A Meditation on the Book of Job the Righteous -part1
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents reflections on the Book of Job, explaining that a person can be rich and at the same time righteous, as Job was, who enjoyed many blessings while living a life of piety, charity, and care for the poor, orphans, and widows. He explains that Job’s righteousness did not prevent trials from coming upon him, but he was exposed to the envy of Satan and his attempts to make him fall. He also explains that Job lived in an ancient period, most likely between Noah and Abraham, based on the way he offered sacrifices, the length of his life, and other indications mentioned in the book.
Spiritual Message
The lecture explains that Satan, despite his power and activity, cannot act in a person’s life beyond the limits permitted by God. He was first permitted to touch Job’s possessions without touching Job himself, and afterward he was permitted to touch his body while his life remained preserved. Job’s trial also reveals the danger of self-righteousness, for Job was righteous, but he knew himself to be righteous, and therefore at first he could not find a justification for the trials that came upon him. The trial appears as a means of stripping a person of what may lead him to a sense of greatness, so that he may stand before God in humility.
Educational Lesson
The lecture presents a lesson in understanding trials, for the presence of a trial does not mean that a person is rejected by God, just as righteousness does not necessarily mean a life free from pain and tribulations. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III points out that Job, at the beginning of his trial, viewed events through his direct relationship with God. He did not occupy himself with the Sabeans or the Chaldeans who took his possessions, but saw that his life and everything in it were in God’s hands. He also explains that Job’s endurance in the first stage was great, as he did not attribute ignorance to God despite losing his possessions and his children.
Practical Application
The lecture calls the believer to spiritual vigilance, because Satan is active in his warfare, and therefore the children of God should be vigilant and active in their spiritual lives. It also calls for accepting God’s providence and not turning trials into conflicts with the people who may be instruments in events. The believer learns from Job to thank God in times of prosperity and tribulation, and to examine himself continually so that righteousness does not turn into a feeling of self-righteousness. The lecture also encourages trust that a trial, however severe it may be, remains under God’s authority and limits, and that God can use it to purify a person and teach him humility.
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