Job CCLXI

 Job 24:22-25, “But God draws the mighty away with His power; he rises up, but no man is sure of life. He gives them security, and they rely on it; yet His eyes are on their ways. They are exalted for a little while, then they are gone. They are brought low; they are taken out of the way like all others; they dry out like the heads of grain. Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”

Any power, might, or ability to bend the universe to their will that someone might think they have is illusory. It is imagined, deceptive, and misleading, and by the time they figure out that the might they thought they possessed was nothing more than mist and illusion, a construct of their own id, a byproduct of pride and the pretense of authority, the grave beckons and try as they might to avoid it, or keep from taking that one-way journey back to the earth from which they came, it’s too late.

No matter what heights they reach, no matter how much wealth they amass, no matter how indelible the mark they leave on the world, though he rises up, no man is sure of life. Man is born, and man dies. The length of one’s days is in God’s hand alone, and though they may think they can outrun the clock, that by sheer force of will they can continue to be among the living once the sand in their hourglass runs out, vanity is all it ends up being.

Yes, they may be exalted for a little while, rely on the security He’s given them, insisting that it was of their own doing, but God’s eyes are on their ways, and His accounting is impeccable. No matter how high they rise, no matter how much power they wield, all men are brought low and taken out of the way. One’s station will not shield them from the eyes of God, one’s office will not make them bypass the grave, and in a world of uncertainty where everything has an expiration date and a limited shelf life, it is no less than wisdom itself to cling to and humble ourselves before the eternal One, the maker of all that is seen and unseen.

Prince or pauper, a man is just a man. Wise or fool, we all share the same end, the moment of which is known only by the One who created us and knew us from before He formed us in our mothers’ womb.

From the very first verse of the book of Job, we are told of his priorities and what he dedicated his life to. We were likewise shown a glimpse into the mind of God and made to understand what He deems worthy of note, what draws His eyes, and what He counts as a life well lived. We were not told Job was a shrewd businessman, a great orator, or a poet, but rather that he feared God and shunned evil.

All his other successes were secondary issues to the primary one, which was that he dedicated his life to having a deep and meaningful relationship with God. He dedicated his life to the pursuit of growing his spiritual man first, and the sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, and very large household were secondary concerns.

Had his priorities been inverted, had he dedicated himself to amassing more of the things he already possessed, when they were stripped from him, it would have broken him. He would have surely been brought to ruin, a broken man with a broken spirit, because his identity would have been wrapped up in his possessions rather than in the God he served.

The uniqueness of Job was that he not only understood what mattered most in life but also lived in such a way as to exemplify the practical application of that understanding. I know that all things come from God, I know my Redeemer lives, I know there is something beyond this mortal coil and sagging flesh, and knowing these things, I strive to live accordingly, and in light of that reality. I shun evil because it is evil. I fear God because He is supreme and sovereign.

You can live your life chasing after things the world deems worthwhile, or laying hold of what God deems worthwhile. One must take precedence over the other; one will be sought after with greater aplomb than the other, because it’s clear that no man can serve two masters, and you will defer to one over the other depending on the desire and yearning of your heart.

Job yearned for God, and in his final response to Eliphaz, he drew the comparison between the mighty who lean on their might and those who lean on God, depend upon Him, and trust Him to carry them through the dark times. Your trust is only as unshakeable as what you put your trust in.

Psalm 20:7-8, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.”

Job outlined the way of the world, not from the outside looking in, not as someone who never had possessions, but as one who was once the greatest of all the people of the East. His final analysis was as simple as it was profound: God is the only thing that matters. Knowing God, serving God, fearing God, loving God, worshipping God, and obeying God are the only things that will set you apart, give you hope, and give you purpose.

If it is not so, who will prove me a liar? If you can poke holes in my analysis, feel free to do so, but I know you can’t. The truth is the truth whether men reject it, bristle at it, or rage against it. Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Does He sit on the throne of your heart? These are not questions we can get around to answering when we have a bit of downtime, but the most important questions we will ever have to contend with on this side of eternity. Job knew. He knew that his Redeemer lived, and one day he would see Him face to face. Do you?      

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.