The God Who Works When We Don't See - JOB START

As I have had the privilege to walk through the Bible book by book these past 8 years on this blog I have been able to slow down long enough to ask "why is this book in this place"? And I believe there are great valuable truths even in the order of scripture as well as the Words of scripture. So let us ask, "Why does Job follow Esther?"

If you consider that Israel at the end of Esther has just been barely saved from an ancient holocaust at the hand of Haman and that their deliverance was so unbelievable it required two letters for confirmation among the people you can see why Job follows this book. For Israel has been descending from their pinnacle since the end of 1 Kings and it seems Esther, which does not mention God at all would be the perfect precursor to Job - the book synonymous with suffering while God seems silent. 

Job 1:1–5 (ESV) There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Job is blessed, as Israel once was. And Job led his family in righteousness as Solomon once did. Job was esteemed and rich and sacrificed to the Lord great quantities of goods, as Solomon also did. And Job will soon lose everything as Israel also did. Things will look hopeless and Godless as we just experienced in the first half of Esther after the decree of Haman. But in spite of all that - the first and perhaps best lesson of Job is that God is at work even when we do not see Him and EVEN when we feel the opposite effects of Him - suffering and pain. 

Job 1:6–12 (ESV) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 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.” 8 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?” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

I've never liked the willingness of God here to offer up Job as a test-case for steadfastness in the face of suffering. But Job is pointing to the true righteous servant who suffered unjustly and saved His friends. The first picture of this wonderful and difficult book is that Satan seeks to discredit faith and submission to God on the basis of selfishness. That is, man would only worship God for what God gives. Take it away and there would be no worshippers. 

God offers Job as a sampling of that theory. And after losing all his earthly possessions and not cursing God, Satan asks for more permission to wound him. God obliges and Job is left destitute and diseased in dust and ashes. 

Job 1:20–22 (ESV) Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

What should we say first about this book? First the previously mentioned - that there is a spiritual reality behind the scenes that shapes our visible reality. But second, that Job is a vision of what Israel could become in their demise - a people who worship regardless of the goodies. For this reason, I believe Job follows Esther. He is leading the people back to the pure worship of the Lord, worship that has nothing or loses everything and yet knows the Lord is still the most important being in our lives. If Israel could become that, the world would rise up and worship their God. 

Now we know that Israel, while perhaps purer after the exile and return to the land, was still only outwardly religious - and that would be the main spirit Jesus challenged. Yet IN JESUS, true Israel finds herself changed of heart and loving God not for what He gives us, but for WHO HE IS. In that way, the book of Job calls us to examine our own hearts and lay down our idols to seek and serve the Lord because He is the Lord, and He is all we need.