Sabbath: God and Human Suffering
Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 1:18–20; Job 12:7–10; Rev. 4:11; Col. 1:16-17; Matt. 6:34; Job 10:8–12; Rom. 3:1–4.
Memory Text: “‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble’” (Matthew 6:34, NKJV).
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
Unlike every other book of the Bible, the book of Job is completely removed from the context of the land and people of Israel. From Genesis, with the promise to Abram that the Lord will “make of thee a great nation” (Gen. 12:2), to Revelation, which describes “the holy city,” Jerusalem (Rev. 22:19), in some way, directly or indirectly, the context of Israel and its covenant relationship with God helps shape each book.
In Job there is nothing of that, not even the seminal event in ancient Israelite history, the Exodus. The most immediate reason is that Moses wrote Job in Midian, along with Genesis (see also The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1140); the Exodus had not happened yet, which explains why it’s not mentioned.
But perhaps there’s another reason, even more important. One of the key themes of Job, human suffering, is universal. It’s not limited to any one people or time. Jew or Gentile, we all know something of Job’s woes, of the pain of existence in a fallen world. However unique his pain, Job represents us all in our sufferings.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 22.
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Why does God allow suffering in this world? Well He gave Adam & Even a choice - only good OR good & evil and they chose good & evil, now the universe can learn the consequences of that choice.
God commanded the man ..."but from the tree of of the knowledge of good and evil you *shall not eat*... Was their really a choice offered by God?
Yes in general there was no fence around that tree .
My heart goes out to Job and espically his wife. To have lost ALL of their children in one day is inconceivable and then have all your income destroyed. All of this just because of a wager between God and satan. I feel such anger that we are just pawns in this drama of life with no way of getting out. Also, not every circumstance in life turns out like Job's. Most of the time you do not get 'rewarded' with a 'better' life. I am puzzled at why this story is in the Bible as it only angers and frustrates me. It has been a 'stumbling block' to me.
If man kind had not chosen to yield to Satan's suggestion we would not be that pond in the middle. May our frustration be centered on the one truly to blame.
Do you mind looking at this perspective; another perspective that we, not God decided that we suffer under Satan when we gave him our dominion through accepting Satan's lies! And that if we too choose the same as our fore parents who will live in the suffering state for humanity. That by rejecting Satan like Job did we are making it easy for our salvation to be realised! And to stamp out the devils lies forever!
In the first two chapters we see why this story is in the Bible. God presents a person full of faith, and the devil contrasts God's choice with arguments. Note that the devil is real, that his behavior is different from God, that the chosen affliction happens to those who did not vote for its extent. We wouldn't choose those calamities today either. This is a battle between God's plan for man and Satan's. Satan has a vision of "freedom" that makes us hurt. God allows Satan to express the evil to show his government is corrupt and selfish. The full expression of our selfishness reflects on God as a cruel creator. But that expression of selfishness is Satan's governing, not God's.
Job did well, he chose God's plan. His faith connected him to God. We hear others point out our sin, but we must point to the cause of all sin, and rejoice that there is One who overcame.
Hi Patty, my heart goes out to you.It is good that you are able to write how you feel about this story. You are not alone. There are so many persons I have met who have shared the same concern. Truth be told this is a cosmic war and we are caught in it not by choice but by Divine providence. I can say that "God should have or could have..." but my dear,HE IS GOD, knowing all and allowing it for reasons beyond what our little finite minds can think or imagine. You were selected for a reason and that is ultimately to bring glory to God. So go ahead and get angry at God if you want (He can take it) but please be assured that He has it all in control and wants the best for you/us.The only thing left in the matter now is your choice. I hope you will trust God like Job did and at the end declare that "I know my Redeemer lives and He will stand at the latter day on the earth (Job 19:25 )" Then will he reward you/us for our faithfulness.Stay strong my sister and find it in your heart to forgive God for what you perceived he has done to you. Then can you rest and be at peace with Him. Pray much because the devil wants to sift us like wheat and destroy us. His nature is to kill,steal and destroy. But God be praised.
I don't believe that we are all pawns. When Satan discussed Job with God, Job was clearly not the average human. Just like other Bible heroes, God led in his life in a mighty way and gave him strength to meet the test. True, Earth is the laboratory where Satan's theory is being tested, but whatever the circumstance and whatever the outcome, God's plan for eternity without sin is assured for those who keep their trusting relationship with Him. I hope my words are encouraging for you.
Could it be the story is to help us understand helplessness? Whether it is the loss of our children by death, the loss of a marriage and family, the loss of a job and reputation - that feeling of hopelessness is universal....and surely a reason to fear anger. On any given day we are faced with tough situations and we have mostly learned to deal with the emotional waves that come across us. It is when the negative events happen faster than we can process that we feel hopeless. I suspect the lesson from Job is - what do you do? More important, how honest are you going to be about how you feel - and how much do you trust God to stay with you when you let it all out. Someone you care about (maybe even you) gets diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer - what do you do? Me - I can see myself initially putting on my gym cloths and boxing gloves because I intend to have a few choice words with God.....I'd want to know what I did to deserve such an occurrence in my life - and what can I do or say to make it all go away. When that doesn't work I would plead for a response....and then plead for a simple answer as to what I had done to deserve such an outcome. At some point I would hope that I would be willing to accept the situation and then pivot to help others who care for me to accept it as well. It is this final outcome that I hope I have the strength to hold out for - as opposed to giving up and walking away from a relationship I would have cultivated all of my life. Would it be a stumbling block - for sure.....but I have found that each stumbling block forces me to grow and evolve. While painful, each such event has the potential to help me to prosper emotionally.
We must keep foremost in our minds that God is in control & even though satan was cast out heaven The Almighty did not remove one iota of power from him if God did Satan would have another argument against God.It just proves to me how sincere God is in wanting to save the people that he created in his own image. We must always bear in mind that God is Almighty and he will do away with all pain & suffering in our sin full world that we find ourselves in,God be praised
what we can learn about suffering from Job is that suffering isn't always a result of the evil we do,it can be a temptation to make us do evil
Suffering is a direct/an indirect result of the choices we have made. By indirect, i mean there's NO WAY Job would hv been used as a ''guinea-pig'' if man had not chosen evil in the first place.
But i see a brighter side to suffering, especially if we learn to trust in God like Job cos if we do, though we may stumble but He will make our feet firm.
Let job problem n how he manage it be our strength not a stumbling block. There is life at d end of d tunnel. It will be well from d well. Let pray God to give us such integrity like job. God recognized job and pronounced no man like him. What will God or even our friends think of us or how will we like to b remembered?
Patty, do not let the story of Job be a stumbling block to you. The last paragraph of the lesson says it is about human suffering, which is universal. Pain and suffering happens to good and bad people. The story of Job shows us that the suffering we undergo is not due to what we have done wrong but to the story of sin. We can only view our lives through a narrow perspective, while God sees the whole picture. It is not easy,but we have to trust God to see us through the difficulties we face each day. Pray, my sister, when doubt arises, pray more.
When our first parents sinned their choice affected everyone. Having been warned before choosing it meant that God could not deny them their choice hence suffering is a permanent feature in this life. Whether you choose God or the devil you still have to suffer. No matter how faithful you are to God, you are entitled to the results of our first choice. The ground was cursed for our sake Genesis 3:17.
However despite all this God gave us a second chance before we could experience the full result of sin, Romans 6:23. It does not cancel our first choice and it's consequences but we are enabled to endure them. In other words Job did not suffer simply because God permitted Satan to attack him but because he was a human being. He was entitled to the results of sin by birth. Even the Son of God suffered and died for us yet He was sinless.
Job is often referred to as a book of mankind's suffering, but we can also see the long suffering of God. God certainly does not take delight in our suffering but patiently waits for us to come to a realisation of who He really is and to accept that what do not always have the answers as to the reason why bad things happen to us, but we know we can bear these hardships when we have Jesus in the driving seat of our lives.
Patty, please do not judge Jobs cause too quickly.
“Can someone who hates justice govern?Will you condemn the just and mighty One?”
“So listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do evil,
from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
that the Almighty would pervert justice.” Job 34:17,10-12)
I encourage you to pray and ask for wisdom, seek knowledge,turn from harboring anger in your heart and not be like the godless. (Job 36:13) but instead trust God. (Ps 3:5-6) Job had a flaw of self-righteousness (Job 33:8-11; 34: 5-6)God loved him and us in spite of our flaws. David had many yet he was called the apple of God’s eye. Please read Job 32, Job 33, Job 34, Job 35, Job 36 and pay special attention to Job 33:12-30; Job 35:9-15 and Job 36:8-15. That you may know that God is just and there is more to be said in God’s behalf and how he longs to save us. Be blessed!
Going by the statement in the book of Job that he was not only the greatest man of the east but also was perfect and upright and feared God etc. Why did God not choose him instead of Abraham to be the father of all the faithful? was it because Job had too many children so that God could not use him to test him like he tested Abraham to sacrifice his only legitimate son?
Pete, the partial answer will be found more readily in Tuesdays lesson," The Earliest Books". There is a wealth of information here. Time lines and sequences help our understanding. Because we believe that Job was written before Genesis, we might ask when did Moses write Job and the books of the Pentateuch?
The story of Job is a good study in God's Providence. A lot happens in life which we cannot readily explain. Like supposedly very good people dying in natural disasters or plane crashes and apparently corrupt politicians doing seemingly very well. At the end of it all, God's overarching plan through in His providence is for all of humanity to be saved through His Son Jesus Christ into His Kingdom (John 3:16; Jer 29:11). It is for the same reason that He allows His rain to fall and His sun to shine on both the good and the bad; everyone has a chance! Central to this salvation however is the choice we make as individuals as clearly stated in John 3:16. While we are inclined to focus on the ugly things and the sufferings that we see around us, God sees and focuses on the bigger (whole) and most important picture, and the end of it is good news for those who continue to trust Him no matter what.
Job and why God choose Adam ...I believe the first man was not chosen but created with a free will...the center of this lesson ...the great controversy
God is God he sees the end from the beginning so Job predicament he knows the end also he want to prove satan the he is powerless