Genesis // The Tower of Babel is just good story-telling. In fact, Genesis 1-11 is just good story-telling, on par with Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. Our Bible rocks because it has Genesis 1-11. Something I didn’t notice before is that their city- and name-building was in an effort to keep from being scattered, but that is what happens to them in the end, so the story goes. I think it is awesome that humans have been creative story-tellers and seekers of explanations (and both at the same time) almost since we were first able to communicate.
Job // …and Job’s friends are assumers of explanations. And you know what they say happens when we assume… Anyway. Eliphaz is like those friends who are there for you when the going gets rough, keeping their thoughts about ‘why’ the going is rough until they can just hold it in no longer, and then you get their well-meaning lecture. You’ve lost everything, you mourn it verbally and who could blame you? Your friends. Surely you don’t think you’re blameless and undeserving of suffering–no one is perfect, and the innocent do not suffer. Clearly you have some issue with God, because we all know God makes his followers rich and happy-go-lucky.
