Temporal Loss and Eternal Gain

Job 1:13-22

    13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

    16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

    17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

    18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

    20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:

      "Naked I came from my mother's womb,
      And naked shall I return there.
      The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
      Blessed be the name of the LORD."

    22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Job was attacked by the adversary, satan, by taking away the temporal things from him which the devil had said were the real reason for Job’s righteousness and trust in the LORD.  Job, however, had his eyes on the eternal gain according to His faithfulness.  The loss of material property and even his own children and servants did not shake his faith.  First he lost his material wealth of oxen and donkeys, along with some servants.  Then a simultaneous event occurred where fire from heaven (lightning or otherwise) burned up Job’s sheep and most of the servants there; only one lived to bring the bad news.  A third messenger told of raiders stealing the camels and killing all servants but the messenger once more.  Even as that was being reported, a fourth account of a tragic event was given; the children of Job were all killed as they drank wine and ate, for a sudden wind gust had collapsed the dwelling on top of them.  Only one servant messenger lived to bring the bad news once more to heartbroken Job of great possessions, many children, and much wealth of livestock until that moment when all was taken at the hand of the devil.  Job, however, had hope and faith to trust God even among such loss and grief.  He knew all he possessed came from the good grace of God’s hand, and that he could take none of that past the grave anyway, so Job blessed God who both have so much and took it all away in an instant, just as if he had died and left it all behind anyway.  This faith in God’s sovereign grace did not blame God for the losses, nor did it move Job to sin in any other way.  He could easily have ranted against his creator to ask why God did these terrible things to him, he could have blamed himself for being sinful, he might even have walked away from God and turned his back on the trust in His providence and provision as if the possessions and even children were the proof of His love for Job.  He did none of these.  Instead, he acknowledged all he had was God’s who had every right to give or take it all away.  He must have known that such contentment was true godliness as later written in 1 Timothy 6:6-7 to remind us all of this truth.  How difficult it is for us to accept loss of children, let alone the loss of all we own!  How we are tempted by the adversary and tested by God to reveal where our hearts are aimed (Job 23:10, Isaiah 48:10, 1 Peter 1:7)!  It is good to remind ourselves of the initial reaction of Job, as well as his final realizations throughout and at at the end of the trials and afflictions.  May we learn such trust and perspective on God’s providence and sovereign grace in our own lives, knowing we are not judged by what we have or lose, nor is our faith based on our wealth (Luke 12:15) or health (Luke 12:22).  Our faith is in God and through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord as John 6:29 reminds us by the word from His mouth concerning the work of faith.  This is the difference between temporal loss and eternal gain.  Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!