Year 8, Day 105: Job 11

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Zohar is an idiot.  I don’t mean that he isn’t intelligent.  Certainly, he was a smart person as he displays his ability to think and process in this chapter.  He’s an idiot because of his decision-making process.  He’s an idiot because of how he implements his thoughts.

Look at how Zohar puts his world together.  He says that Job must be guilty because he is suffering.  First of all, we know that to be incorrect.  We’ve talked about this in prior chapters of Job.  I also remember a story where the people around Jesus ask whether a man with a withered hand is experiencing the consequences of his own sin or his parent’s sin.  Jesus reminds us that sometimes we experience consequences so God is glorified.  Jesus then heals the man’s hand and gives glory to God.

Zohar doesn’t get this point.  Zohar only understands that bad things happen to people who deserve it.  In fact, Zohar decides that not only is Job guilty, but God is going easy on him!  This is arrogance at its worst.  Zohar is a thinking man whose conclusions blind him.  This is the danger of being a person who sees the world in a black-and-white perspective.  When the world is black-and-white, we become judgmental, uncompassionate, and blind.  We become Zohar.

This is another case where we have a foundation related to truth, but not universal truth.  Zohar says some things that are true in his words.  If we humble ourselves and come to God, we will find Him.  If we focus on God, we will be able to carry our head high.  We cannot discern God fully, nor can we limit His power.  All of these things are true.  However, they are not universally applicable, either!

Just because we are in poor circumstances doesn’t mean we are guilty and in need of turning to God.  Sometimes we are in a place off poor circumstances so that we can receive God’s blessing!  Just because we mourn our present circumstances doesn’t mean that we aren’t focused on God.  Platitudes are great when applied into the correct circumstance.  Platitudes are dangerous when we apply them to circumstances where they don’t belong because they help us draw the wrong conclusion yet think we are right in doing so!

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