Job 22-24
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In the beginning of the book of Job we get to see behind the
scenes where God allows Satan to take away Job’s possessions and his family and
then his physical health. After
that we don’t see anything else with what God is doing or what Satan is doing;
we just have Job and his friends.
I started wondering today about why all these conversations
between Job and his friends were included in the book. I think this is more evidence of Satan
trying to attack Job’s faith. I
can just imagine Satan whispering in the ears of the friends trying to pump
them up and make them feel righteous and to condemn Job. I imagine him whispering in Job’s ear
trying to convince him he’s all alone and God is not really there. Satan, whose name means “accuser,” is
also known as “the tempter” and “the father of all lies.” Jesus himself, when He was on earth,
had to deal with temptations from Satan.
I also can imagine God sharing in the hurt that Job is going
through. Even though He is silent
for a time, He is there, the God who is “full of compassion and mercy.” This reminded me of the story of Jesus
and Lazarus. Instead of showing up
right away to heal his friend Lazarus, it says Jesus stayed where He was two
more days, and then by that time Lazarus had died. When Jesus comes and sees Lazarus’ sister Mary weeping, it
says, “He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled,” and Jesus wept. Then He raised Lazarus from the dead!
Sometimes we have to wait.
Sometimes we have to go through the storm first, but He will show up out
of the storm. For Job, finally in
chapter 38, the Lord speaks: “Then
the Lord answered Job out of the storm.”
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
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