People in the Bible Who Pleased God - Job

    Just before we delve into Job, here’s a small fun fact I learned: The book of Job is actually a poem. Beginning and ending in prose with the poetry in the middle; it is considered a masterpiece of Hebrew poetry. Interesting, eh? Now, let’s get in to our study!

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” (Job 1:1 NKJV)

    The LORD, Himself, described Job in this way: “…My servant Job…there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8)

    Job was the greatest* of all people of the East. He possessed 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen (= 1000 oxen), 500 female donkeys, and a very large household (= servants and family).

*greatest means distinguished amongst men. Both Job’s character (v1) and his possessions (and the land needed to keep them) made him quite notable amongst those who lived in the East at that time. Other men in the Old Testament described as being great: Moses (very great, Exodus 11:3), David (2 Samuel 5:10), and Mordecai (Esther 9:4).

    But in one day, Job lost all his oxen and donkeys to raiding Sabeans, all his sheep to fire, all his camels to three bands of raiding Chaldeans, all his children (seven sons and three daughters, Job 1:2) to a windstorm, and all his herdsman/servants except the four messengers who alone escaped each devastating event to tell Job of his losses.

    In rapid succession – each subsequent messenger arrived before the previous messenger had even finished speaking (Job 1:16, 17, 18) – Job heard these devastating reports and this is how he responded: He got up, tore his robe, shaved his head (both genuine symbols of deep grief*), and fell to the ground and worshiped the LORD.

*Other examples of this type of grieving: Tearing of garments – Reuben (Genesis 37:29), Jacob (Genesis 37:34), David and his men (2 Samuel 1:11-12), Joshua (Joshua 7:6), and Jephthah (Judges 11:35). Shaving of hair – the people of Moab (Jeremiah 48:37-38), and the mariners viewing Tyre (Ezekiel 27:29-32). Note: The children of Israel were commanded to not shave the front of their head when mourning for the dead (Deuteronomy 14:1-2). The fact that Job shaved his head while mourning is a good indicator that he lived before the time of Moses and the Law; and considering his lifespan (he lived for another 140 years after God replenished his losses, 42:16-17), some scholars place him around the time of the patriarchs.

    Job, in worship, said, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21). It is after this declaration that the LORD repeats His first description of Job and adds: “And still he holds fast to his integrity” (Job 2:3).

    Integrity, as used in the book of Job, means innocence.  The LORD knew that there was no cause to destroy Job (2:3); he had done nothing wrong. It was Satan who wanted to see Job suffer and stumble. He saw God’s blessings on Job as a hedge of protection (1:10); he thought that if Job’s physical blessings were taken away from him, then surely Job would curse God to His face. When Job responded to his losses with worship and blessing, Satan desired to go further; he wanted to threaten Job’s very life in the hopes that he would finally turn and curse God to His face (2:4-5). So, the LORD permitted him to afflict Job, but would not allow Satan to take Job’s life. Job was struck with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, and sitting in a pile of ashes (another show of grieving, Jonah 3:6), Job tried to find a moment’s relief by scraping his skin with a piece of broken pottery.

Note: curse = depart from, turn away, while speaking words of irreverent contempt

    Job’s wife, who was also grieving the loss of all seven of her children, likely knew the loss of livestock also meant loss of income. Now she sees her husband’s health and wellbeing in jeopardy; she may have wondered, ‘What more will happen? How much more loss can I bear?’ and in possible anxiety, frustration, and upset, she says to Job, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (2:9)   

    Job’s friends heard of his troubles, came to mourn with him and comfort him (2:11-13). They saw him at a distance, and he was so disfigured that they wept aloud, tore their robes, and sprinkled dust on their heads (this form of mourning is also seen in Joshua 7:6, Nehemiah 9:1, Lamentations 2:10, and Ezekiel 27:30). His friends came closer, and sat in silence with him for seven days and seven nights. It seemed Job had their support until they opened their mouths against him. Each in their turn, they told him that he must have some secret sin that he clings to and refuses to give up; to their thinking, that is why God is punishing him (and why He punished Job’s children, see 8:4). Job hears them, refutes them, and declares them all to be “worthless physicians” (13:4-5) and “miserable comforters” (16:1-2); they look upon Job as stubborn and self-righteous, he looks upon them as an unexpected source of additional pain and suffering.

    Job endured through personal loss (including loss of physical wellbeing), the loss of his wife’s support, loss of his friend’s support, and he believed he had lost his God’s support on top of all that. Job suffered greatly, and felt that a life without these things should never have been (see Chapter 3).

    Job desired to stand before God to have “his case” tried, to defend himself, and discover why God would contend with him and oppress him (10:1-22), and it is not until Chapter 38 that Job hears from God and Job’s response to what the LORD states and asks of him is yet another reason why I feel he belongs in this series of study: “Then Job answered the LORD and said: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer, yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”  (Job 40:3-5) The LORD continues to question him, and at the end Job humbly responds, “…I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know… I have heard You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You*. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”  (42:3, 5-6)  *“but now my eye sees You” I believe this is Job’s poetic way of saying that his understanding has now been broadened, that his eyes have been opened to begin to take in the scope of God’s magnificent and manifold wisdom.

    It is after this that the LORD commands Job’s friends to take seven bulls and seven rams to Job to offer as burnt sacrifices and to ask Job to pray for them, because what they had spoken of God was not right (42:7-9). When Job prayed for his friends, God restored all of Job’s losses – twice as much as he had before (42:10-12) – and he was again blessed with seven sons and three daughters, and lived to see his great great grandchildren (42:13-17).

What can we learn from Job?

    We need to pray for our children and our friends. Job continued to pray for his children even after some (or all) of them had houses of their own (Job 1:4-5); it was his regular habit. What greater gift can we give our children (beyond teaching them about God and His way) than asking our heavenly God to bless them, to be merciful and gracious to them, to forgive them, and to grant them help, health, and safety? Job prayed for his friends (Job 42:10), and we should too, just as we pray for our children. Read and consider 1 Samuel 12:21-24 and think on the apostle Paul’s prayers for his ‘children in the faith’ throughout his epistles.  

    Friends and family may fail us, but God never will. Read and think on Mark 10:29-30 and Matthew 19:29. Don’t put your trust in people (Psalm 146:3-4), put your trust in God (Jeremiah 17:5-8, Psalm 1). Our spouse can run short on hope in God, our friends may believe their way of thinking is right, and they all may encourage us to go along with them in their beliefs, but if it is not in accord with God, if it causes us to turn from honouring and serving Him in any way, we need to take a stand for what is right, for what is truth, stay the course, and guide the erring to the Light (Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 3:1-2).  

    When troubles come, don’t ask, “Why me?” ask instead, “Help me!” Teach yourself to trust God (Psalm 34:8, James 1:2-4, Romans 5:1-5) and to look for His blessings of help and comfort (Hebrews 4:16, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4). He is faithful  to help us today, and He is already in Tomorrow when our eyes open to it – His blessings do not run out, they are renewed every morning (Lamentations 3:22-26). He waits to bless us; He longs to be gracious to us (Isaiah 30:18). Trust Him. Trust His timing. Trust His help. Look for God’s abundant blessings as you go through your troubles and trials; He does not forsake the righteous (Psalm 34:4, 17-18; 37:25-26)

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.” (Psalm 92:1-2 NKJV)

    We only know part, but God knows the whole (read and think on Isaiah 55:8-9, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 John 3:1-2). As Job discovered, there are things too wonderful for us to fully comprehend, so what a blessing it is that we can simply put our trust in the very One who knows all and cares so deeply for us. “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, see also James 4:10) God wants to bless us/restore us, and that may be in this life or in eternity, but either way we know it will be okay because it is He who is over all.  Jesus, in His trials, committed Himself “to Him who judges righteously” – the One who sees all and knows all – let’s follow in Jesus’ steps and endure faithfully through our troubles!  

“Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and see the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” (James 5:11 NKJV)

    A new way to look at troubles: My Dad often said, ‘When we are faced with difficulties, think of it like this – in every situation there are three votes cast – the first is cast by God who believes you can overcome, the second is cast by the devil who desires you to fail, and the third vote is yours to cast… do you cast your vote with God or with the devil? With God’s help you can overcome (Genesis 4:7, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 John 5:4-5)! “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Read and consider Romans 8:31-39.

    If you are struggling – I encourage you to go to God and ask Him for help to endure and, if it is His will, to overcome. Look for His blessings, seek the truth in His word; let it comfort you (Romans 15:4-6). Trust in His promises, they do not fail (Hebrews 10:23); sing praises to him in the morning for His lovingkindness (mercy) and praise Him every night for His faithfulness – the LORD has helped you through 100% of your bad days, and He will keep helping because His mercies are renewed every.single.day. Let’s pray for our children and for each other. Life is often hard, but God is always good. Let’s run to Him – trust in Him – in good times and in bad, and serve Him faithfully all our days!!

You can do it! So can I!!