adam, which is evidence
the story of Adam and Eve was recognized long before Moses’ birth and the book
of Genesis was written (Job 31:33).
§
The book of Job mentions air has weight; however,
science did not discover this until the 1600s (Job 28:25).
§
The book of Job mentions light waves and radio
waves. This wasn’t discovered by science until 1864 (Job 38:35).
§
The book of Job mentions the ocean contains springs (Job 38:16).
The existence of water springs in the oceans was not discovered by scientists
until 1970.
§ In the book of Job, we read Job is the only human being to ever have been bragged about by GOD (Job 1:8, and 2:3).
The first several times I read the book of Job I was completely lost. As I reflected on Job and everything, he went through there is a substantial amount of details. I derived the idea to break the book into sections, and since I love to write I aligned it with the parts of a play.
There are essentially five parts to a play script:
§ The
exposition- the beginning setting the stage.
§ The
dialogue- while the plot is as a backbone of the play script, the
dialogues are like ribs supporting the whole story.
§ The
conflict- this occurs between key characters in the play. These events
help bring the plot to a significant point, or rising action.
§ The
complications- they are effects that make the conflict even more
exciting.
§ The
climax- this is when the dispute goes to the peak or highest point.
For me when I aligned the book
of Job with the five parts of a play script this enabled me to have a better
grasp of the story. In essence, Job is an essay on the essence of suffering.
We begin with the
exposition (Job Chapter 1-2) -The book starts with GOD and Satan discussing Job, a “perfect
and upright” man who “feared God and eschewed evil” (1:1). Satan
expresses to GOD, Job is only
virtuous because he is well off; were he to suffer, (challenging GOD) Job
would surely “curse thee to thy face” (1:11). GOD accepts the challenge and gives Satan
permission to bring suffering into Job’s life. Satan causes calamity in
Job’s life by killing his children, servants, losing all livestock, and
bankrupts him. Job remains firm in his faith. Therefore, Satan next challenges GOD if Job were to lose his health, he
would curse GOD. Only with the permission of GOD is Satan
permitted to afflict Job with boils “from the sole of his foot to the crown of
his head.” Job’s wife says to him, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity?
curse God and die” (2:9).
We now move to the
dialogue (Job Chapter 3-37)- The story then stops being a narrative and
takes a philosophical tone. Job stands firm until his friends arrive on the
scene concluding Job has sinned. The premise is based upon three questions:
1.
Is GOD
just?
2.
Has GOD
established the universe upon the principle of Justice?
3.
How is Job’s suffering to be explained?
The first three friends who speak are Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, each in turn, declaring all reward and punishment comes from GOD who is just. Job is being punished; therefore, Job must have sinned. A fourth friend then enters the story Elihu (younger than the other three), who accuses Job as well Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Some Biblical scholars suspect Elihu to be a later addition to the book, mostly because while the first three friends are mentioned in the introduction, Elihu appears from nowhere. Yet, this is not uncommon in the Bible when we consider Melchisedek who simply appears in the Bible as part of the narrative yet remaining in context throughout the entire scriptures. Job denies sinning and calls on the heavens to testify on his behalf.
Eliphaz
represents the condescending voice of criticism, and condemnation declaring GOD is just.
Bildad
represents the imposing voice of repentance and restoration declaring GOD is just.
Zophar represents
the angry voice of judgment, and justice declaring sin last for but a season affirming
GOD is just.
Elihu
represents the voice of the supremacy of GOD
declaring good people suffer as a warning to avoid sin in the future, or to
build character needed for the path ahead. Suffering can teach you lessons that
nothing else can teach.
Job wants answers, in fact, he demands answers. Job protests
to GOD of his orchestrating
all injustice in the world and demands GOD
come to explain the injustice. Just before GOD
shows up in a whirlwind Elihu the youngest of Job’s friends speaks rebuking the
other three and Job for justifying himself rather than GOD. Elihu’s speech is followed by GOD breaking HIS silence to directly answer Job ultimately
condemning Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Elihu is not mentioned again but,
significantly, he is not rebuked by GOD.
This prompts the question of how can we work through suffering,
pain, and loss with no fear of being rebuked by GOD?
§
First, we must realize suffering will come so we
need to prepare for the unexpected. If you have your Bibles please turn to, or
on if you have an App (1 Peter 4:12–13) “Beloved, do not be surprised at the
fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange
were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings,
that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
§ This
leads us to prepare ourselves spiritually. Now let’s look at (2 Peter 3:14-18)
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
§
Ultimately, we need to step out in Faith, and
Trust JESUS living the scripture. And now please turn to (2 Timothy 2: 15-18)
“Do your best
to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid
godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more
ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene…”
Why does GOD ask Job these questions? I believe GOD ask these questions is to cause Job to
realize everything comes down to one solution…for the Glory of GOD. And only Christians can understand
the solution, it is not vital for me, or you to understand GOD’s providence. Life is hard and often
unfair, and life will drive us to our knees. You may ask why; all I can say is
from the position of prayer by bowing, kneeling, and reaching up it is easier to
lift our eyes to heaven and seek GOD.
GOD then
challenges Job to trust in the wisdom and character of GOD. It is then when Job responds in
humility and repentance (verse 10) which in turn GOD
responds. “And the LORD
turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends...” GOD approves of Job’s wrestling with his
suffering and seeking answers for life’s unexpected, and often underserved
trials. Did you hear it? Job was captive, and Freedom only is granted after
repentance.
I have stood at the graves of too many to count. I have been called to family’s where a child has died from cancer. I have lost friends from suicide and seen Godly people suffer…and I still can only say GOD knows, cares, and desires you and me like Job to seek the voice in the mountain, and that voice is the LORD so we must seek HIM in our prayers. There are some that may never find peace when suffering, and trials arrive.
In a former church, I taught the High School Sunday School. One of my former students met and fell in love with the love of his life. We will call his name John and his wife Susan. John would marry Susan and from this blessed union they would have a beautiful girl two years later they would name Jordan. Then Susan began to be winded very easily. The family decided to have tests run, and to everyone’s surprise, the news came back Susan's lungs were failing, and she needed an immediate double lung transplant. We were all hopeful at 22 years of age she was on the top of the list for a transplant. We all prayed and expected healing. However, this was not to be, for in three months we buried Susan and John has never found peace and understanding how his wife's life was cut short. . All I do know is Jordan was raised in the church, has a family of her own with three children and to this day remains an active member in the Body of Christ. The only peace I have found when unexpected tragedy arrives, is from an old church praise song by Kirk Franklin.
Returning to the book of Job we arrive at the climax (Job
Chapter 42) - In the storm Job sees the blessing and humbly realizes he has no
right to question GOD’s divine
providence. GOD tells Job the
right way to process suffering, and the countless life questions is through
prayer. The book concludes with Job’s restoration, not as a reward, but as a
blessing. When we search for reasons for suffering, pains, and trials we tend
to simplify GOD like Eliphaz,
Bildad, and Zophar. Or worse we accuse GOD with limited knowledge like Job. Therefore, the
book of Job challenges us to bring our suffering, pain, and life questions
trusting GOD has a divine
purpose.
I love to hear the story behind the story. Now this will
date me. I am talking about radio personality Paul Harvey’s “and now you know
the rest of the story.” Growing up I loved to sing the song “It is well with my
soul”. I want to challenge you to look up the circumstances which prompted Horatio
G. Spafford to write the powerful song. Another song I love is by the
contemporary Christian group Mercy Me entitled “Even If”. Before
I share the words to this powerful song, please allow me to share the rest of
the story. Bart Millard and his wife have five children. Their first child was
born with a chronic illness. This would mean countless trips to the Hospital.
It was during their first sixth-month checkup Bart encountered a church member
who asked about how the family was doing and then said, “We are praying
for healing for your son.” This angered Bart because this was not
something new, which they had not thought of. It was this questioning, this
anger, and the feeling of hopelessness which caused Bart to look up to Jesus and write the song “Even If”, the
words to the song are:
I do not know what you are facing today. GOD may choose to move that mountain, and He may choose not to as in the case of my friend John and Susan. I can say even if GOD does not move that mountain GOD loves you, GOD cares for you, and GOD will never leave you, and this is the message of Job.
This got me thinking about the mountains before Job, myself, and perhaps mountains some of you may be facing. These mountains are a sort of test. So, with pen in hand I wrote a poem I entitled Mountains.
Mountains
Remembering the day my life began
Thru misadventures, and being misled
Now with age, I view life’s tender span
Of restless foothills which lie ahead
Oh, the dismal nights I haven’t slept
In penitence tears vainly hoping
Over dark and gloomy nights, I wept
Before mountains constantly probing
Yet, climbing whittles away all pride
Preparing the broken to yield and pray
To Heaven’s guide, I once denied
Redeemed to follow come what may
Saved from death I now ponder why
Vagabonds still search amid despair
Quietly hopin’ before the final goodbye
Who will take God’s WORD to share?
Across humanities Great Divide
Of life’s impending vicious wrath
Hallelujah, JESUS love hath supplied
Grace over mountain’s perilous path
Behold the lost, does anybody care?
How the astray are falling in canyons
By Satan’s mighty widening
snare
Seizing souls to harvest and ransom
Yet, JESUS still
calls HIS
disciples
To pause in life’s climb, and witness
In the valleys, and up mountain trials
Becoming salvation’s Divine Litmus
Soli Deo Gloria
Yes, the book of Job teaches many life lessons which apply yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The book of Job is as relevant today as the day it was first pinned. For me the greatest lessons from the book of Job are:
§
Troubles in life will certainly come when we least
expect it to create feelings of dejection, doubt, and duplicity.
§
Untested faith is inconsequential. Deep and
abiding faith is tempered through the forge of grace.
§ It is our moments of struggle which define us, and how we handle them is what matters.
