Job’s Testimony

There’s an encouraging truth in the story of Job that is often overlooked. Was his testimony greater before he lost everything… or after? The book starts with a phenomenal testimony of Job. It says he was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil. His substance was very great, so that he was the greatest of all the men of the east. Everyone, including Satan, could see that God had blessed the work of his hands, and increased his substance, and built a hedge of protection about him on every side. Job was one amazing testimony.

But Satan thought he saw something wrong in Job’s heart… in his motives. He was so sure, that he even accused Job before God, of fearing God only because God had blessed him. He was sure that if Job lost the blessings, he would turn against God, and curse God to His face. Satan was SO wrong, but at that point, only God knew how wrong he was.

It’s not only Satan that thinks like that. He whispers those same accusations into the ears of millions of people, against faithful children of God who are blessed abundantly, with health, and peace, and prosperity. Many listen to his lies, and wrongly question their hearts and motives. To others, who don’t have all that abundance, he whispers words of discouragement, that they don’t even HAVE a testimony. One way or another, he wants to silence or destroy every believer’s testimony.

Though Job had a lot to learn, it was he, by his patience and steadfast trust in the Lord, who put Satan to silence. It was that testimony of Job that carried all the way into the New Testament. James 5:11 [KJV] says, “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” I love God’s answers to Job, and his correction, and his restoration. But if Job’s testimony had only been how good he was, and how blessed and prosperous he was, we would probably never have heard of Job.

The simple point is that it was after Satan took all that Job had, that Job’s faithfulness and patience destroyed the lying accusations of the enemy. His testimony before was amazing, but his testimony after was truly greater.

We, as Christians, are called to have the same testimony as Jesus Christ. No way is that a defeated, beat-down life. Testimonies of health and peace and prosperity are great, and can be totally exalting a faithful God who keeps all His promises. Still, when people see the joy of the Lord, and hear the praises of God coming from the lips of a believer who has lost everything, or never had anything, or is willing to sacrifice all for the gospel; it does something deep inside them. They can see that that person has something real, and knows a God that is higher and greater than any earthly circumstances. THAT is still an awesome testimony! (Check out Hebrews 11 for examples) A testimony that shows just how GOOD God is… ALL the time!