WHAT DID YOU DO TO DESERVE THIS?
"What Did You Do to Deserve This" is based on
the book of Job. He lived about 1000 B.C. and
you wouldn't meet a better man. But God allowed
him to suffer because it was the only way he
could experience life's greatest blessing -
meeting God in person.
You'll find N.I.V. chapter and verse references
as you read and our comments are in brackets.
Job was blameless, upright, he feared God,
shunned evil and was the greatest man of his
time. Satan said to God that Job was only good
because God looked after him and that if God
took away Job's possessions, Job would curse
Him.
So God allowed Satan to unjustly bring disaster
on Job by destroying his possessions and
children.
Job's reaction was to fall on the ground and
worship God saying, "Naked I was born and naked
I'll die. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken
away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
(Chapter 1)
The Lord said to Satan - "Look at Job - he still
maintains his integrity." Satan replied,
"Destroy his health and he will curse you." God
allowed Satan to destroy his health but not his
life.
Job was afflicted with painful sores all over
his body. He sat among ashes and scraped himself
with broken pottery. His wife said, "Curse God
and die." Job replied, "Shall we accept good
from God and not trouble?"
(Chapter 2)
Job said, "I have no peace, no quietness, no
rest, only turmoil" and cursed the day of his
birth.
(Chapter 3)
One of his mates told him he was being punished
for doing wrong, that he should accept and learn
from God's discipline.
(Chapters 4 & 5)
Job replied, "I have no strength, prospect, hope
or power to help myself. My body is clothed with
worms and scabs, my skin is broken and
festering, but you can't show me where I went
wrong."
Then he said to God, "If I have sinned show me
how I have hurt you, then pardon and forgive
me."
(Chapters 6 & 7)
One of his mates replied, "If you are as good as
you say you are, God would restore everything
you've lost."
(Chapter 8)
Job said, "I know God is almighty and all
powerful, whereas I am a mere man and all I can
do is plead with my judge for mercy. But I think
He's giving me a 'raw deal.' I wish I had a go
between, someone to present my case to God and
tell me what I've done wrong."
(Chapters 9 & 10)
One of his mates replied, "Get rid of your sin
and you'll be right." (Chapter 11)
Job replied, "I want to argue my case with God.
I want Him to show me my offence and sin. He
might kill me but I still put my hope in Him.
Surely He will seal my offences in a bag and
cover over my sin."
(Chapters 12, 13 & 14)
One of his mates replied, "Who are you to say
God is in the wrong? No man is pure and
righteous. You suffer because of your sin."
(Chapter 15)
Job replied, "All was well, then God shattered
me without cause. My hands have been free of
violence and my prayer is pure but my future is
hopeless."
(Chapters 16 & 17)
One of his mates said, "You are wicked and God
is giving you your just deserts."
(Chapter 18)
Job replied, "I call for help but there is no
justice. I am nothing but skin and bones, I've
escaped with only the skin of my teeth.
Nevertheless, the bottom line is that I know
that God my redeemer lives, that He will stand
on the earth and after death I'll see Him with
my own eyes."
(Chapter 19)
(Like everyone, you've gone your way instead of
God's way, separating yourself from Him and
putting yourself under a spiritual death
penalty. God therefore came in the person of
Jesus Christ and redeemed you [like buying back
an item out of a pawn shop] by paying your death
penalty when He died for you on the Cross at
Calvary. That's how valuable you are to God and
how much He loves you.
All He asks in response to His love is belief in
what He has done for you and a genuine desire to
go His way rather than your own. If you want to
do this then tell Him in words like these:
Dear God, I have been going my way but
now I want to turn and go your way. I
believe you will forgive all my past
sins and give me a new life as a
member of your family. I believe the
way to do this is through trust in
your Son Jesus Christ. Thanks for
accepting me.
You have done the most important thing possible
- become a member of God's family. To grow you
will need to meet with other members to give and
receive encouragement. You can do this by
joining a loving and accepting Christian
denominational church or meeting in your home.
Our book, "How to Meet with God at Home" has
details.
So the redeemer Job needed was the same one you
need - God in the person of Jesus Christ).
One of Job's mates said, "Godless people suffer
and that's your problem."
(Chapter 20)
Job said, "Rubbish, many wicked Godless people
live long and happy lives."
(Chapter 21)
Another mate said, "Sin is still your problem.
Submit to God and be at peace with Him. Accept
His instruction, lay up His words in your heart.
Stop sinning, God will be with you and His light
will shine on your ways."
(Chapter 22)
Job said, "If I could find Him I'd state my
case. He knows that if He tests me I'll come
forth as gold. I have kept His way without
turning aside. I have treasured His words more
than my daily bread. Yet He punishes me and
terrifies me."
(Chapter 23)
"When there is so much unjust suffering why is
God silent and indifferent? In His own good time
God will judge the oppressors." (In other words,
if you suffer unjustly it doesn't prove God is
punishing you and if you cause the suffering
[sin] and aren't punished [right away], it
doesn't mean God approves).
(Chapter 24)
One of Job's mates said, "God is perfect and all
men are imperfect. That's your problem but you
can't see it."
(Chapter 25)
Job said, "God is surely great and powerful."
(Chapter 26)
"But He has denied me justice. I will never
speak wickedness or deceit or admit you "mates"
are right when you say I'm suffering because of
my sin. I will not deny my integrity. I am
righteous and my conscience will be clear as
long as I live. I agree with you that God will
wipe out the wicked but you are wrong when you
say I am one of them."
(Chapter 27)
Job continued, ("I am innocent, suffering
unjustly and no one can tell me why). What I
need is wisdom and God alone knows the way to
it. The fear of the Lord is wisdom and to shun
evil is understanding."
(Chapter 28)
"I long for the days when God's intimate
friendship blessed my house, when I put on
righteousness as my clothing and justice was my
robe and turban. I thought my glory would remain
fresh in me."
(Chapter 29)
"But now God throws me in the mud and I am
reduced to dust and ashes."
(Chapter 30)
"If God would weigh me in honest scales He would
find me blameless so let Him answer me and put
His verdict in writing."
(Chapter 31)
Job was certain he was innocent and suffering
unjustly. (His mates so far had told him he was
suffering because God was punishing him for his
sins but he knew they were wrong).
Job's fourth mate said, "You say God has given
you a "raw deal" and won't tell you why. God
sometimes speaks indirectly, through dreams,
visions and sickness. If an angel was a go
between asking God to be gracious and spare your
life because He has a ransom for you, then you'd
be healed. Then you'd pray to God and have the
joy of being restored to fellowship with Him.
Then you'd realise and tell men that you'd
sinned but didn't get what you deserved because
He redeemed you from death. God has pressured
you to get you to turn back your soul from death
so that the light of life may shine on you."
(Chapters 32 & 33)
His mate continued "You say you are innocent,
that God is unjust and that there's no point in
trying to please Him. God the Almighty can't do
evil, wrong or pervert justice! You are only
alive by God's (love) and grace. If He withdrew
your breath you'd be dead! Who are you to
condemn the just and mighty God? Why should God
reward you on your terms when you refuse to turn
(from your self righteousness) and trust Him?
Your problem is that you have a lot to say but
you lack knowledge or insight. You have a
rebellious attitude to God and a lot to say
against Him."
(Chapter 34)
Job's mate continued, "You ask what do I gain by
not sinning? What does your sin do to God? If
you are righteous what do you give to God? Your
sin only hurts you."
(Chapter 35)
"God is mighty but He cares for you and commands
you to repent of your evil. If you do and obey
Him all will be well. God is wooing you from the
jaws of distress to a spacious place free from
restriction. God is great, far beyond your
understanding so thank Him for all He's done."
(Chapter 36)
"Who are you to make a case against God? He is
Almighty, beyond our reach and exalted in power.
He is just and righteous and does not oppress.
That's why you should revere Him."
(Chapter 37)
THEN GOD ANSWERED JOB. "Your complaints are
unjustified and show how little you know Me. Now
I'll ask the questions and you can give the
answers:
-Where were you when I laid the earth's
foundations - while the morning stars sang
together and all the angels shouted for joy?
-Have you ever given orders to the morning or
shown the dawn its place?
-Can you move the stars through the heavens or
understand the laws by which they move?
-Can your voice produce rain and lightning?
(Chapter 38)
-Do you organise the conception, birth and
feeding of the animals?
-Does the eagle soar at your command?
(Chapter 39)
-Will you contend with,accuse and correct me?"
Job answered, "I am unworthy - how can I reply
to you? I put my hand over my mouth, I spoke
once but I will say no more."
THEN GOD SAID TO JOB!
-"Would you discredit my justice and condemn
me in order to justify yourself?
-Are you Almighty like me? If so:
-Clothe yourself with glory and splendour,
honour and majesty.
-Unleash the fury of your wrath and humble
the proud man.
-Crush the wicked.
-Do that and I'll admit to you that you can
save yourself.
(Chapter 40)
-Can you stand against me?
-Can you make a claim against me that I must
pay, when everything under heaven belongs to
me?"
(Chapter 41)
Then Job said to God, "I know you can do
everything, your plans can't be thwarted. I've
been talking about things I don't understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
My problem was that, up until now, my ears had
heard of you. I knew about you in theory.
But now my eyes have seen you.
(Now that I really know you for the first time I
really know myself).
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust
and ashes." (I can see your justice is perfect
and my presumptious attempts at self
justification futile. I now accept your plan for
my life - including the suffering - because I
know you allow it for a good purpose and I trust
you to do what is best for me).
God spoke to the first three of Job's mates and
told them they were wrong to say Job was
suffering as punishment for his sin. He told
them Job would pray for them, the prayer would
be answered and He would not deal with them
according to their folly.
After Job prayed God restored him and he ended
up with twice as many blessings as he started
with.
(Chapter 42)
HERE ARE SOME MAIN POINTS FROM JOB:
1. To begin with Job was unaware that he had a
problem. It was that his knowledge of God
was theoretical rather than first hand.
2. He was also unaware of Satan's existence and
that God was going to allow Satan to test him
so that finally Job would get the blessing
God wanted him to have - first hand knowledge
of Him.
3. When he was tested he felt rejected by God
for what Satan was doing to him.
4. Finally it was enough for Job to have had a
first hand experience of meeting God in which
God neither humiliated or condemned him but
commended him for speaking the truth as he
saw it. (Chapter 42, verse 7). Job no longer
needed his questions to be answered. He had
complete faith in God's goodness.
5. Be aware that though Jesus Christ defeated
Satan at Calvary, Satan will continue a
rearguard action against you, particularly by
accusing and creating guilt. If, having
confessed all known sin, you experience a
prolonged period of suffering, remember that
the devil, not God, is to blame and that
finally you will know God better.
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