Many people wonder why the book of Job is included in the Bible. Sometimes, it seems to be boring speeches, difficult to comprehend. Sovereign God allows suffering to refine us like gold. (Job 23:10)
1) Teach Satan: God allowed Job to suffer to teach Satan and other angelic beings. Satan did understand God’s character. He dared to question the integrity of God. God was accused of bribery and corruption to gain loyalty from fallen human beings. (Job 2:4) Satan learnt a hard lesson that people love God not for blessings but for His love.
2) Teach Job: God allowed Job to suffer to teach Job absolute reliance on God. Job’s spiritual focus could have been hampered, so were his priorities. To draw attention again, God allowed Job to suffer.
3) Human wisdom is inadequate: God allowed Job to suffer to teach, wisdom of humans cannot comprehend God’s ways. With human reasoning Job tried to find an answer for his sufferings but could not. His friends also did the same and became miserable comforters. (Job 16:2)
4) Teach friends of Job: God allowed Job to suffer to vindicate him before his friends. Without evidence, they accused Job of sin, perhaps secret sins, or sins of his children. The tendency to judge others, without doing self-introspection, is trying to remove specks from others’ eyes, without realising the beam in their own eyes. (Matthew 7:3-5)
5) Teach all generations: God allowed Job to suffer to teach the subsequent generation how to endure suffering. Suffering is indeed part and parcel of the fallen world. Instead of being afraid, children of God should face suffering boldly.
6) Double blessing: God allowed Job to suffer to bless him double fold. The Lord did not abandon him in his misery, his later days were far better than his life that was before suffering. (Job 42:12)
7) God trusts His children: God allowed Job to suffer to teach believers how God trusts his children and is glad about their love and faithfulness. (Job 1:8)
Do I learn life lessons when I go through suffering?