Dear Brethren,
People sometime get angry at God, but they are never right in doing so. They become outraged at God for various reasons they believe to be valid:
“He’s not listening,” “He’s not granting my reasonable request,” or “He’s not responding to me.” Have you ever gotten angry at God? Job did, and he regretted doing so—later.
Too many people think that the Book of Job is simply about, “Why men suffer.” That was part of it, but it is not nearly as simple as that. Often people suffer as a result of their own wrong choices in not following Godly principles. They bring trouble upon themselves. Peter explained the difference:
1Peter 2:19-20 This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
That is what Job underwent. He suffered for doing good and endured it patiently, and God was pleased with him. Satan’s business was going to and fro, and from walking up and down, and being the god of this earth. He wanted nothing more than for Job to curse God. Satan desired Job, just as he desired Peter, and just as he desires all those whom God has called. Satan challenged God:
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Though it was Satan who brought all the sore trials on Job, God is the one who ultimately allowed it to take place for the good of Job. Job could rightly say to his friends that God had touched him:
Job 19:21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Job did not curse God, as Satan said he would. Job was not yet a righteous man when God began to allow his trials to come upon him. We can learn a great deal in studying the life of Job in retrospect. We find that Job was chastened a great deal even though he was blameless and upright (Job 1:1).
Hebrews 12:6-7 Whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?
That is exactly what God did with Job, and it bore good fruit. God loved Job. The very reason for Job's trial was because God knew that Job could and would do even better! The Book of Job closes without telling us much more about Job’s spiritual life. His physical life was blessed doubly (Job 42:12), but it is not evident in the Book of Job how he fared after his tremendous ordeal. What was the rest of the one-hundred and forty years of Job’s life like? We find that God declared Job to be “righteous.” That means that Job grew in grace and knowledge of our Lord, and will be in the first and better resurrection. Ezekiel, writing much later under God’s inspiration declared Job’s righteousness.
Ezekiel 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord God.
God in His infinite wisdom intervened in Job life in order to further the process of Job’s spiritual growth. After suffering affliction, and in endurance, Job’s resulting righteousness shows that God patiently waited for the precious fruit of conversion in his life. James, the half-brother of Jesus was also well aware of the spiritual principles at work in the life of Job. It was Job's steadfastness that James calls our attention to. He wrote:
James 5:7-11 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it… Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the endurance of Job, and have seen the goal of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
God’s goal in Job’s life was to bring him to conversion and glory (Hebrews 2:10). Job came to realize that God's Plan is to eternally reward those who put their trust in Him and live as He directs. In the end, Job came to realize How Great Thou Art (Psalm 104:1) Job was finally able to see God’s sovereignty and omnipotence:
Job 42:2 I know that you can do everything, and that no thought can be withheld from you.
***
