Job 18

I don’t remember when it was that I finally worked up the courage to watch the movie Braveheart. It was a long time after it was released, and even then, I remember watching most of it through the laced fingers covering my eyes. (I have a problem with graphic violence.) But I can never forget the final moments of that film, as Mel Gibson’s character, William Wallace—bound and seconds away from death—cries with his last breath, "Freedom!"

There was something in that moment that swept me away, perhaps something that called out to the freedom-loving American in me. It was clear to me that it didn’t really matter that Wallace was about to die. He was free, and nobody could take that away from him. It actually reminded me of Christ—falsely accused, wrongfully arrested, convicted at a sham trial, beaten, abused, hung up to die. And what was He doing whilst all of that was going on? Ministering to the women on the road, comforting His mother, forgiving His abusers. It didn’t really matter that He was about to die. He was free, and nobody could take that away from Him.

Actually, He declared His freedom over the whole situation long before He was ever in it: "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again." (Jn 10:17-18)

Jesus was never anyone’s victim.

In this chapter of Job, Bildad is giving another speech, this time detailing the horrors he believes all wicked people must face: "Terrible things startle them from every side and chase them at every step. Hunger takes away their strength, and disaster is at their side. Disease eats away parts of their skin; death gnaws at their arms and legs. They are torn from the safety of their tents and dragged off to Death, the King of Terrors. Their tents are set on fire, and sulfur is scattered over their homes." (vs 11-15)

Once again, here’s the problem. Much of what Bildad described in this chapter was happening to Job, a righteous man. Of course, that’s the whole rub, isn’t it? Job’s friends look at his circumstances and, because of their theology, automatically assume that Job is wicked. But Job knows he’s not. He is a righteous man who is seemingly suffering things that we think should be reserved for the wicked.

What does this have to do with freedom? Here’s a quote I ran across today from a book called The Gospel According to Job, by Mike Mason. It floored me: "It is true that Job has been 'marched off to the king of terrors'—but not for the reason Bildad supposes... It is not Job’s wickedness but his faithfulness that the Lord is disclosing through this ordeal. In fact there may be nothing our God wants more than to bring each one of us to the point where He can do with us exactly what He did with Job: hand us over with perfect confidence into the clutches of Satan, knowing that even then our faith will hold."

Whoa. I don’t know about you, but I had to sit with that for just a minute. There may be nothing our God wants more than to bring each one of us to the point where He can do with us exactly what He did with Job. But, why would He want to do that?

I suspect that it’s not so much about wanting to hand us over into the clutches of Satan as it is His wanting us to be free. But once we are truly free, then—just like Job and Jesus—we actually are in a position to shine for God even in the midst of suffering.

Again, it begs the question: why should that ever need to come to pass? Well, I’m sure this is a subject that will continue to unfold as we make our way through the rest of the 66 books, but for now, let me venture a brief answer. Actually, Mason touched on it earlier in the quote: It is not Job’s wickedness but his faithfulness that the Lord is disclosing through this ordeal.

God operates on the basis of revelation. He applies that principle to Himself—we come to know Him because of His self-revelation. He also applies that principle to us in judgment—what and who we are is revealed through circumstances, not "pronounced" by Him. God is in the business of full disclosure. He never asks us to take His word for something; He always says, "Come and see."

We are all caught up in the middle of a universe-wide war. This is a war between Christ and Satan, good and evil, and it is intensifying all the time. Although there has been a lot of suffering involved in this war, it is mainly a propaganda war with those of us in the middle left to decide—who is telling the truth?

Since God doesn’t ask us to "take His word for it," one of the things that is necessary in order to finally conclude this war is to reveal in its entirety the full awfulness of sin. We may think we’ve already seen all there is to see, but Satan—who is the Father of Sin—is like a roaring lion, seeking to destroy anything and everything he can. (Look no further than the story of Job. The only restraint he shows in destroying Job’s life is the limitations placed on him by God.)

What if those limitations weren’t placed on Satan any longer? A full disclosure about the true nature of sin and evil would be possible, but God can’t and won’t remove those limitations if He knows we are unable to bear the onslaught. That’s what was so remarkable about Job. God knew Job, and He knew Job could stand up under the onslaught of evil.

And, contrary to what Bildad said at the end of this chapter, Job knew God. He knew the truth about God, and just as Jesus said, "The truth will set you free." (Jn 8:32) Job was free. Though he suffered, though he grieved with a broken heart, though he asked angry questions, he triumphed over the evil that was thrown at him because he knew the truth about his Friend. And that truth made him free.

God wants you to be free. He wants you to know the truth, that He has already overcome this world (Jn 16:33). Because of that, there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from Him (Rom 8:38-39). In Him, we are safe, even if the enemy of our souls is allowed to shatter us and everything around us. Nothing can snatch us from God’s hand. When we know the truth about Him, we will be free to watch the evil storm clouds gather, brace ourselves against the onslaught, and stand.