Big Idea - Job thought he understood how the world worked. In his understanding, the world operated based on the merit system - you were either blessed or cursed as a result of getting what you deserve. His logic was that God created the world and God is just, therefore, everything that happens to you must be according to the principle of justice. The only problem with this view is that Job was not getting what he deserved. He knew he was righteous, but he suffered great loss, and pain. He was not getting what he deserved, in fact, he was getting a life he was certain he did not deserve. His only explanation is that God has made a mistake, and as a result, God must not really be just after all.

What's more, Job began to develop his theology, his understanding of God, based on his bad experiences. The more he did this, the smaller God was, and the more he brought God down to his level. This is certainly one of the great dangers when we suffer. We know that if God is truly all-powerful then He could end our suffering or prevent it from ever happening in the first place. When God does not relieve our suffering, we can start to form wrong ideas about God and His character. God, in His kindness and grace, speaks to Job to straighten out his thinking. God's purpose is not to make Job feel worse or to condemn him and justify himself - that is Job's strategy! Instead, God's purpose is to show Job that the problem is not with God's character but with his own flawed worldview and misunderstandings about the greatness of God! Correcting Job's worldview and theology will not necessarily remove him from suffering, but it does give him a new and better way to think about himself, his suffering, and, most importantly, how he thinks about God. So, how does God's rebuke change Job's worldview and theology? How can it help us face suffering in our own life with greater courage and faith?

God's rebuke first shows Job that his view of God is far too small and simplistic. He has reduced God to a being who exists on the same level as he does. God's questions are intended to help Job see the incredible wisdom and greatness of God in creation, both in how he set up the universe and in how He cares for even its most wild creatures. We have a very different understanding of how the universe works, but it should only cause us to be more in awe of the greatness of God, not less! Second, God's questions are intended to show Job that whatever he may understand about how the universe works, he cannot control any of it. At many points, the universe is quite ordered, but at some points, it is on the verge of chaos or can even be seen as chaotic. But God is even working in the chaos, even there, God is caring for and controlling nature. Thirdly, God asks Job if he knows how to run the universe so that everyone and everything gets what they deserve. Specifically, that the wicked are punished. If Job can establish the laws of nature to bring about perfect order and justice, then Job is "saved," that is, it will prove that his worldview is correct. But a brief glance at the way the laws of nature operate easily demonstrates that this is not possible. That understanding of nature is far too simplistic. It becomes quickly clear that nature is not at all concerned about us or with making sure we get what we deserve!

How does this help Job in his suffering? How does it help us when we suffer? First, it helps us remember that suffering is not about getting what we deserve but is a consequence of living in a world that is not completely ordered. The ancients understood creation as God bringing order out of chaos, but the universe is a work in progress. Chaos still exists. It is God's grace and wisdom that He made the universe the way He did, and we may not understand it all. In addition, humanity added to the chaos by bringing sin, the ultimate chaos, into the world. Suffering is an inherent risk of living in a world where chaos still lurks. Therefore, suffering may have no reason or explanation other than the fact that the world is a dangerous place! Second, this doesn't mean God is no longer Sovereign and that He created a world He can no longer control! But how God controls the universe and how he works out His purpose is extremely complicated, and it is not something we can figure out. God can control things directly, but that is not how he normally works. He gives people free will, and He chooses not to control our every move. But, He is still Sovereign because our free will and the chaos of the universe do not prevent Him from doing His will and working out His purpose and plan. He is big enough to accomplish everything according to His purpose without micro-managing everything. Thirdly, the bigger God gets in our vision of Him, the smaller we become when we see ourselves next to Him. But this is a good thing. The bigger God is and the smaller we are, the easier it is to trust Him more because we see His greatness and wisdom, and we understand that we need help! In the end, the most important thing in life is not or comfort or even our safety, but it is our faith. Our faith and trust in God will never be any bigger than our view of Him! Great faith requires that we see Him as a great God!