JOB RECOVERS HIS FAITH IN GOD

The book of Job is at least as old as the writings of Moses. Job was blessed by God with everything a man could desire. But Job had a secret fear. He worried about his seven sons and three daughters. (Job 1:5 KJV) "And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."

Like any loving father Job couldn't bear the thought of something happening to his children. It's very difficult to understand, much less explain, what happen next in Job's life. Satan showed up before the throne of God to make an accusation against Job. There isn't much information about it, but obviously Satan...who at one time was an archangel, rebelled against God and tried to overthrow and replace him.

Satan, the chief of the fallen angels, is mentioned in a number of places in the Old Testament. It is clear that from the very moment of the creation of this world that Satan and fallen angels were on the scene, rebels against God.

(Rev 12:7-9 NIV) "And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. {8} But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. {9} The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him." (Luke 10:17-18 NIV) "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." {18} He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

Question: Why didn't God destroy Satan in the beginning? Why did God allow Satan to deceive Adam and Eve? Simply because no one will ever enter heaven without being tested. Paradise, heaven, our father’s house, whatever we call it would be corrupted and spoiled by a single person arriving there with the deadly plague of sin and disobedience in their heart.

God decided to use the wicked hatred of Satan to test the faithfulness of those like Job. That explains why God allows us to be both the victims of evil and its perpetrator. We learn the meaning of both sides of good and evil by living with all its problems. How could it be God’s will for such a thing to exist?

Satan, the chief of the fallen angels, is mentioned in a number of places in the Old Testament. It is clear that from the very moment of the creation of this world that Satan and fallen angels were on the scene, and were rebels against God. When Satan does appear in the Old Testament he is always the adversary of God's people. Satan and the fallen angels had failed the test and are doomed forever so they diligently try to corrupt everyone else.

(Job 1:6-10 NIV) “One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. {7} The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

{8} Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

{9} "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. {10} "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. {11} But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face". God could see the integrity of Job, his absolute refusal to bow to evil and that Job in the end would regain double what he lost.

(Job 1:12 NIV) "The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD." God knew he could trust Job to endure the foolish arguments of his friends that he was a secret sinner. The unloving advise of his wife to "just curse God and die."

Remember, it wasn’t God who killed Job’s children. It was a storm. It wasn’t God who stripped Job of his wealth; it was other men who were persuaded by Satan to do evil. It wasn’t God who afflicted Job with sore boils. It was Satan, the source of all evil in this world. The hedge God had placed around Job was an anomaly—something no one else has ever experienced in all of recorded human history. Removing it, and allowing Satan to test Job was something everyone else has been force to endure. All of us are going to experience suffering in this life.

WHY? Why didn’t God create a world in which nature would always be kind and men would be peaceful and good? If there was no freedom [to do evil] there could be no good. If there were no opportunity to be selfish, dishonest and hateful, there would be no opportunity to be unselfish, brave, truthful, and loving. God wanted sons and not wooden puppets like Pinocchio. The puppet maker wanted a real live boy. And the puppet wanted to be something more than wood and strings.

Satan’s attack on Job took the form of pointing out to God the fact that Job has never been given a hard choice. He had never been tested or proven. He had been given unreserved blessings and protection, the very thing false teachers today promise in their teaching and preaching.

If anyone could pray the prayer of faith it certainly would have been Jesus. Yet, he never used a miracle for his own personal benefit. He suffered and died when he could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set him free.

If you are going through a painful trial just remember...(1 Cor 10:13 NIV) "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." You will have walked through the fire and come out of it without even the smell of smoke on your clothes.

(Dan 3:26-27 NIV) "Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, {27} and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them."
It's incredibly painful to suffer when you are innocent. If it happens it's because God know something wonderful and good is going to come out of it. Heaven will be full of saints who have endured unimaginable pain and suffering and received like Job double what they lost. Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters in heaven.

(Job 42:12-13 NIV) "The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. {13} And he also had seven sons and three daughters."

(Job 42:15-17 NIV) "Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. {16} After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. {17} And so he died, old and full of years."

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