God's Touchpoints - An Old Testament JourneyНамуна

JOB – FAITH UNDER FIRE

While the world falls again into Satan’s clutches, another shining light stood out. Job enjoyed close fellowship with God. Probably a contemporary of Abram’s father or Abram given the human ages and creatures described in the book, Job is probably the oldest book ever written, though placed in the Bible among the poetical books.

In a divine challenge, when God expresses to Satan Job’s righteousness, Satan counters that that Job would curse God if he faces misfortune. Satan gets God’s permission to wreak havoc on him.

Satan destroys his family and all his possessions in one blow. Job’s classic response was “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” Job 1:21. Both in abundance and in emptiness, Job honors God.

In abundance, Job has:

• Presence of God – He recalls the days “when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house” - Job 29:3,4

• Purity and Integrity – in mind, speech and action. “Is there iniquity in my tongue?" (Job 6:30) “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman (Job 31:1)

• Providence of God – He reflects how his “path was drenched with cream." (Job 29:6)

In emptiness he is engaged in:

• Prayers of Faith – There are many gems of faith in this book. Eg. “when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

• Protests – Job insists on his righteousness and protests to God, knowing he is too small to challenge Him. “There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both.” (Job 9:33)

Job’s three friends attempt to force him to acknowledge the sins he must have committed. The fourth friend Elihu, younger and wiser, highlights that God is beyond comprehension.

• Big Picture of God

In a spectacular response, God describes two of the most majestic creatures on the earth – the Leviathan and the Behemoth - something like a fire-breathing dragon of the sea and a massive dinosaur respectively.

Job is silenced. He asks pardon for his ignorance. “And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends.” (Job 42:10)

When circumstances bother us, getting our focus back to God is the best remedy. Our problems appear small when God appears large and vice versa. Are we ready to explore the greatness of our God?