I finally finished the book of Job.
I don't know why it took so long to finish. I guess life just got in the way. I lost my motivation. I lost spare moments. I lost my priorities. I finally sat down on Sunday and said I will finish today ... and I did. But I don't really consider a book of the Bible read until I write about it. So, here goes.
First, I had no idea that what happened to Job was the result of a bet between God and Satan. What????
God has so much confidence in Job's faith that He told Satan he could do anything he wanted to Job (short of killing him) and God knew Job would remain faithful. So Satan threw every bad thing he could think of at Job. Job's children were struck dead, his wealth was taken away, and his home was burned down. Satan afflicted Job with sores on the soles of his feet. And still Job did not curse God for his troubles. He still maintained his faith in God.
Three of Job's friends came to sit with him, sympathize with him and comfort him.
Job cursed the day he was born, but did not blame God for his misery. He tried to figure out what he had done that God cursed him so. He wanted to prove his innocence to God, but knew God had vast wisdom and power, so what could he possibly say that God did not already know? He asked that God tell him what charges He had against him. He didn't understand what happened to him, but he did not blame God for his troubles.
The book goes back and forth in a conversation between Job and his friends.
They did not understand how Job could not blame God for his misery. Job just kept repeating that what ever happened to him had to be because of something he did - some failing on his part. He was not sure what it was, but he still had faith in God, despite all the arguments of his friends.
And God listened.
God lectured Job. He asked Job if he can answer questions only God knows the answer to. And Job replies that he has no such knowledge. Then God asks Job if he can do things only God can do. Again, Job replies that only God can do such things. Job apologizes to God, realizing he is not privilege to God's plans, and he spoke of things he did not understand. God then rebuked Job's friends but said because of Job's prayers for them, God will forgive the friends for the bad advice they gave Job.
In the end, the Lord restored Job's fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. He blessed Job with more children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to the fourth generation. And Job died an old man with many blessings.
I always thought of Job as just a whiner - but I really didn't know the story.
Job had terrible things happen to him. He had every right to be sad and upset and angry. But he never blamed God. Through it all he had an undeniable faith. That is what I learned from the book of Job. We expect life to be good and when it is is, we take things for granted. Then when bad things happen, we are taken by surprise and get angry, usually at God. But, as Job said, "How can we accept good from God and not trouble?"
Job helps us understand everything is part of a larger plan, one we don't see or even understand, but God does.
