Job 42:1-17
1 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”
Epilogue
7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
I sometimes think in my troubled times that God hides more in my bad times than in my good times...But after reading Job many things come to Light...So maybe I need to look at this statment from a different viewpoint...Maybe I can learn some things from Job...
There are different perspectives on how one looks at their troubled times and how it affects their faith...Faith is tried in times of trials...Besides Christianity, many religions view challenging times as tests of their faith...Job teaches us when his wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity?...Curse God and die!”...Job replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman...Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”...Job, at first, acknowledges that we are to accept God in both our good times and our bad times...But as suffering becomes lengthy and chronic we can change our thinking about this...But as we read the Book of Job, we see God did not abandon Job or us, but He allows difficulties to strengthen our faith and dependence on Him...And Job is continually talking to God and asking Him about his current condition...In Job speaking to God he continually says things like what has he done wrong for this to happen...What has he done wrong, to be so troubled and why are they continuing to be so troubled?...But still Job clings to his faith, as he questions God...Job is working to survive this terrible suffering...
He tells his friend, who are trying to support and help him: “Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong...How painful are honest words!... But what do your arguments prove?...Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat my desperate words as wind?...You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend...“But now be so kind as to look at me...Would I lie to your face?...Relent, do not be unjust; reconsider, for my integrity is at stake...Is there any wickedness on my lips?...Can my mouth not discern malice?...So we find Job at a frustrated, emotional state, in great turmoil, both emotionally and mentally...And for Job his troubles are making him feel as we read, that his feelings of suffering seem to get worse and worse...
With Job talking directly to God, he doesn't seem to feel God's Presence...But he continues with his talk and his questions to God...Many believe God is always present, even if we don't feel it... Our emotions and circumstances can cloud our perception as it did Job...Job and us are actively seeking comfort through God, through out prayers to Him, Scripture, or Spiritual Practices that we do to help us reconnect with God's Presence...And as we read Job, we do see from the start of the book, to its end, God is with Job...But Job is not feeling it...But still he clings to his God and his faith, with his questions...
Job asks God: "Why did I not perish when I came out of the womb?...Why was I not strangled as I came from the mother’s womb?"...(This verse marks the beginning of Job directly addressing his situation and questioning God's Will squarely to God)..."Why is light given to the afflicted, and life to the bitter in soul?"...(Here, Job continues to question why he is still alive despite his suffering)...
These verses do not praise or petition God, but they mark the start of Job's directly engaging his questions and remarks right at God...With Job's situation and expressing his bewilderment, frustration, and anguish to God...Job is surviving and enduring through his sufferings...
The Book of Job progresses with speeches and dialogue from Job and from Job's friends offering their interpretations of his suffering and why he is suffering and is having such troubled times...Job continues to wrestle with his faith and constantly challenges his friend's perspectives...It's not until the end of the book that Job finally speaks directly to God, expressing his remorse and acknowledging God's Infinite Wisdom, even though he has suffered greatly...And we also find that Job was right and his friend's perspective was wrong...God did allow Job to suffer, without any specific reason that is given to us by God...We learn that God does allow suffering in life, because Job suffers without God giving him an explanation...Job has endured...Job has survived...His faith, too, has endured and survived...