The Prosperity of Job
Scripture Reading — Job 42:10-16
The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.
Not many years ago, Marxist/ communist revolutionaries in Latin America tried to make the Bible support their own hatred of the wealthy. But the prosperity of Job (and other patriarchs in the Bible) was a rock on which their theories crashed and sank.
Satan tried to cast doubt on Job’s motives, saying that Job was a faithful servant of God only because God made him prosperous. But God said there was “no one on earth like him ... blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). And when God allowed Job to go through some tough times, God was proved right. Job remained faithful to God, no matter what terrible trials he had to endure.
In his misery, Job was visited by three friends who aimed to help him. But they ended up accusing him, saying that his suffering had to be a result of some sin he had done. “Why else would God afflict a man?” they reasoned. But Job was not suffering because of some sin, as the book of Job makes clear. In some situations in this broken world, the mystery of suffering remains hidden in God’s inscrutable plan. But we can trust him.
We may be blessed with wealth and prosperity or challenged with suffering and poverty. The main thing is to be faithful to God and share his love with others, whatever the circumstances. For God is faithful and keeps his promises.
We thank you, Lord, for all the good you give us. Help us to be faithful and to share your love and blessings with others. Amen.
About the author — George Young
George Young, a native New Yorker, worked as a taxi driver in New York City before studying to become a pastor. Then he, his wife Ruth, and their children were missionaries for many years in northeastern Japan. They worked with ministers and believers from the Reformed Church in Japan to spread the good news of salvation in Christ and establish new churches. Now George and Ruth are retired and live in the northeastern United States, nearer to their children and grandchildren.
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