Why? - Reflections on the Book of Job

1. A Prayer For The People of God
Eternal One,
whose thoughts and ways are not ours,
you alone are God, awesome, holy,
and most high.
School us in the ways of
faith and wisdom that we, like Job,
may learn to truly see and hear,
and in humility find blessing.
Amen.

2. Part 6Part 6 –– Divine Aikido:Divine Aikido:
God’s Nonviolent JudgmentGod’s Nonviolent Judgment

4. WHY?
reflections from the book of job

7. There was once a man in the land of Uz
whose name was Job. That man was
blameless and upright, one who feared
God and turned away from evil…
One day the heavenly beings came to
present themselves before the LORD,
and the satan* also came among them
to present himself before the LORD. The
LORD said to the satan*, "Where have you
come from?” The satan* answered the
LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth,
JOB 1:1;
2:1-2

8. The LORD said to the satan*, "Have you
considered my servant Job? There is no
one like him on the earth, a blameless
and upright man who fears God and
turns away from evil. He still persists in his
integrity, although you incited me against
him, to destroy him for no reason.” Then
the satan* answered the LORD, "Skin for
skin! All that people have they will give to
save their lives. But stretch out your hand
now and touch his bone and his flesh,
and he will curse you to your face."
JOB 2:3-5

9. The LORD said to the satan*,
"Very well, he is in your power;
only spare his life.”
So the satan* went out from
the presence of the LORD,
and inflicted loathsome sores
on Job from the sole of his foot
to the crown of his head.
Job took a potsherd
with which to scrape himself,
and sat among the ashes.
JOB 2:6-8

10. Then his wife said to him,
"Do you still persist in your integrity?
Curse God, and die.”
But he said to her,
"You speak as any
foolish woman would speak.
Shall we receive the good
at the hand of God,
and not receive the bad?"
In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
JOB 2:9-
10

11. WHY?
reflections from the book of job

12. 1. WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS THIS?
A piece of “wisdom literature,” not “history”
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

13. 1. WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS THIS?
A piece of “wisdom literature,” not “history”
2. WHEN & TO WHOM WAS IT WRITTEN?
Ancient Near Eastern Israelites; earliest/oldest book…
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

14. 1. WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS THIS?
A piece of “wisdom literature,” not “history”
2. WHEN & TO WHOM WAS IT WRITTEN?
Ancient Near Eastern Israelites; earliest/oldest book…
1. WHO/WHAT IS REALLY ON TRIAL?
How God/YHWH functions and governs the world
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

15. 1. WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS THIS?
A piece of “wisdom literature,” not “history”
2. WHEN & TO WHOM WAS IT WRITTEN?
Ancient Near Eastern Israelites; earliest/oldest book…
1. WHO/WHAT IS REALLY ON TRIAL?
How God/YHWH functions and governs the world
2. WHAT’S THE MAIN POINT?
To trust God’s wisdom amidst suffering/the unknown
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

16. 5. WHO IS “THE SATAN” IN THE BOOK OF JOB?
“the accuser” or “the adversary,” or “the challenger,”
but NOT “the devil”; this is a description of function,
not a proper noun denoting a name
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

17. 5. WHO IS “THE SATAN” IN THE BOOK OF JOB?
“the accuser” or “the adversary,” or “the challenger,”
but NOT “the devil”; this is a description of function,
not a proper noun denoting a name
6. WHO IS “JOB”?
A pious non-Israelite who maintains his integrity;
serves as a literary “witness for the defense”
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

18. 5. WHO IS “THE SATAN” IN THE BOOK OF JOB?
“the accuser” or “the adversary,” or “the challenger,”
but NOT “the devil”; this is a description of function,
not a proper noun denoting a name
6. WHO IS “JOB”?
A pious non-Israelite who maintains his integrity;
serves as a literary “witness for the defense”
7. WHO IS PRESSURING JOB?
His wife (rejection) and “friends” (manipulation)
KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND……

19. 1. WHAT JOB ULTIMATELY GETS RIGHT:
INTEGRITY & HUMILITY
RIGHT & WRONGRIGHT & WRONG

20. 1. WHAT JOB ULTIMATELY GETS RIGHT:
INTEGRITY & HUMILITY
“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of
yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that
obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I
spoke of things I did not understand, things too
wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now,
and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall
answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now
my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise
myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6)
RIGHT & WRONGRIGHT & WRONG

21. 2. WHAT JOB GETS INITIALLY GOT WRONG:
SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS & IGNORANCE
RIGHT & WRONGRIGHT & WRONG

22. 2. WHAT JOB GETS INITIALLY GOT WRONG:
SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS & IGNORANCE
“Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?”
(Job 40:8)
RIGHT & WRONGRIGHT & WRONG

23. 2. WHAT JOB GETS INITIALLY GOT WRONG:
SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS & IGNORANCE
“Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?”
(Job 40:8)
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart. The Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God
with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:22; echoed in 2:10)
RIGHT & WRONGRIGHT & WRONG

24. “People often quote Job’s words,
‘the LORD gave and the LORD has
taken away’ when someone (suffers).
The irony is that though these words
are spoken from an honest and
upright heart, they are part of a
theology Job repents of. Though Job
initially ‘did not sin or charge God with
wrongdoing,’ this theology ultimately
leads Job…to complete despair.
Before long, Job works out with
ruthless clarity the implications
of what he believes…”

25. “When the despairing Job complains,
‘Your hands fashioned and made me;
and now you turn and destroy me,’
(Job 10:8), isn’t he articulating in less
pious terms, ‘the LORD gave, the LORD
has taken away’? Though his willingness
to submit changes to rage as his
despair deepens, his view of God
remains the same. For Job the god who
arbitrarily gives and takes away is a
capricious destroyer, a vicious
predator, an adversary of humanity…a
mocker
of the innocent, a god who doesn’t

26. “This definitely is not the view of God
the author of this inspired book is
commending to his readers. But it’s
Job’s view, and it’s completely
consistent with the assumption,
shared by his friends, that God
(and God’s sense of ‘justice’)
is behind all adversity in life.
(The God we see revealed in Jesus,
however, shows us that) God
is against, not behind,
all the evil in the world.”

27. WHY?
reflections from the book of job

28. Rape
Culturea sociological concept for a setting in which rape is
pervasive and normalized due to societal attitudes
about gender and sexuality. Behaviors commonly
associated with rape culture include victim
blaming, sexual objectification, trivializing rape,
denial of widespread rape, refusing to acknowledge
the harm caused by sexual violence, making excuses
for reasons rape occurs (clothing, alcohol, location,
flirting, attitude, etc.), or some combination of these.

30. Statistics
- 17,700,000 = estimated # of women raped since ‘98
- 99% of rape perpetrators will walk free
- 64% of trans women will experience assault…
- 1 in 6 American women have survived an
attempted or completed rape during their lifetime
- 90% of adult rape victims are female
- 321,500 = # of U.S. rape/abuse victims per year
- $400 - $1,500 = cost of testing a rape kit; many states
still have loop holes that charge this to the victim

31. Statistics
- 18,900 = # of U.S. military women assaulted by
Someone in their chain of command in 2014
- 5,900 = average # of Native American women age
12+ who report being sexually assaulted every year
- 2-10% of rape claims are considered to be “false”
- 90-98% of rape/assault claims are found to be true

32. ACTIONACTION
GodGod
SurvivorSurvivorSociety/Society/
CommunityCommunity
CrimeCrime AbuseAbuse
HarmHarm
SinSin
THREE SPHERES of OFFENSETHREE SPHERES of OFFENSE

33. ACTIONACTION
ImmoralImmoral
UnethicalUnethicalAbuseAbuse
HarmHarm
Moral violation thatMoral violation that
doesn’t involve a crimedoesn’t involve a crime
or a power differentialor a power differential
Legal violation involvingLegal violation involving
a specific crime (e.g. rape,a specific crime (e.g. rape,
sexual assault, etc.)sexual assault, etc.)
Professional violation involvingProfessional violation involving
a power differential, takinga power differential, taking
advantage of a parishioner, etc.advantage of a parishioner, etc.
IllegalIllegal
CrimeCrime
SinSin
IDENTIFYING and RESPONDINGIDENTIFYING and RESPONDING

34. 1. Recognize church culture and opportunities for1. Recognize church culture and opportunities for
abuse that can come up. Victims within the cultureabuse that can come up. Victims within the culture
are often less likely to report abuse; it feels like aare often less likely to report abuse; it feels like a
violation of trust and will likely cause damage toviolation of trust and will likely cause damage to
one’s self, family, friends, the church, etc.one’s self, family, friends, the church, etc.
2. Encourage people to embrace their God-given right2. Encourage people to embrace their God-given right
to say a strong, firm, healthy “NO!” without the needto say a strong, firm, healthy “NO!” without the need
to justify the reasoning behind it to anyone else.to justify the reasoning behind it to anyone else.
TWO MAJOR THOUGHTSTWO MAJOR THOUGHTS (Jennifer Groene)(Jennifer Groene)

35. Mark 12
Hear, O Israel:
the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.’
And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment
greater than these.