Information Related to "What Job Learned by Suffering"
| Audio/Video |
The name Job means "persecuted" or "object of scorn." Job's story begins with a challenge to Satan's argument that no one will obey God unless his selfish motives are being satisfied. So "the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?'" (Job 1:8).
Job was the ideal person for God to use to disprove Satan's assertion that human beings can be motivated only by satisfying their selfish, greedy desires.
"So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a [protective] hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!'" (verses 9-11).
Intending among other purposes to disprove that contention, "the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.' So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord" (verse 12).
By permitting Job to suffer unjustly, God was allowing him to learn one of the most important lessons that anyone could ever learn! But we also see that God routinely allows righteous people to be tested.
"The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous" (Psalm 11:4-5). Also, "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:10). Job was no exception.
Now let's consider some of the highlights of Job's ordeal.
Job had "seven sons and three daughters" and "his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East" (verses 1-2).
Satan's attack on Job led to the death of his 10 children and the destruction of all of his property and wealth. "In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong" (verse 22).
Next Satan "struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head" (Job 2:7). Job became filled with self-pity: "Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?" (Job 3:11). Still he refused to sin or blame God.
Job's three friends-Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar-came to "mourn with him, and to comfort him" (Job 2:11). But little comfort were they! Eliphaz reasoned: "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?" (Job 4:7). Zophar chided: "Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?" (Job 20:4). Similar arguments fill most of the book of Job. But those arguments are rejected not only by Job but also by God at the book's conclusion.
Throughout his ordeal Job's attitude was, "I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live" (Job 27:6 , NIV). His confidence in his own judgment seemed solid.
But just because Job was innocent of sin did not mean that his relationship with God was perfect or that His ongoing faithfulness was certain if life went on as usual. He still had some things to learn. He lost sight of the purpose of life and failed to see that God could have a legitimate reason for allowing his suffering.
While Job refused to take his own life, he pleaded with God to simply let him perish-an attitude of hopelessness. God responded, "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God's, and can your voice thunder like his? Then [let's see you] adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low, look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you" (Job 40:8-14, NIV).
Job had complained that he could see no reason for God to allow a righteous person to be afflicted by evil people. So God challenged Job to offer his solutions. Job had none! In that regard he was no different from the millions of people today who complain that God is not fair but have no workable alternatives to offer.
Finally Job's discussions led him to see that God knows what He is doing and is able to finish what He has started! He responds to God: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:2-6, NIV).
God has revealed only a basic outline of how He plans to eliminate the problem of evil and all the suffering it causes. He has not yet explained all of the details. We do not always know why God allows certain things and prevents other things, as His thoughts and ways are higher than ours as heaven is above the earth (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Job had to learn to trust God even in difficult times. God expects us to reach that same conclusion! GN
| © 1995-2022 United
Church of God, an International Association Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@gnmagazine.org. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@gnmagazine.org. |
|
Related Information:
Sidebar to Suffering: How It Began, How It Will End
Table of Contents that includes "What Job Learned by Suffering"
Origin of article "What Job Learned by Suffering"
Keywords: Job God's will suffering
God's sovereignty: