Job 13:15 - Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
I've been "stuck" in the book of Job. I really wish I were somewhere else but there's wisdom here. This book is frustrating, critical and determined. And to be honest with you, there are times I just don't get it. However, it shows how we can be under the enemy's attack and that perseverance is the answer. Job was a godly man with wealth and family. Job was tested and his faith put on the line.
Satan was attempting to frustrate Job and cause him to curse God to prove Job was not as godly a man as everyone thought. It was in an attempt to make God look foolish. How foolish is that? But this is what the enemy does. It's his desire to bring separation between man and God. There is a fight in the heavenlies and on earth right now for this very thing. God allowed Satan to test Job, but only under His almighty power. He could take away his possessions and family and bring disease upon him, but could not take his life. It basically shows that although one can be godly, God still will allow suffering and man cannot always understand God's way. It is our trust in all things that God desires. Without testing I believe we grow stagnant in our walk with God. Our trust in Him would become lax.
Job had three friends who meant well as they attempted to define Job's suffering as brought on by sin. Isn't it just like a man to want to "fix" things instead of just listening? They were all considered wise men with man's wisdom and understanding of sin. They accused Job of having unconfessed sin in his life and because of this God was bringing punishment upon Job. As they accused they also tried to comfort but their words only wounded Job. They tried to answer the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" but no amount of understanding of God's Word or the Law can give the answer to this question. God is Almighty and is a great mystery sometimes.
Job's wife was a bitter woman who tried to get Job to just "curse God and die." She, like his three friends, couldn't understand how he could continue to maintain his righteousness through all this testing. She had become hard-hearted because of all that was taken from them and didn't want to hear what Job had to say. They both suffered great loss and she was now having to "put up" with a man who, in addition to losing so much, was now suffering from leprosy. She chose to be angry with God and she may have considered death a quick way to end the misery he was facing. Her grief, not her trust in God, got the better of her.
I've been "stuck" in the book of Job. I really wish I were somewhere else but there's wisdom here. This book is frustrating, critical and determined. And to be honest with you, there are times I just don't get it. However, it shows how we can be under the enemy's attack and that perseverance is the answer. Job was a godly man with wealth and family. Job was tested and his faith put on the line.
Satan was attempting to frustrate Job and cause him to curse God to prove Job was not as godly a man as everyone thought. It was in an attempt to make God look foolish. How foolish is that? But this is what the enemy does. It's his desire to bring separation between man and God. There is a fight in the heavenlies and on earth right now for this very thing. God allowed Satan to test Job, but only under His almighty power. He could take away his possessions and family and bring disease upon him, but could not take his life. It basically shows that although one can be godly, God still will allow suffering and man cannot always understand God's way. It is our trust in all things that God desires. Without testing I believe we grow stagnant in our walk with God. Our trust in Him would become lax.
Job had three friends who meant well as they attempted to define Job's suffering as brought on by sin. Isn't it just like a man to want to "fix" things instead of just listening? They were all considered wise men with man's wisdom and understanding of sin. They accused Job of having unconfessed sin in his life and because of this God was bringing punishment upon Job. As they accused they also tried to comfort but their words only wounded Job. They tried to answer the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" but no amount of understanding of God's Word or the Law can give the answer to this question. God is Almighty and is a great mystery sometimes.
Job's wife was a bitter woman who tried to get Job to just "curse God and die." She, like his three friends, couldn't understand how he could continue to maintain his righteousness through all this testing. She had become hard-hearted because of all that was taken from them and didn't want to hear what Job had to say. They both suffered great loss and she was now having to "put up" with a man who, in addition to losing so much, was now suffering from leprosy. She chose to be angry with God and she may have considered death a quick way to end the misery he was facing. Her grief, not her trust in God, got the better of her.
Satan does not want people coming into relationship with God because he was once great in God's kingdom, grew too proud of himself and was thrown out of heaven to rule and reign on this earth. He has a vendetta against God and he is determined to steal as many away from the Lord as possible. You can see in this world the effects of his handiwork. He is allowed to test believers. God allows testing in our lives to develop our strength--and to find out just how faithful we truly are. Through our sufferings good arises. God will do what He has the right to do because that's who He is. Thankfully, even when we are tested, if we hold fast to the Lord, we will be brought through the fires of testing. We can be delivered from testing, brought through it or delivered by it. Again, if we are believers, whatever the end result, the hand of God is upon us and we are saved.
Although I'm only halfway through Job I know that the outcome is good, his losses are restored, even doubled--as a result of his prayers for his friends--and his friends reprimanded by God for their behavior. Quite a lesson here. Despite our trials, we are to praise God, worship Him, just trust His ways are best, and He will bring us through.
Job 23:10 - But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
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