Well, where did we stop? Oh, yes, we were talking about Job and the tragedy that came on his life (read about it here).
So there he is no money, no family, no support, no health... he hit rock bottom, like the Americans say. In the midst of all that tragedy, Job's "friends" accused him of being guilty for being in that situation. Like we can choose what will happen to us, ha ha.
Anyway, Job's response to all that is: "Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? {That is, they are old and healthy} They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes {Remember Job lost all his children at the same time}. Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not upon them. Their bulls never fail to breed {In today's terms, their investments always make a profit}. (...) They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace." (Job 21: 7-10a;13). P.S. The note between {} in italics are mine.
Basically what Job is doing here is comparing his life to the wicked man's life, and by wicked he means the one who does not care for God or follow His commands. So there it is: Job is a God-follower and his life sucks and the non-follower's life is soooooooo much better than his. He adds: "One man dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, his body is well-nourished, his bones rich with marrow. Another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good. Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both." (Job21:23-25)
What I believe he is saying is that some wicked people will live their whole lives, until the end, in prosperity and without being punished for their sins, while others, where God-followers or not, will have a whole life of suffering and end like that. And then they will both die and that will be the end of it. Or will it?
For us, finite beings with a finite perspective of life and death, that is the end. That is until how far we can see. God, however, sees it differently. It is like those movies that have a "hidden" scene at the end of the credits. Let's say that us humans leave the movie theater as soon as the credits start ("The end" at the screen means our bodily death in this illustration).God, however, already knows what that "hidden" scene will be.And He is so kind to show it to us. In the case of Job, however, he dies without seeing it.
YES, I know that in the end his life turns around and he has double children and double riches (Job 42:12-17), but that is not what I am talking about. That is not what Job 21:23-25 talks about either. I am sure you or someone in your circle of friends knows someone who was mean until the end of their lives and all went well to them. And also someone who was the sweetest person you have ever met and their lives were miserable. Verses 23-25 are talking about those people.
Ok, I am going to stop here today and leave you wondering (hopefully) what and where the "hidden" scene is. Let me just tell you upfront it is not in the book of Job. It is not even in the Old Testament. But it is in the Bible. And I will talk about it on the next post of this series.
The Brazilican Learner
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