Book of Job (Part 1) - Words of Hope

Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. (Romans 5:1-5 NLT)

I mentioned the Old Testament book of Job in our last post: When King Uzziah Died, I Saw the Lord

Review: Sometimes, God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) takes away good things to give us better things in this life and in the world to come. The Lord doesn’t simply give us something. He gives us Someone. Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift and our only lasting hope.

I come back to that theme now.

A Book for Wise Living

The book of Job (pronounced jobe, rhyming with robe) deals with the problem of unexplainable human suffering, especially the distress of God’s believers/followers. The whole Bible was breathed out by God the Holy Spirit:

To make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus
To teach us the truth
To rebuke us (show us what’s wrong in our lives)
To correct us (show us God’s better way to live)
To train us in righteous character and conduct
To fully equip us to do good to everyone.¹

The Spirit gave the whole Bible to make us whole, redeemed human beings who resemble Jesus. Job is called a wisdom book along with Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes.

Here’s a very brief outline of the book:

Job chapters 1-2	Job, God’s believer, suffers severely
Job chapters 3-37	Job and his friends discuss the reason why he is in agony
Job chapters 38-41	The Lord speaks with Job and reveals His greatness
Job chapter 42	God restores what Job lost and gives him even more

A Sinner Saved by God’s Grace

Job, the hero, wasn’t sinless, but he was forgiven and changed by the Lord. His heart, mind, and life were shaped by knowing God, so he lived in a God-honoring way, loving God and his neighbors. Like King David, Job was a man after the Lord’s own heart.²

Job was a non-Jew (or pre-Jewish), who probably lived near the time of Abraham (2000-1800 BC). For a time, God withdrew His blessing from Job without Job knowing why, and Job endured unbearable pain. Over the course of the book’s 42 chapters, the Lord shows His love and faithfulness by preserving Job. He was at the end of his rope, but God helped him to tie a knot and hang on.

The New Testament book of James was written by the Lord Jesus’ younger half-brother and says: Blessed is the one who perseveres (endures, remains faithful, sticks it out) under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him… Brothers and sisters, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 1:12, 5:11)

The “Job Response”

In recent years, God the Holy Spirit helped Jim and Marie Stevens to be like Job in devastating circumstances. They were decent people, making a good income, maintaining a home, and raising two sons. Then came a wake-up call. Their older son, Jim Jr., was checking the roadside mailbox. Just then, a truck raced over the hill, smashed into him, and killed him instantly. Jim and Marie’s life was shattered. Their once-happy home was now full of sorrow. Additional troubles with work and money soon followed.

About one year later, Jim was leaving his pastor’s home and paused at the door. With a puzzled smile, he said, “You know, in the last year, I’ve lost my son and my job, and I’m making $20,000 less, and I’ve never been happier in my life.”³

Jim didn’t deny the bad stuff. That’s not faith; it’s foolish. But in the year after his son’s death, Jim began to trust, obey, and follow Christ in a new way. Jim and Marie learned that sometimes God sends troubles and problems to bring us to faith in Christ and make us more Christ-like. Hardships come uninvited and unexpected, sometimes one at a time, sometimes like a long freight train. Scripture says that troubles are inevitable for God’s people, and we can’t fully escape them in this life.

The question is — how will we handle hardship? Will we resist change or draw closer to God? Let’s not pull away and harden our hearts. Let’s say “I trust you, Jesus!” and experience God’s “faith chain reaction” from Romans 5 (shown at the top of this post). Jim and Marie Stevens learned to trust. “The Lord will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge. The fear of God is the key to this treasure.”⁴

The fear of the Lord is loving respect and reverence for God. It makes His children bend ourselves humbly and carefully to our Father’s laws. His saving love to us is so sweet that we earnestly desire to please Him. (Charles Bridges, adapted)

Some Key Verses from Job

Job 1:21, 2:10 After Satan took away Job’s wealth, family, and health, he 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 Lord’s name be praised… Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Like us, Job didn’t understand God’s secret ways and plans. He didn’t know that Satan, our enemy, was prowling around like a roaring lion looking to devour him. Yet Job wrestled with his doubts, seeking to trust the Lord’s wisdom, power, and love and to submit to God. Sometimes the Lord sends blessing, and sometimes He sends hardship. Whatever He ordains is right.⁵

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of His Scriptures. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

In John 9, Jesus’ disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Christ answered, “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” Later on, Jesus healed the blind man and his story had a happy ending. Job’s story also ended well; see chapter 42. The story for all of Christ’s followers will also end wonderfully. See Revelation chapters 21-22. The book of Job teaches us to take the long-term view, rather than to expect instant answers. That’s hard!

Job 13:15 Job said. “Though the Lord slay me, yet will I hope in Him.”

As time goes on, Job’s faith is stretched to its limits. God, his Savior and Friend, seems distant and detached. Job comes close to cursing God, but he never does. Job is a serious believer in God and Lord-follower. But he’s also just a frail human being, like us, and he gets confused, angry, and feels forsaken by God. I love that Job talks to God with total honesty and openness, and the Lord does not condemn him for that. Job shows us how to complain to God rather than complain against God.

Job has nowhere else to go, so he keeps on running back to God. He reminds me of Daniel’s three friends who said, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us…. But even if He doesn’t, we will never serve false gods or worship the gold statue of a human king.”⁶

God is always able to rescue us from anything, anytime, but sometimes He delays His rescue until after we die or when Jesus returns for us.

Job 19:25–27 Job said, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I myself will see Him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

Prayer

Lord, You are totally trustworthy. Help us to remember who You are. You are the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.⁷ You are wise in all Your ways, and good in all Your purposes. You have never broken a promise, never made a mistake, and never stop loving Jesus’ repenting and believing children. Like Job, we bow before Your greatness. Like David, we take refuge in You. Like Christ, we entrust ourselves to the Heavenly Father who always does what is right. Increase our trust in You. Amen

To be continued.

Notes (various Bible translations): ¹ 2 Tim 3:15-17. ² 1 Sam 13:14.⁴James (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, 1994). ⁴ Isa 33:6. ⁵ From the hymn, Whatever My God Ordains is Right, Author: Samuel Rodigast (1675); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863). ⁶ Dan 3:17-18. ⁷ Ex 34:6-7.

A Book for Wise Living

A Sinner Saved by God’s Grace

The “Job Response”

Some Key Verses from Job

Prayer

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