Job - part 3

A perspective on the book of Job – part 3 – Testing Job

So far, we have learned that Job is “the greatest man among the people of the east” (Job 1:5). We have also learned that Satan came to the Lord and the Lord offered to remove His protection from everything Job has, proving to Satan that Job will still be faithful to the Lord.

Now, there is feasting and wine drinking at the house of the oldest brother. Since we learned in 1:6 that the brothers took turns hosting the feasting, so we can presume it was the eldest’s turn. In 1:15, we find that the Sabeans have attacked and carried off Job’s five hundred yoke (remember that a yoke is a pair, so that’s 1,000 oxen) and killed all the servants save the one who came to report to Job, who 

was apparently not with the children.

Yet another servant came and reported that the seven thousand sheep and the tending servants have been burned by fire from the sky, saving only the one who came to report. And then, yet another servant came to say that three raiding parties of Chaldeans carried off the three thousand camels and killed all the servants save the one who came to report (Job 1:17). Then another came and reported that a mighty wind collapsed the house where the children were feasting and all died save the one who came to report. 

WOW!  In one fell swoop, during the course of dinnertime, Job lost his oxen, his sheep, his camels, and his children.  This leaves him with 500 donkeys, a handful of servants, and no children. At that, he tore his robe and shaved his head (normal routine for Shiva). Then came the classic verse:

“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)

Honestly, I don’t have that kind of faith or fortitude. Job did not sin nor turn away from the Lord in the least. He did not blame the Lord. I had a baby and husband die ten weeks apart, and I blamed the Lord for years. I believed that a God who would allow such a thing must hate me. Job, however, represents that those of us who go through the greatest trials do so because God has faith in us. Mother Teresa said, “I know God will never give me more than I can handle, but sometimes, I wish he did not have so much faith in me.” I’m no Mother Teresa, but there have been times I felt the same. 

When a trial comes, are we able to say: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord”?  It is not easy to praise and worship during times of crisis, but the comfort that comes in doing so leads to that “peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

NOTE: All bible references for this part are from the New International Version (NIV).

For more information about Shiva, go to https://www.shiva.com.