The God We Wouldn’t Expect

Reflections on the Old Testament Writings

I thence invoke thy aid to my advent’rous Song

That with no middle flight intends to soar

Above th’Aonian Mount, while it pursues

Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.

And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer

Before all Temples th’upright heart and pure,

Instruct me, for Thou know’st; Thou from the first

Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread

Dove-like sat’st brooding on the vast Abyss

And mad’st it pregnant: What in me is dark

Illumine, what is low raise and support;

That to the height of this great argument

I may assert Eternal Providence,

And justify the ways of God to men.

(John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book I, 1-26)

What are those books we now call the “Writings”? Though some are read a great deal, many are passed over, many are pondered, but some are rejected either by actual words or by simple disregard. Yet the writings are to us a record of the activity of God. [1] More precisely the writings give to us an account of how God has interacted with those he calls his own, the people who he seeks to draw close to him, and the community who he yearns for. These books are also the record of response. They are the history of how humanity has chosen to respond to the One who calls and leads, how those who have been called his people have rejected him, and in some cases how some who were apart from him have been called into his fold. These stories, however, are not the narratives of the beginning of this relationship, but rather we find a discussion of relative maturity in how God deals with humanity and especially his chosen people. We do not always find the constant, obvious miracles, rather we find pain and suffering which cause people to cry out. However, we also find great delight, not simply in what God does, but in who God is.

The Writings of the Old Testament are to us a record of just that, an account of who God is. We find his delights, his sorrows, his willingness to bring aid, his restraint and anger, and willingness to bring punishment. We learn how he wants us to respond to him and to others. Through this collection of writings the “ways of God” are truly justified to all of humanity, so that we may know him truly as he is. He is not simply a “god”, but is God with a distinct personality and desire for actual relationship with his people. In the reading and pondering of the Writings, however, we find an interesting point constantly jumping out at us. God is complicated. God is confusing. God is sometimes frustrating.

The God we were taught to believe in does certainly appear in these writings, but a thorough reading more often than not reveals to us a God we would not expect, a God who does not act like God “should”, a God who does not follow the rules. The goal of this paper is to examine briefly the various writings which have been passed down to us, and to see how God is not quite what we would expect, but actually entirely more amazing and wonderful than we could possibly imagine. This God we would not expect is the God we truly do need.

There is one book in the writings, however, that lays out rather clearly the God we do expect, the God we were raised to believe in. The book of Proverbs lays out the basic rules of life, giving to us a framework of living that will lead to success, in all meanings of the term. If we work hard, we will succeed. If we are lazy, we will not. A good wife will be a tremendous blessing. Running around with prostitutes will lead to disaster. This is a book that explicitly lays out what wisdom is and what is folly. Although much of the Old and New Testaments are either narrative or situational, here we have a document which clearly delineates the nature of what it means to be truly human as God intended. As such it can be said to be a “manual for humanity”, the instruction book that will show how we best function. This proper functioning is called wisdom.

Wisdom here is a many faceted thing. It is the ability to understand others who are wise, the ability to learn about how to improve one’s own abilities, attitudes, emotions, and character. It is insight it on the best way to go about life, both in acquiring knowledge and increasing in the application of the knowledge learned. It is most of all, however, an understanding of God and who we are before God. Beyond this it is not simply having this understanding but living it out in a way that reflects this knowledge. “Life,” says Roland Murphy in his analysis of the Proverbs, “was a great grace – it was all, and it depended upon one’s relationship to the living God.” [2]

The Book of Proverbs relates to us how life should work, telling us the results of specific activities or attitudes on our life, both present and future. It contains both practical advice in day to day living, [3] and general counsel on the broader meaning of wisdom in this world. [4] Though there will be great dangers and temptations assailing us in this life, true wisdom will bring prosperity that will last. This is not simply material prosperity, but also a prosperity of relationship with God and others. If all of humanity followed this “manual” society would be running as it was meant to be running, and there would be true peace in this world.

Even in the midst of this book of what we expect of God and life, however, some interesting unexpected aspects arise. It should be noted that these proverbs are attributed mostly to Jewish kings or wise-men, but not all of them. In studying the surrounding cultures and comparable literature of the time, another interesting fact arises, namely that these proverbs are not all that unique. In the churches of which I have been a part, I was raised to believe in the uniqueness of God’s interaction with Israel and the church, that revelation was limited to these specific groups. Here, though, we find the scribes freely borrowing to supplement their own material. [5] Their own material in fact does not seem to be all that original itself, rather generally reflective of the popular wisdom of the day. [6] Richard Bauckham states, “Like Solomon himself the sages of Israel belonged to a world of international learning. Because their wisdom was not, like the law and the prophets based on the special salvation history of God’s covenant people, but on common human experience, they readily borrowed from foreign wisdom literature.” [7]

This is an unexpected feature which some try to deny. This idea suggests that God even works outside of the bounds he has set for his special revelation, giving insight and understanding to those who are not within the specific frameworks of his chosen people. Truth can be found outside of our specific traditions, and we can benefit from listening to the wisdom which is found in other cultures and traditions, because it is not necessarily wrong, but may in fact contain valuable insights indeed. What we know about life is not simply due to our special revelation, but rather Proverbs show “that there is an important element of continuity between special revelation and general human experience, whatever some theologians may claim to the contrary.” [8] This is not what I was raised to expect.

For the most part the book of Proverbs follows our expectations, maybe especially because it is dependent more on “general human experience” than on special revelation. If we do the right things we can expect good things to happen for us, if we do bad things we will eventually suffer the consequences of our actions. This is a great guideline for life, and one can truly say that in general this is true. However, this is not always the case, and it is here we run into difficulties if we expect God to react exactly as he “should”. Most of us encounter situations which strike at the heart of our expectations, piercing us because we feel we lived up to our part of the bargain, but God has not. God is often found not to act like we expect him to, thus damaging our “relationship” with him. The book of Proverbs is how life should be but it turns out that this is not always how life actually is. With this in mind we find the book of Job.

Job is a book which responds to the points in life in which what happens is not what we were told would happen in other parts of Scripture. It is the tale of a rich man, rich not only in property but in character, rich in wisdom and rich in relationships. He is the archetype of a truly good man. He is so good in fact that he brings attention to himself. We are told of a conversation between God and the adversary in which Job’s righteousness is charged to be not an inherent trait, but is itself a result of his being blessed. Thus the question is raised whether or not his blessings come from his righteousness or his righteousness comes from his blessings. God is confident that Job is truly inherently righteous, so in a cosmic bet in which none of the participants are aware, he gives permission to the adversary to begin to take away Job’s riches and discover what is left at the core of his being. A righteous man fell into financial peril, a just man began to suffer from an incurable disease. This is not what we expect, and in fact strikes at the core of our beliefs and trusts. Yet this is how life is often experienced.

In his distress Job still has some friends to surround him, though his wife is rather fed up with the whole situation and encourages Job to simply quit struggling for understanding or answers. His friends at first sit with him in silence, not knowing what to say, so intelligently not saying anything. But they, after some time, begin to suggest their insights to Job’s inexplicable situation. They are, one could say, the voices of religious answers, seeking to point Job in the right direction by teaching him what is wisdom as it has been revealed. These are not foolish men, necessarily, but rather they are speaking what is taught in other wisdom books, and are telling him common answers to the problem of evil in this world. They say that evil is caused by sin, that Job’s problems are a result of his unrighteousness, and basically charge him as being the source of his problems and thus the source of his solution. Their comments reflect what is still being said in our day, and in our churches, by good-minded folk. [9] If we did not have the “heavenly” narrative of God speaking in the beginning, we may ourselves have responded to Job the same way as his friends did.

What we find is that while these answers are not wrong in general they are wrong in this case. Success is not simply found by doing right, and calamity does not always come about by doing wrong. Life is complicated and there is more going on than what we see or expect. In this book, God himself speaks, first chastising Job for even questioning God. God here does not defend himself whatsoever, he does not refer to the “rules” or seek to explain how what he did actually fits in with what should be expected. God does not justify himself to Job at all. Instead he reminds Job, forcefully, of his sovereignty, but also of his care and justice. The answer to the problem of evil here is that God is God, and he is just, and we simply do not know enough to give conclusive responses to what is going on. Job’s friends were condemned for their speaking in the place of God to Job, while Job was upheld by God for his persevering to find truth, and willingness to not give in to simplistic answers.

God here is shown not to follow the “rules” as they have been laid out, rather he is shown to truly have a character and personality of his own, being truly relational rather than mechanical. Here we distance ourselves from similar ancient attempts of theodicy. In other cases, the gods are simply said to not be understood, and that life will eventually work out as it should. In Job, however, we find a God who is above all, who can and will do what he will. He himself, however, does not leave the situation here, but proclaims himself to be a loving, caring God who does intercede on the behalf of his people. We are not simply given an answer to the problem of evil in Job, but a response by God which emboldens and strengthens the heart so we can endure present struggles. God responds not by answering Job’s question but by revealing his own character and creation.

The God we expect follows the rules, rewarding the good and punishing the bad. The God revealed in Job, however, does not follow this expectation, and does not offer any explanation on why he does what he does. The God we are shown, though, despite not following the “rules” proclaims his love in a relational way not dependent on “gifts” or “blessings”. [10] He is shown to be a true father whose love is not proven by “stuff” but by a true intimacy with him, which is constant in good times or in bad. He does not want us to see him as mechanical, but truly as one who desires our genuine response, whether this response be delight and love or anger and confusion. God is shown here to be seeking after us as a father seeks after a child, not seeking a response based on giving and getting, but on true love, in all of its messiness. Job is rebuked for his statements, but is honored for his willingness to seek out true understanding of God which goes beyond simple “general human experiences”. This living, active, relational God is may not always be the god we expect, or sometimes want, but this is the God we need.

While some books have unexpected aspects in what they say about God, some of the books in the writings are also unexpected by their very presence in the canon of Scripture. Ecclesiastes is one of these books. This book is, however, in many ways an understandable response to the kind of theology that Job presents, if not more directly a response to Job itself. Essentially, if the type of wisdom as found in the book of Proverbs is not ultimately reliable, if the sages could not predict what are the ways to success and the paths to failure, than an overriding pessimism about the purpose and usefulness of doing anything arises. This pessimism is essentially the acedia that the early monks talked about, a weariness of heart, an anxiety about any pursuit, and a feeling of purposelessness in life. [11] If bad things can happen to good people, what is the point of making the efforts to be a good person? As James Crenshaw puts it, “The wisest man in the East underwent horrendous suffering that defied explanation, and wisdom possessed only limited value.” [12]

On the surface Ecclesiastes is shockingly pessimistic, with the central phrase “chasing after the wind” being used to describe the end of every earthly pursuit. All that is done “under the sun” is vanity. Having pursued the various aspects of life to their fullest the author wallows in a sense of meaninglessness. Even pursuing too much righteousness can end in destruction as “the suffering of Job indicated what could happen when a person became too good.” [13] This broad negativity and skepticism about life seem to be totally out of place in a collection of books about God. But it belongs because it reflects reality, it reflects how humanity has often wrestled with God and with how we often think in our deepest selves.

We have been trained not to say “all is vanity”, but few of us do not find ourselves secretly holding onto this thought at times in our lives. Yet, although a surface reading seems to highlight the nihilism of the author, a distinct strand runs throughout the book which offsets this gloomy thinking. [14] The book as a whole is seeking to piece wisdom back together, to understand the goal and nature of life. In the many ways the author has tried, however, no satisfaction is found. But one thing does remain. God remains, and God must be trusted in the face of confusion and hopelessness.

In our journey through this world there are many areas which draw our devotion and seek to lure us down their path, promising fulfillment and satisfaction. Though not bad by nature, such pursuits as money or property, work or vocation, sexuality or friendships are “chasing after the wind.” If we seek to find satisfaction in these alone we will find fulfillment always just ahead of us, but never reached. However, though this may lead to pessimism, the point of the book seems to lead the other direction. Because all of our pursuits to find satisfaction are in vain, we should simply rest in understanding that our satisfaction comes from God alone, being content with where he has us or what he has called us to do in life. We will be disappointed if we try to earn our fulfillment or God’s pleasure, but if we walk simply, with the understanding of what it means to be in true relationship with God we will find this life worth living.

Life is indeed meaningless apart from God so, as J.S. Wright put it, “the plan for man is to take his life each day from the hand of God, and enjoy it from him and for him.” [15] We would not expect to find a book of such pessimism and would be shocked if a pastor preached a sermon on the meaningless of earthly pursuits, but we find here in Ecclesiastes a genuine response from one exhausted by life which reminds us that God is not bound to our conceptions, and simply seeks to have people in relationship with him, not for what we can get out of it, but simply for the relationship itself. Michael Eaton describes the book as being “both an evangelistic tract, calling secular people to face the implications of their secularism, and a call to realism summoning faithful Israelites to take seriously the ‘futility’, the ‘enigma’, of life in this world.” [16]

More positively, however, he states that it does indeed call us “to a life of faith and joy.” [17] God alone knows what the future will bring, and God must be trusted, but God is good and trustworthy so we should live in a way which reflects an understanding of this fact and reflects a real relationship with Him. [18] This book is not what we would expect to find, but a close reading reveals that it is a book we need to hear, and reflects an understanding of God we need to embrace as our own. From a place of anxiety and restlessness about life, God calls us to a place of peace. Our pursuits in this life are truly meaningless if we do not have God, and with God anything we do can be a place of contentment. [19]

Life, however, is more than just living content. There are also times of rapture, of delight, of joy beyond expression. These feelings are expected to be found in discussions about worship or “doing right”, but we find in the writings an unexpected turn, not just a turn, but rather a complete change in thought and emphasis. From the struggle against pessimism in Ecclesiastes, seeking to find any joy at all, we are given a book of delight, of joy, of true rapture which brings us to the bounds of human expression in all of its forms. Though we deal with our doubts and fears, we are told that these must not consume us, for there is something more to life. There is love. Love in a way that humanity was meant to experience.

After we read in Ecclesiastes “all was vanity and a chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” [20] we find in the very next book, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.” [21] This is an unexpected turn indeed! We find a celebration of love, not between God and humanity, but between man and woman. This celebration, however, is an essential part to understanding God, though in a decidedly unexpected way.

The love in the Song is all-consuming, rapturous and living, incapable of being expressed in straightforward words. Love is not just good, and the pleasure is not just wonderful, rather the author is forced to use imagery and metaphors which evoke the sense and emotions reminding us of the inability for the intellectual nature to grasp a hold of this bliss. The love is alive, encompassing not only words but also movement, not only thoughts but also expression, it is not passive but proactive, seeking and receiving the other in a dance of spiritual ecstasy. The love is total, filling the physical, mental, and spiritual parts of the person, overwhelming in fact these parts to the point of faintness. The inner force of the love drives outer expression, the outer expression demands inner and outer response; an ever increasing spiral of bliss, which also teeters on the edge of despair if the love is not in fact able to find expression. Although there is definitely a sexual aspect to this love, the modern, popular understanding and use of the term sexual seems to be less than what is offered here. The song speaks of a dance of two souls, reaching ever increasing depths through the sharing and receiving, delighting in and responding to, each other’s entire being.

Song of Songs itself is a moment of light in the midst of darkness. To read this after reading Ecclesiastes is to restore the soul to its heights, to bring true hope beyond just contentment. This book is bringing love, in all of its forms, into the context of wisdom. It celebrates love and sexuality in stark contrast to the oftentimes negative comments and stories we find in Proverbs and other parts of the Old Testament, where so many discussions about the abuse of love and sexuality are written down as a warning. [22] The focus is often on the misuse and misunderstanding of sexuality, which has led to the view within the church that has long has dominated, understanding sexuality as being essentially sinful. Augustine and others in the church have helped to form the historical suppression of any aspect of this kind of love, and with this the suppression of the “temptations” of women.

In the Song of Solomon, however, we find a contrast to the often negative view found in other parts of the Old Testament, and a clear repudiation of much of historical Christian teaching. We are told in a dramatic way that we can delight in love, seek after relationships, be filled with the ecstasy of sharing soul and body with one another. This is especially striking in that the primary perspective of the song is from the view of the woman. In a culture and collection of books in which women were often used and abused by men, or were seen as temptresses to be avoided, this song is a celebration of the goodness of love and sexuality, in both men and women.

While there are many passages which tell us what not to do in areas of love and sexuality this song tells us that these feelings are to be delighted in and are a part of a life worth living and a life before and with God. For those who seek to fit God within their expectations, this book has often been interpreted as being analogous to our relationship with God. [23] These people could not see how such a book could find its way into Scripture if it were to be interpreted any other way. It can certainly be said that the love discussed in this song has theological implications, that we can make some associations between God and humanity, Christ and the Church, [24] so it is not simply a sentimental love poem. But the stark message stands out if we are willing to let the writing shape how we understand God and life.

Love and sexuality here are celebrated, not denounced. While there are many pitfalls and dangers, there is a divine aspect to these forces which are truly celebrated in Christianity and Judaism. Life and bounty are to be celebrated and the Song of Solomon is celebrating life and joy at its fullest. The God that celebrates with us in this is the God we have not been taught to expect, but is the God that we find in the writings.

The previous books I have discussed fall under the title of “wisdom” books. They are explorations of the general ways of God and humanity which point to a fullness of life and being. In their collected state they offer counsel to how we should indeed view life and view our relationship with God and others. They are practical and philosophical, gleaning their insights from life lived. The next set of documents I wish to discuss, however, is a very different style. Rather than being a collection of insights gleaned from life, we are shown the lives themselves, and must glean for ourselves the wisdom which these writings contain. We once again find a pattern of God acting in generally expected ways, but at times completely throwing us off track in our thinking about him. These writings claim that we believe not only in a God who is, but in a God who acts. From how he acts and interacts, or does not, we can learn a great deal about who he is, and who he is, we find, is often unexpected.

In the various books of Chronicles and Kings we read of the continued story of the kingdom of Israel (though for the most part this was a divided kingdom). Begun in the books of Samuel, this is the story of the “golden age” of Israel, when it was a military and cultural powerhouse in the world. One can call this collection of books the Rise and Fall of the Jewish Empire. At the end of these books we find the country in ruin, the people scattered, only briefly to once again ever be in a position of self-rule (until this very century of course). This is the story of God’s interaction with his chosen people, an interaction which reflects a maturity of relationship and expectation from his people. For the most part kings we are told are evil meet with ruin, and kings we are told are good meet with success. [25] Although the kings are given power, this power is not without regard for the giver of this power, rather these kings serve only with the blessing of God, whose justice will not be blind to the unrighteous activities that the kings and people may indulge themselves.

The lesson goes beyond simply analyzing the careers of certain kings, irrelevant to our own time and place. In our churches, history is very rarely used as illustrative. Although these books and others remind us that at our essence we are a community dependent on history for our foundations, we have forgotten how to use our history for our own exhortation and instruction. We have been given these stories of how God acted not only for additional information, but so that we can also understand how God has acted before, how he tends to respond to certain activities, and how we can expect God to continue to act. If we do not read the record of how God has acted he will surprise us, but by reading the accounts of his dealings with humanity we can better understand what will happen in certain situations. These books are passed on to us for our use, for our analysis, so that we can learn about God not through what others say about him, but through what he has actually done.

Kings and Chronicles are telling essentially the same story, but with different emphases, as if it takes different perspectives on the same situation in order to get the fullness of what the story is saying. In this way they are similar to the four-fold Gospels we find in the New Testament. By offering different details, expanding and choosing among the various stories, different emphases are given which best speak to the given audience and emphasize a different aspect of the Divine. The destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile was a crisis moment for the Jewish people of enormous significance. If indeed their relationship with God was based on their establishment in the land and the worship at the Temple, the loss of these would mean catastrophic trouble for their entire religion.

Yet in fact this was not the case. The people survived because the emphasis was changed from the formal structures of the religion to a focus on the relationship they had with God. God’s reaction to them was not based on their performance of mechanical duties, but was built truly on faith and trust. The books of Kings and Chronicles tell us of God’s desire to save the people, to convince them to turn back to him, but we find this patience running out, and God destroying the confidence that the people had built for themselves. [26] From this point onward their confidence would be rebuilt, but only after learning the lesson of absolute dependence on God once again. At the end of Chronicles and Kings we find the people at a loss to do anything at all, forced to depend on a foreign pagan nation for their continued life, and suffering the indignity of being exiled.

Throughout these writings, however, we find an interesting, unexpected feature of how God works. In times of evil kings, God would incite neighboring countries against the people of Israel, using the foreign nations as tools for his own purposes, relying on those who do not believe in him to do his work against those who did believe in him. Even more unexpected, however, is the end of 2 Chronicles where we find the people at the complete mercy of the king of Persia. They have no ability to even think about restoring the formal worship of God, yet in the last verse of the book we read, “Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may Yahweh his God be with him! Let him go up.” [27] The speaker is Cyrus, king of the Persians. The destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians was incited by the anger of God, the process of restoring the Temple by a forgiving God was first begun by a foreigner, who God used both to punish and to restore Israel. Now that is unexpected indeed.

There is no king, no ruler, no judge, no leader who rules apart from the allowance of God. In the same way that he can use foreign leaders (either foreign in culture or religion) to destroy he uses them for restoration and for the establishment of his own purposes. [28] This does not mean, however, that his people can become lazy in their own pursuits. Rather, though foreigners can be used, especially in times of great need, the emphasis of action and response is placed primarily on those who he has called his own. This fact we read in the continued narrative of the re-establishment of the community of Israel in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. In these books we are given three stories, each relating a process of the restoration of Israel.

The first [29] is the initial story the return from exile and the beginning of the rebuilding of the temple. The second [30] is the story of the re-establishment of the law, in both practice and teaching. The third [31] is the story of the re-establishment of the government, based upon the worship and the law. In these stories we find a contrast to the earlier stories of Israel’s deliverance and establishment. In Exodus we read of a dramatic story in which God is pitted against the Egyptians, and the people of Israel are impressively led out on a journey to the promised land. In Ezra and Nehemiah, however, though we find charismatic leaders, we also find the expectation that each individual will also choose for themselves the ways of God.

The restoration is not clear and distinct, but rather has its ups and downs as the people fight for the honor of being restored. The various rulers are used to frustrate or aid the plans of the people in decisive way. We find a maturity of interaction between God and his people which is forcing them into a true and fuller relationship with him, not based upon what he gives, but on who he is. This is a lesson that is learned through the struggle. God we find does not provide the dramatic miracle, but rather works more subtly forcing his people to respond ever and ever more to who he is and what he wants. Rather than leading them along like little children he is requiring them to begin to stand on their own.

There are two historical books that stand out in their uniqueness and unexpectedness. In a society in which women were often repressed, and men were certainly the rulers of home and country, where women were in many cases completely dependent on the men in their lives, the books of Ruth and Esther stand out as bright beacons, giving us insight into the how God views women and their roles and their abilities. This perspective is rather shocking to some, going against the grain of much historical teaching, but must indeed shape how we view God and how we view others.

The book of Ruth not only discusses the place of women in God’s kingdom, but indeed has something to say about those who are “outsiders” in general. Ruth is a book which seems to contradict not only the expectations we formed on our own, but also expectations we were told to form in other parts of Scripture. Ruth is a woman. Ruth is a Moabite woman. Ruth is a Moabite woman who marries a Israelite man, not once but twice. Ruth, however, is a woman who we are called to admire and respect, and who is a central foundation to the establishment of the Davidic Monarchy and thus an ancestor to Jesus himself. Of all of David’s more immediate family, she is the one who is featured. This is a situation we would not expect.

The book of Deuteronomy, the Law, tells us:

No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted to the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of their descendents shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord, because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam son of Beor to curse you. You shall never promote their welfare or their prosperity as long as you live. [32]

Yet, Ruth is shown to be admitted and promoted even though she is a foreigner. She is a woman who is a hero and a model of faithfulness. This is certainly telling us something about what and who God truly values. We find in this book a Jewish family being received in Moab during a famine and a Moabite woman staying faithful to a Jewish woman not because of anything she could receive, but simply because of the bond of the relationship. While God has made laws restricting intermarriage as a broad framework to be obeyed, we find that even within his own laws God is creative, able and willing to go outside of the bounds of the Law to show his deeper character. In the book of Ruth we find him valuing a woman, not for what she is, but for who she is. Her loyalty and character she exhibits with no thought of personal gain far surpasses any expectation of her. Even though this meant casting aside her own heritage and family, she chose to be loyal to the one whose family she had been placed into.

In some ways we can even say that the book of Ruth is a model for God’s relationship with Israel. [33] God allowed the country to be removed to a foreign land, and no longer acted in the clearly miraculous. Rather he provided wisdom and counsel, but required that the character and loyalty of the people be exhibited in order to find the prosperity of life they desire. The country was indeed redeemed, but only after they persevered with honor, character, loyalty, and kindness. The very traits we see in Ruth. God uses the unexpected as models of his own character, and uses those who we would not expect to model to us the expectations that he has for us. [34] Ruth is a model and heroine for all of us to follow as individuals, a woman whose character is highlighted for us to emulate, but she can also be seen as a model for Israel and for the Church in relationship with God. That she is a woman, and a foreign woman at that, shows us that we must be aware that God uses the unexpected to tell us about who he is and what he requires. It also shows us that the value and respect that God has for women that many who follow him have not exhibited.

In Esther we read of a somewhat opposite situation. Esther is a Jew living in a foreign land who is forced into marriage with a foreign king. While Ruth is a story about the Jewish people before the monarchy was established, Esther is a story of the Jewish people after the monarchy has collapsed. The broad narrative of the Jewish Kingdom is framed by two vital stories, both which feature women. We are shown clearly the male dominance, and the view of women as property, however the women in these stories are shown to be anything but dominated or mere objects. Rather all of the women portrayed [35] are shown to be possessors of great character. Esther in fact shows a wisdom and shrewdness and bravery which is unrivalled anywhere else in the Bible. Although she is not necessarily in a position of societal authority, she uses her position to make radical changes for her people and for the whole country. Her humbleness gives her strength.

Women here are shown to not be necessarily treated well, but to maintain their character and stature despite what society told them. Vashti in this story appears more noble than Ahasuerus by not participating in the revelries and Esther shows herself to be a better advisor and more shrewd than Haman. These women are not mastered by the men, but are in fact their betters, though socially not as honored. While this story does not tell of the assertion of “women’s rights” it does to a great extent show the honor and character and wisdom women can possess despite what religious expectations may have taught. It does not encourage social change necessarily, but it does hold women to be truly equal to men as models of heroism. The story of Esther shows the high stature that women hold in Judaism and Christianity, even though this fact is not necessarily always explicitly stated, and oftentimes, sadly, disputed.

The unexpected high regard for women is not the only aspect which this story teaches us, however. We find in it a reminder of the vast anti-Semitism which has arisen throughout the centuries. Although the Jews of this time were being faithful, and sought to keep their ways separate even in the midst of another culture, [36] they were persecuted. In some ways this is a reminder of the book of Job, but on a broader scale. Esther is the book which prefigures the anti-Semitism of the future. [37] Though this persecution does not seem to be fitting, it should be expected, simply because of the jealousy of the enemy of the people of God. This story is in many ways more relevant to the future generations than the story of Exodus, because we do not find God acting here in a clearly miraculous way. There are no plagues or obvious signs forcing Xerxes to free the Jewish people from the terror.

This fact has caused some who have firm expectations about how God should act to reject this book because it does not show him explicitly acting. However, I would argue that God is an underlying presence and influence throughout. This is not a story of God’s obvious power and miraculous astounding acts of salvation. Rather at this point in the history of Israel it is shown that the character of the people themselves affect the outcome. The great number of coincidences and influences throughout show that God was amazingly active, though in an unexpectedly subtle way. [38] The people are called to respond in a righteous way to the events which are brought before them and trust seemingly blindly in the one who tells them He is trustworthy.

We find God working here, but in a way which can be explained away as mere coincidence, but do “manifest the hand of God when they are seen in the light of the one presupposition which the author takes for granted and can be sure his readers take for granted: God’s commitment to the survival of his people.” [39] God, we find, does not need to act in overwhelming ways. A miracle need not be grand to be great. Rather, by acting in “coincidences” situations are created which require continued action, but which significantly alter the expected course of events. [40] Hope is never lost, we find, but we must always be diligent in staying close to the ways of God. We find in this story that maybe God works the most in the little things which can have an enormous impact on the overall story. These are things we cannot impact except by doing the little things ourselves such as prayer and active faith.

The book of Daniel has some similar motifs as the book of Esther. Both are relating to the era in which Israel was a captive nation learning how to respond to God in a way which did not necessarily require the land or the Temple. In it we find four Jewish youths being taken captive, but because of their exemplary behavior and traits finding themselves exalted in the land of their capture. Although tempted in a variety of ways they stood firm. They followed a life of purity and holiness that not only kept the Law but exceeded any expectations on them, not because they expected to get anything from doing this, but rather in the face of great loss on account of their standing firm. They lived a life of active obedience not because of what God could do for them, but simply because of who God is. Here we find the story of the relationship with God overcoming the story of the “contract” with God. God desires good for us, and may give us prosperity, but the relationship with him is the vital aspect of how he responds to us.

This relationship is not bound by the position we have or have been given, but is purely a relationship of love and devotion to one another. This message became vital later on in history when God did not miraculously step in and save his faithful ones from fire or lions, but instead they did die for their devotion to Him. Daniel’s friends set this fact up when they say, “If God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden stature that you have set up.” [41] While there may be some doubt about God’s ability or willingness, the three Jews will not forsake the one who holds their devotion.

The steadfastness, without the immediate salvation, is reflected in later history with the Jews willingness to die before giving into the unrighteous demands of Antiochus Epiphanes. This is also reflected in the martyrdom of Polycarp in the 2^nd century in which prompted to renounce Christ and honor the Emperor to save himself from the flames he cries, “Eighty and six years have I served Him and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?” [42] Polycarp was burned and many Jews and Christians did indeed die in keeping firm to their commitments. However, the visions of Daniel speak to this situation reminding those who follow God that the present is not an indicator of the future. History is in God’s hands and while the temporary situation may seem overwhelming God will indeed act to restore his people to wholeness. The expected outcome of what is apparent is not the end of what God is doing. The story is not yet over, God’s people though facing hardship will never be abandoned.

We also find in the book of Daniel two other reminders of how God works in unexpected ways. The first is once again we see God actively working in the lives of those who are outside the prescribed bounds of his community. He uses the Babylonian kings not only to mete out punishment, but we also see God interested in how these kings respond personally to him. [43] Arising from God’s interaction with the kings is an interesting fact about the work of God. In Daniel 5 we read of Belshazzar’s dream, similar to the message that Nebuchadnezzar received, but the result of the dream differed. Nebuchadnezzar received the dream, did not heed it, and was thrust into a time of humbleness, being eventually restored by God. He responded to this humbling by giving honor to God. [44]

Belshazzar however, was not given the time of humbling or received direct intervention by God. Rather, he was expected to heed the wisdom that his father had received from his trials, that God was above any king of any nation. Belshazzar was culpable for the lessons of his father, and of history. It may just be that God does not act because he has already acted in so many ways. God does not prove himself, but expects people to heed the wisdom that history brings. By not knowing the history of the people of Israel or the Church does not excuse us from the lessons that have been taught. God expects us to know the narrative of his activity for our own benefit, growth, and maturity. If we do not we may be culpable for our mistakes in ways which our forebears were not. God works in history, and has given us a framework of this activity in the historical narratives and in the visions of Daniel. We must heed the counsel of this history and respond to God not simply for what he can do for us, but we must respond to him for who he is. We must respond with faithfulness for his faithfulness, love for his love, trust for his trust, and mirror his character back to him and to others in all that we do.

It is with this in mind that we finally come to the book of Psalms. This collection of songs is maybe the most important book in the entire Bible. Through it we not only encounter God in unexpected ways as we do in the rest of the writings, but we are also given specific ways of responding to Him. The Psalms encompass in poetic form the complexity of what it means to be in true relationship with the Divine, to delight in his goodness and wrestle with his enigmatic nature. A full reading of the Psalms, as opposed to selective reading, reveals to us that a relationship with God is not clear cut, does not follow the patterns we feel we should expect, and simply does not often match what we feel is “right”. All that is complex and confusing about God in the other writings is represented here.

The Psalms, as James Luther Mays states, “comprehend the complexity of human life, the variety in the Bible, the elements of the doctrine of salvation, and the two dimensions of divine-human communication.” [45] He continues by calling the Book of Psalms “a virtual compendium of themes and topics found in the rest of the Old Testament.” [46] The Psalms tell us who God is, and who we are, and about what our relationship with God should consist of. In the Psalms we do not find a statements about a contractual agreement or legal wrangling, but rather we find real relationships between real humans and a real, living God.

A summation of the Psalms is a summation of theology. What we are called to, however, is quite unexpected. We are called to honesty with God. We are called to express to him our delights in what he has made, in what he has done in our lives and in the lives of our community, to sing of his goodness and glory. [47] But we are also called to express our fears, our desires, our innermost selves in a way which is simply not often heard in the modern church. [48] Sometimes these honest feelings reveal anger or tremendous hurt toward God when he does not act like we expect him to act. With these feelings, though we are not called to simply wallow in our pessimism but to instead express even these “negative” emotions to God. We are called in the Psalms to enter into a true relationship of love with God, with all of the messiness this often entails. If we are disappointed we need to express this to him. If we are sad we need to express this. If we are exultant we need to express this.

The book of Lamentations is an expansion of the laments which we find scattered throughout the book of Psalms. If a lament in Psalms is a song, than Lamentations is a symphony of expression to God. Lamentations is the profound expression of grief about one of the most profound moments of disaster, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God. It is the whole hearted cry of a person and of a people to a God that seems to have totally rejected them. But in their crying we find a lesson for ourselves and about God. When God has rejected, he will not reject forever, but rather he punishes us to draw us back to him. In their time of deepest grief the community of Israel was reminded that God does get angry, but his promises are ever-lasting. Though at times we may feel our sins are beyond redemption, and the punishment crushing us completely, this symphony of grief reminds us that God will have mercy on us if we cry out to him.

As individuals and as a community God desires honesty from us, because an honest response indicates a real relationship. The Psalms and Lamentations reveal to us the fullness of the human emotions in reference to God, with no part of who we are being left aside or considered inappropriate. Rather, the Psalms not only avoid denying our emotional selves, but train us to focus and expand our feelings, to express our innermost selves to one who truly loves us. When we are in pain we sing our pain to him in a way which expresses and heals. When we sin against him we sing prayers for forgiveness, understanding that he does forgive and reminding ourselves of this fact when we sing. The Psalms tell us to expect the unexpected God, and show us how we can deal with this complexity, and point us in a direction of a fuller, more mature relationship with the Living God. A relationship which he yearns for, and which will bring joy and delight far surpassing anything else in this life. This is not the God we would expect, or often want, but this is the God that our lives and hearts cry out for, and is in fact the very God we truly do need.

The Writings of the Old Testament are much more than simply records of a time long past, by a people whose era is long gone. God is unchanging. The God we worship is the same God revealed in this collection of various styles and expressions. The same issues arise in our dealings with the Divine that we find the Jews of long ago dealing with. God is enormously complicated and often hard to understand or interpret. He simply does not act or respond the way we think he “should” and nor do our lives seem to live up to the pattern we would expect. In times of prosperity these issues can be pushed aside, but in times of great grief, of pain and suffering, in which we have no answers, and seem to be praying to a God who no longer is listening we find ourselves lost and hopelessly confused.

In times of darkness, our own human wisdom can bring no light, and more often than not, the advice of friends extinguishes whatever light we may still hold. Yet in the Writings we find that light, we find the tale of who God is and how he has acted. This activity is no longer in the dramatic miracles or instant salvation of earlier times, but rather God’s interaction with humanity is subtle and unexpected. We find ourselves called to reach out in relationship with the Divine, being called to reflect his nature back to Him and those around us. The God we do not expect is a God who earnestly desires a relationship with us, not a contractual relationship as it is often presented, but a living active relationship as between husband and wife, or parent and child. We do not expect God to respond in such a way, nor have we been taught to respond to God in the manner of those in love. While this relationship of love may not be what we expect, or want, this is the relationship which we need, the relationship which will give us true life at its fullest. This same God who is so unexpected in the Old Testament came to earth, and was not well received by his own people. He was the Same, unchanged, but even though his people had a record of who he was, they denied him because he was not what they expected.

In my own life during a time of spiritual darkness, in which I sacrificed to follow the lead of God in my life, I was crushed in spite of my dedication. I was told that it was sin, or some lack of living up to the bargain in my life. I was confused, hurt, and enormously depressed. But, in my own seeking I read the Psalms again, this time with an eye for those Psalms which are rarely read in churches, the Psalms which speak more of pain than answers, more of hurt than healing. From the Psalms I continued my reading, finding insight throughout the Old Testament about my situation, understanding my predicament was not at all unexpected, but was indeed in keeping with the activity of God in the lives of those he loves. He was drawing me close to him, for his own sake.

Though raised in church I was not taught to expect this kind of God, but by reading the writings I found a God that I did not expect, a God I was not at first sure I liked, but over time realize I had found a God I need, and a God with whom I am now in a fuller, more mature relationship. God instructed me through the Writings. He brought light to what was dark in me. He raised me from my depths and supported me. He taught me that I may live life in him. In the Writings He truly justifies his ways to all of humanity. His ways, however, are quite unexpected.

[1] Specifically, the category of “writings” include: Psalms, Lamentations, Proverbs, Song of Songs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles, Esther, Ruth, and Daniel.

[2] Roland Murphy, “The Kerygma of the Book of Proverbs”, Interpretation (Vol. XX, 1966), 31. *

[3] chapters 5-7; 9:7 – 29:27; 31

[4] chapters 1-4; 30

[5] see especially chapter 31.

[6] Cf. the Egyptian documents, Instruction of Amen-em-opet or the Instruction for Merikare.

[7] Richard Bauckham, The Bible in Politics (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989), 42.

[8] ibid

[9] I myself during a time of great, inexplicable struggle was given this advice, and reacted much the same way as Job did.

[10] Though God delights in “gifts”, and “blessings”, and all of creation as is apparent in his soliloquy.

[11] See John Cassian, The Conferences, conference 5.

[12] James L. Crenshaw, “Ecclesiastes”, Anchor Bible Dictionary v.2, David Noel Freedman, ed. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 276.

[13] ibid

[14] This strand is so unique that it has led Crenshaw and other scholars to propose that there are in fact different authors of each strand, one purely negative and one trying to respond.

[15] J.S. Wright, “Ecclesiastes”, New Bible Dictionary, 3^rd ed. JD Douglass, N. Hillyer, DRW Wood, eds. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1996), 288.

[16] Michael A. Eaton, “Ecclesiastes”, New Bible Commentary 21^st century edition, DA Carson, RT France, JA Motyer, GJ Wenham, eds. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP1994), 610.

[17] ibid

[18] See Wright, 288.

[19] Cf. Philippians 4:11-13; Hebrews 13:5, 6

[20] Ecc. 2:11.

[21] Song of Solomon 1:2.

[22] The negative examples are numerous, including Genesis 34, 38; 2 Samuel 11-13; Proverbs 7.

[23] See for example the Selections of Sermons on the Song of Songs by Bernard of Clairvaux.

[24] See Rev. 19:7, 22:17

[25] the apparent exception to this being the stories of Manasseh and Josiah; see 2 Kings 21; 23:29; 24:3-4.

[26] See 2 Chronicles 36:11-23.

[27] 2 Chronicles 36:23.

[28] The story of the “establishment” of Billy Graham’s ministry comes to mind. Although a successful preacher and revivalist, his being cemented as a national and global voice came in a great part from the decision of J. Paul Getty to feature Graham in his various newspapers. Getty was by no means a Christian man, but was inspired to publicize Graham’s ministry, resulting in a global evangelistic crusade of monumental proportions over the last 60 years.

[29] Chapters 1-6 of Ezra.

[30] Chapters 7-10 of Ezra

[31] Nehemiah

[32] Deut. 23:3-6. See also Ezra 10:6ff. and Nehemiah 13:23ff.

[33] See Leila Leah Bronner, “The Invisible Relationship Made Visible: Biblical Mothers and Daughters”, Ruth and Esther: A Feminist Companion to the Bible, 2^nd series, Athalya Brenner, ed. (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999), 173ff.

[34] See Irmtraud Fischer, “The book of Ruth: A “Feminist Commentary to the Torah?”, Ruth and Esther: A Feminist Companion to the Bible, 2^nd series, Athalya Brenner, ed. (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999).

[35] Ruth, Naomi, Esther, Vashti.

[36] See Esther 3:8; This is a stark contrast to the time of the monarchy when although they were the ruling culture they essentially invited in and were corrupted by the ways of foreigners.

[37] See Richard Bauckham, The Bible in Politics, ch. 8.

[38] Esther 1:12; 2:15-23; 5:2; 6, etc.

[39] Bauckham, 124.

[40] We find these “coincidences” throughout history; i.e. the inexplicable decision which Hitler made not to immediately invade Britain after he had conquered France, even though their army was crushed and their morale was shot. The gap of time allowed Britain to reform after the disaster. Or the battle plans for Lee’s invasion of the North which were inexplicably wrapped around some cigars and forgotten on the side of the road, later to be found by Northern soldiers – a “coincidence” which changed the Battle of Antietam, thus the outcome of the Civil War, thus American and World history.

[41] Daniel 3:17, 18.

[42] Martyrdom of Polycarp, ch. IX.

[43] See Daniel 3-5.

[44] ibid

[45] James Luther Mays, Psalms (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994), 1.

[46] ibid

[47] See Psalms 8, 29, 95, 100, etc.

[48] Psalms 6, 7, 44, 56, 69, etc.