| Job was a man who was perfect (not sinless) and upright, one that feared God and turned away from evil. Job is a perfect example of universal suffering, why those are good suffer along with the individuals who are called bad. Job was a man who God had allowed to obtain riches and fame. He had all of the finer things in life. Satan knew this, and wanted to bring sorrow and pain into Job?s life for the main purpose of showing God that these were the reasons Job was so faithful. Satan was wrong as always. Job understood that it is the Lord that gives and takes away, for Job said, ?blessed be the Lord.? The book of Job was written to instruct us, to rebuke and correct us, and perhaps to prepare us to handle the hardships of life, the experiences of bereavement, loss, and grief at a level that man could never hope to achieve.Job is a book about a man who believed in God, a believer who was badly advised by three friends who were ill equipped to counsel, and had no grasp of the spiritual realities that God teaches.God permits suffering in the life of the believer in order to strengthen his faith. It is precisely when the hedges are moved from around us that we find ourselves depending upon God. The more we are deprived of the temporal supports for our earthly happiness, the more we are driven to the Lord for our comfort. This is why Job was chosen. Because of his completely undeserved suffering, his steadfastness in faith, and his complete submission to God, Job received the honor of becoming a chief figure in the Bible (Psalm 23, Hebrews 12:11, James 5:11).God?s ways are often beyond our understanding because we view the issues of life from a limited earthly perspective. God?s viewpoint is from above, he sees all things from the standpoint of eternity. We must simply trust him even when we cannot understand what he is doing. Whenever we do not understand why God allows us to be afflicted, we are simply to trust him fully, believing that he knows what is best for our benefit and glory. We must always understand that God?s thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways. He has eternity in view, and he is moved by considerations too vast and profound for our earthly minds to comprehend.
|
