By Pastor Steven Ray Bragg
American Missionary Serving in the Philippines
The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job” (Job2:3a)?
Maybe the story is not about loss and reward but faith and honor. Job is a perplexing story. Job was a man who suffered greatly at the command of God. I have read the story countless times and always wondered why God allowed Job to suffer so much. The reward after all his suffering was a double blessing. Does that offset the suffering? Would one suffer such great loss to receive an immense reward? Maybe. But maybe there was more than just reward.
Job was a man of vast wealth. His family was large and enjoyed a good life of prosperity. Job was a man of faith with an extraordinarily close relationship with God. God knew his name and boasted about Job’s faith in Him. For me is the best possible faith: for God to know my name and enjoy my faith; imagine that to be true for any of us.
In spite of Job’s faith, or maybe because of it, he lost everything; wealth, family, and health. He lost it all suddenly and dramatically. Job’s life was shattered; his faith tested.
While going through the trial, little did Job know this was a deliberate test of his faith. God Himself allowed Satan to test Job. God knew the depth of Job’s faith. God knew Job would stand the test, and both prove himself faithful and God’s glory, sovereignty, and honor.
The story says there came a time when the Sons of God came before Him. Among them was Satan. Now consider, God knows everything. The Bible says He knows the end from the beginning, and there is nothing hidden from Him. God asked the fateful question “, have you consider my servant Job?” God knew Satan would accuse Himself and Job. God also knew, and I think previously considered, that when Satan accused Himself and Job that He would have to offer up Job to be tested. The test was to see if Satan was right.
The accusation from Satan was “You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 1:10-12 NLT)!
God is proud of Job’s faith and boasts of it before the Sons of God. The accuser says Job’s faith was because God protected him and blessed him with great wealth. Satan says he loves you because you bribe him with favor. Then Satan says put your hand against him, and Job will curse you.
So now, the question comes before Satan and the Sons of God. Is Job’s faith because of their relationship (faith) or because God bribes him showing favoritism. The question strikes at the very nature of God. God’s honor was a stake.
Ø God’s honor was at stake.
Ø Is He an honorable God worthy of praise and worship or one who needs to bribe and coerce man’s respect?
Ø Job was about to answer the question.
Ø The question would be answered by his faith.
Ø Was Job’s faith authentic or bribed?
Now, the test of Job’s faith begins. Job’s faith is brought to trial. As a result, he loses everything. He loses all he loves and all he has. Still, His faith does not waver. Then Satan says take his health, and he will curse you. God’s allows it. Still, Job’s faith is in tack. Job’s wife curses him, and his friends accuse him, and still Job’s faith is immovable. Because Job has relationship based in faith in God, he questions God but does not curse God or abandon Him.
Many times have I seen people who curse God or leave God after a great tragedy or loss. Even, I have come close to this.
Like a knight defending the honor of his King with his life, Job defends the honor of His God with unwavering faith. Job worships God in great prosperity and even in great loss and suffering. It is not about bribery but love for God. Their relationship was genuine.
How about our faith? Is our faith genuine? When the tests of prosperity or loss come, will we act in faith? What will our faith say about God?
