What lessons have you learned from the book of Job?

The express often said is “The patience of Job,” perhaps the dedication of Job to God would be a better phrase.

The Book of Job is considered to be the oldest book in the Bible dating back to about 2000 BC. The geographical setting of the Book of Job is thought to be the area of the Arabian Desert east of Palestine, where Midian was located, Saudi Arabia today. Of great interest are the many scientific insights found in Job and later proved by scientists. Also, the Book of Job answers the question of are there dinosaurs in the Bible.

The story of Job addresses the question, “How are the goodness and justice of God reconciled with the suffering and pain in the world

Unknown to Job Satan has challenges God to put Job and his piety to the test. First a little about Satan, he is accountable to God and can’t do anything without God’s permission. God knows Satan’s mind and Satan lacks the omnipresence and omniscient of God. And no surprise, Satan is behind the evil so prevalent on planet Earth. As for Job, he had great wealth both in material things and family. God replied to Satan, Job 1:12, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD”. Satan wiped out Job’s wealth and children but did not touch Job. Regardless of his losses, Job still glorified God.

Next Satan wanted to harm Job physically so God allowed it, 2:5 “But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.” Job was covered with painful boils and his wife told him to curse God and die. Job answered, “shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”

Then came the friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar who suggested that Job being punished by God for his sins, being a hypocrite and being wicked. Many discussions later, Job finally called out to God who asks, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”

Finally the contest is over and Job is rewarded two-fold.

Lessons learned:

1. Having God remove His hand of protection has terrible results

2. God is God and His way is not our way

3. Take what friends have to say with a big grain of salt

4. God created the world and is in control

5. Have patience and truth in Him

So much more is in the Book of Job.