Another Look at Job
Tucked away in James chapter 5, verse 11 is this priceless dose of hard to decipher truth: “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” – what part of the verse above is hard to decipher? James 5:11b “…Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy”
I know that GOD Almighty is pitiful and full of tender mercies. I equally know that trials of faith are necessary. However, here is WHAT I keep thinking about Job – “is Job's extreme trial of faith necessary?” Observe, GOD can prevent Job's extreme sufferings, He can prevent the extreme loss of lives and properties that Job experienced. Therefore, of what benefits are these extreme losses to GOD? Although I never verbalized my thoughts, yet GOD provided the perfect answers to my unuttered thoughts on the 27th of December 2022.
Firstly, do you know that Job never prayed to know the source of his trials? Neither did he pray to GOD for deliverance from his trials? Rather, he was busily articulating his righteousness and his belief that he did nothing sinful to attract the trials that befell him. Although he didn't pray, yet GOD delivered him at the end. Isn’t GOD merciful? Yes He is!
Secondly, do you know Job, his wife, his friends and neighbors erroneously thought Job’s calamities came from GOD? They all failed to realize that GOD will not visit calamities on the innocent! He may permit trials, but calamities are the work of the Devil, whose objective is to steal, kill and destroy our GOD given blessings (John 10:10), in a bid to wreck our faith in GOD.
Thirdly, GOD will only permit trials that will make His children stronger and better holistically. Apostle Paul succinctly captured the purpose of such calamities in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will NOT suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”
Trials are painful, hence Satan rejoices whenever GOD permits them. While GOD prep calamities to strengthen His children, Satan attempts to manipulate them to weaken or cripple the faith of the afflicted believer. However, glory to GOD because He always have the final say on the depth and breadth of Satan's manipulations (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Let me conclude by stating that each saint had their trials – yet they had the last laugh. Noah was ruthlessly mocked for building an ark. Abraham was childless for years, was forced to give up his watering holes and lost his wife for some years to kings. Isaac (laughter) became blind in his old age. Jacob was cheated, harassed by men, and deceived by his children. Moses was provoked by the children of Israel to the point that he provoked his GOD. David delivered Israel, yet no man came to help him against Saul. He kept running until Saul’s demise. Etc.
In a nutshell, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” Psalms 34:19 – Shalom!