Job 37-38
Elihu enters into the last of his discourse in Job 37, and if Elihu is an insert into the story of Job then this chapter almost serves as an introduction to God's participation in this passage. Elihu describes the mystery of God and references the theophanies of the past, of God's appearance in storms and great cosmic events. Elihu challenges Job to consider if it is possible to understand such a God who is so glorious and majesty as to transcend the universe.
Elihu almost holds out the possibility that Job might be right, maybe he is righteous, but who can determine God's will or purpose? Did not God bring everything into existence, perhaps there is a purpose in all of this? However we look at it, for Elihu, God is mystery and above questioning.
Finally, God speaks! Job 38 is a watershed moment for finally the words of humans and their interpretations are over, now God will speak and provide clarity, or at least some clarity. God speaks out of the storm, this is not some docile god, but a wild and dynamic God. God asks, who is this who provides darkness? referring to Job's jabs that God has a sinister side, a dark side. Job, at the beginning of the book, had questioned whether the "light" was good.
But then the dialogue gets interesting, "gird up your loins" God says to Job. God challenges Job to defend himself, but Job is not forced into some subservient position, he is told to stand before God, they shall go toe to toe. To say this is unusual in the ancient understanding of God would be an understatement. God is answering Job's cry to speak and now they shall talk.
But before they do, God sort of sets the groundwork. Who are you to question me? Were you then when I set out the universe, etc? It was God who send the boundaries of the universe and made earth safe for humanity. It is God who provides the light that shines on the wicked and brings judgment. It is God who provides for the earth, all the earth and makes nature work to care for all of life.
God almost posits the question, "I have a lot on my hands, what is your problem?"
Psalm 88
Psalm 88 is a desperate plea for help from God, yet it seems that to the psalmist, God has turned a deaf ear. The psalm itself becomes a complaint against God for inaction. The voice seeks relief from turmoil, the turmoil of being near death and deserted by friends. The reality of death brings fear of being separated from God in Sheol, the psalmist wonders, what good would his death do God, does anyone worship God from Sheol?
This unending tribulation seems as if God's wrath itself burns against the psalmist. "Why have I been abandoned?" The voice cries. Such despair has set in that there is no expression of confession, nor demonstration of hope and trust. Just of one being assaulted by life.
Backlogged Posts
2 Chronicles 10-12
Rather awkwardly, the author speaks of the revolt against Solomon's son Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 10. It is awkward because we have not been given a reason for the people to be upset with Solomon let along Rehoboam. We only are told that Jeroboam has fled into Egypt, which readers of Kings would know that he did this to escape Solomon since Solomon wanted him dead for leading a revolt against Solomon's corrupt practices.
Besides this omission the story follows pretty closely with the version in Kings. The author however makes sure to acknowledge that the northerners who revolt are still part of Israel, perhaps this emphasis was placed to help bridge the divides that had occurred in post-exilic Judah.
Initially Rehoboam wants to unite Israel through swords and bloodshed but God counsels against it, instead in 2 Chronicles 11, Rehoboam constructs a defensive network to protect Jerusalem from attack. Again, even God refers to the northerners as kindred, these are not different people but brothers and sisters.
Of note is that the religious structure of the north and south support Rehoboam. The Levites recognize the covenant that God has made with the line of David and remain faithful to this line. This line will continue as the author lists the many wives of Rehoboam.
Even God's covenant will only go so far, which Rehoboam discovers when he strays from God in 2 Chronicles 12. Rehoboam strays from God and even worse takes the people of Judah with him. So God raises up the Egyptians to be a source of punishment. Even though the people repent and God saves Jerusalem, the temple itself is plundered of Solomon's treasures. (My guess is if the treasures had really been important to God, God would have kept them.)
This is our final story of Rehoboam as he dies and takes his place in the genealogy.
Ephesians 1
The Letter to the Ephesians is rather unique in scripture in that it does not have an addressee, in the oldest and most reliable manuscripts "in Ephesus" does not appear in them. Furthermore, the letter speaks in general terms of the work of God and does not specifically address a problem or issue. While it was written to "Gentiles", we are not sure to which Gentiles, it just exhorts them to not live as other Gentiles do.
While tradition holds that Paul wrote this letter, there are enough differences in styles and theology that most scholars question his authorship. However, there are enough similarities that most likely a follower of Paul wrote it in Paul's name sometime during the last third of the first century.
After a brief introduction in which the author claims the apostolic name of Paul, he immediately launches in the praise of God for a salvific plan that was inserted into the cosmos from the very beginning and that plan culminates in Jesus Christ. We have been joined into this plan by the work and ministry of Jesus. The author demonstrates that the work of Jesus is not just limited to humanity but all of the cosmos. It is the message of Christ that is central to believers that is marked by the Holy Spirit.
Paul, or the author, then enters into prayer, that the church, whether at Ephesus or wherever else this letter was intended, may be deepened in faith by the revelation of God the Father through the Spirit. Through this knowledge the faithful know the power of Christ and the body of Christ.
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