The Reason Why Job Suffered?

[JoeP222w]

So, how did God answer Job's questions in the "whirlwind speech" at the end of the book?

He did so by answering Job by letting him (Job) know that God is not obligated to give Job an answer.

 

[miknik5]

Our filling up in the flesh what is lacking according to the sufferings of CHRIST, our being refined and laundered and pruned And purified is so that our faith, more precious than gold though tried in the fire,
will rest entirely in and on HIM and prove genuine and result in HIS glory and praise

GOD disciplines HIS Children so that we will not be condemned with the rest of the world

For the alternative if HE did not discipline and rebuke us now would be a seared conscience and the storing up of HIS wrath to the day

 

[miknik5]

Cassia,
What do you mean by "abiding/remaining" in Christ?

 

[miknik5]

The theme of the story of Job is all found in chapter 1

The hedge is removed and in all this Job did not sin by charging/cursing/blaming GOD of wrongdoing

Something many will do in the times of trouble

 

[FireDragon76]

All of you miss the point of the story.

Job was a righteous man. That means he was blameless. Nothing he did provoked God. The point of the story was simply that there are things human beings cannot understand. Why good people suffer is one of them. Job falls under "Jewish Wisdom Literature". Now, the theme of this story is answered a bit in the New Testament by Christ's own suffering, so Job is not a complete biblical picture of the problem of suffering.

 

[miknik5]

All of you miss the point of the story.

Job was a righteous man. That means he was blameless. Nothing he did provoked God. The point of the story was simply that there are things human beings cannot understand. Why good people suffer is one of them. Job falls under "Jewish Wisdom Literature". Now, the theme of this story is answered a bit in the New Testament by Christ's own suffering, so Job is not a complete biblical picture of the problem of suffering.

Can you elaborate on the theme of the story pertaining to Christ?

 

[FireDragon76]

Can you elaborate on the theme of the story pertaining to Christ?

What do you mean? I don't think Job has much to do with Christ through a literal reading. It's just a Jewish wisdom literature story. The point of the story is that God is above our comprehension. The story ends with anxiety or mystery, then a "happy ending" was tacked on later in the retelling.

 

[Norbert L]

I think 1 Peter 4:12 is somewhat relative. Reading Job does give the impression of something unjustly strange was happening to him. In the end God's answer does provide him with the perspective that Job is not God. Job had to face his own inadequacy in resolving his problem.

 

[miknik5]

Now, the theme of this story is answered a bit in the New Testament by Christ's own suffering, so Job is not a complete biblical picture of the problem of suffering.

I am trying to understand what you are saying in this above portion of your post

 

[miknik5]

I think 1 Peter 4:12 is somewhat relative. Reading Job does give the impression of something unjustly strange was happening to him. In the end God's answer does provide him with the perspective that Job is not God. Job had to face his own inadequacy in resolving his problem.

Did he resolve his problem?
Or did he just have to wait until this season passed?

I agree with your pointing to peters letter. It is on this letter that Peter discusses sufferings and perseverance

 

[tatteredsoul]

The book of Job is very helpful and a reminder to all who will suffer. Fur Job pled and prophecied mankind's dilemma :

If only there were a "datsman" between us who could lay his hand on the both of us and bring us together

There is:

CHRIST JESUS

and Job, not understanding that he is in service to us said:
I know my redeemer lives and after my flesh has been destroyed still and even in my own flesh my eyes shall see HIM standing upon The earth in the last days

I believe Job was a faithful and erudite man, but I still dont think it is helpful for people who are suffering, because I don't think the story was about suffering. It was about trust in God, IMO.

Job is an atypical example; he was not suffering like one would think before, and he was restored back to a multi-millionaire with kids and wife afterward. It isn't like he was homeless, unemployed or destitute to begin with, which is the allusion the "satan" made when he told God Job loves Him because he is protected. In that sense, I find Job unrelatable.

Losing all of your kids is terrible, though. But, Job was already a spiritual ringer because God chose him from the beginning. Many people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between God''s punishment/lifted hand of protection, and an exercise in faith and trust - especially if you aren't righteous as Job.

 

[miknik5]

I believe Job was a faithful and erudite man, but I still dont think it is helpful for people who are suffering, because I don't think the story was about suffering. It was about trust in God, IMO.

Job is an atypical example; he was not suffering like one would think before, and he was restored back to a multi-millionaire with kids and wife afterward. It isn't like he was homeless, unemployed or destitute to begin with, which is the allusion the "satan" made when he told God Job loves Him because he is protected. In that sense, I find Job unrelatable.

Losing all of your kids is terrible, though. But, Job was already a spiritual ringer because God chose him from the beginning. Many people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between God''s punishment/lifted hand of protection, and an exercise in faith and trust - especially if you aren't righteous as Job.

Exactly. Which is why many will in the end when the season of "Job" is upon them , look up , curse/blame their God and King and be cast into utter darkness

And this season will come upon the world to test all men

But many will attribute these things wrongly to GOD not understanding that HE simply "let go" for a season and during that time Satan will have full reign

Thus is why I pointed to 2 Thessalonians 2 in relation to the "hedge"

 

[miknik5]

I believe Job was a faithful and erudite man, but I still dont think it is helpful for people who are suffering, because I don't think the story was about suffering. It was about trust in God, IMO.

Job is an atypical example; he was not suffering like one would think before, and he was restored back to a multi-millionaire with kids and wife afterward. It isn't like he was homeless, unemployed or destitute to begin with, which is the allusion the "satan" made when he told God Job loves Him because he is protected. In that sense, I find Job unrelatable.

Losing all of your kids is terrible, though. But, Job was already a spiritual ringer because God chose him from the beginning. Many people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between God''s punishment/lifted hand of protection, and an exercise in faith and trust - especially if you aren't righteous as Job.

It is very easy to show faith in seasons of sunshine. Another thing completely in seasons of "Job"

Trials which come are to test our faith so that our faith will remain

Paul understood this when he said I have learned to be content in all things

No one would be "content" in a season if "Job" but it is in these seasons that our faith must remain with our eyes directed in and on HIM who is faithful in all seasons

 

[Hank77]

Do you think he just 'thought' to curse God and die but didn't voice it??

Job never cursed God. He wished for an intercessor who could plead his case with the God.

Did he resolve his problem?
Or did he just have to wait until this season passed?

God said to Job, paraphrased....
"When you (Job) can do all these things, I (God) will agree with you that your own Right hand can save you."

Job believed that all the righteous things that he did in service to God and his family, would save him and his children. God was pleased with the things that Job did, as God Himself said that Job was righteous.

Job realizes it isn't enough to do things, even righteous Godly things, only the sovereign God's mercy and grace could do that.
Job repented and then everything was restored to him. God made him a priest to offer sin offerings for his friends.

 

[miknik5]

Job never cursed God. He wished for an intercessor who could plead his case with the God.


God said to Job, paraphrased....
"When you (Job) can do all these things, I (God) will agree with you that your own Right hand can save you."

Job believed that all the righteous things that he did in service to God and his family, would save him and his children. God was pleased with the things that Job did, as God Himself said that Job was righteous.

Job realizes it isn't enough to do things, even righteous Godly things, only the sovereign God's mercy and grace could do that.
Job repented and then everything was restored to him. God made him a priest to offer sin offerings for his friends.

Great response. I just am not sure that Job viewed his righteous works as anything before GOD. If he did he would have listened to his foolish friends falsely misrepresenting GOD as a respector of persons and he (Job) would have opened his mouth and "stated his case" before.GOD

 

[miknik5]

Hank

I am not sure that Job believed that his "righteous" works would save him

If he did he wouldn't have corrected his wife (who told him to curse GOD) saying should we not accept both sun and rain from GOD?

Further Job already did the work of praying for his children every day lest they had sinned against GOD. Further showing that he did not believe his works could save him or his family

When JOB repented it was that he had opened his mouth before GOD not trusting in GOD'S sovereignty and control in all things

And the reason why GOD was right there when JOB began to speak was because JOB, His Servant, began to speak

And the only reason Job who had initially said he would not open his mouth lest his mouth cause him to sin was because of the constant urging and added torments of his "friends" who would not keep silent

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Job never cursed God. He wished for an intercessor who could plead his case with the God.


God said to Job, paraphrased....
"When you (Job) can do all these things, I (God) will agree with you that your own Right hand can save you."

Job believed that all the righteous things that he did in service to God and his family, would save him and his children. God was pleased with the things that Job did, as God Himself said that Job was righteous.

Job realizes it isn't enough to do things, even righteous Godly things, only the sovereign God's mercy and grace could do that.
Job repented and then everything was restored to him. God made him a priest to offer sin offerings for his friends.

Exactly... Job was dwelling in his own righteousness that is of the tree of good and evil. For him to be brought into the tree of life he had to achieve God's righteousness. He was stripped of everything, just as we're stripped of the old man. Being that was the OT times presumably he was clothed in God with the power of priesthood to sacrifice for his friends (who were every form of legalism) There was no indwelling or abiding at that time

Perhaps the whirlwind was the breath w/o the fire

No. Job was not full of himself
No. Job did not view himself as more righteous than any other which is why he would not listen to his well-meaning but ignorant of Who GOD is "friends" telling him to state his case before GOD

As if he could somehow remind GOD of the list of his most righteous works!

Job couldn't and he wouldn't

Job understood by opening his mouth before GOD, he not only exalts himself to a level equal with GOD( as if the two of them could come together and sit side by side and discuss his case) but he also, by opening his mouth, deems and judges his brothers as "less righteous/less worthy" than himself

No he didn't voice it
Not even once

Cassia,
What do you mean by "abiding/remaining" in Christ?

I'll hold to my own integrity as to the righteousness of my answer, altho God may disagree. The only way that I can be right is if I am come from a place of abiding. Anything less may be of good report but it will not be of God.

miknik do a wordstudy on abiding...

 

[DTate98]

So, how did God answer Job's questions in the "whirlwind speech" at the end of the book?

From what I know, the reason Job suffered was to test his faith in God. He lost everything and became ill, but still stayed with God. But I haven't read Job in a while, and my memory doesn't serve me well in most cases, so it'd be best to get a second opinion

 

[miknik5]

I'll hold to my own integrity as to the righteousness of my answer, altho God may disagree. The only way that I can be right is if I am come from a place of abiding. Anything less may be of good report but it will not be of God.

miknik do a wordstudy on abiding...

Oh I know what it is and I understand what it is. And I also know that in the last days many will "go out" and make manifest by what they do that their idea of "abiding" was simply an outward profession of lip service to THE NAME

 

[Hank77]

Further Job already did the work of praying for his children every day lest they had sinned against GOD. Further showing that he did not believe his works could save him or his family

This was one of the works he did. He made sacrifices for their atonement. Not that, that was an unrighteous work but a work none the less. Can the blood of bulls and goats save?

And the only reason Job who had initially said he would not open his mouth lest his mouth cause him to sin was because of the constant urging and added torments of his "friends" who would not keep silent

I agree that they were a thorn in his side, all but the youngest, who kept his mouth shut waiting for his elders to give Job wisdom. When they didn't Elihu spoke up.
Job knew he hadn't sinned a sin unto death, and he knew he needed a intercessor, he said someone to stand between him and God. By faith he believed that Redeemer was coming.