The Nearness of God

The story of Job pulls back the curtain to reveal a different view of the intimate nearness of God to us. The Book of Job thus shines with a new luster as what could be the most Christ-centered book in the Bible. We know that according to Revelation 13:8, Christ, the Lamb of God, was "slain from the foundation of the world." It follows that the same Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of the Book of Job was at work in the story of Job, glorifying Christ in that early period of world history. We can trace His footsteps in the epic of Job.

God wagered His heavenly throne on Job! He had to; He had no other choice. Satan had challenged Him: "You don't have anyone on earth who truly believes in you, who at heart is loyal to You! The whole lot of them who profess to worship You do so only for self-centered reasons. They're either scared of going to hell or they want a pie-in-the-sky reward, and everyone who is motivated by love of self belongs on my side! God, Your plan of salvation is a fiasco!" God said, "You're wrong, Satan. Exhibit Number One is Job. He is truly converted!"

Then Satan taunted God, "He's a washout, too. Just let me torment him enough and he will turn his back on You." If God had said, "I am afraid you may be right, don't attack him," Satan would have trumpeted all over the universe that "God is a coward, His so-called 'plan of salvation' is a failure, I have won the great controversy; I have invented sin and it is stronger than God. Let me have His throne!"

Now, the rolled-back curtain: we catch a glimpse of how God was exercising faith in man! God was entrusting the stability of His very throne on trusting a man, a man like you and me, a weak man who was born a sinner like you and me! If Job had failed God's trust in him, God would have been proven wrong, and no one could again have trusted Him. This helps us understand how the Bible often speaks of "the faith of God" and "the faith of Jesus." For us to have faith in God is nothing marvelous, for we are nothing and He is everything. But for Him to have faith in us!!?? Job was a prototype of the "144,000" who will "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (Rev 14:4, 5). You may be the most lowly, unworthy person on planet earth: but consider how important you are in the cosmic conflict!

Have you been blessed/challenged?