When Life Isn’t Fair
There was once a very good man (according to God Himself), named Job (say his name with a long “o” as if it had a silent “e” at the end) who lived a long time ago. He loved God and always tried to do what was right.
He was rich and had many animals: 7,000 sheep; 3,000 camels; 1,000 oxen; and 500 female donkeys. It’s a good thing Job had such a large family (seven sons and three daughters) to help him take care of all the livestock!
One day, without any warning, Job lost just about everything he had. Two different groups of raiders (wicked robbers who take things that don’t belong to them) stole the oxen, the donkeys, and the camels. Lightning struck the sheep and burned every one of them to a crisp. Almost all of the servants taking care of these animals were also killed.
The Worst Day Ever?
Next, all of Job’s 10 children were killed at once when a windstorm destroyed the house where they had gathered for a feast. Can you imagine how sad Job and his wife must have been to hear all of this horrible news on the same day, especially that all of their sons and daughters were killed? Yet Job said, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” He was able to worship God even though he had lost so much. Job did not give up trusting in God, but Job had many questions about why this would happen.
Sometimes we think it’s not possible for things to get any worse. But Job was in for even more suffering because evil Satan hated this good man and wanted to make life so horrible for Job that he would turn his back on God. When Job’s entire body broke out in painful red boils, his wife didn’t think he should trust God anymore.
Job lived long before Jesus came to earth to rescue mankind. Job didn’t realize that he was the object of a terrible test of loyalty which Satan had challenged God to. Satan accused Job of loving God only because God blessed him and his family. God knew Job’s heart. When Job lost everything, his children, his animals, even his health, would Job turn against the God he served? In spite of Job’s extreme pain, horrible loss, and his many questions, he decided he would continue to trust in God.
Who Can Stand Before Our Holy God?
One thing Job realized was that no man could stand as righteous before Holy God. Not even Job, although God pointed him out to Satan as a righteous man.
Job asked, “How can man stand righteous before God?” For I know You will not hold me innocent, O God, but will condemn me. So what’s the use of trying? Even if I were to wash myself with purest water and cleanse my hands with lye (soap) to make them utterly clean, even so you would plunge me into the ditch and mud; and even my clothing would be less filthy than you consider me to be! (Job 9:28-31 TLB).
Job knew he could not face God, for God is not mortal. Job cried out that there was no mediator who had legal standing with righteous God and at the same time could sympathize, understand and represent humanity. Job was crying for a mediator, who is needed by all humanity.
Job complained, “And I cannot defend myself, for you (God) are no mere man as I am. If you were, then we could discuss it fairly (this terrible situation). But there is no umpire between us, no middle man, no mediator to bring us together.
Friends Can Let Us Down
Job was visited by three friends with really weird names: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. (Aren’t you glad those aren’t your names?) These three men were upset to hear about all of Job’s troubles and wanted to come and offer him some comfort in his sorrow. When they spotted Job from far away, he was so changed that they didn’t even recognize him. They cried out loud as they came nearer and then sat down with their friend for seven whole days and nights without saying a single word. That was the very best thing they did. Once they opened their mouths, these three “comforters” spoke unkind words of judgment against Job, saying he must have done some awful things to be going through so much pain. They told Job that God must be punishing him because he was so evil. God was angry with these friends for accusing Job of being evil.
Later in the story of Job, God asked Job to pray for his three friends. When Job prayed for them, everything Job had lost was given back to him. Only this time he got twice as many possessions and animals as he had before! The Lord also blessed Job and his wife with 10 more children. And they lived long enough after that to see their grandchildren plus two more generations.
Jesus Never Lets Us Down
Thank God, today we have a mediator, Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
“So we see that God has accepted us as right because we believe in Him (Jesus). As a result we are friends with God, because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.” (Romans 5:1 EASY).
“There is only one God. There is also only one person who brings God and people together. That person is Christ Jesus, who became a man himself.” (1 Timothy 2:5 EASY).
“So by Christ’s death, God brings a new agreement between Him and His people. God’s people receive from Him the good things that will be with them for ever. God has promised to give those things to the people that He has chosen. Christ’s death has made them free from their sins. God will no longer punish them…” (Hebrews 9:15 EASY).
Jesus, God’s Son, and our Mediator, took away all of our sins by dying on the cross for them. If we believe and trust in Jesus to forgive our sins, we can walk with Him every day. He will be our Mediator to God the Father, who now adopts us into His family. We have access to God through Jesus. Unlike Job before Jesus came, we are now children of God thanks for our Mediator, Jesus Christ.
Life Is Not Always Easy To Understand
There is so much about this life that we don’t understand. Because we live in a broken world, often bad things do happen to good people. Bad things do not come from God. They come from Satan.
But God is above all (sovereign) and sees everything that happens to each person He has ever made. Best of all, He cares deeply about us, especially when we trust in Jesus, the Mediator who made a way for us to have a relationship with God. We can pray and ask God to help us in any situation we face. He will listen, thanks to Jesus taking away all of our sins. YAY JESUS!
In this life we may not have all of our questions answered, but because Jesus died for us, we can be sure that God loves us and we will live with Him in Heaven forever.
