Waiting for the Whirlwind

 “So, Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”  Job 1: 9-11

The Book of Job is considered by most biblical scholars to be the oldest book of the Bible. It’s the story of a rebellious spiritual being, Satan, who confronts God with a challenge.  The challenge takes place in front of the heavenly hosts called the Sons of God. God is convinced that Job honors and obeys Him for no reason other than He is God. Satan claims that Job’s worship of God is based entirely on the blessings he is enjoying in the here and now.  Take away his wealth and family; and ultimately his health and Satan is confident that Job will shake his fist at God and spew out curses against Him.

 

For reasons only He knows, God accepts the challenge and turns Satan loose on Job.  Satan is permitted to destroy Job’s worldly possessions, his loved ones and his health.  God says, “Do your worst, but do not take Job’s life.” Indeed, Satan does his worst. Job is left with nothing but a lonely and bitter wife. He is covered in painful sores and wishes he’d never been born. Things get so bad that his wife tells him to just curse God and die.  Advice which Job summarily rejects.  

 

His life-long friends show up ostensibly to comfort him. But their visit turns into an inquisition as they are convinced that Job is being punished for sinful behavior and his only salvation would be to confess and plead guilty before it’s too late. Job refuses to admit wrongdoing.  He knows that he has been faithful and obedient to God. Up until these disasters fell upon him, Job and God were close and he was blessed in every way. Job doesn’t understand why all of this has happened, but he knows it’s not punishment for some sin he has committed.  He demands an audience with God. In Job’s mind, God has some explaining to do.

 

Eventually God has had enough of Job’s friends’ bad theology and Job’s demands for answers. God does show up, but not before a young man by the name of Elihu rebukes Job and his friends.  He had waited patiently for his turn to speak and when Elihu cuts loose he not only tells the older men and Job where they are wrong, he also offers up a powerful introduction for what is about to come. It’s worth noting that in Hebrew the name Elihu translates as “my God is He”.

 

God then shows up in a whirlwind and sets the record straight not by answering Job’s questions, but by asking Job questions.  After brow-beating Job with questions about His power, how it is He who created all that exists and how it is He who sustains it; God ask Job, “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” Job offers a weak response and admits that he is simply a vile human being and will speak no more. Then to put a fine point on His message, God asks, “Would you indeed annul My judgement?  Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?”

 

There it is, the non-answer answer and the only answer that matters. When tragedy strikes us and it will strike each of us in this life, likely more that once; we must come to terms with it and how we can believe there is a good and merciful God out there somewhere. Is He there? Does He Care? If He does care, why did He cause or allow this to happen?

 

Job’s eyes were opened.  He replies to the Lord, “I know you can do everything and no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. … Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things to wonderful for me which I did not know. … I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

 

Job’s story has a happy ending.  Everything he lost is restored to him and more.  He truly was a blessed man.  Unfortunately for most who suffer great loss, they are not restored in this life. They are left with the memory of what once was and is no more.  They can choose to keep the faith and look to the hope of resurrection and restoration.  Or they can turn their back on God and lose that which is left and is to come as they drift into the darkness of unbelief.  Or they can keep asking God for answers and wait for the whirlwind.

Fair Warning

 

Texans tend to be independent, fearless and stubborn; especially the older, native-born Texans and those living outside of major urban centers.  We’ll spend money on pipe and cable fencing that cost four or five times more than barbed wire because we like the look of it and it makes a statement.  We’ll buy $100,000 pick-up trucks because we can (and they make a statement).  If it’s football-related, we don’t even question it.  Just write the check.  We spend massive amounts of money on mega churches, plastic surgeries, swimming pools and outdoor kitchens.

We’ll drop our pants and give millions of dollars in financial incentives to attract new businesses to our state.  We love our agriculture, oil and gas and defense industries and are ever ready to grease the financial wheels as necessary.  And we’ll spend money to provide water to our industries and our people. But, we have not seen the need to spend a bit of money on flash flood warning systems; not even in a place like the Hill Country where the Guadalupe River has a recorded history of extreme flash flood events dating all the way back to 1838 and as recently as 1998.

Whether one believes we live in a world broken by sin, the forces of nature, time or climate change; one must face the risks and manage them as best they can.  We can and should pray to be spared; but even more so, we should pray for the wisdom and foresight to prepare.  Sadly, it’s too late for the victims of the deadly flash flood of 2025. But there is no excuse for not being prepared for the next one.