Job and the Voice of God

"Who is this that darkens My counsel with words that lack knowledge?  Gird yourself like a man that I might question you." ~God, speaking to Job from a whirlwind

A conversation between God and Satan took place in heaven. a conversation about Job.  But Job didn't know this.  Neither did Job's wife, nor Job's friends.  So whatever Job, or his wife, or his friends said in Job's story should be measured by the conversation between God and Satan in heaven.  Sometimes Job's friend's seemed wise and their words seemed right.  At other times they were obviously wrong about Job.  And sometimes Job's words seemed wise and right.  At other times Job is obviously wrong about what is going on.  Both Job and his friends needed a revelation from heaven, a revelation about the conversation between God and Satan.

No matter how logical, or right, or wise, or in line with how things typically are, no matter what Job and his friends thought, without revelation, they simply didn't know what they were talking about.  All Job could accurately and wisely say was what he said in the beginning of his trials:

• Naked I came into the world, and naked I will return; the LORD gives, and the LORD takes away; blessed is the name of the LORD.
• How can I accept good from God and not adversity?

And the only things Job and his friends could add to Job's wise words are these words alone:

We have no idea what God is doing.

All Job could do is ask God for revelation, and refrain from accusations.  But God reserved the right to reply, as His powerful words showed.  God never told Job from the whirlwind about the conversation He had with Satan.  That conversation defined the whole trial.  Perhaps it defines the trials that we face.  After all, Jesus said that Satan requested to sift Peter like wheat.  For all we know, Satan still makes these kinds of requests with us today, whether we are blameless like Job, or prideful like Peter.  Whichever is the case, without God's voice, we will have no idea what God is doing in our lives.