Is God on the take? | Features

Some things become part of our belief system because of tradition and culture. Amazingly, we very rarely ask ourselves whether some of the things we believe are biblical or whether they are 'old wives tales'. When a preacher was talking about the book of proverbs and asked "what is your favourite proverb in the book" someone shouted out "a stitch in time saves nine". Either the listener was having a joke, or didn't realise that the English proverb is not from the book of Proverbs!

And so, we can drift in our minds to the side of many graves where we have heard the verse quoted from Job 1:21

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD. NKJV

As the Bible is the basis of our fundamental belief system and we believe it to be the inspired word of God does this mean that God is sometimes on the take? The bible can't be wrong, but is this verse true?

Biblical interpretation must always be made with 4 conditions:

1. Always ask the Holy Spirit to interpret the word for us 2. Always read the word in context i.e. read the whole sentence, the whole paragraph, the whole chapter and if necessary the whole book to get the sense of what is being talked about 3. Always interpret the Bible with the Bible. If God says one thing in one place, He will not contradict Himself elsewhere. 4. Always check many versions or the original language if possible to allow for changes in word meaning.

Who caused Job's trouble?

If we follow these conditions it is clear that contextually, it is not God who took away Job's family, but Satan!

Job 1:12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. NKJV

In the next verse all hell lets lose in Job's life...

In fact Jesus puts it this way:

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV

Satan, the liar and thief, is the one who takes. God is of course the great giver:

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life NIV

The problem with basing belief on one verse The book of Job is the only place where we read of God in a sense where he seems to 'arbitrarily take life'. We need to remember that Job was in a bit of a state when he uttered these words, and the reproduction of his words in the bible doesn't make them doctrine. For example:

Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub ! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." NIV

Although this was said by the most learned men of the day, there is surely not one of us that would say that this scripture means that Jesus was in fact demon possessed?

John 12:4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor ? NIV

Although this was said by the man most competent to talk about financial matters, surely not one of us would agree?

Just because Job said it – it doesn't mean that it is definitive Bible teaching.

What did Job actually say? The fact is also that the word Job uses for taken away is also translated "accepts". E.g.

Ps 6:9 the LORD accepts my prayer. NIV

Also in other places where the word take is used it is clear that the meaning is more on the line of 'accepts' or 'receives'.

Ps 73:24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. NIV

Ps 49:15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. NIV

What does the rest of the Bible say?

Ex 23:25 Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26 and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span. NIV

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! NIV

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. NIV

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." NIV

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.NIV 2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness NIV

Matt 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! NIV

Clearly the Bible shows us that God takes that which we don't want to keep and that which we ask Him to. Otherwise God is a giver!

James tells us not to be deceived – tradition can deceive and a miss-reading of scripture can deceive too.

James 1:16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. NIV

Remember that the 'letter' of the bible is enough to kill us but the Spirit of God gives the 'letter' life and then we live also (2 Cor 3:6).

Great Maker or Great Taker? So God is not a taker, but a giver. He will take our sin and sicknesses if we ask, but He doesn't sneak about taking people for the fun of it.

We can depend of God because we know that:

Rom 11:29 For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] AMP

Or the message puts it:

God's gifts and God's call are under full warranty — never cancelled, never rescinded.

Our friends or family might try to take back what they give us but never God:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives . NIV

Job was a fine man and in the last chapter of the book tells us that God accepted him – and then gave him twice as much as he had before!

When we come to God with a clean heart, with kingdom motives and full of faith, we will always find that He is a giver. Don't be cheated out of the right relationship with God or even out of His great gifts because of some traditional interpretation of the Job's words. Instead believe that He is a good God, and receive good things from His hand.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. NIV

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