By Todd Paetznick, October 3, 2024

Sometimes, we must be reminded of who we are relative to God.

Job (pronounced “joe-b”, a person’s name, not a generic vocation) believed he knew better than God about justice and what was right.  Job thought he lived a good and proper life.  He did what he thought God expected of him and even did more than was required.  Still, Job faced significant setbacks in his personal and business life; he lost nearly everything.  Job’s wife told him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9).  His friends offered explanations based on incomplete knowledge.  Job believed he was being unfairly persecuted.  While he did not directly accuse God of wrongdoing or injustice, his attitude seemed to tell a different story.  And then God showed up.  

“Who do you think you are to question anything I do or anything you have experienced?” (Job 38:2, my paraphrase). God would not allow Job to feel sorry for himself.  Job was commanded by God to prepare himself to be questioned and to give a reason for thinking he knew better than God about what was fair or just.  (How many of us have been critical of God in any of the circumstances of our life?)

At this point in the story, it is important to note that God extended Job a measure of dignity and respect we don’t typically see from the people in our world or workplaces.  “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me” (Job 38:3 NKJV).  God did not strike down Job with a lightning bolt.  He did not command Job to bow before Him or grovel in the dirt.  Instead, Job was likely commanded to stand before his accuser, fix his clothing, and tighten his belt.  He was given the chance to defend himself and respond to God.  God’s motivation was questioned.  As Job’s accuser and judge, God would reveal perspectives on the universe’s operation through the questions He asked Job. In multiple chapters (38-41), Job’s lack of knowledge became obvious.  Wisely, Job responded that he could not answer or justify his attitude (Job 40:4).  

Through this story, we can discover much about God’s character.  God did not crush Job or his spirit.  God was not done with Job.  He corrected Job’s self-inflated perspective, but in the process, He built Job up to become even more loyal and significant than he had been.  

From a human perspective, most organizations would have fired Job for his bad attitude and his presumption that he knew how to run the company better than his superiors. He certainly would not have been treated with respect or promoted. Yet God, in His grace, demonstrated He was in charge, but also that Job was valued, and that he needed to fall in line as a follower.  

In summary, here are seven takeaways from Job’s encounter with God:

1. Job was not God’s equal.  God insisted that Job understand the correct hierarchy of their relationship.  Job was accountable to God, not the other way around.  
2. Job failed, as many of us do, and presumed to know better than God about justice and fairness.  Remembering our correct place in God’s hierarchy will result in a better relationship with our creator and the controller of everything.
3. God empowered Job.  God referred to Job as His servant and asked him to pray for his friend’s forgiveness.  God said to Job’s friends, “. . . My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so as not to do with you [as your] foolishness [deserves,] because you have not spoken of Me what is trustworthy, as My servant Job [has]” (Job 42:8 NASB20).  We, too, should intercede on behalf of the people in our lives who have an incorrect understanding of God.  What Job asked of God on behalf of his friends, God did.  
4. God is on His own side.  This does not mean God is against us.  Instead, it would be more accurate to think of God as the captain of our team or the leader of the organization in which we work.  We must be on His side and work with Him to build His Kingdom.
5. Like God, we should build people up, not destroy and discard them for their apparent failure.  People need to be shown respect and allowed to change for the better.  In the process, they will become better and more loyal.  
6. Job was never told why he experienced such a significant loss.  God’s permission was required for all the loss Job experienced.  Interestingly, there is no indication that Job knew of the cosmic conversations that affected his life.  We should not expect to understand why anything happens in our lives either.  Faith is required, and care needs to be taken in our attitudes toward God.  
7. Read the Book of Job. While it is terrifying to think that we could lose everything and never know why, Job’s story teaches much about God’s character and the universe’s operation.  It’s worth the read.