Job - Pt. 2

 

The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:7-12 ESV).

 

I am often fond of asking people four separate questions when they are faced with a calamity, especially one that is not of their own making. It is another way of helping people answer the age old question of “why bad things happen to good people?” I must warn you that the way I phrase the first question is purposefully shocking. The intention is to start people down the path of understanding that there is only one person who possesses the power to deliver us. It is much the same as Jesus’ teaching after he is approach by the rich young man (cf. Mathew 19:16-26). Ultimately the young man is sorely disappointed. The disciples question Jesus at the point of how can anyone possibly get into heaven if not this young man. Jesus answers:

 

[Jesus said] “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:24-26 ESV).

 

The question Satan asks God in our reading leads me to this question: “Does Job fear God for no reason?” (v. 9). So, my question to folks then becomes, “Who’s to blame for your suffering?” Remember, it is true that sometimes we simply “reap what we have sown”; however, the ultimate question is “who?” After all, we have seen people who seem to get away with so much evil that there seems to be a disparity in consequence. This is especially true when we really haven’t done anything to precipitate the suffering. It’s easy to blame Job’s suffering on Satan. It’s even easier to cite the cause of some of the things that befell him as mere coincidence. He happened to be “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” That is not what the Scripture says. We are told God gave Satan permission to do these things to Job. God is ultimately in control. That’s good news! If God is in control, we have the ultimate advocate who works on our behalf for good. We should never “fear God” for what we receive from Him. We have a relationship with Him because of His love and grace toward us. We must always go back to this absolute truth when we experience trial. He is our only hope!