JOB Tested and tried | The Story of Job

Observations From Job's Test

The Job in the bible was severely tested though he was blameless and upright, an extraordinary man who feared God and shunned evil (1:8). In other words, Job had wisdom and understanding:

And he said to man, "The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)

A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. (Prov 14:16)

God's assessment of him was very high. He was also a man who persevered a great testing (Jam. 5:11).

Satan's Goal

But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face. (Job 1:11)

Satan's goal was to get Job to curse God and he tried to accomplish this through Job's wife when she said, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9) Thankfully, Job rejected her foolish words.

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God's Limits On Satan

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 (Job 1:12).

God placed everything Job had into Satan's hand but prohibited him from laying a finger on Job himself. The second time God brought Job to Satan's attention, he states:

The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." (Job 2:6)

God allowed Satan to painfully afflict Job but assigned a limit on him by commanding that he spare his life.

Job's First Test

After Job's initial bitter tests (1:13-19) of losing his oxen and donkeys, the killing of his servants, the burning up of sheep and servants, the carrying off of his camels, and the destruction of his children, Job states:

Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised. (Job 1:21)

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22). Up to this point in his trials, Job does not sin. He's still blameless and upright:

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. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." (Job 2:3)

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Job's Second Test

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. (Job 2:7)

Remember that God has placed a limit on Satan that he is not to take Job's life. After this painful and severe second test, his wife tempts him to curse God. Job wisely rebukes her and maintains his integrity. He still hasn't sinned:

He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. (Job 2:10)

God Speaks And Job Repents

After the many discussions between Job and his so-called friends, God speaks to Job out of the storm (38:1–41:34). [This portion of Job is delightful to read as God questions Job and describes his own characteristics.] It is here that Job receives a stiff rebuke from the Lord:

Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? (Job 38:2)

Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him! (Job 40:2)

Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? (Job 40:8)

No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me? (Job 41:10)

Apparently during Job's discussions with his friends, there were occasions when he contended against God, accused him, discredited his justice, condemned God to justify himself, and thought that he could stand against God. After God's rebuke, Job repents:

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:5,6)

Lessons

The devil incited God against Job but could only act within the limits set by God. In that sense then it was God who brought trouble to Job to test him:

All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. (Job 42:11)

Many wonderful passages could be cited of Job's faith and praise of God. But with all Job's good qualities and that he spoke what was right about God (42:7,8), in some passages, he apparently stated things he ought not, was rebuked and had to repent.

Guard Your Lips

Let this be a powerful lesson to us to guard our lips and watch our words!

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (Prov 13:3)

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19)

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psa 141:3)

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. (Prov 10:19)

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Remember Job in the bible and how he passed his severe test.

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