As we read the book of Job, we have information that those in these writings do not. Job lost all he had through no fault of his own. As he struggled to understand why all of this was happening to him, it became clear that he was not meant to know the reasons. He would have to face life with the answers and explainations held back. Only then would his faith fully develop. ~ We must experience life as Job did - one day at a time and without complete answers to all of life's questions. Will we, like Job, trust God no matter what? Or will we give in to the temptation to say that God doesn't really care?

As we see calamity and suffering in the book of Job, we must remember that we live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior is not always punished. When we see a notorious criminal prospering or an innocent child in pain, we say "That's wrong." And it is. Sin has twisted justice and made our world unpredictable and ugly. ~ The book of Job shows a good man suffering for no fault of his own. Sadly, our world is like that. But Job's story does not end in despair. Through Job's life we can see that faith in God is justified even when our situations look hopeless. Faith based on rewards or prosperity is hollow. To be unshakable, faith must be built on the confidence that God's ultimate purpose will come to pass.

It isn't known for sure, but Job probably lived during the days of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) before God gave His written law or appointed priests to be religious leaders. During Job's day, the father was the family's religious leader. Because there were no priests to instruct him, Job acted as the priest and offered sacrifices to God to ask for forgiveness for sins he and his family had committed. This demonstrated that Job did not consider himself sinless. Job did this out of conviction and love for God, not just because it was his role as head of the house. Do you carry out your spiritual duties because they are expected or spontaneously from a heart of devotion?

Job showed deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his children. Fearful that they might have sinned unknowingly, he offered sacrifices for them. Parents today can show the same concern by praying for their children. This means "sacrificing" some time each day to ask God to forgive them, to help them grow, to protect them, and to help them please Him.

The Bible speaks of other heavenly councils where God and the angels plan their activities on earth and where angels are required to give account of themselves (1 Kings 22:19-23). Because God is the Creator of all angels - both those who serve Him and those who rebelled - He has complete power and authority over them.

Satan, origionally an angel of God, became corrupt through his own pride. He has been evil since his rebellion against God (1 John 3:8). Satan considers God as his enemy. He tries to hinder God's work in people, but he is limited by God's power and can do only what he is permitted (Luke 22:31,32; 1 Timothy 1:19,20; 2 Timothy 2:23-26). Satan is called the enemy because he actively looks for people to attack with temptation (1 Peter 5:8,9) and because he wants to make people hate God. He does this through lies and deception (Genesis 3:1-6). Job, a blameless and upright man who had been greatly blessed was a perfect target for Satan. Any person who is committed to God, should expect Satan's attacks. Satan, who hates God, also hates God's people.

From this conversation, we learn a great deal about Satan. (1) He is accountable to God. All angelic beings, good and evil are compelled to present themselves before God (1:6). God knew that Satan was intent on attacking Job. (2) Satan can be at only one place at a time (1:6,7). His demons aid him in his work; but as a created being, he is limited. (3) Satan cannot see into our mind or foretell the future (1:9-11). If he could, he would have known that Job would not break under pressure; (4) Because Satan can do nothing without God's permission (1:12), God's people can overcome his attacks through God's power; (5) God puts limits on what Satan can do (1:12;2:6). Satan's response to the Lord's question (1:7) tells us that Satan is real and active on earth,. Knowing this about Satan should cause us to remain close to the One who is greater that Satan ~ God Himself.

Some people suggest that this dialogue was made up by the author of this book. Could this conversation between God and Satan really have happened? Other Bible passages tell us that Satan does indeed have access to God (see Revelation 12:10). He even went into God's presence to make accusations against Joshua the high priest (Zechariah 3:1,2). If this conversation didn't take place, then the reasons for Job's suffering become meaningless and the book of Job is reduced to fiction rather than fact.

Job was a model of trust and obedience to God, yet God permitted Satan to attack him in an especially harsh manner. Although God loves us, believing and obeying Him do not shelter us from life's calamities. Setbacks, tragedies, and sorrows strike Christians and non-Christians alike. But in our tests and trials, God expects us to express our faith to the world. How do you respond to your troubles? Do you ask God, "Why me?" or do you say, "Use me!"?

Satan attacked Job's motives, saying that Job was blameless and upright only because he had no reason to turn aainst God. Ever since he had started following God, everything had gone well for Job. Satan wanted to prove that Job worshipped God, not out of love, but because God had given him so much. ~ Satan accurately analyzed why many people trust God. They are fair-weather believers, following God only when everything is going well or for what they can get. Adversity destroys this superficial faith. But adversity strengthens real faith by causing believers to dig their roots deeper into God in order to withstand the storms. How deep does your faith go? Put the roots of your faith down deep into God so that you can withstand any storm you may face.

This conversation between God and Satan teaches us an important fact about God - He is fully aware of every attempt by Satan to bring suffering and difficulty upon us. While God may allow us to suffer for a reason beyond our understanding, He is never caught by surprise by our troubles and is always compassionate.

(1:13-22)One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you! While he was speaking, another messenger came and said "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and servants, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you!" While he was speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wind at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I'm the only one who has escaped to tell you!" At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "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." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. {The "fire of God" was a poetic way to describe lightning (1 Kings 19:38; 2 Kings 1:10-14). In this case, it had to be unusually powerful to kill 7,000 sheep.}

Job did not hide his overwhelming grief. He had not lost his faith in God; instead, his emotions showed that he was human and that he loved his family. God created our emotions, and is not sinful or inappropriate to express them as Job did. ~ If you have experienced a deep loss, a disappointment, or a heartbreak, admit your feelings to yourself and others, and grieve.

Job had lost his possessions and family in this first of Satan's tests, but he reacted rightly toward God by acknowledging God's sovereign authority over everything God had given him. Satan lost his first round. Job passed the test and proved that people can love God for who He is, not for what He gives.

Can Satan persuade God to change His plans? At first, God said he did not want Job harmed physically, but then decided to allow it. Satan is unable to persuade God to go against His character. God is completely and eternally good. But God was willing to go along with Satan's plan because God knew the eventual outcome of Job's story. God cannot be fooled by Satan. Job's suffering was a test for Job, Satan, and us - not God.

"Skin for skin" was Satan's comment concerning Job's response to the loss of his family. Satan still held to his opinion that Job was faithful only because of God's blessings. Satan believed that Job was willing to accept the loss of family and property as long as his own skin was safe. Satan's next step was to inflict physical suffering upon Job to prove his original accusation (1:9).

Again Satan had to seek permission from God to inflict pain upon Job. God limits Satan, and in this case, He did not allow Satan to destroy Job.

Why was Job's wife spared when the rest of his family was killed? It's possible that her very presence caused Job even more suffering through her chiding or sorrow over what they had lost.

Many people think that believing in God protects them from trouble, so when calamity comes, they question God's goodness and justice. But the message of Job is that you should not give up on God, because He allows you to have bad experiences. Faith in God does not guarantee personal prosperity, and lack of faith does not guarantee troubles in this life. If this were so, people would believe in God simply to get rich. God is capable of rescuing us from suffering, but He may also allow suffering to come for reasons we cannot understand. It is Satan's strategy to get us to doubt God at exactly this moment. Here Job shows a perspective broader than seeking his own personal comfort. If we always knew why we were suffering, our faith would have no room to grow.

Three wise friends of Job heard about his troubles and set out to sympathize and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him. They began to weep aloud, tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. ~ Later, it was learned that their words of comfort were not helpful, but at least they came. While God rebuked them for what they said (42:7), He did not rebuke them for what they did - making the effort to come to someone who was in need. Unfortunately, when they came, 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.

Why did the friends arrive and then sit quietly? According to Jewish tradition, people who come to comfort someone in mourning should not speak until the mourner speaks. Often the best response to another's suffering is silence. Job's friends realized that his pain was too deep to be healed with mere words, so they said nothing. (If only they had continued to sit quietly!) Often, we feel we must say something spiritual and insightful to a hurting friend. Perhaps what he or she needs most is just our presence, showing how much we care. Pat answers and trite quotations say much less than empathetic silence and loving companionship.

Job's response to his second test - physical affliction - contrasts greatly to his attitude after the first test (1:20-22). Job still did not curse God, but he cursed the day of his birth. He felt it would have been better never to have been born than to be foresaken by God. Job was still struggling emotionally, physically and spiritually; his misery was pervasive and deep. Never underestimate how vulnerable we are during times of suffering and pain. We must hold onto our faith, even if there is no relief.

Job was experiencing extreme physical pain as well as grief over the loss of his family and possessions. He can't be blamed for wishing he were dead. Job's grief placed him at the crossroads of his faith, shattering many misconceptions about God (such as: He makes you rich, always keeps you from trouble or pain, or protects your loved ones). Job was driven back to the basics of his faith in God. He had only two choices: (1) he could curse God and give up, or (2) he could trust God and draw strength from Him to continue.

Job had been careful not to worship material possessions but to worship God alone. Here he was overwhelmed by calamities that mocked his caution, and he complained about trials that came despite his right living. All the principles by which he had lived were crumbling, and Job began to lose his perspective. Trials and grief, whether temporary or enduring, do not destroy the real purpose of life. Life is not given merely for happiness and personal fulfillment, but for us to serve and honor God. The worth and meaning of life is not based on what we feel, but on the one reality no one can take away - God's love for us. Don't assume that because God truly loves you, He will always prevent suffering. The opposite may be true. God's love cannot be measured or limited by how great or how little we may suffer. Romans 8:38,39 teaches us that nothing can separate us from God's love.

Job's friend Eliphaz claimed to have been given secret knowledge through a special revelation from God (4:12-16), and that he had learned much from personal experience(4:8). He argued that suffering is a direct result of sin, so if Job would only confess his sin, his suffering would end. Eliphaz saw suffering as God's punishment, which should be welcomed in order to bring a person back to God. In some cases, of course, this may be true (Galatians 6:7,8), but it was not true with Job. Although Eliphaz had many good and true comments, he made three wrong assumptions: (1) a good and innocent person never suffers (2) those who suffer are being punished for their past sins (3) Job, because he was suffering, had done something wrong in God's eyes.

All of the material recorded and quoted in the Bible is there by God's choice. Some is a record of what people said and did but is not an example to follow. the sins, the defeats, the evil thoughts and misconceptions about God are all part of God's divinely inspired Word, but we should not follow those wrong examples just because they are in the bible. The Bible gives us teachings and examples of what we should "not do". Eliphaz's comments are an example of what we should try to avoid - making false assumptions about others based on our own experiences.

Although Eliphaz claimed that his vision was divinely inspired, it is doubtful that it came from God because later God criticized Eliphaz for misrepresenting him (42:7). Whatever is the vision's source, it is summarized in 4:17. On the surface, this statement is completely true - a mere mortal cannot compare to God and should not try to question God's motives and actions. Eliphaz, however, took this thought and expounded on it later, expressing his own opinions. His conclusion (5:8) reveals a very shallow understanding of Job and his suffering. It is easy for teachers, counsellors and well-meaning friends to begin with a portion of God's truth but then go off in a tangent. Don't limit God to your perspective and finite understanding of life.

Eliphaz said that sinful human beings are far beneath God and the angels. He was right about God's greatness, but he did not understand God's greater purposes concerning suffering. All three friends made the mistake of assuming Job had commited some great sin that had caused his suffering. Neither they nor Job knew of Satan's conversation with God (1:6-2:8). It is human nature to blame people for their own troubles, but Job's story makes it clear that blame cannot always be attatched to those whom trouble strikes.

Paul later quoted part of this verse (1 Corinthians 3:19), the only time Job is clearly quoted in the New Testament. Although God rebuked Eliphaz for being wrong in his advice to Job (42:7) not all he said was in error. The part Paul quoted was correct - people are often caught in their own traps (in their craftiness). This illustrates how Scripture must be used to explain and comment on itself. We must be familiar with the entire scope of God's Word to properly understand the difficult portions of it.

Eliphaz's words in 5:17,18 show a view of discipline that has been almost forgotten; pain can help us grow. These are good words to remember when we face hardship and loss. Because Job did not understand why he suffered, his faith in God had a chance to grow. On the other hand, we must not make Eliphaz's mistake. God does not eliminate all hardship when we are following him closely, and good behavior is not always rewarded by posterity. Rewards for good and punishment for evil are in God's hands and given out according to His timetable. Satan's ploy is to get us to doubt God's goodwill toward us.

We know that God does watch over everything that happens to us. We must never forget that he sees us with compassion, not merely with critical scrutiny. His eyes are eyes of love. One of man's basic needs is for security, and people will do almost anything to feel secure. Eventually, however, our money, possessions, knowledge, and relationships will fail or be gone. Only God can give lasting security. What have you trusted for security? How lasting is it? If you have a secure foundation with God, feelings of insecurity will not undermine you. Regarding the myths in Job, it is only to be remembered that God is sovereign over all the forces.

In times of extended sickness or prolonged pain, it is natural for people to doubt, to despair, or to become impatient. During those times, people need someone to listen to them, to help them work out their feelings and frustrations. Your patience with their impatience will help them. Job began to wallow in self-pity. when we face baffling affliction, our pain lures us to feeling sorry for ourselves. At this point, we are only one step from self-righteousness, where we keep track of life's injustices and say "Look what happened to me; how unfair it is!" We may feel like blaming God. Remember that life's trials, whether allowed by God or sent by God, can be the means for development and refinement. When facing trials, ask, "What can I learn and how can I grow?" Rather than "Who did this to me and how can I get out of it.

Wrong assumptions lead to wrong conclusions. We dare not take our limited experiences and jump to conclusions about life in general. If you find yourself doubting God, remember that you don't have all the facts. God only wants the best for your life. Many people endure great pain, but ultimately they find some greater good came from it. When you're struggling, don't assume the worst.

The views expressed by Job about death were common in Old Testament times, that the dead went to a joyless, dark place. There was no punishment or reward there, and no escape from it.

We are often tempted by the thought, "No one will ever know!" Perhaps we hide some sin from others, but we can do "nothing" without God knowing about it. Because our very thoughts are known to God, of course he will notice our sins. Zophar, Job's 3rd friend had thought Job to be deceitful and told him that God does know what sins are committed. Though Zophar's assumtions were wrong, he explained quite accurately that God knows and sees everything. Job continued to maintain that his friends had completely misunderstood the reason for his suffering. Job didn't know it either, but he was certain that his friends' reasons were both narrow-minded and incorrect. Once again, Job appealed to God to give him an answer (13:3).

Job affirmed that no leader has any real wisdom apart from God. No research or report can outweigh God's opinion. No scientific discovery or medical advance takes Him by surprise. When we look for guidance for our decisions, we must recognize that God's wisdom is superior to any the world has to offer. Don't let earthy advisers dampen your desire to know God better.

We must be careful and compassionate in how we apply Biblical condemnations to others, we must be slow to judge. Life is brief and full of trouble, Job laments in his closing remarks. Sickness, loneliness, disappointment and death cause Job to say that life is not fair. Some understand verses 14 and 15 to mean that even in his gloom, Job hoped for the resurrection of the dead.

God's solution to believers who live in an unfair world is to guarantee life with Him forever. No matter how unfair your present world seems, God offers the hope of being in His presence eternally. Have you accepted this offer?

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