--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now if God had answered job in the way…" description: "\"“Now if God had answered job in the way that we would expect, with soothing explanations and comforting reassurances, then the answer to the question \"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/fleming-rutledge-28419_presence-of-god_now-if-god-had-answered-job-in-the-way-t_2551675.jpg" --- # Now if God had answered job in the way that we would… ![“Now if God had answered job in the way that we would expect, with soothing explanations and comforting reassurances, then the answer to the question "Is there a God beyond what we can imagine?" would have to be "No." Anyone can imagine a God who does what we expect. The reason that so many people…” quote by Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/fleming-rutledge-28419_presence-of-god_now-if-god-had-answered-job-in-the-way-t_2551675.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/fleming-rutledge-28419_presence-of-god_now-if-god-had-answered-job-in-the-way-t_2551675.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/fleming-rutledge-28419_presence-of-god_now-if-god-had-answered-job-in-the-way-t_2551675.jpg) > ““Now if God had answered job in the way that we would expect, with soothing explanations and comforting reassurances, then the answer to the question "Is there a God beyond what we can imagine?" would have to be "No." Anyone can imagine a God who does what we expect. The reason that so many people have complained that God's answer to job is no answer at all is that they want a God who fits their preconceptions. Job, however, is manifestly satisfied. The God who is really God has come to him and has revealed himself as the One who was already present, already powerful, already at work before there was anyone to imagine him. God is the author of creation; the creation is not the author of God. This was revealed to job by the living voice and presence of God's own self. That was enough.”” [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that God’s answer to suffering isn’t a comforting explanation but a revelation of God’s self‑existence beyond human expectations. **In simple terms:** God reveals Himself, not to fit our ideas. Key Takeaway Seek understanding beyond assumptions. Themes theology faith human expectation divine mystery Mood contemplative humble Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - personal crisis - grief counseling - interfaith dialogue - spiritual study Key Concepts Existence revelation theodicy Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when divine answers defy expectations? - What does it mean to trust a God beyond imagination? A Different Perspective It may be hard to accept a non‑personal answer to suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answered Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-job-1526735/) [God Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-answer/) [God Answered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-answered-856054/) [Imagine God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-god/) [Presence of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence-of-god/) [Question God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-god/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [Every question I'd ever had God answered and still continues to answer every one I have today. It's really amazing what God can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/every-question-i-d-ever-had-god-answered-and-still-continues-to/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [There are two answers to every question - God's answer and everybody else's - and everybody else is wrong when they disagree with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/there-are-two-answers-to-every-question-god-s-answer-and-everybody/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [Many of the questions we ask God can't be answered directly, not because God doesn't know the answers but because our questions don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-the-questions-we-ask-god-can-t-be-answered-directly-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Wait.” She spun much too quickly. He’d rounded the pulpit, looking as if he had every intention of chasing after her. As she waited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/wait-she-spun-much-too-quickly-he-d-rounded-the-pulpit-looking-as-if/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [God answered the prayers of animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/god-answered-the-prayers-of-animals/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Please, don’t do this, she silently begged an almighty god she had no belief in. And of course, no god answered. Jason”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-m-scott/please-don-t-do-this-she-silently-begged-an-almighty-god-she-had-no/) [Kyle M. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-m-scott/) > [I asked the whole frame of the world about my God; and he answered, I am not He, but He made me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/i-asked-the-whole-frame-of-the-world-about-my-god-and-he-answered-i/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [I believe God has heard my prayers. He will make it manifest in His own good time that He has heard me. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/i-believe-god-has-heard-my-prayers-he-will-make-it-manifest-in-his/) [George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/) > [“It was as if God had answered a prayer she'd never been bold enough to pray.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-tagg/it-was-as-if-god-had-answered-a-prayer-she-d-never-been-bold-enough/) [Melissa Tagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-tagg/) > [“Arya did not know any Many-Faced God, but if he answered prayers, he might be the god she sought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/arya-did-not-know-any-many-faced-god-but-if-he-answered-prayers-he/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“A flood comes in and completely covers a woman’s home. She sittin’ on the roof and cries out to God, ‘Please help me.’ Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-hall/a-flood-comes-in-and-completely-covers-a-woman-s-home-she-sittin-on/) [Marie Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-hall/) > [“God answered prayers first by teaching the need to ask, second by using friends as holy messengers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-bunn/god-answered-prayers-first-by-teaching-the-need-to-ask-second-by/) [Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-bunn/) > [I knew you could find a certain relief in begging God, it had helped me, but on the other hand, God never answered directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-steinke/i-knew-you-could-find-a-certain-relief-in-begging-god-it-had-helped/) [Darcey Steinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-steinke/) > [God has not always answered my prayers. If He had, I would have married the wrong man -- several times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-graham/god-has-not-always-answered-my-prayers-if-he-had-i-would-have-married/) [Ruth Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-graham/) > [St Thomas (Aqinas) loved books and lived on books... When asked for what he thanked God most, he answered simply, ‘I have understood every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/st-thomas-aqinas-loved-books-and-lived-on-books-when-asked-for-what/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## More by Fleming Rutledge > [“The cosmic battle being worked out between God and the Devil takes place in the lives of God's creatures, fallen though they are. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/the-cosmic-battle-being-worked-out-between-god-and-the-devil-takes/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“With all due respect to the religions of the world, there is no other story like the Christian story. The god who thunders, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/with-all-due-respect-to-the-religions-of-the-world-there-is-no-other/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“America had, I believe, a divine founding. Call it American exceptionalism if you like. But that makes America all the more vulnerable to God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/america-had-i-believe-a-divine-founding-call-it-american/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“In the final analysis, the book of job is asking this great question: Is there a living God beyond what we can imagine? Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/in-the-final-analysis-the-book-of-job-is-asking-this-great-question/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“Only those who are forgiven and who are willing to forgive will be capable of relentlessly pursuing justice without falling into the temptations to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/only-those-who-are-forgiven-and-who-are-willing-to-forgive-will-be/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“Because this is an urban church in a downtown neighborhood, it is not so easy to avoid the presence of the poor. We see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/because-this-is-an-urban-church-in-a-downtown-neighborhood-it-is-not/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“If some of those who listen to our sermons reject the message, that is not our worry - as long as it is truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/if-some-of-those-who-listen-to-our-sermons-reject-the-message-that-is/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“When are we closest to God? When we see ourselves as we really are:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/when-are-we-closest-to-god-when-we-see-ourselves-as-we-really-are/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“Now it's very interesting that although we are told that modern Christians don't believe in the Last Judgment anymore, no one objects when a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/now-it-s-very-interesting-that-although-we-are-told-that-modern/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“When I say theologically mature, I mean just this: formed by the Bible, proudly Trinitarian, grounded in justification by grace through faith, dedicated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/when-i-say-theologically-mature-i-mean-just-this-formed-by-the-bible/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“Paul the apostle, dictating his fierce message to the Galatians, writes, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/paul-the-apostle-dictating-his-fierce-message-to-the-galatians-writes/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“If you and I are resting or shirking or slacking, his Spirit is nevertheless on the move with somebody else somewhere else, for "behold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/if-you-and-i-are-resting-or-shirking-or-slacking-his-spirit-is/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“From this time forth I make you hear new things, hidden things which you have not known. They are created now... Before today you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/from-this-time-forth-i-make-you-hear-new-things-hidden-things-which/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“Here is what Isaiah says: "Verily thou art a God who hidest thyself, 0 God of Israel, the Savior" (45:15). God is still active,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/here-is-what-isaiah-says-verily-thou-art-a-god-who-hidest-thyself-0/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [“Nothing in the Bible makes any religious sense unless we are people of faith who believe that God's own self speaks to us in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/nothing-in-the-bible-makes-any-religious-sense-unless-we-are-people/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) [Explore all 19 Fleming Rutledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) ## More Presence of god quotes > [“The primitive mind finds it hard to realize an idea without the aid of imagination, and it is the realm of space where imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-primitive-mind-finds-it-hard-to-realize-an-idea-without-the-aid/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“Jesus was not just a man filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or blessed with the presence of God, like the prophets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-norris/jesus-was-not-just-a-man-filled-with-the-baptism-of-the-holy-spirit/) [S.G. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-g-norris/) > [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Each day is a step we make towards eternity and we shall continue thus to step from day to day until we take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mcauley/each-day-is-a-step-we-make-towards-eternity-and-we-shall-continue/) [Catherine McAuley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mcauley/) > [“When things fall apart, the broken pieces allow all sorts of things to enter, and one of them is the presence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-things-fall-apart-the-broken-pieces-allow-all-sorts-of-things-to/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [There is a strain of loneliness infecting many Christians, which only the presence of God can cure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/there-is-a-strain-of-loneliness-infecting-many-christians-which-only/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Much sand has run out since then, many recollections of the past have faded from my memory or become blurred in indistinct visions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/much-sand-has-run-out-since-then-many-recollections-of-the-past-have/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“When a loving person dies, God sends angels to escort them on their journey to heaven. Angels are the messengers of God. They could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-storm/when-a-loving-person-dies-god-sends-angels-to-escort-them-on-their/) [Howard Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-storm/) > [My doctrine means that I must identify myself with life, with everything that lives, that I must share the majesty of life in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-doctrine-means-that-i-must-identify-myself-with-life-with/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [O it is a happy thing to feel ourselves helpless and naught, for then the presence of God is felt to wrap us about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mountford/o-it-is-a-happy-thing-to-feel-ourselves-helpless-and-naught-for-then/) [William Mountford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mountford/) > [We cannot attain the presence of God. We're already totally in the presence of God. What's missing is awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brenner/we-cannot-attain-the-presence-of-god-we-re-already-totally-in-the/) [David Brenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brenner/) > [“The kingdom is the manifest presence of God’s reign.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-c-wilson/the-kingdom-is-the-manifest-presence-of-god-s-reign/) [Jared C. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-c-wilson/) > [“LEAD PEOPLE TO COMMITMENT We have seen that nonbelievers in worship actually “close with Christ” in two basic ways: some may come to Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/lead-people-to-commitment-we-have-seen-that-nonbelievers-in-worship/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Ah, I see your point. I did assist on the Okinawa drop, as the British representative. Quite simple, after we’d seen the Berlin effects.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-benford/ah-i-see-your-point-i-did-assist-on-the-okinawa-drop-as-the-british/) [Gregory Benford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-benford/) > [Wide awake to the presence of God, I realized I had been so focused on asking why a good God allowed bad things to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-feinberg/wide-awake-to-the-presence-of-god-i-realized-i-had-been-so-focused-on/) [Margaret Feinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-feinberg/) [Browse all 405 Presence of god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence-of-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Now if God had answered job in the way that we would expect, with soothing explanations and comforting reassurances, then the answer to the question \"Is there a God beyond what we can imagine?\" would have to be \"No.\" Anyone can imagine a God who does what we expect. The reason that so many people have complained that God's answer to job is no answer at all is that they want a God who fits their preconceptions. Job, however, is manifestly satisfied. The God who is really God has come to him and has revealed himself as the One who was already present, already powerful, already at work before there was anyone to imagine him. God is the author of creation; the creation is not the author of God. This was revealed to job by the living voice and presence of God's own self. 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