Job

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INTRODUCTION

Today, the book of Job. The story of Job is a part of what we would call the wisdom literature of the Bible. Books like Job and Ecclesiastes seek to examine some of the deepest and most difficult questions of life. In the case of Job, we examine the problem of human suffering. Victor Hugo once said that he felt that the Book of Job was the greatest masterpiece of the human mind. Now that kind of makes sense since Hugo also liked to write about suffering and miserable people. Scholars and historians have long debated whether Job was an actual person or simply a literary character used to examine a theological question. Personally, I think it’s a little bit of both. We in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have the benefit of latter-day scripture to help answer that question. While in Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith received an answer to a prayer in the depths of his own suffering. In that answer, God gave Joseph the following line of comfort. He said: “Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.” (D&C 121:10) Now, to me, it doesn’t make much sense for God to offer that as comfort if Job wasn’t a real person. I mean how much comfort would it give you if your friends tried to cheer you up by comparing your life to a fictional character’s experience? “Oh, don’t worry about this, at least things aren’t as bad for you as they were for Jean Valjean, or Wile E. Coyote. You’ll get through this.” That’s probably not going to be very helpful, is it? Also, James, in the New Testament refers to the patience of Job. Again, lending credibility to the idea that he’s real. So Job is almost certainly a real person. On the other hand, the Book of Job is also clearly poetic and has a lot of literary qualities to it. For one, it’s written in poetic verse. Much of the plot reads like a novel and the details do seem a bit exaggerated or incredible. So personally, I believe that the story of Job is based on a real person who did suffer much, who experienced a lot of pain and loss in a short amount of time, but that the author has taken that real life inspiration and used it as a vehicle to examine the question of suffering. His main intent was to teach a lesson, not give a biographical, journalistic account of somebody’s life. And let me give you an example of this. The first chapters of Job where we have God talking to Satan and making a deal with him to allow him to afflict Job, I definitely believe is not a description of real events. That would be quite troubling to me if it were. I mean, is God really going to let Job suffer like this so he can win a bet with Satan? I don’t think so. The Come Follow Manual even makes that point. It says, “The opening chapters of Job are intended to emphasize Satan’s role as our adversary or accuser, not to describe how God and Satan really interact.” So I feel there’s a good deal of literary license taken in the Book of Job, but based on that verse in the Doctrine and Covenants, I also have confidence that we’re dealing with a real person here who suffered in the extreme. And today as we examine the life of Job, I’d like to focus our attention on four specific truths that I feel this great book teaches us.

JOB’S CHARACTER

ICEBREAKER

As an icebreaker, I like to start with something maybe just a bit more lighthearted because the subject matter of Job is going to get much more somber as you go along. So I just like to show a number “Bad Day” pictures. Here are just a few examples of people who are probably having a worse day than you are. So here we go:

(Show examples)

TRANSITION

Now even as bad as those people have it, there is a character in the Bible who had a much, much worse day than any of them. I think a far more worse day than most of us could even imagine. That man was Job, and today we’re going to take a look at his life to see if it can help us to understand what

we can do when those bad days, weeks, months, or even years strike.

SEARCH

The first thing we need to consider is Job’s character. What kind of a man was he? To discover his character, you could hand out a printed scripture reference from Job to 9 different individuals. I’ll make a sheet available that already has all the assignments printed that you could cut and hand out. Their assignment is to look up that particular reference and to be prepared to read it to the class. As they read, the class will listen for details they learn about Job’s character. Invite another student to come to the board and invite them to write down all the qualities the class identifies. Also, before the verses are read, encourage the entire class to create a label on page 679 with the title “Job’s character” and invite them to mark each of those verses in a specific color.

And from those verses, here’s what we learn about Job:

• 1:1 He was perfect, upright, feared God, and eschewed, or “avoided” evil

  • Perfect in this sense doesn’t mean that Job never sinned or made any mistakes. It’s a word that basically means that Job was a very righteous man. His heart was in the right place, he strove to be obedient to his Father’s will, and he was committed to his faith.

• 4:3-4 He instructed many, strengthened weak hands. He supported those who were falling, strengthened the feeble knees

  • So Job was charitable and benevolent. He reached out to lend strength to the weak and feeble.

• 23:11-12 He walked the strait and narrow path. He did not go back from the commandments of God.

  • He was obedient. He sought to choose the right.

• 29:12-16 Lots of great things here. He helped the poor, cared for orphans and for those whom no one else would help. He helped widows, the blind, the lame, and even searched out for people that he could help. He was proactive with his generosity and kindness. He didn’t let them just find him, he went out to look for them.

  • Job was giving and caring.

• 31:1 He says he made a covenant to his wife, why then would he think about a maid.

  • So not only is he pure in deed, but pure in thought as well. He was chaste.

• 31:24 Job may have been rich, but he didn’t place his heart on riches. He did not make gold his hope or confidence, but found it in God. He didn’t allow the love of money to corrupt him.

  • So he was not materialistic or greedy.

• 31:29-30 He never found joy in the suffering of his enemies and never wished evil on them.

  • Job was forgiving and thoughtful to all, even his enemies. He had no ill intent in his heart for anyone. This reflects the teaching of the Savior in the Sermon on the Mount where he taught us to love our enemies, bless those that curse us, and do good to them that hate us, etc.

• 31:32 He opened his home to strangers

  • He was hospitable.

• 31:33 He did not try to hide his sins.

  • He was sincere about his weaknesses and humble. He didn’t claim to be a perfect individual or ever lift up his head in arrogance because of his righteousness.

So after looking at those verses, would you consider Job to be a good man? Yes! More than a good man. One of the best. Now it’s very important that we understand that, because that’s what gives the rest of the story its real power. Job was among the best of men. And yet he experiences some of the worst things imaginable.

The story is set up in chapter 1. And here we have God and Satan having an imaginary conversation. Now remember, this is just a hypothetical situation written to set up the big question of the story. A question that we must all face at some time in our lives. Satan is given a title in the book of Revelation—Revelation 12:10. What is it? The accuser. Satan is the great accuser of our brethren. Well, here in Job chapter 1, Satan plays that role masterfully. What’s the accusation in Job 1:9-11?

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And then later in chapter 2, after Satan’s initial efforts are unsuccessful, he ups the ante and says,

4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

So the accusation is this: The only reason Job is righteous is because his life is so good. He has things way too easy. He has great wealth, a great family, great health, the respect of his fellow man. BUT, If you were to afflict him, or he lost all his blessings, he would curse you. And that’s the compelling question the Book of Job asks us all to consider. Would trials and difficulties cause you to lose your faith and loyalty to God? That’s one of the big questions of life even. If everything we hold dear were taken away from us and we were plunged into deep hardship, would we still hold to our faith? Would we still love, trust, and honor our Father in Heaven in those trying circumstances?

If we lost our job?

If our spouse died?

If we lost a child?

If we contracted a terminal illness?

If we became the victim of a terrible crime?

That’s a difficult question to answer, short of experiencing Job-like adversity, which none of us would wish for. But that’s the question the Book of Job is asking us to ponder and wrestle with. Let’s see how Job handles it. Because in the story, God does indeed allow the challenge to take place:

2:6

6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

So what happens to Job then as a result of this deal? Let’s do an activity that can help us to see the various ways in which Job’s life changes. Up on my board I put 6 arrows pointing to the right. And together with my class we read the following sets of verses. Their task is to determine what major change is occurring in Job’s life based on those references. He goes from “what” to “what” in them?

• 1--1:14-17

  • In these verses Job loses all that made him prosperous and wealthy. Back then, your wealth wasn’t measured in cars and homes, but livestock and servants. Job loses all of it within a matter of moments. So he goes from “Rich” to “Poor”

• 2--1:18-19

  • Now if that weren’t bad enough. Here’s a trial on a totally different level. What’s the transformation here? He loses all of his children. All of them. At once. Imagine the shock to the system that must have been. I’ve known a number of families who have actually lost just one child and know how difficult that was for them. But to have ten children die and all on the same day? That’s suffering on an entire other level. He goes from “Large Family” to “No Children”

• 3--2:7-8

  • In these verses, we see the adversary start to afflict Job physically. He gets sick and covered in boils—from the soul of his foot to the crown of his head. . Boils are incredibly painful. They go deep into your skin and make you itch. They cover his body. And all he can do is scrape himself with a piece of broken pottery for some semblance of relief. If you’ve ever suffered physically before, then you know how hard it is to be happy when you’re in pain. Job here, is in constant pain, and in a day without modern medicine to help manage it. So he goes from “Health” to “Sickness and Pain.”

• 4--2:9, 19:13-19

  • This is a real sad one. We learn from 2:9 about how Job’s wife responds to his suffering. 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. She doesn’t sound very supportive there, now does she? His wife is telling him to just die? But, still, to be fair to Mrs. Job, she too is suffering greatly at this time. She’s also just lost all of her wealth, and children as well. So I try not to be too hard on her. And it appears that by the end of the story, when all things are resolved, that they are still married and go on to have more children and live happily ever after. She eventually “passes the test” as well. But in the other verses in chapter 19 we learn that his other family and friends and servants and the community around him forget him and despise him. So he goes from “Support” to “Rejection.”

• 5--7:4,13-14

  • Sometimes when we suffer greatly there is only one release that we get from it all. Sleep. Sleep is the only time when you get to escape the terrors of reality for at least a short time, But what happens to Job here?

4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

And then 13-14:

13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;

14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions

So whenever he tries to go to sleep, he tosses and turns. And if he does actually succeed in falling asleep, he has terrible nightmares. So even sleep isn’t a relief for Job. He goes from “Sleep” to “Nightmares.”

• 6--29:21, 30:10-12

  • Finally, in this last set of verses we see in 29:21 that before his great misfortune, Job was given great respect by the people around him. He was upheld as an esteemed member of the community. But in 30:10-12:

10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.

12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

• So he loses all respect from the people around him. The youth are pushing away his feet, or tripping him up and mocking him. The change? He goes from “Great Respect” to “Great Ridicule.”

Don’t you just feel for Job here? To have such a devastating turn of events in his life must have been almost unbearable.

And then there’s one more trial that I’d like to add here. The horrid icing on this terrible nightmare of a cake. Look in verses 10:2, 13:22-24, 19:7

2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

The thing that makes this all harder is that he doesn’t even understand why it’s happening. God is offering no explanation. There is only silence. That might be one of the toughest things to endure in life. If we were to just know the purpose behind it all. If we could see the end from the beginning and understand God’s wisdom in allowing such things to happen, that might make those things easier to endure. But often, we don’t get those answers immediately, if at all in this life.

Somebody who I feel described this state of being extremely well is C.S. Lewis. When he lost his beloved wife Joy to cancer, he felt this same emptiness and questioning, and he described his feelings like this:

“Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be — or so it feels — welcomed with open arms.

But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?” . . .

Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there’s no God after all,’ but ‘So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.’”

C.S. Lewis

(A Grief Observed, p.4)

Now that is definitely coming from a man who is feeling deep pain and confusion. Perhaps you’ve felt similarly in your own life in your own griefs. We’ll come back to Lewis later.

TRUTH #1

But there is something that we’ve learned here from these two activities. Any thoughts on what that might be? Our first activity showed us that Job was a very good man. Our second activity showed us all the very bad things that happened to him. What we’re seeing here is one of the most unsettling truths about mortality. A truth so troubling that it will even cause some to lose their faith in God completely. What is it?

God allows bad things happen to good people. In fact, with the story of Job, we could adjust that slightly. God can allow very bad things to happen to very good people.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

Now you may not really want people to share their answers to this question out loud, but perhaps just have them raise their hand if they can relate. Can you think of any examples from your own life? Of bad things that have happened to good people. I’m sure we all can.

But that’s not where we’re going to end today. That would be far too discouraging to leave it at that. It’s an unfortunate truth, but the Book of Job has so much more to teach us. Now that this has happened to him, the rest of the book is going to tackle the question of “why”. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? And we find two answers highlighted. The wrong answer and God’s answer.

THE WRONG ANSWER

First, the wrong answer. The bulk of the book of Job is devoted to conversations held between Job and his “friends.” Each one comes forward with their theory for why Job is suffering. And it’s all basically the same one. Really, pages and pages of this book are dedicated to this one thought. It’s a theory for human suffering that has been prevalent for ages and many still struggle with today. It’s exemplified in Job’s by these four friends. As a teacher, there’s really no need to lead your students through large swathes of text to make this point. Rather, you can just give them a sampling of some of the verses that exemplify their answer. What is their reason for why Job is suffering? Can you figure it out?

· Job 5:17 From Eliphaz

o 17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

· Job 8:6 From Bildad

o 6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

· Job 11:6 From Zophar

o 6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

So what’s their explanation? Why is Job suffering so deeply? Because he’s obviously done something wrong. God Is correcting him, chastening him, ignoring him, and (that last one really gets me) he’s exacting less of him than his iniquity deserves. God is punishing him for some kind of iniquity that just isn’t outwardly apparent to everyone else. In his friend’s reasoning, God cannot be unjust. Suffering must have a cause, and sin must be that cause. Therefore, in their misguided understanding of mortality, Job has sinned. This is probably why Job has lost respect in his community or why people are treating him so poorly even though he was so good to everyone else. For someone to experience that deep a level of ruin and sorrow must be an indicator of God’s disapproval of them. Right? He’s got to be guilty of some major offense. Why else would things fall apart so quickly? There is a tendency for the natural man to rejoice over the fall of a once respected and worthy person. Tabloids and newscasts provide ample proof of this. So Job, you must have done something to deserve this.

Now two questions:

What’s Job’s reaction to their theory? (16:2 and 16:4-5)

and What’s God’s reaction to their theory? (42:7)

Job’s reaction:

2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Job is none too impressed with the conclusions of his “friends”. That’s not a helpful thing to say to someone in pain. And then he says:

4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

But that’s not what they are doing. They are, “contending against him”, and “charging him with transgression” as the Doctrine and Covenants says.

And God’s reaction?

7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

So there you have it, right from the mouth of God. The conclusion of Job’s friends was not the right thing. They got it wrong.

TRUTH #2

What truth did we just learn from the Book of Job?

Suffering and adversity are not an indication of God’s displeasure or punishment.

It could be that making this point was the major reason for writing the Book of Job in the first place since so much of its content focuses on it. The explanation of Job’s friends is shallow and doesn’t help us at all. However, their thinking is still dominant even today. Even amongst good members of the Church, we may equate negative life experiences with lack of worthiness when in reality the truth is far more complicated. We can happily dismiss the answer of Job’s friends as false.

Now, before we continue, it is true that suffering and adversity can be the result of bad choices. For example, if someone smokes and drinks for years, and then their health starts to fail, then yes, their own choices brought about that pain and suffering. But even then, I don’t believe that it’s God punishing them for not following his Word of Wisdom. They’re just the natural consequences of not following God’s laws of health.

A favorite quote regarding this truth: “Men are punished by their sins, not for them.” Elbert Hubbard.

So:

I know that the reason my Mom died of cancer was not because she was being punished for her mistakes.

I know that the reason 911 happened was not because the people in the towers were wicked.

I know that the reason people are born with handicaps or physical challenges or in less-than-ideal circumstances is not because they did something wrong or that God doesn’t love them.

I know that when people die in earthquakes, tsunamis, or hurricanes, that, that’s not a message of God’s displeasure to people in those locations. These are simply the products of living in a mortal, fallen world.

Let’s be careful not to make the mistake of Job’s friends in trying to understand life’s injustices and calamities.

GOD’S “ANSWER”?

What is the correct answer then? If that’s not it, what’s the truth? Why is Job suffering? In chapters 38-41 God is actually going to speak to Job here. And a heads up here. And you’ll notice that I labeled this section God’s “answer” in quotation marks and a question mark at the end. God’s answer isn’t going to be your typical one. He’s not going to just come straightforwardly out and say it in black in white. The answer is going to be found in between the lines. In the white space on the page. God goes on for four chapters with his answer, but I just want to give you a taste of what he’s saying. It’s all the same theme. As I read these, what point do you feel God is trying to make, with His answer here?

From Chapter 38:4-6 . . . Job,

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

(I like that image. Like there’s a big storehouse up there in the heaven that holds all the snow and the hail, which open up and rain down when God desires it)

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

(That’s another very poetic image isn’t it. And what is that says, “Here we are” after lightning strikes? Thunder. It’s referring to thunder)

From chapter 39

13 Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?

Chapter 40

40 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,

2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

And it just kind of goes on and on like that throughout all four chapters. And you may have noticed something. It’s really just a series of questions, isn’t it? What do you think is the point God is trying to make here? With this long list of rhetorical questions. What is the answer to each of those questions? It’s “no”. Job, and all of us would have to admit, “ I don’t have your power God, I don’t have your understanding, I don’t comprehend all that you comprehend.” Even our modern, scientifically advanced world can’t answer all of these questions regarding the universe, the weather, or the behavior of animals.

So Job concludes in 42:2-3

2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

The questions God asks Job are not just to show God’s superior knowledge but to create in Job and all of us a sense of wonder at the sheer majesty of his creation. Surely a God with such power and understanding and grandeur, is a God worthy of our trust? And that is really the gist, I feel, of God’s answer. We must learn to trust in God, trust his plan for us, and trust in his goodness. So rather than giving Job the exact reason for why He has allowed such affliction in his life, he appeals to Job’s heart. He says, “Look at my world and my wonders. It’s beautiful and ordered and it works. Don’t you think I also know how to order the lives of my children? That I know what’s best and what will bring you the most glory and knowledge and experience in the future? You may not understand all things now from your mortal, limited perspective, but you will someday. Until then, trust me.”

Remember the quote I shared from a grieving C.S. Lewis earlier? He too came to a similar conclusion as the Book of Job about his own grief. He began to recognize that he misunderstood something about that seemingly locked, dark, and empty house. He said:

“And so, perhaps, with God. I have gradually been coming to feel that the door is no longer shut and bolted. Was it my own frantic need that slammed it in my face? The time when there is nothing at all in your soul except a cry for help may be just the time when God can’t give it: you are like the drowning man who can’t be helped because he clutches and grabs. Perhaps your own reiterated cries deafen you to the voice you hoped to hear. On the other hand, ‘Knock and it shall be opened.’ But does knocking mean hammering and kicking the door like a maniac?” . . . (46)

“When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of ‘No answer.’ It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal but waiving the question. Like, ‘Peace, child; you don’t understand.’ (69)

TRUTH

We must learn to TRUST in the wisdom and power of a loving God that allows us to experience pain and loss in this life, and one day we will understand.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

What do you think about God’s answer?

Is it satisfactory to you? Why or why not?

Are you willing to trust in God until you do understand?

CONCLUSION

To be honest, I’ve really wrestled with this question myself, as I’m sure most of you have. With some trials and hardships we face in life, that answer makes total sense. I see the wisdom in it. But with other things, that’s an explanation that’s much harder to swallow. But a few quick thoughts about human suffering and it’s purposes. Remember that it is God’s design to make us all gods, and to give us the opportunity to live a life like his own and to become like him. And if we were to ask ourselves, “What is God like?” Our answers would probably include things such as kindness, longsuffering, patience, meekness, compassion, and mercy. But where do these attributes come from? Ease and prosperity? No. In order to magnify mankind, it seems that God must put them through the refining fires of adversity. Out of pain and suffering come almost all the most positive character traits that God wants for his children. Nothing quite refines the character like suffering. It is opposition that creates strength, adversity that brings experience, and hardship that generates wisdom and patience. As a parent myself, would I choose to remove all difficulty and pain from the lives of my children? No. I don’t think I would. I know that would be counterproductive to their growth. And I know that’s easy to say, right now, when everything is ok and they’re doing just fine. But what would I do when I actually saw them suffering, if I saw them in pain? Wouldn’t I be tempted to stop it if I could? Probably yeah. Does God always? No. And that’s difficult to grasp. But that’s where the trust comes in. I imagine that is one of the hardest things God ever has to do, to constrain his power—to not intervene in the affairs of man when he sees his children suffer. So the righteous will suffer in this life. And the wicked won’t always. Perhaps God wanted us to be good for the sake of goodness. If righteousness was always immediately rewarded and wickedness quickly punished, self-interest would make us godly, and fear would compel us to be saints. Because it is often otherwise, our commitment to goodness and integrity must be inspired by deeper resources than mere outward and immediate consequences.

Well, even knowing all that, I still struggle at times with the question of why good people have bad things happen to them. But Nephi’s words in response to the questioning angel come to mind here:

“I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”

1 Nephi 11:17

It takes humility and faith to answer like that. Nephi had that faith, and so did Job, and so must we.

ENDURING IT WELL

ICEBREAKER

Now for the final truth of our Job lesson. For this, I like to do the following icebreaker. It’s an object lesson. What you’ll need is a number of heavy and awkward objects to carry and then you’ll also need a wagon, or a wheeled cart, a furniture dolly, or just something with wheels that can carry a lot of weight. Invite a student to come to the front and what you’ll do is just start loading them up with all the different heavy and awkward objects. You can explain that each one of those objects represents a different trial or challenge a person may face in their life. You could even name some of those possible trials. This book represents getting sick. This one represents struggles at home. Etc. Then ask them to try and carry those items across the room. Give them enough that it becomes really difficult to move or get to the other side without dropping them or exerting great physical effort. But then, ask them if they can think of any better solutions to getting those objects to the other side of the room. If they suggest that you could just drop the objects and leave them, tell them that that really doesn’t work because we know that God doesn’t always take our trials away when we ask him to But what might help? Let them guess a little, and then pull out the wagon or the cart and ask, “How might this come in handy?” With the wagon, the weight of the objects doesn’t change in the slightest. They are still the exact same objects, and they still weigh the same. But what’s the difference? They are much easier to move. I used to work at a furniture store as a young man and I was always amazed at the size and weight of the objects I could move with just a simple furniture dolly. Things far too heavy for me to lift could glide along the floor with minimal effort on the dolly.

TRANSITION

So now let’s discuss the real miracle of Job. The fact that he doesn’t fall. The fact that he stays righteous even when his suffering is so great and undeserved. Job was able to carry that weight and endure to the end. He had a wagon. He had a furniture dolly, so to speak, that allowed him to stay faithful under the weight of his burdens. This hearkens back to the great personal question the book of Job asks us to ponder that I mentioned earlier: Would great trials and difficulties cause me to lose my faith and loyalty to God? When it comes to Job, all the things that we would say bring happiness are taken from him, and yet, he stays firm. How? Let’s examine that last question here, because perhaps that will help us to know what we can do when we face lesser hardships than his. In the Doctrine and Covenants, God made a promise to Joseph Smith in the depth of his trials, that if he endured it well, God would exalt him on high. The key word in that phrase, I think, is “well”. Joseph needed to endure it well. Because have no choice but to endure suffering. All endure their adversities, but not all endure them well. Job is someone who I feel exemplifies the process of “enduring it well”.

SEARCH

What helped Job to “endure it well”? Let’s examine some things that helped him to get through. You could do this search activity as a handout and send your students into the scriptures to study the following sets of verses, looking for things that helped Job to carry his burdens successfully. You can tell your students that if they get hung up with any of the references, not to worry too much, but just to move on to one of the others. Then discuss them as a class and invite students to share what they learned. There are five sets of verses.

Job 1:20-22

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

What does Job understand here? It’s apparent that Job understands something about mortality. He understands that trials are a necessary part of this life. Life gives sometimes, and life takes away. He’s not overly attached to his material possessions. He came into the world naked (owning nothing), and he knows that he will die in the same state. So if those material things were taken from him a little earlier than he would prefer, than he was ok with that. Regardless of what happened to him, he knew where his loyalties lay. Blessed be the name of the Lord. And what does it mean to “charge God foolishly”? We charge God foolishly when we blame Him for all our troubles and problems in life. We charge God foolishly when we lose our faith and abandon our devotion to Him when things get tough. We charge God foolishly when we do what Job’s wife suggest he do, to “curse God and die”. We charge God foolishly when we say, “Unless this problem is solved in such and such a way, or at such and such a time, I will not believe, or I will not obey”. Job does none of these things. Instead, he does what he does in Job 13:15

Job 13:15

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

These are some of the most important things we can learn to do as disciples of Christ. Trust and maintain. Trust and maintain. Job trusts in God. We’ve got to learn to trust that his commandments are the best way to live our lives. We’ve got to trust that his promised blessings will one day come to pass. We’ve got to learn to trust his timing. We’ve got to learn to trust his wisdom in the way he runs his universe. Therefore, don’t give up on your faith. Don’t give up on your obedience. Don’t give up on his gospel.

Job 19:23-27

23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! (I actually find that kind of humorous. You know, somebody ought to write this down in a book. Oh, well here it is, written. A little Biblical irony for you)

24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

What helps him through his hard times? His faith in his Redeemer. His faith in the resurrection and the atonement of Jesus Christ. Even though he knows that worms would eventually destroy his mortal body, yet, he has faith and confidence that future glory and salvation await him. He will see God in his flesh. Sometimes that may be the only thing that can really get us through. Our realization that Christ will overcome all.

Joseph Smith once made the following promise to the Saints:

“All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (1976), 296)

So it doesn’t matter what we lose in this life. It will be restored. And that doesn’t apply to just our physical bodies. All things will be renewed. All will be made glorious. Which reminds me of one of my favorite verses of scripture of all time. Revelation 21:4.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

This is the kind of faith that Job is demonstrating in chapter 19. He found comfort and strength in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, his Redeemer.

Job 27:5-6

5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

This can mean one of two things here. For one, Job is committed to maintaining his integrity even in the face of challenge. He will not give up on God and his righteousness, but will continue strong in the faith and endure to the end.

But there’s another way of interpreting those verses. Remember that Job’s friends are accusing him of iniquity. Their explanation for his suffering is that he must be being punished for some sin that they’re just not aware of. But Job refuses to remove his confidence in his righteousness. He knows he’s a good man. He knows he’s done the right things. I don’t think he’s claiming perfection, but he is claiming integrity. This is an important thing to keep in mind when we suffer. We’ve got to be careful to not turn too critical an eye on ourselves. It’s not productive or helpful to condemn ourselves at the very time when we need strength. I believe that’s the adversary trying to get to us. He's trying to take advantage of the situation. He wants to get at us when we’re feeling weak. He says, “If I can get them to lose faith in themselves, maybe I can get them to lose hope, and if I can get them to lose hope, they’ll be mine.” Satan seeketh to make all men miserable like unto himself. Maybe sometimes we think to ourselves, “If only I had enough faith, then God would remove this trial from me. He would answer my prayer.” “If only I had made better choices in my youth, then this tragedy wouldn’t have come.” “If only I had served more faithfully in the church, this wouldn’t have happened.” These kinds of thoughts are counterproductive at best and damning at worst. No, maintain your integrity. Don’t let the adversary discourage you. Job refused to allow Satan to convince him that he was a bad person and that helped him to press forward with faith.

One more. What eventually happens to Job? Let’s read what happens in the final chapter.

Job 42:10-17

10 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.

11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.

14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.

15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.

17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

My favorite line in that whole section comes from verse 12, “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.” I believe THAT is a promise and a line that will describe all those who endure their trials well. God will bless us in our latter end more than we ever experienced in our mortal lives. There is an end to all suffering and pain. Even the Savior was able to say, “It is finished”. God has made promises to those who hold out faithful to the end like Job did, and they are certain to come. As Jeffrey R. Holland once said in one of my favorite conference talks of all time:

"Some blessings come soon, some come late, some don't come until heaven -- but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ they come."

Jeffrey R. Holland

(Conference Report, Oct. 1999)

And something that caught my attention in the naming of all of Job’s later possessions. You’ll notice that when you compare them to what he had before in chapter 1, that the number has doubled. He has twice as many sheep, twice as many camels, twice as many oxen, and so on. But you might notice a change in the pattern when it comes to his children. He once again has seven sons and three daughters. But if this were to follow the same pattern as the animals, he should have 20 sons and 6 daughters, right? That would make more sense. But why do you think he only has 10 sons and 3 daughters here? I think there’s a gem of a truth hidden in that. The truth of the matter is that God did double his children in that. How? Because those that he lost at the beginning of the story, are still his. Death did not take his children from him. He would still have them in the eternities. Death does not sever family ties. So in the end, Job really did receive twice the number of children that he had in the beginning. I hope that little truth could be a source of comfort to those of you who may have lost children.

And I hope that all of these things that Job did can help each of us to carry our burdens a little easier, a little smoother. I hope they can give us wheels, to carry our loads of life.

TRUTH

When adversity strikes, if I maintain my faith, integrity, and trust in God, and remember that someday my trials will come to an end, and that I will be blessed more in the end than in the beginning, then I will have the strength to endure my trials well.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

Have any of Job’s strategies worked for you in your own hardships? What happened?

CONCLUSION

To conclude. There are two seemingly contradictory scriptures that come to my mind when I consider adversity and the plan of salvation. They are Luke 9:23 and 2 Nephi 2:25. First, Luke 9:23: And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Now that verse makes it sound like life as a disciple of Christ is going to be very hard. We’ve got to take up our cross, daily, and carry it. On the other hand 2 Nephi 2:25: 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. Can you see the problem there? Can you see the contradiction. On the one hand I know that life is going to be extremely difficult, like carrying a cross. On the other, one of God’s purposes for me in life is to be happy. What gives? There is only one solution in my mind to making those two verses work together. We must learn how to find joy in a life, in a mortality, in a plan, that allows for pain, suffering, injustice, and even death. I’m not saying that we need to wear rose-colored glasses, ignore adversity, or feel like mourning, crying and discouragement are sins. These things are 100% appropriate. There is a time and season for each of them. But God also wants us to find joy. And I believe we can, despite the problems we encounter. Job did. Remember that it didn’t come to stay, but it came to pass.