The Book of Job Can Help You When You Suffer - HOW THE ACCOUNT OF JOB HELPS US TO ENDURE

 In retrospect, we can see that Job's desperate plea reflected his unswerving devotion to Jehovah and unshakable hope that somehow God would recognize his integrity. When Jehovah finally did answer Job from a windstorm, He did not go into detail about the reasons for Job's suffering. Neither did he condemn Job for his complaints or mention his protests of innocence. Rather, Jehovah instructed Job as a father would son. And that was the right approach. As a result, Job humbly acknowledged how little he really knew, and he repented of his rash words. (Job 31:6; 40:4, 5; 42:1-6) How could this account have benefited people in the past, and how can it benefit us today? 

How the Israelites could have benefited. The Israelites could have learned from what happened to Job. Consider Moses' example.  He had to endure a multiple of hardships, disappointments, and discouragements as he took on the role of leader of the nation of Israel. In contrast to the rebellious Israelites, who often complained against Jehovah, Moses went to Jehovah with his concerns.  (Exodus 16:6-8; Numbers 11:10-14; 14:1-4, 11; 16:41, 49; 17:5) Moses also needed to endure when he was personally corrected. For example, while the Israelites were encamped at Kadesh, probably during the 40th year of their wandering in the desert, Moses "rashly with his lips" and failed to magnify Jehovah's name. (Psalm 106:32, 33) As a result, Jehovah did not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land. (Deuteronomy 32:50-52) This discipline must have hurt Moses; he humbly accepted it. The account about Job could have helped future generations of the Israelites to endure the trials they faced. By meditating on the account, faithful ones could learn how to express their feelings to Jehovah and how to avoid justifying themselves before him. They could also learn how to accept Jehovah's discipline with humility.  

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Suffer - HOW THE ACCOUNT OF JOB CAN HELP US TO ENDURE - Conclusion

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