Finding God's Comfort'.

"I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes!" Job 42:5-6

1. Afflictions

2. Afflictions Sanctified

3. An Appeal to God

4. Confession and Restoration

AFFLICTIONS

There is an ancient book called Job, which takes its name from the man whose story it tells. He lived in the land of Uz. He was a man of upright life and godly character. He had a large family and was very prosperous. The home life of his family was particularly happy. His children feasted together daily and their father took pains with their religious life.

The unselfishness of Job's piety was questioned in the heavenly councils by Satan. God asked him, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. Satan answered suspiciously: "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land."

Thereupon Satan received permission to test Job, who was then stripped of all his possessions and bereft of his children. When tidings of his sore losses were brought to him he exhibited deep grief—but he made no complaint; he only said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Again, there came a day when God talked with Satan. God asked Satan where he had been. Satan replied that he had come "from going to and fro in the earth." This was Satan's account of his occupation. He had been very busy, running here and there among men. He did not say what he had been doing in this hurried going from place to place. We know the kind of employment which fills his hours. We know he is never the friend of men—and never the friend of good. He never goes about to bless people. Peter confirms Satan's own statement that he is ever going about—but he adds a word, lifting the veil and showing how the adversary is engaged, what he does. He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. So we learn that he is not so harmless a visitor as he would have us think he is. He is very busy, truly—but he is busy finding ways to harm God's children.

We may take several lessons. Satan's example of ceaseless activity in doing harm—should stimulate us to all manner of activities in doing good. It is a shame if the agencies of sin and evil—are more diligent and earnest than the agencies of good and blessing. We should learn also not to be deceived by Satan's professed interest in our lives. Though he transforms himself into the appearance of an angel of light, we know that under his shining robes—he hides the devouring lion's heart and the lion's ravenous cruelty.

As before, God asked Satan if he had considered his servant Job, that "there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man." God knows when a man's life is good. His judgment never errs. Wemay be deceived in others. We may think they are upright and worthy, when in reality their lives are hollow. Every now and then we hear or know of a man long supposed to be honest and true, respected and trusted by his fellows, who is suddenly unmasked and seen to be only a mockery of the virtues and excellences of which he seemed so long the very embodiment. But when God passes on a man a eulogy like this on Job, it is a true judgment, for he sees the heart and knows what is in man. We need not care for anyone's good opinion, if we have not God's. We should not be indifferent to the approval of men—but it matters little if we have this, if we know that God does not approve us. And if men condemn us, it need not break our peace—if we know that God approves and is pleased with us.

God had more to say about Job: "He still holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause." It is a noble thing to see, when a man stands steadfast and faithful to God in the midst of trials and adversities. Such a man is like a mighty rock under the beatings of the angry waves of the sea. Thus Job stood. Trial after trial came. His property was swept away by marauders and by fire, and his children were crushed by falling walls, until in a little while he was stripped of all he had and left a childless man! His heart was broken with sorrow—but his faith failed not. The Lord kept his eye upon his servant and was pleased to see how trustingly he endured his losses and sorrows.

Do we meet trials in the same way, holding fast our integrity, although the hand of God rests heavily upon us? The affliction of Job, as described here from the divine side, suggests to us what may ofttimes be the cause of trouble in the lives of God's children. Job suffered to prove to a scoffing adversary the genuineness of his religion. Job did not know why these sore losses came upon him. Likewise, we do not know when we are in trouble—why God sends or permits the affliction. But we should always bear ourselves so as to honor God, and prove the reality and sincerity of our faith.

Satan was unwilling to agree that Job was such a man as God thought him. He suggested another test: "Put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face." That is probably Satan's opinion of all religion. At least there are a good many people in the world who claim to believe that all religion is really selfish, based on mere self-interest and dependent on outward favor. "Every man has his price!" they say. People serve God, they say, only because he is kind to them and so long as he continues to give them favor and goodness.

We need to guard ourselves most carefully at this point. Our Lord has told us of those who begin well in their following him—but when persecution arises because of the word, they stumble. There were disciples of his who went back and walked no more with him, because of the severity of his teaching and of the hard requirements of discipleship. No doubt there are many professing Christians who do renounce Christ when he touches their bone and flesh. It is needful that we who begin to follow Christ, look well to our own lives that, come what may of suffering, cost or trial—we shall be faithful and steadfast.

God had his answer ready: "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life." It is comforting to us to know that even Satan with all his power, cannot cannot break in upon a child of God whenever he pleases, and injure God's little one in any way his fiendish cruelty may choose. Satan could not touch Job—until God gave him permission, and then he could go no farther than God permitted. Of Satan's power, Jesus said to Peter that dark night: "Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat." We are not given the full details of Peter's case—but no doubt it was precisely as in Job's here; Satan did not believe there was any reality in Simon's attachment to Christ, and asked permission to prove it. Christ permitted Simon to fall into the adversary's hands. It seems for a time a terribly hazardous thing—but it proved only a sifting. Much of Peter's professed earnestness was sifted out—but a true spiritual reality remained.

We tremble when we think of Satan's terrible power, and dread lest he destroy us. But one is stronger—the "strong Son of God, immortal Love." If we are his and keep near to him—he will shelter us, not allowing Satan to touch us, only when the testing and trial will do us good, and not allowing us to be tempted above what we are able to endure.

When he had received permission from God, Satan so sorely afflicted Job that his wife urged him to renounce God, expressing surprise that he still held forth his integrity. But Job answered, "What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Too often weak faith is moved from its steadfastness by trials. People say, "God cannot love me—or he would not send this affliction upon me." Job's answer, however, shows noble faith. We take good, earthly good, from God's hands. We believe that he loves us so long as he showers upon us favors and gives us pleasant things, human joys. Very well; when he changes the form of his providences and gives us troubles; when he withdraws the favors—should we conclude that he no longer loves us? We are permitted to see within the heart of God, in this case of the change in his treatment of Job, and we see that God never loved him more—than when he allowed him to suffer so sorely. It is always the same. At the close of the first trial Job said, "Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away." The same Lord that gave—took away; yes, and the same love. God knows best what we need any day and what will most advance the kingdom of Christ—and we ought to trust him so implicitly, so unquestioningly, that whether he gives a new favor or takes one away; whether he grants us our request or withholds it; whether he bestows upon us earthly good or causes us to suffer loss and adversity—we shall still believe and say, "God loves me—and he is blessing me."

This record of Job's misfortune goes on to say: "In all this Job did not sin with his lips." If Job had let himself murmur against God in his pain—he would have sinned with his lips. If he had lost faith and had spoken impatiently, fretfully, rebelliously—he would have sinned with his lips. We need to think seriously of this. We call lying, sinning with one's lips. We call profane swearing, words of bitter anger, sins of speech. We sometimes forget that complaining of God's ways with us, repining at God's providences, are also sins. Sweet, quiet, trustful, joyous submission to the will of God—is the kind of behavior God is pleased with in his children in time of trouble.

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