“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
    I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
    let my accuser put his indictment in writing.”
Job 31:35 (NIV)

A year or so ago I was talking with a life-long friend. We were discussing the state of cancel culture that exists today in which a person can lose their job and be effectively pilloried for foolish choices made when he or she was young. My friend expressed that this was an ever-present fear, confessing that if even a fraction of the stupid things done during high school were to come to light, their life would be utterly ruined. My friend was not exaggerating. I know some of the stories. Today’s cancel culture would have a field day.

Today’s chapter is the third and final phase of Job’s closing defense arguments in his mock trial with God. It is actually a poetically beautiful summation in which Job makes seven “if” statements that assert his blamelessness. In Biblical numerology, seven is the number of “completion” and Job’s seven “if” statements echo the Mosaic laws of retaliation in Exodus and Leviticus. In essence, Job is saying “if” I am guilty of breaking any of these laws of morality, community, or justice “then” let me suffer the consequences, either natural or prescribed by law. He asserts, however, that he is blameless (not sinless, but blameless) in each case and calls upon the Almighty to prove His case. Job then verbally puts his John Hancock on his defense and calls on God to make His case.

As I read through Jobs defense in the quiet this morning, three prevailing thoughts crowded my mind. First, like my friend’s very real fear regarding cancel culture, I am definitely not blameless. I can easily be accused and found guilty of a large majority, if not all, of the seven moral assertions Job makes.

Second, I continue to be reminded that God has not accused Job of anything. In fact, the whole of what God has said about Job amounts to praise for Job’s faith, blamelessness, and goodness.

Third, the whole of Job’s argument rests on a world-view in which there is always a cause-and-effect to suffering. In his case, Job’s suffering is happening precisely because his faith, blamelessness, and goodness placed him in the crosshairs of the evil one.

As a disciple of Jesus, I can’t escape the fact that Jesus told His followers to expect unjust suffering just as He would unjustly suffer.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law… Matt 16:21

Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Matt 17:11-12

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me…” Matt 24:9

To Peter, Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” John 21:18

Along my spiritual journey I have had to embrace the truth that Jesus never promised His followers an earthly life of health, wealth, and earthly prosperity. Quite the opposite, in fact. Jesus told His followers to expect trouble, difficulty, persecution, suffering, injustice, and even a death one doesn’t deserve. This earthly life, Jesus told His followers, was simply a shadow of the Life to come. If my treasure is here on this earth, then I am naturally going to feel trouble, difficulty, persecution, suffering, and injustice more acutely. If my treasure is in heaven, where Jesus tells me to place it, then I am going to consider any trouble, difficulty, persecution, suffering, and injustice completely differently.

It even changes the way I consider Job’s suffering.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.