Job was a rich man who “was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and [avoided] evil”. Such was his faith that God boasted that, “there is none like him in the earth” (Job 1:1 & 8). Satan desiring to move God against Job said that Job feared God only because he enjoyed His protection and prosperity. He claimed that Job would curse God to the face if He took away all that Job had (Job 1:9-11; Job 2:5).
God then committed all Job had (save for his life) to the power of Satan who commenced a systematic affliction of Job – destroying all his children, servants, cattle and property and inflicted him with grievous “sore boils” (Job 1:13-19; 2:4-8). How did Job express his faith in the affliction?
He “fell down upon the ground, and worshiped [God saying]… the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:20-21). Job chose not to focus on his loss and sickness, but on staying faithful to God. What is intriguing is that he did not pray for healing or restoration but remained faithful, exalting the power of God, and drawing strength from recalling past seasons of God’s favour (Job 6:8-9; ch.23 & 29).
When his friends mocked his piety, he resisted them (Job ch. 4-5; 8-9; 11-12 &16). To his wife’s advice that he must let go his integrity and “curse God and die”, Job answered “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:9-10). In all his tribulation, Job “worshiped” God, and “sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” but held fast to his “integrity” (Job 2:3).
After his temptation God “blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning” giving him twice as much as he had before (Job 42:12-17).
Job’s kind of faith would represent in situations of intense and sustained attack of inexplicable hardship, affliction and loss affecting one who fears God including believers in Jesus Christ.
2. ABRAHAM: FORSAKING ALL FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
