Character Counts in Trials

Job 1

We start a new book today. The book of Job, which we will spend some time in. We also start a different type of genre of literature. We are now beginning psalms and wisdom literature. Many scholars say that Job takes place before the time of Abraham and the patriarchs. Either way Job stands as a great reminder for us to be reminded of who God is even in trials. We also get a glimpse of the spiritual world in which God is control over.

Integrity

The first verse talks about where Job came from, Ur and his integrity. It says that he was blameless, upright, and one who feared God. Job was not from the same line as Abraham, instead he was a man who had no inheritance like the Jews, but he still feared God and was blameless and upright. This means he did not have any fault in him. He walked righteous. He made sure he was pure before God. It says a lot that the very first verse we see that he was morally strong man, based on God’s standards. 

Well-Off

The second and third verses talk about how well off he was. He had numerous amounts of sheep, camel, and oxen; which was money during this time. If you had a lot of livestock you were wealthy. Not only was having livestock a form of wealth but also the size of your family. If you had a large family you were considered blessed and prosperous. We see that Job not only was wealthy but loved his family and made sure they were taken care of financially as well as spiritually.

Spiritual Battle

In verse 6 we are introduced to something that really has never been seen, a dialogue between Satan and God. In this we still realize that Satan had to ask God for permission to test Job and see how righteous he really is if you took away all of his wealth. This gives us an idea that there is a spiritual battle which we know of from Paul (Ephesians 6:12) and that God is all powerful, Satan is limited. 

The Test

In verse 13 to the end we see what Job went through. In matter of seconds Job’s livestock was gone whether it was from raiders of fire from heaven it was gone. This was like saying you were a millionaire and then everything that had your money and investments failed and you are flat broke. While the messenger was telling him about all this another one interrupted him and told Job that the roof fell on all of his sons and daughters. They all died! I may not need to go into detail on the devastation of hearing this. He would have been heartbroken. 

His Character Still Stood the Trial

The reaction that Satan wanted was that Job would curse God. He wanted Job to turn his back on God and not fear him anymore. Satan’s goal in this life is to want us to turn away from God. He does that by distracting us, destroying us, or even annoying us. Job had the character award because what he did next shows his heart was in the right place. He of course was mourning the loss of his family but he worshiped God. He knew that he came into this world with nothing and that he can not take anything with him. But where his attention went when calamity stroked was to God. I can honestly say I have never faced anything that tough but I do know that all the stuff I have faced, even if I did not go to God right away, God still was there for me. David, time and time again, knew that God was the answer as he praised and sang to him in his songs. God is the answer and Paul and Silas were in the prison cell at night and singing praised to the Lord. 

Look up James 1:2 and let me know what you think about what the Bible says about Trials. Practice going before the Lord in the good and the bad and the ugly now because one day you will face something tough taht you would never think you would be able to go see the end but with God you can.