Encouragement for the Lord’s Servants

After God removed His hedge of protection from around Job, Satan attacked and destroyed all his assets and killed ten children. [1]

Job’s response was totally amazing!

“He fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘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.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” [2]

Job loved God. “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” [3] He wanted to keep on worshipping and loving God despite his losses. He did not want to end the relationship.

Then, Job’s three friends drew near to comfort him. However, when the pain of his losses sunk in, he began to curse the day he was born. Job’s three friends began to debate with him as to who was to fault for his losses. Their point was that God cannot be blamed because God is faultless, so therefore, Job must have done something wrong and that is why Job was being punished. [4]

There was a high school girl who had a “Job experience.” Hateful classmates hacked her social media page and posted accusatory lies on her Facebook page towards her friends. Her friends forsook her. Some beat her. Her Mom finally chose to move to new school district to protect her. Those who delighted in hurting her, started the same cycle again with her new classmates. She probably would have ended her life had two faithful friends not stepped in to defend her.

Thanks to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I understand that good people, even the Son of God, are falsely accused and attacked. Satan hates those who love God and their neighbor. He wants to wipe off of the face of the earth. He wants to humiliate us in every way possible.

The good news is that the Lord confronted the three “friends” about their treatment of Job. He told them to ask Job to pray for them. Then, the Lord restored all that Job lost, twice over. [5]

The Good News about our Lord Jesus Christ is even though people falsely accused Him, tortured Him and crucified Him, God raised Him from the dead on the third day. When Jesus reappeared to His twelve disciples, He did not tell them to slay those who killed Him. He told them to speak of His forgiveness and love. He instructed them to tell the people everywhere how they could have eternal life with God if they only trusted in Him.

During a dialogue with an audience, Jesus framed the story of good versus evil in the following way: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” The devil is a thief. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. [6]

God says, “I will show love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” [7] Jesus said, “My Father will honor the one who serves Me.” [8] James the Apostle urged the Church, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [9] The Apostle Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your cares on God because He cares for you.” “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To God be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” [10]

[1] Job 1:8-19
[2] Job 1:20-22
[3] Song of Songs 8:7
[4] Job 2:11; 3:1; 4:1-32:1
[5] Job 42:8-10
[6] John 10:10; 14:6
[7] Deuteronomy 5:10
[8] John 12:26
[9] James 4:7
[10] 1 Peter 5:6-7, 10-11