Job CLVI

Job 14:7-12, “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its roots may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant. But man dies and is laid away; indeed he breathes his last and where is he? As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep.”

Every great faith started out small. It’s a testament to the transformative power of faith that every mind brimming with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding once belonged to a babe who spent their days staring at their fingers, stacking blocks, learning to crawl, and finding the greatest amusement in playing with an empty box for hours on end.

We don’t like to hear it, but God doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t see us as a monolith but as individuals, and we will stand before Him one day as individuals. We don’t get a passing grade simply because we deem ourselves of average faith, more faithful than Bob but less faithful than Jill, so right in the middle should be the sweet spot. Controversial? Most assuredly. Biblical? Quite so. Jesus said as much, but our self-righteousness will not allow God to be God and determine the standard by which He judges men. Trying to play de facto judge offers a higher perch, and for some, looking down on another who’s just starting out on their journey of faith, with shaky legs and a faith in its infancy, makes them feel better about themselves and their duplicitous hearts.

It’s easy to sit in judgment of Job in hindsight, given what we know regarding eternity, life after death, the home that Jesus went to prepare for us, and all that salvation entails. We read his words and tend to shake our heads at how little he understood regarding these things, especially if we fail to acknowledge the context of the time he lived in.

I understand that armchair quarterbacking is all the rage, and some are chomping at the bit to pick at the flaws of a man whom God deemed blameless and upright, but before we judge Job too harshly, we would do well to hold a mirror up to ourselves and acknowledge our imperfections.

With the knowledge he possessed and the faithfulness he demonstrated, Job was regarded as a man to whom God could point as having been unique among his contemporaries, both in his service and love of God. That’s not me saying it; that’s God saying it, so anyone quick to roll their eyes at Job’s ignorance of the broader picture of eternity and what comes after this life is spent would do well to acknowledge this truth.

That’s not to say Job’s outlook wasn’t bleak. He saw more hope for the tree that is cut down to sprout anew than for a man who dies and is laid away. No, I do not believe Job was contemplating reincarnation but rather a continuity of life beyond the point of death. In his limited understanding, he concluded that man lies down and does not rise again.

If your desire is to know Him, God will meet you where you are. You don’t need to be fluent in Hebrew or Greek or hold a doctorate in divinity from a seminary, but you do need to possess a broken and contrite heart that yearns for more of God. Job’s understanding of eternity was limited, yet God still saw him as a blameless and upright man.

Luke 12:48, “But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Job was accountable for the things he understood during the time he lived in. If God keeps count of the hairs on your head, rest assured, He is fully aware of the level of faith, understanding, knowledge, and spiritual maturity you possess. If you’ve been given much, much will be required of you. We are individually accountable for the understanding we possess regarding spiritual matters.

Not knowing something was displeasing to God and doing it, and knowing that it was and doing it anyway, are two very different things. When something deserving of stripes is done in ignorance, the individual shall be beaten with few. Jesus didn’t say there would be no consequence, but God does take into account whether it was done in ignorance or with full knowledge that it would displease Him and was done anyway.

True enough, ignorance of the law is no excuse, at least in earthly courts. However, unlike man, God knows whether or not an individual is genuinely ignorant of something or merely pretends to be in order to escape punishment.

Whenever discussing topics related to repentance, holiness, sanctification, or obedience, there is bound to be at least one individual who uses the thief on the cross as an excuse for their rebellion. He didn’t repent or live a holy life; he just said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Why should I have to sanctify myself when he didn’t? In short, he was ignorant of Jesus, who He was, and the salvation He offered up until that moment.

Most people who reject the love of God, who reject Jesus and His redemptive power, knowingly do so because they harden their hearts toward Him and refuse to surrender and humble themselves. It’s not that they never heard the gospel or were ignorant of it; having heard it, they rejected it.

For the thief on the cross, it was his last few hours on earth. He couldn’t schedule a baptism when the weather permitted or commit to living out his new convictions after this pesky crucifixion was over. Come the next sunrise at the latest, the life would have left his body, and he would be no more. Jesus knew he would have no opportunity to do what He’d instructed the rest of us to do, and in His grace and love, made allowances for that reality. That we would take an exception and make it the rule while ignoring the rule isn’t just obtuse; it’s dangerous.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

Posted on 2 April 2025 | 11:26 am