Spiritual Growth Lesson # 25 >>>

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Spiritual Growth Lessons

LESSON 25 of 32

THE MAKING OF A MAN OF GOD II

THE TRIALS OF JOB

In the last lesson, we learned that God wants us to become mature Christians, perfected and completed. The five-fold ministry was given for this purpose. Our ministry to one another, in building up one another, is also very important. However, just as important to our spiritual maturity are life's experiences, which include persecutions, tribulations, temptations, and testings. In this lesson, we will clearly see this in the life of Job.

1. The Character of Job:
"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who reverently feared God and abstained from and shunned evil" (Job 1:1, Amplified Bible).

2. The Wealth of Job:
"His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all men of the east" (Job 1:3).

3. Job's Family:
"And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters" (Job 1:2). Because Job was such a good man, he had developed a somewhat self-righteous attitude. He was not aware of the great gulf that existed between his righteousness and the righteousness of God. He needed to learn how great God was. Only this would bring him to a place of true humility.

4. Job's trials:
a. He lost his wealth (Job 1:14-17).

b. He lost his children (Job 1:18-19).

c. He lost his health (Job 2:7-8).

d. His wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:8-9).

e. The greatest of all trials was that he lost his awareness of God's presence: Behold I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:" (Job 23:8-9). Yet he recognized that which he was going through as a trial allowed by God, and he was determined to be faithful to God, regardless of the trials and testings he experienced: "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).

f. His friends made long speeches, trying to convince Job that he must have sin in his life, or God would not allow him to suffer so much. Nevertheless, the testimony of Job was: "My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:11-12).

The Bible does not record any actual sins that Job committed. However, he did need a revelation of the greatness of God that would humble and soften him. In fact, it was in the midst of the trial that he wrote, "For God maketh my heart soft . . ." (verse 16).

Isaiah had seen a vision of the holiness of God, and what he saw and experienced forever changed him (Isaiah, Chapter 6). In Job, Chapters 38 through 41, we read that God revealed His greatness to Job. Job listened as God described the greatness of His power, and majesty. Then he spoke: "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further" (Job 40:4-5). "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6).

It was after Job spoke these words that God told him to pray for his friends, because they had not spoken the thing that was right. "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before" (Job 42:10).

God not only gave Job ten more children, but he also received twice as many sheep, camels, oxen and donkey as before. The trials of Job brought blessings to him spiritually and materially. Job's trials, and revelation of the greatness of God helped to make his heart soft, and also rid him of his self-righteousness.

Not all things that happen to us are good, but "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). ds