What is the true nature of the universe?
Before Islam. Before Christianity. Before Judaism and the great religions of the east. The only religious reference in the book is one of sacrifices offered to God – identical to those offered by Noah. The format of the book with its three rounds of three is ancient, harkening back to the dawn of time. Estimating how long Job lived and setting that against the declining years noted in Genesis 11, he would have walked the earth a mere 3 generations prior to the patriarch Abraham. It’s a magnificent account of the human condition before God.
But let’s back it up even further. Eternity past. Long before the world was, there was only the one paradigm: the God paradigm. Then, at some later point in the timeline (if one can even speak in those terms), a competing paradigm arose. They were in direct conflict. Which one represented the true nature of existence? A high stakes game was put into play to determine which paradigm to be true: that of the Creator or that of the Creature. The field of play? This world – this Matrix, if you’ll forgive the movie analogy – and mankind the protagonist.
When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the Lord, Satan was there among them. The Lord asked him, “What have you been doing?” Satan answered, “I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth.”
(Job 1:6-7)
Otherwise stated? “Everything is just as I said it would be! My paradigm!”
“Did you notice my servant Job?” the Lord asked. “There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil.”
(Job 1:8)
Spoken with obvious pride. Job most certainly represents the very best of humanity.
Satan replied, “Would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it? You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does, and you have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country. But now suppose you take away everything he has—he will curse you to your face!”
(Job 1:9-10)
Otherwise stated? Job is a dog: feed a dog and he’ll follow you; stop feeding the dog, and he’ll follow someone else. Satan’s claim is that Job is simply acting out of his own best interests. And he says that not only about Job, he says it about you, about me, about himself – even God. According to him, every creature simply acts in its own best interests; any appearance to the contrary is just a façade. The Creature paradigm in one word? SELF.
The next time you’re reading in the Scriptures and come across the word sin, replace it with the word SELF and see how well it fits…