GOD WANTS ALL OF US – INCLUDING OUR ANGER
Job 19:1-27; Isaiah 64:1a; Luke 1:78-79
Rev. Paul Wrightman 12/3/23
TODAY'S CONVERSATION
FROM THE BOOK OF JOB
IS NOT SO MUCH A CONVERSATION
AS IT IS A SHOUTING MATCH.
AND SHOUTING "MATCH"
IS ACTUALLY A MISNOMER,
SINCE ALL THE SHOUTING
IS DONE BY ONE PERSON, JOB.
THE TEXT THAT YOU JUST HEARD IS ACTUALLY
THE TAIL END OF A MUCH LONGER TEXT,
WHERE JOB YELLS AT HIS FRIENDS,
THE REMNANT LEFT OF HIS FAMILY,
– AT GOD.
AND AT THE FIERCE, FIERY CENTER
OF HIS SCREAMING AT GOD,
GOD FINDS A WAY
TO SNEAK INTO JOB'S RAGE AND RESENTMENT
AND TO SUBVERT IT FROM WITHIN.
BUT BEFORE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT TODAY'S TEXT,
LET'S REVIEW A BIT.
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WE SAW HOW GOD GAVE
THE PROPHET ELIJAH A "DRESSING-DOWN,"
FOR HIS VIOLENCE IN SLAUGHTERING
THE 450 PRIESTS OF A RIVAL GOD, BAAL;
A VIOLENCE WHICH ELIJAH HAD THE CHEEK
TO PROJECT ONTO GOD,
THEN GIVE GOD CREDIT FOR.
WE SAW HOW GOD BROUGHT ELIJAH
TO MT. SINAI AND THERE DEMONSTRATED TO HIM
THAT GOD WAS NOT TO BE FOUND
IN THE VIOLENCE
OF A MOUNTAIN-SHATTERING WIND;
NOT TO BE FOUND IN THE VIOLENCE
OF AN INTENSE EARTHQUAKE;
AND NOT TO BE FOUND IN THE VIOLENCE
OF A DISINTEGRATING FIRE;
BUT WAS TO BE FOUND
IN THE PEACE AND CREATIVE POSSIBILITY
OF GOD'S "STILL, SMALL, VOICE."
WE SAW GOD PATIENTLY AT WORK
SUBVERTING ELIJAH'S VIOLENCE FROM WITHIN.
TWO WEEKS AGO -- SMACK IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE OVERWHELMINGLY VIOLENT HISTORY
OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL --
AGAIN, VIOLENCE THAT WAS CLAIMED
BY THESE VIOLENT KINGS THEMSELVES
TO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED
BY NO ONE LESS THAN GOD --
WE WERE TREATED TO A "MINORITY REPORT,"
A "MINORITY REPORT" SNUCK INTO THE TEXT
BY GOD'S SPIRIT,
IN WHICH WE WERE GIVEN GOD'S PERSONAL VISION
OF A "BATTLE" IN WHICH NO WEAPONS ARE RAISED,
AND WHICH CONCLUDES WITH THE ENEMY ARMY
BEING TREATED TO A FEAST
WITHIN THE CITADEL OF THEIR FOES,
THEN BEING SENT MERRILY ON THEIR WAY
BACK HOME.
WE SAW HOW, SADLY,
BECAUSE OF OUR HUMAN ADDICTION TO VIOLENCE,
THIS DELIGHTFUL STORY WAS NEVER ABLE
TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN HISTORY ITSELF,
BUT WAS SNUCK INTO THE BIBLICAL TEXT
AS AN ACT OF SUBVERSION BY GOD,
REVEALING TO US THE DEEPEST DESIRE
OF GOD'S OWN HEART AND MIND,
WHICH IS FOR PEACE, NOT WAR; LIFE, NOT DEATH.
THESE, AND OTHER PROVOCATIVE
"MINORITY REPORTS" SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
THE PAGES OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
REVEAL TO US A GOD WHO IS TRYING TO SUBVERT
THE VIOLENT STORY-LINE ATTRIBUTED TO GOD,
A GOD WHO WOULD LIKE TO SABOTAGE
THE REVENGE, THE CONQUEST, AND THE VIOLENCE
WHICH IS PROJECTED BY VIOLENT HUMAN BEINGS
ONTO GOD'S NATURE,
AND THEN CLAIMED TO BE GOD'S WILL.
TODAY WE SEE YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF GOD'S SUBVERSIVE PRACTICES AT WORK.
WE'RE SEEING THIS SO OFTEN
THAT I'M BEGINNING TO THINK
THAT THE GREAT UNACKNOWLEDGED
NAME OF GOD THROUGHOUT
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
IS GOD-THE-SUBVERTER.
MOST OF US KNOW THE STORY OF JOB,
A FICTIONAL, NOVELLA-LIKE ACCOUNT
OF HOW GOD ALLOWS AN INNOCENT PERSON
TO UNDERGO EXTREME LOSS OF FAMILY,
REPUTATION, WEALTH, AND HEALTH.
THE OVERARCHING CONCERN
OF THE BIBLICAL BOOK OF JOB
IS TO NARRATE THE CONFRONTATION
BETWEEN THE CONVENTIONAL AND TRADITIONAL
THEOLOGY WHICH MAINTAINED
THAT LOSS OF WEALTH AND HEALTH
WERE DIRECT PUNISHMENTS BY GOD
IN RETRIBUTION FOR SINS COMMITTED,
AND THE RADICALLY "NEW"
THEOLOGICAL VISION OF THE AUTHOR
OF THE BOOK OF JOB
WHICH MAINTAINED THAT GOD DOES NOT INDULGE
IN SUCH CHILDISH AND IMMATURE BEHAVIOR.
JUST LIKE MANY OF US
WHEN WE ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF MOVING FROM AN EARLIER, MORE PRIMITIVE
STAGE IN OUR OWN DEVELOPMENT
TO A LATER, MORE MATURE STAGE,
JOB IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE,
CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO INCOMPATIBLE WAYS
OF LOOKING AT THE MEANING OF LIFE.
TODAY'S TEXT GIVES US A PROFOUND GLIMPSE
INTO JOB'S STUCKNESS.
JOB'S FRIENDS -- ALL SUBSCRIBERS OF THE VIEW
THAT JOB MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING
TERRIBLY WRONG
TO HAVE BEEN METED OUT
SUCH A TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT BY GOD --
HAVE BEEN ARGUING WITH HIM FOR WEEKS,
TRYING TO GET HIM TO ADMIT HIS GUILT.
THEIR CIRCULAR, CATCH 22, REASONING GOES:
"JOB HAS LOST EVERYTHING;
THEREFORE IT FOLLOWS
THAT JOB MUST BE GUILTY."
JOB STUBBORNLY MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE,
AN INNOCENCE, BY THE WAY,
EVENTUALLY UPHELD BY GOD.
JUST BEFORE WHERE OUR TEXT BEGINS TODAY,
JOB FINALLY LOSES HIS PATIENCE
AND STARTS YELLING.
HIS FIRST OUTBURST IS AIMED AT HIS FRIENDS:
"HOW LONG," HE SCREAMS AT THEM,
"WILL YOU TORMENT ME,
AND BREAK ME IN PIECES WITH WORDS?"
THEN JOB TURNS HIS ANGER AT GOD.
IT IS NOT EASY TO BE THE PERSON
IN WHOM A MAJOR SHIFT OF WORLDVIEWS
IS TAKING PLACE.
IT TOOK A LOT OUT OF JOB'S HIDE.
AND AS ALL OF US KNOW
FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE,
IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF OUR HIDES
WHEN WE ARE FORCED TO GROW UP,
WHEN WE FORCED TO STOP BLAMING OTHERS,
GOD, AND EVEN OURSELVES FOR OUR MISFORTUNES,
AND COME TO ADMIT
THAT LIFE IS ROUGH AND TOUGH
AND SOMETIMES FULL OF ADVENTURES
THAT WE WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE.
SO AFTER HAVING IT OUT WITH HIS FRIENDS,
JOB HAS IT OUT WITH GOD.
ECHOING OUR OWN FEELINGS AT TIMES,
JOB PRONOUNCES JUDGMENT
AGAINST HIS MAKER:
…"GOD HAS PUT ME IN THE WRONG,
AND CLOSED HIS NET AROUND ME.
EVEN WHEN I CRY OUT, 'VIOLENCE!'
I AM NOT ANSWERED;
I CALL ALOUD, BUT THERE IS NO JUSTICE.
HE HAS WALLED UP MY WAY
SO THAT I CANNOT PASS,
AND HE HAS SET DARKNESS UPON MY PATHS…
HE BREAKS ME DOWN ON EVERY SIDE,
AND I AM GONE,
HE HAS UPROOTED MY HOPE LIKE A TREE."
JOB GOES ON TO RAGE AGAINST GOD
FOR THE LOSS OF HIS FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS,
AND HIS HEALTH.
PERFECTLY STUCK BETWEEN
HIS OLD BELIEF-SYSTEM
THAT GOD IS THE DIRECT CAUSE OF EVERYTHING,
INCLUDING ALL HIS MISFORTUNES,
BUT NOT YET ABLE TO MAKE THE LEAP TO A GOD
OF UNCONDITIONAL GOODNESS AND LOVE,
JOB HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO SCREAM,
AND INSTINCTIVELY HE KNOWS
THAT THE SAFEST PERSON AT WHOM TO SCREAM
IS GOD.
HAVEN'T WE ALL BEEN THERE WITH JOB
AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER IN OUR OWN LIVES?
HAVEN’T WE ALL PRAYED IN FRUSTRATION
LIKE THE PROPHET ISAIAH WHEN HE LAMENTS
TO GOD: “O THAT YOU WOULD
TEAR OPEN THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN!”
WE WANT GOD TO PERSONALLY STEP IN
AND FIX EVERYTHING: TO FIX OUR BROKEN SELVES,
OUR BROKEN COUNTRY, OUR BROKEN WORLD.
AS I SHARED WITH YOU SEVERAL MONTHS AGO,
IN A RECENT SHOUTING MATCH OF MY OWN
WITH GOD, WHEN I WAS SOUNDING A LOT LIKE
JOB AND ISAIAH, DEMANDING THAT GOD
COME DOWN AND FIX THINGS,
I WAS GIVEN THE IMAGE
OF A HUGE STAINLESS STEEL CUBE
TO CONTEMPLATE.
IT WAS SITTING IN ITS METALLIC, SELF-CONTAINED
SOVEREIGNTY IN THE MIDDLE OF VAST FIELD.
WHEN I FINALLY GAVE UP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
ITS MEANING, ITS MEANING CAME TO ME:
THAT LIFELESS, STAINLESS STEEL CUBE PICTURED
WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF GOD WERE
TO STEP IN AND MAKE EVERYTHING PERFECT.
EVERYTHING WOULD BE “PERFECT,”
BUT THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE FREE WILL
BECAUSE GOD WOULD BE CONTANTLY STEPPING IN
AND OVERRIDING OUR IMPERFECT WILLS
WITH PERFECTION.
THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE LOVE
BECAUSE REAL LOVE REQUIRES THAT IT BE
FREELY GIVEN, NOT DEMANDED OR COERCED.
IF GOD WERE TO STEP IN AND FORCE US
TO BE PERFECT, WE WOULD HAVE PERFECTION –
A PERFECT STAINLESS STEEL CUBE –
BUT NOT MUCH ELSE.
COULD, HOWEVER, THERE BE ANOTHER WAY,
AN ALTERNATIVE WAY FOR GOD TO “COME DOWN,”
AS IT WERE, BUT IN SUCH A WAY
AS TO INSPIRE AND ELICIT FROM US
A FREELY GIVEN JUSTICE, PEACE, AND LOVE?
AND HOW WOULD GOD GO ABOUT DOING THIS?
WHAT ABOUT GOD CONDESCENDING
TO BECOME ONE OF US, TO “TENT” AMONG US,
AS IT WERE, SHOWING US HOW
TO BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE GOD?
THE GREATEST THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
OF THE EARLY CHURCH WAS EXPRESSED BY
ST. IRENAEUS WHEN HE SAID
“GOD BECAME A PERSON IN JESUS
SO THAT WE COULD LEARN TO BECOME
MORE LIKE GOD.”
SO THE EARLY CHURCH WOULD RESPOND
TO JOB’S AND ISAIAH’S AND OUR EXCLAMATION
“O THAT YOU WOULD TEAR OPEN THE HEAVENS
AND COME DOWN!”
WITH THE FURTHER EXCLAMATION
“GOD HAS TORN OPEN THE HEAVENS
AND COME DOWN – BY BECOMING A PERSON
IN THE PERSON OF JESUS OF NAZARETH.”
THIS IS WHAT ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS
ARE ALL ABOUT!
SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN
EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE FALLING APART,
WE HAVE SUSTAINED MORE LOSSES
THAN WE CAN BEAR,
WHEN THERE IS NO RELIEF IN SIGHT?
WHAT DO WE DO?
WE TAKE IT OUT ON – ON GOD.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT GOD WANTS
TO BE THE PERSON WE TAKE IT OUT ON!
PART OF GOD'S OFTEN-REPEATED PROMISE
THAT GOD WILL BE WITH US
MEANS PRECISELY THAT GOD WILL BE WITH US
IN BAD TIMES AS WELL AS GOOD,
WITH US AT OUR WORST AS WELL AS AT OUR BEST,
WITH US WHEN ALL OTHER OPTIONS ARE GONE
AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE
TO TURN TO OR YELL AT.
GOD WANTS TO BE WITH EACH OF US THAT MUCH!
GOD WANTS TO BE WITH EACH OF US THAT MUCH
SO THAT GOD CAN BEGIN THE PROCESS
OF SUBVERTING OUR MISERY FROM WITHIN.
JUST WHEN WE'RE SO DOWN-AND-OUT
THAT WE FEEL LIKE
WE CAN ABSOLUTELY TAKE NO MORE,
GOD-THE-SUBVERTER SHOWS UP ON OUR DOORSTEP,
KNOCKS ON THE DOOR OF OUR HEART,
AND SABOTAGES OUR PAIN, OUR DEPRESSION,
OUR RAGE, AND OUR RESENTMENT.
GOD DOESN’T USUALLY DO THIS
BY SIMPLY TAKING IT AWAY;
BUT MOST OFTEN BY BEING WITH US,
AND IN THE REALITY OF BEING WITH,
GIVING US A POWERFUL INTIMATION
THAT IN SPITE OF THE PAIN, DEPRESSION,
RAGE, AND RESENTMENT
THAT WE MAY BE FEELING,
THESE NEGATIVE RELAITIES ARE NEVER
GOD'S LAST WORD TO US,
BUT GOD'S FINAL WORD IS ALWAYS
LIFE AND WHOLENESS,
SOMETIMES LIFE AND WHOLENESS
AS A STILL, SMALL VOICE WHISPERING TO US
FROM THE VERY DEPTHS
OF OUR PAIN AND SORROW.
WE GET A BREATHTAKING GLIMPSE
OF THIS HAPPENING TO JOB
TOWARD THE END OF TODAY'S TEXT.
JOB REACHES A CRESCENDO OF ANGER-FILLED
FURY AGAINST GOD.
REFERRING TO THE MULTITUDE AND MAGNITUDE
OF THE ACCUSATIONS HE HAS JUST AIMED AT GOD,
HE SCREAMS AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS
"O THAT MY WORDS WERE WRITTEN DOWN!
O THAT THEY WERE INSCRIBED IN A BOOK!
O THAT WITH AN IRON PEN AND WITH LEAD
THEY WERE ENGRAVED ON A ROCK FOREVER!"
AND NOW HAPPENS
ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS
IN ALL OF WORLD LITERATURE;
IN ALL OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE:
IMMEDIATELY AFTER
JOB HAS YELLED HIS LOUDEST;
IMMEDIATELY AFTER
WE HAVE YELLED OUR LOUDEST,
MADE OUR VILEST,
MOST HATE-FILLED ACCUSATIONS
AGAINST GOD,
INSTEAD OF BEING RESPONDED TO IN KIND,
INSTEAD OF BEING REVILED
AND REJECTED IN TURN,
WE FIND OURSELVES RESPECTED AND ACCEPTED
JUST AS WE ARE;
WE FIND OURSELVES SAYING WITH CONVICTION
WORDS WHICH WE HAD
NEVER EVEN THOUGHT BEFORE,
MUCH LESS BELIEVED:
GOD'S "STILL, SMALL VOICE"
HAS SNUCK INTO OUR CONSCIOUSNESS,
SUBVERTED OUR ANGER,
AND TRANSFORMED IT INTO BOLD CONVICTION;
WE FIND OURSELVES SAYING,
IN A STILL, SMALL VOICE
ALONG WITH JOB:
"FOR I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES,
AND THAT AT THE LAST
HE WILL STAND UPON THE EARTH;
AND AFTER MY SKIN HAS BEEN [THUS] DESTROYED,
THEN IN MY FLESH I SHALL SEE GOD,
WHOM I SHALL SEE FOR MYSELF,
AND WHOM MY EYES WILL BEHOLD.
MY HEART IS FILLED WITH LONGING."
AMEN.