DAY 177

SIMILAR SOURCES

Job 5, 6 & 7 and Acts 8:1-25

In Job we continue to listen in on Eliphaz’s admonition to Job. Eliphaz’s is rather eloquent, but looking closely at his words reveals that he is convinced that Job has done something to bring this trouble on himself, “for affliction does not come from dust…” There is it, the assumption that affliction must come from somewhere. And if you are to believe in an all powerful and all loving God, then God must be the source of the affliction and it must be your fault! Job responds in a way that shows he is looking for relief; isn’t that what we all look for when calamity befalls us. Yet as his speech continues there is a sense of hopelessness that is setting in.

Suffering as a constant companion is draining. Job is beginning to show the effects of that drain. I know people who live with chronic conditions, or are battling a disease for years, or cannot seem to get “a leg up” on life. Everyone reacts differently, but I cannot imagine “a friend” showing up to tell any of these people that their suffering is because of something they did. True enough that some people are caught in addiction, or adultery, or some other sin that can wreak havoc, but most Cancer Clinics and Alzheimer’s Wards are not filled with people because of such sins. And so I close this day with Job with the question of “the source” in my mind.

On the other hand it is not a mystery as to why the early followers of Jesus are about to experience suffering and persecution…Acts chapter 8 tells us that “And there arose on that day a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem, and they were scattered…”  What is that day? The day they stoned Stephen, and “the not yet St. Paul” (still known as Saul) approved of this violence against God’s saints. This persecution and suffering took place because the Jewish leaders of the day had had enough of all this talk about Jesus being the “Risen from the dead Messiah.” Gone is the wise counsel we read a few chapters back where one Jewish leader advised to leave them alone – if this is not of God it will die out, if it is then don’t get in its way – that was his advice. That advice has been replaced with open persecution, so much so that people are picking up their stakes and moving. [How bad would your life have to get for you to abandon your livelihood and move?]

Now I stated that we know why in this instance the early followers of Jesus are suffering; it is because there are people who oppose the message of Jesus…the message of God. Isn’t that why Job is suffering? Satan opposes God and God’s message at every turn. You might say, “Yes, but God is allowing it!” Certainly, God is omnipotent, “He allows everything.” But just as Saul openly opposed Jesus, Satan is openly opposing God. Suffering has a source, it is not “from the dust”…Eliphaz was correct in at least that much. As we work our way though Job we will wrestle more with this idea, but for now I am just pondering the similarities.