Concluding Wisdom from Job.

Having concluded the content study of the book of Job, we will now consider the extensive wisdom applications for our lives.

Job endured five life phases during his time of calamity. First, the book of Job opens with Job as a faithful, godly man, blessed by the goodness of God in position, possessions, and posterity. Second, Job experiences great calamity, losing his children, his possessions, and his community. Job’s grief increases more with personal, physical affliction as well. Third, though his friends charge him with sin, Job continues to speak properly of God. Fourth, months into this calamity, Job begins to question God’s justice. Fifth, even though his circumstances have not changed, Job is restored to a closer relationship with God. With a new perspective by God’s grace, Job values his good God above all else and realizes there are many wonderful truths about God that he will never comprehend (Job 42:3).

The book of Job is about God and the development of His relationship with man. This book is saturated with an understanding of who God is, the Sovereign One who ordains, directs, and oversees all. After multiple questions from God, Job better understands that He is the God of nature. God’s final questions instruct Job in the very nature of God. Job provides an example for every believer when he declares how he values God above all.

Through each phase of Job’s calamity experience, God is cultivating His relationship with Job. God chooses to restore to Job not just fellowship with Him but also restores people and things two-fold.

Our sovereign God is always in control of our circumstances and the degree of affliction we endure. Our benevolent God is intentional and purposeful for His eternal reasons.

When calamity comes, we must persevere like Job, rehearsing the assurances of who God is and what God is like, remembering what God has done in our past, and reminding ourselves of how God and His Word have proven true in our lives.

In our lifetime of learning, we will never arrive at a full knowledge and comprehension of God. Though God has given us His Word, it does not reveal to us everything there is to know about Him. Eternity will not be enough time to fully understand who God is and how and why God acts. Even in a sinless state, God will remain eternally infinite while we remain finite. There will always be more to discover and learn about our Lord in this life and the next (Philippians 3:10-14).

James 5:11 teaches us that our compassionate and merciful God has a purpose and goal for the trials we endure. Love and mercy should be the outcome of every believer’s life. At the end of our struggles, God will reward us with Himself for all of eternity (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Application Points

• Are you growing in knowing your God? Do you, like Job, need to better comprehend God as the Creator over all?
• When trials come, do you remember these truths about your God, that He is good to you and sovereign over your degree of hardship? Are you becoming more loving and merciful as a result of what you have endured?
• Like Job, have you come to the point of valuing God above all else?

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

• Ecc. 12:1; Isaiah 40:28; 43:15; Rom. 1:25; 11:35-36; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; 1 Peter 4:19; Rev. 4:11 – Creator God
• Ex. 34:6; Ps. 52:1; 103:8; 145:8-9; Hosea 3:5; Rom. 2:2; 11:22; 2 Thes. 1:11 – God’s Goodness