2024_02_28 Insight Post- Rusty Coram

  -   February 28, 2024

This week’s reading- Job 1-3, Job 19, Job 31

There are a few things in Job’s story that are tough to process. Like Job’s friends, many of us believe that if we do right, we will have a relatively happy life. Sure, there is some general truth to this but there is no guarantee, and beyond that, there are some people who do a lot wrong and seem to have it made, while others who try to live with integrity endure injustice and suffering. Job’s story gives us insight into some behind the scenes data about this.

In Job 1 we read, “One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. 7 “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” 8 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant, Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” 9 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”   Job 1:6–11 (NLT)

Here are a few important things to learn from this:

  1. Satan is real and he is bent on evil.
  2. God, and all of heaven, is fully aware of Satan’s desire to cause harm.
  3. Satan, while powerful, is not omnipotent. God allows him to do harm but never without approving it to fit with His greater purposes.
  4. God allows Job (and us) to go through undeserved suffering to display what true faith is. Job didn’t worship God because of his blessings and we saw this when they were temporarily taken away.
  5. There are purposes of God that go beyond what we can see in this life. Trusting Him means that we learn to say like Job,

“God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him.” Job 13:15 (NLT)

and

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”  Job 19:25–27 (NLT)

I am looking forward to meeting Job when this life is over and hearing more of his story!

Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor