>>6642466 (lb)
Literally nothing stated in that post is incorrect, and as a matter of fact, was in defense of Christ.
>I'm an anon, just like you!
>1120 subscribers
>Doing the youtube thang
You know what, more power to her.
>I read Job several times over when I first became a Christian and didn't get it. Years later, on a fresh read through did I finally start to understand what it was about.
Awesome. So, in the last bread, anon pointed out that OT God was very different from NT God, and got some flak. Mostly because anons don't seem to recognize that OT God and NT God are not the same. Job's a GREAT example. My favorite OT book, actually, for lots of reasons. Here's why.
Job was awesome servant of God. The "deceiver" literally made a bet with God, a la "Devil Went Down to Georgia". God accepted the bet, as long as the "deceiver" didn't physically harm Job. Devil did his worst, and took everything from Job, including his "friends".
Job lost everything, and in the very last second of the end of his rope of "why me, Lord?!" God had to swoop in and stop the punishment of one of his most faithful servants of all time.
Then, Job gets a chance to ask "Why? Like, no seriously, WHY?" God's response? Read for yourself:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+38-41&version=NIV
God told Job to pound some sand, that's what his response was. In 4 chapters of ranting, God did NOT answer Job's question. God said "Look how awesome!" and Job said "Sorry I ever decided to question you".
The lesson is supposed to be that no matter what we're going through, give thanks, and worship. God always provides. God also doesn't owe you an answer. The point is, do the right thing, always. Sometimes you get your cheese moved, and you should be thankful. Sometimes, your wife leaves you. Be thankful. Sometimes, your friends literally accuse you of wickedness. Be thankful. Sometimes, you lose your children. Be thankful.
Job's story is of intercessory prayer, forgiveness, and don't question God because, reasons. So:
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God lost the bet.
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Job got a little testy with a valid question.
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God verbally bitch slapped Job.
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Job got humble after going through something that no person with Job's willingness to subservience should have ever gone through.
To your first point, sure, she was not equally yoked with Job. Perhaps he did deserve better. So the answer, here, is to just scrap her, right? Expendable? She was fodder, for lack of better words. The God of the NT is a God of redemption. OT God would rather go Wayne Brady on folks, and it showed. If I gave up on my wife in the same way God gave up on her, I'd have been divorced after 6 months. I'd also have missed out on the blessing of my current children. Nobody's perfect. Hold each accountable to their own, and you don't have to toss lives to the wayside to prove that you can't win a bet against Satan; because God did not win that bet. He had to intervene. Sure, he restored Job, and his blessings were 10 fold what they were before, but would Job have been just fine with what he had?
What about their redemption? Was Job's weakness, here, that he was overly intercessory on behalf of his children? Did they commit "atrocities!!!" against God because Job and his wife were shitty parents? I mean, at some point, aren't they accountable for their own actions?
I get what you are saying, but the points remain:
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God lost the bet.
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Job got a little testy with a valid question.
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God verbally bitch slapped Job.
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Job got humble after going through something that no person with Job's willingness to subservience should have ever gone through.
Job deserved all that he got in the end, and more. Especially after what he went through. My heart pours out for him, even though I know exactly how the story ends.
You don't have to "agree with it". Just understand it best you can. Still, God didn't actually answer Job's question as to "Why?", and it certainly doesn't explain why God even took the bet to begin with. And lost. Everyone seem to forget that part.
Pride. Bragging. Sounds like God wanted to rub it in Satan's face. Shit kinda went downhill from there, then Job made out very well in the end, and here we are thousands of years later looking at God wondering "WTF, Mate?"
And my point was that the book of Job does not provide any answer to the "whys", but rather God says "Because reasons, son". I'll admit, I've always been a cerebral believer, and that's part of the problem. The answers aren't cerebral in the slightest. They are what they are, and what they are, are sometimes not meant to be understood because God gets testy with questions, so there ya have it.
It's right there in the book of all books in the Bible that is supposed to teach us the most vital lesson of suffering and servitude. The lesson is:
Shit happens, deal with it. Sometimes shit happens because God gambles. Deal with it.
Um…
One day when the sons of God came to stand in front of the Lord, Satan the Accuser came along with them.
2 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From wandering all over the earth.”
First, God didn't even know where Satan was before he approached God; standing among the Angels. He just walked right the fuck up to God like he owned the place. God literally asked Satan "Where you been at, boy?" and Satan said "Wondering around here and there all over this place you banished me to, dad. By the way, those human females are DEEEELISH".
So, after you wrap your head around that, you are met with the bet. SKIN FOR SKIN; literally in the Bible:
3 The Lord asked Satan, “Have you thought about my servant Job? No one in the world is like him! He is a man of integrity: He is decent, he fears God, and he stays away from evil. And he still holds on to his principles. You’re trying to provoke me into ruining him for no reason.”
4 Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Certainly, a man will give everything he has for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand, and strike his flesh and bones. I bet he’ll curse you to your face.”
6 The Lord told Satan, “He is in your power, but you must spare his life!”
It's right there.
The God lost the bet.
The Job questioned God.
God got really pissy.
Job said "Sorry!"
Then Job got lots of blessings.
And then God went on a 4 chapter rant at Job; not confirming a single word of what Elihu said. God's bet with Satan is the pretext. Satan did all those things to Job, not God. Unless you are saying it was God by proxy of Satan, which demolishes the pretext, meaning the Bible is loaded with bullshit narratives.
This is why people still argue over this, and why I, personally, am a red-text believer.
Hehe, context always, anon. In all honesty, this has been the most engaging/revealing conversation regarding the Bible I've had in a while. I wonder how Christ and the disciples did it back then?