LEARNING THE WAYS OF GOD

Oh, that I were as in months past, As in the days when God watched over me … Job 29:2

When Job spoke these words, he had lost his children, his possessions, his health, the respect of his wife, and his standing in the minds of those around him. His words reveal his belief that when God is with a person all goes well. Going through the tragedies he was experiencing meant to Him that God was no longer watching over him.

Job had misunderstood the ways of God. God was as much with him in his tough days as he had been with him in his affluent, comfortable and respected days.

God asked Satan to consider his servant Job who was a “blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil.” Satan responded that Job was this type of man because God had put a hedge of protection around him. Two times God gave Satan permission to break Job’s faithfulness to Him. With this permission from God, Satan created for Job a life of severe suffering.

In Job 40:9-12, God confronted Job with the following words:

Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor … and Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low … Job 40:9-12

God reveals Job’s pride by telling him that if he were God, He should bring low those of pride. This revelation from God brings Job to a place of self-abhorrence and repentance (Job 42:5-6). Through his suffering, Satan did not break Job’s faithfulness to God. However, through his suffering, God broke his pride.

Broken pride results in grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).