Arkansas State press., 1947-07-18
BY HAROLD l.. LuNDQUIsT, D. n.
o. The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago.

VI AoG MVS0y Diufu tushsuttr
UMAN suffering-what a prob
= : lem II is to all Of US, in greater
Or smaller measure. From the bro
ken heart Of men and women comes
the question Why"
We cannot always answer. nor do
we fully know the meaning and pur-
pose. We must often simply put our
selves and our loved ones into the
hands Of God, trusting him to bring
US into assurance and victory.
There are some things we can
know. and they are most helpful.
The book Of Job reveals much con
corning the background Of suffering
and its uses and advantages. 1t is
not all loss and pain. God does not
forget his people in their hour Of
trial.
Job had suffered the loss Of prop.
erty. family, and was now person
ally afflicted by sickness Of his
body His friends who came to com.
fort him had added to his troubles
by their pious platitudes about suf-
fering being the result Of sin tef
John go, and so on.
There was enough truth in what
they said to make il hurt, and so we
are doubly glad we are given look
behind the scenes. We learn that
this was not struggle between God
and Job. nor even between Satan
and Job. We see
I. The Battle Between God and
Satan dob l:8.
u FAD the entire story here and
~ you will see that Satan, when
faced by God with the godly ex-
ample Of Jobs life. threw down a
challenge. He declared that the only
reason Job loved God was because
he received so much good out of
because God protected him.
The issue was clearly drawn.
the question Was whether God
was able 70 keep . man In the
midst Of trial and suffering. Was
His grace sufficient for the dark
hears Of life ~ well - the happy
Ard bright snes7
Having stripped Job Of all his pos
sessions. and left him childless and
heart broken. Satan had to admit
failure up to that point. But he
sneerinsly. slandered both Job and
God by saying that Job was not con.
eerned about these ether things so
long as his own body was unframed
GA. 81.
So the Lord permitted him to
a1lict Jobs body, and we see the
conflict raging In
n. The Battleground-the Life Of
ysb OTTO; l9;7-lO.
THE mystery Of Gods permits
1 sive viii enters into the pic.
tire here, and we learn too that
Satan, while . mighty being. has
llaaits 10 his power. God may give
IN liberty 70 test his people. but
y b never with The thought that
ICY viii fall: rather 70 prove that
10y can stand tsue come what
a nay.
Was any mortal ever more az
Aicted than Job? We And him finally
IN outcast. sitting on an ash heap.
scrsping the awful sores upon his
poor body.
Job did have his times Of CUES.
tioning and doubt d9:7.l0. He felt
at times. that God had forsaken him.
He misunderstood the providences
Il God. But through II all he held on
70 his faith In God. He could do
without his possessions Q:2D, God
could even take his life and he
would say. Though he STAY me. yet
will trust him" He saw beyond
the grave. for he knew that II his
body we're destroyed he would still
see his Redeemer.
What more sublime expression OF
faith could man make than to say
in his hour Of seeming despair. Il
know that my Redeemer liveth."
How did II all come out in the
end7 That Is our last point.
III. The Victory for
God In Job t42:l-5: James SID.
FOB had TO come to the end OF
j himself. Judging himself TO be
unworthy t42:6). he repented Of all
his own self-righteousness and cas-,
himself upon the mercy Of God God
then vindicated him and restored
him to q place of blessing and use
fulness.
The answer then 10 our problem
b this--God Is able 10 keep TO the
sttermost those who put their
trust In him Heb. 7:25) through
4 the grace he gives. Suffering may
/, be In his permissive will for our
syn self Judgment and growth In
Arrae. But back Of u all Is the
essunce that God knows about
n, he not turned away; that
= due sesgAN we faint not, We
.shsll see v'esoh. ~
Intimately the Weston is not
..hether we can stand. or not, but
.,hcther God Is able to Keep us in
~. midst Of the onslaughtsof the
.s.,,d the flesh and he DEVIL
--,~a.sd by Western Eevspapcf Union