Job Fears God (part 2)
We wrapped up part one of this blog on Job as he responded to his unimaginable loses: Everything Job has, all his net worth, all his resources and all his children gone, all at once. Will Satan be right, will Job curse God to His face? Lets see.
Job 1:20-22 Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety. (NET)
How do we even begin to wrap our minds around Job's response?
Can any of us imagine how devastated we would be if we lost even one of our children, let alone all of them (in Job's case ten children)? Can we imagine how we would feel if we lost our entire net worth?
Job has no idea why any of this is happening to him, but he knows that if he is going to get any help at all in dealing with this situation, it is going to come from God.
Psalm 121:1,2 I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth! (NET)
It is important to notice, that Job said he came into the world naked and naked he would leave. Job realized a very important principle that many humans throughout history have been unable to understand - We cannot take anything with us when we leave this life, except our love for God.
Job also said, "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away". Here again, Job acknowledges another important principle: We have earned or gained nothing of value on our own, anything we have acquired or achieved should be recognized as a gift from God. Furthermore, just as God has given these things to us, He can allow that they be taken from us and He doesn't need to explain His actions to us.
Job 1:22 closes by stating: "In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety". (NET)
Job has not charged God with having a malicious intent against him. Remember, even though Job does not know why all this is happening to him, we know that God is using this experience to prove to Satan, that Job's integrity and faith in God, will persist even in the midst of trials. Job clearly recognizes God's authority in his life.
James 1:12 Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him. (NET)
Unfortunately for Job, this is not the end of his testing, as Satan remained unconvinced of Job's commitment to God as we will see in the following verses.
Round Two
Job 2:1-6 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason.”
But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life! But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”
So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life.” (NET)
In this second encounter, God is telling Satan that Job's integrity remained solid after Satan had been given approval to affect all that Job possessed. God's statement to Satan also clarifies that Job had done nothing to deserve such hardship.
But Satan refuses to admit he was wrong and instead, he makes an excuse for his error in judgment. Satan states that the reason Job did not curse God to His face was because God had not allowed Satan to affect Job's physical body.
Notice also that Satan again suggests that God personally be the one to affect Job, and God again responds by allowing Satan to afflict Job, this time in respect to his physical body. God places only one restriction on Satan, he cannot kill Job.
Job 2:7-10 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the sole of his feet to the top of his head. Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.
Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said. (NET)
Up to this point we have heard nothing about Job's wife, we can only imagine she is in turmoil over all that has taken place. Her comments certainly reveal that her faith is not as strong as her husbands. Job informs her that she is speaking as someone who has no faith or understanding of God.
Then Job presents a question which is ultimately about authority. Will we accept God's authority only when we receive good things and reject God's authority and rebel against what He has allowed, in those times when we are faced with trails?
Job understands that God is Sovereign, that God is in charge, that God does not need to get approval from us to implement His perfect plan. Job acknowledges that undesirable things can come our way just as quickly as good things and who are we to question what God allows. Job realizes that his life is in God's hand and while Job's efforts may influence his success or failure in any particular endeavor, God is ultimately the one who determines what lies ahead.
Proverbs 16:9 A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps. (NET)
Job has a healthy, respectful, reverent fear of God, and so should we.
Until next time - May the Lord bless you to know Him.
The NET Bible® is freely available at www.bible.org