Job1: 22 In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong( CEV)
A MAN COMMENDED BY GOD
Some believers don't like to hear about the suffering of Job. I am yet to meet people, even preachers who see Job as a model. We get to hear more message about Abraham, David, Moses, et al but only very few sermons about Job.
A number of theories have been put forth about Job's suffering. First, a school of thought believed Job was the cause of his suffering because of what he said in Job 3:25 "What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me". They concluded that fear was the reason behind his calamities.
Another school of thought believed that it was his failure to tithe that brought calamity upon him. Is it true in light of scriptures? Abraham was the first person who tithed (Genesis14:20). He tithed as a personal decision not because he was taught or commanded by anyone. Tithing became a binding law/ command centuries after Abraham tithed not before his existence. So anyone who didn't tithe before Mosaic law didn't commit any sin.
Historically, Job lived before Abraham( the first man who tithed); so his failure to tithe wouldn't have been the reason for his calamity. He knew nothing about it and God didn't rebuke him for that because the law of tithing hadn't been given in his time. That the book of Job was placed after several events starting from Genesis to Esther doesn't mean the books were arranged by order of event. For example, Mark was written before Matthew but the latter was placed before the former.
If we'll be truthful in our exposition about Job's ordeal, we shouldn't neglect the conversation between God and Satan, that's where it all started: "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil”(Job1:8).
God started the conversation that led to his ordeal. When Satan complained about the edge of protection around Job, God said: "All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence".(Job 1:12 NLT).
Whether Job had fears about the future or not, God gave Satan an express permission to go ahead with his dirty dozens and there was nothing and no one that would have stopped Satan except God. This is very clear in scripture. Now, all I've said so far is to lay a foundation for this teaching, that's not my major concern but the life of Job.
The first lesson I picked from the life of Job was his testimony of uprightness and integrity. The introductory part of Job chapter 1(NLT) says, "There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. HE WAS BLAMELESS—A MAN OF COMPLETE INTEGRITY. HE FEARED GOD AND STAYED AWAY FROM EVIL." What a wonderful commendation.
Not many of Job's critics have this report. This is what God saw that made God to be proud of this humble patriarch of faith. Can God say the same about you? Can God boast about you in front of the hordes of hell?
I've tried to peep into Job's life though we are millenniums apart, all I saw was a man who had nothing but the fear of God in his heart. What mattered to God was not his wealth but his walk with him little wonder the bible introduced Job the upright and blameless man to us before we were told about his wealth. What will God say about you?
Don't try to reverse it, your Christian testimony about the correctness of your life and how it aligns with the will of God matter more to God first than whatever you've acquired. Stop the wrong pursuit.
Who we are and have become is more important to God than what we have.
Father, I thank you for your word that has come to me. I receive the grace to live a life that is pleasing unto you. I want to be that man you will be proud of, help me father, in Jesus name.