What happened to Job? Was God accountable for Job's suffering? Did Job suffer because God was having a bet with Satan? How come Job suffered? The commonly held view of the cause of Job's suffering is inaccurate! Here's a look at scripture for what happened.

Often when people think about suffering they think about Job. For this reason I am adding this web page about Job's condition to supplement my article entitled "Suffering".

However, before I get into events surrounding Job's life here's a one sentence summary of that article. "Christ changed the relationship between God's people and suffering."

This is a report we hear from the Cross. About it the prophet Isaiah declared,

He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5 - NKJV

In explaining more about it Apostle Paul wrote,

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:13-14 - NKJV

On this page I'll talk about an email I received. In this email a visitor to my web site describes what she thought took place to thrust Job's life into suffering.

The visitor wrote, "I was just reading your minilesson on Suffering and it was a very nice teaching. I would just like to suggest that in the future you address the book of Job where God allows so much suffering in Job's life due to a bet with the devil."

I am pleased she found it nice teaching. Her suggestion is a good one. How she is intrepreting, though, what took place over Job's life is incorrect.

God does not play games with the lives of men. God does not entertain or pleasure the devil. God does not have bets with him.

God has judged the devil for his treason and this judgement stands. There is no further discussion about the position the devil is in. There is no give and take dialogue between him and God. If Satan speaks God only responds with Truth.

We see this very plainly when Satan tempts Jesus (God the Son) in the wilderness. Jesus dealt with every temptation with a simple utterance of God's Word - the Truth. In their confrontation Jesus gave Satan no ground. He simply stated Truth. Luk.4:1-13.

There is a parallel between the temptation in the wilderness and the interaction between Satan and God recorded in Job chapter one. Satan attempted to provoke God. God responded with simple statements of truth. The most significant of these statements was,

"Behold, he (Job) is in your hand."

Job 2:6 - NKJV

Now it is important to note carefully what God declared to Satan regarding Job. It was not a granting of licence. It was a declaration by God of a condition that had come about. God said, "He is in your hand". He did not say, "I give him into your hand."

How had this condition arisen? How had Job got himself in the hand of the devil? Job himself tells us,

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Job 3:25-26 - NKJV

Job makes known that his fear brought the woes on him. It was fear that pesented him into the devil's hand.

His fear is evident in the first chapter of the book of Job. He was fearing that his sons might be sinning and by it bringing calamity on themselves. We find he was making offerings to God "just in case". (Look out for his words, "It might be...") He was making offerings based on fear of what might be taking place or could take place.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Job 1:5 - NKJV

Job's devotion to God and uprightness of heart was unquestionable. However, a fear of what might be had crept into his life and had become an influence over his sincere religious activity.

What was it then that brought on Job the trouble he experienced? According to his own words it was fear. He wrote,

"The thing I greatly feared has come upon me".

Job 3:25 - NKJV

Job's fearful inner condition brought upon him circumstances of tragedy. It was fear that pesented him into the devil's hand. This is why throughout scripture God commands, "Fear not!"

God uses the faith you have to bring good into your life. Satan, given opportunity, will use fear to make a connection with you and bring bad into your life. Resist fear. Build faith. Give no entrance to fretfulness. Give every entrance to God's Word.

Jesus has redeemed you. The chastisement of - or for - your peace was laid on Jesus so justice declares it cannot also be laid on you.

God will not invite the devil to come and give you trouble. You can though! If you entertain fear and anxiety or their relatives you open yourself up to major trouble being throw your way by the devil.

God commands you not to fear and not to be anxious!

Here's a significant and important scripture to keep in mind,

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 - NKJV

May you know the peace of God mounting a guard over your heart and mind! May you know perfect love casting out fear! Phil.4:4-7, 1 Joh.4:18.

Use the links below to get to other pages on this site that have a similar subject to that which you've read about above.

• Forgiving, abusive people
• Paul's thorn
• Persecution, deliverance out of
• Problems, rising above them
• Suffering, deliverance from
• Suffering, good for you?
• Trial(s), what to do

The following ebooks have been found by some readers of this web page to be potentially helpful to them:

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