Job

Well, I started reading Job again for the second time. I'm not sure why, but my second time reading the Bible through is just so much more fascinating. So, there are several things that really struck me about ch. 1.

First, I find it fascinating that some angels came to see God and satan just "tagged along". That alone is just weird to me. And, then, when God asks satan where he has come from , satan answers "from roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." By God's answer, we can deduct that satan was looking for people he could get to sin or turn from God, because God says "Have you considered my servant Job? .....he is blameless, upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

So secondly, God basically throws Job under the bus here! You can kinda see where this might make people today NOT want to be too righteous!!! So, then God goes on to tell satan he can do anything to Job except "lay a finger" on him. So, satan really rises to this challenge. He takes away his wealth (livestock and crops), and then kills all ten of his kiddos. Satan obviously knows how to hit hard.

Third, after all of these horrible things happen to Job, you know what his reaction was? He WORSHIPPED THE LORD! Now, I don't know many people who immediately turn to worshiping God in response to multiples tragedies.......... But, Job says "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away: may the name of the Lord be praised." Wow......

The fourth thing that really struck me was the very last line in the chapter - vs. 22: "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." HMMMM..... how many times have we or other people said "why would God do this?" So, this verse tells me that we are sinning by charging God with doing bad things. Interestingly enough, my 7 yr. old just asked me this week what our friend "did" to get sick. I had to try and explain to him that God didn't cause this sickness, but that is a hard thing to explain to a 7 year old.

Anyways, looking forward to learning more lessons in Job!