“Shall We not Receive Evil?”

“Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:9-10 ESV)

Job had lost everything he had except his wife and home. Satan had crushed ten children with one tempest; he had destroyed or taken all of his livestock and killed all but four of his servants. And yet Job stayed true to God.

Now, Satan was authorized to attack Job’s body, but not to kill Him. God had faith in Job because Job had displayed to God his devotion to God. This is a shadow of Peter, is it not? Christ said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 21:31-32) It is no different when we believers are tested in our lives. God prays for us.

Now, Job’s wife's story is different. She had little or no faith in God, suggesting that Job turn from God because of his troubles. His wife suggested he curse God and die. Perhaps she was overwrought with sorrow over her children and blamed God. She may have blamed Job, as did his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.

This can happen to us, can it not? When we are overwhelmed by tragedy, we look for someone to blame. Often people blame God. If God is good, how could He let this happen? Other times we blame someone we know. Why did you not stop this? How could you let this happen? It is in our grief and loss that we need a cause and a reason. Yet, God does not give us a reason. He asks us to trust that whatever has happened in our lives is what He ordained for His glory and our betterment. Not so easy to do, but if you know Christ, we have assurances of this very fact. We cannot know the mind of God; did He not say, “These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.” (Psalm 50:21) These “things we do,” like cursing God, turning from Him, living by our means and not His, and attempting to criticize God. In these things, God will rebuke us, for we are not like Him at all.

Job said to his wife, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak." This is something we all do at some point when we are confronted like Job was. Accused, blamed, or even questioned, we shoot out the words, “Are you crazy?” I can almost hear Job telling his wife, “Are you crazy? He is God!” Not the best response, I admit, but sometimes it happens. We remind with love and mercy that God is in control of our lives and that He is not capable of evil but, like with Job, ordains it for His glory and to mold us further into the image of His Son.

The mere fact that we are here and not in hell is God’s love, grace, and mercy. Everything we have that is good is His. Without Him we would have nothing. He gave us the skills we have to make a living. He provides for every need and does so before we even know we need it. Therefore, shall we not take trials and troubles with the same understanding that both serve God’s purpose?

Christ saves us from an eternity in hell. We are forgiven our sins through His blood and sacrifice. In His death and resurrection, we too have died and are resurrected with Him. Without Christ, there is nothing but peril, shame, and destruction.

Job is a book that portrays every single human. It is a book about humanity and our response to life. It is about life with God, and the importance of understanding His Word by which we live our lives. It is about understanding our place in creation, and the majesty of God.

Read Job and learn about yourself. Come to Christ and, like Job, be blessed. Despite his suffering, Job stayed true to God. God blessed Job with even more children, livestock, and all good things; in Christ, you have nothing but blessings, and in times of trials and troubles, you will never walk alone. For those who are justified through Christ, He lives in you.

Grace and Peace.