the prophet Isaiah has this to say about God being different all other things as he is the creator and we are his creation:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In order for man to be very precise on how we come to veiw God and his ways we first have to let go of the notion that we are the ultimate judge of how God should act with in time and space, and more specifically with his creation, since our ways are not his ways and our thoughts are not like his either, therefore we have to allow God to conform us to his ways and also communicate to us of those things, we can not and must not dictate what God can and canot do in accord what we feel is appropriate
I believe the bible gives us an extraordinary understanding into just what Gods ways are, one such place is in the book of JOB
For us to understand this great book we have to know that God is in control of all the events and circumstances that has a toll on jobs life, as well as being in control of Satan's advances, and the mens lives too
the book actually starts from a great point where we are introduced to job, Satan who are in God courtroom where God allows Satan to have temporal control over job live and all his great wealth
Note what is said in verses 6-12
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (job 1)
Here in this passage we are told that God has summed a meeting between himself, the sons of God (angels) and that Satan is there in the midst of Gods council ... in this discourse God had given his servant into the hands of Satan .. and this is the purpose for God to demonstrate his great glory
But notice, satans control is in the hands of Yahweh God who has granted him this opportunity to course job to hinder in his devotion to God .. but also know that despite satan greatest attempts Job remains loyal .. which is seen as Gods greatest work as it states "only against him do not stretch out your hand"
this reveals that Satan has control over jobs possessions, his health, his friends and family, but God has kept him from the final point, in that he has Jobs entire life in his hands .. the greatest evidence of election / predestination
Now allow us to consider how job reveals his friend are actually his worse enemies as they act in a disloyal fashion, and two faced when he would need them the most .. as this can give us some important incites as how Gods decree that Satan would have control over every thing including his friends ...
consider the following passages as evidence of this fact
How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. But if you will seek God earnestl and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.
Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated? Will your idle talk reduce others to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock? You say to God, “My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.” Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.
Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind? Would they argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value? But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God. Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.
In the above sections from job 8, 11, and 15 Jobs so called friends Bildad, Zophar, Eliphaz all turn on Job under satans work which is the direct result of God decree of Satan, what is interesting in this is that these section (and the whole chapters which are based on their word) are full of harsh language over against the servant of God Job.
They even go as far as to accuse this righteous believer of being a filthy traitor of course not in such terms but almost as good as if they had.
And all the accusations of these 3 men are only right before their own eyes they have no substance as Job has not done anything wrong in Gods eyes.
Still when one looks to Jobs responses you can not help but get a feeling of loss, hopelessness and confusion to all that he has faced in loses all he had that was dear to him.
note his response quite early on in his defense which is not a defense of his own person
How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery. If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone. If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me, then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me.
In the above sections from job 9, and job 19 these are jobs own words the first is Job recognition that he is indeed innocent, and still believes he is worthy of the term oil he is in, this fits into the mold of a decree in that God knows his servant is righteous but allows good and bad to happen to him. in this case bad ... to bring out his greater glory
in the second section job begins to take a darker tone of though and is just in his answer . note what is said "God has wronged me and has drawn his net" he believes that God has placed him in a position which is wrong
but note how he answers his so called friends too by accusing them of such an evil in how they have acted towards him
this exchange between Job and his so called friend fills out the first major section of the book
next we are introduced to another person called Elihu from chapters 32-37 this section is filled with two kinds of response the first is a rebuke of job and the friends, the second is of a proclamation of Gods justice, greatness and majesty.
And from these sections we must draw some important aspects from,
Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding. It is impossible for God to do wrong,and for the Almighty to act unjustly. For He repays a person according to his deeds, and He brings his ways on him. Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly and the Almighty does not pervert justice. Who gave Him authority over the earth? Who put Him in charge of the entire world? If He put His mind to it and withdrew the spirit and breath He gave, every living thing would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
Look, God shows Himself exalted by His power. Who is a teacher like Him? Who has appointed His way for Him, and who has declared, “You have done wrong”? Remember that you should praise His work,which people have sung about. All mankind has seen it; people have looked at it from a distance.Yes, God is exalted beyond our knowledge; the number of His years cannot be counted. For He makes waterdrops evaporate; they distill the rain into its mist, which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind. Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out or how the thunder roars from God’s pavilion? See how He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
Listen to this, Job. Stop and consider God’s wonders. Do you know how God directs His clouds
or makes their lightning flash? Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonderful works of Him who has perfect knowledge? You whose clothes get hot when the south wind brings calm to the land, can you help God spread out the skies as hard as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot prepare our case because of our darkness. Should He be told that I want to speak? Can a man speak when he is confused? Now men cannot even look at the sun when it is in the skies, after a wind has swept through and cleared them away. Yet out of the north He comes, shrouded in a golden glow; awesome majesty surrounds Him. The Almighty—we cannot reach Him—He is exalted in power! He will not oppress justice and abundant righteousness, Therefore, men fear Him. He does not look favorably on any who are wise in heart.
In the above sections from job 34, job 36 and 37 we have a united picture of God via the totality of his being; First, his justice. Second, his greatness. Then lastly, his majesty. But before we move onto these areas we must try to tackle the question of just Elihu is, many probably would not worry, but for a serious bible student it is vital, one exclamation this character make makes almost like his on par with God himself .. take note of his words
"For all my arguments are not flawed, one is with you who is perfect in knowledge" by nature human arguments are flawed, and human knowledge is not perfect therefore, this person is not a human but is God himself, but not the father.
This very thing is again used to show Gods perfect knowledge in the next chapter (37)
now to Gods justice, greatness and majesty .. we must look to his majesty for a full understanding of his being .. his majesty is the same thing as his sovereignty which is the fact that he is in control of all things in time and space the section on this area gives us a good understanding into this fact
Take note of what is said as it will be beneficial to our study
granted the above passage only goes as far as to describe his sovereign rule over not human objects and forms,but it is in these things that we must see the connection ... that if mans days are number by God himself ... his birth and death are in Gods hands .. then the course of that life/death is also in his hands
if God controls the circumstances in this world such as earth quakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and much more .. then he has control over the lives it effects, just as he has control over diseases and other factor.
The bible even tells us that he is the one that courses all thing to work for greater good of his glory .. this includes salvation
next we need to look at some of Gods answers to job and others
Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said: Who is this who obscures My counsel with ignorant words? Get ready to answer Me like a man; when I question you, you will inform Me. Where were you when I established the earth Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Upon starting his judgement of all that has taken place God start with asking a very basic question, but yet so complex as what it is seeking to draw out as an answer. Note the question .. "Who is this who obscures My council with ignorant words?"
The answer is clear even though his is a righteous man, Job has in his response shown only one half of the picture that he is a sinful being that needs grace, the part missing from is that his words of greatness to wards God has not being matched up with the same kind of reverence in action.
After running through all the acts of creation belonging to and finding their existence in Gods sovereign grace ... things like the earth forming, the basics of the operation of the seas, light and darkness, the different weather patterns, different star formations, differing animals and their creation, different rock formations.
Then God turns to his own majesty in chapter 40-41, but in chapter 40 where we read these words
"Get ready to answer Me like a man; When I question you, you will inform Me.Would you really challenge My justice? Would you declare Me guilty to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?"
Gods question should not be missed here he is questioning job with a role reversal to get the answer his demands from man but when there is no answer to be given to such question as it would demonstrate a great error .. it would be making man the creator and God nothing
This is exactly the frame of mind the atheists community all fall prey of doing becoming self appointed judges and this is Satan's goal
Recall that I said God allowed Satan to course havoc on job, and lead his friends astray ... which what is referred as a decree, and is a predestined act.. now let us consider Gods words to these men as a result,
After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about Me, as My servant Job has. Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you. I will surely accept his prayer and not deal with you as your folly deserves. For you have not spoken the truth about Me, as My servant Job has.” Then Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
From this encounter we learn that God has a decree that all things must happen according to his will, and all evil and wrong is only due to this factor, still it all must be punished as we can see .. or on the account of one righteous man .. other will be forgiven for their crimes against God ... this seem to fit in with genesis 18 -19, and in Joseph's case his brothers hated him and that hate would be how God would be glorified as many would come to him through it
even the brothers of Joseph finally repented of this
the biggest case is in Christ atonement, the sinner were carrying out God decree, to which many sinner would find themselves being called righteous in his stead
in jobs case he was honored and found innocent, and all his possessions family and his health were restored to him by God
