Job 2 The Deeper Test & Lessons Learned

Many people are upset when they read Job. They think God is toying with man and betting man's life to play game with Satan. The truth is far from such misunderstanding. Read on to find the truth.

Here is the mind-map that summarizes the lessons learned from the study of Job chapter 2:

1. God is in charge of all, no matter what one may think.
   • Satan has to report to God and seek permission for what he wanted to harm
   • We should be comforted with this thought. The righteous and the good will win out. Please seek the purpose, put the trust in God and walk with Jesus through this valley of shadow of seemingly death.
     
2. God is not betting with Satan. Neither is God playing with man as a chess piece.
   
3. There are many ways to understand this suffering of Job
   
   1. It is about worship of God as the chief goal of man.
      
      • In chapter 1, Satan accused Job of worshipping God for personal gains - wealth, protection, family etc. and health in this chapter. Man just uses God as a means to gain wealth and health.
   2. God understands Job's true heart of worship.
   But there is no proof to show, especially the accuser Satan (whose job was to find faults) will demand the proofs.
   
   • Even Job was unsure, see Job 3:25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.
   • Job stayed away from evil.
   • He followed God commands.
   • He sacrificed for his children, just in case
   • He worship God first at his loss of children & possessions. This show Job's 1st thought is always on God.
   • Job put God above family, wealth and now even his own health. This is seen in 2v10 Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"
   3. See suffering not as punishment but as training for maturity.
   • All champions go through intense training - to outsiders, they are torturing themselves!
   • Suffering and pains develop our character.
   4. God knows 100% that Job will pass the test.
      Only Satan does not know. It is not a bet but a sure win for Job and of God.
   5. As explained in the previous chapter notes, Job is God's ground to punish Satan's rebellion as Satan was created with greater ability than man. If the lower man can worship God how come the wiser and greater Satan can't?
      
4. Just Curse God and Die for a Relief.- It is just a temporary but bad solution
   • Job's wife, being so close to Job and seeing his righteous life and the sufferings could not take it and suggested to Job to curse God to get relief from his frustrations and then die, as the punishment from cursing God, yet gaining relief.  If Job took his wife advice, it will just prove that Satan was right i.e. Job worships God for health and blessings.
     
5. Job made God's Day
   • Job was able to stay calm and rebuked his wife. One should be able to take anything, good and bad, from God. God has His purpose. However, in the next chapter, Job wished either he was born or be dead.
     
6. Job's Sickness is Great -It is no simple matter
   • Job's sickness was very great, a deformation and great pains, that his friends could not recognize him and they stayed with him quietly for seven days and nights.
     
7. Presence is Great Comforting
   • Comforting our suffering friends need not be in words but just in presence will be good. In fact, his friends' words later, did not comfort but angered Job instead.
     
8. Understanding the Purpose of Suffering will be Helpful
• Job did not understand the purpose of his suffering. This made his suffering extremely tough that he cried to God for justice and understanding. Paul and other martyrs for God at least understood their purpose as suffering for Christ, as testimonies for Christ. 

by Lim Liat (c) 6 Jan 2014