Posts
Job 36-42
God returns. Will his excuse satisfy Job?
I find it interesting that the Bible references the Pleiades (the seven sisters) and Orion, two entities of ancient Greece. I had no idea that greek gods had entered into mythology this early.
So, God comes back and gets angry (at least that's the voice I read it in) that Job and friends were getting all philosophical.
God: Did you create the heaven and earth?
Job: No
God: Can you pull up the corners of the Earth and shake off the evil people?
Eliphaz: You can do that? Then why did you destroy all life with a great flood then?
God: Shut up Eli! You owe Job a bunch of cows and sheep for questioning me!
Eliphaz: sorry
God: Can you catch sea serpents with a hook thru the nose? No, you can't, so don't question my actions when I do horrible things for no apparent reason. Job, I'm going to make it up to you by bringing your kids and slaves back to life. And they're all going to give you money. And if you act now I'll throw in an extra three really hot daughters. What do you say?
Job: Thanks, but I kind of enjoyed the peace and quite. Can you just remove the boils from my body? And maybe kill my wife?
God: No. Take it or leave it. I'm busy, I have to create some songs about how great me and my people are and then get people to write them down for future generations. I think I'll call it Rap.
Job: Rap sounds so harsh. It fits your personality but you should call it something that rolls off the tongue, like... salms.
God: I like that. Except we have to spell it funky so I look hip. We'll spell it Psalms. We cool Job?
Job: For shizzle ma nizzle!
@Bruce,
ReplyDeleteThe references to the Pleiades and Orion are to the constellations, not the Greek gods. Their names in Hebrew (Chimah and Kesil, respectively) are not related to the Greek names, which English translators keep for their common recognition today.
Thanks Christian. I knew they were constellations but wasn't sure if the names were translated from Hebrew or not. I was thinking that would give us an indication of the date of this writing.
ReplyDeleteThe leviathan / behemoth stuff was just weird. Is that one of god's arguments?
ReplyDelete"I can make sea monsters (fire breathing ones mind you!!) so don't question my judgement!"
uhm .... ooookkkkaaaayyyy. ??
@David,
ReplyDeleteThe Behemoth could be the Brachiosaurus. And the Leviathan could be the mighty 40ft. Sarcosuchus imperator (Super Croc), or the 82 ft. Liopleurodon.
I don't see it as an argument, just something to get Job thinking. God is speaking to him in a way that Job knows personally what these creatures are, as they are common to his world at that time. God is showing Job how great He is as Creator, by using the largest animals that He had made.
The Behemoth could be the Brachiosaurus. And the Leviathan could be the mighty 40ft. Sarcosuchus imperator (Super Croc), or the 82 ft. Liopleurodon.
ReplyDelete[Reads this]
[Decides today isn't starting well]
[Wonders about going back to bed]
Job knows personally what these creatures are, as they are common to his world at that time
No. Just... No. Please tell me you're joking.
On another line, Bruce, did you read chapter 42 as implying that the sons and daughters and other people were brought back to life? I didn't, I read that Job was just issued with another set. I must say, your version would be more reassuring, although it would take us into uncharted (so far) rising-from-the-dead territory which I think is ahead of ourselves in the plot.
I can't say that I'm comforted by the apparent notion that any human individual can be replaced by another and well, that's OK, then. As a parent I really would challenge the concept that if my child dies, then as long as I get another one, that's just fine.
@Edward. Science has shown that dinosaurs lived millions of years before humans evolved. There is mountains of evidence to support this and no evidence showing that man and Dino co-existed.
ReplyDelete@Showing,
Yes, I read this as Job's family and friends coming back to life, plus the extra hot daughters.
This is not the first time that the dead have risen in the Bible. Elisha raised two people from the dead.
But, if the book of Job predates the exodus, it would be the first time chronologically I believe.
I find it interesting that God has killed untold thousands of people but has revived only this small group (after having them brutally murdered).
@Bruce
ReplyDeleteElisha raised two people from the dead.
True enough, I had forgotten.
The daughters aren't extra, though, he had them before. (Chap 1 V2) The new ones - or the, um, reconditioned ones - are obviously superior. Wonder why they are and the sons aren't?
If it had been a third the length, I could have swallowed this as one of the great epics of literature. Needs a harsher editor, though.
@Bruce,
ReplyDeleteYes science that has been filtered and sifted to support the millions of year world view. :-)
And if they do find an animal that they claimed was extinct living today they call it a "Living Fossil".
:-D Oh good times.
Bruce: "And the Leviathan could be the mighty 40ft. Sarcosuchus imperator (Super Croc), or the 82 ft. Liopleurodon. "
ReplyDelete"41:19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
41:20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
41:21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth."
You say it could be a dinosaur...personally, I say it was a dragon :)
@Edward,
ReplyDeleteYes, they filter out the nonsense and keep the evidence!
The discovery of the Coelacanth is actually a good example of science working as it should. Adjusting to fit new information and expanding human knowledge.
Also, to be clear, there is no question as to the validity of evolution and the age of the earth/universe by scholars and scientists. The controversy was created largely by the Discovery Institute, a christian organization in the effort to get the creation story in Genesis taught in science class at public schools.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago the Discovery Institute tried to collect signatures of scientists that support creationism/intelligent design. They've collected over 700 signatures in 10 years. The National Center for Science Education was able to get over 7700 signatures in 4 days from scientists that support evolution, and over a thousand scientist named Steve in a separate petition!
I strongly suggest that you read these links in their entirety;
http://ncse.com/taking-action/project-steve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Scientific_Dissent_From_Darwinism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Scientific_Support_For_Darwinism
Again I'll state that while Wikipedia is a good place to start your inquiry, it should not be taken as 100% accurate.
@Faeya,
ReplyDeleteJust something about the word dragon and dinosaur.
KJV started translation in 1605 finished in 1611. Dragon word used why not dinosaur?
In 1841 Sir Richard Owen, a famous British anatomist and first superintendent of the British Museum (and a staunch anti-Darwinist), on viewing the bones of Iguanodon and Megalosaurus, realized these represented a unique group of reptiles that had not yet been classified. He coined the term "dinosaur" from Greek words meaning "terrible lizard."
@Bruce,
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect intended but your statement "question as to the validity of evolution and the age of the earth/universe" shows that your not to informed on this debate. It's a whole lot older than Discovery Institute.
Now since were reading the Bible, it may become apparent in the next several books that those who follow God are more times than not out numbered by those who don't. ;-)
Bruce how much do you know about Darwinian evolution? (You really don't need to answer.) I see the challenges for the idea of Darwinian and even Neo-Darwinian evolution to be impossible. Even with the secret sauces called "time". You really must have strong faith. :-D The complexity of life and all the stuff that goes along with sustaining it.
About the "Coelacanth" and it's discovery, how many times do you require the teachings of "man" to be found wrong before you will entertain the thought that maybe this "theory of evolution" is wrong?
I do believe that the interactions between us this year has required me to be more critical and understand my beliefs in a deeper way. I appreciate that. Maybe next year we can do a critical review on evolution? Let me return the favour. I really believe that yours will have more miracles than mine :-P
Metamorphosis
@Edward,
ReplyDeleteI won't debate evolution/creationism here. I'll try and write up a post on my other, very inactive blog Zeno's Arrow (link is available in the links section of this bog) where we can discuss this. I'll post a link to the post when it's done. Probably later this week.
"Yes science that has been filtered and sifted to support the millions of year world view."
ReplyDeleteNot Science, evidence. Radiometric dating and the Geologic record clearly show that the earth is 4.5 billion years old. Fossil records clearly show that life has existed on this planet for at least 3.5 billion years.
"I see the challenges for the idea of Darwinian and even Neo-Darwinian evolution to be impossible. Even with the secret sauces called 'time'."
What challenges would those be? You think millions of years of development is difficult when the earth has four and a half thousand million years to hand out?