Why Job?

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil (Job 1:1).

We all wrestle with understanding parts of the Bible from time to time. I have had a difficult time coming to terms with why God would have allowed Satan to cause Job such suffering and misery. After all, the Bible says that he was an "upright" man. I've studied and reflected on this. Here are some things I have pulled together that gave me a better perspective.

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God (Job 13:1-3).

First of all Job, like us, lived in a fallen world where everything's not fair and just. Adam and Eve had already chosen to sin instead of obeying God, and Satan gained power over mankind through their choice. Although Job was what we would call a good man, he was not without sin. In fact, we can see from what the Bible tells us about him that he was satisfied with himself and even arrogant at times in declaring his righteousness. He felt better than others.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romas 8:28).

Secondly, if you have studied God's Word and know His nature, you know that He will use our bad times for good. That's actually one of His promises. I feel sure that when Satan wanted to test Job, God looked and saw how Job would grow in faith, maturity, and spiritual knowledge and come out a better man because of what he'd gone through. And that's exactly what happened. 

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning... (Job 42:12a).

We can admire that Job refused to turn from God even in his worst suffering. But he did question God until finally, God put him in his place. When Job began to understand and humble himself before God, everything was doubly restored to him. He had come through the hard times a stronger man who understood his Lord much better. I think the last part of his life was filled with much more joy because he could appreciate it more.

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