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Education
The Testing of Job
For those who love God, those who are “the called according to
His purpose” (
Romans 8:28
), Bible biography has a yet higher lesson
of the ministry of sorrow. “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I
am God” (
Isaiah 43:12
)—witnesses that He is good, and that goodness
is supreme. “We are made a theater unto the world, both (R.V., margin)
to angels, and to men.”
1 Corinthians 4:9
, margin.
Unselfishness, the principle of God’s kingdom, is the principle
that Satan hates; its very existence he denies. From the beginning of
the great controversy he has endeavored to prove God’s principles of
action to be selfish, and he deals in the same way with all who serve
God. To disprove Satan’s claim is the work of Christ and of all who
bear His name.
It was to give in His own life an illustration of unselfishness that
Jesus came in the form of humanity. And all who accept this principle
are to be workers together with Him in demonstrating it in practical
life. To choose the right because it is right; to stand for truth at the cost
of suffering and sacrifice—“this is the heritage of the servants of the
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Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.”
Isaiah 54:17
.
Very early in the history of the world is given the life record of one
over whom this controversy of Satan’s was waged.
Of Job, the patriarch of Uz, the testimony of the Searcher of hearts
was, “There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man,
one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.”
Against this man, Satan brought scornful charge: “Doth Job fear
God for nought? Hast Thou not made an hedge about him, and about
his house, and about all that he hath on every side? ... Put forth Thine
hand now, and touch all that he hath;” “touch his bone and his flesh,
and he will curse Thee to Thy face.”
The Lord said unto Satan, “All that he hath is in thy power.” “Be-
hold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.”
Thus permitted, Satan swept away all that Job possessed—flocks
and herds, menservants and maidens, sons and daughters; and he
“smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”
Job 1:8-12
;
2:5-7
.