Jobs Victory Of Faith
But when Jobs health fails, it proves to be too much for his wife. She had endured with him the loss of her children and wealth. But now with the life of her husband draining away leaving her utterly destitute, her faith collapses. Job 2:9: Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God, and die. This must have made a hopeful smile come across the face of Satan.
But then comes the shattering victory of Jobs faith. Verse 10: But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? Comforts and calamities come from the hand of God. This rock solid confidence in the sovereignty of God Job will not relinquish and neither should we!
Picture Satan in heaven surrounded by ten thousand angels awaiting Jobs response. Then Job answers, and, unknown to him, twenty thousand arms are raised and ten thousand mighty voices shout, Worthy is the Lord God of Job! And what does Satan do? He flees from the presence of the praise of God. Did you ever wonder what Peter meant when he said in 1 Peter 5:8:
Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world?
Why Is The Book Of Job Even In The Bible
Job. Even if we have not read the Book of Job, we know that name. Job: the very name evokes suffering in us. The mere name seems to mean innocent and undeserved suffering. And, worse, the huge poetry of the Book of Jobits major thirty-nine chaptersnever provides an adequate answer as to why Job suffers.
Why is this book even in the Bible?
A few days ago, a guy saw a woman in the grocery store with a three-year-old girl in her cart. As the mother and daughter passed the cookie section, the child asked for cookies and her mother told her no. The little girl immediately began to whine and fuss! The guy heard the mother say quietly, Now Ellen, we just have half of the aisles left to go through dont be upset. It won’t be long.
The guy passed the mother again in the candy aisle. Of course, the little girl began to shout for candy. When she was told she couldnt have any, she began to cry again. The mother said, There, there, Ellen, dont cry. Only two more aisles to go, and then we’ll be checking out.
Then, the guy again happened to be behind the pair at the checkout counter, where the little girl started clamoring for chewing gum and burst into a terrible tantrum yet again. The mother patiently said, Ellen, we will be through this checkout counter in five minutes, and then you can go home and have a nice nap.
Many of us think that the Book of Job is meant to teach us patience. That woman had the patience of Job, we might say.
Why is this even in the Bible?
Jobs Character And Blessing
Job 1:1 introduces to us the man Job and his character. He was blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil. If suffering is intended as a punishment for evil, Job is not a likely candidate. He turns away from evil because he fears God. He pursues right and avoids evil. His reputation is blameless. His reverence for God governs all he does.
Verses 23 describe the way God had blessed him in his righteousness. He had seven sons and three daughters and huge numbers of sheep, camels, oxen, and servants. He was the greatest of all the people of the east.
Verses 45 describe a specific instance of Jobs fear of God and uprightness toward his children. Every time that his sons and daughters gathered for a feast, Job would get up early the next morning and offer burnt offerings for each one just in case any of them had sinned or cursed God in their heart. In other words, he was extremely jealous for the honor of Gods name, that it not be profaned, and he was extremely vigilant for the sake of his children, not wanting any of them to come to ruin. He was a good man.
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What Happened To Job In The Bible How Old Was Job When He Lost Everything
- Post published:February 22, 2022
- Post author:mirabela
Job continued to endure his suffering, to hope in the merciful God. What happened to Job in the Bible? Who had given him everything and then taken everything from him to the testing of his faith? The suffering Job has to endure has a profound spiritual dimension. And the attitudes, statements, questions. And answers that appear in the Book of Job become paradigmatic. Giving meaning not only to the suffering of every man in every age. But constituting a true guide to spiritual life for those who seek union with God.
In the Bible, the book of the great law of suffering, Job suffered terrible torments. Jobs suffering is explained in Old Testament writing as the result of a dispute between God and Satan. Job had been discussed not on earth, but in heaven, in the course of a conversation between God and Satan. When it comes to the faithful Job, with whom the Lord takes pride, Satan claims that his devotion is not a gratuitous act. To convince him otherwise, God allows the Devil to touch first his possessions and the children of the right, and then the health of his body. So Jobs misfortunes are not the direct work of God, but only His own doing. At the age of 70, God commanded Satan to test Job, and he loses everything. Job suffered greatly but was rewarded.
Jobs misfortunes and severe trials are not the direct work of God. But only His will, to demonstrate something, namely mans devotion to his Creator.
Suffering Is A Terrible Experience
There is no full human answer to it. Most of the speeches ofJobs friends show this. They have different opinions. But they are all wrong.
Eliphaz sees secret meanings in things. He talks about his own experiences. Bildad always thinks about the past . Tradition isthe most important thing to him. Zophar thinks that he has full .He seems to say, I am right so you must be wrong. He is probably the leastattractive of the 3 friends. He has his own beliefs. He closes his mind toanything else. So his words to Job are cruel. Job, listen to me, he says.God is not punishing you as much as he should .
Zophar says many true things. But he lacks pity, love andsympathy. These things are vital for all those who have strong beliefs. Noticethe clear truth of statements like 11:7-9 and 20:4-8. If only Zophar haddeclared them with pity and sympathy. When there is trouble, friends may notgive true comfort . We may have pain and despair of mind. Then ouronly true help is in God.
One thing is very certain:
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Job Suffered While Innocent
Job did not commit any sin that led to his suffering. On the contrary, Jobs suffering came about as God allowed Satan to test his faith. Why did Job have to suffer at all? The same question has been asked throughout the ages after events such as school shootings or natural disasters. Why do innocent people suffer for seemingly no reason? And Job was so greatly afflicted by his problems that he cursed, not God, but the day that he was born.
After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born.
This was not an inconvenience that Job experienced. Life as he knew it was turned upside down and made into something that brought him intense pain. Job represents the truth that innocent people suffer, but by the end of his story also shows that God is in control the entire time. God allowed Satan to attack Job spiritually, emotionally, and physically, but never to the point of death . God remained in control.
A Commentary On Human Suffering
While there may be many Theodicies and the root dik found within its pages, Job has more to say about how the problem of evil and suffering are dealt with than the problem itself. Bible readers can inspect Jobs example and should conclude that justice prevailed in the end because God not only made restitution to Job, but he found himself more abundantly blessed than he had been before his suffering.
Jobs affliction served as a discipline and worked to transform him into an even more righteous man. In other words, pain led to the greater good. Even the well-reasoned explanation of his suffering would have been wholly insufficient to Job amid his agony as the concrete problem of evil demands more than an abstract, philosophical answer. For this reason, despite the counsel of his three friends, Job cries out to God himself for a suitable explanation .
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The Book Of Job Part : Who Was Job Why Does He Matter
My introduction to the Book of Job was not a promising one. I was in my early teens. A woman with three teenage sons, a stalwart of our community, was dying of cancer. She asked for a Rabbi to attend to her and answer one question: why is this happening to me when it is not my time? A Minister was found who promptly told her to read the Book of Job as she would find consolation within it. But she had read it already and still she searched for an answer.
So a second rabbi was called for. This one did not tell her to read Job: he spoke for hours with her. She resolved many of her difficulties and died in relative peace. But after this experience, “Job” came to embody for me a “Bible in my pocket” answer to suffering, something that could be whipped out to explain uncomfortable questions. It had been used to curtail a more painful and intimate discussion about mortality which was needed at the time.
None the less I gave Job a second chance and picked up the book and read this story. For the first time I understood why anyone should think it held answers to our questions about the nature of suffering and the extraordinary nature of the relationship between God and Humanity.
In exploring this topic, I am coming from it from a Jewish and a personal point of view and look forward to engaging with some of the difficult questions that arise out of Job with those who have different beliefs.
The Possibility Of Redemption
God typically responds to human behavior with retributivejustice, meaning that people get what they deserve. God punishesthe evil and blesses the righteous. The theme of mercy and redemption, whichdevelops throughout the biblical stories, contrasts with this standardof retribution.
Redemption appears in two forms in the Old Testament.Sometimes, one person forgives another by simply forgetting or ignoringthe others offense. When Jacob returns to his homeland after cheatinghis brother, we expect hatred and vengeance from Esau. Instead, Esau welcomesJacob with a joyful embrace, reversing Jacobs expectations no lessthan Jacob has already reversed Esaus fate. Similarly, King Davidtreats his enemies with kindness and mercy, a policy that often seemsshortsighted in its dismissal of traditional justice.
Another form of redemption involves the interventionof a third party as a mediator or sacrifice to quell Gods angerwith the wrongdoers. Mosess frantic prayers at Mount Sinai frequentlycause God to change his mind and relent from destroying the Israelites. Inthe Book of Judges, Samson sacrifices his life to redeem the Israelitesfrom the Philistine oppression brought on by Israels incessantevil. These human acts of redemption mirror Gods promise in thereligious laws to forgive the peoples sins on the basis of ritualanimal sacrifices and offerings.
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Another Glimpse Into Heaven
Is this the reward of Jobs reverent response to the loss of his children? Again we ask, What in the world is going on here? And again the answer is not given in the world but in heaven. In Job 2:16, the Lord again puts Job on display before Satan. Verse 3:
Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without a cause.
And again, Satan challenges the authenticity of Jobs reverence. He says that Job is only reverent because God preserves his health. Verse 4: Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
The demonstration of the worth of God in the faith and reverence of his people is the most important matter in the world.
So again, the worth of God is challenged. Is it God himself that Job cherishes or is it the earthly pleasures of family and possessions and health? Job has shown that God is more valuable to him than family and possessions. But what about health? So to show that he alone is Jobs treasure, God gives his servant into the hand of Satan for the destruction of his flesh. Verse 6: Behold, he is in your power only spare his life.
The demonstration of the worth of God in the faith and reverence of his people is the most important matter in the world.
B Jobs Catastrophic Loss And His Reaction To It
1. Jobs tragic and sudden losses.
Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brothers house and a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword and I alone have escaped to tell you! While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them and I alone have escaped to tell you! While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword and I alone have escaped to tell you! While he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brothers house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead and I alone have escaped to tell you!
a. Now there was a day: Given greater allowance to afflict Job, Satan maximized his work against the man of God by bringing the catastrophe to Job in the span of a few hours. In that limited time Job lost his oxen, his servants, his sheep, his camels, and his sons and daughters.
2. Job reacts to his losses.
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We Learn Something That Job Certainly Did Not Know
It comes at the beginning of the book. Thiscould be the most important part of the books message.
We hear an interview. There is the all-powerful God. Then thereis the one who is always an enemy. Job is going to be a kind of test. Jobpleases God as a servant and friend. God allows Satan to test Job.We want to know whether Job will continue to love God. We want to know whetherJob will remain loyal to God.
It could have been so different for Job. If only he had knownthat he was a test. Then he would have accepted his troubles. But he was notaware of the event in Heavens Court.
There is something important here for us to remember. It is this.In our suffering, we do not know all the facts. God hides some of themfrom us. Things that we cannot know about affect us. There is *eternalimportance about some of our experiences. We could accept many troubles withcourage if we knew this.
Dr Wheeler Robinson wrote a book. Its name is The Cross of Job.He reminds us that this part of the action was in heaven. Job and his friendsknew nothing about this part. We must try to imagine how they felt. Then wewill understand what they say. And we will understand what they think. So, wemust try to follow the words and thoughts of each person. We must do this as ifour knowledge is the same as theirs.
The story of Job is very sad. The second lesson we can learn isthis:
Who Was Job In The Bible
Posted: Jan 04, 2022 · The Bible tells us that one day Satan presented himself before God and God asked Satan what he thought of Job. Satan accused Job of honoring God only because God had blessed him. So, God allowed Satan to take away Jobs wealth and his children. Later, God allowed Satan to afflict Job physically.
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What Happened To Job’s Family
Posted: 3. Job was a man who loved God. Satan told God that he only reason Job loved Him was because He allowed him to be wealthy. So to prove him wrong, God allowed Satan to take all of Job’s possessions. Job’s oldest son’s home was destroyed by a violent wind. All of Job’s children were partying there and were killed. In his sadness, Job tore his robe.