20Something 4-26-05 - Job
The book of Job tells us that Job was a good man who tried his best to live an upright and blameless life. One day though after Satan asked God to test Job’s faith, blessings of family, prosperity, and good health were revoked and Job lost everything in the blink of an eye. Satan had become convinced that Job only loved God because God had blessed him so abundantly, and assumed that if the blessings were removed Job would have a change of heart and begin to curse God.
The New Revised Standard Version suggests that the story of Job is folklore and not a story that can be taken literally. That would make sense. How could any human eavesdrop on an audible conversation between God and Satan long enough to transcribe every word? Perhaps the story of Job is not history as much as it is a pointed fictional tale about the importance of faith that withstands trial. No matter the root, much can be learned from Job’s adventures.
Job 1: 13-22 (NIV)
13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 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!"
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 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 am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. [c] The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
The entire book of Job chronicles the struggle to understand as Job was being tested. How would you react if, in a short period of time, you lost nearly everything that was important to you? Later in Job it even says he ended up with sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head? What would you say to God if all of this happened to you?
Why do you think God allowed these things to happen to Job?
Naturally, Job was emotionally tormented by all that had happened to him. Job endured, but that does not mean he didn’t struggle. He had some harsh words for God as he tried to understand.
Job 10
1 "I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me.
3 Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?
4 Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?
5 Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a man,
6 that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin-
7 though you know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from your hand?
8 "Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?
9 Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?
10 Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.
13 "But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind:
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.
15 If I am guilty—woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in [a] my affliction.
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.
18 "Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me.
19 If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!
20 Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy
21 before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow, [b]
22 to the land of deepest night, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."
As a man of great faith, Job is sometimes portrayed as someone who passively accepted all that happened to him. But as we can see in this chapter, he struggled to make peace with things.
Is Job questioning God? Feeling sorry for himself? What is accomplished here?
Is this an acceptable part of the grief process? Why or why not?
Do you have struggles in your own life right now that cause you to cry out to God in a similar way? Explain.
The book of Job has a happy ending. The ending has the most impact when the story is read in its entirety and we’re able to see the intricacies of Job’s struggle, but here’s a glance.
Job 42:12-17.
12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.
Do you think Job was able to envision this ending the whole time? What kept him going?
Even though Job struggled, did he ever lose faith? Why or why not?
God is with us in times of struggle, and if bad things are allowed to happen to us it’s never without a Divine purpose. God works for good in all things.
It’s interesting that Job asked God to turn away from him, yet he never took the initiative and turned away from God. Perhaps he knew that he could not escape God. It’s apparent that deep down he didn’t want to.
If we allow God to be part of our struggles and expect God to deliver us, what happens at the end of the trial can be greater and more abundant that we ever thought possible.
Go from this place with hope! And peace. Amen.
The New Revised Standard Version suggests that the story of Job is folklore and not a story that can be taken literally. That would make sense. How could any human eavesdrop on an audible conversation between God and Satan long enough to transcribe every word? Perhaps the story of Job is not history as much as it is a pointed fictional tale about the importance of faith that withstands trial. No matter the root, much can be learned from Job’s adventures.
Job 1: 13-22 (NIV)
13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 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!"
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 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 am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. [c] The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
The entire book of Job chronicles the struggle to understand as Job was being tested. How would you react if, in a short period of time, you lost nearly everything that was important to you? Later in Job it even says he ended up with sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head? What would you say to God if all of this happened to you?
Why do you think God allowed these things to happen to Job?
Naturally, Job was emotionally tormented by all that had happened to him. Job endured, but that does not mean he didn’t struggle. He had some harsh words for God as he tried to understand.
Job 10
1 "I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me.
3 Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?
4 Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?
5 Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a man,
6 that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin-
7 though you know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from your hand?
8 "Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?
9 Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?
10 Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.
13 "But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind:
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.
15 If I am guilty—woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in [a] my affliction.
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.
18 "Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me.
19 If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!
20 Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy
21 before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow, [b]
22 to the land of deepest night, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."
As a man of great faith, Job is sometimes portrayed as someone who passively accepted all that happened to him. But as we can see in this chapter, he struggled to make peace with things.
Is Job questioning God? Feeling sorry for himself? What is accomplished here?
Is this an acceptable part of the grief process? Why or why not?
Do you have struggles in your own life right now that cause you to cry out to God in a similar way? Explain.
The book of Job has a happy ending. The ending has the most impact when the story is read in its entirety and we’re able to see the intricacies of Job’s struggle, but here’s a glance.
Job 42:12-17.
12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.
Do you think Job was able to envision this ending the whole time? What kept him going?
Even though Job struggled, did he ever lose faith? Why or why not?
God is with us in times of struggle, and if bad things are allowed to happen to us it’s never without a Divine purpose. God works for good in all things.
It’s interesting that Job asked God to turn away from him, yet he never took the initiative and turned away from God. Perhaps he knew that he could not escape God. It’s apparent that deep down he didn’t want to.
If we allow God to be part of our struggles and expect God to deliver us, what happens at the end of the trial can be greater and more abundant that we ever thought possible.
Go from this place with hope! And peace. Amen.
posted by Jen Austin at 6:50 AM
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