Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
It is easy to trust something when you can actually see it. If you can see what is unfolding right before your eyes, it is easy to trust God. The disciple Thomas could not believe when the other disciples said that they saw Jesus, because he was not there at that time. He did not see what the others saw. And so, believing was difficult for him.
Life is easier if everything could be seen. Life would be easier if we knew what the future holds for us. If we knew God’s timings. In present terms, it would be good if we knew when exactly this covid- pandemic would disappear from the face of the earth of if it would ever disappear.
But unfortunately that is now how God works. Many times, we cannot trace the ways of God in our lives. And Yet, God expects us to trust him.
When Abraham went to offer Isaac, it would have been easier for Abraham if he knew what was to happen. He probably wouldn’t have spent a sleepless night. And Abraham had to wait in faith. (Gen 22)
In the same way, God expects us to exercise our faith in God. The reason we trust God is not because we know what he is up to in our lives, but just because who He is. We trust him, despite not knowing His plans or His timings. Because we know He is a faithful God. We trust Him, knowing that our future is secure in His hands. We trust Him, not because the circumstances are favourable, but because He is our Father. He is our God.
There was once a party time! The eldest brother in the house throws a big party. He invites all his brothers and all his sisters. Everyone were having a good time together. There was a great feast, lots of fun, lots of laughter. But suddenly when everyone were still feasting, something happens.
All their happy faces suddenly become fearful.
Because, something that wasn't predicted happens. And they have no time to escape. A might wind comes in, strikes the four corners of the house, the house collapses on them and they all died. Everything just happens in a moment. Can you imagine the scene? Suddenly the feast house becomes a mortuary.
All ten children of Job died this manner. In a moment, they were all gone. Totally unexpected.
This news reaches Job’s ears. Can you imagine how he would have felt?
And, this is not the first bad news for the day. He already had enough.
What was the first news that he received? The Sabeans raided his oxen and his donkeys. (vs. 14, 15)
Second, the fire burnt his sheep. (vs. 16)
Third, the Chaldeans raided the camels. (vs. 17)
Most of his servants were killed.
And finally, all his children are dead. (vs. 18,19)
Just think through what’s happening. It is so hard to believe that something like this could ever happen. So many questions can come in your mind when you think through these incidents.
Why did Job’s children have to party the same day when animals are being raided?
We don’t know where the children held the party. But there was a great wind? And paradoxically, how come the great wind did nothing to the Sabeans and the Chaldeans?
At one place there was fire burning the sheep. At other place, there was a might windy that killed his children.
And everything happens in a row.. Because the verses say, Job 1:16,17, 18 - While he was still speaking – while he was still speaking – even before the first servant could finish the news, the second person speaks.
In a sense, Job had to time to even react. Before he could even absorb the gravity of the first news, there’s another shocking news that comes.
And as if all these troubles were not enough, painful boils occur from the sole of Job’s feet to the crown of his head.
What’s happening? It is important to remember that Job doesn’t know the conversation between Satan and God that happened in chapter 1. So, imagine what would be going on in Job’s mind? So many things are happening one after the other. Was it just a coincidence? Was it a planned attack against him?
It is said that in the 17th century Scottish Presbyterian from a church of London, John Hutchenson, preached 316 sermons on the book of Job. John Ovens, again from church of London, took 23 years 424 sermons and in final sermon, he wrote ‘I have not attained a clear understanding of some of the passages’.
Book of job raises lot of questions in life? The question of ‘Why’? Why me? Why trials? Why now? Why in this way? Fortunately, the book also gives answers.
While there are so many things and theologies hidden in the book of Job, there were some things that Job did learnt about God through the process. We will just quickly look at four things that we can learn and benefit:
1. THE POWER OF GOD’S SUPREMACY
“But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” Job 23:10
What a profound statement by Job, in the midst of loss and sickness.
But He knows the way that I take. I want to highlight the phrase - ‘He knows’. That is enough for me. The fact that He Knows what we am going through is a reason we can have hope and joy. If He Knows, it means He is in control. And if he still chooses to remain silent, it’s okay. He is still in control.
Very interestingly, throughout this chapter, in Job 23, you can almost read Job’s battle between his trust in God and the emotions he goes through because of the trouble he is facing. When we face troubles, faith in God first takes a backseat
Job vs 3-9 onwards, Job takes about his inability to trace God’s ways. I wish I was able to find out what His answer would be.
In brief, this is what Job says,
And then in vs 9, he says, - I go forward, I can’t find him. I go backward, I can’t perceive him. When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
But ‘He knows’ the way I take..
Though I cannot trace anything, nothing is visible, I am not certain about anything, I am confident that He knows the way that I take. And he goes on to say in vs 14 - He performs what is appointed for me,
And Job is confident of this one thing, When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. He knew that the Lord was able to weave a purpose through what he was going through. That’s what happened to Job. There was a way out - a way that God had planned for him.
When I trust Him with all my heart it simply means I acknowledge that He knows the path that I am going through, though I cannot trace anything. I can’t see the end, but God knows the end from the beginning.
2. THE POWER OF KNOWING GOD
Job’s misery was unexplainable. No words can explain what he went through. No one can even comfort Job in what he went through. Remember, three friends came to see Job. They were so shocked at what happened, for seven days, they did not speak anything. He had become loathsome and repulsive to his very own people. His wife wanted him to die.
And then for the rest of the chapters in Job, till chapter 37, we find ongoing conversation between Job and his three friends and his fourth friend Elihu.
Then from chapter 38, God begins to speak to Job.
At the end of everything, Job sees God - Job 42:5,6 - My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Two things are happening here: Job sees God and He repents.
Why is Job repenting? He is obviously not repenting for the friend’s charges against him. Because they weren’t true. The trial that Job faced was not the result of any sin he committed. But Job had sinned during the course of the trial. He tried to prove his integrity and self-righteousness. And therefore, he now he says:
Job 42:5 - My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job now has a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. He doesn’t have just superficial understanding of God rather He knows the supremacy and power of God. He understands there are things that he cannot comprehend. He understands that God is incomprehensible. God knows the end from the beginning. He knows your future, minute by minute. But He has no obligation to explain to us the reason for what happens in our lives. Sometimes the reason may become evident. Other times, they are beyond our ability to fathom.
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever - Deuteronomy 29:29
Job is now brought into a place of trust and dependence. He no longer depends on his own righteousness, but he understands his dependence on God. The more we understand God, the more we can trust Him. The more you know the nature of God, it easier to trust Him.
3. THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS, PRAYER AND PATIENCE.
Job’s three friends came to comfort him, but ended up blaming him, criticising him and condemning him for whatever happened to him.
Job 42:7,8 - 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 the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.
At the end of vs 9, God accepted Job’s prayer for his friends. Job was acting almost like a priest. He was reconciling his friends to God. Job lived during the period of Abraham, slightly before Abraham. He lived before Levitical priesthood of Moses’ time. But he seems to be acting here almost like a priest. They were to bring sacrifice for burnt offering. And when Job prayed for them, God accepted the prayers.
Job could have held a grudge against his friends for the way they treated him. But he did not. That’s an important lesson for us. There is always grace and healing as we learn to forgive those who wrong against us and as we begin to pray for them.
Job learns this great secret! And as he forgave them, accepted them and prayed for them, there was a miracle happening in his life as well.
James 5:11 talks about Job’s patience through what he endured. "As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."
4. THE POWER OF GOD’S RESTORATION
Job got back all that he lost. And of course, as well all know, he got a double-fold!
We find exactly double the number of sheep, oxen, camels and donkeys in chapter 42 when compared to chapter 1. He bore 10 children again including three daughter
But there is something more.
Not just material restoration, there was restoration of relationships.
His relationship with God was restored. He did show his bitterness against God at some point in time.
All his brothers, all his sisters and all his acquaintances came to him.(Job 42:11) and offer him friends
As we saw previously, he was reconciled with his friends.
His remaining years were blessed by the Almighty. He lived until he was old and full of days, seeing his children and grandchildren - for four generations.
CONCLUSION
Sometimes, we might not be able to trace the ways of God till the end, but we just need to trust him.
If you would ask Apostle Paul, he sums it up like this: “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). All things! Paul finishes it there.
And therefore Paul says, Give thanks always, pray always, rejoice always! Because God is in control. His ways are amazing and beyond our comprehension. He will work all things together for good.
