Job: Chapter 9

Job Replies: There Is No Arbiter

Old Rag Mountain

How can any man be right before God? It is impossible. We cannot even come remotely close, the idea is ludicrous. We cannot answer God. Do you know anyone who has ever hardened their heart towards God, turned from Him, and succeeded in beating God? Even Satan must bow before the Lord and ask permission to do all things. We are weak and frail beings, Satan was once an angel. God is the creator of all things. He is the controller of all things. If he tells the sun not to rise, it obeys. If he wants the stars to cease shining, they do. Merely with His voice set into motion the universe that to this day continues to expand in all directions. He set the current all of the seas, rivers, and oceans. He placed the stars in the sky in a particular fashion so we might discover the Bear, Orion, Pleiades, and Proxima Centauri. We will never know all of the great things He has done and we cannot fathom the countless marvelous wonders He has created. However, God passes by me and I do not see Him. He moves past me but I cannot perceive His presence. I know He is there but I miss knowing Him like I did before.

How can man understand God? We cannot understand Him fully, nor can we understand Him to a great extent. Some of the wisest men throughout history, who had the closest relationships with God, still find themselves saying things like: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" [Psalm 22:1] and the list goes on with Moses, Abraham, Peter, etc. all of these great men who had extremely close relationships with God all questioned Him many times. In order to question God, we must believe that we are equal to Him in some way. We only question those who we believe are wrong in what they are saying, doing, etc. Therefore, if we question God, we believe that He is wrong about something. Now, it is quite the leap for us to say: "I know better than God." and very few people would ever actually say those words in a serious manner. However, we live our lives and make a lot of decisions based off the concept that we do know better than God. Aren't these the same? We're just prideful cowards who don't want to say something blasphemous like: "I know better than God." We prefer to hide our sin under the shroud of other things. When Adam and Eve chose to eat from the forbidden tree, they believed the lie that God was not trustworthy and they chose to disobey out of pride in who they thought they were. When I chose to watch pornography and dilute my mind with terrible images of something that is supposed to be beautiful but turned wretched I was saying: "God, I know you tell me I shouldn't do this, but I know better than you." This led to me lying about never watching pornography to my girlfriend at the time, which led to more lies, which led to a failed engagement, which culminated with me in counseling and that relationship beyond reconciliation. Now, God used this betrayal of mine for far greater things than I could ever have imagined. He drew me closer to Him, He helped me receive professional help (which in my mind is the ONLY way to overcome an addiction like pornography - I am now almost 4 years clean - thank you to my counselor | yes, it is awkward at first and yes it isn't easy to admit to others but it is necessary. I think of my future wife, whoever she may be, and the impact that my choices earlier in life will affect her. Deal with your junk as soon as you can, your future spouse will admire you for it.) and I was able to restore my relationship with God and serve Him more than ever. God uses these betrayals for His good if we allow Him to do so. It is not fun, there is nothing exciting about the process, there is a lot of pain and admission of things that most people cannot utter before another human, and it costs a lot of people a lot of heartaches. I went against God and I failed. But, through His grace and mercy, He restored me to Himself. Job is currently battling against his biggest foe and he cannot find God in the midst of his pain and sorrow. Just like Job, I did not fully understand God's will or why He allowed things to happen to me at the moment, but with hindsight and many years of looking back at the events that have transpired, He was allowing traumatic things to occur in order to draw me closer to Him before my biggest battle that is ongoing right now against terminal cancer. I would be lost and could not survive if He hadn't trained me for this thorn in the flesh. Yes, it is hard to continually admit to others that you have had struggles in the past, current and that you will struggle with sin in the future. But, you can overcome some things if you rely on God's strength to overcome them and not your own. Seek counseling, seek wisdom from others, seek help, seek friends who truly love you and can give you an honest conversation of where they see you. This is the only way I was able to overcome porn and it is the only way I will overcome any sin in my life, through God's never-ending pursuit of my heart and allowing Him to make me more like Christ and less like Jordan.

Dear Lord, thank you for your overwhelming kindness and grace to me and all my fellow human beings. We are not worthy of your grace, but I accept it with honor. I wish I could be a better image of your grace towards others in all moments. My shortcomings far outweigh my excellence, but you restore me to you and see Christ in my stead. Thank you for the gift of your son and the never-ending wonders of your creation. You stir my affections for you through many natural wonders and I cannot say thank you enough for who You are. Teach me to be a loving, kind, and honest friend. Teach me, starting now, how to love my future wife in ways that exude your grace and love. Show me who you are more and more, that I might be more like you. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapter 8

Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent:

The Green Dragon | The Shire

Eliphaz has no clue of what God truly is nor does he understand the Gospel. He is a man who sees only works and no faith. He believes that Jobs's children were living in sin and were not honoring God, therefore He struck them from the earth. Perhaps God makes mistakes? Who knows. But, you must believe that God is punishing you either for your sins or your children's sins. Either way, God required a sacrifice and now you must seek His forgiveness and actually seek Him. Why aren't you "truly" seeking Christ? Clearly, you must have been playing us all these years and weren't truly living a life that was honoring to God. Plead for mercy, if you are pure and justified, He will forgive you and restore you to the wealthy man that you were before. Stop lying in the dirt like a bum and restore your former glory. You have to earn God's love by seeking Him out, He doesn't give it freely. You must feed your relationship with God, it is a give and takes relationship. God will not accept an evildoer as yourself, you must be blameless before Him. If you rebuke your sins before the almighty God then He will fill you with joy and overflowing happiness. He will shame those who hate you and will bring them to death.

Wow. Perhaps my interpretation of Job 8 is off but Bildad has a very worldly view of God. He believes that God is a performance-type god who will weigh all of the good you do on a scale versus all of the bad. If this is the case, we are all going to hell and have no chance of experiencing the wonderful presence of God in Heaven. We are condemned to a life of sin and will never escape the bonds that hold us down. This isn't the Gospel? This is blasphemous! Our God is the God of perfect love. He cannot accept sin, but He accepts Faith in Him. (Reminder: This is the pre-Christ era.) Job has the understanding that Faith without works is dead and works cannot exist without Faith. Faith will drive works into your life if you believe in who God is and your faith will be fueled by the works you perform through God's love for you. We are meaningless without God, not only are we meaningless, but we wouldn't exist. Bildad is mocking Job because he believes that Job has been lying his entire life, either his children aren't who he has professed them to be, or Job himself has been putting on a façade his entire life. God wouldn't be allowing these things to happen unless you owed him for the sins you have committed - this is the idea Bildad is sharing with Job. He is accusing him of living a life of sin. If God punished us for every sin we committed against Him, we would never stop cease being punished. God is not sitting in Heaven watching us and waiting for us to sin and then strike us with boils. God is gracious, and he is a loving Father who wants what is best for us in all scenarios. He doesn't need us to proclaim His gospel, He allows us to be a part of the story. He can choose to ensure everything goes the way He wants, but He offers us free will and the choice to decide whether or not we live our days for Him or for ourselves. Yes, God knows all things and I believe He knows who will choose to follow Him because he is not constrained to time - He doesn't wait for things to happen, they are - and all things are before Him. There are no surprises to God. Yes, He will allow bad things to occur in our lives, but He sees all things and knows how they will play out. This is where we must rely on Faith.

 Dear lord, there are many things that we do not understand about you. You are above and beyond anything we can imagine or even fathom. You created all things with your voice, that is enough to have us thinking for the rest of our lives. Thank you for sending your son and honoring our Faith in Him and You. We do not deserve your love or grace. I believe in your word, but it is hard to decipher at times, grant me wisdom to read the Bible and understand it in order to be able to benefit others. Amen. 

 All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapters 6-7

Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just

Shenandoah National Park | Virginia 

Job has this very human idea that if God were to balance out the good vs. bad in his life that he would come out on the good side. He believes, falsely, that he could save himself as it were. This is an unfortunate idea that I believe we all get caught in at one time or another. Pride sets in and we believe that we don't deserve the turmoil we may endure. How dare I accuse God of what I have endured because of Him? How dare you accuse me of not suffering, I am stuck in a daily vicious circle of never-ending pain. God has chosen me to be punished by Satan and He has struck me with many arrows. All are stacked against me and I cannot overcome it. Am I better than the animals who moan when the fields fail to yield? I only ask for one thing from God and He refuses it from me. I ask that He would crush me and cut me off - allow me to perish. What is the point of me going on anymore? Does this glorify God? I cannot endure, I am not made of stone but of flesh, flesh that is born into sin and cannot overcome it. God is my strength and power but He has turned away from me. My friends come to try and help me but they do not, they only turn away in the harshest of times and tell me that I should do that which cannot be done. You've seen my treachery and have turned away from me, yet I requested nothing from you. Show me what I have done to offend you and I will be quiet. Do not turn away from me but listen and face me, I ask only to know the reason for this betrayal. Do you believe I cannot handle the truth about why I am being punished?

My Life Has No Hope:

We are all confined to our time on earth and all of us are faced with hardship in some form or fashion. Why must I be this way, constrained to the suffering that is before I laid empty on the ground with no rest? My nights are long and void of meaning, for tomorrow will come and I will awake to my same circumstance. My body is broken and riddled with disease, all throughout the day I have no hope in life, I can no longer see any good, it is gone from me. My perspective is shattered and I only hold on to bitterness in my soul. None who see me know me, I am but a beggar on the street corner with nothing to offer, only to be pitied. Even as I try to find comfort in my bed you give me nightmares of what is to come, visions of pain and suffering. I cannot stand my life or lack thereof and I would ask you to leave me alone, be gone from my side. What is it about me that you find intriguing? Why did you choose me to punish? Why am I tested every day? Why don't you forgive me and allow me to leave in peace? I am to be left on earth and you will not find me. 

Job is very lost in his trial, who can blame him? He is confounded as to why God is punishing him and cannot find an answer. His friends, attempting to help, are trying to show Job that God does love him. Unfortunately, it is not working. Job has grown very bitter throughout his circumstances and seeks to flee from it all. He longs to be dead and wishes that it would come swiftly. I cannot comprehend what Job has endured, however, as someone who was diagnosed with Stage IVb Metastatic Melanoma over 2 months ago, there is an understanding of the physical pain and psychological game that goes on within me. It is challenging to focus on God's love for me when I feel that I don't deserve the current trial, haven't I gone through enough? I feel a lot like David when he cries out to God in the Psalms asking: why have I been forsaken by you? It isn't fair that a 27-year-old who is in extremely good shape and overall health is enduring something terminal like this disease. However, realizing that everything I have ever had is God's, I understand that I don't deserve anything better than death. My life is a gift because I was born into sin and given no hope of reaching Heaven if not for the cross and Christ dying on it. I was a slave to my sin, bound to a life of serving my sin, shackles had me tied to a cross of pride that wouldn't let go, without the Grace of God I would never be in His presence. That is more than enough and way more than I deserve.

Dear lord, sin entered this world when Adam and Eve chose to ignore your commands and become deceitful. I know that I am no better than any other man and require the full punishment of my sin. Thank you for sending Christ to save me and all others who place their faith in You. There are many who remain lost around me, I pray that you will grant me the wisdom and courage to show them your love. I have been given a thorn in the flesh that gives me an opportunity to show your love on a grand scale due to the severity of my disease. Show me how to do this well. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapters 4-5

Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper:

Cheyenne Canyon | Colorado Springs, CO [Isaac, myself & Joe]

Eliphaz was one of Job's close friends came to see him. He is responding to what Job said in Chapter 3 where he laments his birth. He replies with a lot of humility and asks whether or not he will listen with patience to his words. Eliphaz reminds Job of all the things that he has done for others who have gone through trials and tribulations, how Job reminds others of God's love for them and how they must remain patient with God. Eliphaz calls Job out for being impatient and not trusting God in his trials. He reminds Job of the confidence that he had in God and that his hope should be found in Him. He encourages Job to press on in faith and integrity for the Lord because those who sow trouble reap the same.

Spirits Vision:

Eliphaz was visited by a spirit in the night who came with a voice: "Can mortal man be in the right before God?" this spirit, presumed angel from God, speaks throughout the next 32 verses [Job 4: 17-21 & Job 5: 1-27] and reveals that no man can be pure before the God of Heaven. Even the angels are charged with an error along with His servants. If they are subject to discipline, how much more would those who are earthly sinners be found in error? Surely the wisest man who walks the earth pales in comparison to those who are angels in Heaven. The foundation of the man is built on houses of clay and is easily crushed. Whom will you turn to in these dark times? Will you seek darkness or light? Only the fool sits in vexation and disregards the truth that is found in God. Man is born into trouble, ever since the fall, and it is not the earth that gives man trouble, man gives man trouble. Commit yourself to God and dwell on His holiness. He does great things that are above and beyond anything you can imagine, wonders that are undefined by human experience. He makes rainfall on the earth, He sends water to your fields, He lifts those who are low, He gives safety to the mourners. He protects against the crafty and catches the wise who are due to create evil. He saves the needy from their own tongues. Blessed is the man who God disciplines! He will bless you with the riches of life and old age and peace shall come. Hear me and know that it is good.

Richmond, VA | [Myself & Ryan]

What an incredible friendship! Picture yourself being confronted by a friend, has it ever looked like this? Ever? I can say that I am privileged to have friends like this in my life; Isaac, Ryan, and Joe. People who know what is best for me and will come in humility and love to show me the errors in my ways. This is a blessing beyond measure. It is vitally important to build friendships that are consistent with the Gospel and exude love in the toughest situations. This is something that Job has in his friends and it is critical during times like these. Thankfully, God is in control of all things and if we always seek His guidance prior to seeking to be right, things will be better. One of my favorite quotes: "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” - C.S. Lewis

Dear lord, it is hard for us to imagine trials and tribulations until we are knee-deep in them. We do not tend to think about pain until it arrives. During these times of strain we fall on our knees and seek your healing and praise your name, Lord, we do not deserve you. I know that I haven't always come to you daily until something bad occurs. Create in me a heart of faithfulness to you regardless of the situation. Thank you for the blessing of friendship you have given me through my closest friends. Amen.

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapter 3

Job Laments His Birth:

Shelf Road | Canon City, Colorado

Imagine all of the turmoil and heartache that Job has just endured and envision how you would react to it all. Job begins to passionately grieve about the beginning of his life and question why he was ever born if he was only meant to suffer this way? Again, there is no comparable situation I have ever heard of in relation to what Job has endured thus far. He asks for the sun to stop shining on the day of his birth, he calls for Leviathan (a great sea monster) to lay waste to it, he asks that he had never been born, questioning why he wasn't a stillborn child in the womb of his mother.

Job is crying out to God and questioning why He has allowed all of this to transpire, which is perfectly fine. I believe that crying out to God, much like David does throughout the Psalms, is perfectly natural. We don't know the full plans that He has in store, therefore we shouldn't always be at perfect peace with what transpires. Example: I was diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma (Very low % chance of surviving due to the size/location of the tumors and how they have metastasized) and I have had many passionate outbursts with God in terms of the why behind it all. However, it isn't my job to try and endure it on my own, I am supposed to come to Him with it and plead for healing and answers. God is a God of mercy, but that does not mean we will not have heartbreak. God is perfect and just, which means sin will affect us all during our time on earth because we broke the world. He cannot just allow sin to permeate man and disregard it, the price must be paid. Thankfully, Christ came and did what we could not, but the world wasn't healed from sin, man was given the chance to accept Christ's gift and be able to stand before the throne of God blameless because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

Job's worst fears came true (and I presume the worst fear of any father) and he is unable to cope with them in silence. He wonders why those who are bitter are given light, the Holy Spirit within them, if they are only to live bitterly in their soul. What is the point? Job is seeking death and wants it to find him but it eludes Job and he feels like he has been boxed into a world of sin. There is no escaping, He is yearning to be home in Heaven with his maker and longs for the safety of being alongside His father. He feels that his way is hidden before him and he doesn't know where to go. He used to be a man who was overjoyed and abounded in love, now his sighing is more prevalent than his praises and he groans when he awakes to another day. He can no longer rest because he feels entrapped within a terrible dream that never ends.

Dear Lord, there are many things that I can request of you at this current time in life. In the end, the thing I seek most is to be a better man at the end of all of this, regardless of the outcome. I have come to the realization that I am doing everything I can to reverse this terrible disease, but I cannot control the outcome. I am bound to a future of uncertainty and I don't know how to handle it at times. There are fears within me that are selfish and earthly, I seek life more than I seek you at times, I know that I am loved by you, but I don't always feel that way. Remind me of who you are and who I am to you. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2018 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapter 2

Satan Attacks Job's Health:

Sunset in Westcliffe, Colorado

The next step in this process of dismantling Job came when Satan reported before God and God reminded him that Job has been holding fast to his integrity, despite all the evil that had befallen him. Satan uses excuses and believes that if he is allowed to mess with body flesh and bone that he will curse God. The Lord responded by stating that Job was in his hands, but he cannot kill him.

Satan left the presence of the Lord prior to striking Job with sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Significant that he did nothing while in the presence of the Lord, I presume for fear of the Lord. It is hard to imagine Satan had to go before God and report what he has been doing, but it is another reminder that Satan is a little groveling twerp in comparison to the almighty God. Job sat in ashes and scraped himself with broken pottery in order to remove the sores that riddled his body. Do not forget that Job had been living a life of luxury prior to all of these events, he was: "The Greatest People of All the East." He was not used to suffering nor having any of the common man's issues. Sores are something that would happen to those who could not afford to have a bath or cleanse their body from filth, it was a disease that rich people would not carry. Not a lot is mentioned about Job's wife to this point, unfortunately, she ends up turning very bitter towards God and lashes out at her husband commanding him to curse God and die. It is understandable that she would be bitter towards God, she has lost 10 children and has seen her husband suffer in multiple ways including now his health. She has a pompous statement that reflects her heart at this moment. It is a human problem and dare I say my reaction would probably be very similar if I were in her sandals at this moment. She has the earthly mindset of believing that what happens on earth is the only time that matters. Job responds to his wife with a reminder of who God is and who she is in God. He is harsh, yet his words carry a lot of weight. He knows his wife is not foolish but she has made a foolish remark. He reminds her that they have been extremely blessed by God throughout the years and now they are receiving what we as humans brought upon ourselves with the fall - sin. Sin corrupts all things on earth and it cannot be overstated.

Job's three closest friends heard of his tragedy and like all great friends came to see him in order to comfort him and show him sympathy. They were unable to recognize their friend and cried out then wept. When I picture myself in this scenario I picture the morning that I went to see my lifelong best friend Ryan whose father had passed away rather suddenly from leukemia. There are no words that can comfort in a situation of ultimate grief, no Bible verses that can cure a broken heart, there is nothing you can do outside of being present and grieving alongside those you love for the brokenness of the world. These friends of Job tore their robes and covered themselves with dirt in order to be alongside their friend - who at this point was essentially sitting amongst the garbage and ashes of pain, picture a homeless person that is riddled with disease and laying in a pile of garbage - and hopefully help him feel better about the predicament. This is an incredible gesture by his friends, they don't come and try to clean him up and fix the situation. They realize that their friend needs to be comforted in a different way, a humbling way. So they put themselves in the muck and the mud and endure a week of silence in the ashes to show Job that they love him in his time of extreme suffering. How can we come alongside one another in suffering?

Dear Lord, there are many trials that we must face here on earth. I pray that you would grant us the perspective that will endure us through these tribulations and that we would turn our hearts towards you in these times.  A lot of suffering is seen as inconvenient or a curse, but you use suffering to give us the ultimate gift, you. Allow ourselves to see your face in all things, whether good or bad and give us the strength to be thankful for all things. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2018 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapter 1

Somewhere between Colorado & Virginia 

Job's Character & Wealth:

Job was a very wealthy man who was a very prosperous farmer who had cultivated many things from hard work. He was titled "The Greatest Man in the East." Job was a man of God who was seen as such and everyone who knew him saw his desire to honor God. He was blessed by God and his possessions were many. He had Faith, wealth, family, and all of them experienced a very full and giving life. All ten of his children were enjoying their splendor in joy and needed for nothing, Job had taught them all well. Go back to my previous posts in Ecclesiastes in reference to Solomon's possessions and wealth, both of these men had everything they could possess, but Job had a soul-to-soul connection with his wife and loved one woman dearly, this gave Job an even bigger stake in life here on earth.  He also had a God-fearing family and had been blessed with 10 children.

Satan came before God and was asked if he had considered Job and His blamelessness and uprightness before the Lord. Satan responded by insinuating Job was only faithful because God had blessed him beyond comprehension. Satan predicts that Job will curse God's name if he loses his possessions. God placed parameters on what Satan could do to Job, he wasn't allowed to harm his body. This is a very intriguing set of verses because we see a couple of important things. Satan, the ruler of hell and the doer of all evil, is restricted by God. Without God's permission, Satan is very much powerless. This is a comforting and unsettling thing at the same time. God is perfect in all things, He is love, He is truth, He is all that ever was, is, and will ever be, He is omnipresent. Yet, He allows Satan to tempt us? If our Father is allowing Satan to tempt us, does He have our best interest in mind? Ironically, coming from a mindset of thinking all things that are good should be easy, He allows us to be hurt because it will draw us closer to Him, in some circumstances. The mission isn't that we will live a life that is easy, the mission is to make disciples of men. We are told that we are not meant for this world and all of it groans for the new world because of the sin we brought into the world. We corrupted the earth and we deserve the consequences, enter Jesus Christ, who was sent by God to save us from our ultimate consequence of eternal damnation from God. He is the only way we can experience life. Otherwise, we are doomed to a life that is meaningless in the grand scheme of time. Yes, you can have meaning outside of Christ, but it has a sandglass attached to it because it will end in time. God's love is never-ending and we will live in Heaven for the rest of eternity enjoying the fruits of Christ's sacrifice for us and experience life much like the Garden of Eden in Genesis.

Job has the worst day anybody has ever had in the history of humanity. The dominoes begin to fall: all 500 of his oxen and 500 donkeys were killed by the Sabeans along with his servants, the fire of God fell upon all 7,000 of his sheep and killed them as well as his shepherds, the Chaldeans raided and killed all 3,000 of his camels as well as his servants, lastly, all 10 of your children were killed in the house of your oldest son because a great wind brought the house down upon them. What would you do if this was all announced to you by your servants within a few minutes of time? No one experiences grief like this in such a short period of time, most people never experience this much tragedy in our entire lifetimes, or even in multiple generations throughout our family. It isn't imaginable, just picture the greatest tragedy you have experienced (if you have experienced something terrible) and take an honest approach to how you felt in that moment. I presume, if you are anything like myself, you can learn from Job's response and attempt to have the perspective he has. Job immediately tore his robes, shaved his head, and begins to praise God and bless His name. What? How? Because Job had a perspective of understanding everything he has was a gift from God and it is all His, Job knew he was a caretaker of the things he had been given. Job 1:22 - "In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong."

Dear Lord, I pray that you will comfort me in my times of stress. Draw me closer to you and enable me to react like Job when I am going through awful things. There are many things I believe I need in life, comfort, health, money, a spouse, children, career, etc. yet in my heart of hearts I know I only need you, create in me that foundation on a daily basis. Remind me of your grace. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2018 Jordan Tackett