SERVING A JUST GOD
LESSON FOR THE JUNIOR CLASSES
STUDY SCRIPTURE: JOB 42:1-6, 10-17
KEY VERSE
“Who is this who conceals advice without knowledge?”
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know”.
Job42:3
INTRODUCTION AND STUDY
The Lesson deals with the common way many people behave when they get into serious trouble and suffer pain. Sometimes people know the trouble and pain they are in are caused by their mistakes but sometimes they do not understand why this is happening to them and so they get angry and end up blaming God for their situation. God also has done great things for us.
God understand why people behave this way and so this Book of Job has been written to tell us that God knows what is happening and He listens carefully to our complaints. He will do something about what is happening for He is a Just God and will never do anything that is not right.
Our problem is that we are limited in our understanding and ability to understand. Job was a great man of God and always obeyed God. God held him up as an example for us and so when Satan accused God of protecting Job and giving him great wealth bribing Job by that way so he would worship and obey God, God gave Satan permission to take away Job’s wealth and his blessing so that Satan would see that many people worshipped and loved God and did not do that just because they wanted material things from God. Satan attacked Job but failed to change Job’s faith in God. Job complained about what was happening to him for he did not understand why he had lost everything and was in such pain. But Job never spoke badly about God for despite every trouble he still loved God.
Some of Job’s friends came to visit and comfort him but instead they told the innocent Job that he was not innocent of wrong doing but had done some great sin and that was why he had lost everything and was in such pain. His hidden sin was the problem. Job however always protested he was innocent of wrong doing. His friend kept up their accusations. Job prayed to God to talk to him and explain what was happening so he could defend himself against any accusation he was doing sins.
God finally came and asked Job many questions to see if Job understood how complicated running the world was. God asked Job to tell Him if he understood how the complicated world and the many animals including the powerful animals were created. When Job began to understand the power of God and the wisdom God had to enable Him to govern the world and the things that happened in it, the good and the bad things, Job admitted his ignorance and his inability to understand why God allowed certain things to happen. He pulled back his complaints and bowed to God, being humble and repentant for his ignorance.
Job realized he could trust God and should keep on worshipping Him for God was a just God and would never allow bad things to happen to good people without a good reason. God sometimes allowed good people who belonged to Him to suffer for when they suffered their faith in God would increase, they would learn more about God’s righteous and holy character, and their spiritual life would be much better. God would then reward them.
We do not know everything and so we should be careful not to blame God. We should treat our friends that are in trouble well. We should always seek the advice of God in everything. We should realize that bad things happen to people not only because they have sinned.
Job suffered a lot but he remained faithful. God doubled the wealth he had and made everyone come and congratulate him for the restoration God had brought to him. Job prayed for his friends who had falsely accuse him ofsome unknown sin. He was reconciled to his friends and they became good friends again.
So let us keep praying to God and be faithful. He will come and help us.