Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? (Job 8:3)
Read: Job 8:1 – 11:20, 1 Corinthians 15:1-28, Psalm 38:1-22, Proverbs 21:28-29
Relate: If God is all good and all powerful, why does evil exist? How can we call God just if people are going to spend an eternity in torment for bad the decisions of only a few decades at most? Why would God kill tens of thousands of people for the decisions of one man (like the time David took a census)? Why was the cross the only way our sins could be forgiven?
More specifically to the book of Job: Why is Satan allowed in heaven if evil cannot exist in God’s presence? Why does Job have to suffer just so that God can win a bet against Satan? Even more, why are Jobs kids allowed to killed for such a bet? Any parent who has lost a child can sympathize with this one, “Does anyone really think that having more kids will ever eliminate the grief of losing previous ones?”
React: In the book of Job, both parties ask a lot of very good, very legitimate questions. I have thrown a few more into the mix that I have asked or that I have heard from others. All of these questions are great questions. All of them are legitimate and need to be asked. God isn’t afraid of our questions. To be honest, I believe that anyone who is afraid or unwilling to broach and explore these topics has a very shallow, and not very genuine faith. The problem isn’t in our questions, it is in our application.
Bildad asks “Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right?” The obvious answer being no, he then goes on, “Your children were filthy sinners deserving death and so are you, Job, so repent or you’re heading the same direction.” The problem isn’t the questions we ask, the problem is where we allow the answers we think we have found to take us. When God shows up, He doesn’t answer any of the questions asked. Instead God gives what we would almost call a stereotypical Jewish response and answers those questions with questions of His own. In a sense Job cries out over and over again, “God I don’t understand.” And God answers, “That’s right, you don’t understand. But I am here.”
God’s words only deepen Job’s realization of how much he does not understand. God’s presence, on the other hand, was exactly the answer Job needed. So let’s go to God with our questions. Let us approach His throne of grace with confidence. Our confidence isn’t that all of our questions will be answered. Our confidence is that we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:16)
Respond:
God, You are the answer. So often, I am longing for knowledge when You are offering Your presence. I am wanting understanding but I am needing grace. Forgive my presumption to think that I might truly know Your ways and reasoning. All I really need to know is You. You are loving. You are good. You are here, and that is so much more than enough.
THE RIVER WALK 
I agree, who are we to question God. We need to remember that He is the potter, we are just the clay in His hands. He is the one who knows the end from the beginning, not us. What we need to know, and to remember, is that He tells us that He knows His plans for us, and those plans are for our GOOD not for our evil. Lex
Your post is strangely parallel to mine this morning, regarding King David’s relationship to God. A new thought for me: He seems at times arbitrary, spiteful, loving, forgiving, and most of all, strange. David’s nature does not seem to be defined by what is good and what is evil, only by his acknowledgement of God’s supreme, final judgement and authority. Is David God’s image? Is Job?
We all wrestle with God’s sovereignty. Nice choice of material.
I love following your blog – I just wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for a Premio Dardos Award; here’s the link: https://mindstrippedbare.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/premio-dardos/ 🙂
Keep writing of His love!
I believe deep and serious questions of faith are answered by the Holy Spirit, BJ. As we seek the Living Word and trust in our relationship with our Father, He will guide us to our answers. Perhaps not the ones we were hoping for, but the ones He intends us to know. I’m convinced this is what Jesus meant by seeking and finding.
Amen. Blessed assurance.
Well said.
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Reblogged this on emalineachieng and commented:
GOD DOES NOT TWIST JUSTICE .GOD DOES THINGS IN GOOD STEAD UNTIL HE SENDS FORTH JUSTICE TO VICTORY
GOD “THE CHIEF JUSTICE” ALMIGHTY
My heart broke to the truth of God saying to Job – as He is saying to me – “yes, you don’t understand, but I AM with you.
Thank you for your writing and for the beautiful songs that accompany them.
Hope your trip around Turkey was inspiring.
I like you site. I may post link on mine when I get another page up for recommendations. I think one of the most important things we can learn is to ask better questions. God, does not mind questions? God wants to be in conversation with Him through the Spirit of Christ. In my opinion, the best commentary on the book of Job is by Wheaton professor John Walton. It is in th Zondervan Application series and as commentaries go it is quite easy to read. He had one of his students contribute the application section. She has an illness and every time she went for treatment things only got worse. It is a wonderful read.
I just “stumbled” into your blog. I was wondering if you have an “about me” page…I have enjoyed reading through many of your articles. Well done!!
I don’t have an “about me”. Getting deeper was the about I planned to write, but three years in I have barely scratched the surface of what I had planned to put there.
Beautiful song. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful post.