Job Ch.1-10

Our lives are as whole as the foundations they are built upon. With a deep and wide foundation built on God; we can weather the storms and not crumble. The Book of Job demonstrates God’s sovereignty and the meaning of having faith despite all tests and trials. This Book answers the question many of us have: Why do the righteous suffer? Suffering purifies our faith as we will see in the example of Job. Ask yourself, if all was gone, is God enough? Job learned that when nothing was left, he had God, and that was enough. Testing is difficult to endure, but the result is often a deeper relationship with God. Those who stay close to God during life’s tests will experience God’s great rewards in the end. This is also first poetic book of the Old Testament and gives insights into the works of Satan.

Job is portrayed as a man of God, upright character, wealthy and blameless. Satan accuses Job’s faith because it’s easy to follow God when life is good. God allows Satan to test Job. “Does Job fear God for nothing? Satan replied ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands…But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’ The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the many himself do not lay a finger.”(Job 1:9-12) Satan wanted to proved that Hob worshiped God, not out of love, but because God had given him so much. How deep is your love for God? Are you a fair-weathered follower of God? Satan took everything Job loved; his children, his possessions, his health and his flocks. Job proved that people can love God for who He is, not for what He gives. Although in pain for his loss; Job fell to the ground and worshipped. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”(1:20)

Job’s second test was an attack on himself. His skin was filled with painful sores from his feet to the top of his head. Can Satan persuade God to change his plans? God is completely and eternally good. God knew the eventual outcome and allowed Satan’s plan; God cannot be fooled by Satan. Job’s suffering was a test for Job and Satan; not God. Satan’s attacks are real. In this story, Satan attempted to drive a wedge between Job and God and he does the same thing in our lives. Satan, however, had to ask God for permission to inflict suffering on Job; Satan is limited to what God allows. We must learn to recognize and not fear Satan’s attacks. Satan cannot exceed the limits that God makes. We cannot control how or why Satan attacks, but we can choose how we respond when it happens. Some people think that believing in God prevents trouble from entering their lives. Faith in God doesn’t not guarantee personal prosperity and lack of faith does not guarantee troubles. This draws attention to the question many of us ponder: why do good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people? Satan’s strategy is to get us to doubt God at the exact moment we suffer for reasons we can’t understand. Satan, a fallen angel, became corrupt through his own pride. Satan considers God his enemy; he actively looks for people to attack with temptation and because he wants to make people hate God; he does this through lies and deception. We can learn a lot about Satan from his conversation with God: 1) Satan is accountable to God. All angelic beings, good and evil, are compelled to present themselves before God. 2) Satan can be at only one place at a time. His demons aid him in his work; but as a created being, he is limited. 3) Satan cannot see into our minds or foretell the future. If he could, he would have known that Hob would not break under pressure. 4) Because Satan can do nothing without God’s permission, God’s people can overcome his attacks through God’s power. 5) God puts limitations on what Satan can do. Knowing this about Satan should cause us to remain close to the One who is greater than Satan.

Here are the sources of suffering as described in this Book, who is responsible, who is affected and the needed response. If the sources of your suffering are your own sin: You are responsible, yourself and others are affected, and your response should be repentance and confession to God. If the source is others’ sin: the person who sinned and those who allowed it are responsible, most of those exposed to the cause are affected, and the needed response is active resistance to the sinful behavior while accepting the sinner. If an avoidable physical or natural disaster is the source: those responsible are the persons who ignore the facts or refuse to take precautions, those affected are those exposed to the cause, and your response should be to prevent them if possible and to be prepared if they can’t be prevented. If the source is unavoidable physical or natural disaster: God or Satan is responsible. Those affected are most people present; the needed response is ongoing trust in God’s faithfulness.

Through Job’s suffering, his friends came to comfort him and although with good intentions; failed to give Job good advice. They made the effort to come to someone in need; unfortunately, they did a poor job of comforting Job because they were proud of their own advice and insensitive to Job’s needs. When someone is in need, go to that person, but be sensitive in how you comfort him or her. In the Jewish tradition, when a person is in mourning or suffering, the comforting friends remain silent until the mourner speaks first. Often, we feel we must say something spiritual and insightful to a hurting friend and perhaps whey they need the most is just our presence, showing that we care. Empathetic silence and loving companionship say more than trite quotations and prideful advice. During times of suffering, we are reminded just how vulnerable we truly are. We must hold on to our faith even if there is no relief. Job was driven back to the basics in his faith in God and had two choices: 1) curse God and give up or 2) trust God and draw strength from him to continue. He chose to trust God.

Job speaks: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is born!’ That day-may it turn to darkness…Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure…What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me, I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”(3:3,20,25,26) Job began to lose sight of trials and grief; for whether temporary or permanent, they do not destroy the real purpose of life. Life is not given merely for happiness and personal satisfaction; but for us to serve and honor God. The worth and meaning of life lies in God unfailing love for us; not on what we feel. It is easy of blame people for their own troubles, but Job’s story makes it clear that blame cannot always be attached to those whom trouble strikes. It is arrogant think you fully understand the cause of someone’s pain and suffering; blame them for their misfortunes; and provide no empathy for a person in pain. Let us not forget the Lord’s command to love others. We may not have the answer to someone’s questions; but we must offer our comfort and direct that person to seek the Lord with our loyal friendship walking with them.

Job’s friend, Eliphaz was giving Job counsel and he speaks of a view of discipline that has been almost forgotten: Pain can help us grow. “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.”(5:17) Rewards for good and punishment for evil are in God’s hands and according to his time. Satan’s ploy is to get us to doubt God’s love toward us.
“What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? Do I have the strength of stone? Do I have the power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me? A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, but my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams.”(Job 6:11,14) When people are going through severe trials, ill advised counsel is distasteful. Be slow to give advice to those who are hurting; they often need compassion more than they need advice. God had a greater plan for Job than granting his request for death. Our tendency can be to want to give up when the going gets tough. Trusting God in the difficult times tests our limits and exercises our faith. You never know how God wants to use your suffering perhaps to help others who suffer as you do.

“The night drags on, and I toss till dawn. My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering…remember, O God, that my life is but a breath…Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul…I despise my life, I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning. Have I become a burden to you?”(Job 7:4,5,11,20) Job’s deep anguish and bitterness led him to speak honestly with God about his feelings to let out his frustrations. If we express our feelings to God, we can deal with them without exploding in harsh words and actions; hurting ourselves and others. The next time strong emotions threaten to overwhelm you, pray to God openly and honestly. This process will help you gain an eternal perspective and give you a greater ability to handle the situation constructively.

Only God can give lasting security. What have you trusted for your security? How lasting is it? Feelings of insecurity will not undermine you when your secure foundations lie with God. Money, possessions, knowledge, and relationships will fail or be gone. Job’s learned through painful lessons the insecurity of the world. While Job showed impatience toward God, he did not reject or curse God. In comforting someone going through severe pain, our patience with their impatience can help them. Job began wallowing in self-pity. Our pain can lure us into feeling sorry for ourselves and can lead to self-righteousness; which is where Satan wants us. It causes one to say “Look what happened to me; how unfair it is! Who did this to me and how can I get out of it?” (10:1) It is important to remember that life’s trials, whether allowed by God or sent by God can be the means for development and refinement. God wants only the very best for your life. Many people endure great pain, but at the end, they find some greater good that came from it. When you are suffering and in pain, don’t assume the worst and hold tighter to the Lord, for he is compassionate and merciful.