Christians aren’t too well known for their humor. To be fair, the Bible isn’t really either. Yet there is a particular verse that always strikes me as funny, even years after happening upon it. And perhaps it speaks more of my own sense of humor because this verse is found it one of the least hilarious books in the Bible.
The comedic setup
Job is a misunderstood book that isn’t displaying how holy Job is, but how good our God is (James 5:11). Yet throughout the book, things don’t seem very good. Even today, people accuse God of being a monster for what He put Job through. Of course, let’s consider what God allowed:
- Job’s donkeys are stolen and his servants are massacred
- Lightning strikes all his sheep and shepherds
- Raiders stole his camels and killed more servants
- A house collapsed on all his children
Job get all of that news from 4 different servants in the span of about 2 minutes. Then later, more is added to the mix.
- Sores break out everywhere on his body
- His wife leaves him (though many scholars would argue that was a slight relief)
- His friends cap it all off by saying “Dude, what’d you do to make God so mad?”
Can’t you feel yourself on the edge of your seat, waiting for the punchline? No, because this is horrific stuff. Yet through all of this, God knew Job wouldn’t curse him because he trusted God more than his current, horrible circumstances.
Yet we often get blinded by Job’s encouraging words and ignore that he is as much a sinner as any of us. Finally, at his breaking point, Job has had enough.
With great power God grasps my clothing;
he binds me like the collar of my tunic.
He has flung me into the mud,
and I have come to resemble dust and ashes.
I cry out to you, but you do not answer me;
I stand up, and you only look at me.
You have become cruel to me;
with the strength of your hand you attack me.
You pick me up on the wind and make me ride on it;
you toss me about in the storm.
I know that you are bringing me to death,
to the meeting place for all the living. (Job 30:18-23)
No one can really blame Job for hitting this point. How often do we point our fingers at God, accusing Him of picking on us just because we’re having a bad day? Or simply handle all our problems ourselves as though we believe God doesn’t care? Yet there’s no denying that Job is accusing God is being distant, cruel, and perhaps a bit of a bully. Job was upset that God wasn’t answering him, so God decides to oblige.
The knee-slapper
After some awful, awful theology from Job’s friends, and Job’s own insistence at God being unjust, God appears in a whirlwind. Not a little burning bush or a quiet voice in a cave. God’s not playing games, and I’m pretty sure these guys know it. But first, God has a few words for Job and pals:
Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge? (Job 38:2)
Translation: “Who are these bozos?” That’s about all God needs to say on Job’s “friends” until chapter 42.
Finally, God makes me feel like I just remembered a hilarious joke in the middle of a funeral eulogy.
Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! (Job 38:3, NASB)
I know everyone reading this finds it hilarious, and who could blame you? But I’ll explain the joke for that one person, who totally isn’t you, who doesn’t get it.
Back in the day, men wore nothing under their tunics except sandals. When it was time to do hard work, they had to tie their loose clothing around their waist, both for protection and to keep the cloth out of the way. Like so.
Then God tells Job that God wants to ask Job some questions, because God can clearly learn a thing or two from this guy. God is essentially telling Job “Alright big shot, you want to throw around accusations like you know something? Well Mr. Smartypants (Smartyloincloth?), let’s chat so you can me what’s what”
And God proceeds to ask Job some questions.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding!
Who set its measurements—if you know— or who stretched a measuring line across it? (Job 38:4-5)
Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, or made the dawn know its place, that it might seize the corners of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it? (Job 38:12-13)
God eventually launches into a description of a massive sea monster called a “Leviathan” and asks Job a very important question:
Can you play with it, like a bird, or tie it on a leash for your girls? (Job 41:5)
Seriously, take a minute and read chapters 38-42 of Job. It’s hilarious.
You know how kids will argue with you that it’s totally not going to rain, and 20 minutes later they come in soaking wet? You know that feeling when you give them the single-eyebrow raise and say “I sure am glad it’s not going to rain today”? I don’t know if it’s within God’s nature to have sass, but I’m pretty sure that’s the proper way to read the last few chapters of Job.
Laughter and learning
I find myself utterly incapable of reading these chapters without cracking a smile at least once. The idea of the universe’s creator speaking out of a whirlwind, asking these questions with some form of mock seriousness, just kills me.
Though based on his reaction, I doubt Job was laughing.
you asked, ‘Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge?’ But I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know. (Job 42:3)
Job knows he messed up. His life was arguably more shaken than ours will ever be, yet even in that he realized he had no right to doubt God.
The really neat thing about these chapters is how God deals with Job. God never explains what happens to Job, and Job doesn’t even seem interested in the why of it all. Nor does God come down with a hammer on Job for the remnants of prideful sin still present in this righteous man’s heart.
God simply shows one thing, both to Job and to us: God isn’t merely a more advanced version of us. He is something completely other than us, and our infant minds simply have no room to question the one who created the universe and rules over it with absolute power. God is God, we are not, and remembering that is essential.
I like to think Job is sitting in Heaven now, regularly shaking his head and laughing at how silly he was back then. If he could have seen God’s greater purpose, there’s no way he would have responded with anything but awe and reverence.
Thousands of years from now, we’ll be sitting right next to Job, swapping stories about how things seemed so terrible and how prideful we were to ever doubt our Lord. Even the most horrible moments of our lives are being redeemed by God, and we can do nothing but love and trust the one who can tie a sea monster to a string and walk it around like a toy poodle.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
