Bad things can happen to good people.  The trials that Job faced (Job 1:1-42:17) confirm this. Job was a man who lived a very long time ago, his experience is captured in one of the oldest books in the bible.  In that book he is described as “blameless and upright”, it says he “feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1).

Job had a large family and was very wealthy (Job 1:2-5).  In the space of one day, all his blessings were cruelly taken away. He was robbed and his servants(employees) and children were mercilessly killed. The experience must have been horrific. Despite the trauma, he did not blame God or lose his faith in Him (Job 1:22).

The person responsible for Job’s trauma was Satan.  Prior to that tragic day, Satan appeared before God, questioning whether Job’s fear of God (faith in God) was genuine.  Satan believed that Job was only faithful because of the protection and blessings he had received from God.  However, we know that this was not the case (Job 1:22).

Immediately following these traumatic events Satan appeared before God again questioning Job’s faithfulness and integrity (Job 2:3,5).  God had told Satan initially that he could not attack Job physically (Job 1:12) but He subsequently gave Satan an opportunity to inflict pain and torment on Job.  Satan, intent on causing personal harm to Job in an attempt to ruin the relationship he had with God, attacked Job with an evil skin condition (Job 2:7-8). Despite being destitute, depressed and diseased, Job did not sin (Job 2:10) – he did not blame God.

There are many lessons we can learn from Job’s experience. Perhaps the most important are these:

• Satan the great tempter and deceiver (Joh 8:44, 2 Cor 11:3) wants to destroy your relationship with God. His intent is to rob us of the peace of God that passes all understanding (Php 4:7) – he is willing to do anything to achieve this. However, God is greater, He has provided us with a great high priest (Heb 4:15,16), has promised his strength and support (2 Cor 12:9) and ultimately limits what Satan can do (Job 2:6).
• God who is eternal, loving, righteous, unchangeable and wise does not stop us from going through trials as they ultimately are for his glory and our benefit (Rom 8:28) – even if it doesn’t seem so at the time.
• Trials are for a limited time (Jam 1:2) and God rewards those who are faithful (Job 42:10, 1 Cor 3:14, Jam 1:12).