Smoodock's Blog

Job asks the friends: How often… (Job 21:17-21). Each of the verses in this series is a question. That is, “How often are the lives of the wicked cut off early?” and “How often does God lay sorrows upon them in his wrath?” (Job 21:17); and “How often are they stubble before the wind, and as chaff before the storm?” (Job 21:18) etc. In other words, Job is saying that such things are not as the friends conclude at all. In fact, what they pass off as truth has only a seldom occurrence in reality, which begs the question: who are the wicked? Are the wicked simply those we commonly recognize as criminals, vis-à-vis those we send to prison or those who we execute according to the laws of the land?

Yes, these are, indeed, wicked people, unless a grave mistake has occurred in our courts, but Job’s position seems to demand that the wicked are not only these, whom we punish, but the number of wicked folks extends far in excess of these. Job has in mind the rich and powerful who oppress the poor. They are the movers and shakers of our world. These wicked folks run our commercial industries and our governments, and their demands not only make themselves wealthy at the expense of the weak, but their pursuit of wealth leads to wars owing to their greed that knows no national border. Their exploits are often publicly lauded and awarded. However, “How often does God become angry and send disaster and darkness to punish (these) sinners?” (Job 21:17 – CEV; parenthesis mine) etc.

Shall a man teach God (Job 21:22)? God is the Judge of all those who reign over us. He judges the kings, the oppressors and everyone who holds a position governing the lives of the common folk. Job asks, if the friends presume to teach the Lord how he should rule, for they presume as much by saying all the wicked are judged today. In other words, they have concluded that all the wicked will see their own destruction, while they live in this tabernacle, vis-à-vis their physical bodies. Since this is not true, are the friends saying: this is what should be done? If they are, and, since it is God who judges those on high (our rulers; Job 21:22), do the friends presume to tell God his judgments aren’t fair? Indeed, we all must ask ourselves this very question, especially if we don’t trust the scriptures, which testify of the resurrection of the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15). Where’s justice without a resurrection?

When we aren’t satisfied with what occurs in our lives, or what God brings down upon us and those we love, do we ask: “Is God fair?” The fairness of God, the justice of God demands a resurrection to put things aright (cp. 1Corinthians 15:19). This was something the friends denied or refused to consider. They believed that God must deal with all the problems in our present lives, and our present lives are all there is. Therefore, if in this life only just men have hope, we are of all men most miserable (1Corinthians 15:19). Moreover, if it is in this life only that wicked men are punished, then God is a failure, as the just Judge of men, and the friends have a better idea, and he could learn of them, which is preposterous.

According to Job, most often the wicked die in the fullness of their power and often experience a peaceful death. (Job 21:23-24). “Another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure” (Job 21:25). The scholars are divided, concerning to whom this refers. Does it refer to the criminal who may be in prison or has been executed for his crimes? If so, Job differentiates between the wicked, some are punished, while others are not. However, the verse can refer to the innocent, or those people who are oppressed by the wicked. Often, they die, having lived bitter lives, never knowing the pleasure life offers others. Either may apply here, but no matter which Job has in mind, he is saying life isn’t fair, and it doesn’t appear that God intends for life to be fair, at least not in the manner that is presumed and taught by the friends.

Indeed, whether the bitter of soul refers to other wicked folks or the oppressed innocent, all (including the unpunished wicked) go down to the grave alike (Job 21:26; cp. Ecclesiastes 3:19). God is good, and God is just, but neither his goodness nor his fairness can be necessarily judged by the appearance of how folks are treated in their present lives. Yet, this is precisely how the friends have judged Job. Indeed, God had brought all Job’s calamity upon him, even Job admitted that. Nevertheless, God had not done so in his wrath, as is clearly understood in chapters 1 and 2 of this book.