Face to Face

Poetry in the Book of Job

It is some years since I first read the whole Book of Job in the Old Testament. Up to that time I was aware of Job as a man who comforters. When I read the entire story I marvelled at this monumental piece of literature with the most colourful poetry I have read.

In fact, most scholars agree that the story of Job was a tradition long before the book was written. Ezekiel , who probably lived before the book of Job was written refers to Job along with Noah and Daniel, as a righteous man. There can be no doubt that it is traditional story and not literal truth. It begins with a depiction of the Heavenly Court with God and Satan present. Who could have reported that?

But the whole point of this Court was so that the reader would grasp that it was about whether or not a rich man was rich because of his righteousness. There was the belief in those days (and later in the time of Jesus) when people thought that wealth was a gift of God for living a god fearing life. This long story would deal with this eloquently.

Job’s friends (comforters) kept on saying that because he was suddenly suffering the loss of friends, cattle, sheep, goats etc and the hideous skin disease he had developed he must have done something terrible. Yet Job could put his hand on his heart and assure them that he had done nothing wrong. So, not only his friends but Job himself could not understand why he had afflicted to terribly.

After all the dialogue from the three friends and another person , Elihu, who joins the discussion, there is a sudden storm and out of the storm God answers Job in the most wonderful poetic way:

Who is this who darkens counsel with words devoid of knowledge?
Brace yourself and stand up like a man;
I shall put questions to you, and you must answer.
Were you there when I laid the earth’s foundations?
Tell me, if you know and understand.
Who fixed its dimensions? Surely you know.
Who stretched a measuring line over it?
On what do its supporting pillars rest?
Who set it’s corner stone in place,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
And the sons of God all shouted for joy?

Well, the poetry goes on and on and is nothing short of beautiful. Eventually, Job answers God:

I know that you can do all things and that no purpose is beyond you.
You ask, "Who is this obscuring counsel yet lacking knowledge?"
But I have spoken of things which I have not understood,
Things too wonderful for me to know.
Listen, and let me speak. You said: "I shall put questions to you, and you must answer.
I knew of you then only by report, but now I see you with my own eyes.
Therefore I yield, repenting in dust and ashes.

By this point, not only has the penny dropped but Job sees his Lord, face to face. So, suddenly everything falls into place. No matter whether there is a change back to wealth or not, Job now knows what he knew only by repute previously. He has been given the privilege of seeing God for himself. What a present that was!

This is what Christians are working towards all their lives. They have a certain type of knowledge of God which they have learned from reading the Gospels and the Epistles. At some point they have made up their minds to step forward in faith and follow Jesus, even though they cannot see him. Like Job, they would be so favoured if they could see him face to face. But they have to maintain faith until this wonderful moment arrives as they pass through death.

But we do speak figuratively when we say "I was blind but now I see." What we see is with our minds’ eye. It is our faith that tells us that what we see in our mind does actually exist. So in this unique sense we can see Jesus today. He leads us in all that we do in his name. So, when you meet a Christian you are getting close to God in this special, spiritual sense. You can trust them for they have experienced God and Jesus in a special way that calls them to be "area representatives" for him. They simply want to share with you the love they have found in Jesus.