Job: A Righteous Man Tested by Suffering

The book of Job tells the story of a righteous man who suffered greatly.

This story raises important questions about why good people suffer and how they should respond to God during difficult times.

At first, Job did not understand why he had to endure so much pain.

To make matters worse, the people who should have comforted him only added to his suffering.

Yet, despite everything he faced, Job did something that not many people would do, even today.

What Happened to Job?

Job was a wealthy and respected man with a large family and many possessions.

He was known for being good, honest, and faithful to God, always doing everything he could to avoid evil.

Because of his righteousness, God blessed Job with a happy and prosperous life.

However, one day, Satan came to God and challenged Him, arguing that Job was only faithful because his life was easy and filled with blessings.

Satan claimed that if Job faced hardship, he would curse God.

In response, God allowed Satan to take away Job’s happiness, but He commanded Satan not to harm Job himself.

Soon after, Job’s life changed dramatically.

His farm animals were stolen, and his farm hands were killed.

Then, a powerful tornado struck and took the lives of all his children.

Job, sad and bereaved, tore his clothes, shaved his head, and said: “The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

Despite his deep sorrow, Job praised God.

Yet, Satan was not satisfied with this outcome, so he returned to God.

This time, he argued that if Job suffered in his own body, he would surely curse God.

So, God allowed Satan to cover Job with painful sores from head to toe.

Job suffered greatly from these boils, and he sat in ashes, scraping his skin with a piece of broken pottery.

His wife, seeing his pain, urged him to curse God and die.

However, Job refused and replied, “You talk like a godless woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

Job’s Approach to Suffering

As Job sat in agony, three of his friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—came to visit him.

For seven days and nights, they sat with him in silence, mourning his suffering.

When Job’s friends finally speak, Eliphaz is the first to respond.

He questions Job’s faith, asking, “Does your reverence for God give you no confidence? Shouldn’t you believe that God will care for those who are upright?”

He hints that Job must have done something wrong to deserve his suffering.

Next, Bildad suggests that if Job is truly as righteous as he claims, he could pray to God, and God would restore everything to him.

He implies that Job must repent of some serious wrongdoing to be restored.

Then, Zophar, the third friend, speaks even more harshly.

He flatly denies Job’s claim of innocence and goes so far as to say that Job actually deserves even more punishment from God.

Throughout their speeches, Job’s friends offer what they know in their heads but lack compassion and mercy in their hearts.

After this long debate, Job turns to God and pleads with Him to remove his pain.

He asks God why He had turned away from him.

He questions why pain is inevitable and why the wicked seem to prosper while the good are punished.

Job reflects on these as he longs to regain his strength and hope.

God’s Response and Reward for Job

Finally, God speaks to Job and brings the long debate between Job and his friends to an end.

God asks:

Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?

Job 40:2

At this, Job realizes how small and limited his understanding is compared to God’s infinite wisdom.

Humbled and filled with awe, Job admits that he spoke about things beyond his understanding.

I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will put my hand over my mouth in silence. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.

Job 40:4-5

God is then pleased with Job’s humility and patience.

He turns to Job’s friends and rebukes them for not speaking accurately about Him.

Afterward, God restores Job’s fortunes.

He blesses Job with twice as much as he had before—more livestock, more wealth, and new children.

And Job lived for another 140 years, experiencing a long, prosperous, and fulfilled life before he died.

Why Was Job’s Suffering Important?

You must wonder, why did God allow Job to suffer so much when he hadn’t done anything wrong?

Based on the story, we can see a few possible reasons.

First, God may have allowed Satan to take away Job’s possessions and family to test his faith.

Satan had claimed that Job only loved God because of the prosperity he enjoyed.

By allowing this test, God showed that Job’s faith was genuine and not based on material blessings.

Second, what someone intends for evil can be used for good.

Though the devil tried to destroy him, Job not only had his health restored but also received more possessions and a beautiful family, even more than he had in his earlier years.

Third, Job’s story shows us that suffering isn’t always a punishment for our own mistakes.

Despite the trials we face, God does not leave us in despair.

And just as He restored Job’s life, He promises to restore all those who trust and believe in Him.

What We Can Learn from This?

1. People may not always offer the best advice when we are hurting:

When we are going through tough times, people around us may not always know the right thing to say.

Like Job’s friends, who initially comforted him but soon began to judge him without fully understanding his pain, our loved ones may sometimes be that way.

They might suggest that you’re suffering because of a past mistake, which can make things even more difficult.

But since they are only human, just like us, we need to hold on to God’s word and remain steadfast.

2. Your faith is effective only when you put it into action:

Before the crisis hit, Job had already built a strong foundation of faith through righteous living.

He practiced these things when his life was comfortable, while he was healthy and wealthy, and everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Because he consistently exercised his faith during peaceful times, it remained firm when trouble came.

When the storms of life come—such as the sudden death of a loved one, losing a job or income, facing changes in our living situation, or dealing with a broken family—our faith will be strong and ready because we have been preparing for it all along.

This faith can bring us safely to the other side.

3. Satan is under God’s authority:

In the first two chapters of the book of Job, we see that the devil cannot attack Job without first getting God’s permission.

The Lord allows this, knowing that Job has the faith to withstand it.

Nothing Satan does is beyond God’s control.

He only has what is temporarily given to him, and that too is always under God’s command.

This is a reason to take heart. Knowing that even when Satan attacks, God can deliver us from temptation, and use everything for our good.

God is Always Present

The account of Job shows us that God remains in control and will defend the righteous.

He is also faithful to restore what has been lost to the enemy.

It’s not always easy but we can trust God, just like Job did.

Because even when it doesn’t feel like it, God is always present.