I have been thinking about Job lately. I participated in a great discussion about him this past Sabbath day. During the discussion, I heard a new point of view I had never thought of before. We are all familiar with the story of Job. He is a testimony to obedience under fire. He lost everything: friends, family, money, health. All he had in this world was his God in heaven. This is all familiar to us. And we think, please don't ever let me be tested as Job was tested. But as someone said in class, in the telling of Job, we see a paradigm shift in man's relationship with God. He went on to explain that earlier in the old testament, we experience a God who punishes when we are wicked and blesses when we are obedient. However, in Job that pattern seems to dissolve. We now see a man who is very obedient, yet doesn't seem to be blessed for it. It is a pattern of suffering and enduring even when blessings are not forthcoming. Earlier stories hearken to the mosaic law, and then Job seems to foretell the new testament and the higher law contained within. Man's earlier relationship with God seems less mature. It is one of reward and punishment---then the relationship with God becomes a bit fuller and less two dimensional allowing for more spiritual growth and evolution. Job is not merely faithful for reward. He achieves a spiritual autonomy. His love of God is independent of reward or punishment. He is operating from a higher law. But, I think one important aspect was left out of our discussion on Job and this pattern shift from mosaic to the higher law. I think one could misunderstand and infer that God somehow changed how he deals with his people, or that God evolved. That, I think (and I am the farthest thing from a biblical scholar) would be a terrible mistake (and I think blasphemous). I think it is man that changes and evolves and therefore discovers more about the nature of God. As we draw near to God and are illuminated through him, a higher understanding and law which always existed is uncovered to us. The higher law given by Jesus Christ does not conflict with the mosaic law but completes it.
As babies, we don't start out on meat. Rather we have milk first and work our way up. I believe this is one of our purposes on Earth to "work our way up" And if we are on a spiritual journey of growth and evolution gradually perfecting ourselves throughout eternity, than it would have to make sense that more scripture and teachings would be revealed to man, as when Christ established his church. And more would be given after that. And more and more to keep us moving forward toward our Father in Heaven.
Before, my trials were much like the old testament. There was temptation and then a reward for obedience. Now, my trials are more advanced. There is temptation and then a choice to be made. I have the choice to be obedient just for the sake of being good. I choose to honor my relationship with God through sacrifice. My sacrifice is my heart, my obedience, my spirit. It's not a punishment reward thing but rather a sacrifice thing. And this I think is the real jewel. We gain nothing when everything is tit for tat. But how we are nourished when we sacrifice. This brings any relationship to a higher level. Think of our significant relationships, our spouses or children it is the element of sacrifice that elevates our learning and growth of the relationship. All of our most rewarding relationships are woven beautifully and lastingly with the threads of sacrifice. We don't clamor to hear a story about a person who diligently protected his self interest and gave exactly what was needed and no more. We relish the story where the hero gave more, so much more and touched the divine for one splendid climactic moment through ultimate sacrifice. It seems we are here to learn how to choose and how to sacrifice. We will gain our life as we lose our life for others. In this case Job is not just the person who seeks God's blessings---but rather he is the person who seeks God and then is blessed. He has sacrificed by having a heart single to God unfettered by condition. And, I think it is in this sacrifice that he draws close to God in a way that all of us who have never been asked to give our all, are fascinated by. He is the victor in the refiner's fire.
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