Proper Perspective

As we continue our series of Blogging Through The Bible in 2020, today we want to look at a verse from the book of Job. Job 1:21 says, “And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed by the name of the Lord.'”

While it may seem strange to many for us to go from Genesis 1-9 and then jump to the book of Job, this is in keeping with the chronology of the biblical events, and not simply going straight through a book of the Bible. Many people, in fact, most people are familiar at least somewhat with the story of Job. He was a man who loved God, but that God tested his faith through various trials. It is important for us to understand what God is doing here. Satan had come before God saying he had been roaming the earth looking for those he could tempt. Just a side note, Satan hasn’t changed his tactics since the garden of Eden. God asks Satan, have you considered my servant Job? That seems really strange, and almost mean. God isn’t angry with Job, in fact, God is going to use Job’s trials to reveal some very important truths to us. Satan basically says that he hasn’t considered Job, because God has protected him from bad things happening. However, Satan makes a calculated couple of bets. Satan says, Job only loves you because you protect him and bless him. However, I bet if you took his possessions and his children away from him, he would curse you. When that doesn’t work, Satan comes back and says, I bet if you take his good health away from him, he will turn his back on you. Satan was 0 for 2. Even when Job’s wife struggles and tells Job to “curse God and die”, we see Job maintain his integrity. The end of Job 2:10 says, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” What an amazing testimony! To have suffered as greatly as he had, but to still love God. What can we learn from this chapter and the beginning of Job’s story?

The first lesson is the sovereignty of God. God allowed Job to suffer. He allowed Satan to inflict incredible suffering on Job. Yet, God shows that He is the One who is completely in control, because each time God allows Satan to afflict Job, God puts parameters on Satan. This shows us that Satan is a dog on a leash. Another lesson we can learn is the desire to purify our lives that God has for His children. Remember, God isn’t punishing Job for some sin he has committed. Rather, God is revealing Himself to Job. God is showing Job and those around him, that when God is all you have, you have all that you need. But God is also purifying Job. Many people look at Job 1:1 where it says that Job was “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil”, and they think Job is a great guy, he should be blessed. However, we must notice that it says he was blameless, not sinless. Job had a sin nature just like you and I do, and as we will see later in the book of Job, that sin nature will come out awfully quick if we aren’t careful. By God allowing Job to go through this season of suffering, He is not only showing Job that He is all-sufficient, but He is also showing Job how committed He is to producing holiness in the lives of His children. The final lesson I think we can learn from this opening chapter of Job is this, God is present with His children through their suffering. God never abandoned Job. God was showing Job and He is showing us what He would say to the prophet of Isaiah, I will walk through the fire with you and I will lead you through the flood waters. As David wrote in the Psalm 23 speaking of God, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”

Let God’s presence with you in the good times and the bad encourage you today. You are never alone as a child of God, because God is always with you. He loves you. He never wastes our pain. And that is another important lesson we can take from this opening chapter of Job. We must learn to view our life and our stuff from God’s perspective. Things and circumstances don’t last forever, but our soul is eternal, and we must guard it from getting pulled away from God by stuff.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin