Deception: Prosperity Gospel
At first,
Job 5 reads as very sound advice that Eliphaz gives to Job. After all, doesn’t it seem like sound advice
for a person to say, “As for me, I would seek God?” Or how about the sensibility in saying, “He
saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty?” Doesn’t it sound hopeful to say that “in
famine He will redeem you from death and in war from the power of the sword?”
We want to
believe this theology. We want to sense the
truth in it. We want to believe that God
rewards the faithful and God punishes the unfaithful. We want to believe it, but we know that it
just isn’t always true in this world. If
following God’s ways brought about a perfect life in this world, don’t you
think more people would be trying it more seriously? Don’t get me wrong, I do believe following
God’s ways is the only way to go.
However, I don’t believe that following God’s ways produces a life in perfect
harmony with this world.
As we did
with the last chapter, let’s look at how what seems to be good sound advice is
actually not all that sound.
There can
be no doubt that Eliphaz is aware of Job’s devotion to God. We know for a fact that Eliphaz is absolutely
aware that Job has spent 7 days sitting in ashes trying to discern what is
happening to his life. From this
perspective, doesn’t it seem pretty shallow for Eliphaz to tell Job to seek God
and commit to God? Eliphaz’s advice is a
bit like telling someone who has been praying to God for a decade about a
certain problem that if they just prayed a little harder their problem would be
resolved. Or, it is like telling someone
who has a strong faith life that they should try praying in a different way. There is a time and a place for that kind of
advice, but more often than not this kind of advice is simply trite to a
genuinely faithful person. Advice such
as this is given by people shallow in their own faith who don’t appreciate the
faith of others.
If a
person is genuinely not in a relationship with God, then advising them to get
into a relationship with God is sound advice.
But to tell someone that God already considers righteous that they need
to turn to God is nothing less than a complete misdiagnosis of the
problem. There is no legitimate truth in
Eliphaz’s advice to Job. Job has already
turned to God and from God’s perspective Job is already righteous. To tell someone in Job’s condition that they
need to go to God is equal to assuming that their condition is occurring because
they aren’t with God. In Job’s case,
this is simply flawed reasoning. It’s
wrong.
Let’s look
at another example. What about this idea
that God always saves us from hunger or the sword of the mighty? Sure, God does demonstrate His ability to do
this if it suits His will and it will serve to bring glory to His name. But the unfortunate reality in our world is
that many faithful people have died from starvation throughout history. Many Christians and faithful Jews have been
martyrs for the faith. The truth is that
there are higher agendas at work than the continuation of my human existence. To think that my continued existence is the
thing that will serve God’s agenda the best is actually setting myself and my
life up as an idol rather than humbling myself to obedience to God’s call
wherever it should lead.
Take the
twelve disciples. How many of their
martyrdoms actually helped propel the kingdom forward? Or what about the martyrdom of Stephen? Surely Stephen’s death was one of the
greatest single steps forward that the church experienced. Yes, God can indeed save the hungry and free
the oppressed. Sometimes salvation in
that manner does come in this life. In
all cases it definitely comes in the life to come. But to present a theology that God will
always save a faithful person from whatever woe they encounter in this life is
simply to force God into a box that we have created for Him. It is prosperity gospel through and through.
Unfortunately,
we cannot force God to dwell inside of our box.
It’s bad theology to think that saving us in this present age is at the
top of God’s agenda. History – and God’s
Word – simply doesn’t support such a conclusion. Salvation is at the top of God’s agenda, but
it is the salvation in the life to come that God promises, not necessarily
salvation from our temporal woes!
If you
need another example, consider what Eliphaz says in verse 26. Eliphaz seems to indicate that should Job
truly be with God that he will die a death in his old age. There are indeed many faithful that are
allowed to live a long life. However,
there have been many people who died well before their time – people who died
because of their faith! I’ve already
mentioned Stephen, and I could add 10 of the 12 original disciples here. Or perhaps we could talk about important
historical figures like Jan Hus or Deitrich Bonhoeffer. The person who is faithful to God can live a
good life into an old age, but just because a person is righteous does not
imply that they will live a long life.
The righteous person will live the life that God has called them to live
and follow that calling into death whenever it comes.
Summing Up Eliphaz
Consider
the true implications of what Eliphaz says.
As we heard yesterday, all of his words seem to be very sound advice on
the surface. Who doesn’t want to say that
God will save a person? Who doesn’t want
to paint God out as capable of bringing us out of our woes? Sure, God can save. But the reality is that sometimes our strife
brings about God’s kingdom more than our ease.
The
conclusions that Eliphaz reaches put God in a box that he has created for God. Eliphaz’s conclusions teach about a God who
is hemmed into our understanding.
Eliphaz is teaching that it is alright to limit God to a deity that
meets our expectations rather than being a God who is accountable to His own
understanding – an understanding that far exceeds our own.
Eliphaz
has made God into the God that he wants to serve. Eliphaz’s words do not come out of a
humbleness that seeks after God. Eliphaz’s
words are out of a pride that asserts what he wants to believe is true.
Who among
us don’t struggle with that temptation from time to time? Wouldn’t we all rather believe in a God that
makes sense to us rather than approach His Word knowing that to understand Him
means it is we who need to change our understanding?
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