Like Nebuchadnezzar-II, Job too was abased. The enigma of Job is that God calls him a perfect man, yet causes him to have to go through some horrible events. Why? Job really didn't know God, but thought that he did. God wanted this fine man to really know Him.

Job cared very much for his children:.Job 1:4,5 "And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day.(when each of his grown children's birthday came along {Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters}, the other children would put on a party for them).and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days.(looks like they partied for a few days each time there was a birthday for one of them).of their feasting were gone about.(each of the children's birthdays were all done for the year), that Job sent and sanctified.(as we today would have thoughts about our children, hoping that they are staying close to God).them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."

One negative thing after another happened to Job. It was the beginning of him learning something:.Job 1:15-19 "And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away; yes, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword and I only am escaped alone to tell you. While he.(Job).was yet speaking there came also another and said The fire of God is fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them and I only am escaped alone to tell you. While he was yet speaking there came also another and said The Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels and have carried them away, yes and slain the servants with the edge of the sword and I only am escaped alone to tell you. While he was yet speaking there came also another and said Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead and I only am escaped alone to tell you."

Job lived not long after the beginning of humanity. His dad was Issachar:.Genesis 46:13. Job was at that time."the greatest of all the men of the east".(Job 1:3).and lived around 1500 years forward from Adam and in the time of Noah:.Genesis 5:32. 

Fausett's Bible Dictionary:."Eusebius fixes Job's time as being two ages before Moses."

Comprised with.American Tract Society Bible Dictionary:."The precise period of his life cannot be ascertained, yet no doubt can exist as to its patriarchal.antiquity. The book of Job seems to allude to the flood.(Job 22:15,16), but not to the destruction of Sodom or to the exodus from Egypt or the giving of the Law in Sinai:.Exodus 34:29-32. No reference is made to any order of priesthood, Job himself being the priest of his household.(*), like Noah and Abraham. There is allusion to the most ancient form of idolatry, star-worship and to the earliest mode of writing:.Job 19:23,24. The longevity of Job also places him among the patriarchs. After his trial, Job survived one hundred and forty years. He was an old man even before his trial began, for his children were established each at the head of their own household:.Job 1:4; 42:16,17. The period of long lives had not wholly passed away:.Job 15:10." 

The trial of Job seems to be sometime before the birth of Abraham.(circa.B.C.E. 1900). We don't know how old Job was when he died, but probably about 200, so he may have died around 1700 years from the beginning of history with Adam.

Job was a righteous man and a good individual in that he did good things and that's wonderful:.Job 1:1. But one's own righteous works won't make him or her equal with God. Only the perfect works of Christ can do that and Job lived long before the man Emmanuel became the Christ:.Isaiah 52:14.

God's gift of Christ must become ours to be made righteous according to.His.standard.(Romans 5:17; 1Corinthians chapter 13), for the purpose of being happy in God. Happiness increases with high consciousness:.3John 1:2.

Job was well aware of his righteousness and so were his friends, but God wanted Job to know just how deep his character for good was:.Job 32:1.

Job's story is relevant to today, for all those whose lives are on a successful physical pathway, similar to this.

Notice the Creator calls Job a perfect man:.Job 1:1 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschews evil."

If there was ever any doubt about the interplay the good God has with the bad God and their control, this section below should lay it to rest. If there was ever doubt about this experience we all on Earth are having, being a stage for learning, again, this section below should lay it to rest too.

Job 1:6-12 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before God and Satan came also among them.(who could this being called Satan have been, who was right there when humanity was put on the Earth? and how is it that he was talking with the good God and why does he no longer have access to where the good God is since Christ came on the scene?.Luke 10:18). And the God said unto Satan, Where are you coming from? Then Satan answered God and said, From going to and fro in the Earth and from walking up and down in it. And the God said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God and eschews evil? Then Satan answered God and said, Does Job fear God for nought? Have not you made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he has and he will curse you to thy face. And God said unto Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power, only upon himself put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of God."

Job 1:13-19 "And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house.And there came a messenger unto Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them. And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels and have carried them away, yea and slain the servants with the edge of the sword and I only am escaped alone to tell you. While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."

For more information on words in a scripture verse, use the underlined scripture link which takes you to the amplified verse(s).

Job 2:1-7 "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence come you? And Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the Earth and from walking up and down in it.(what was he doing?.1Peter 5:8). And the Lord said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God and eschews evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you move me against him.(Revelation 12:10), to destroy him.without cause. And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse you to your face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in your hand, but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown."

So just why did the Creator allow all the bad things that happened to Job? I mean, Creator called Job perfect and said that there was no cause to afflict him! Does the Creator lie?.Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie....."

When reading through the book of Job, it becomes evident that Job indeed was a very good man, but a man more concerned with doing good than having a living relationship with the Creator. He just did not understand about living in the present. He was so inflexible in what he knew to be right that this shut out any new light. The things of the spirit are dynamic, always changing yet always based on God's unchanging character quality, that of love:.Malachi 3:6; 1John 4:16.

Job loved to do right things. The Creator wanted a daily living relationship with this fine man, as He does with us all. The Creator wanted him to live with the power of God active; not as many today, living as though the comfort things of God are their raison d'être. 

Job had the anxietyof distrusting his ability in meeting requirements he felt were necessary in order to be pleasing to the Creator he believed was 'off some place in the sky' and apart from him. As a result of that thinking, Job religiously did his utmost to fulfil what he had decided was to be his duty.

Job had an issue with trusting the Creator and just being Job, instead of being Job that always needed to do more, that always had the need to verify his life:.Colossians 3:3 "For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.".Job 3:1-13,23; 6:4,9; 7:20; 9:17,18; 10:8,17.

Job is a good example of a man who failed to live in the present, who failed to just 'be', that is, until he had no option but to, by having to deal with all the woes presently afflicting him. He always did many good things, yet could not seem to find contentment with the Creator in his life.(*). Even though he knew for certain of the Creator's existence Job's mind was on the many good things he did and on the many good things he thought he should still be doing, not on his soul being already solid with God. 

Be content in quietness. In meditation time, know that you are enough and this will lead into greater spirituality, that is, the more your contentment is.

Job was always thinking of the past and the good things that he could do for others in the future. Even though what he was thinking about was all the good things that he did, he couldn't figure out why he had the problems that surrounded him, since he did so much good, which he really did!

Was the Creator not taking notice he thought? If the Creator was, why then were all these bad things happening he wondered. The Creator was about to awaken him. Job eventually learned that his ways, though very good, were not all the Creator's ways:.Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord."

Job missed the point that the muliverse is a living multiverse, a multiiverse of life responding to him, responding to what was in his mind and, just what was in his mind that determined his attitude? He was filling his cupboard with good works, more and more good works. And this part was good, because we do reap what we sow and Job reaped much good because he was a very good man:.Job 1:1-3.

But Job was being submerged by his own works. He knew what to do that was right for others, but he seemed to lack knowledge of how just to relax and just be.

Job perhaps saw himself as a 'human doing' not a 'human being', perhaps somewhat complacent within the image he held of himself. Job saw himself as his works and was content in this as the dialog with his friends reveals. But hard things began to happen that affected his world.

The Creator looks on the heart and so engineered some things to help Job out of his self-imposed conundrum and for an example to those who would look into Job's life, as we are doing now:.Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

Job was always acting from the surface, doing his good works. He was a very good man and very busy in what he was doing. Job was sure in the ways he followed, that is, that his works were doing good. And they were. Well then, what was the problem? God saw that Job was continually entangled in the good he was doing. Well, what's wrong with that?

Creator wanted him to look deep into himself. God wanted him to take time away from all he was entangled in doing in order for him to get to know God more. But if God is good and Job was good, wasn't that enough?

Job related to God by doing good:.James 1:22-24. Doing good was one thing. 

Leaving off too much good doing in order to learn more of and thus become more like God is, at heart, is another thing. And that's the thing that would lift Job higher spiritually. That's what God wants for each of us. We're here to move from here and into higher and higher spiritual levels:.John 14:2. God wanted for Job the same things God today wants for us and that's to come up higher in character. 

For those not yet up to the physical level of the goodness of Job, one can very quickly arrive at that level by means of Christ's work on a heart that is open to God and willing to change:.Ephesians 2:10.

Job's mind was constantly filled with works of his good past and a looking forward to continuing his generous works in the future. Nothing wrong with that, but what the real Job was, could not be known by even him, because he didn't live in the present in his mind long enough to have a good look at himself and at God. It's almost as if he didn't want to discover himself in case he may find something not so good. Job decided what his life would be and that would be a giving to others as he had much he could share. The Creator saw something deeper Job needed. Job needed to move from the timeline he was in to a new and better timeline. And we all also need to.

To live in the present.(presently minded, the now space), one must have his mind on what is in front of him.right now. It seems like Job had a hard time facing himself. He had a concept of the Creator that wasn't correct. It was that this Creator is 'out there somewhere' and separate from Job, when in fact God is us as we believe ourselves to be one with all that is. In this we can be content. The Creator is reproducing Himself. What we believe ourselves to be is what we are and that's what comes back to either bless or curse us. Be good, good comes, be bad, bad comes to wake us up, to keep us on track:.Deuteronomy 11:26; Matthew 7:18. 

Job, like all people stuck at the ego level of existence, was stuck in the belief of separateness of all things in life, not then able to see as he should have, that everything is all one. In that we can be content, content, but not complacent.

One example of Job's belief in separateness, of which there are many in the entire book of Job, is in.Job chapter 31.

Job was brokenhearted because of all the bad things that happened to him, so much so that he even didn't want any good to come again in his life. He was really down in heart.(*):.Job 7:3-16; 19:10. 

This Psalm, although not specifically about Job, could certainly apply to the way he must have felt about his plight:.Psalms 88:2-18. 

Job knew that he loved the Creator and wondered why these bad things happened to him all of a sudden:.Job 7:21 "And why do you not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I sleep in the dust and you shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be." Job 10:21,22 "Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death." Job 13:26,27 "For you write bitter things against me and make me to possess the iniquities of my youth. You put my feet also in the stocks.(a device consisting of a heavy timber frame with holes for confining the ankles and sometimes the wrists, formerly used for punishment).and look narrowly unto all my paths.(allowing borders to ensure his life went nowhere), you set a print.(a cut in the foot so he couldn't really go anywhere).upon the heels of my feet."

Job felt his Creator was constraining him and used allegorical language to depict his plight. Creator was constraining him. Job was to learn some more things about the Creator. Just like today with this covid thing, many are constrained, stuck at home. How are they using this time?

Job knew that God was a generous restorer.

A lesson in the book of Job: That no matter how disconcerting life may become at times, maintain your relationship with God. Decide to do so and take effort on your decision. Action is important upon decision:.James 1:22-24.

Another: No matter what peak we feel we may have reached, the Creator has ways to cause us to become even more like Him. What ways? And when God is finished with these episodes in our learning, He restores as God did in the lives of both Job and Nebuchadnezzar.

The Infinite One causes some to 'get burned' in life. Why?.Psalms 34:18 "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saves such as be of a contrite.(means 'crushed', 'broken' of ego and pride).spirit.(as He did both with Nebuchadnezzar and Job)." Isaiah 57:15 "For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.(wholeness): I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 66:2 "For all those things has my hand made and all those things have been, says the Lord. But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor.(not full of himself like this).and of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word.".Matthew 5:3.

Our weaknesses can drive us closer to the help we need from God. Our weaknesses bring the troubles so often necessary to get us to think about motivations for our actions. Weaknesses come from wrong thinking, bad thoughts causing you to feel weak. How to become strong in living. 

Look at what Paul thought of his weaknesses. 

Being contrite is having an outlook which includes others, an attitude that wants to seek to do the best it can for others, an attitude capable of curbing an extravagant lifestyle to be more effective in showing compassion. The way to change.

Creator engineered circumstances to bring Job into a deeper relationship with Him:.John 15:2 "...every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit."

Creator is no different with anyone today:.Malachi 3:6 "For I am the Lord, I change not....." Hebrews 13:8 "Emmanuel the Christ the same yesterday and today and forever."

When an individual feels on top of it all, when things are going well, sometimes we think that 'we've made it'; we're full, we feel great. The weather is beautiful, you're healthy, have a nice car and home in a good part of town, have good friends, etc. Ancient Job was of similar lifestyle and there's a lesson there about him for us.

Pride, the wrong kind, that of focusing upon the self towards developing a superiority complex, can then creep in on us. We know we're doing well and we want it to continue and we strive to ensure that it does and we endeavor to make sure things even get better. This fulness in our lives leaves little, if any room for interest in much else. For example, when things were such that you felt as though you were the 'center of the universe', how much time did you devote to the things of the spirit. We can easily miss the real reason we are here.

What does the Holy Bible say about this state?.Psalms 39:5,6 ".....verily 'every man at his best state'.(original Hebrew is 'every man standing', or, 'established').is altogether vanity.(or, involved in nothingness, when considering the eternal scheme of things as the Creator does:.1Corinthians 2:9). Surely every man walks in a vain show. Surely they are disquieted in vain. He heaps up riches and knows not who shall gather them." 

We have nothing the Creator wants or needs.(*), except a relationship with us. Primarily, it's the other way around. We have much to receive from God, however, a man or woman who feels full.(feels he has it all).is often too full to accept more..
 

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A pretty flower for you. I love flowers.

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