Yesterday's post generated a long comment on God's goodness. The example, a small child left to die in a simmering car while God stands by watching and doing nothing, illustrates the concern eloquently. Michael, the writer states clearly that he is a non-believer. However, he is interested in the process of determining what kind of God God is, IF He exists and this is the world He created.
First of all, my topic is prophecy. I want to investigate the role of prophets in ancient Israel through the role of Jesus as The Prophet (and perhaps NT prophets as well). So the context for asking Michael's (difficult) question is the prophets. I would start with Habbakuk. He was active around 600BC (give or take a few years) in the time leading up to the Babylonian invasion. The infidelities of Judah were rampant, but the inscrutable ways of God (and questions about His justice) are also much on Habbakkuk's mind. I share his words:
1:2ff "How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen...you do not intervene...Why?...Why?"
[The prophet is offended by the injustice and sin and oppression. He asks, passionately, how God can be a bystander and NOT intervene. And God's answer is that He is sending Babylonians to chastise the errant people of Judah. The question, "why don't You do something, O Lord" is answered. I will do something in and through Babylon. It seems fair to argue that the complaint is not addressed. God side steps it. But much of that is based on other assumptions about how God can, should, does work in the world. As I wrote about extensively some short time ago, I am a sacramentalist and I believe God (almost always) works in and through created reality, in most cases human created reality. Why? Because that is how He made the world. He created it with rules and He follows His own rules. Other types of creations are possible, and maybe seem preferable, but we cannot master the sum of all good and evil in all possible worlds, hence, our critique is always based on limited information and fallible assessment skills. Back to Habakkuk...]
1:13 The prophet says to God: "Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil, and the sight of misery you cannot endure. Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?" So the prophet's complaint continues and he boldly declares that he waits for an answer. This guy had spunk. Listen to what he tells God: 2:1 "I will stand at my guard post, and station myself upon the rampart, And keep watch to see what he (God) will say to me, and what answer he will give my complaint." [I find myself prepared for another Job moment where God appears in a whirlwind and basically says, "who is this idiot who dares question God?" but instead the Lord makes a promise...]
God's answer is straightforward. 2:3 The day is coming (called a vision) and if it seems to delay "wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late." He then adds the words which I personally (as believer and God-lover) think sum up the only answer I can give to Michael or anyone who asks sublime questions about God and human suffering; "the just man by his faith will live." I trust God inspite of the confusing thoughts and troubled emotions and horrors innumberable. I trust the promise, not because I am simple minded or in denial, but because of the datum of Jesus' life, His cross and His resurrection. I believe because even as I have comforted those who lost children (parents, spouses, friends) and even as I have contemplated their pain, I always knew (even if without immediate consolation) that the God of creation took human form and shares in our suffering. He redeems it. He makes it holy. Even if it appears to be meaningless pain and purposeless suffering, God finds a way to take it into Himself (whatever that really means) and transform it (whatever that really means) and will make it new (whatever that really means). I cannot know and understand or grasp it. But I can believe and trust the God who promises. The God who says, "wait" and "live by faith."
2:20 ends with a verse which I read out frequently at MP. "The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him."
Some last words before my silence begins.
Why does God stand by while babies cook to death in hot cars? It is the nature of creation. He chooses to make a world which has rules. The sun heats. Human bodies only survive in a certain environments. Some folks do not care or make tragic mistakes. Glass allows sunlight to pass through and sealed environments hold heated air effectively. Because of how the world is, the benefits, warmth, become a deadly danger, too hot. The questions about God's culpability always come back to our own. In the end, the prophet reminds us, it is we who are judged by Him. Our entire life is spent "standing by" and "doing nothing" for all manner of babies (and othe humans) in difficult circumstances. We eat until fat rolls over our belt while others starve. We spend our dollars on entertainment while others perish for lack of clean water. We move into houses the size of barns while others wallow in the streets. In the awesome presence of God, for me personally, my own failure to act more justly is a greater concern than accusing God. In the end, I assume, He will tell me that He did act, He provided me with the resources to make a better world. That, in the end, is how "He acts" (with an occassional miraculous intervention to sturdy up our weak faith).
I do not think my answer to Michael's question will satisfy him or others who share his burden. However, I do question if his four options on how to understand God are all there is. And I look to prophets to provide me with insights. Habakkuk has spoken. He reminds us of God's eternity and instructs us to be silent. In silence we worship. And from that silence he sings a canticle to glorify God (all chapter 3).
Some confronted with the mystery of God assume He is evil, or uncaring, or ineffectual. Some reject the possibility of His existence. I understand the appeal of each of these options. There are other options as well... Silence before the mystery. Praise of our God. And trust, pehaps a faltering trust, but trust none the less. and the comfort of knowing God takes the pain to His heart and redeems it. And the promise: all will be well, and all will be well, and in all maner of things, all will be well. So I wait for the day.
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