The God of Yesterday, Today, and Forever

Did you know that Job is the oldest book of the Bible? Even though Genesis covers the beginning of the world, it wasn’t written until the time of Moses.

The story of Job is quite fascinating. He begins as a “blameless and upright” man who is pleasing in the eyes of God (Job 1:1). However, he undergoes a severe trial in which he loses his wealth, children, and health.

He cries out to God and God hears him.

Though Job is blind from seeing his faults, his friends are quick to point them out. They go back and forth, until at last Elihu speaks up.

He’s the youngest, yet wisest of Job’s friends. He doesn’t condemn Job the way the other men do. However, he reminds Job of their shared humanity and how that contrasts to the holiness of God.

My words come from an upright heart;
    my lips sincerely speak what I know.
⁴ The Spirit of God has made me;
    the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
⁵ Answer me then, if you can;
    stand up and argue your case before me.
⁶ I am the same as you in God’s sight;
    I too am a piece of clay.
⁷ No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.

⁸ “But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
⁹ ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong;
    I am clean and free from sin.
¹⁰ Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.
¹¹ He fastens my feet in shackles;
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’

¹² “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.
¹³ Why do you complain to him
    that he responds to no one’s words?
¹⁴ For God does speak—now one way, now another—
    though no one perceives it.
¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
¹⁶ he may speak in their ears
    and terrify them with warnings,
¹⁷ to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,
¹⁸ to preserve them from the pit,
    their lives from perishing by the sword.

Job 33:3-18 (NIV)

When you think about the God of the Old Testament, what words and images come to mind?

Often, this God is depicted as powerful, mighty, and even frightening. And then in the New Testament, Jesus comes along, the loving and merciful servant, who seems to contradict God the Father.

However, they are one in the same.

Consider the final verse from our previous reading from Job 32. The motive behind God speaking to His people–even “terrifying them with warnings”–is to preserve them from perishing.

God has always been motivated by His love for us.

And…God has always been holy and in control of everything.

While these two “sides of God” might be difficult to reconcile with each other, this fact should actually bring us peace.

When we place our trust in people, they will often fail us. When we place our trust in the world, it will let us down.

But God knows everything and will guide us in His love. He has no ulterior motives, and He’s the only one who is in control of our lives.

When we ask for His wisdom, He directs us to the best path possible. He knows which route will bring us closer to Him, and He will lead us there. That is the safest, most joyful place to be.

Because God is love and God is holy, we can fully trust Him.

It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
    that the Almighty would pervert justice.
¹³ Who appointed him over the earth?
    Who put him in charge of the whole world?
¹⁴ If it were his intention
    and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
¹⁵ all humanity would perish together
    and mankind would return to the dust.

Job 34:12-15 (NIV)

From the beginning, God’s goal has been to have a relationship with us–His precious creation. We’ve tried to screw that up by following our own will, believing that we (with our limited understanding) actually know best.

Even in the Old Testament, God was orchestrating His plan to free us from our sins so that we can have a eternal relationship with Him.

Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger, one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,
²⁴ and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;
    I have found a ransom for them—
²⁵ let their flesh be renewed like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’—
²⁶ then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;
    he will restore them to full well-being.
²⁷ And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right,
    but I did not get what I deserved.
²⁸ God has delivered me from going down to the pit,
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’

Job 33:23-28 (NIV)

The Holy Spirit is our advocate. When we pray, He intercedes for us and God grants us mercy.

God has spared us from the pit and has given us new life in Him. And no matter what happens, He will always desire a relationship with us.

Returning to Job’s story, God eventually spoke to him directly and reminded him that He is the creator of all. Job repented and received double the blessings, living his new life with a deeper reverence for God.

We are offered the same new life. Let’s celebrate that by worshipping God. Thank God for saving you and ask how He wants you to live out His calling today.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)