Though Severely Tried Job Remained Perfect and Upright, March 29

Though Severely Tried Job Remained Perfect and Upright, March 29

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Job 1:1.

Unselfishness, the principle of God’s kingdom, is the principle that Satan hates; its very existence he denies. From the beginning of the great controversy he has endeavored to prove God’s principles of action to be selfish, and he deals in the same way with all who serve God. To disprove Satan’s claim is the work of Christ and of all who bear His name....

Very early in the history of the world is given the life-record of one over whom this controversy of Satan’s was waged. Of Job, the patriarch of Uz, the testimony of the Searcher of hearts was, “There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.”

Against this man, Satan brought scornful charge: “Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” ...

The Lord said unto Satan, “All that he hath is in thy power.” “Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.”

Thus permitted, Satan swept away all that Job possessed,—flocks and herds, men-servants and maidens, sons and daughters; and he “smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”

Still another element of bitterness was added to his cup. His friends, seeing in adversity but the retribution of sin, pressed on his bruised and burdened spirit their accusations of wrong-doing....

“When he hath tried me,” he said, “I shall come forth as gold.” So it came to pass. By his patient endurance he vindicated his own character, and thus the character of Him whose representative he was.... The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.... So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.75 [96]