Story Overview
After Satan approaches God and challenges the genuineness of Job’s faith and integrity, God permits Job to be pressed and tried by Satan within limits. Job essentially loses the most important things in his life, his wife tells him to curse God and die, and his friends accuse him of wrongdoing while he was actually innocent. The story concludes with Job’s outcry for justice and a plea for God to explain himself. God doesn’t respond with answers, but rather with his identity. Job “repents” and is satisfied with trusting God for his vindication, whether in his present life or the afterlife. Ultimately, God vindicates and restores Job beyond measure and uses his story to continue to shape our faith centuries later.
Themes in Job
- The infinite wisdom of God is often outside of our cognitive abilities
- There is an adversary who has his throne on earth; he steals, kills, and destroys
- Suffering is not always a result of particular sins
- God can be trusted in and through hardship
Scripture Verses
- Psalm 23:1-6
- John 10:10
- Job 1:20-22
- Job 42:1-6 & 12
Discussion Questions
- What do we learn about the character of God and the character of Satan?
- What does Job’s story teach us about faith, life, and the troubles we face?
- What are some parallels to Jesus and Job?
- What makes Jesus’ suffering more meaningful for us today?
- Discuss some of your “Job-like” moments and how your vision of God was affected by it.
Related Posts:
Wrestling With God #0: Psalm 23 – Biblical Affirmations of Hardships by Cody Whittington
Inviting Disorientation by Dr. Derry Long
Engaging Grief with a Good God by Cody Whittington
1 thought on “WWG #1: God, Satan & Job”
Good teaching !
I recall MANY decades ago ,listening to a teaching on Job from Vernan McGee .
He mentioned, that Job had mentioned himself ,as I over and over and over again .But this does not really make to much sense ,because God ,says in the beginning that Job was the most upright man in the la d . Such a FASCINATING book for sure!!! The lord is using the book of Job in my life ,BIG time to say the least. In that ,the Lord restored him after he prayed for his friends who betrayed and hurt him !!!
And as you share as well , The Lord is JUST !!!
This reminds me to read those AWESOME scriptures at the end ,where God reveals His glory and identity to Job !! Appreciate you
God bless