Job 1:20-22; 2:9,10

"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips."

The story of Job is classic in showing two things; the hidden workings of the spiritual realm, and the appropriate response to trials. Before Job 1:20 we are shown the throne of God in heaven where we see with wonder that satan, the enemy of God and of us, has access into His presence. We watch in amazement as he brings a challenge to God, focusing on the person of Job. Then, God gives him leave to have an impact on Job's life! So the enemy unleashes his awful power, and destroys Job's entire life, taking all of his wealth and family. With this background we have the first few verses quoted above. These are Job's response to this awful loss.

As if this is not enough for the enemy, and hereby we see him in his awful anger against God and His people, and lack of compassion or care for their welfare, he again goes before God and again challenges Him regarding the person of Job. So what if I took all and he retains his faith, the enemy says, he still has his health. Take that away and Job will rebuke you, God, and set aside his faith in you. So God gives the enemy leave to take Job's health. Having lost even his health, Job then says what is recorded in chapter 2, quoted above.

As recorded in chapter 1, his reaction is to worship. God had not wasted His breath concerning the person of Job. Here was a man that knew his God, and trusted Him implicitly. Notice what the verse says, "In all of this he (Job) sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." Often our first response to a hard event in life is to ask how God could allow it. He is God, isn't He? How come he allowed this awful thing to come to pass? Isn't He in control??? Certainly, He is able to forsee and circumvent every event. He knows all, and is almighty. Listen to what Job said. Is there here any hint of challenge against God and His Person? Not a word! In all of this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. To hint that God has dropped the ball with regard to the matters of our lives is to charge Him foolishly. Hasn't He promised to keep us? Hasn't He promised eternity in His presence to those that hold Him as Savior? God made one great declaration of His love for us at the cross. After that, how can we ever doubt His love again?

Perhaps Job was thinking, in his sorrow, that at least he had his health. We often say that. As long as you have your heatlh you have everything. The enemy knows this about us. He knows how we think. And so he goes back to God. With God's permission he takes Job's health. And in this trial, what does the scriptures say? "In all this did not Job sin with his lips." Now he was reduced even fiurther. His wife stood against his faith in God, and his health was gone. When his friends arrive to console him they find him sitting on a pile of ashes, scraping his sores with a piece of broken pottery. But again, In all of this did not Job sin with his lips. He did not blame God, neither did he follow his wife's advice to curse God. One difficulty in life is about all that we can stand. Were we to find ourselves facing multiple losses, we would likely throw in the towel. Not only had Job lost his wealth and family, but he was now a sick man, and the only human being that he trusted on this planet had turned her back on him, and God.

His words in chapter 1 show a deep faith in God; "... the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." He perceived that God was the one upon whom he could rely no matter the turns of his life. He knew that no matter the situation God is always dependable. He realized that faith in God was not a case of what He could do to make this life comfortable. But rather, he saw the eternal value of trusting God.

What an example for us. Oh, for faith to trust Him more!

HJK