Job and Jesus: Have You Considered the Book of Job?

As you may know, the book of Job begins with terrible calamities befalling Job: the loss of ten children, destruction of his property, and then he is struck with a terrible disease. And it all begins with a discussion between Satan and God.

One thing that stood out to me in our discussion last week was the fact that it is God who brings up Job's name first. In speaking to Satan in chapter 1, He asks, "Have you considered my servant Job?"

God is, so to speak, boasting in His servant Job. He calls him an upright man. Oh, wouldn't we want God to cherish such thoughts of us?

Then again... maybe not. After all, it is the fact that God prizes Job so much that he is put to such an extreme test. It reminds me of Jesus' words--"The last will be first and the first last." Those God prizes might very well be those in our midst whose faith is being refined in the fire. Yet we might have it all backwards, thinking that God most prizes those who are influential and successful and healthy.

One final thought: Jesus was God's only begotten, and beloved, Son. And yet He suffered more than any other man ever suffered--under the weight of our sin.


[Note: I also posted this on my church's blog since we're going through the book of Job. But I'd like to post several reflections here regarding this amazing part of Scripture also.]