JOB'S JOBS 4-"Call and I Will Answer You!"

Introduction

Peculiar? Who are we to say? The divine Author of the Bible, all-time Best Seller of the entire realm of human literature, assigned His inital (Holy) Ghost writer to start with Job's narrative instead of Genesis' history. Acts of God are done with purpose. Let's look at that before adding Number Four to "Job's Jobs, Life Steps for the Happy, Hurting, and Heroic."

In "Do, Re, Mi," Rodgers and Hammerstein depict Maria teaching the Von Trapp children to sing. "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start." God began The Holy Bible at a better place! Later, God would move Moses to write The Pentateuch, five historical Bible segments anchored by the Creation story's "In the beginning."

But, first I imagine God leaning in and speaking furtively to Moses, "Dear friend, we'll begin with a story. People like stories. It will be about a man besieged by the devil, himself! Not one of our readers will escape adversity. They'll identify with the bad news Job receives. They'll think, 'Yes, just like me,' when Job's wealth is stolen. They'll cry, 'I wonder if Job ached this long?' when they read of Satan collapsing the roof upon Job's children. Their ache will come from their own tragedies, lost children, husbands, parents and siblings. But, those who listen to the end of Job's story will raise their beaming faces in new hope! 'If God gave Job back his children, He can give my loved one back to me!' 'Yes, Moses, not everyone likes history, but everybody likes a true story with a very happy ending! We'll start by writing a story.'"

A consensus of authentic Bible books developed among Bible teachers and believers in the Early Church. Variations in the general Christian and Jewish consensus resulted in at least 13 canon lists including the Protestant, Luther's 1534, Anglican, Latin Catholicism's, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Orthodox, and several more. Although I have not read Bibles from all existing canons, I believe they all agree with Rodgers and Hammerstein. They all follow the Hebrew Bible by starting "at the very beginning" with the Creation story in Genesis. Nevertheless, good scholarship confirms that the earliest written Bible book is the narrative of Job with its very happy ending!

JOB'S JOBS 4-"Call and I will Answer You!"

All of you who read this blog are my friends. Some of you "made friends" with me clear back in elementary school at Spencerville Junior Academy, more than 60 years ago! I sorrow to think of Ronnie Bryan, Dave Beardsley, Jerry Schwab, Wally Fox, and others who are missing, too soon. Some of you are about to irrigate your keyboards and desk tops with tears. Deep love hurts a long time when interrupted! That's how God inspired Job's story to be written. Death is only an interruption.

“Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,

    that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past."

(Job 14:13, MEV)

God's enemy attacks God's soldiers. And, Job was earlobe-deep in devil-attack! In his situation, his grave would be a relief! He actually begged God to hide him in his grave as a safe place where Satan couldn't afflict him! For Job, Satan chose boils. For my mother, it was Parkinson's. And, right now, you're filling in the blank for your loved ones. No longer in an ICU with an IV pumping morphine to cover the jangle havoc in their nerve endings, God has "concealed" them in a safe place for as long as needed. Job expected to stay in the grave's safe house until cosmic hostilities were over.

"Mortals lie down and do not rise again; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake or be roused out of their sleep."

(Job 13:12, NRSV)

Then, at the end, when God has settled things once and for all with the Dragon and the last hearse has pulled away from the last cemetery, Job wanted God to remember to wake him up! Job wanted an alarm set!

"Appoint me a set time, and remember me!"

(Job 13:13, NRSV)

Do you hear Job's confidence in how God feels about him even though the enemy has tormented him?! He knew that even if God allowed his death, God would see Job as doing R&R while still "in the service" for God.

"All the days of my service I will wait,

    until my relief comes."

(Job 14:14, MEV)

Bluntly, Job states his rhetorical question with a resounding understood affirmative answer.

"If a man dies, will he live again?"

(Job 14:14, MEV)

Oh, Yeah!! 'Gonna happen, fo' sho'!!

You will call, and I will answer You;

    You will long for the work of Your hands."

(Job 14:15, MEV)

Like this classic ecclesiastical art, Job pictures Jesus revisiting the resting places of those to whom He originally gave life. Christ calls

so personally that He might use our names like He did for His friend, Lazarus! All who in-life said, "Yes" to Jesus, hear that call with dirt-filled but now glorified ears and shout, "Yes, Lord!" Do you see how the old artist above depicts our Savior lovingly assisting the ransomed from their caskets! God longs to call and raise our loved ones even more than we long to see them! The author of Job was only the first of many Bible prophets who all agree. Moses, Daniel, John the Revelator and Gospelist, Matthew, Luke, Jesus, James, Peter, Zechariah, Isaiah, Paul, Mark, and others all make the promise. World history will end with a Resurrection reunion! It's

the next time I'll see my Mom and Dad, several Cousins, most of my Uncles and Aunts, my Bible teachers, dozens of church members I've pastored, fellow pastors and teachers already awaiting Jesus' Call in the safety of their grave, and Bible characters and giants of the faith I've always wanted to meet! I long for "that great day!" The Father, Spirit, and Savior long for it!

(Revelation 16:14, KJV)

Do you hear His early call, right now? Join me in answering Him! Then, when He raises Job and makes the final Resurrection Call, you'll hear His voice!

Your friend and HIS, Dave