The past few days, I’ve been reading through the book of Job. Job lived during the time of the patriarchs, after the flood. Bible scholars debate whether he lived closer to Abraham’s time or later, in Moses’ day. No details are given in this historical account to tell us the exact dates.

Job was a righteous and blameless man, according to God’s own words. The first two chapters set the stage: God brings Job to Satan’s attention to prove his faithfulness. Satan is given permission first to harm Job’s possessions, then his family, and finally his health. God allows a period of unbearable suffering without offering any explanation to Job.

The bulk of this book consists of conversations (really, monologues) between Job and four friends. Job continually asserts his innocence, but his friends have a darker view of God. They believe he must be suffering because of some hidden sin. After all, God would only be just if what he was experiencing was some kind of punishment.

Frustrated and tired of defending himself, Job expresses a desire to understand why God would allow such suffering in his life. He doesn’t comprehend, yet he remains convinced that God has the right to afflict him. He holds a higher view of God and a deeper grasp of His sovereignty. Job acknowledges that God is still good and righteous but insists he has not sinned. In his anguish, he longs to argue with God and present his case, yet he never sins with his words (Job 2:10).

Job is a book that must be read in its complete context. We don’t know what to believe about God until the end of the story, when He tells us Himself. While his friends’ words sound plausible, we learn in the last chapter that they did not speak what was right. They had a faulty understanding of God’s character.

What did Job learn from his trials? What can we take away from this historical account of real people who experienced suffering at the hand of God and had to wrestle with its implications for their faith? Here are a few things that came to mind.

• God doesn’t owe us any explanations. He has the right and authority to test our faith in any way He chooses.

• God has authority over Satan, who could not harm Job until God granted him permission.

• God cares more about our faith than our comfort. If suffering leads us to a deeper understanding of Him, He deems it worthwhile.

• God can handle our complaints and questions, but we must remember to whom we are speaking. Job wasn’t reprimanded for asking God “why,” but he gained a whole new respect and a deeper sense of humility for God’s power, majesty, and authority.

• God is offended when we speak wrongly about Him. Job’s friends were reproved by God for their incorrect assumptions; in fact, Scripture says God’s wrath was kindled against them. We should be careful not to misrepresent God or dishonor His character and reputation through our faulty theology.

• If we want to know just how powerful and mighty our God is, we need only look at nature. God created it, sustains it, and only He can control it.

• Suffering, trials, and tribulations do not necessarily indicate that we’ve done something wrong. God might be testing us to prove our faith is genuine and to demonstrate to the world and to Satan that we love Him for who He is, not just for the good things He has done for us.

Job’s faithfulness inspires us to cling to what we know to be true about God, regardless of the circumstances. God is sovereign, mighty, and powerful, and our lives belong to Him.

Job 23:8-14 – Behold, I go forward but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; when He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does. For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such decrees are with Him.