Who Am I To Question God?

Job questioned God.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Job. In short, he was the most righteous man on earth during his time, and because of that he caught the attention of both God and Satan. God holds Job up as an example, and Satan contends that if God were to take away what He had given the man, he would curse God.

God disagrees, and allows Satan to torment Job by destroying all his possessions, his family, and even his health. That happens in the first two chapters. The rest of the lengthy book records conversations between Job and three of his friends as they discuss the matter of his fall from might and grace to desolation and despair.

Now, Job is usually held up as the standard for how to act in difficult times, and I don't argue with that. What is not often talked about, however, is the fact that Job questioned God. He goes to great lengths to explain why he should not be suffering because he has been righteous his whole life. He closes his argument at the end of chapter 31 where, in verse 35 he says, Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense--let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.

That's pretty darn bold! And, as it turns out, dangerous.

God answered.

Job laid out a great defense for himself. He gave to the poor, cared for widows and orphans, was faithful to his wife, feared God, served Him--everything he was supposed to do. He saw no reason for God to be treating him the way He was.

God saw it differently.

Chapter 38 is the beginning of God's response to Job, and it is as expansive as Job's defense of himself. What it boils down to is this: God told Job to brace himself like a man and prepare to get the answer for which he asked. God then basically said, I created everything. I control everything. I am everything. What are you?

Job got the point.

Four chapters later in Chapter 42, sufficiently chastised, Job gets it. The Bible doesn't say, but I'm pretty sure Job is down on his knees as he says, more or less, I get it! You're everything, I'm nothing! I'm sorry!

The end of the story tells how God, after Job had repented of his questioning, returned to him all that had been taken away and more. He survived the test and came out glowing. Just remember that part of that glow was the red-faced embarrassment of being put in his place by God Almighty.

What's the point for us?

The point for us, or at least me, is in God's answer to Job's lament that he was being treated unfairly. It doesn't matter how good I think I am, how important I think I am, or how well I think I'm doing. Compared to God, I am nothing. If God chooses or allows me to go through this or that trial, who am I to complain?

Who am I, who is nothing, to question God, who is everything?