If you want an example of God's sadism, look no further than Job.
There is a man who loves God, and as the book turns out, is quite prepared to prove it, all of which God knew before ever he laid a hand on Job.
Yet, to prove a point to -satan-, God tortures poor Job beyond belief.
Deliberate, slow, unjustified torture, to prove a point to satan.
Read what I wrote in light of what he did to Job and tell me if I'm so far off track.
2007-07-07 04:56:28 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Whether literal or not, the story speaks volumes about the depth of insensitivity of God.
2007-07-07 05:00:26 · update #1
No! Christians are NOT
"free to interpret the scriptures any way they wish"
your words.
It is the Word of God.
Not open to interpretation, of man.
God meant what He said.
And says what He means.
2007-07-15 04:36:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Except your basic premise is wrong. We are not free to interpret scripture any way we wish, but in the way it was meant to be interpreted. Interpreting it any other way is a wrong interpretation. And it very well may be that there are some passages that I've interpreted incorrectly as well. Someone once said "there are some things in the Bible I don't understand, some things that I only think I understand, and some things I cannot possibly misunderstand."
As for Job, his last discourse of the book (42:1-6) makes clear that he had learned that he didn't know all there was to know about God and that he should not declare things concerning God without understanding, that God's purposes might be greater than what we can comprehend.
2007-07-07 07:27:13 · answer #2 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Read the "book" again. It was not God who tortured Job, it was Satan. God didn't intervene. The test, if you will, was that Job was a humble servant of God whom Satan maintained would no longer be faithful if confronted with adversity. God knew Job's heart and gave him over to Satan for a time. Of course you have the "right" to interpret anything you wish into whatever serves your point, but that doesn't make your interpretation accurate.
Aside: You must surely be a tortured man in your own right.
2007-07-14 02:22:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, I can tell you that my 16 year old daughter believes that I was made her mother for the sole purpose of torturing her.
She wants to spread her very young wings and of course, she knows way more than I do, to the point that she believes that I should just get out of her way and let her do things the right way!!
She does not see the big picture, she only sees what she wants to see at the moments and has no experience to discern good from bad in the decision making department.
My whole point here is that we belong to God, he knows way more than we do, and he sees the whole picture.
When someone or something belongs to us, we are free to use it in anyway in which we see fit. We can abuse that right or we can treat it for what it is, a beautiful gift from God.
When all was said and done, Job did ask God WHY ME?
God answered, WHY NOT YOU?
I would hope that we would all want to come out of pure torture and pain knowing that we Love God in good times and bad times. We do know that it is way easier to praise God when we have no adversity.
One thing Job understood after all was said and done, was that God controls all, good and bad. There is a reason for the bad, or God would not tolerate its existance during this phase of his plan.
Read Revelations, the torments, pestulences and diseases and death will all be gone with the coming of the new heaven and the new earth. This is the prize that we should all be looking toward, not our daily cares, toils and troubles.
2007-07-07 05:11:12 · answer #4 · answered by cindy 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think you need to re-read the beginning of the story. It clearly shows Satan doing these things to Job. God allows it. Why? Because God knows how Job will handle it. God knows Jobs heart.
Satan finds it hard to believe that we will stand by God through the bad times.
What time we have on Earth is a short time compared to eternity.
Re-read the beginning of Job.
What scars has God trusted you with and how are you using those scars? Do you want a pity party? Do you not think life is fair? Have you learned from your past or are you living in your past? Why not let it go and move forward in life?
Where is it written that life is fair or good? I've never seen it.
2007-07-07 05:03:56 · answer #5 · answered by Salvation is a gift, Eph 2:8-9 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Every word of the Bible is God inspired, and he has made sure that by studying the whole Bible, you can find the answer to any question you might have about a scripture in the Bible by searching the Scriptures. Some where in the Scriptures is the interpretation of every scripture. Of course you must do this in prayer, asking for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the will of God. God be with you, William, a bond-servant of Jesus <'(((><
2016-04-01 01:52:47 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no wrong interpretation but you can interpret Job anyway you think as it only counts to one person. You!
Firstly, God didn't torture Job, Satan gave him his misfortune.
Satan accused that God put a hedge around Job so that was why he remained faithful. God challenged Satan's lies and let Job prove himself that regardless of what, Job still would be faithful to God.
Job didn't even have foreknowledge of the issue Satan was raising while he suffered his terrible woes.
Secondly, this was Job this happened and it was Job who suffered Satan's tests and still he chose to remain faithful and continued to honour God so then who are you to say that he was wrong.
Lastly, God rewarded Job 100 times more than he orginally had before for his absolute loyalty to him.
His daughters were the most beautiful of the land and he had more wealth than ever.
You only have to read the first few verses of Job to know the real issue that went on. You obviously have not even bothered to do that.
Read Job Chapter 1 verses 6-12 then erase your ignorant rant
2007-07-07 05:00:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋
I don't usually answer questions like this because it seems like you are not looking for the truth, but are only deceived and confused and want to justify your state.
Christians are not free to interpret scripture any way we want, otherwise any no-believer would be able to do the same. That is what the world does any way. That is Satan's way of confusing people and blinding them to pick and choose what ever they want. A born-again believer in Jesus Christ is sealed with the Holy Spirit and as long as we abide in Christ and remain in Him, He is the one that interprets scripture in us not of our own knowledge or wisdom, but from the wisdom of God. You read Job without the understanding given to you by God. Just like you trying to teach important matters of life and love to an extremely stubborn 2 year old. If you have a child and you really care for his well being, which I believe you do, watch him very carefully on everything he does and you will notice that he has adopted most everything you do, good and bad. This should cause you to change your actions to model all the good that you verbalize. What causes all mankind to continue to repeat history is "pride". And pride, and sin keeps all mankind from knowing God. Pride will cause a person to become agitated when he hears or reads the Name Jesus Christ. He, Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Ask, Seek, and Knock; in the name of Jesus Christ. Remember that God knows you better than you know yourself, even the hidden things about you, even your thoughts and motives; and even then He sent His Son to die on the cross so you wouldn't have to pay for your sins. All you have to do is ask God for forgiveness and repent in the Name of Jesus Christ. Then you will have newness of Life and be able to understand Job as God gives you wisdom and understanding depending how He knows you can handle. As you would your son. Be kind to all and to yourself.
2007-07-07 06:29:37 · answer #8 · answered by Festina 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
When Job's wife told him to "curse God and die"- He could have cursed God, but He chose not too- and said "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away". Satan is the one that destroyed his family and his health for that time- by the way have you read the end of the book- because of Job staying faithful in the midst of the pain- God returned to him what he has lost 100 times.
2007-07-07 05:03:47 · answer #9 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
God did not do anything to Job. He simply allowed satan to do what he wanted short of taking Job's life. Satan wanted to prove to God that Job wouldn't love Him if he lost everything he had. It is really an incredible story and if you notice, Job got everything back 10 fold.
2007-07-07 05:15:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
The narrative about Job is not your usual newsmagazine feature report. It never happened. The narrative as a literary device, was used by the writer to illustrate a moral message as follows:
1. God's love is pervasive but not coercive. He does not bribe us with good fortune in return to loving Him. He therefore does
not prevent misfortune from visiting us (symbolized by Satan).
2. If we persever in loving Him inspite of adversities coming our way, in the end we get his Divine reward.
2007-07-15 04:56:40 · answer #11 · answered by akoypinoy 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋