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Wednesday 24 September 2014

Job 1:13-22 - The first series of calamities

So Satan is allowed to attack Job. Job receives various bits of bad news from his servants. First he hears that his donkeys have been taken by the Sabeans. Then another servant comes to tell him that the "fire of God" has burned up his sheep and the servants with them. Note that the term "fire of God" probably refers to lightning. While hearing this yet another servant comes with news that the Chaldeans have made off with his camels and killed many of his servants. After this the worst news comes, a might wind has killed his sons and daughters.
Job has just received a deluge of bad news. We often talk about "one thing after another", but none of us has experienced a day like this.
Job's reaction is exemplary. Tearing his clothes is a sign of mourning. At the same time he falls to the ground and worships the Lord. This worship was not blind faith but was based on reason and an understanding of God.
It is absolutely true that we came into the world with nothing, and we will leave with nothing. All sorts of things may happen inbetween, both good and bad, but the beginning and the end are the same for everyone. 
He also knows that the Lord is in control of everything. We tend to try and explain away the bad things that happen, we try to absolve God of responsibility. This is not what the Bible does. There are times when God's ways are beyond knowing, but at all times He is ultimately in control. Whatever may be happening to us right now we need to know that the Lord is sovereign. We may not be able to see God's purpose, we may not understand it, but we can be certain that His purposes are good (Rom 8:28). 
In all this Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. So we see that charging God with wrongdoing is a sin. However, we also need to remember what is going to happen in chapters 3 onwards. Job is going to charge God with wrongdoing, or at least come very close to doing so. 

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