The trials of Job are legendary. One righteous man suffering so many calamities, so much heartache. But despite the fact that many have heard about Job and his trials, not many people truly understand what those trials were all about and what God was trying to accomplish through them. Job himself was confused about it all. What did I do to deserve such suffering? he cried out.

Eventually, though, through tough questions and unexpected answers from God, Job gained new insights on suffering, patience, and endurance. And, more importantly, he learned how deeply he was loved by God.

Sooner or later, we all go through our times of suffering and heartache, and the ancient story of Job offers timeless truth for us if we'll only listen. Now, in this illuminating study of Job's life, Charles Swindoll, in his trademark warm and insightful style, helps readers understand the key to developing heroic endurance.

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Job A Man of Heroic Endurance

An Interactive Study GuideBy Charles R. Swindoll

W Publishing Group

Copyright © 2007 Charles R. Swindoll
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8499-1389-1

Contents

Acknowledgments.................................................................ixA Letter from Chuck.............................................................xiHow to Use This Study Guide.....................................................xiiiChapter 1 Setting the Stage for Disaster.......................................1Chapter 2 Reeling and Recovering from Devastating News.........................11Chapter 3 Satan vs. Job ... Round Two..........................................23Chapter 4 Job's Advice to Friends and Husbands.................................35Chapter 5 The Mournful Wail of a Miserable Man.................................47Chapter 6 Responding to Bad Counsel............................................57Chapter 7 Continuing the Verbal Fistfight......................................67Chapter 8 When Rebuke and Resistance Collide...................................77Chapter 9 Graceless Words for a Grieving Man...................................87Chapter 10 Reassuring Hope for the Assaulted and Abused........................99Chapter 11 Responding Wisely When Falsely Accused..............................111Chapter 12 How to Handle Criticism with Class..................................123Chapter 13 The Futility of Unscrewing the Inscrutable..........................135Chapter 14 A Recommitment to Things That Matter................................145Chapter 15 The Passionate Testimony of an Innocent Man.........................155Chapter 16 Another Long-Winded Monologue.......................................167Chapter 17 A Penetrating Reproof from the Almighty.............................179Chapter 18 Full Repentance for All the Right Reasons...........................191Chapter 19 Finally, God's Justice Rolls Down...................................203Chapter 20 And Job Lived Happily Ever After ... Or Did He?.....................215Chapter 21 What Job Teaches Us about Ourselves.................................227Chapter 22 What Job Teaches Us about Our God...................................239Endnotes........................................................................251Books for Probing Further.......................................................257

Chapter One

Setting the Stage for Disaster Job 1:1-12

The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." -Job 1:8

Sometimes life just isn't fair. One moment, we're soaring gracefully on the gossamer wings of success; the next, life's hardships knock the wind out of us and send us sprawling. Even when we're serving the Lord to the best of our ability, we face disappointing setbacks and staggering losses that make us ask, "Why, God?"

No one would deny that our lives are punctuated with hardship, heartaches, and headaches. Most of us have learned to face the reality that life is difficult. But unfair? When we face an unfair situation, a rush of emotion kicks in deep within us. Our fervent desire for justice tends to override our ability to endure unfair circumstances.

An incident from the 2002 Olympic Winter Games provides a powerful example. Imagine that you've been born and reared in Canada, and you've been training as an ice skater for most of your life. Every day, you dream of making it to the Olympics. Skating is difficult. You fall more times than you can remember, but every fall teaches you another lesson, and every day you work on perfecting your technique. You hire a well-known skating coach and find a skating partner, who is also from your homeland. Over time, you and your partner learn to skate magnificently together, and you work toward your mutual dream of competing at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics.

Finally, your dream becomes a reality. Your Olympic moment arrives! As the commentator reads your names, you and your partner slide smoothly onto the ice and wait for the music to begin. You perform your routine perfectly, better than you've ever done it. And you know in your hearts as you finish that it was a gold-medal performance. Both of you are ecstatic-until you see the scores. Your heart sinks. As you read the numbers, you realize that you'll get the silver medal and another couple less deserving than you will win the gold. At that moment, life is difficult.

In a few hours' time, however, you find out that the scoring was tainted-the competition was fixed by a dishonest judge. Suddenly, "difficult" becomes "unfair," and that's a whole different matter. Once you learn that the judging was unfair, you can't tolerate the thought of accepting the silver medal. Crushed, you wait in fearful anticipation while the Olympic committee investigates the problem. Thankfully, the committee eventually rules in your favor. You and your partner rejoice as you finally receive the Olympic gold. Justice is served!

This true saga bears striking similarities to that of Job. This godly man experienced situations that were not only difficult, but from our point of view, they seem downright unfair. Job lived through some of the most excruciating trials imaginable, facing one painful test after another in the crucible of life. He endured horrors that few of us have ever experienced. But his story has a happy ending as well. Job showed himself faithful, and the Lord eventually restored Job's health, his family, and his fortunes. Job emerged from his suffering as purified gold, reflecting the image of God more clearly than ever.

Incredible, isn't it? The book that we thought centered on suffering actually focuses on faith. As we follow Job on his journey, we'll see his faith severely tested. Stripped of his family and his possessions, he stood beside ten fresh graves on a windswept hill, crying out to God with some of life's most difficult questions.

No doubt, you're asking God a few questions yourself. Perhaps you're reeling from the unexpected illness or death of a beloved family member. Maybe your spouse has deserted you, leaving an enormous void in your life. You may be dealing with a debilitating personal illness, or maybe the loss of your job or failure of your business has left you in a financial crisis.

The book of Job contains wisdom and godly principles to help you address every painful circumstance. Remember, this isn't a book of trite, sugar-coated sayings. It holds real-life answers to your real-life questions! And best of all, despite all the pain that Job endured, the book ends well as he emerges from his suffering with a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty, justice, and love. As you come to terms with Job's story, you'll gain hope that you, too, can pass the faith tests that life sends your way.

Treasures from the Text

Job's Character

Let's begin by getting to know Job. The biblical text introduces him this way:

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. (Job 1:1)

Job wasn't perfect, but he shunned moral evil and made his spiritual life his first priority. He handled his business affairs with integrity. He managed his servants and his flocks with compassion and care. His family and friends loved, respected,...