Job 13:15-16, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.”
I often am reminded of this precious Old Testament passage. Job was a God-fearing man. We read in Job chapter 1 that God made a wager with Satan, to test Job. Remember, it was God and not the Devil who initiated this testing for Job.
Also, remember that it was God and not the serpent, who planted the Tree of Knowledge in the paradisiacal Garden of Eden in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Yes, it is true, God gave Adam and Eve their only opportunity to sin in their perfect Edenic life. God was testing them. So we learn an important Biblical principle here, that even when we are in God's perfect will for our life, the Lord will still test us.
I have heard religious Pentecostals and Charismatics often attribute burdens, suffering and tragedy all to Satan (i.e., demon possession which they say requires deliverance from a faith healer). But as we see in the life of Job (and many saints in the Bible), God sometimes allows the suffering to humble, test, teach and further conform us into Christ's image (Romans 8:29). By the way, in my humble opinion Charismatics are very superstitious and even mentally unbalanced individuals. Any normal person would have to question the sanity of Charismatics who bark like dogs, roll on the floor in uncontrollable laughter and other bizarre misbehavior, attributing it to the Holy Spirit of God. I think not!
Job said: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him...” I love that! Job had just lost his ten children to a great wind (likely a tornado), which brought the house down upon them. They all perished. Job lost his livestock to thieves. Some of his servants were murdered. Job's cattle were stolen and his fields burned. Then Satan (with God's permission), afflicted Job's health with painful boils from head to toe. Yet in all this the Bible says that Job refused to blame or curse God. Job 1:22, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”
I have sadly heard countless people throughout my life blame and curse God for their losses, pain and burdens. I knew one young woman who hated God for the death of her parents. Many people don't want to spend one more minute praying to God, because they say God never answers. To be honest, I have often felt that same way myself. Why bother praying! I mean, if nothing ever changes, why pray? I'm sure you've felt the same way too. We're all in the same boat.
Please don't misunderstand, I am not saying that God doesn't answer prayer. I am simply saying that it is normal to feel like God doesn't. Biblically, there are dozens of reasons why God may not answer our prayers. One reason is found in Luke 18:1-8, which is that God wants to test our faith. Yes, my friend, God will literally IGNORE YOU sometimes (just as the unjust judge ignored the widow who begged him for justice). The heathen judge eventually gave in because of her importunity and gave her what she wanted, to get rid of her. But the Bible says that our great and wonderful God oftentimes ignores us, to push us to the limit to see if our faith is genuine. That is why I absolutely love what Job said in Job 13:15-16, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.”
Carefully notice that Job didn't just say he was resolved to keep the faith; but also, Job said he would maintain his ways before God. That is, Job wasn't going to stop serving God and living right. Job was determined not to stop anything for God. Sadly, I heard about the North Love Baptist Church up in Rockford, Illinois. Their former pastor (Paul Kingsbury, a Hyles-Anderson College graduate) resigned in 2021 amidst a sex scandal involving a member of their church (not the pastor himself though). I was disappointed to hear that after being their pastor for over 40 years, Pastor Kingsbury resigned. That is so tragic! Psalms 12:1, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”
Job was determined not to let bad circumstances change his ways. In my humble opinion, the North Love Baptist Church made a big mistake to stop running their local Bus Ministry. The church's leadership have allowed the Devil to sift them as wheat, beating them to their knees and keeping them there. I love the following quote. I'll tell you afterwards who said it:
"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, nor anybody else is going to hit as hard as life, but it ain't about how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward."
Do you know who said that? Sylvester Stallone in the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa. I really love Job's right attitude toward loss, suffering, burdens and heartache. Job didn't lose a child, he lost his entire family (TEN CHILDREN DIED). Wow! Can you imagine? Let me tell you friend, that takes an uncommon kind of faith (“this kind” - Matthew 17:21, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”) when all your children have just been killed, for you to still say: “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
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