What Job Teaches us about God
The Lord speaks to Job out of the storm. [Job 38]
These are my observations about the end of the story of Job. A godly man who was tested by Satan with God’s permission. He endured much suffering at Satan’s hand, and, also had to endure the ‘comfort’ of his three friends. Men who were so mistaken about what was really happening that they blamed Job for his suffering. This prompted the phrase that we still sometimes use today: ‘Job’s comforter’. Not a compliment. But at the end of the book God speaks. There is so much to see about God in these last few chapters of the book. It reminds me of the song about God’s love that we sing at Gracepoint: “we are amazed, we stand in awe, for we have been changed by the power of the cross.” The more I know about Jesus, the more I know about God. And Jesus was there at the creation of the world and God describes so much of it here!!
It’s so amazing that Job got to hear God speak and even have a conversation with Him! Here are some things I noticed:
God is to be revered. His creation is to be awed and we should spend some time thinking about how amazing it is. “Let me understand the teaching of your precepts, then I will meditate on your wonders.” (Psalms 119:27)
God is good. But He does NOT need to give account to us for His actions: we do not get to define justice.
God created all things including us. He made the behemoth (possibly the hippopotamus or the elephant) right along with US. this should cause us to be humble in our hearts (Job 38:36)
It is pride for us to say: ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ We are all sinners in desperate need of God’s grace. “who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.” (Psalms 19:12) God is holy, and we are sinners.
It is also a big mistake to assume that we know why God allows suffering in anyone’s life. It is not our place to judge or to presume to know God’s thoughts. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8)
So, it is wise to keep our mouth shut when we don’t understand. And it’s okay not to understand, but NOT to claim that we do when we really don’t. This is what Job said to God (Job 42:2,3). “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, “Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?” “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.””
If we cannot stand before one of God’s creations, (for example, the crocodile) then who can stand before God? Who has a claim against Him that He must make right? Everything under heaven belongs to Him. Imagine if we lived as if we truly believe this: we would be much more humble and simply grateful to be alive. We don’t have all the answers, but only what He gives us. “Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind?” (Job 40:36). Therefore this is the kind of prayer that honors God: ‘Teach me to number my days that I may present to you a heart full of wisdom.’ (Psalm 90:12)
God honors those who honor Him. (Job 42:7) “After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” This is now the 3rd time that God has verbally honored Job! The first time, He honored Job in a conversation in heaven that Job was unaware of. In Job 1:6, ‘one day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.’ And when the Lord asked Satan where he had come from, he answered, ‘From roaming the earth and going back and forth in it.’ ‘Job 1:8 ‘The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him: he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” The second time was like the first, but it was another day. The angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also with them to present himself before Him. (Job 2:1) (notice here that Satan must present himself before the Lord, and the only power he has is power that has been given to him from God.) So the second time God honors Job is in (Job 2:3) ‘have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.’ What high praise! How awesome to think that God could be pleased enough with our lives to brag about us to the angels!
But also, we are part of a bigger story than we can see. It’s not just our circumstances that we are in, there is a spiritual battle going on for our lives! It changes the way I look at things. I used to look with only earthly eyes, but now, after my ‘season of wandering’ (which I talk about more elsewhere and that prompted all of my writing) I KNOW that I am loved by God, and the things that are happening in my life don’t have to define me. They are just circumstances that He will use to make me more like Him.
So even though Job had questioned God, he repented of this in Job 42:6 and then God honors him in Job 42:7,8. The 3 friends had to humble themselves before God AND Job, and ask Job to pray for them. They did this, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. Job was honored by God before his friends.
This is such a good reminder to me to walk humbly with God. Be kind to anyone who is suffering. Don’t judge people, only love them. God alone is their judge and mine. And to remember that all blessing comes from the hand of God alone. Job 42:12 says: ‘The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.’ And this is my favorite part, “And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch. 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.” (Job 42:13-15). Nowhere in the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters! Its stated as a fact, not even a matter of opinion! I love that. But isn’t that how God is…He makes things beautiful and all blessing comes from His generous hand.
