"Is it okay to question God?"
Another look at the Old Testament book of Job
This book, as do all the others, needs to be read with the war (the Great Controversy) in mind. God has been accused by Satan of being arbitrary, vengeful, unforgiving, severe, selfish, and a liar (to mention a few). The Bible is full of stories, each revealing God’s character as He deals with His wayward children. Is Satan right about God? How does God run His government? Can He be trusted for eternity to do what is right? Let’s take another look at the story of Job to see what it reveals about God.
Chapter 1
“There was a man named Job, living in the land of Uz, who worshiped God and was faithful to Him. He was a good man, careful not to do anything evil.” Job 1:1 GNB “One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” Job 1:6 NRSV “Satan replied, ‘Would Job worship You if he got nothing out of it? You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does, and You have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country.’” Job 1:9-10 GNB
“When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the LORD, Satan was there among them. The LORD asked him, ‘What have you been doing?’ Satan answered, ‘I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth.’ ‘Did you notice my servant Job?’ the LORD asked. ‘There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships Me and is careful not to do anything evil.’” Job 1:6-8 GNB
Did God not know what Satan had been doing? (Genesis 18:20; 1 Kings 8:39; Psalm 139:1-4) Notice what God says about Job. Compare that to what He said about David: “And if you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life.” 1 Kings 3:14 GNB “If you serve me faithfully as your father David did, obeying my laws and doing everything I have commanded you, I will keep the promise I made to your father David when I told him that Israel would always be ruled by his descendants.” 2 Chronicles 7:17-18 GNB “When He (God) had removed him (Saul), He made David their king. In His testimony about him He said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.” Acts 13:22 NRSV Was David “perfect." Was Job “perfect”?
Is God looking for perfection or for an attitude of right-doing—love? (Isaiah 57:15; Jeremiah 31:33; Micah 6:8; Hosea 6:6; Hebrews 5:13-6:1) God pointed Job out, claiming him to be righteous and faithful. Why would God do this to Job? “But now suppose You take away everything he has—he will curse You to Your face!” Job 1:11 GNB Satan wants God to do the deed, but God allows Satan to prove his own claim. God has placed His trust in Job, for He knows Job’s character. The whole universe is watching to see who will be right in his assessment of Job—God or Satan. (Psalm 50:4; 1 Corinthians 4:9; Ephesians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:12) “’We were plowing the fields with the oxen, he said, ‘and the donkeys were in a nearby pasture. Suddenly the Sabeans attacked and stole them all.” “Three bands of Chaldean raiders attacked us, took away the camels,” Job 1:14-15,17 GNB
Stay tuned for a study on chapter 2!
- Jamie Eaton 2008
Live To Know Him
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