Tag: A Tit for Tat God - Job 22

Job 22:27-28

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,

and you will pay your vows.

You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.

Tag:  A Tit for Tat God

The world’s philosophy is very close to the above verses.  Eliphaz, Job’s most critical friend, is giving his third and final speech to Job.  Job is suffering and we know why.  God told us in the first chapter that Job’s suffering was a result of God allowing Satan to touch Job’s body and personhood.   Satan claimed Job would fold like a dead plant, IF God removed His protection from Job.  God saw Job as righteous and said, “No, Job won’t.”   This is the backstory that Eliphaz does not have.   As a result Eliphaz, and his two other friends, attempt to give Job counsel as to “why” this was happening to him.  Apparently, like today, in Job’s day, suffers wanted to know “why” they were suffering.  Like most, however, there was a cause and effect rationale for suffering.    Eliphaz starts this chapter with a series of questions to confront Job as to why he was in this state.  Eliphaz’s conclusions for Job is simple:  IF you do good, God will do good to you.  If you do bad, God will do bad to you.   The irony, however, is that in the beginning of the chapter Eliphaz’s argument is that God is unaffected by the conduct of man ... whether good or bad.  He maintains that God is aloof and Job’s charm or character cannot impact God.  Yet, like most human reasoning, he falls apart with this approach, in the end.   In the above passage is clearly telling Job that he envisions a time (after Job repents ... as he suggests) that God will not only begin to “hear” Job’s prayers, but respond to them and give Job what he request.  The “tit for tat” concept of God is at the core of Eliphaz’s belief structure ... as it is in most today.   The issue here, is this is not how God operates.    Walking in faith with God does NOT remove suffering.  We read this clearly taught in the New Testament, if not demonstrated and explained in the Old.   Suffering is not something God reserves for this who disobey Him.  Those who disobey will suffer, however.   But, those who obey are also confronted with suffering.  But, the suffering has a differing purpose for those who walk with God.  James gives us some insight into this thought:

James 1:2-4 (Testing of Your Faith)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Paul, John and Peter teach the same things. We ought not turn God into a tit for tat being.   Rather, God is working in our midst to conform us more and more to the image of His Son.  At times, often, He uses suffering as a tool to complete that conforming.   It is not punishment but an avenue for us to learn the character and the beauty of Christ.