Eric
Snow Sermonette 6-7-03 UCG Ann Arbor, Michigan
We all know that one day we’ll all be judged by
God. We’ll be judged by our works. We’ll be judged by whether our faith in
Jesus, and the faith of Jesus in us given to us by God, led us to believe and
to do what was right. So then we won’t
be condemned by God for our sins since Jesus’ atoning sacrifice will be applied
to us.
But
do we ever turn the tables on God? Do
we ever imagine becoming the judge and jury, and God is the accused criminal in
the dock? Do we ever judge God? Do we ever condemn God? Do we know enough to be the judge of God? Are we righteous enough to condemn God for
(say) allowing suffering among the faithful?
So
today we’re going to consider some the folly of this role reversal, in which
humans are judging and condemning God.
Of course, we don’t have the power to implement the role reversal, which
makes this all a wild fantasy anyway.
S.P.S. As shown by the book of Job, humans can’t
judge or condemn God when we suffer because we don’t know enough to do so and
because God is so much greater and mightier than we are.
What
would we say if our pets could judge us?
What would we say if (say) “Fido,” a puppy we were house training, could
complain about our treatment of it?
Suppose “Fluffy” the cat could condemn us about getting a shot of water
from a squirt gun for scratching at our upholstered couch or chair? The
difference between God and mankind is a lot bigger than the difference between our
pets and us.
Job
23:2-16
Let’s
examine Job’s errors here. Do we make
similar mistakes?
V.
5: Do we demand that God would explain
why we’re suffering during a trial? Do
we cry out “Why me?” Of course, since
many people in the world or even the church have worse trials than us, we could
ask equally, “Why not me?” M.S.
examples, Lou Gehring disease example.
It’s presumptuous of us to demand answers; it requires faith to wait
until one day the answers may be given to us.
Matthew Henry: “The reason why
we quarrel with Providence is because we do not understand it; and we must be
content to be in dark about it, until the mystery of God shall be finished.”
V.
6: This becomes the main point of God’s
direct reply to Job. He is so much
greater and more glorious in power and knowledge than us. We are in no position to judge Him morally.
V.
7, 10: Job was certain about his
innocence. True, he was not guilty of
anything in particular when his sore trial hit him. But during the debates with his so-called “friends,” it became
obvious he was judging and condemn God, including for letting the sinful and
wicked get away with it while not being punished.
Job
40:1-15
Job’s
brave words receive a comeuppance from God directly. Always easier to think or say things before the actual
confrontation, right?
Vs.
3-5: Job admits his insignificance
relative to God’s.
Vs.
10-14: Job couldn’t take on this role
as God has.
V.
15: God’s creative power why he has
power over both Job and Behemoth.
Job
42:1-6
v.
2 Job admits to God’s great power as
the Creator, the main point of the prior four chapters.
v.
3 Job admits he didn’t know enough to judge God. He admits to God’s power, knowledge, and glory.
Are
we willing to similar admit sin and error if we’ve been guilty of judging God
for allowing us or others to suffer?
Notice
that God was merciful to Job after he repented despite he criticized Him, as
the Bible commentator Matthew Henry observed.
He was restored to his prior status.
God
isn’t subject to anyone’s will but His own.
He doesn’t have to explain the specifics about our trials in our own
lives. God has a great plan; it’s our
job to where we fit in it as we follow his revealed word in the Bible as the
Spirit helps us. God may have higher priorities than increasing our personal
happiness at this time when more important goals need to be reached. Quote Frankenstein, p. 226, if have
time.
Conclusion: So when we are experiencing a trial, we must avoid the temptation to judge or condemn God. First, we don’t know enough to do so. How we react to our suffering may be a necessary part of God’s plan to build holy righteous character in us, if we react to our trials correctly. Second, since God is so much more powerful and glorious than we are, we are utterly incapable of reversing the roles anyway. It’s a wild fantasy to imagine ourselves judging and condemning God. It’s best to give it up out of utter realism. It may be a hard truth to accept this when we, loved ones, or masses of people in the world we don’t know personally, but hear about in the news, suffer. But Matthew Henry was right to observe: “Let us leave it to God to govern the world, and make it our care, in the strength of his grace, to govern ourselves and our own hearts well.”