It is common knowledge that most Christians find the Book of JOB very depressing! However, to the ones who reflect on it will find it very interesting! Let's learn how to get a 'double portion' from JOB's testimony:
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. - JOB 1:1-3
His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. - JOB 1:4-5
JOB was a blameless and upright man yet he lived in fear of losing all that he had! His children were sinners and he offered sacrifices to atone for their sins lest God punished them! He was in love with the Lord but he had FEAR inside of him! We all know that FEAR and FAITH cannot coexist in our spirit. Fear CANCELS Faith!
When God allows Satan to test JOB's faithfulness, Satan uses the very weakness of JOB against him - The fear of losing his children and all that he had!
But Romans 14:23 reminds us that whatever is not of faith is SIN!
Thus JOB stops being 'blameless and upright' the moment he is in fear! He has sinned!
When JOB still remains faithful to the Lord, Satan attacks his body and covers his body with sickness and pain! Yet JOB does not curse God!
What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me. - JOB 3:25
A very interesting turn of events happens here when his own three friends (who have been envious of him all along!) appear on the scene. Instead of encouraging him with words of comfort, they condemn JOB as a sinner!
In JOB 19:25, he at last reaches his 'zero point' and depends completely on God:
I know that my redeemer[c] lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God;
As soon as JOB completely and truly begins to depend on God and surrenders to God completely, believing and trusting ONLY in His ability to save him, does God intervene! JOB realises and is convicted of his unworthiness!
After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. JOB 42:10
God restores him ONLY WHEN HE FORGIVES HIS 'FRIENDS'!
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A SIDE NOTE:
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—John 1:12
Here's where we make the mistake in our lives and fall short of tasting the glory of God - If we are the 'Children of God', HE is our PERFECT FATHER. If we trust God to be our father, there should be no fear and therefore perfect peace should be our lot! The words DO NOT FEAR have been repeated 365 times in the Bible!
ALAS! IF ONLY WE COULD BELIEVE THIS!
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