When we think about the book of Job we think about the things that befell him. We think about how he lost everything he had, including his children. When something catastrophic of that nature happens, we began to think, and say to ourselves, “Why did God let this happen?” We question God about everything that goes wrong in our lives. We like Job have gone through disasters in our lives that we never thought we would have to face. Sometimes we harden our hearts towards God when things like that happen. We forget the fact that God will test us however He feels that’s best to see exactly how much we love Him, to see if material things are more important to us than he. To make us see that He is the giver of all things and He can take away whatever, and whoever His heart desires. We do not have any say in what God does, or doesn’t do.
Job didn’t curse God as his wife had suggested. He accepted the fact that God does what He does. I know that it hurt Job when those things happened to him, but he still had faith in God, he didn’t lose his faith. If Job can go through all of that and not lose his faith, why can’t we do the same?
God was silent with Job until the 38th chapter. Chapter 38:1 tells us this: Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: (v.2.) Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
The Lord answered Job: Elihu had spoken. Job made no reply, and in the silence, the voice of God was heard. Before this discussions had been about God as if He were not there. Now Job was face to face with the Lord. (38:1)
Out of the Whirlwind: In Old Testament times a great storm was the outward sign of God’s presence.
Exodus 19:16-And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled.
1 Kings 19:11-And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
Ezekiel 1:4-And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Nahum 1:3-The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
Nahum 1:3-Will Not at All Acquit the Wicked: Read the phrase: “But will by no means clear the guilty” (see Exodus 34:7). The majesty of God’s holiness (vss.4-6) is contrasted with His long-suffering (vs. 3a) and benevolence (vs.7).
Exodus 34:7-Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Exodus 34:4-6-And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. And the LORD in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
Exodus 34:3a-And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
Job 38:14-It is turned as clay to the seal and they stand as a garment.
Job 38:14-Turned as clay to the seal: The reference is to the inscription on a clay seal that is written backward and, on being impressed on a soft object, is reversed and comes out in perfect order. So the sun changes the chaos of night into the order of the day.
Job 38:3-Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Job 38:3-Gird up now thy loins: This means “Get ready for a contest.” During work or battle, the lower garment was always tucked in so it didn’t interfere with the freedom of movement.
Job 38:32-Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
Job 38:32-His Sons: Offspring. It probably refers to the stars around Arcturus in the constellation Bootes, which has ten named stars.
Job 38:33-Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
Job 38:33- Ordinances: The reference to the LORD as the giver of the ordinances is found in Jeremiah 31:35.
OMNIPOTENCE-It is the quality of having unlimited power.
This tells me that God has unlimited power. He can do anything. He is everywhere at all times whether we feel His presence or not. God is always listening to what we say. There is nothing that we can say, or do that He doesn’t hear and know. Everything that God asked Job, he had to answer. Surely as we all stand before God on judgment day we all will have to answer God every question He will ask us.
God talks to us now, but do we take time to listen? Can we be quiet long enough to listen for His voice?
Even after all that Job went through he still served God. God blessed Job with more than he had in the beginning. Sometimes God will allow us to go through things that we cannot control, but when that happens, we still have to know that God is for us. We cannot complain about what God does, because whatever we go through, it is for a reason, and that reason may be for us to learn from that situation, to learn to lean on God, to trust Him in all things no matter what. The things we go through test our faith. It helps us to be more dependent upon God. He is for us even when things look bad.
Sometimes our blessings come when we are in the midst of our pain. We never know when God is going to turn things around for us just as He turned things around for Job.
Job 42:10-And the LORD turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
See how good God is? He never left him for one minute even though he was going through what he was going through. He blessed Job with more than what he had at first. After this lived Job a hundred and forty years and saw his sons, and his son’s sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.
Job 42:10-JOB’S LOSSES AND RESTORATION:
LOSSES:
7 SONS
3 DAUGHTERS
7,000 SHEEP
3,000 CAMELS
1,000 OXEN
500 DONKEYS
LARGE HOUSEHOLD
GREATEST MAN OF THE EAST
RESTORED:
7 SONS
3 DAUGHTERS
14,000 SHEEP
6,000 CAMELS
2,000 OXEN
1,000 DONKEYS
LIVED 140 YEARS
SAW FOUR GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN
The end of this story is beautiful. God did some amazing things in Job’s life. His family was restored. His sisters and brothers came to him that had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
This day in time, we would say that Job had it going on in the beginning before tragedy struck, and he also had it going on at the end of his life because God restored him with more than he had in the beginning. He left his family wealthy.
God is the restorer of all things. There’s nothing that He can’t do. When we start to feel that all hope is lost, and don’t know what we are going to do, we can turn to God. He knows everything we need. He can fix anything that’s wrong in our relationships, in the lives of our children, and families.
I know for myself what God can do when we surrender everything to Him. He wants what’s best for all of us. It doesn’t matter where you are in your life. It doesn’t matter where you have been in your life, it’s where you are going. God wants to prosper you in every area of your life, but you have to repent and ask Him to come into your heart and be your personal Lord and Savior. He is not going to force himself on you, you have to ask Him.
The question is this: Where do you want to spend eternity? When you come to the end of your life, there is no turning back. You won’t have time to go back and make things right with anyone. You won’t have time to go and forgive those who have wronged you. Call on Jesus and ask Him to help you do that today while it is called today. Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.
Pray. Ask God to give you the strength to be better. You want to forgive. You don’t want to hold grudges against anyone, it will only hinder your blessings. Know that God loves you no matter what. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is right there by your side even when you can’t feel His presence. Pour your heart out to Him. He is ready to listen to everything you have to say. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this message. As always, everything I share is shared in love and honesty. May God bless you and keep you. May He smile upon you and give you peace. Thank you for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul.
Food for the Soul 
Leave a Reply