What I learned about Job...

[ChristianConsFurryGuy]

I managed to get through the entire book of Job and I got to say that this is a story that while is long and drawn out, is something every Christian should study. A riches-to-rags-to-riches story that teaches the diligent student the truth about many questions, especially the one important one: Why does God allow evil in the world?

Job starts out as a ‘righteous and upright man’ who has wealth equivalent to the Rockefellers of our time, but with the heart bent towards God. During this time, Satan comes to visit God in heaven and issues a challenge to God about Job: take away his wealth and family and all he loves and watch Job curse God. God accepts the challenge under the stipulation that he spares Job’s life. Job’s life is turned upside down as all he loved and earned is suddenly wiped out, including his family, herds and wealth, until he is destitute. Contrary to Satan, Job weeps but does not turn from God.

Again, Satan issues another challenge: Strike Job down with sickness and infirmity and watch him crack. God again allows it as long as he doesn’t kill Job. Not only does Job mourn his losses, but now he’s struck with sores and disease to the point where he curses not God, but the day he was born.

At this point, three so-called ‘friends’ show up: Liphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, or as I call them, the jerk-wads. These jerk-wads, instead of trying to comfort or help their friend Job, turn around and accuse him of committing sin and suffering justly for his supposedly evil deeds. With friends like these, who needs enemies, am I right?

At this point, Job has just about had enough. He tries to justify his life, claiming he did no wrong and wishes he could speak to God one-on-one and question his actions. He technically doesn’t sin against God, but wants to know that fundamental question: Why me, God?

And God replies, “Why not?”

In a whirlwind, God gives Job an earful, asking Job if he can compare to God. Can he unbuckle Orion’s belt, or pull out Leviathan by a hook, or do any of the amazing things God has and can do. God gives Job the full salvo of all the things God does and asks him, “Can you do the same?” Eventually Job is overwhelmed by God and realizes the truth, to which he recants his accusations. After scolding the jerk-wads, God restores more to Job than he lost, giving him back more wealth a big family and a long happy life.

I was clearly paraphrasing a lot of the book, but it shows us a lot about that fundamental question about why God allows evil. While the lesson in the book of Job is unbelievably harsh, it also tells us of God’s infinite love towards us. I heard one pastor when he was asked “Why does God let bad things happen to us?” He replied, “What makes you think he shouldn’t just erase us all in our sins and start over?”

In reality, God is a sovereign God and because we are his creations, he could just as easily smite us dead and be completely justified through his righteous word:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23
KJV

By the word of scripture, all human beings are sinners and as it is written, have only one punishment:

For the wages of sin is death… Romans 6:23
KJV

It sounds cruel, but as one of my nieces would tell me, “Life is tough-get a helmet!” The world we live in is filled with sin and evil, and God in his holiness cannot abide such sin to fester: He is after all, God!

Yet he is also a loving and forgiving God as well:

O love the LORD, all ye his saints:
for the LORD preserveth the faithful,
and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Psalms 31:23
KJV

God loved us so much that he even sacrificed something so precious to him for the sake of sinful man:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
KJV

The story of Job emphasizes that while we may not understand God’s whole role in our lives or why such terrible things happen to us, We also have to face the fact that God is going to do whatever he wants whether we like it or not. That might sound critical, but don’t forget that God also loves and cherishes us in everything, and while He will do what He wishes, in the long run He will still have our best interests at heart.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11
KJV

My prayer is that whatever hardships you are going through, that the Holy Spirit will bring to your mind understanding that all these things are finite and temporary; that God has ordained happiness and joy for you in the midst of your suffering. May God richly bless you and cover you in his incalculable love.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

I managed to get through the entire book of Job and I got to say that this is a story that while is long and drawn out, is something every Christian should study. A riches-to-rags-to-riches story that teaches the diligent student the truth about many questions, especially the one important one: Why does God allow evil in the world?

It shows the extents that God will go to to deliver one of his people from their personal FAULTS. in Job's case, Personal PRIDE (Leviathan) - and doing things in his OWN STRENGTH instead of relying on God (Behemoth). God is successful, since job repents in chapter 42. and God USED satan with surgical precision to achieve His Purpose.