Job 31-42

I am combining two days readings into one post.

We are drawing toward the end of Job and his problems. His friends continue to argue that Job has done something.

They go on to tell us the reader as well as Job that God only does bad things to the wicked, and to the righteous he only does good things. Which is the basic principle of Karma.

The Buddhist believe that for every good action that you perform, you receive good and vice-versa. In the case of Job the argument would be made from a Karma standpoint that the wicked that he did was perhaps in another life.

God finally speaks up and sorta lets em have. He rains down questions, asking the men, can YOU do this? Can YOU do that? In an attempt to show them that no matter how long they discuss the problem they will never understand His reasons and actions. For, He is God the all-powerful, creator of the heavens and the Earth.

Job apologizes for boasting and trying to understand. God forgives Job but isn't so easy on the three know it all friends. Job was honest about his actions and these guys would not listen, acting and speaking as it they KNEW how this whole thing was playing out.

God leaves it up to Job to pray for them. Job does and God shows his forgiveness.

God doubles Jobs fortunes, allowing him to have more beautiful children and live a long happy life.

The End.

The sayings that came to mind when I read this story are as follows:

A. God never gives us anything we cant handle
B. This too shall pass.

C. What does not kill us, makes us stronger.

with C being my favorite, I am a strong believer in C....

About the pictures on this post:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake%27s_Illustrations_of_the_Book_of_Job

Job 18-30

Today was more of the same with Job and his friends. Back and forth they discussed why God was forsaking poor Job.

He friends continue to say that it is because he is wicked that he is receiving this punishment, and Job continues to plead his innocents.

Job tells his friends that even if he has done evil its his own business. He is sure however that there is someone in heaven who will be a witness to his innocence.

After a while Job beings to get a little ticked off, and it really starts to show. There beings to be a lot of: me, me, me...

So I guess the big questions is why would you do this to someone you loved? If God loves all of his followers, why torture and bring such suffering just to prove a point? I'm willing to bet that the answer to this lies somewhere in the realm of "we cannot possibly understand all of Gods actions..."

Job 11-17

I reread yesterday's as well a today's. The reason being that I can't quite figure out why this whole thing doesn't sit well with me.

So today was more of the same. Job's friends accusing him, say "you musta done something, think back, man!....God just doesn't DO this to good people...."

Here Job gets pretty Biblically angry. He basically tells his friend "Look Mr. Smarty Pants, I know just as much as you know about how God works, I know what He's capable of, JUST LIKE YOU!"

Don't we all have one of these friends in our lives, just a real know-it-all, who thinks he's better, smarter, wiser than you...(did I say he? whoops, why would I say he and not she? Truth be told, I have a he and a she)

Job continues on with his blessings and thanksgivings......

I suppose what I'm, having trouble with is how does all of this fit in with free-will. In Chapter 12 Job lists all of these things that He can do, how He can supply, how He can make great. Here's where my writing skills fail me.....maybe if I try to allow you to follow my train of thought...

I'm thinking:

ok so Job was a great guy, and God is just trying to test him......

Then I think about the argument, "how is it that children suffer excruciating torture" of which I am usually told "because man has free will, and the people torturing the child are choosing to do it"

Then I go back to Job and I wonder if he could have used his free will to make himself better.

Then I think, could God be testing the children who are suffering, and if so where does that leave the free will argument.

Then I think, what happened to Job was not at the hands of SOMEONE else, so maybe that's where it differs.

But then I think, but it says that He can do this and He can do that, so does that mean He does intervene more than we think. And if so, what about free will?

This may make absolutely no sense, I haven't a clue why this argument has been so hard for me to get into words. Maybe because it's a cyclical argument and those are never easy.

I like reading this Book though. The writing is lovely.