The Way of Testing

by Bishop W. Reynold Storr

December 1, 2004

The Terminator

Had it been Job’s companion, Fear would surely have told him his torment would never end, for every shred of evidence affirmed that conclusion. But one day the improbable happened. Job’s ordeal ended. And the One who ended it was the same who started it. At trial’s end, the Initiator reversed His role and became the Terminator: “And the Lord turned [ended] the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends…” (Job: 42:10). He had sent the trial to achieve a high purpose in Job’s life to further purify and humble His pure and humble servant. Job abandoned his self-defense and spoke words of pure surrender—“Behold, I am vile…I will lay mine hand upon my mouth…I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job: 40:4; 42:6)—God knew His purpose was achieved. As the Terminator, He then moved swiftly to end Job’s seemingly interminable nightmare.

It’s still that simple. When our pride has been thoroughly crushed, our spirits broken, and our hearts purified, when our works have demonstrated our faith (James: 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.) and submission so clearly that even Satan cannot conceive further accusations and the Spirit has made us truly fit for the Master’s use, then the terminator will faithfully end our captivity: “God is faithful, who will…make [the] way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1ST Cor.10:13). And out we will come, instruments of gold bound for glory.

The Vindicator: To prove to be right to justify

In his hour of crisis Job’s closest friends turned against him. Because his circumstances were so incriminating, their traditional beliefs led them to conclude Job had to be a secret sinner. The righteous, they judged, do not suffer, so Job’s flood of adversity was overwhelming evidence that he was not—he could not be—righteous. Therefore, they began heaping condemnation on him for refusing to confess his supposed sins. This unjustified reproach provoked a spirited self-defense by Job that led to a religious and philosophical argument of epic proportions (Job: 4:1-31:40). During the lengthy debate, it looked as if Job’s good name would never be restored; his very closest friends despised him, while neither man nor God spoke a good word in his behalf. Finally, after Elihu’s preparatory rebuke, God broke His silence, rebuking Job for indulging in the pride and strife of self-defense. Then, as the Vindicator, He suddenly turned and humbled Job’s critics. First, He shocked them by informing them that Job was more righteous than they were, driving His point home by referring four times to Job, and not them, as His “servant.” “Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath…” (Job: 42:7). Then He shook them with a test, ordering them to go to Job for prayer: “Therefore…go to my servant, Job… And my servant, Job, shall pray for you…” (Job: 42:8). Thus the accused was vindicated and his accusers humbled. At last, the record was set straight.

As we see in Job’s experience, misjudgment is an unavoidable phase of our Christian trials. Jesus Himself was falsely accused and grossly misjudged, and He taught us to consider ourselves blessed when we receive the same. (Matthew: 5:11-12.) Why do we, and who are we to, expect better treatment? When misjudgment comes for Christ’s sake, our reaction is critical. If we rebel, striving by word and deed to justify ourselves in the eyes of our critics, we fall into Job’s snare—the pride and strife of self-vindication—and bring upon ourselves an eventual divine rebuke. In that case, God will only turn our captivity if we repent of our uplifted attitude and return to a humble spirit, as Job did.

But there is yet a better way.

That way is the attitude of acceptance. Job walked in full acceptance in the opening days of his great dual trials (Job: 1:20-21; 2:10), and supernatural peace was his reward. Any of us may walk in the same overcoming attitude, if we will. Even backslidden Eli accepted the unacceptable on one occasion, uttering words of godly resignation: “It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth to him good” (1ST Sam: 3:18). If we accept misjudgment as part of God’s plan and do not defend ourselves before men, God will delight in us. By accepting rejection we gain a victory that eluded puzzles even Job for a season. And eventually, the Lord will come to us as He did Job. As the Vindicator, He will bring forth our righteousness as the light and our justice as the noonday. In that day, all those who were incensed against us shall be ashamed and confounded, and our name, previously maligned, will be cleared.

The Rewarder

The end of Job’s sufferings was not the end of his story. There was more. Much more. After turning Job’s captivity, God recompensed him richly for his pain. Everything Satan had stripped from him—children, friends, flocks, herds, even time—was returned and doubled: “The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job: 42:10, 42:11-17). Why did the wealthiest of all the men of the East suddenly become twice as prosperous as he was before his ordeal? Because God always honors the faith of those that honors Him. Job’s double portion was not coincidental; it was God’s reward for his faith. Because Job chose to trust God while passing through a nightmarish valley of contradiction, the Rewarder chose to restore him to the high lifestyle he had known before. Two truths are evident in the final chapter of the Book of Job. First, God rewards those who perseveringly trust Him. Second, those who endure intense testing receive immense blessing.

That’s good news for every sorely tried believer, for Job’s Rewarder is ours also. At the end of our fiery trials there await us a host of good things lovingly placed there by our Lord, the Rewarder. If we hold fast the word of His patience, one day He will surprise us with them. He will release us from every hindrance, recompense us for every loss and double the blessings we enjoyed in the days before our adversity. And He gives not grudgingly, but with delight: “…the living God, who giveth us richly [abundantly and freely] all things to enjoy” (1ST Tim: 6:17). It is the Rewarder’s good pleasure to give richly to those who endure unto the end.

Truly, the Book of Job is filled with weighty matters. Its revelations are the heaviest of the words of God. Yet, instead of increasing our sorrows, they relieve them. When its revelations of God as Qualifier, Protector, Competitor, Initiator, Limiter, Observer, Terminator, Vindicator, and Rewarder are pondered by heavily tried souls, surprisingly their burdens are lifted. May they comfort you today.

Disciples of Christ often need such consolation, because the way of the Lord is sometimes a very lonely and separated way.

Bible Study List