Our background photo for today was taken in motion … and so the book of Job opens in a blur of motion! A blur of tragedy! … after tragedy! … after tragedy!! A blur of tears.
You will notice in our background photo that the sun is going down … so also, as the book of Job opens, all the light in Job’s life goes out and Job is plunged into a period of great sadness and darkness!
You will also notice in our background photo that the gate leads into a cemetery … so also, the book of Job opens with the burial of everyone Job loved and cared for.
Suffering! It hurts to even write about it. There is so much pain and suffering in our world.
Why is there suffering?? Why is there pain?? Why does it hurt so bad??
In the beginning, when God first created the world, everything was paradise. There was no suffering, there was no pain. But mankind chose to disobey God. Mankind sinned. And our world has been cursed by sin ever since.
The book of Job is a very raw, real account of suffering and pain. The question, “Why??” is not answered in the book of Job. We only see an account of the suffering … and God’s presence in the middle of the suffering.
God has given His Word to us so that we might know Him better. God wants us to know that when suffering occurs in our lives … He is present! God is right there with us in the middle of our suffering!
Will we get answers to our “Why??” questions? Most likely not.
Why this sickness??
Why this devastating loss??
Why this war??
Why is this terrible injustice occurring??
Why are these innocent people suffering??
Why is evil running rampant & unchecked?? We are not given answers to these questions.
The book of Job does reveal the active working presence of Satan in the world! Evil and suffering are directly tied to the active working of Satan and his demons in this world. As to the “Why??” of things … we are not told.
The primary content of the book of Job (Job, chapters 3-37) involves numerous discussions seeking to understand and answer the “Why??” questions. In the end, God Himself speaks (Job, chapters 38-41) … revealing His Majesty! His Power! His ultimate authority over all creation! God never answers the “Why??” questions. Only that He alone is the All-Powerful God over all!
As we read the book of Job, we too struggle with the “Why??” questions. But ultimately what we learn is this: God Himself is with us in our suffering! And in the end, God will wipe away all suffering once-and-for-all!
* Psalm 34:18 – “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
* Psalm 147:3 – “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
* Revelation 21:3-5 – “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
Jesus Christ in Job … Jesus can be seen, pictured in the sufferings of Job. Job suffered, though he had done nothing wrong. So also, Jesus suffered and died to take the punishment for our sins … though He had done nothing wrong.
* Isaiah 53:3a – “He [Jesus] was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”
* Isaiah 53:7-9 – “He [Jesus] was oppressed and afflicted, … By oppression and judgment He was taken away. … He was cut off from the land of the living; … though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.”
* Isaiah 53:4 – “Surely He [Jesus] took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”
* Job 19:25 – “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth.”
