Bible Study Week: When bad things happen to good people (Job Moments, Part 1)

Greetings to all our global readers.

Over the weekend, I felt a strong urge to delve into the Book of Job from beginning to end. This narrative unfolds the story of a man who endured unimaginable trials, a veritable hell on earth, yet maintained his faith and reverence for God throughout. In the times we find ourselves in, as believers, we each encounter our own "Job moment" when chaos reigns and we're left wondering what might have disrupted our world. It's easy to cast blame on ourselves or to feel forsaken by God in such moments. However, Job's tale serves as a poignant reminder that not all trials are a consequence of our own missteps. On the contrary, there are times when Christians face adversity simply for refusing to conform to worldly standards.

In Job Chapter 1, we meet a man of unwavering integrity, one who reveres God to the extent of offering sacrifices on behalf of his children, fearing they might harbor ill thoughts towards God (verse 6). What's intriguing is that Satan believed Job's devotion was only due to the protective shield God had placed around him (verse 10). Hence, the adversary challenged God to test Job by stripping away this divine safeguard. God didn't directly strike Job in response to the devil's provocation; instead, He removed His protective barrier, allowing the devil to do his worst. After all, the devil sought to prove a point. It never ceases to astonish me that the devil had the audacity to wager against the all-knowing God. Yet, at times, God permits trials to occur so that His name can be glorified through us (2 Thessalonians 1:12).

By the end of Job Chapter 1, we witness Job's profound loss—his children and livestock vanish in a dramatic fashion. This serves as a quintessential example of when adversity befalls the virtuous. The devil goaded God into causing Job's devastation without rhyme or reason (Job 2 vs 3). When the anticipated outcome failed to materialize, the devil further prodded God to afflict Job with ailments. At this juncture, the devil refused to accept defeat, and once again, God acquiesced, allowing the devil to have his way. People often question why God permitted such suffering. Did He revel in testing us or delight in our pain? Not at all. God neither initiated nor partook in the suffering. However, He does permit trials to occur so that His greater purposes may be fulfilled. Today, through Job's story, we glean insights into God's character—a God who boasts of His faithful children, who intimately knows His children and their strengths, and a God who ultimately restores all things.

In Job 2 vs 12, Job's suffering reaches such depths that even his closest friends can hardly recognize him. They tear their garments, sprinkle ash on their heads, and sit with him for seven days and nights, wordlessly sharing in his grief. In Chapter 4 vs 8-7, Job's friend Eliphaz advises him to implore God for mercy, implying in verse 8 that Job must have done something to incur God's wrath. After all, a spirit had conveyed to him that no one was righteous, even angels sinned before God (verse 17). This was a half-truth, as Job's calamity wasn't a result of God's wrath upon him. Job responds, likening his friends to fickle streams of water. This rings true, for people are generally unreliable. We sway and shift with the winds of change. Often, we find numerous examples of upright individuals who ended up with no one but God by their side, due to the capricious nature of humanity. Job's own wife advises him to curse God and die.

In Job Chapter 8, another friend, Bildad, chimes in, aligning with Eliphaz, asserting that God did not pervert justice. Bildad suggests that Job's children perished due to their own transgressions before God and insists that Job repent for God to show him mercy. In verse 20 of the same chapter, Bildad asserts that God does not reject the blameless nor strengthen evildoers. While all this pertains to God's nature, it doesn't quite apply to Job—a man who stood righteous and upright before God. In Chapter 9, we witness Job acknowledging that no one can contest God when He chooses to take something away. Job revered God to the extent that he wouldn't outrightly challenge God's judgment, even though he knew he was innocent (Job 9 vs 15). Job's reverence for God was so profound that he feared God might slay him merely for seeking an audience with Him. He recognized God's immense might and understood that, in matters of judgment, no one could stand before God. This provides profound insight into what Job comprehended about God and where his heart truly lay.

God's essence encompasses omniscience; nothing escapes His gaze, for light resides within Him (Luke 8:17). One cannot sway or persuade God. In fact, Job maintains that by challenging God, one effectively condemns oneself, even in innocence. From Job's character, we glean a lesson on how to approach God's throne of grace when faced with challenges beyond our own making. It's wiser to humble ourselves than to contest God. Before I conclude this week's Bible study, I pose this question to you, dear reader: What is that 'Job moment' in your life? How did you respond to it? What dialogues did you engage in with your friends and with God?

May the mercy and peace of our Heavenly Father, along with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, abide with you all.