THE LORD GAVE & THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY


"The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away." Many people reading this portion of Scripture would say that Satan afflicted Job and took away all that he possessed, but Job (like every true believer) knew that the Lord is the first cause of all things. Satan and other second causes can only do what God is pleased to permit them to do (I Sam. 2:6-8; Acts 4:27-28; Isa. 46:9-11).

"THE LORD GAVE." Job did not say, "I earned these things; I deserve them, for they are the products of my hard work." No! He said all that I have is the gift of God. "A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven" (John 3:27; I Cor. 4:7). All that I have physically, mentally, materially, and spiritually are the gifts of God. Even repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are the gifts of God (Rom. 2:4; Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:29).

"THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY." Job saw the hand of God in all that was taken. He did not curse the Sabeans, the wicked Chaldeans, and blame the wind. He knew that the Lord God controlled all these things and that the Lord God had willed it or it would not have happened (Rom. 8:28). Aaron held his peace when his sons were killed, for he knew the Lord had done it (Lev. 10:1-3; 1 Sam. 3:18; Psalm 39:9).

Job DECLARED THAT IN ALL THINGS, AT ALL TIMES, GOD IS TO BE PRAISED! "Blessed be the name of the Lord." To be able to praise God-equally in the valley of trial as on the mountain of joy ought to be the desire of every believer (I Cor. 16:13-14). Paul sounds this note in I Thess. 5:18. "In everything (loss or gain, sickness or health, success or failure, summer or winter, life or death), GIVE THANKS! For this (whatever it be if you are in Christ) is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."


-Gospel report by preacher Henry Mahan

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