We are beginning a new series called God In The Storm in which we are going to look at the key teachings about suffering and trials from the book of Job. I want to state at the outset of this series that it is not my goal to cover every verse in the book of Job. About 10 years ago I did preach through the book of Job and I would direct you to find that series on our website so that you can listen or read those messages. My goal for this series is to take some of the key teaching messages that are found in the book of Job in an effort to give us hope and strength for the trials we experience in this life. Open your copies of God’s word to Job 1 and in our first lesson we are going to consider the question of suffering.
Life Is Good (Job 1:1-5)
In Job 1 we are introduced to a man named Job. We are first told that he is righteous (Job 1:1). We are then told that he is blessed with a big family (Job 1:2). We are also told that he quite rich (Job 1:3). Finally, we are told that he seeks the Lord and spiritually cares for his family (Job 1:4-5). He prays and offers sacrifices on behalf of his family in case they have sinned. What we are to take away from this is that life is good for Job. He serves the Lord. He has a family. He loves his family. He is greatly blessed. What could possibly go wrong?
The Adversary (Job 1:6-7)
But now our attention is taken to the spiritual realm. While Job is doing well on earth, there are things that are happening in the spiritual places. We read that the spiritual beings (sons of God) are presenting themselves before the Lord. One of those beings is Satan. It is helpful to understand this name. Satan is not a first name as we would think of it. Rather, this is a description. Satan means adversary. In fact, when reading the book of Job in Hebrew, the definite article “the” is in front of this name. He is the Satan, meaning, “the Adversary.” He is the Accuser. So when you read about him, you are to be immediately be struck by the fact that this is the enemy. Revelation 12:9 tells us that he is the devil and he is the deceiver of the whole world. Further, Job 1:7 tells us about the activity of Satan. The Lord asks Satan what he is doing. Obviously, the Lord does not need any answer for this. This question and the following answer is for our benefit. Satan answers in verse 7 that he has been roaming to and fro on the earth. This is a key point to the direction regarding what we will read and it is a key point that we can easily and quickly forget. We have an Adversary who works against us. The apostle Peter described him in this way:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (1 Peter 5:8-9 ESV)
Peter’s description about Satan is exactly the same. He is your adversary. He goes over the earth like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. You will also notice that Peter implies something important here. Satan uses suffering against us. Therefore we must resist him and remain firm in the faith, understanding this truth. So before we can move into the question of suffering, it is important that we see who we are up against. There is more happening in this world than what we can see. There is more going on. Here is an important premise for us to acknowledge. The answer to suffering is not simple. Suffering is far deeper than what is going on before our eyes. Suffering is more complex because it involves the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm. There are no easy answers or simple solutions as we are informed that we are battling more than flesh and blood but authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil (cf. Ephesians 6:12). We do not have all the information and we do not have all the answers since more is going on than what we can see. In fact, this event as it happens to Job is never revealed to Job. There is not one time in the book of Job that Job is told about this interaction between God and Satan nor about the conflict between them over him.
The Question of Suffering (Job 1:8-11)
This sets the stage for the question of suffering. The Lord presents the integrity of Job to Satan. The Lord sees his servant Job and knows the character of Job. Job is given amazing praise. There is no one like him on the earth. He is blameless and upright. He fears God and turns away from evil. This is an important foundation to our study. Not only did the text tell us this about Job in the first five verses of this first chapter, but God himself confirms this information. Job is blameless and upright. He does fear God and turn from evil. This book wants to emphasize to us that Job has done nothing to deserve the suffering that is coming to him. What Job is going to experience is not a consequence for sins. Job is not being punished for his sins. But we must pay careful attention to how Satan responds in verse 9.
“Does Job fear God for no reason?” (ESV)
This is the question of the book of Job. God says that Job is a faithful follower. Satan says that Job is not a faithful follower. Rather, Job only serves because of the physical blessings he receives. Look at verse 10. Satan says Job is only faithful because God has put a hedge around him and his household and all that he has. In short, you keep bad things from happening to him. He is protected. His family is protected. His possessions are protected. Further, God has blessed him and made him prosper in everything that he does. So you protect him and you bless him. Of course, Job serves you because you are too good to him. But look at verse 11.
If you stretch out your hand and strike all that he has, he will curse you to your face. Tear down the wall of protect and stop making him prosper and he will stop serving you. He will stop being faithful to you. He will curse you rather than follow you. Do you see how Satan lives up to his description as the adversary and the accuser? He is accusing Job of only serving God because he is blessed. Please also consider he is accusing God of being too good, causing people to obey him for all the wrong reasons. The question of suffering is a question of motivation. What is Job’s motive for serving God? What is the reason behind why Job is blameless, upright, fears God, and turns from evil? God is proclaiming that Job serves him for him, and not because of the protection or the blessings. Satan is proclaiming that Job serves God for the protection and the blessings, not for him. In essence, people love you for your stuff but not for you.
This is a very strong challenge. It is also quite a hurtful proclamation. Imagine if someone said about you that the only reason your children care about you or listen to you is because you give them food, clothing, and shelter. They do not love you. They only have any regard for you because of what you give them. Do you see why this is such a terrible accusation? Perhaps the accusation is accurate. You cannot really know while the children live in the home. But there is a time when you know if this is true or not. You will know the answer when they leave home and are on their own. Once they have to take care of themselves and no longer rely on you for anything, then how they respond to you will be very informative. Do they love you for you or do they love only when you give to them? Eric Ortlund said this about this idea: “If God loves us, he will at some point put us in a position where we must worship him for his own sake, in the midst of agony.” Friends, this is the explanation for why Job is going to go through the things that he is going to experience. This question is being placed at the forefront. Does Job fear God for nothing?
The Question To You
Every difficulty, every trial, every pain, every hurt, every wound, and every drop of suffering asks this question. Why do you serve God? Do you follow him because you have a family? Do you serve him because you have money? Do you serve the Lord because you have a good job? Do you obey the Lord because you have a good marriage? Do you follow Jesus because you have good health? Here is the problem: every one is going to answer these questions correctly. We are all going to say we will follow Jesus wherever he goes (cf. Matthew 8:19). We are all going to say that we love God for God. But there is only one way to know the answer. The book of Job puts forward important information that trials are necessary to test faith. Suffering is necessary to determine our heart’s true interest.
So here is the question: when it hurts, what will you do? I want us to see our suffering through a new lens. Satan is accusing you. Satan is working against you. Satan is proclaiming that you fear God for the wrong reason. Satan is certain that you are going to curse God if he can make your life hard enough. Satan is certain that you are going to give up on God and quit your faith if he can put enough pain in your life. Satan says you will quit if he can crush you. Take down the hedge of protection and you will give up. Remove the prosperity of life and you will no longer be devoted to him.
But there is another side to this that gives us hope. Go back to Job 1:8. Notice that it is the Lord that brings up Job’s name to Satan. It is the Lord who says, “Have you considered my servant Job?” It is the Lord who tells Satan about the glory he is receiving from Job because Job is blameless, upright, fears him, and turns from evil. Why is the Lord saying Job’s name? Why is the Lord bringing up Job? Why not keep quiet about Job? Why not keep quiet about all of those who are serving him? There is really only one good reason. Because just as much as Satan stands against you, accusing you of false motives, the Lord stands with you, proclaiming you as being pure in heart and fully devoted to him. Suffering proves which is true. Trials show who is right. What is your trial showing about you today? What is your suffering saying to God, to Satan, and to all the spiritual beings in the heavenly places? The Lord has put forward your name that you will succeed in your faith. Are you showing him to be correct?