ÜBER DIESE EPISODE
Jesus and Job 23
Job 23:12 Jesus treasured the words of God’s mouth more than his necessary food. When Jesus was tempted to turn stones to bread regarded practicing God’s word is more important than having bread to eat. He cherished every word from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:1-4; Luke 4:1-4).
Job 23:13 What does it mean that God does whatever He pleases?
He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens- The sarcastic question of 115:2 is answered in 115:3. He is in the heavens (Ps. 2:4) He is God despite what happens among the nations.
He does whatever He pleases- This is not speaking of caprice but omnipotence. This means something far different to Greek gods than to the Biblical God.
Psalm 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does- 115:3. The Hebrew word translated does in vs. 6 is translated makes in vs. 7 and make in vs. 18. In vs. 15 the noun form is used and it is translated work. The true God acts while idols do nothing (135:15-18).
Jonah 1:14 You, O LORD, have done whatever you pleased- God sent the storm and when Jonah is thrown in God calmed the storm.
Job 9:12 Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Job 11:10; 23:13; Deut.32:39; Isa. 43:13; 45:9; Dan. 4:35 express the same ideas about God.
Isaiah 45:9 Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Job 9:12 This questions His intention (Daniel 4:35)
What image does it call up to say God does whatever He pleases?
Despot- a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way. Here are synonyms one source listed for despot: tyrant, dictator, absolute ruler, oppressor, authoritarian.
Are these kinds of phrases used of anyone else in the Bible?
Kings in Ecclesiastes 8:2-4. Kings in tyranny and dictatorship used their absolute power to demand others do their wills. Daniel 5:19 describes the absolute power of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 2:1-13 the kind of absolute power that King Nebuchadnezzar had. Especially note Daniel 2:5, 13. Also Daniel 3:1-7, 8-12, 13-18.
Was Nebuchadnezzar use of absolute power good or bad? God is the One who raised up Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:37; 4:20-22; 5:18-19).
In Ecclesiastes 2:10 the king with unlimited resources used it to pursue his own pleasure. “I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure…”
How does God use His absolute power?
Word delights, chaphets, Ezekiel 18:23; 32; 33:11 LORD does not delight or take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Since God is not pleased that anyone perish, He gives fully of Himself that all might be saved. Isaiah 53:10 The LORD was pleased to crush Him. Both the verb pleased and the noun pleasure, both from same root word, are used in Isaiah 53:10 of the sacrifice of the suffering servant, Jesus. When God did whatever He pleased, He gave His Son to die for the forgiveness of sins and brought Him back from the dead to give life after death. Psalm 40:6, 8 says I delight to do your will. The word delight in this context is the same Hebrew root word translated pleases in Psalm 115:3; 135:6. In Hebrews 10:5-10 the words of Psalm 40 are attributed to Jesus. In other words, not only did the Father delight to give the Son but the Son delighted to give Himself. God does whatever He pleases, whatever delights Him and He delights in unchanging love (Micah 7:18; Jer. 9:24).
