The Bible tells us that Job was a “blameless and upright” man that lived in the land of Uz (Job 1:1). He had seven sons and three daughters and was “the greatest of all the people of the East” in riches and wealth (Job 1:2).
The trial
But Satan “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10) said to God in a heavenly meeting that Job worshiped Him only to receive His blessing. So, God permitted Satan to test Job by taking away His blessings in order to reveal Job’s pure motives (Job 1:12).
Without hesitation, Satan destroyed Job’s children and possessions (Job 1:13-20). Yet, Job didn’t lose his faith in God and declared, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21)
Feeling defeated, Satan said to the Lord, “touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 2: 5). So, the Lord gave Satan the permission to test Job again. And, the evil one struck Job with painful boils (v. 7). So, Job mourned for his suffering was great.
At this point, even his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he rebuked her, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10). In all this, Job did not sin.
Job’s friends
After that, Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, came to comfort him but instead of helping him, they brought him pain because they accused him of committing sins that God had to punish him for. But Job insisted that he was innocent. Although he admitted that he wanted to die and cursed the day he was born (Job 3:1–26), he maintained his faith in God saying, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15).
Job expressed his desire to have a “mediator” between him and God (Job 9:32–35). He confessed his faith that his “witness is in heaven” (Job 16:9). And he asked the Almighty to be his pledge (Job 17:3). Thus, he moved from despair to hope declaring, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19:25). After the three friends, Elihu, another younger friend, spoke to Job and defended God’s greatness (Job 38—42).
God’s response to Job
Job didn’t know why he was tempted and asked God some questions. And, the Lord, in mercy, explained using parables from nature showing that there are things beyond Job’s understanding (Isaiah 55:8–9). Consequently, Job acknowledged God’s omniscience (Psalm 44:21; 139:2).
And Job humbly admitted that he spoke of things he did not know saying, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5). The most significant lesson of the book of Job is found in this verse. Job revealed the change from a religious experience formed by tradition to an experience built on personal relationship with God. Tradition stated that good people were not supposed to suffer. But Job learned that even though he may suffer, he is God’s child and must trust His divine will (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). Thus, Job triumphed in his trial.
God’s great blessing
At the end of his trial, God rebuked Job’s friends for not speaking the truth about His servant and asked Job to pray for them (Job 42:7–8). And God healed Job and blessed him with double of what he had before his test (Job 42:10, 12). After that Job lived 140 years and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. And he died an old man and full of days (Job 42:16). Thus, Job left a great example of a steadfast faith in God and great patience during his afflictions (James 5:10–11).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
