Put to the Test

Job 1:1-22

Verse 22  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

    Once upon a time in a land far away there was a man who was living the fairy tale life… until he wasn’t.  This man named Job had everything a man could want.  He had more livestock than anyone in the area, he had riches and servants.  He had even been blessed with 10 children – 7 boys and 3 girls.  He was living the life dreams were made of.

    Once upon a time in a land far away there was a man who was living the fairy tale life… until he wasn’t.  This man named Job had everything a man could want.  He had more livestock than anyone in the area, he had riches and servants.  He had even been blessed with 10 children – 7 boys and 3 girls.  He was living the life dreams were made of.

    Job was a man of great faith, so great in his faith in fact that the enemy took notice.  Job didn’t know this conversation was happening in the heavenly courts and he would have been surprised to find himself the main object of the conversation.  God was pleased with Job and the enemy couldn’t believe any man could care that much for God unless he was getting more than his fair share in life.

    With God’s permission the enemy was allowed to make Job’s life miserable as he tried to prove Job only loved God because of the many things he had been given by God.  One day as Job was minding his own business a servant came to tell him how a raid had happened and all the farmhands were killed as well as all the animals, only the servant messenger had escaped.  As the escaped servant spoke another servant came to Job to tell him how fire had come from heaven and burned up the sheep and the shepherds, sparing no one except for the servant who had come to give the news.  A third messenger arrived just then to say all the camels had been stolen and the servants attending them killed.

    Next a servant comes to tell Job how his children were having a party together at the oldest son’s home when a great wind, likely a tornado, destroyed the house and killed every one of Job’s 10 children and all the servants with them except the news-bearing servant.  Job had gone from having everything a man could want to have only his wife and four servants.

    This was only the beginning of Job’s story.  Another day would find him with oozing sores from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet.  Even in the pain of those wounds, Job wouldn’t blame God.  He asked why and showed his frustration with his situation but he didn’t curse God.  He had four friends who came to sit with him.  Three of these friends were men of age and experience who blamed God for Job’s circumstances and said Job was being judged by God for sin in his life but the youngest of these men didn’t see things the same way.  After hearing all the others had to say, he spoke up to give the truth of God and Job.  We are going to look at his defense and see what we can learn from his knowledge of God.

Making It Personal

    When have you gone through more than you felt you could bear?  Have you blamed God for your circumstances?  What has He taught you through your hardships?

Making It Personal Kids

    Have you ever had times which seemed really hard?  Who do you blame when you are having a hard time?  Does Jesus teach you anything during those times?

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank you for this reminder of how You allow things to happen in our lives for Your greater good, proving we are never out of Your loving hands.  Help us to remember this when trials come our way.  In Jesus’ name, amen.