God is not silent after all…
Job 1:8: “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that
there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God, and escheweth evil?”
Job
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the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned
evil irrespective of his wealth and blessings from God. Bible gives Job’s wealth as “having seven thousand sheep, and three thousand
camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very
great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east”.
Heavenly Permission- Satan needs it!
Heavenly Permission- Satan needs it!
The book of Job opens
with a scene in heaven where Satan comes to accuse Job before God. He insists Job
only serves God because God protects him and Satan was asking for God’s
permission to test Job’s faith and
loyalty. God grants His permission, only within certain boundaries. Why do the
righteous suffer? This is the question raised after Job loses his family, his wealth, and his health. Job's three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and
Zophar, came to “comfort” him and to discuss his crushing series of tragedies.
They insist his suffering is punishment for sin in his life. Job, though, remains devoted to God
through all of this and contends that his life has not been one of sin. A
fourth man, Elihu, tells Job he needs
to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life.
Finally, Job questions God Himself
and learns valuable lessons about the sovereignty of God and his need to
totally trust in the Lord. Job is
then restored to health, happiness and prosperity beyond his earlier state.
Pondering over the situation
Pondering over the situation
As Job was pondering the cause of his misery, three questions came to
his mind, all of which are answered only in our Lord Jesus Christ. These
questions occur in chapter 14. First, in verse 4, Job asks, "Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No
one!?" Job’s question comes from
a heart that recognizes it cannot possibly please God or become justified in
His sight. God is holy; we are not. Therefore, a great gulf exists between man
and God, caused by sin. But the answer to Job’s
anguished question is found in Jesus Christ. He has paid the penalty for our
sin and has exchanged it for His righteousness, thereby making us acceptable in
God’s sight (Hebrews 10:14; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Job’s second question, "But man dies and lies prostrate; Man expires, and where is he?" (vs. 14), is another question about eternity and life and death that is answered only in Christ. With Christ, the answer to ‘where is he?’ is eternal life in heaven. Without Christ, the answer is an eternity in “outer darkness” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).
Job’s third question, found in verse 14, is “If a man dies, will he live again?” Once again, the answer is found in Christ. We do indeed live again if we are in Him. “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).
Practical Application
Job’s second question, "But man dies and lies prostrate; Man expires, and where is he?" (vs. 14), is another question about eternity and life and death that is answered only in Christ. With Christ, the answer to ‘where is he?’ is eternal life in heaven. Without Christ, the answer is an eternity in “outer darkness” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).
Job’s third question, found in verse 14, is “If a man dies, will he live again?” Once again, the answer is found in Christ. We do indeed live again if we are in Him. “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).
Practical Application
The Book of Job
reminds us that there is a "cosmic conflict" going on behind the
scenes that we usually know nothing about. Often we wonder why God allows certain
things to happen to us, especially when we think we know Him, and we question
or doubt God's goodness, without seeing the full picture. The Book of Job teaches us to trust God under all
circumstances. We must trust God, not only WHEN we do not understand, but
BECAUSE we do not understand. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is
perfect” (Psalm 18:30). If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that
whatever He does—and whatever He allows—is also perfect. This may not seem
possible to us, but our minds are not God’s mind. It is true that we can’t
expect to understand His mind perfectly, as He reminds us- “For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Nevertheless, our responsibility
to God is to obey Him, to trust Him and to submit to His will, whether we
understand it or not.
The Book of Job
helps us to understand the following: Satan cannot bring financial and physical
destruction upon us unless it is by God's permission. God has power
over what Satan can and cannot do. It is beyond our human ability to understand
the "why's" behind all the suffering in the world. The wicked will
receive their just dues. We cannot always blame suffering and sin on our
lifestyles. Suffering may sometimes be allowed in our lives to purify, test,
teach or strengthen the soul. God remains enough! HE deserves and requests our
love and praise in all circumstances of life. Amen!
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