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Job: The Question of Suffering
Week 3 - A Heavenly Perspective
September 8, 2024
"He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area." (Job 1:3, New Living Translation)
THREE FALSE BELIEFS ABOUT SUFFERING:
False belief #1: God either does not exist or He is evil.
- Wife: "Curse God and die!" His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die." But Job replied, "You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. (Job 2:9–10, NLT)
False belief #2: If you're suffering, you must have done something wrong!
- Friends: "You must have sinned!" Eliphaz: "Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same." (Job 4:7–8, NLT) Bildad: "Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved." (Job 8:4, NLT) Zophar: "God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!" (Job 11:6, NLT)
False belief #3: God must not hear me (or He doesn't care).
- Job: "If only God would listen to me!" "If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment." (Job 9:33–34, NLT)
THREE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD'S PERSPECTIVE:
"Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:" (Job 38:1, NLT)
- God sees the big picture. "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much." (Job 38:4, NLT) "Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?" (Job 40:2, NLT) "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28, NLT) Our response: Seek God's Presence. "I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes." (Job 42:5, NLT)
- God hears you. "After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has." (Job 42:7, NLT) Our response: Talk to Him - sing "My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf." (Job 42:8, NLT) "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. . . . Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts." (Colossians 3:16, NLT) "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!" (Psalm 98:4, English Standard Version)
- God will make everything right in the end. "When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!" (Job 42:10, NLT) "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:4, NLT) Our response: Connect with God's people! "Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the Lord had brought against him." (Job 42:11, NLT)
H - Have some friends
O - Open your home
S - Serve some snacks
T - Turn on the video.
"There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone." (1 Timothy 2:5–6, NLT)
"I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. . . . Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!" (Job 19:25, 27, NLT)