Be honest. When you saw the title of this blog, did it make you cringe?

Personally, I think Job is one of the most misunderstood books of the bible. It has been used to teach us suffering should be expected and welcomed, that God “allows” Satan to ravage us, or that suffering is God’s will for our lives.

I by no means consider myself an expert but this is what I think the book of Job should teach us as Christians:

1. Beware of self-righteousness. Too often in Job’s discourse he talked about all of the things he had done. It seemed to me, Job was saying he deserved good things because he was good. We need to remember our righteousness is a gift. We are righteous because of the cross not because of our actions (good or bad).

2. We need to know God’s character. God is good! He blesses us not because we are good but because He is good. God is not the author of our misfortune. We cannot earn his blessings nor does He punishes us by withholding blesses. He does not send calamity to teach or punish.

3. When you have someone going through something difficult, don’t sit around and try to figure out the sin in their life. Also, when we are going through something difficult, do not sit around and think there must be some unforgiven sin in our lives. In this world, you will have trouble. But God has also promised that the trouble doesn’t come from Him (Isaiah 54:9). (See #2)

4. Forgive quickly. Do not try to justify yourself. (See #1)

5. God is redemptive and restorative. He will redeem and restore doubly what the enemy has stolen.

Brothers and sisters, no matter what your take on Job is, remember this: Job is Old Testament. We are New Testament. Job did was pre-cross. We are post-cross. We have authority over every act of the enemy. When Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, we stand in our authority with our weapons of mass destruction -The Word and the atoning work of the cross – and render him defeated. You are not Job. You are seated at the right hand of God and the enemy is under your feet.

I have never really enjoyed the book of Job but reading in light of the Cross changed my perspective.