Job Series

May 29, 2021

Many are irritated by the book of Job and either discount it as purely fiction or ignore it all together for one reason – the unfair suffering of Job.

Humans care very deeply about fairness and justice and if Job had been a terrible, awful person, we might very well have cheered when his life fell apart – he got exactly what he deserved….. and that’s the problem. Job was, according to scripture, blameless and up right, he feared God and turned away from evil {Job 1:1} --- AND his life fell apart and we scream, “HOW UNFAIR!! GOD, HOW COULD YOU ALLOW SUCH A THING?”

Today I am going to throw a grenade in the fox hole. I don’t think the Book of Job is primarily about suffering or patient endurance, although those are certainly elements in the story. I think the book of Job is about a relationship. A relationship between one man and God. A relationship so deep that it with stood the VERY concerted efforts of Satan to destroy it. A relationship so deep that Job clung to it even when he didn’t understand the reasons for his suffering. A relationship so deep that a wrong world view and less than helpful friends could not break it.

It was a relationship that became an example for the entire universe.

That’s My Favorite Thing about Job ---- The Unbreakable relationship between Job and God.

I think this story is especially relevant today because when God doesn’t do what we want or allows something we don’t like or don’t understand, we feel perfectly justified in “cancelling” Him, just like we cancel everything else that doesn’t fit within our “how things should be” point of view.

Job was “the greatest of all the men of the east.” He was blameless and upright…. So, of course, he had lots of kids and lots of stuff BECAUSE good things happen to good people ---- right?

Abruptly the scene shifts and the curtain of heaven is peeled back. God has called a meeting and all the planetary representatives are there, including earth’s representative, Satan “the Villain”.

God goes over to Satan and asks him what he’s been up to.

Job 1:7b - … "I’ve been roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

In other words, he’d been prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. {1 Peter 5:8}

So… what God does next sometimes derails people – He says, “Interesting…. but have you noticed My servant, Job? There is no one like him in all the earth. He is blameless and upright. He is loyal to Me and doesn’t listen to you.” {Job 1:8}

Why would God start a conversation with Satan? Why would God pick Job out of the crowd? Just tip your hat and move on!!

Context is important. This conversation is taking place in Heaven – ground zero of the Great Controversy.

3 things are going on:

• Satan’s campaign platform centers around the lie that God is unfair. His laws aren’t fair. His judgments aren’t fair. His grace and mercies aren’t fair – nothing God does is fair. Life would be better for everyone if Satan was in charge.

• The Universe is watching and from their perspective it would seem that Satan’s campaign strategy is working on Earth – his outright lies and conspiracy theories have been very successful and they may be wondering if there are any faithful people --- at all --- anywhere.

• Job IS faithful and God is proud of their relationship. In other words, Satan has NOT BEEN completely successful.

Satan acknowledges that Job is blameless, upright and loyal BUT ONLY BECAUSE God has protected him and everything he has. He insinuates that Job’s loyalty is self-serving and that God has bought him off. The relationship is not genuine and if the hedge was removed, Job would curse God to His face.

A crowd begins to gather. Is Satan right? Could he be telling the truth?

God’s position is that Job IS faithful because their relationship IS real. God knows how Job will respond, but Satan does not and neither does the listening universe and so He takes up Satan’s challenge and stakes His own reputation and the truth of His government on the character and faithfulness of Job. God puts everything on the line based on His friendship with Job.

And Chaos ensues…… In one day, Job loses his employees, his businesses and his children {Job 1:14-19}.

And the universe holds its collective breath ---- How will Job respond?

Job 1:21-22 - "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. 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.