March 2, 2009
aCCEPTING THE GOOD AND THE BAD
Job 2
Tracy Alexander
Central Truth
God allows trouble in our lives along with blessing.
Key Verse | Job 2:10
But he replied, "You're talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said. (Job 2:10)
Job 2
Satan Attacks Job's Health
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 3 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” 4 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” 6 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” 1 2:10 Or disaster; also verse 11 In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job's Three Friends
11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.
Dive Deeper | Job 2
The book of Job has been a little hard for me to understand at times. Yet I love this book because it says so much about how thoroughly God knows us and how deeply He loves us.
Throughout life I have struggled with the concept that good performance results in good things in life. It has just made sense to me that if I do all of the right things, then my life will be better off and more secure. This has also led to thinking the opposite: if I do the wrong things, then my life will reap negative consequences. But with God, things are different. Regardless of my performance, God's love for me doesn't cease just as His love for Job never ceased.
God loved Job. In verse 3, God's high thoughts of Job are revealed. He calls Job a "pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil." (Job 2:3) With that description, in my formula, Job should have had a wonderful life, and he did. But God also allows trouble in Job's life, testing Job's faithfulness and integrity. What I admire about Job is that when the trouble came, he had prepared himself to remain faithful. He already knew God's character, so he could counter any wrong advice he was given. He had also surrounded himself with friends who would come to his aid in time of need.
Job's troubles continue for another 35 chapters! Then God teaches Job further about His greatness, and finally Job's life is restored; but not before Job says to the Lord: "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you." (Job 42:5, NIV) I can only imagine how much stronger and deeper Job's relationship with the Lord was at the end of this time.
I, too, want to be prepared to accept all that God has for me, the good and the bad. I can see in God's Word that, while He will allow negative circumstances in my life, He will not leave me. He will teach me and restore me.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you willing to accept all that God has for you?
2. Have you prepared yourself for the troubles in life by knowing God's Word and surrounding yourself with helpful friends?
3. Are you in the midst of a troubled time? What help do you think you need to get through it? What help has God promised to give you? Begin by looking for the ways that God has already provided help for you.