Today in God's Word—June 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
June 25, Job 30
”Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud. And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me." - Job 30:15-16
I’m sure you’re familiar with "before and after" pictures. They’re an effective way to show dramatic change in some person or thing. Some before and after photos tell happy stories. Here's a fellow before and after he lost 125 pounds on a new way of eating that changed his whole life. Here's a kid with a very dirty shirt. But look, this amazing detergent got it sparkling white again! But other before and after pairs are sad. Here’s what she looked like before she was addicted to crystal meth, and here she is after. Her health and appearance are ruined. And here's my cousin's beach house at Mexico Beach, Florida, before the hurricane came ashore there a few years ago. Here’s the cute beach house before the storm, and after the hurricane, nothing left but a concrete slab.
Job 29 and 30 are like a set of before and after pictures of Job's life. This before and after comparison is definitely of the sad variety. Job's whole life was transformed and not for the better by Satan’s brutal attacks to prove Job would turn against God. Job described his life before the disasters in Chapter 29. Then Chapter 30 begins with, "But now." What follows is a heartbreaking description of the cascading miseries that ruined Job’s life.
Job’s first person narrative reminds us that this terrible reversal happened to a real person. Job's words cry out to our ears and hearts for sympathy with a fellow human being who suffered such distress. The once respected counselor is now mocked by the children of men who were far beneath Job in honor, wealth and community standing. The very lowest class of people in their ancient society, who lived almost like wild animals in the wilderness, found Job’s misery a fine subject for their amusement. Job described himself as a besieged city and his
tormentors as enemy troops surrounding it. The enemy finally breached the city’s walls and plundered it.
Job cried out that he was ruined. His security turned to terror; his honor evaporated into cruel jests. His prosperity disappeared. Affliction wrenched his body and soul, destroying his once comfortable life. His life is like a once beautiful house or walled city that now lies in ruins.
Job's before and after sketches of his life show another especially painful detail of Job's experience. Despite his friends’ hateful accusations about Job's mistreatment of the poor, Job protested that he had not only helped them and met their needs. He also wept for the poor unfortunate people around him. But now, no one showed any kindness to the kind- hearted Job. He got no sympathy from anyone who saw him in his misery.
Let's weep for poor Job. And through our tears, let's remember that this is a vivid picture of Satan's hateful malevolence. Whatever disguise he shows us, whatever lies he promises us, we must remember that Satan is the destroyer. Job thought God was the one who had afflicted him. But that was only true in the ultimate sense that God permitted Satan to do the horrible things he did. Satan and sin are the sources of all the misery in the world. Let's resolve to never be an instrument in Satan's hand to inflict additional misery on anyone by being unkind. Let's imitate Jesus and show compassion to broken, hurting people. Job would have been grateful for any expression of compassion. Let's not be guilty of withholding that refreshing kindness from anyone in our path.
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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