The story of Job is one
of the oldest in Scripture. Written probably during the patriarchal period, Job
is a story of profound importance, for it speaks to a specific aspect of human
suffering. Job was a righteous man, but as the story reveals, far from perfect.
He was also a man of great piety and religious commitment, so much so that he
even offered sacrifices to God for his children, who appear to have not been
living for the Lord. The Scriptures also reveal that Job was always worried in
the back of his mind that his good fortune could change, for he was a man
blessed beyond measure, but like so many, Job assumed that his religious piety
would serve to prevent any of life’s misfortune. The story goes on to reveal
that Job’s real problem was not so much the suffering he experienced, as much
as it was the attitude of self-righteousness he carried wherever he went. The
story of Job speaks only briefly to his actual ailment, but devotes chapter
after chapter to the attitude he maintained during his misfortune. This
attitude becomes clearer throughout the narrative, as the author digs deeper
into an explanation for Job’s misfortune. Job, throughout his ordeal, proclaims
his goodness, his integrity, and his righteousness. Instead of looking inside,
Job beats his chest, and accuses the God of heaven of acting in an unrighteous
manner. Think for a moment about the heart of any man who could think God would
owe him an apology as Job did. Thus was the heart of Job. The story is not
about the patience of Job at all, it is about the self-righteousness of Job.
When Jobs faith is put to the test, he fails miserably. Job did not curse God
as his wife suggested, but rather does something far worse, he implies that the
God of heaven is unjust, unfair, and by inference unholy, especially to allow
this to happen to a man as good as he! As Job cries out to God, “you know that
I am not wicked,” he was revealing to all, the true depths of his depravity and
the answer to his misfortune. Certainly, a truly pious man would know, “there
is none good, no not one.” Should Job
have been consumed in his trial and perished at the hand of God Himself, the
truth was God would have been justified, for Job was no less vile than any man
who had ever lived before him. Fortunately for Job his misfortune, serves to
open his eyes to the true nature of the God in heaven, who does nothing, nor
allows anything to occur without a purpose. As Job falls to his knees and
repents in dust and ashes, he admits he knows little of God, and that truly he
is a vile man, undone, and desperately in need of forgiveness. The point of the
whole story of Job is summed up in his closing words, Job declares to the Lord,
“before I knew you only by the hearing of the ear, but now I see you for the
first time.” Job was actually ignorant of the God he thought he served, until
this great misfortune happened upon him. Jobs misfortune actually served to
rescue his soul and gave him an understanding of the Lord, of which before now
he knew nothing. It appears that Job’s misfortune caused him to seek God in
earnest for the first time and so in the end Job saw his suffering as an act of
mercy and love by the God who created him!
Your Pastor
Rev. Joel M McDuffie
Jr.
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