Job's sufferings
What if you lost everything; your work, your home, your car,
clothes, money and even your family? Would you still trust Heavenly Father
Yahuah? .... Job did!
After he lost everything even his health, he still praised
Yahuah. Job walked a straight path with Yahuah, he did not turn aside to evil
(sin) - Job 1:1.
Because of Job's obedience and righteous living, Father
Yahuah blessed him with richness and health. Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters and
he had a lot of livestock, for example 7000 sheep and 3000 camels to name but a
few - Job 1:2-3.
Yahuah said there was none like Job on the earth who was
perfect and walked a straight path and feared Elohim - Job 1:8.
Satan said to Yahuah that he would be able to deceive Job
and ensure that Job would curse Heavenly Father - Job 1:9-10. Yahuah gave satan permission to try
Job - Job 1:11-12.
Father is in control of the good and He is in control of the
bad. Satan cannot do anything to anyone that walks the path of Yahuah, without
Father's permission.
Father allowed satan to test Job. Father knew Job's heart
and knew that whatever happened to Job, he would never turn away from Yahuah
and this was the reason He allowed satan to test him.
The 1st day, enemies (Sabeans) came and destroyed all cattle
and many servants of Job.
The 2nd day fire broke out in the fields and burned all 7000
sheep, including servants of Job.
The 3rd day more enemies (Chaldean) came and destroyed all
Jobs camels and servants.
The 4th day all Job's 10 children were killed - Job 1:13-19.
You know what Job did, he tore his clothes and shaved his
head and fell to the ground and did obeisance - Job 1:20.
Still he worshiped Yahuah, Job 1:21; Job said, "Naked I came from my
mother's womb, and naked I return there. Yahuah has given, and Yahuah has taken
away. Blessed be the Name of Yahuah."
While I was writing this down, I asked myself, how would I
react if these things that happened to Job happened to me? Would my faith in
Yahuah still be strong? It is a huge test.
Job's friends
Job's friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had a lot to say
during Job's sufferings. They assumed they knew why Job was punished and made
many assumptions and were very judgmental...although they did support him
through his ordeal.
They said Heavenly Father makes good and bad people suffer
and be tested. Discipline and going through pain (trials) makes people grow
stronger and closer to Elohim.
The Friends said Job must search his past for sins he did,
or seek if his children sinned against Yahuah, because He (Father) does not
twist what is right - Job
8:3 + 8.
Yahuah does look after the good but destroys the bad. They
said, Yahuah will forgive Job for his sins, because He sees all sin. They tell
Job to repent after confessing his sins and not to sin again. He should make a
clean start with Yahuah. They tell Job that he is only making excuses and
should rather accept his punishment. They explain to Job of the lawlessness
against Yahuah - Job
15:16-25.
They assure Job that the wicked will perish someday - Job 18:5-21.
Although Job's friends are correct about Heavenly Father
punishing the wicked, they judged him without knowing what sin he had
committed. They took the role of a judge to show Job out his wrong and that he
must repent so he can be forgiven and carry on with his life. They even became
angry with Job because he spoke out against Yahuah.
They told him to listen to Yahuah, because He repays the
wicked and He tests people. There is nothing wrong with correcting someone if
you see that he is not walking the right path according to Father's word but
you need to know what that person is doing wrong. You cannot go blindly and
accuse someone of doing wrong when you think you know why he/she is being punished
or going through a trial.
Be patient and do it in love. Remember, in many cases the
wicked do prosper for a season!
Believers should only be concerned with their path and leave
judgement to Yahuah.
Yahuah was upset with Job's friends because they did not
speak the right words to Job.
Yahuah told them to go to Job and ask forgiveness and also
ask Job to pray for them - Job
42:7-9.
Job asks Almighty
When something bad happens to us, especially as believers,
we ask Heavenly Father why these things happen to us. Job did the same; he had
many questions to ask Yahuah regarding his struggles! In Job chapter 6, Job asks
of Yahuah that he would live through his pain as long as Yahuah's word is not
hidden from him.
In verse
22-30, Job says to Yahuah he did not ask for favors or bribes when he
sinned. Or to be rescued from his enemies or from those who oppressed him. He
says "Teach me, and I shall be silent. He wants to be righteous. He asks
if his tongue talks unrighteousness. He asks why his sins will not be forgiven
- Job 7:21.
In chapter
10, Job asks Yahuah again to show out his sins, if I sin, then watch out
for me, Job says to Yahuah.
In chapter
14, he asks Yahuah about death. Job thinks Yahuah hates him and
forgotten him, he even cries - Job 16:8-9, 11-13 & 16.
Job asks if Yahuah is hearing him in Job 27:9.
Job said he did not want worldly material or to gain in wealth
- Job 31:24-25.
In verse
39-40 he says that he must be punished if he had sin.
In all the time that Job asks Yahuah to reply, Father stays
silent. Then after a long period of time...
Yahuah speaks to Job, but instead
of answering Jobs questions, Yahuah asks Job in return over 50-60 questions - Job chapter 38 to 40.
Father challenges Job by asking if he controls the pattern
of the heavens as the moving of the constellations, or the procession of the
months or years.
Job could not answer one question Yahuah asked. Jobs
responds to Yahuah in Job
42:2-3, "You know and are able to do all, and nothing is withheld
from You.
He said he spoke without knowledge and thought he understood
all matters but clearly, he was wrong.
Don't we all do this; think we know better than Father?
Sometimes we actually want to tell Father what He must do and how He must do
it!
We do not realize that Yahuah knows all and we have no right
to question His ways.
He is Almighty and we are not!
We must accept His ways. He knows what is good for us, as He
knows all. We need to trust and obey Him.
What Job did was to declare himself right rather than
Elohim.
Job repents and receives Blessings
Job realizes he "expected" Yahauh to answer him
...because of his suffering, but Father does not answer to man!
Job gets that all men are vile and evil compared to the
great eternal, perfect, loving Creator.
Job answered Yahuah "See, I am insignificant, what
would I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth (he shuts his mouth in shame) -
Job 40:3-4.
Job humbled himself towards Father and asks Yahuah for
guidance - Job 42:3-4.
Job's eyes are opened to Father's desire and he repents in
dust and ashes" - Job
42:5-6.
Job submits to Yahuah completely.
Job finally realizes that the only humility and repentance
will lead to a true relationship with Yahuah.
After this Yahuah returned everything that he had before
back to Job and gave him twice as much as he had before - Job 42:10.
The Blessings Job received back where; All his
family/friends returned - verse
11.
Double blessings included, sheep, camels, oxen and other
livestock - verse 12.
Father blessed Job with more children - verse 13. There were found no woman so beautiful
as the daughters of Job and he gave them many gifts - verse 15.
Yahuah gave Job so many blessings that he lived 140 years,
and saw his children and grandchildren for 4 generations - verse 16. And Job died,
old and satisfied with days - Job 42:17.
There is so much we can learn out of the story of Job's
life!
I have learnt that Father sends us trials. We should not
complain about the trials we go through, just trust Yahuah. We must walk a
straight path with Yahuah because when the trials come, we know Father is with
us no matter what we go through.
I learnt that Father speaks to us in different ways for
instance in dreams and visions.
Do not question Yahuah's trials or His ways, He knows better
and He is Almighty, we are not!
Never stop praying, fear Yahuah, tremble at His power, obey
and be blessed.
Proclaim Yahuah's greatness and power for He looks after the
good.
Praise Yah, He is great!