Job: When Life Doesn't Make Sense--God

As with many books of Scripture, the most fascinating and important character is not the one the book is named after (in this case, Job) but rather the mysterious and hidden God who works through the other characters. As previously mentioned, the driving question of this book is posed by the Satan in 1:9-11. Much of Job’s story is about testing this hypothesis that people will only serve God for selfish reasons. However, there is another test being conducted…Job’s test of God.

Throughout this book, we’re forced to wrestle with theodicy (this is just a word that means, “If God is (1) all powerful; and (2) all loving; then why is there so much unjust suffering in the world?) Job wishes to put God to the test and demands answer for why this has come upon him. The counselors—fearful of having God put to the test—turn the situation back on Job and examine him. They pronounce Job to be responsible for all of his own sufferings and God to be blameless. Often, when people question why God allows terrible things to happen, we fall back into responses like those of the counselors (e.g., God didn’t really do it…He didn’t want it to happen…etc.) While those things may be true, they don’t evade the central problem that if God is, in fact, all powerful (and we believe He is) then He could stop evil. He could at least, stop little children from being molested (for example).

There is no easy way to solve the problem of theodicy. That’s another of the main points of Job. In fact, we cannot solve the problem at all. As Job learns, all we can do is have faith in God that despite the seeming victory of evil, in the end His will is being worked for all Creation…and that it is a gracious will. We can have no guarantee. We can have no binding legal contract with God for, as Job says, “Who can bring the Almighty to court?” In the end, the only assurance we can have that God will be there for us is His own word that He will be so. That’s just going to have to be good enough…because that’s all there is.

You will note, that Job never receives answer to the question, “Why did this happen to me.” What he receives, instead, is a visit and a vindication from God. The thing that Job needed most was not an answer…but his God. At times in life, we come to the place where words and explanations and rationality are useless. They have done all they can. At those times, there is nothing left to lean on except faith and one’s experience of fellowship with God.

The end of the dialogue [in chapter 28] teaches that people cannot find wisdom, whose dwelling place is known only to God, [except] in the fear of God; thus, this hymn judges the counsel of the comforters as lacking in wisdom…In the epilogue God will confirm this…by saying that the three friends have not spoken about Him rightly. (42:7-9)

Job also knows that in court he must have a witness to testify on his behalf, a witness more credible than the condemning testimony of his body. At this point, Job’s faith in God rises above his experience of suffering leading him to declare that God is his Witness (16:19), even his Redeemer (19:25-7), Whose testimony will vindicate him. Still, his pain terrorizes him and his dread is compounded by God’s silence. Finally, his confidence in his own innocence and God’s justice drives him to take a desperate course that will force God to act: He swears an avowal of innocence (chs. 29-31). Now God must answer him; for God to remain silent would be to concede Job’s claim to innocence.

Addressing Job, God affirms that He has structured the world exactly according to His blueprints (38:4-8). With this metaphor He claims that He has built justice into the structure of the universe. Moreover, God asserts that no corner of the world is outside His authority (38:16-24), thereby refuting any theory that injustice and suffering exist because God is in a struggle with a strong foe…God brings Job to realize that no human being has a proper perspective to judge the course of matters in the universe, let alone to accuse God of acting unjustly. The foundation of God’s argument in His speeches is that power and wisdom (justice) are one in the Supreme Ruler of the universe.

Awed by God’s majesty and overwhelmed that God in grace reasons with him, Job surrenders his complaint against God, realizing that a person must surrender even his rights to God because God is Lord. In yielding himself to God Job reveals beyond any doubt that he serves God out of love, not for material gain or prestige…In praise of God Job confesses, “I had heard You with my ears, but now my eyes have seen You.” (42:5). Clearly the author finds the profoundest personal answer to undeserved suffering to reside in the divine-human encounter. That God both appears to Job and speaks with him means that Job’s encounter is more than a mystical experience with a numinous force; it is a meeting with the personal God. God’s presence authenticates Job, drawing him out of his self-love to focus his affection on God. Job gladly abandons the complaints against God, conscious of the fact that he can trust God in His grace to accomplish that which is worthwhile from his undeserved suffering.
--[John E. Hartley, The Book of Job (NICOT series), (Eerdmans, 1998), 44-5, 49-50]

Job: When Life Doesn't Make Sense--the counselors

In our first lesson we looked at the person of Job. The second lesson focused on the role of the satan in this story. Today, we’ll consider the group of characters who are sometimes called Job’s “friends,” “comforters,” or “counselors.”

What kind of guys are they?
How do they try to help/guide Job?

You…have given no help. You have seen my calamity, and you are afraid. – Job 6:21

Why would Job tell his “counselors” that they were afraid? What were they afraid of?

If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do. Listen to my charge; pay attention to my arguments. Are you defending God with lies? Do you make your dishonest arguments for His sake? Will you slant your testimony in His favor? Will you argue God’s case for Him? What will happen when He finds out what you are doing? -- Job 13:5-9

Job says that the counselors are defending God “with lies”? What were those lies?

What are some ways that people today try to defend God with lies and dishonest arguments? How do they rationalize their behavior?

Since they place their system of belief above their compassion for their troubled friend, their exhortations to repentance become a temptation by encouraging Job to seek God for reward, not for God Himself.

Because of their rigid understanding of [the doctrine that the righteous are always blessed and the wicked are always punished, the “counselors”] can only explain Job’s suffering as the result of some sin that he has committed. Then the only solution they can offer to him is the way of repentance. Because they encourage Job to repent primarily to escape his suffering and to receive God’s blessing, they unsuspectingly tempt him to use God for personal gain, the essence of sin. Therefore, if Job followed their counsel, he would confirm the Satan’s proposition that human beings are totally self-serving in their worship of God. [John Hartley, The Book of Job, NICOT series, (Eerdmans, 1988), 44, 48-9]

Job: When Life Doesn't Make Sense--the satan

Review
What is the main point of Job?
What did we learn about the man, Job last week?

Where does the Satan first appear in the story of Job?
Does his presence in the heavenly assembly seem odd to you?

Every time Satan is mentioned in the book of Job, he is referred to literally in Hebrew as “the satan.” In other words, the term appears in Job more as a title than a personal name.

What significance (if any) do you think there might be in the author of Job calling this character “the satan.”

The word “satan” is employed in two ways in the OT.
1. On the one hand, it describes the activity of a political foe bent on overthrowing the king (2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kings 11:14, 23, 25)
2. On the other hand, it refers to one who, like a prosecuting attorney, brings charges against another in court (Ps. 109:6, Zech. 3:1-2). Many scholars have taken this lead and posited that this figure was patterned after the court life of a large empire…[Some see this as imagery drawn from the Persian emperor’s use of] secret servants who toured the realm at random to discern the allegiance and behavior of the people and especially of various officials.

Some scholars conjecture that the Satan may be the prosecuting attorney of the heavenly council. If this view is correct, his task on earth was to discover human sins and failures and to bring his findings before the heavenly assembly.

What do you think? Does “the satan” seem more like (1) a servant performing a job assigned to him, or (2) the enemy of God as portrayed in the New Testament? Is there any way to reconcile these views?

Even if one buys into the notion that “the satan” was performing a role given him by God, his behavior in the text seems already to be exceeding his legitimate authority. Instead of uncovering disruptive plans, he acts as a troublemaker, a disturber of the kingdom. He…doubted what God affirmed [i.e., that Job was a good and honest man who served God with integrity] and sternly resisted persuasion to a different viewpoint. In the second scene before [God] the Satan would not even debate the issue of Job’s integrity, but rather denied it in an impudent style by challenging God with verbs in the imperative.

In 1:11 we find the satan essentially arguing with God about Job’s integrity and his reasons for fearing God. The satan consistently asserts that no one fears God for nothing…that if God were ever to take back all the blessings he had given Job, the self-serving basis of Job’s loyalty would be revealed. Whereas Job continually feared that one of his children might have cursed God in his heart,(1:5) the satan projected that Job would become so angry he would curse God to his face. (1:11; 2:4)

If the satan was a servant of God, he was a rebellious and impudent one.

Conclusion:
The most important thing about the satan in the book of Job is not the character himself, but the question he raises. “Will a person serve God for nothing?” What about you? Are you willing to honor and worship God solely because He is God…to give your life for Him whether you get anything in return or not? While it’s probably true that most of us come to God out of self interest (i.e., we either don’t want to go to Hell, or we really want to go to Heaven) the story of Job reveals a better way…a godlier way…for us to live.

What about you, would you serve God for nothing?

Job: When Life Doesn't Make Sense--Job

I suspect you’ve all heard of Job before. What can you tell me about him?

As near as we can tell, the text of Job is perhaps the oldest book in the Bible. (Some believe it was the first Scripture ever given by God.) It follows the life of a non-Jewish man named Job. The book calls Job a “man from the East.” This has led some people to assume that he was an Edomite, a Persian, or perhaps an Arab. There’s really no way to know for sure. It is important, however, to realize that he wasn’t a Jew.

Why do you think this might be important?

There’s a reason we’re studying Job now. As you recall, we just finished our study of Proverbs. Proverbs formed one of the foundational guides for life that young Israelite men were given. Yet, Proverbs—for all its wisdom—is not the only book of the Bible. There are 65 others meant to complement or, in the case of Job, challenge what we learned from Proverbs. Perhaps the most fundamental challenge to Proverbs in all of Scripture is the book of Job.

Why do you suppose that is? What would be a point of fundamental difference between Job and Proverbs?

I would suggest to you that the key passage for understanding the book of Job is the challenge posed to God in 1:9-11

Job’s story begins with this statement: There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. (Job. 1:1-2) This sentiment is repeated twice more by God Himself (1:8 and 2:3)

Dwell on this comment a moment. Let it sink it. Could anyone say this about you? Could you say this about anyone you know? Have you even heard about someone like this (who isn’t already in the Bible)?

Job was apparently a devoted and caring father. He looked after their spiritual as well as their physical welfare. We’re told in 1:4-5 that: Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

Integrity is something Job is known for. Twice God spoke of Job’s integrity (1:8 and 2:3). Eliphaz too initially tried to encourage Job to take heart because of his life of integrity (4:6)

What does the word “integrity” mean?
Job’s wife asked him if he really meant to retain his integrity in 2:8. What did she mean by this? What was Job doing (or not doing) that maintained his integrity?

Despite all of this, for much of the story, Job is basically suicidal. Consider the following passages:
· Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night that I was conceived… 3:3-26
· Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my desire. I wish He would reach out His hand and kill me. 6:8-9
· O God, remember that my life is but a breath, and I will never again feel happiness…I hate my life and don’t want to go on living. Oh, leave me alone for my few remaining days. 7:7,16

In the final analysis, this is the Job we’re confronted with in Scripture:

Job, a man of great faith and flawless character, suffers deeply in every dimension of his existence—physical, social, spiritual, and emotional. These dimensions, to be sure, are intertwined in human experience and can be separated only for purposes of discussion. In the physical realm Job loses his vast wealth and all his children in a single day (1:13-14). In these events Job suffers from both the suddenness and the totality of his losses. A little later he is struck down by a dreaded disease (2:8-10). In the social dimension Job, the noblest elder of his community, is alienated from his family and friends as he sits in shame on an ash heap outside the city’s walls (2:7-8; 19:13-19). There the crowds, even the lowest rabble, scorn him as they make him the subject of their taunt songs (16:10; 30:1-15). Since even those who have come to console him turn against him, he feels the treachery of disloyal friends (6:14-23). Spiritually God’s silence terrifies Job (23:8, 9, 15). God’s apparent hostility leads him to imagine that God is a capricious despot, who delights in afflicting his servant (cf. 6:4; 7:17-19; 19:25). Troubled on all sides, Job feels the range of disturbed emotions: troubled thoughts (7:4, 13-14), uncertainty (9:20), rejection and hostility (10:3; 12:4), fear (9:28), dismay (21:6), loneliness (19:13-19), distaste for life (9:2), i.e., the lack of any sense of inner tranquility (3:26). John Hartley, The Book of Job (NICOT), (Eerdmans, 1988), 47-8.

Job Webliography

In preparation for our series on Job, I'm putting up a list of links/videos to additional resources I think might be worthwhile. If you know of any other useful material on Job you'd like to recommend I add to the webliography, please contact me via the comments section at the end of this post.

1. Theodicies in the Book of Job

2. The Book of Job Criticism

3. The Book of Job in MP3 Audio Format

4.

5. Audio of Alistair Begg's Sermon: Why Suffering?

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 26-31

Prov. 26:2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
· Explain the imagery of this proverb.

Prov. 26:7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
· What does this mean?

Prov. 27:11 Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad. Then I will be able to answer my critics.
· And what will that answer be? What might the critics charge?

Prov. 27:14 A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!
· What’s this proverb trying to say?

Prov. 27:21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.
· What do you think this means?

Prov. 27:23-27 Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation. After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears and the mountain grasses are gathered in, your sheep will provide wool for clothing, and your goats will provide the price of a field. And you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself, your family, and your servant girls.
· What is the point of this proverb?
· How do you think it applies to you today?

The Sayings of Agur
Prov. 30:24-28 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer. Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks. Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation. Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.
· Why all this talk about animals? What do they have to do with being wise?
· Any ideas on what lesson we’re supposed to get from the lizard?

Prov. 30:29-31 There are three things that walk with stately stride—no, four that strut about: the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything; the strutting rooster; the male goat; and a king as he leads his army.
· Why does Agur say, “There are three things…no, four…”
· Why is the king leading an army mentioned last?
· So what is the overall point of this proverb?

Sayings of King Lemuel (and his momma)
Prov. 31:2-9 O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and the helpless, and see that they get justice.
· What is the overall idea here? What’s this proverb about?
· What did Lemuel’s momma mean when she said “women ruin kings?”
· What did Lemuel’s momma say about alcohol? What were her reasons?
· In what ways can the church “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves?”

Prov. 31:10-31 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes. She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
· Broadly-speaking, there are two things this passage could be about. What are they?
· What things make this woman so attractive…so “good"?

A Call for Reader Input

As we're nearing the close of our study in Proverbs, I'm preparing for Job and Ecclesiastes. Last week, I asked students in my Sunday AM class for input on changes they'd like to see with regard to format, presentation, content, etc. And decided that I'd like to solicit similar input from readers of the blog.

Do you have any particular suggestions regarding the format you'd like to see in these postings?

I notice that the N.T. Wright video I posted received several views rather quickly. Would you like to see more videos on the blog?

Following the completion of this study of the Wisdom Literature, are there any particular topics/books of the Bible you'd like to see addressed on the blog?

I am honored and humbled that you take the time to read this blog. I want it to be as much of a blessing to you as it possibly can be. For that reason, I hope you will share any suggestions/requests you might have.

Be blessed, my friends!

N.T. Wright on Gnosticism

A friend of mine posted this video from YouTube and I thought it was so good and relevant, I would repost it here. Enjoy!

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 21-25

Prov. 21:9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. [see also: Prov. 21:19 and 25:24]
· What’s the main point of this proverb?

Prov. 22:7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
· How is this proverb illustrated today?

Prov. 22:10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.
· Does “throwing out the mocker” strike you as a Christian response? Why or why not?

Prov. 22:11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.
· What does this mean?
· Which king is he talking about?

Prov. 22:13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!”
· What do you think the point of this proverb is?

Prov. 24:3-4 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
· What does it meant to “build a house”?
· What other ways do people try to build their houses?

Prov. 24:10 If you fail under pressure, your strength is small.
· What’s the message for us?

Prov. 24:11-12 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and He sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
· What’s the basic point?
· How can you fulfill this command individually?
· How can we as a church?

Prov. 24:27 Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
· Do you understand?
Prov. 24:28-9 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them. And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!”
· Is there any reason these proverbs are stuck right next to each other?

Prov. 24:30-34 I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
· What’s the point of this?

Prov. 25:3 No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, or all that goes on in the king’s mind!
· What are some possible meanings of this proverb?

Prov. 25:18 Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.
· The ancient rabbis saw slander as a violation of the commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.”

Greasing the Wheels or Sleazing the Deals?

Proverbs explicitly speaks of bribes no fewer than five times (15:27; 17:8, 23; 21:14; 29:4). The potentially disturbing thing for believers is that three times the book takes a decidedly negative perspective on bribes:

Greed brings grief to the whole family,but those who hate bribes will live. Prov. 15:27

The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice. Prov. 17:23

A just king gives stability to his nation,but one who demands bribes destroys it. Prov. 29:4

while the remaining two passages seem to encourage their use:

A bribe is like a lucky charm;whoever gives one will prosper! Prov. 17:8

A secret gift calms anger;a bribe under the table pacifies fury. Prov. 21:14

This is an instance where we do well to remember two things: (1) the "general" nature of Proverbs, and (2) the importance of context. Regarding the first point, regular readers should be familiar with the metaphor of Proverbs as "a floodlight, not a spotlight." In other words, the book offers us advice that is usually right...but not always. The proverbs are meant to be understood as if they are right most of the time--but not as immutable truths to be applied always and equally in all situations. Proverbs teaches contextual ethics.

This leads us directly into consideration of the different contexts in these five proverbs. The first three (i.e., those condemning bribery) seem to be focused on condemning those in positions of authority who accept bribes. The latter two proverbs (i.e., those that seem more accepting of bribery) are focused upon the wisdom of offering bribes.

It seems to me that there's a significant difference between acknowledging that something is effective, and affirming that it ought to be effective. I think Proverbs is just giving us straightforward advice: it's a bad idea to start accepting bribes because you're putting someone else in control of you when you do so...on the other hand, it may not be such a bad idea to offer bribes in order to get what you want. Sometimes, the bribe may even be a way of encouraging bad rulers to do good things. It reminds me of a discourse the late Milton Friedman had on the issue of how to clean up Congress.

A Fate Worse Than Singleness

It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. (Prov. 21:9)

It’s better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife. (Prov. 21:19)

It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. (Prov. 25:24)

Obviously, these proverbs speak to the repeated importance of relationships. It’s always struck me as a little surprising that, despite the rising divorce rate and the fact that virtually everyone has either been burned by a toxic relationship or knows a close friend/family member who has, people keep getting married. A negative secularist view might say this is because we’re all stupid, or the oppressive power of religious taboo is so powerful it continues to exert the pressure to marry, or some such rot.

I rather think it’s because most people simply crave healthy relationships—even if we don’t know how to recognize them. Even if we’re the ones responsible for making relationships toxic, that doesn’t diminish our desire to have someone who will love, affirm, and accept us in spite of who we are.

Such a desperate longing for love can be inspiring, but without at least a modicum of cool rationality such desperation can lead to terribly tragic decisions. When I was younger and experiencing some of those consequences, a good friend told me, “You know, there are worse things in life than being single…like being married to the wrong person, for example.”

The watchword Proverbs would give us for today is: discretion. Look before you leap. If you think you love someone, take the time to be certain you’re loving with your mind as well as your heart. Contrary to popular belief, covenants (such as marriage) that are lightly entered into cannot be exited without serious long-term consequences. Remember, there are worse things than being single.

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 16-20

Marriage and Family
Prov. 17:6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
Prov. 17:21 It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
Prov. 17:25 Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
Prov. 18:22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD.
Prov. 19:13 A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
Prov. 19:14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.
Prov. 19:18 Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
Prov. 19:26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
Prov. 20:11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
Prov. 20:20 If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.

· What is the Bible (particularly, the OT) perspective on how to deal with those who bring grief to the family? Do you think this is still valid?
· The New Testament often speaks of the church as a “family.” In what ways do the family principles of Proverbs apply to the church?

Chapter 16
Prov. 16:26 It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.
· What do you think of this? Does it sound cruel?
· In what ways has life given you an “empty stomach”?

Prov. 16:32 Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
· Why?

Chapter 17
Prov. 17:8 A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
· So…is God saying we should bribe people? [see also: Prov. 17:23 and 18:16]
· What are some ways in which we “bribe” people today…but may not think of it as wrong or as bribery?

Prov. 17:19 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.
· What do the first and second parts of this proverb have to do with each other?

Chapter 18
Prov. 18:17 The first to speak in courts sounds right—until the cross-examination begins.
· What lesson are you supposed to get from this?

Prov. 18:18 Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful opponents.
· What do you think is the main point of this proverb?

Chapter 19
Prov. 19:2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.
· How is this relevant to you?

Prov. 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
· How does this fit with what we read in 16:3?

Chapter 20
Prov. 20:4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
· Notice, it’s not enough simply to be willing to plow…you have to plow in the right season.
· How might that idea relate to our lives?

Prov. 20:21 An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
· Are there any biblical examples? (Prodigal Son – Lk. 15:11-32)

Prov. 20:28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
· What is the real basis of authority?
· What is it that makes God, “God”?

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 11-15

Review
If you boil Proverbs down to two choices, what would you say they are?

What does it mean to describe Proverbs as “a floodlight” rather than “a spotlight”?

Speech
Prov. 10:19-21; 11:9, 12-13; 12:6, 26; 13:2-3; 17:27-28; 18:4, 20; 20:15

What light does James 1:26; 3:1-12 shed on the topic of speech?

Have you ever considered how God created the world in the first place; or how when Isaac was tricked into offering his blessing to Jacob, he could offer no blessing for Esau? (Gen. 27:1-37)

How would you summarize Proverbs’ teaching/perspective on wise words?

Do you think that our society respects the power of words? Why or why not?

Wealth & Work
Prov. 11:4, 15, 18, 24, 28; 12:11, 14, 24; 13:4, 7-8, 11, 22-23; 14:20, 23-24, 31; 15:16, 27; 16:8; 17:1; 18:9, 11; 19:4, 15, 17, 24; 20:13

How would you sum up Proverbs’ teaching on wealth? Is it a gift from God, or the result of your own hard labor? Is wealth good or bad?

Chapter 13
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Prov. 13:20 [see also Prov. 14:7]
· How is this relevant to your life?

Chapter 14
Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. Prov. 14:4
· What does that mean?

Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. Prov. 14:10
· What does this mean?
· Why would it be important for people to remember this?

Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains. Prov. 14:13
· Why do you think God wants us to face this reality?

Chapter 15
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but He delights in the prayers of the upright. Prov. 15:8
· What’s the difference between sacrifice and prayer?
· How is this relevant today?

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 6-10

Chapter Six
What situation is Solomon addressing in 6:1-5? Why does he think it’s so dangerous?





Proverbs directs us to “consider the ant, and be wise…” (6:6-8) Why do you think Proverbs uses this sort of “animal example”? Is it merely an illustration point, or is there something deeper…something more profound that Proverbs is attempting to say about Creation? (Consider this question in light of 3:19-20; 8:22-31)

Good article on bestiaries






Chapter Seven
What is the seventh chapter about? Why do you think so?
· You’ll notice a lot of talk in Proverbs centering upon sexual relationships. Proverbs repeatedly calls its readers (whom it presumes to be young men) to avoid the immoral woman and instead remain faithful to the wives of their youth. While on one level these passages are to be taken literally (at least I think so), there is also a symbolic level at work. The overall message of Proverbs seems to be that there are two paths to choose from: the path of wisdom, or that of folly. These “two ways” are personified by women. Scholars typically refer to these personas as Lady Wisdom and Dame Folly. (Notice the comparison between 8:11 and 31:10)

Assuming this is accurate, why do you suppose God would have chosen to use women as the personification of the two ways?


Chapter Eight and Nine
Lady Wisdom and Dame Folly make their respective pleas to men. Do you notice anything about how Wisdom & Folly make their pleas? (9:3, 14)? Also, notice the difference in the length of Wisdom’s cry versus Folly’s (8:1-9:12; 9:13-18) Do you suppose there could be any significance to this?






Chapter Ten
How true do you think 10:3-4 are? Is this a message that our culture reinforces, or one that it challenges? Why do you say so?





How do we reconcile these verses with the biblical commands to care for the poor?





What is the meaning of 10:15 and 16?





What do you suppose is the relationship between the people in 10:17 and those in 10:4, 16?



How does 10:19-21 impact your understanding of 10:18? Does all this talk about the power of words remind you of anything in the New Testament?
· Bring in James 1:26; 3:1-12. Also, have you ever considered how God created the world in the first place? Or how when Isaac was tricked into offering his blessing to Jacob, he could offer no blessing for Esau? (Gen. 27:1-37)

Do you think that our society respects the power of words? Why or why not?

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 1 - 5

Proverbs: Words to Live By


Review
What do you remember from last week?
Did anything in the first five chapters seem especially important/puzzling to you?

Chapter One
1:1-7 The book’s introduction talks about giving insight to “the simple” (1:4). What does that word mean? Who are “the simple”?

No one believes they’re simple. We hear “stupid” when we read this passage. Maybe this is so difficult because we’ve been trained to take pride in our knowledge…or competence…our doctrinal purity. Strangely enough, it seems to me that many Christians are much more comfortable admitting moral failings than intellectual ones. It’s acceptable to say, “I am a sinner,” but not to say “I am simple…I don’t understand…I don’t know what I’m doing.” Perhaps we need a bit more breaking of the will.

1:8-19 What is the format for this passage? In other words, who is speaking to whom?

The passion and desperation of the father’s pleading with his son comes through…if you let it. Why is he so desperate? Why such anxiety for his son to heed? Because of death…both the death that may cut short the son’s life through folly (2:17-19) and the fear that death may steal the father and mother away before the son decides to start listening. What a tragedy should he fail to heed their counsel while living. Once dead, he will have access to it no longer—regardless of how repentant and curious he may be. This is the wisdom of the Latin proverb: Carpe diem! (Seize the day!) or the American: Strike while the iron is hot. Opportunities are not eternal. They have lifespans just like us, and can be cut off just as quickly and unexpectedly.

It’s ironic that the very ones who wish to “lie in wait and ambush the innocent” (1:11) out of greed promise to live communally among themselves once the deed is done (i.e., “we’ll all share the loot” 1:14). Maybe this is just what they tell people gullible enough to believe the wicked can be trusted?

1:20-33 Why do you think Wisdom’s words are so…blunt? Is this the way you expect God to speak to people?

Chapter Two
2:1-6 Why does the father think acquiring wisdom is so important?

2:3-4 What significance might these verses have for our discussion last week about “the fear of the LORD”?

2:10 What does the passage suggest is a result of acquiring wisdom? (see also 3:13)

2:11 What does it mean to say, “wise choices will watch over you?”

Perhaps it suggests that wise decisions made early will pay long-term dividends.

2:20 instructs us to follow the steps of good men. Why use this phrase? Why not say, “follow the instructions (or teachings) of wise men”?

The word mentor comes to us from the story the Odyssey. In it, the hero Odysseus is about to take off on a long voyage so he leave his son in the care of a trusted older friend named “Mentor.” In recent years, “mentoring” has become the rage in business and education. People are realizing the importance of people…of copying behaviors to good development. Have you ever seen, for example, a father and son who walk exactly alike…but they don’t realize it? See, much of what we learn is “caught not taught.” We just absorb it from our surroundings. That’s why Jesus wanted His apostles to live with Him and walk with Him for three years. He was trying to teach using more than words. He wanted to teach using life as well.

Chapter Three
Proverbs talks a lot about wisdom being stored in the heart (3:1; 4:4, 21, 23, et al.) Why do you think that is?

3:5 How important is faith to the development of wisdom?

A long time ago, a guy named Augustine said: Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. What do you think he meant? Is he saying that irrational belief is good? NO! Augustine meant that faith is necessary because it gives us the lens through which we look at everything else and understand it. He felt that trying to understand life without the right faith would be like trying to put a 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle together with no picture to look at—you won’t know what the point is…what you’re trying to “create”! A good historical example was Galileo’s theory of the heliocentric universe. Everyone was “sure” that the earth was center of everything. They produced text books that taught that and “proved” the same. The problem was, when you really started crunching the numbers it never worked. Finally, Galileo had the breakthrough to realize the numbers weren’t working because the big picture was wrong. They were trying to construct the wrong puzzle with the pieces they had.

What is a paradox? Is the recognition of paradox important in acquiring wisdom? Why or why not?

How about 3:9-10? Does this make “common sense”—if you want to get more stuff, give the first and the best of your stuff away!? What do you think this means? (See also, Matt. 19:16-30)

3:14-20 Is wisdom really better than gold, silver, jewels, etc.? If so, how?

On some level, wisdom is a basic building block of Creation. God laid it into the foundation of everything around you. Therefore, when you get wisdom…you “get” life.

3:27-32 What does any of this Good Samaritan stuff (3:27-28) have to do with developing wisdom?

What is “violence”? Why would people have a problem envying the violent? (3:31)

Perhaps because the violent get results…and they get them fast. The path of violence frequently allows us to preserve one of our most precious possessions—our pride.

Chapter Four
Why is getting wisdom the wisest thing you can do (4:7)?

What does 4:18 mean? How are the righteous like the development of the day?

4:24 Why is God so concerned about us maintaining pure speech?

It goes back to the idea of the power of words. God spoke Creation into existence. Sadly, we live in a day when the words someone writes about another person on Facebook can cause them to commit suicide.

How much of what I say in any given day would qualify as “perverse and corrupt speech”?

Chapter Five
5:1-2 Notice the progression: watch…listen…learn…THEN, speak.

The “immoral woman” isn’t necessarily a woman. She represents anyone or anything that tempts people into the foolish path of self-destruction. Quite frequently, the immoral woman may not think of herself as “immoral” at all…merely misunderstood. Never forget that we humans have a truly breath-taking capacity for self-deception.

Proverbs: Words to Live By: introductory notes

In an effort to simplify life and keep some fresh content on this blog, I'm going to begin posting material from the college class I'm teaching on the book of Proverbs This material was originally written for a teenage audience when I worked as a youth minister, but I'm attempting to revise and update it to make it more applicable to a college crowd. What you will have access to here are the revised lessons. I hope they can be a blessing to you.


Proverbs: Words to Live By


Introduction:
Proverbs is one of the “Wisdom Books” Some scholars feel that Proverbs was originally written as a textbook for young men who were being trained to work in the royal court of Israel. If this view is right (and I tend to believe it is) then these words were originally meant to teach young people how to make their way in the world with the minimum amount of trouble and the maximum amount of blessing

Wisdom Books are a little different from the rest of the Bible. They tend to be very “general.”
Ø Not much about things specific to Jews (e.g., Law, Covenant, etc.)
Ø Mostly about the everyday stuff of life (e.g., money, marriage, raising kids, getting along at your job, etc.)
Ø “Proverbs is a floodlight, not a spotlight.” What does this expression mean? Important to recognize that because it’s “general wisdom” the things Proverbs says are usually—but not always—true. (e.g., 22:6; 26:4-5)

A Note on Biblical “Wisdom”
What does the word “wisdom” mean to you? How do you know if someone is “wise” or not?

What if I had you read a book on mechanical engineering and then handed you a live bomb and said “Okay, this thing is on a five minute countdown. You’ve got all the necessary information…deactivate the bomb before it blows up.” How would you feel…confident or terrified?

This example helps explain what “wisdom” means in the Bible. It’s not the same thing as knowledge, intellect, or “book smarts.” When Proverbs talks about “wisdom,” it’s translating the Hebrew word – hokmah.

Exodus 31:1-6 talks about two men—Oholiab and Bezalel—who are supposed to help make stuff for the tabernacle. Though most English Bibles translate God as saying: “I have given skill to Oholiab to make….” He actually says He has given them hokmah.

This illustrates that when Proverbs speaks of acquiring “wisdom” it is talking about more than just intellectual knowledge. It’s about learning the necessary skills to live life well.

It’s my observation that all skills take time to develop. These are things you have to learn by doing. You can read a book on football fundamentals, but you probably won’t understand how to break down and make a tackle, block, etc. until you get out on the field and start getting knocked around a bit. It’s the same way with developing the skills for life.

Generally-speaking, life skills come with age. That’s why the Wisdom Books (and the Bible-in-general) has so much to say about respecting people who are older than you.

You’ll notice there is a poetic flair to Proverbs. One of the most important is the way it stylizes women. Most people see Proverbs as laying out a theology of the “two ways” (i.e., the way of wisdom and the way of folly) Throughout the book these two ways are represented by women. Wisdom is personified as a woman who will be a faithful spouse and good mother…one who will take care of you and bless your life. Often, scholars refer to this character as “Dame Wisdom.” The other woman of Proverbs is often referred to as “Madame Folly.” The Madame Folly character is usually depicted as an adulteress or a prostitute in Proverbs. Why do you think Proverbs might use women to personify these two ways?

You Can't Spell Hopeless without "Hope"

Like many of the earlier passages in Jeremiah, the 16th chapter begins with unqualified messages of judgment (e.g., "these people will die from terrible diseases" vs. 4, "I have taken away My unfailing love and mercy" vs. 5, etc.)

Yet at verse 14 begins we begin to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. It is only a glimmer, however. This is no sudden message of immediate pardon and forgiveness such as we are wont to demand--perhaps to the point of inserting it into the text when it does not exist. Rather, what the LORD has to say to Jeremiah is:

“But the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when people who are taking an oath will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors.
“But now I am sending for many fishermen who will catch them,” says the Lord. “I am sending for hunters who will hunt them down in the mountains, hills, and caves. I am watching them closely, and I see every sin. They cannot hope to hide from me. I will double their punishment for all their sins, because they have defiled my land with lifeless images of their detestable gods and have filled my territory with their evil deeds.”

-- Jeremiah 16:14-18

The LORD leaves no doubt that punishment will be meted out--indeed, it will be "doubled." Yet after the necessary suffering, redemption will ensue. How should we interpret this? As with many things in the Divine-human relationship, I suspect we see that which we are looking for. The one who already resents the notion that One other than himself is worthy of the title "God" will see in this evidence of a capricious and punitive Deity, unwilling to suffer the slightest indignity. Conversely, he who believes in a compassionate God will see in this evidence of painful, but necessary, purgatory suffering. This latter man will acknowledge--even if he does not like--the truth that the alcoholic often must hit "rock bottom" before he is willing to forsake the bottle. The drunk must suffer the full effects of his own degeneracy before the "scales will fall from his eyes" and he is willing to see himself as he truly is.

What I find especially interesting from a canonical perspective is the LORD's promise that he will send forth "fishermen" (vs. 16) to "catch" the people. In this context, the fishermen (along with their land-based compatriots, the hunters) are enablers of God's wrath upon the sinful. How fascinating then, that the One who embodied God's ultimate act of compassion, self-revelation, and sacrifice should extend to a handful of common men the possibility of being instruments of His peace by the calling "Follow Me, and I will show you how to fish for people." -- Matt 4:19

In the Interest of Promoting Balance...

I know my recent series of posts from Jeremiah veer towards the negative and pessimistic (perhaps that is to be expected from "the Weeping Prophet"). In the interest of trying to balance out the negativity, I'd like to point you to a great post by a former professor of mine, Mark Hamilton. Dr. Hamilton reminds us that the core nature of God's interaction with humanity is one of mercy...not judgment. Here's the link. Enjoy!

It's Lonely at the Bottom

Following on last week's theme from Jeremiah, I am once again confused--and more than a little disturbed--by what I read today. Perhaps that is as it should be. Consider this dialogue between God and Jeremiah from Jer. 15:10-21

Then I said,
“What sorrow is mine, my mother.
Oh, that I had died at birth!
I am hated everywhere I go.
I am neither a lender who threatens to foreclose
nor a borrower who refuses to pay—
yet they all curse me.”

The Lord replied,

“I will take care of you, Jeremiah.
Your enemies will ask you to plead on their behalf
in times of trouble and distress.
Can a man break a bar of iron from the north,
or a bar of bronze?
At no cost to them,
I will hand over your wealth and treasures
as plunder to your enemies,
for sin runs rampant in your land.
I will tell your enemies to take you
as captives to a foreign land.
For my anger blazes like a fire
that will burn forever.[a]”

Then I said,

“Lord, you know what’s happening to me.
Please step in and help me. Punish my persecutors!
Please give me time; don’t let me die young.
It’s for your sake that I am suffering.
When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
I never joined the people in their merry feasts.
I sat alone because your hand was on me.
I was filled with indignation at their sins.
Why then does my suffering continue?
Why is my wound so incurable?
Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook,
like a spring that has gone dry.”

This is how the Lord responds:

“If you return to me, I will restore you
so you can continue to serve me.
If you speak good words rather than worthless ones,
you will be my spokesman.
You must influence them;
do not let them influence you!
They will fight against you like an attacking army,
but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze.
They will not conquer you,
for I am with you to protect and rescue you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men.
I will rescue you from their cruel hands.”

Again: two or three things stand out to me.

"I am neither a lender who threatens to foreclose; nor a borrower who refuses to pay--yet they all curse me." (15:10) This reminds one of Paul's depressing New Testament prophecy that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12) It seems to me that people are far more willing to sacrifice money, than sin. Generally, we'd rather live in poverty than give up our pride. Consequently, Jeremiah--God's spokesman--found himself persona non grata in the very community he was trying (to no avail) to save from utter disaster. Such is the life of one of God's favorites, I suppose.

The more disturbing message is to follow. At first, it seems like Jeremiah will at least receive steadfast comfort from his God. He is told "I will take care of you, Jeremiah..." (15:11) God seems to have a rather different notion of what "I'll take care of you" means than Jeremiah had in mind. The LORD goes on to warn His prophet:

"At no cost to them, I will hand over your wealth and treasures as plunder to your enemies, for sin runs rampant in your land. I will tell your enemies to take you as captives to a foreign land. For My anger blazes like a fire that will burn forever." (15:13-14)

At first glance, it's tempting to read these words of judgment as simply a societal judgment (i.e., to understand God to be speaking them to Jeremiah only insofar as he is a representative of the reprobate community) It is tempting to almost imagine an oracle of judgment and exile being spoken to Jeremiah even as God gives him a "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" to let the prophet know that this is not meant to be his fate.

Such illusions are shattered, however, by the remainder of the dialogue. Jeremiah first pleads with God to "step in and help" to "punish [his]persecutors" (15:15) Jeremiah even seems to go so far as trying to "guilt" God by saying "It's for Your sake that I'm suffering." (15:15)

This is the moment at which we want God to clarify--to say, "Oh no, Jeremiah, I'm VERY pleased with you. You're a good and faithful servant. All that judgment stuff was meant for the OTHER people." The LORD's actual response, however, is rather different:

If you return to Me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve Me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be My spokesman. You must influence them. Do not let them influence you. They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the Lord, have spoken! Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands.

If I'm understanding this correctly, God is telling Jeremiah that he (Jeremiah) will lose everything short of his life--and that, only because of the prophet's faithfulness to God. Furthermore, it seems that Jeremiah's life is being spared not so much as a reward or as "wages earned for faithfulness" but only so that he "can continue to serve" God. One suspects that, should Jeremiah fail to meet the conditions God lays out, the prophet might very well end up sharing the fate of the rest of Judah.

What does such a text have to say to Christians (and ministers, in particular) today? I feel it puts the lie to one of the most popular heresies of modern evangelicalism: that people (either individually or collectively) are the highest priority. It seems to me that God is, in fact, the highest priority. He is the priority not only of Jeremiah, but also of Himself. Perhaps this is as it must be. Could God be any different than He is and still be God?

I'm just not sure where to go with this text. I would appreciate your thoughts/critiques. I don't want my summation to be right...but even less do I want to go around believing a lie.

It

Following on last week's theme from Jeremiah, I am once again confused--and more than a little disturbed--by what I read today. Perhaps that is as it should be. Consider this dialogue between God and Jeremiah from Jer. 15:10-21

Then I said,
“What sorrow is mine, my mother.
Oh, that I had died at birth!
I am hated everywhere I go.
I am neither a lender who threatens to foreclose
nor a borrower who refuses to pay—
yet they all curse me.”

The Lord replied,

“I will take care of you, Jeremiah.
Your enemies will ask you to plead on their behalf
in times of trouble and distress.
Can a man break a bar of iron from the north,
or a bar of bronze?
At no cost to them,
I will hand over your wealth and treasures
as plunder to your enemies,
for sin runs rampant in your land.
I will tell your enemies to take you
as captives to a foreign land.
For my anger blazes like a fire
that will burn forever.[a]”

Then I said,

“Lord, you know what’s happening to me.
Please step in and help me. Punish my persecutors!
Please give me time; don’t let me die young.
It’s for your sake that I am suffering.
When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
I never joined the people in their merry feasts.
I sat alone because your hand was on me.
I was filled with indignation at their sins.
Why then does my suffering continue?
Why is my wound so incurable?
Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook,
like a spring that has gone dry.”

This is how the Lord responds:

“If you return to me, I will restore you
so you can continue to serve me.
If you speak good words rather than worthless ones,
you will be my spokesman.
You must influence them;
do not let them influence you!
They will fight against you like an attacking army,
but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze.
They will not conquer you,
for I am with you to protect and rescue you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men.
I will rescue you from their cruel hands.”

Again: two or three things stand out to me.

"I am neither a lender who threatens to foreclose; nor a borrower who refuses to pay--yet they all curse me." (15:10) This reminds one of Paul's depressing New Testament prophecy that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12) It seems to me that people are far more willing to sacrifice money, than sin. Generally, we'd rather live in poverty than give up our pride. Consequently, Jeremiah--God's spokesman--found himself persona non grata in the very community he was trying (to no avail) to save from utter disaster. Such is the life of one of God's favorites, I suppose.

The more disturbing message is to follow. At first, it seems like Jeremiah will at least receive steadfast comfort from his God. He is told "I will take care of you, Jeremiah..." (15:11) God seems to have a rather different notion of what "I'll take care of you" means than Jeremiah had in mind. The LORD goes on to warn His prophet:

"At no cost to them, I will hand over your wealth and treasures as plunder to your enemies, for sin runs rampant in your land. I will tell your enemies to take you as captives to a foreign land. For My anger blazes like a fire that will burn forever." (15:13-14)

At first glance, it's tempting to read these words of judgment as simply a societal judgment (i.e., to understand God to be speaking them to Jeremiah only insofar as he is a representative of the reprobate community) It is tempting to almost imagine an oracle of judgment and exile being spoken to Jeremiah even as God gives him a "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" to let the prophet know that this is not meant to be his fate.

Such illusions are shattered, however, by the remainder of the dialogue. Jeremiah first pleads with God to "step in and help" to "punish [his]persecutors" (15:15) Jeremiah even seems to go so far as trying to "guilt" God by saying "It's for Your sake that I'm suffering." (15:15)

This is the moment at which we want God to clarify--to say, "Oh no, Jeremiah, I'm VERY pleased with you. You're a good and faithful servant. All that judgment stuff was meant for the OTHER people." The LORD's actual response, however, is rather different:

If you return to Me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve Me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be My spokesman. You must influence them. Do not let them influence you. They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the Lord, have spoken! Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands.

If I'm understanding this correctly, God is telling Jeremiah that he (Jeremiah) will lose everything short of his life--and that, only because of the prophet's faithfulness to God. Furthermore, it seems that Jeremiah's life is being spared not so much as a reward or as "wages earned for faithfulness" but only so that he "can continue to serve" God. One suspects that, should Jeremiah fail to meet the conditions God lays out, the prophet might very well end up sharing the fate of the rest of Judah.

What does such a text have to say to Christians (and ministers, in particular) today? I feel it puts the lie to one of the most popular heresies of modern evangelicalism: that people (either individually or collectively) are the highest priority. It seems to me that God is, in fact, the highest priority. He is the priority not only of Jeremiah, but also of Himself. Perhaps this is as it must be. Could God be any different than He is and still be God?

I'm just not sure where to go with this text. I would appreciate your thoughts/critiques. I don't want my summation to be right...but even less do I want to go around believing a lie.

Extra: Is Evangelism a Panacea?

Normally I wouldn't break away from my weekly devotional series from Jeremiah, but an interesting thing occurred to me this evening. I was meditating on a frequent refrain I've heard in church almost my entire life. One hears it under various slogans:

We need to be more evangelistic!
We need to get out in the community!
Evangelism is the number one mission of the church!
We've got to get involved in personal work!

And so the sayings go. A number of years ago, however, I began first to seriously question--and ultimately reject--these arguments. Please don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that evangelism is bad, or that it ought not be pursued by the Church. Rather, I'm taking issue with this popular idea that it is the supreme work of the Church. I am rejecting the idea that the first and foremost duty of a Church is evangelism.

Why would I make such a heretical claim? For three reasons. First, in my experience I found that more and more often evangelism was being used as a slogan to distract the church from the call to be holy. It's similar to what happens when someone engages in systemic sin in their private personal life and then volunteers for every committee at church to "make up for it." It bothered me greatly when folks who didn't seem to bothered by racism, back-stabbing, et al. were greatly concerned that we get out and "evangelize" more.

Second, I began to learn a little more Christian history. Specifically, I delved more deeply into the story of the International Churches of Christ (sometimes known as the Boston Movement Churches of Christ). The ICOC was all the rage in the 1980s. They posted tremendous numeric expansion via their single-minded focus upon evangelism. Ultimately, however, the ICOC shattered under repeated allegations of a cult-like environment and abusive hierarchical relationships. The evangelistic success of the ICOC is unquestioned. The results of it, however, have proven to be quite mixed.

Third, as I was driving home this evening it occurred to me that Jesus never criticized the Pharisees for a lack of evangelistic zeal--quite the opposite in fact!

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of Hell you yourselves are!-- Matthew 23:15

Apparently, Jesus' problem was not that the Pharisees weren't preaching the word...it was just exactly whose word they were preaching!

In conclusion, I want to make a radical suggestion: What the Church most needs is NOT more evangelism but more holiness,which is the only thing that makes our evangelism credible. In other words, we need to do the right thing simply because it is right. If we seek [to be] the Kingdom first, all this other stuff will take care of itself.

Of God and Men

Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for these people anymore. When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to Me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.”

Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, their prophets are telling them, ‘All is well—no war or famine will come. The Lord will surely send you peace.’”

Then the Lord said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts. Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by war and famine! As for the people to whom they prophesy—their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and war. There will be no one left to bury them. Husbands, wives, sons, and daughters—all will be gone. For I will pour out their own wickedness on them. Now, Jeremiah, say this to them:

“Night and day my eyes overflow with tears.
I cannot stop weeping,
for my virgin daughter—my precious people—
has been struck down
and lies mortally wounded.
If I go out into the fields,
I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy.
If I walk the city streets,
I see people who have died of starvation.
The prophets and priests continue with their work,
but they don’t know what they’re doing.” -- Jer. 14:11-18

As with so much else in the ministry of Jeremiah, this oracle presents a number of stark challenges to the vision of God and ministry prevalent in the minds of many Christians. To be frank, I do not know how to square all of this with the example of Jesus...but I know that it MUST be squared. We cannot act as if the God Jeremiah served is somehow different from the One we serve. That would be Marcionism. We cannot claim that God Himself somehow changed His fundamental character between Testaments (i.e., that God "became a Christian" and consequently changed all the rules of His interactions with Creation.)

With so many questions, then, what word(s) for our upcoming week can we gain from this passage? It seems to me there are at least three or four points worthy of our quiet moment ponderings:

1. God CAN change. This stands in sharp contrast to the vision most of us carry of a God who is eternally "immutable" (just a big word meaning that He never changes). The doctrine of God's immutability comes out of Greek philosophy and early on was wedded to Christian doctrine. Additionally, there are passages of Scripture which, when taken by themselves, seem to explicitly teach the doctrine of immutability. Unfortunately, too much of the rest of Scripture informs us that God can...and frequently does...change. When God became flesh in Jesus...was that not a change? When God died in Jesus...was that not a change, too? And if God cannot change, then why do we ever pray and ask Him to do (or refrain from doing) anything at all?

2. God loves us unconditionally...but there are purposes in the universe of more weight than satisfying our human cravings. Just because we are the most-loved part of Creation, that does not mean that humanity is center or the purpose of Creation. All that is exists with the purpose of glorifying and serving God...not the other way around. Jeremiah's message, again, suggests that we may so rebel against God that we forfeit our right to be called His people.

3. People have always found prophets who tell them they've nothing to repent of, and that God is quite pleased with their lives just as they are. Worse yet, we have a dangerous tendency to seek out the voices that preach "all is well--no war or famine will come. The LORD will surely send you peace." This is an inherent danger of having ministers who are financially beholden to the congregations they minister to. It is the rare church that can hear...that is willing to hear...a less-than-adulatory message from its preacher. Yet, if we learn anything from Jeremiah it is that greater disaster might very well have been averted had the people been willing to listen to the hard truths he spoke.

No doubt, many could find fault with the three points I have outlined. And I will be the first to admit that there are problems with each of these points. As I said at the beginning, I make no claim to have all the answers on these topics. Indeed, the older I get, the more convinced I am that the most profound truths of God and our relationship to Him simply CANNOT be put into words...they can only be lived...experienced. I ask, then, that you consider my three points not as doctrinal propositions to be either refuted in debate, or committed to rote like a catechism. Rather, take them as lenses with which to understand your experience of life and your walk with God. Try them on. See if they make the picture clearer and your steps surer. Don't staple them to your head, as it may be they are not the lenses you need right now...but don't throw them away either. If Jeremiah and Judah needed these lenses in their lives, it's a fair bet that you will--someday--need them in your own.

Jeremiah: Model Pastor or National Doormat?

Listen and pay attention!
Do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.
Give glory to the Lord your God
before it is too late.
Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you,
causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains.
For then, when you look for light,
you will find only terrible darkness and gloom.
And if you still refuse to listen,
I will weep alone because of your pride.
My eyes will overflow with tears,
because the Lord’s flock will be led away into exile.

-- Jeremiah 13:15-17

This passage is especially eye-catching to me in light of a discussion we had in Bible class regarding forgiveness. After announcing in rather dramatic fashion the corruption that was rampant in Judah (i.e., the famous linen loincloth prophecy) Jeremiah goes on to announce God's judgement upon the nation. Notice this is the same nation that in the previous chapter contained considerable elements scheming against Jeremiah. (see Jer. 12:6)

Despite all of this, I'm struck that Jeremiah pledges that if Judah continues to ignore his message from God, the prophet will "weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears." (Jer. 13:17)

In all honesty, I'm still not where Jeremiah is. I'd like to be...I have ambitions of being so...but justice is awfully important to me. I think the wicked ought to be punished...and yes, I contend that there is a major difference between sinners and "the wicked". It seems to me that Scripture even reflects such a dichotomy at times. I'm thinking of writing a longer post in the future (TBD) on the doctrine of forgiveness that seems to be gaining popularity in the American church today.

In anticipation of that, I ask that you begin thinking through what the word "forgiveness" really means. What are its implications? How is life different in a climate of authentic forgiveness?

A Question RE: Interpretation of Jeremiah 12

As I read this chapter today, a basic question springs out to which I (currently, at least) do not have a satisfactory answer. It is the question of just who "the wicked" are that Jeremiah speaks of in vss. 1-4. Upon reading it,I wonder if Jeremiah is not referencing other nations that are oppressing Judah. If so, then it seems to make sense to me why God would respond to Jeremiah's call for Him to punish "the wicked" by saying things like:

If racing against mere men makes tou tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? Even your brothers, members of your own family have turned against you. They plot and raise complaints against you. Do not trust them, no matter how pleasantly they speak. Jer. 12:5-6

In essence, I'm asking if the first four verses are Jeremiah's call for"justice" against the "wicked" oppressor nations, and the following eight verses are God replying that what is happening to Judah is justice for the past crimes of the chosen nation.

It seems to me like getting the appropriate message from this text is dependent upon identifying who is being talked about. Any help or insight in this regard would be appreciated.

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Since last week's post, I've heard back from a former professor of mine, Mark Hamilton. Dr. Hamilton is a specialist in the Old Testament, and was kind enough to point out a possible problem with my interpretation. In 1:4, the "people" say "the LORD (or Yahweh) doesn't see what's ahead for us." Because Gentile nations would be less inclined to use the personal name of Israel's God, he tends to assume that verses 1-4 refer to Judah's sins. However, Dr. Hamilton did point out that--like many OT prophetic oracles--it is difficult to pin down a chronology/and identify all the players here.

I think the interpretation I originally proposed COULD still work. I suppose it depends on whether one interprets vs. 4 to be the ACTUAL words of the (supposedly Gentile) people, or simply a paraphrase of their sentiment expressed in the language of Jeremiah.

A third option that occurs to me is that perhaps verses 1-4 refer to Israel, rather than Judah. Remember that Jeremiah's ministry takes place post the division of the Israelite kingdom. As always, any further reflections are much appreciated!

Time for a Pendulum Correction

A few years back, I was talking with one of my in-laws who is also a former-professional-minister-turned-house-church-planter about what motivated his decision to pursue the church planting model. Among other things, he mentioned that he felt the typical church in America today was not doing a very good job of teaching people to "obey" Jesus. On the surface, this language sounds like much of what I consider "legalism", yet knowing this brother as I do, I was fully aware that he was by no means a legalist. As our conversation progressed, I began to realize that he was advocating not a doctrine of salvation by works, but a genuine doctrine of working faith. Countless others have pointed this out already, but there was a time when the doctrine of grace needed to be restored to the American pulpit--at least to the pulpits in Churches of Christ.

Today, however, I think that any sober-minded assessment of what gets preached as our calling, and what gets tolerated and/or "winked at" within our behaviors, suggests that it is time to correct an out-of-balance notion of grace. (What Bonhoeffer would have called "cheap grace".) These were the thoughts that flooded my mind as I read the following passage from Jeremiah:

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Remind the people of Judah and Jerusalem about the terms of My covenant with them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is anyone who does not obey the terms of My covenant! For I said to your ancestors when I brought them out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt, “If you obey Me and do whatever I command you, then you will be My people, and I will be your God.” I said this so I could keep My promise to your ancestors to give you a land flowing with milk and honey—the land you live in today.’”
Then I replied, “Amen, Lord! May it be so.”

Then the Lord said, “Broadcast this message in the streets of Jerusalem. Go from town to town throughout the land and say, ‘Remember the ancient covenant, and do everything it requires. For I solemnly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, “Obey Me!” I have repeated this warning over and over to this day, but your ancestors did not listen or even pay attention. Instead, they stubbornly followed their own evil desires. And because they refused to obey, I brought upon them all the curses described in this covenant.’”
-- Jeremiah 11:1-8

What to Do Now?

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O Israel! This is what the Lord says:
“Do not act like the other nations,
who try to read their future in the stars.
Do not be afraid of their predictions,
even though other nations are terrified by them.
Their ways are futile and foolish.
They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
They decorate it with gold and silver
and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
so it won’t fall over.
Their gods are like
helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” -- Jeremiah 10:1-5

I've put off writing on this blog for months now. On one hand, the reasons are many: time, technological problems, deciding what to write about, etc. But at core, I think there was one basic reason I wasn't writing: fear. Since leaving full-time ministry I have been, for lack of a better word, "lost". I don't mean lost in the salvation sense (though I suppose that's a possibility too) but lost in the vocational sense. I don't really know what I'm doing...who I am...or why I'm bothering to do it. This identity crisis has not covered every area of life. I know who I am as a husband and father, for example--but in what I think of as the third major relationship of life, "Who am I in relation to God?" I really don't know. I still feel like I want to be a minister...but I don't feel the same level of passion...or perhaps the better word is "trust" that I once did. I'm currently pursuing yet another degree in a non-ministry related field in the hope that it will not only provide more stable employment, but will perhaps create some space in which I can discern "the still small voice" and rediscover who God is calling me to be.

I realize this is a little philosophical...and perhaps too "whiny", but I wanted you to understand the context from which I approached the first five verses of Jeremiah 10 this evening. I realize that Jeremiah was talking to a corporate group, not an individual. Yet, as I read it, I could not help but hear the following paraphrase applied to my own life:

Do not act like other people.

Who try to read their futures. Who try to control their lives and have everything planned out and scripted according to their timetables.

Do not be afraid of the predictions they make about your life...or the predictions YOU make about it, because neither of you are really in control of anything anyway!

Even though others are you are terrified at their future prospects...afraid the economy will never recover...or this is the end of civilization...or what not, don't let yourself get sucked into that.

All such things are foolish and futile. Despite all the preparation and energy you've put into your plans for life this far, what has it really accomplished? The things you planned didn't pan out, and best things in your life were completely unplanned (at least by you) anyway. That should tell you something.

All this stuff that you, and everyone else, is worried about and afraid of is ultimately helpless. At the end of the day, it's not what you should trust in...and its not really something you should fear either. Deep in your heart, you know Who fits both of those bills.

So stop worrying about your future and where you'll be used tomorrow, and how you'll get there "for the pagans run after all these things". Instead, seek out where the Kingdom is today...and go there. And let tomorrow worry about itself.

-- Justin

Do I Want There to be a Balm in Gilead?

I hurt with the hurt of my people. I mourn and am overcome with grief. Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?

If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered. Oh, that I could go away and forget my people and live in a travelers’ shack in the desert. For they are all adulterers—a pack of treacherous liars. -- Jeremiah 8:21-9:2

This oracle reflects one of the qualities of Jeremiah that most impresses, and shames, me. Somehow, he was able to face and boldly state the ugly truth about his people (i.e., "They're all liars.") without losing his ability to love them. These were not people who were particularly kind to Jeremiah. He was ignored, imprisoned, and left for dead by them. Yet he was still able to weep for them. Despite his own confessed desire to be able to just abandon them to their fate and not care (9:2) Jeremiah had been so touched, so imprinted with the character of his God, that it was impossible for him to stop loving his people. Indeed, Jeremiah's capacity for compassion on the seemingly unforgivable has earned him the nickname "The Weeping Prophet."

I wish to be more like Jeremiah. Usually, when people reject my advice or instruction, I want to see them fail. I want to see them hurt. I want to see them punished. The fact of the matter, is that I'm often far more like Jonah than I am like Jeremiah.

Did You Know?
The classic hymn, There is a Balm in Gilead was inspired by Jeremiah's anguished cry in 8:22, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?"

The hymn answers Jeremiah with the promise that Christ is that long-awaited balm who can soften the hardest heart, bring the dead to life again, and heal the deepest scars of sin.