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What is the Book of Job About?

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I wish I could poll the Christian world to answer the question, “What is the book of Job about?” And I would eat my freshly shorn grass clippings if I didn’t get a nearly unanimous answer: SUFFERING. But that answer would not be right. Well, it might be half-right, but not nearly so right as we’ve been led to believe.

Patty Mooney (2009), Creative Commons

Patty Mooney (2009), Creative Commons

Of course Job suffers. But the suffering itself moves off-stage after two chapters. The body of the book is written as a play in 5 acts, filled with many characters waxing eloquently about Job’s suffering. Perhaps the point is more about how to talk about suffering. And perhaps that’s why most readers race from chapter 2 to chapter 38 and never look back. Nobody, myself included, feels comfortable when talking about a real person’s real suffering.

I’ve read this book at least 25 times in my life, but until this year I’ve never taken the time to study and consider the speeches chapter-by-chapter. I can’t believe all I’ve missed.

The Setup

First, let’s not forget how Job got into this mess. Job fears God and turns away from evil (Job 1:1), and for that reason, when Satan goes looking for trouble in all the wrong places, God draws a bull’s-eye on his main man (Job 1:7-8, 2:2-3). Make no mistake: God draws Satan’s attention to Job, because Job fears God. If that fact doesn’t terrify you, I don’t know what will.

Second, consider what’s at stake here. Both the narrator (once) and God (twice) unequivocally assert Job’s fear of God (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). And this fear is the very thing Satan calls into question: “Does Job fear God for no reason?” (Job 1:9). Satan places his bet: “Job doesn’t really fear God; he just loves the nice things God gives him. Take those things away, and his ‘fear of God’ will melt into face-to-face cursing of God” (paraphrase of Job 1:10-11, 2:4-5). God goes all in: “Game on” (Job 1:12, 2:6).

The narrator’s key question is this: Will Job still fear God when he loses everything he loves?

Job’s Fear

Job takes up his lament in chapter 3 with his own key question: Why is this happening to me? He knows nothing of God’s bet with Satan. He has no explanation for his loss, his bereavement, or his pain. He curses the day of his birth and the night of his conception (Job 3:1-7). He even asks others to join him in cursing that day and that night (Job 3:8).

But when he turns to consider God, he has no curse. He has only questions filled with dread (Job 3:20-26).

The Play’s Structure

As I mentioned, Job is a play in 5 acts, with a narrative prologue and epilogue. We struggle with this book for the same reasons we struggle with Shakespeare: it’s old, it’s a play, and it’s poetry. But delve this mine, and its riches will mesmerize you.

Narrative Prologue: Job suffers because he fears God – Job 1-2

Act I: Job curses his life, but still fears God – Job 3

Act II: Job and three friends debate over what it means to fear God – Job 4-26

Act III: Job meditates on the beginning of wisdom: the fear of God – Job 27-28

Act IV: Job delivers his concluding speech, and a fourth friend challenges him to excel still more in fearing God – Job 29-37

Act V: God shows up, and Job’s fear of him reaches new heights – Job 38:1-42:6

Narrative Epilogue: This dangerous Deity puts the fear of God in Job’s friends and implicitly takes the blame for Job’s suffering – Job 42:7-17

The prologue and epilogue obviously parallel one another. Acts I and V have much parallel language (for example, Job calls on those who rouse up Leviathan – Job 3:8, and God rouses up Leviathan – Job 41). Acts II and IV have Job interacting with his friends.

The book’s structural and thematic center lies in chapters 27-28, with Job’s condemnation of his friends and his praise of the fear of God as the beginning of wisdom.

Job’s Place in the Old Testament

The book of Job is traditionally considered one of the wisdom books. We should expect its main idea to have something to do with wisdom.

  • Proverbs describes the way of wisdom, beginning with the fear of the Lord.
  • Ecclesiastes describes the difficulty of wisdom: our duty is to fear the Lord, even when we can’t understand what God is doing under the sun.
  • Job provides a case study in the fear of the Lord despite desperate and inscrutable circumstances.

Conclusion

Yes, Job has much to say to help those who suffer. But the book’s main point is more focused: What does it mean to fear the Lord when you suffer? Next week, I’ll look more closely at the debates in Job 4-26 to show how the fear of the Lord paves the way for the amazing gospel of free grace through Jesus Christ.

Context Matters: For Everything There is a Season

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Perhaps you’ve heard that there is a season for everything, and a time for every matter under heaven (Eccl 3:1-8). Perhaps this idea has inspired you to try new things, to make a change, or to find contentment in your situation. Maybe the idea even comes along with fond memories of the 60s—or at least affection for some of its iconic music. But what did the Preacher of Ecclesiastes wish to provoke with this glorious poem? And how ought we to read it in light of the book’s argument?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of quotable quotes or inspiring poems—we’ll find that some of our most familiar sayings are more provocative than we at first believed.

Let this song play in the background while you read the post.

The Quest

I refer you to another post where I explore the meaning of “vanity” in Ecclesiastes. To summarize:

  • The Preacher undertakes a quest to discover what we can possibly get out of life (Eccl 1:3).
  • The answer is that all we can get out of life is vanity (Eccl 1:2).
  • He then illustrates what exactly he means by “vanity” with a series of images and propositions (Eccl 1:4-18). By vanity he refers to the unsatisfying, endless repetition of old things that nobody will remember; nothing you do will last, and at the end you die. And you can’t fix it.
  • In short, all we have to gain from life is a puzzling frustration. We simply cannot figure out what God is up to in our daily lives.

This context drives the argument of the book. We should expect the Preacher to show us why life is so frustrating.

The Educational Paradigm

But the end of the book also provides relevant context to help us understand the poem of chapter 3. In chapter 12, we’re told not only about the Preacher’s conclusion, but also about his instructional methods. How has he gone about making his case?

Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. (Eccl 12:9-11)

So the Preacher took great care in both studying his material and arranging it. He sought words of delight, not words of doom and gloom. And he wrote words of truth. But observe how he seeks to employ that truth: as goads and as nails.

As goads, his words are meant to poke us. To stimulate us to action. To provoke us, bother us, and disturb us.

As nails, his words are meant to stabilize us. To affix us to God’s reality. To ground us, establish us, and root us in something solid.

So how does this affect the way we ought to read chapter 3? With this poem, the Preacher seeks to draw us in and delight us. He does that so he can nail truth into our minds and disturb and shock us into action. He doesn’t want to lull us into a sense of placid sentimentality. He seeks to inject us with 1.21 gigawatts of electrifying truth so we might be shaken up and moved toward greater delight.

The context of the book’s beginning and the context of the book’s ending should both shape our reading of the text. But there is another context we ought to consider as well.

The Theological Ecosystem

The Preacher does not write his book in a historical or theological vacuum. He names himself “Son of David” (Eccl 1:1), which puts him squarely in the context of God’s covenant with the King of Israel. In this context, he’s constantly alluding back to what God has done for his people, and he hangs on to the hope of what God will yet do for his people.

For example, as the Preacher describes his first particular test—that of seeking gain from pleasure—he cannot do this without evoking images from Genesis (Eccl 2:1-8). Building things, planting things (Eccl 2:4). Gardens, parks, and fruit trees (Eccl 2:5). Pools of water to irrigate the trees (Eccl 2:6). Even silver, gold, and sexual delight (Eccl 2:8). These things hearken back to Eden and the state of affairs before the fall of humanity into sin. The Preacher is trying to reinvent Eden that he might somehow rediscover paradise on earth.

Later, the book will speak regularly of the king, the house of God, wisdom and righteousness, the land and the holy place. The argument all throughout is neither abstract nor broadly philosophical. It is closely connected to the covenantal context of Israel in relationship with her God.

So in chapter 3, we’re not presuming too much to expect more of the same.

The Text

Arriving finally at the text of chapter 3, and keeping all this context in mind, what do we see?

We see (Eccl 3:1) a time for every matter under heaven. These concepts of timing and “under heaven” (i.e. on earth) are reminiscent of God’s work in creation in Genesis 1.

Then we see a glorious poem of 14 lines (Eccl 3:2-8). Each line has a pair of opposites or contrasts. Born/die, plant/pluck, kill/heal, break/build, etc.

But looking even more closely, we ought to see that the 14 lines come in 7 pairs of 2 lines. Born/die fit together with plant/pluck (saying the same thing with respect to the animal world and the plant world). Kill/heal fits with break/build, relating the natural world to the manufactured world. It’s not hard to see how weep/laugh and mourn/dance fit together. And so on, all the way to the final couplet of love/hate and war/peace.

So what we’ve really got is 7 couplets describing contrasting pairs of related activities in various spheres of earthly existence. The beauty of the poetry and its structure shows us that the Preacher has in mind all of earthly existence. He’s covered every base in a sevenfold manner, echoing the seven days of creation. Here is all of created existence in both its glory and its agony.

But what is his point? Why is he giving us a poetically comprehensive picture of all of created existence? What does he mean that “there is a season” or “there is a time” for every one of these activities?

Following the poem comes his commentary (Eccl 3:9-15). He makes an observation (to poke us) before delivering two pieces of knowledge (to nail us to reality).

  • Eccl 3:9-11: An observation (“I have seen”): God has made everything beautiful in its time, and eternity in our hearts, so that we cannot find what God has done. Don’t let the poem lull you into sentimentality. Let it provoke you to realize that you have no idea whether love or hate, killing or healing, building or breaking lie in store for you today, tomorrow, or the next day.
  • Eccl 3:12-13: Fact #1 (“I perceived”): Nothing is better than to be joyful and do good.
  • Eccl 3:14-15: Fact #2 (“I perceived”): God has done it this way so people would fear him.

Conclusion

So when you read the poem, or hear the song, be careful not to deceive yourself. Don’t treat it like a food coma after Thanksgiving dinner, with contented lethargy and sentimental complacency taking over. Instead, treat it like a wild bull or a bucking bronco. You don’t know which way it will kick at you next, so you’d better remain fully alert. Not only love, peace, and embracing are part of this life, but also war, hatred, and rejection.

And if you are willing to allow the nails of truth to drive into you, meditate on the outrageous fact that God made the world to work this way. He did it with every intention. So that you might fear him.

The buckingest bronco of all is not this world in which you live, but the God you claim to worship. Therefore, let us find our greatest joy in him and do the good he commands of us.

Context matters.

The idea for this post came out of a few conversations with David Helm, Chairman of the Charles Simeon Trust. The best and most provocative ideas here came from him; any errors in developing them are my own.

For more examples of why context matters, click here. 

How to Be Teachable

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According to the book of Proverbs, the chief difference between wisdom and folly lies in how willing a person is to listen to God’s instruction. In other words, are you teachable and open to counsel from the lips of God? I blogged my way through the first 9 chapters of Proverbs a few years ago to show this is so.

On his blog, Kevin Halloran recently summarized, in a few key principles from Proverbs, how to be teachable:

  1. Be humble.
  2. Seek wisdom and instruction as though your life depends on it.
  3. Learn from the right teachers.
  4. Receive correction as a blessing.

Halloran lists specific proverbs for each point, along with many helpful suggestions and a closing prayer for teachability. He does a great job showing us how to apply these truths from Proverbs in personal and specific ways.

Check it out!

Exodus 20:1-21: Ten Words and Two Responses

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God wants his people close, but not too close. Moses has gone up and down the mountain three times to help everyone prepare for their big meeting with God. Now, with Moses at the mountain’s foot with the people (Ex 19:25), God thunders his covenant from heaven.

Observation of Exodus 20:1-21

Most repeated words: you (19 times), your (19x), not (14), God (10), Lord (8), day (7), all (4), neighbor (4), people (4), servant (4).

  • I normally would exclude words like “you” and “your,” as common stop words that carry little interpretive significance on their own. But since they serve as the subjects of most sentences here, I cannot disregard them.
  • This repetition shifts the mood to what “you” must “not” do.

The setting: God speaks all these words (Ex 20:1), from the top of Mt. Sinai, along with thunder, lightning, a trumpet sound, and smoke (Ex 20:18).

The words begin (Ex 20:2) with an opening statement of Yahweh’s identity (“I am Yahweh your God”), history (“who brought you our of the land of Egypt”), and intention (“out of the house of slavery”).

Four of the “words” (Ex 20:5-6, 7, 11, 12) have a reason or motivation attached; six do not.

Eight of the words are negative; two (Ex 20:8, 12) are positive. But even the positive “remember the Sabbath” is actually a negative “you shall not do any work” (Ex 20:10). So only one (Ex 20:12) is a positive “do this” commandment.

The first four words (Ex 20:3-11) speak to the people’s relationship with God. The last six words (Ex 20:12-17) speak to their relationships with one another.

The first (Ex 20:3) and last (Ex 20:17) speak to the heart’s allegiance or desire. 

Following God’s words, the narrative describes two response to God’s words:

  1. The people see, fear, and stand far off (Ex 20:18, 21).
  2. Moses comforts (Ex 20:20) and draws near to where God is (Ex 20:21).

Structure:

  1. Yahweh affirms his identity, history, and intentions.
  2. Yahweh speaks four words about their relationship with him, beginning with their heart’s allegiance.
  3. Yahweh speaks six words about their relationships wth each other, ending with their heart’s desires.
  4. The people stand far off while Moses draws near to God.

    Prayitno (2012), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 20:1-21

Some possible questions:

  1. Why does the passage follow this structure?
  2. Why does God speak these words to all the people with thunder, rather than with Moses on the mountain top?
  3. Why do God’s words begin and end by focusing on the heart?
  4. So what sort of response should we have to these words?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. We need some historical background to understand what would have been obvious and assumed to the original readers. This passage closely follows the structure of ancient treaties between a conquering king and a vassal king. Introduction of the parties, recounting their history, stipulating conditions, rewarding obedience & penalizing disobedience, documenting the agreement, and securing attestation. Though this text doesn’t use the term “covenant” or “treaty,” an ancient would recognize it as obviously being one. To learn more, see Douglas Stuart’s excellent article on the structure of ancient covenants. The point is that God is making a covenant and, in doing so, binding these people to himself as vassals. They do not earn their position as his people by obeying these words. He gives them these words because they are already his people.
  2. The setting gives these ten words a unique place among God’s instructions. In the next few chapters, there will be many more detailed commands; but all are spoken to Moses alone on the mountain top. These ten words thunder from heaven for all the people. Therefore, these ten words summarize the essence of God’s covenant with these people. The remaining details will expand on these ten words and apply them to specific situations.
  3. Because they focus on the heart’s allegiance and desires, the first and last words would be unenforceable in a human court of law. How would you get enough evidence to convict someone for something that can’t be observed? This fact shows us that God’s Law has always cared about the thoughts and intentions of the heart. There is no room in this covenant for outward, technical conformity from people whose hearts are far from their God.
  4. We see the two responses of Moses and the people. Ought we to see ourselves in them? Some believe we should hang these words in public schools and community centers, yet perhaps we need to feel the fear and awe the first audience felt. As we unpack the requirements and prohibitions, we tremble at God’s demand for perfection, vertical and horizontal, outside and inside. Maybe we are even scared of the words and want the New Testament to tell us they don’t apply any more. Regardless, the goal of these words is not to baffle you, but “to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin” (Ex 20:20). These words test you. They inspire you to fear the one who spoke them. And they minister his grace to you that you may not sin. We ought to love these words, along with (spoiler alert) the Spirit who indwells us and empowers us to obey (2 Cor 3:1-18).

Train of thought:

  • Yahweh enters into covenant with his redeemed people, in order to capture their hearts.
  • This covenant inspires appropriate fear, while also inviting them to draw near to God.

Main point: God makes a treaty with his redeemed people, inspiring them to fear and obey, so they might draw near to him.

Connection to Christ: Jesus speaks no longer from a mountain top but from heaven itself (Heb 12:18-26). He calls us to fear and obey him (Heb 12:28-29), but especially to draw near with full confidence of mercy and grace (Heb 4:14-16).

My Application of Exodus 20:1-21

When faced with impossible standards, I’m more of a run-and-hide person than a shake-my-fist-at-God person. I know well the fear and trembling caused by the Lord’s demands for perfection. At the same time, I struggle with treating my worship and approach to God too flippantly or casually. As though he’s lucky to have me around because I’m so much better than all the other people.

There’s an important tension here I haven’t yet figured out: Draw near with confidence, yet with fear and trembling.

All I know is that I can’t go wrong when I hold fast to Christ. My love for him has grown far too dull.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

Exodus 7:8-15:21: Frightful Deliverance

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Step Back

When our Bible study focuses intently on each passage, one after another, we may find it difficult to step back and see how they fit together. But we must remember the Bible is a work of literature. It was not written to be scrutinized in bites; it was written to be devoured in gobbles. We should remember to read the Bible as we’d read any other book: moving through it at a reasonable pace and recognizing ongoing themes, climax, resolution, and character development. When we hit milestones in the text, we should take the opportunity to survey where we’ve been and how it fits together.

So, now that we’ve hit the end of Exodus’s first act with a climactic song of praise, it’s a good time to catch our breath. From this point in Exodus, we’ll see God rebuilding his people as a new nation in covenant with himself. But where have we been so far?

Review

Let me list the main points I’ve proposed for each passage in this section:

  • Exodus 7:8-13: This will be a mighty showdown between God and Pharaoh.
  • Exodus 7:14-8:19: Yahweh is the only judge of all the earth, who both executes and removes judgments.
  • Exodus 8:20-9:12: Yahweh is the divider of peoples, vindicating and elevating those who are his and casting down those who are not.
  • Exodus 9:13-10:29: Yahweh glorifies his name in all the earth by executing ultimate judgment on evil.
  • Exodus 11:1-12:28: When Yahweh finally strikes his enemies, he will provide a way for his people to be spared.
  • Exodus 12:29-13:16: Yahweh strikes his enemies and blesses his people to show he owns all the people of the earth.
  • Exodus 13:17-14:31: The all-powerful God employs his power to separate and rescue his people so they might fear and believe him.
  • Exodus 15:1-21: We must sing to Yahweh, for there is no other god who can cast down his enemies and raise up his people.

In addition, my overview of the whole book led me to this overall main point:

Who is Yahweh, and why should you obey him? He is the God who 1) demolishes the house of slavery (Ex 1-15), 2) prepares to rebuild (Ex 16-18), and 3) builds his house in the midst of his people (Ex 19-40).

And the main idea of Part 1 (Ex 1:1-7:7) was: Yahweh appoints a mediator and ensures he is fully qualified and trained for the task of deliverance.

Pull It Together

Now what do these things show us about the flow of thought in chapters 7-15?

  • Exodus 7:8-13 sets up the mighty showdown that will take place in three waves.
  • Wave 1: The Plagues
    • Round 1 (Ex 7:14-8:19): This is not an equal battle between good and evil, ying and yang. Yahweh reigns supreme.
    • Round 2 (Ex 8:20-9:12): Yahweh will not lose his people to the battle. The wheat will not be pulled up with the weeds.
    • Round 3 (Ex 9:13-10:29): God’s enemies will come to a fiery, eternal end.
  • Wave 2: Passover
    • Scene 1 (Ex 11:1-12:28): Yahweh is able to provide a way of rescue…
    • Scene 2 (Ex 12:29-13:16): …because he owns all the people of the earth.
  • Wave 3: The Red Sea
    • Scene 1 (Ex 13:17-14:31): God’s deliverance causes his people to fear him…
    • Scene 2 (Ex 15:1-21): …and they can do nothing but sing.

These chapters show us it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, regardless of whether you are his people or his enemies. Some will fear the death he deals, and others will fear the life he brings. But all will fear him. God’s deliverance, accomplished only by God’s appointed mediator, shapes his people into the delicious paradox of fearful joy.

Nicholas Laughlin (2009), Creative Commons

We can flesh out our outline of the book a little further:

Act I: Yahweh demolishes the house of slavery (Ex 1-15).

Introduction: Nobody can prevent Yahweh from keeping his promises, but we’re not sure how he’ll do it (Ex 1).

Part 1: Yahweh appoints a mediator and ensures he is fully qualified and trained for the task of deliverance (Ex 2:1-7:7).

Part 2: Yahweh delivers a deserved destruction to his enemies and a frightful joy to his people (Ex 7:8-15:21).

Act II: Yahweh prepares to rebuild (Ex 16-18).

Act III: Yahweh builds his house in the midst of his people (Ex 19-40).

Gaze Upon Jesus

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment and embodiment of God’s deliverance. On the cross, “steadfast love and faithfulness meet” (Ps 85:10). On the cross, the Lord cast down his enemies and raised up his people once for all. And, while this gives us great joy, it should also terrify us:

For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. (Rom 11:21-22)

Jesus is now King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16). He cares for his people and preserves them to the end of the age, when he will “gather out of his kingdom all cause of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace” (Matt 13:41-42). He has full ownership and all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). He has brought down the mighty and exalted those of humble estate (Luke 1:52). He was appointed for the fall and rising of many, and a sword pierced even the souls of those closest to him (Luke 2:34). He fills his people with both inexpressible joy (1 Pet 1:8) and healthy fear (1 Pet 4:12-13).

Apply

Head: Did you expect Christianity to be a big party? It certainly includes parties, whenever we gather to worship the risen King of kings. But the way to get invited is scary indeed. Does it feel good to discover you’re not good enough? Does it tickle your fancy to find yourself in a pickle that’s not possible to escape on your own? Do you appreciate having everything you hold most dear die, so you can be reborn to new life? You now belong to your king. There is joy ahead, however frightful it may be. But that’s okay, because nobody can snatch you out of your King’s hand.

Heart: Please don’t choose between fear and joy in your walk with Christ. Always incubate both in your heart. The combination will thrill you indescribably and satisfy you unbelievably.

Hands: Sing to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Let us never stop telling the glorious tale of the frighteningly delightful deeds God has done for us in Christ (Ps 78:1-4).

Exodus 13:17-14:31: Watch Out When God Decides to Show You His Powerful Rescue

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We’ve now reached the first major climax of the book of Exodus. The people who tried to drown the sons of God (Ex 1:22) will have their own sons drowned instead.

Ari Evergreen (2009), Creative Commons

Observation of Exodus 13:17-14:31

Most repeated words: Egypt/Egyptian (28 times), Israel (19x), people (19), Lord (18), sea (18), Pharaoh (12), chariot (10), all (9), Moses (9), said (9), out (8).

  • The terms Egypt and Egyptian take over the narrative in this chapter. Before this passage, “Egypt” occurred 94 times in Exodus. After this passage, it will occur only 20 more times.
  • This chapter marks a major transition, for both the Israelites and those who read their story. “For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again” (Ex 14:13).

In this story, the drama moves forward through frequent changes of perspective:

  • God’s perspective: Leading his people right where they must go (Ex 13:17-22).
  • Moses’ perspective: Receiving a frightening message (Ex 14:1-4).
  • Pharaoh’s perspective: Regretting the release and pursuing his slaves (Ex 14:5-9).
  • Israelites’ perspective: Seeing and fearing their oppressors (Ex 14:10-14).
  • Moses’ perspective: Receiving another frightening message (Ex 14:15-18).
  • God’s Angel’s perspective: Separating God’s people from God’s enemies (Ex 14:19-20).
  • Israelites’ perspective: Crossing on dry ground with oppressors pursuing (Ex 14:21-23).
  • Yahweh’s perspective: Throwing Egypt into a panic before throwing them into the sea (Ex 14:24-28).
  • Israelite’s perspective: Seeing their oppressors’ dead bodies, fearing Yahweh who made it happen, and believing Yahweh and Moses (Ex 14:29-31).

With italics, bold, and underlining, I highlighted the connections that strike me within the text. And a few implications stand out further:

  • We see a pattern happen twice
    • Yahweh tells Moses what he will do (and it doesn’t sound like fun).
    • Egypt pursues God’s people.
    • The Israelites see their oppressors and feel fear as a result.
  • Roughly bracketing this pattern is God’s sovereign control over the situation:
    • He led the Israelites right here on purpose.
    • He throws the Egyptians into the sea.
  • And almost right in the middle is the separation caused by the angel of God by means of the cloud and the darkness.

While the pattern isn’t perfect (not quite an ABCDEDCBA structure), it’s close enough to be noticeable.

Interpretation of Exodus 13:17-14:31

Some possible questions:

  1. How is this path to the Red Sea an avoidance of war (Ex 13:17), when they face Egypt’s army and soon will face war with Amalek (chapter 17)?
  2. Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart to cause this terrible situation (Ex 14:4).
  3. Why is the concluding response fear and belief instead of joy and relief?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. Ex 14:14 clarifies that Israel will not have to fight Egypt; Yahweh will fight on their behalf. Though they see a terrible disaster befall Egypt, they do not have to wield the sword themselves. In addition, God’s purpose in Ex 13:17 is to prevent the Israelites from changing their minds and returning to Egypt. The Red Sea incident burns their last bridge and therefore guarantees they can never return this way again, even if war with Amalek frightens them.
  2. Again, the Lord wants to make sure the Israelites can never change their minds and return to slavery. So he must do two things: utterly eliminate the oppressors, and close the route at Israel’s back. Once they cross the Sea, and the waters return to their place behind them, they literally cannot turn around and go back.
    • Now this answer demands a deeper question: Why would God even go through with all that? Why must he eliminate the oppressors and close off Israel’s escape route?
    • The text’s best answer has to do with God getting all the glory (Ex 14:4, 17) when the Egyptians know he is Yahweh (Ex 14:4) and the Israelites see his mightiest act of salvation (Ex 14:30-31).
  3. In an earlier chapter, I mentioned that God is not bringing these people out of slavery into unconditional freedom. He’s bringing them out of slavery to a harsh master into slavery to a good and gracious master. Similarly, they have a vibrant fear of the powerful (Ex 14:10). God does not want to ease their fear; he wants to redirect it to the source of true power (Ex 14:31). In order to fear, they must believe he is who he’s said all along: the one who sees, hears, knows, and rescues.

Train of thought:

  • The Lord takes his people exactly where they must go to learn to fear him.
  • They experience their deepest fears and are completely unable to do anything about it.
  • God rescues them in such a way as to make it clear that he is the one with all the power.
  • They now fear and believe this God who uses his power to rescue.

Main point: The all-powerful God employs his power to separate and rescue his people so they might fear and believe him.

Connection to Christ: Jesus has all power. He used it to rescue his people through the cross. He will one day use it to wipe out his enemies. He inspires all with proper fear (Matt 10:28).

My Application of Exodus 13:17-14:31

I love it when God uses his power to ease my pain and suffering. I want him to remove discomfort. But I must trust he will often use his power to increase my discomfort so I will fear and trust him.

For example, we’ve faced some severe (and sensitive) parenting challenges this year. Circumstances are not what I would prefer for myself, my wife, or my children. But I can see how God has given us all greater fear and trust in him. And we have nothing to hope in but Jesus’ work on the cross on our behalf. When I have eyes to see this, I realize this is a better place for our family than to have all the pain simply removed.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

5 Things the Wise Person Can Do

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Because God implanted his wisdom in this world, wisdom empowers us for life in this world. It doesn’t take us out of this world into vague, ethereal, or escapist sentiments. Thus, true wisdom will never lead us into otherworldly practices like denying pain (Prov 3:11-12), forbidding pleasure (Prov 5:18-19), or romanticizing the past (Eccl 7:10).

In Proverbs 8:12-21, we saw 5 things wisdom won’t do in this life. The wise person will take these things to heart and apply them diligently.

Because wisdom won’t run out (Prov 8:12), you can always draw on it. Wisdom is available to you, and it will always be available to you. You don’t have to rely on the experts to tell you what to think, and you don’t have to wait on authority figures to tell you what to do. Your questions are not beyond God’s concern, and your problems are not beyond God’s reach. And when same-sex marriage is universally legalized and religious freedom is broadly rejected, it won’t mean that divine wisdom has failed or gone on vacation. We shouldn’t get so uptight about increased hostility, lost opportunity, or apparently restricted liberty. Such things cannot thwart God’s kingdom and gospel from advancing. “And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us” (Martin Luther).Martin Luther

Because wisdom won’t pander to pride (Prov 8:13), you can relinquish your self-interest. You won’t get what you want by demanding it. And just because you don’t have to rely on experts or wait on authorities—it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn from anyone. You’re not always the expert or the authority; God made you to function in community with others. If you don’t have to protect or defend yourself, you’re free to hate the evil within you as much as the Lord does. Only then will you find the wisdom you need to put it to death. Luther again: “No man can glory in thy sight; all must alike confess thy might and live alone by mercy.”

Because wisdom won’t let you down (Prov 8:14-16), you have every reason to execute your responsibility faithfully. You can move into your own place. You can buy that house; you can learn that skill. You can work hard, even under a harsh supervisor. You can love and respect your spouse, even if it’s not returned. You can discipline your children consistently, even if it feels like you’ll do nothing but spank them all day (the feeling isn’t true!). You can lead your own Bible study this year. You can tame your tongue. You can set aside sexual immorality. The Spirit of wisdom—the Spirit of God—can do all these things and more through you. More Luther: “Christ is himself the joy of all, the Sun that warms and lights us. By his grace he doth impart eternal sunshine to the heart; the night of sin is ended! Alleluia!”

Because wisdom won’t play hard to get (Prov 8:17), you have only to ask. There’s nothing to complain about. You don’t need to make more money or buy more books. You don’t need to go to seminary or Bible college. You don’t have to earn your way. You don’t have to prove yourself. You have not because you ask not. Everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. Those who knock are the ones who have all the open doors. There’s no mystery here; you can try it now: “God, please give me wisdom for _____________. My only hope is Christ. Amen.” Luther once again nails it: “Christ alone our souls will feed; he is our meat and drink indeed. Faith lives upon no other!”

Because wisdom won’t leave you empty-handed (Prov 8:18-21), you have everything to gain by seeking it! Sure, you might spend some money or sacrifice financial stability. You might give up some free time that could have been spent on amusement. You’ll risk misunderstanding or ridicule if you look too fanatical. But what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Guess who: “Happy the man who feareth God, whose feet his holy ways have trod; thine own good hand shall nourish thee, and well and happy shalt thou be.”