Job is a man of great character and highly esteemed by God. He has very few weaknesses compared to other people. But because he is human, and all humans have some weaknesses, Job also had some weaknesses as well.
One of Job’s weaknesses is that he feared trouble (Job 3:10), and he did everything in his power to prevent any trouble from befalling his children (Job 1:5).
Job said after he was struck by Satan:
“Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;
Let it wait for light but have none,
And let it not see the breaking dawn;
Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb,
Or hide trouble from my eyes.
Why did I not die at birth,
Come forth from the womb and expire?” (Job 3:9-11)
From this, we know Job feared trouble. When he faced great trials, he became depressed and cursed the day of his birth. Most people would do the same. However, Job’s character and devotion to God prevented him from cursing God and leaving the faith.
Because Job was rich, none of his family needed to work. His children frequently partied and feasted. This made Job anxious and he sought to atone for their possible sins by offering sacrifices to God on their behalf.
“When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, ‘Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ Thus Job did continually.” (Job 1:5)
Even though Job obeyed God in everything, his weakness seems to be that he was doing everything in his power to appease God so that he could live a trouble-free life.
Therefore, Satan accused Job, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (Job 1:9).
So God tested Job and allowed him to undergo tribulation. Job's children, servants, and livestock died. Then Job himself was struck with a painful disease with no end in sight.
You might wonder why God would do such a thing. But God answered that He is the Creator who knows what He is doing.
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea
Or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.” (Job 38:16-17)
It is God who understands life and death. It is God who gives life and takes it away. Perhaps by calling Job’s children home at that time, God prevented them from living a life of dissipation and spurning God.
God also said,
“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being
Or given understanding to the mind?
Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
Or tip the water jars of the heavens,
When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?” (Job 38:36-28)
Science to this day cannot explain by natural processes how we think, or where love, courage, and wisdom come from.
But God is the One who gives wisdom. And by wisdom, He forms clouds that produce rain. In fact, we know from modern science that clouds are formed from water vapor condensing on dust particles. But God had told this to Job thousands of years ago when He said: “Who can count the clouds by wisdom or tip the water jars of the heavens, when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods stick together?”.
So God is the all-wise Creator who has rights over His creation. Furthermore, God is full of compassion.
After testing Job, God restored his life and blessed him. And God blessed him in a way Job never thought about, because Job's legacy and courage is preserved forever in the Bible.
Through Job’s suffering, God also teaches billions of people through the Bible how to respond to adversity.
"We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful." (James 5:11)
"Just as it is written,
'For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:36-37)
Job overwhelmingly conquered because through his suffering, he has helped countless people learn how to overcome adversity and continue in faith. This is God's will for us as well - that we not shrink back in adversity but continue to trust Him.
"It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)