Journaling through the book of Job

Thoughts on chapters 1-5 in the book of Job:

Worship, a result of suffering?

In one day Job’s wealth, friends, and family were devastated:
1) Attacking Sabeans stole away 500 donkeys and 500 yoke of oxen (1,000 oxen) and then killed the servants who cared for those animals.
2) Fire destroyed Job's enormous flock of 7,000 sheep and a the servants who cared for those animals.
3) Chaldean raiding parties stole away his herd of 3,000 camels
4) A mighty wind demolished his son’s home which was filled with all 10 of his children who all died as a result of this calamity.

Yet Job responds with worship…
Job 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. Job 1:21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."


More pain
As if all this were not enough, more truckloads of suffering are lined up and on a collision course with the already battered and tragedy torn Job:
Satan gains permission from God to afflict Job’s body.
Job 2:4 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. Job 2:5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." Job 2:6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life."

Interesting to note that previously Satan did not have permission to do this:
Job 1:12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand."

Physical malady is the next in line awaiting it‘s appointment with the miserable Job. Job is afflicted over his entire body with painful sores.
His wife, who is as affected by these tragedies as Job, becomes a mouthpiece for Satan himself when she tempts him to forsake his God.
Job 2:9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die."


Friends
Job has three good friends who come to his aid. Three loving friends who care so much for Job that they sit with him in mourning for a week without speaking. This is love. When words fail, love is still seen in the silent companionship of those who will accompany Job along his pathway of pain.
Accusation tears through the air as arrows in flight. Jobs first friend fires at him. Surely Job you would not be suffering like this if you had done no wrong.
Job 4:7 "Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? Job 4:8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

Job 4:13-16 is a chilling description of what appears to be a demon planting seeds of accusing thoughts in this friend of Job. Those seeds grew and bore the fruit of cutting accusation.


Sovereignty
In the background of this story of Job’s suffering is another deeper and profound telling of the Sovereignty of God over suffering. Satan came before God and it is God who highlights the righteousness of Job. Satan mocks God’s reference to Job saying that Job merely holds to God because God has been so good to him by protecting him and blessing him.

God first grants Satan permission to go after Job, but this leash only goes so far. Satan tears away Job’s possessions and his loved ones. After further relation with God about Job, Satan gains more permission, more length to his leash, but again is limited in not being allowed to take Job’s life.

God allows suffering for His reasons. He knows what He is doing. The seeing of who God is, is much more valuable than the maintaining of Job’s protection and blessing. Job’s astounding suffering enabled us (& God’s people throughout history) to see a tremendous display of God being in absolute control over suffering.

God grants beauty for ashes - a glimpse of who God is came through a taste of pain. Some would say that this is not fair. And that would be correct, but things are not exactly as they might perceive them. They might say that Job’s suffering was not fair because he did not deserve to suffer like that. Others (including me) would say that it (beauty for ashes) was not fair because God is so immensely valuable that the seeing of Him is well worth any and every suffering. God is so glorious and magnificent that Job’s suffering was a bargain, a good deal, a steal… because the priceless can never be purchased. It was by grace that Job suffered, so that he might see more of God and so that God’s people throughout history might also see more of God through Job’s amazingly painful ordeal.