Job's Faith Through Suffering

In the land of Uz lived a man named Job. He was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, thousands of sheep and camels, and was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

One day, the angels came before the Lord, and Satan came with them. 'Have you considered my servant Job?' God asked. 'There is no one on earth like him.'

Satan sneered, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? You have blessed everything he does. But stretch out your hand and strike what he has, and he will curse you to your face.'

'Very well,' God said. 'Everything he has is in your power, but do not touch the man himself.'

Then catastrophe struck. Messengers came one after another with devastating news: raiders had stolen his oxen and donkeys and killed his servants. Fire had fallen from heaven and burned up his sheep. More raiders took his camels. And worst of all—a mighty wind had collapsed the house where his children were feasting. All ten were dead.

Job tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. But instead of cursing God, he worshiped: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'

Satan returned. 'Skin for skin! A man will give all he has for his own life. Strike his flesh and bones, and he will curse you.'

God permitted it, and Job was afflicted with painful sores from head to toe. His wife said, 'Curse God and die!' But Job replied, 'Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?'

Three friends came to comfort him but ended up accusing him. Surely he must have sinned to deserve such punishment! For weeks they debated, Job maintaining his innocence while his friends insisted God was punishing secret sin.

Finally, God spoke from a whirlwind. He did not explain Job's suffering, but revealed His infinite wisdom and power through question after question: 'Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Have you commanded the morning? Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?'

Job was humbled. 'I spoke of things I did not understand. My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I repent in dust and ashes.'

God restored Job's fortunes, giving him twice what he had before—fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, and ten more children. Job lived another hundred and forty years, seeing his children to the fourth generation. He died old and full of days, having learned that trusting God does not depend on understanding His ways.