True & Beautiful Things About the Bible--Old TestamentSample

Job: A Lesson in Three Acts

If you’ve stood by your child’s grave or faced your own terminal diagnosis, or lost everything in a tornado, flood, or fire . . . you join company with those from every generation who have suffered. You’ve got permission to ask the hard questions, like Why, God? Or Why me, God? Or Why this, God?

You likely won’t get an answer but go ahead and ask if it helps you process your grief.

The book of Job has long been the handbook for those who suffer. One of the oldest narratives in the Bible, it tells of a good and righteous man who trusted God—and then it tells us (but not Job) that God entered a contest to test his faith. The contest was Satan’s idea.

Before God created man in Genesis 2, He created angels. They have a story all their own with God. Satan is an angel who rebelled against God. He challenged God that Job lived a blameless life because God bribed him for his affection. Satan couldn’t care less about Job and was instead trying to prove God unworthy of worship. God was the target; Job was the pawn. So, with a leash around Satan’s neck, God gave him permission to test Job.

That was Act 1 of this drama and concluded with Job losing his ten children, his servants, his health, and wealth. Basically, everything. Would he still worship God?

Act 2 captures the “comfort” of four well-meaning friends who came over to cheer him up and explain in religious rhetoric, the reason for Job’s reversal of fortune.

In Act 3, God shows up. He had about enough of the friends’ foolish talk. Did He explain to Job and his friends what was going on? No. Instead, He overwhelmed them with the truth about His glory and His authority over the mysteries of the universe. If I can do that, will You trust me with this?

Of course, God won the contest and sent Satan scurrying back into the darkness. Then He gave Job back more riches than he had before and restored his health so that Job lived to see his new family through four generations.

But the beautiful thing was not the bigger barns and a redeemed storyline. The really beautiful thing is Job trusted God more now than he ever had. Something in his spirit shifted to find God even more trustworthy, yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Suffering can send you one way or the other. But faith in God will always win the day.

Next: When our pain turns to gratitude