Fines Line of Faith: How Does Job Pass the First Test?

Exploration into the Book of Job on human suffering 

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Six years ago, as I prepared for Thanksgiving, I had a radio show where I turned to explore thankfulness and gratitude.  It was filled with exploring those concepts, stories and some challenges.  At the end of the show, I challenged my listener's that whatever happened that week to say, “This too, is for the good.”  Little did I know that within 48-hours I would become a widow.  The words, “this too is for the good,” rang in my head all through my period of grieving.  I had to bow my head to the sovereignty of God.  There is no argument, bargaining, of pleading once death has occurred.   

And Job stood up...  to stand while making a blessing to God, and, to rend his garment on the loss of his children.  And tore the hair from his head-on the loss of his possessions, for the biblical prohibition against tearing hair out as a sign of mourning applies on the physical death but against the loss of possessions there is no biblical prohibition.  This is where we get the statement, I am pulling my hair out. 

I lost my children and grandchildren years ago a casualty of embracing the world.   I have neither blessed nor complained against this loss.  I just dealt with it.  It is a lonely path. 

This year during my relocation I lost many possessions.  It was a casualty of moving, a case of missing items and many sentimental things broken beyond repair.  Possessions are over-rated.  They are nice to have them.  No great loss when I must pitch the, that said, I am sentimental by nature and found myself shedding a tear for those generational and sentimental possessions from family, people, and times past.  It happens and then you move on.     

Naked I did come...  Job had room to complain to God in one of two fashions: 

If the possessions which were now taken from him were inseparable from his body, such as his arms or heart, then even though God had created them and given them to him, still, since they were a part of him since his conception, he could have considered it a crime for God to them away from him.  But this is not the case with possessions: his property and his children.  These are external possessions not attached to his own person.  They did not originate from the beginning when he was first formed, for he was born without these possessions.  Naked did I come from my mother’s womb without these possessions.  Nor are they destined to be part of him, for:  And naked shall I return to there, to the earth. 

Moreover, he said that just as God gave with the attribute of Mercy, Job using the four-letter Name of God, implying Divine Mercy, not the Name Elokim, which implies Divine Retribution, so did He take with mercy.  For certainly this evil has some good purpose.  Perhaps He took the children and possessions for an atonement so that Job could personally remain in life and health.  Therefore, he blessed the evil in the same way he blessed the good. 

For the moment Job has passed the test.  He has accepted the loss of all his children and possessions.  Everything is for the good.   He is accepting everything that God has done to him.  There is not mention of any wrong here.  Jobs words are those of the righteous.   

But if we follow the lines of Satan’s charges above, perhaps we can see the beginnings of a flaw developing.  The four-letter Name implies the attribute of Divine Mercy, as opposed to Divine Retribution.  As God gave these possessions with mercy, so too did He take them.  This seeming evil must be for some beneficial end.  He has taken the children and possessions in atonement in order to allow Job himself to remain alive and well.  Therefore, Job blessed the bad in the same way we bless good.  Perhaps, we can infer that Job is only willing to accept the bad if there is some personal benefit to be derived from it.  To accept the bad purely out of love of God seems beyond him.  The Satan has found a crack in Job's “perfect” faith. 

Faith Lesson:  How would you fair with the loss of your children?  If you have experienced this trauma, did you praise God or complain?  Even if our children are very much alive due to things like the Jab many families are splitting up.  Jesus did say He would bring a sword of division among families.  These passages are very applicable to the current events to which we are all experiencing. 

Next up is the loss of our wealth and financial security.  During the Great Depression men jumped out of buildings when their financial empire collapsed.  Once again, how will you deal with this trial?  You can expect this within the year so you may want to explore spiritual, physical, and emotional ways that you will deal with this trial.   

Lastly, do you have a crack or breach in your faith that Satan can exploit?  It is time to circle the wagon of faith, repent, and allow no satanic incursion into your life, especially your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Blessings that you will endure your first trials as we plunge into this demonic world,

Celeste

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