Good and Bad Theology Mixed - Thoughts on Job 1-10

Job is a study in contrasts.  As Job and his friends try to come to grips with the awful tragedies that have fallen on Job, they make a lot of claims and statements concerning what they believe about God.  Some of these statements are spot on and full of wisdom.  And, frankly, some of them are just harmful.

For instance, consider the words of Eliphaz about God:  "He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety."  Or these words by Job:  "Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God? If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?"

Though these thoughts don't provide adequate answers to the cries of Job's heart, they do speak accurately about God and His plan and power.  If you think through some of these statements, they do eventually provide comfort in knowing that, no matter how things are going, God can be trusted because He is powerful and He is good.

But, on the other hand, both Job and his friends had their views of God tainted by an ancient prosperity theology.  They believed that God always rewarded the righteous with riches and health and God always punished the wicked with poverty and sickness.

Again, Eliphaz provides a perfect example of this damaging theology:  "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of His anger they are consumed."

The view of this ancient group of people was exactly the same as the view of the modern health and wealth teachers.  If you are going through trouble it is obviously because you have sinned and God is punishing you.  If things are going well, it is because you are righteous and God rewards the righteous.

The truth is, we don't always know why God allows us to go through suffering.  We can take some biblical principles and apply them to our situation, but, as we will see in the story of Job, God doesn't answer to us.  Sometimes, we have to just trust that He knows what is best and will bring about a greater end than we do.  We definitely shouldn't put God in a box like these prosperity teachers and blame the victim all the time.  Sometimes, we do sin and face punishment directly for our sin (see Galatians 6:7-8).  But, sometimes our suffering has nothing to do with anything we have done and has everything to do with God's secret plan of bringing about our holiness in the long-term.