Job - How would you handle it (Part 2)

I hope that the first post in this series didn't scare you off from reading the rest. I am aware that it was something of an epic and will try to keep the rest shorter so that you can focus on what was said and take something from it.

This is post 2 of 9, please feel free to check out the following links to read the whole series 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and 9.

So imagine the scene, God is having a little shindig with all the angels and along comes the one person everyone was hoping wouldn't turn up. But being a polite deity God has a bit of a chat with Satan as you do in situations like that. God goes for the same opening gambit we all use of asking "So, what you been doing?" which is responded with the equally typical "Bit of this, bit of that". Then God asks if His great follower Job has been noticed at all, in what I must say does seem a bit of a show off fashion. The Devil tries to play down Job's obedience and challenges God on the fact that Job only loves God because he has everything he desires. At this point my friend suggested that the story descends into a case of God allowing Satan to destroy someone's life in order to prove a point. However to begin with I feel that this is a case of God showing not only his power but also that of belief in God. Being given the strength to cope with adversity because you have the Number 1 on your side. Job passes the test with flying colours, he never gives up on God and never says a word against God through it all. The next stage of the story is picked up again with a similar exchange between God and Satan. This time Satan wants to not only take everything away from the man, but also destroy him. God says go ahead try anything you want, but you can not kill him. Despite everything Satan throws at Job he remains loyal to God he still says nothing against him.

The questions that run through my head while reading this are many. Why did God allow Satan to do this, why did God not defend his main man. What did Job do to deserve this treatment, what must have been going through Jobs head when all these terrible things were happening to him? What would I do if I was in Job's position? Could I handle all that and still be in God's corner? The answers to these questions and more will be coming up in later posts. I'd be interested to know peoples thoughts and any possible interpretations on this passage, please get in touch if you have anything to share either by commenting or by mail to jerrathorn@gmail.com.