Job and Jesus: Finding Hope Through Suffering and Faith

When the Righteous Suffer Without Cause

You may have heard the story of Job, and come away somewhat depressed. Poor Job, robbed of everything—wealth, family, and health—he seems to lose all hope. And this was a man described in Job 1:1 as "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." If such a man as Job loses everything, including his hope, then what of me? How can I find hope and peace through suffering and faith?

Job’s Despair and the Misjudgment of Friends

In chapter 14 of Job, we read Job's inner feelings, how hopeless he became before God. This follows a series of painful conversations he had with his friends. They completely misunderstood his suffering, believing it to be caused by some sin he had committed. Have you ever felt hopeless about a tragic situation? Have you had friends who felt your suffering was due to your own failures, when you knew it wasn't? The book of Job is one of the oldest stories recorded in the Bible for a reason. Pain and suffering are not unique to him but is the story we all experience to a lesser or greater degree.

A Flicker of Hope in the Midst of Pain

In this chapter, Job alternates between total hopelessness and the glimmer of hope that maybe things are not quite the way he believes they are. In the first few verses of this chapter Job compares life to a fading flower and a shadow that quickly disappears. Life is short and full of pain. At this point in Job's story that is all he sees.

Job’s Struggle with the Afterlife and Resurrection

But then Job thinks about a tree, "For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again" (Job 14:7). Wracked by grief he sadly believes that a tree can be renewed but a man dies and isn't. When we read this we should remember the Old Testament's view on the resurrection. Job's understanding of the resurrection and those of other writers in the Old Testament were incomplete. Only with the resurrection of Jesus was the hope of eternal life with God fully understood.

Jesus Corrects Our View of the Resurrection

Jesus addresses this in Mark 12:24-27. Here he explains to the Sadducees (a Jewish religious sect who did not believe in the resurrection), that they are mistaken because they "don't know the Scriptures nor the power of God." Jesus plainly tells them how mistaken they are because as He says, "He is the not the God of the dead, but the God of the living."

Did Job Believe in Life After Death?

Even later in Job 19:25-27, when Job says he believes that he will see God and be vindicated, he was not talking about the resurrection as we know it, but it does suggest a longing to see God beyond death. As Christians we look back on these Scriptures with a knowledge of the resurrection that Job did not have. Indeed for Job, while he was still living he was vindicated by God and he did see Him, although in a spiritual sense, not literally (Job 42:5).

We know, however, that Job is cautiously hopeful that there may be something more after death, because in Job 14:14 he asks, "If a man die, shall he live again?" Job has to wonder, like many people do, "Is this all there is?" Sadly, there is no confident answer. Later Old Testament texts like Daniel 12:2 and Isaiah 26:19 provide more understanding, but Job's view is understandably limited.

Job and Jesus: Finding Hope Through Suffering and Faith

In many ways, Job foreshadows Christ. Job was blameless as Christ was sinless. Jesus was accused of sin unjustly as Job's friends accused him of being punished for his sin unjustly. Job's suffering reminds us of Jesus' ultimate suffering. Job prayed for his friends who accused him of sin (Job 42:8-10), just as Jesus prayed for those who "despitefully used Him." Where Job was sorrowful and questioned God, Jesus was also grieved but fully submitted to God's will. Job and Jesus: Finding Hope Through Suffering and Faith is not just a summary of their stories. It is the thread of faith through Scripture that helps us understand how righteous suffering can reveal God’s greater purpose. Job points forward to the only one who could answer his question—Jesus.

Christ: The Answer to Job’s Ancient Question

So long Job and others had to wait for the answer to this question. Jesus tells us what truth is in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." This resurrection hope answers Job's ancient question and transforms our view of suffering.

McClaren's Exposition addresses these two texts this way,

"Weary centuries rolled away; but at last the doubting, almost despairing, cry put into the mouth of the man of sorrows of the Old Testament is answered by the Man of Sorrows of the New. The answer in words is this second text which may almost be supposed to allude to the ancient question. The answer, in fact, is the resurrection of Christ. Apart from this answer there is none."

Faith Despite Limited Understanding

James mentions Job in James 5:11 telling us Job was blessed because he was steadfast before God. So even without a clear understanding of the resurrection, Job chose God. Abraham and David also had a limited understanding of the resurrection. Hebrews 11:13 explains that these Old Testament faith heroes saw the promises from afar and embraced them by faith. They did not see the possession of the land of Canaan or the promised Messiah but they never lost hope. Because of Job's steadfast faith, God blessed him and returned double to him the things that had been taken from him. We have no guarantee, however, that we will see our suffering rewarded in this life.

The Purpose of Suffering for Believers

Suffering in the book of Job is seen as a test of his devotion and righteousness. Job helps us realize that suffering happens to the good and the bad alike. It helps us understand how we should respond to suffering. Job makes us understand how limited our knowledge of God is. How can we question what happens to us, when we cannot begin to fathom the ways of God? Since Jesus, suffering has taken on a deeper meaning.

How Christians Can Endure Suffering Today

When Christians suffer, as everyone does, how do we understand it?

1. We understand that Jesus, even though sinless, redeemed us by His suffering on the cross (1 Peter 2:21).

2. We may suffer in this life, but we will live eternally with God in His glory. We have the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27)!

3. Suffering often leads us closer to God. Through suffering we can understand God better (Romans 5:3-5).

4. As Romans 8:17 tells us, "And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him". We suffer with Christ so that we can also experience His glory. Because of Jesus our suffering is not for nothing, it shapes us into His likeness.

The Future Reward for the Righteous

Psalm 58:11 says, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.” When we look around us many times we see evil and unrighteous people seemingly being rewarded. They may have power, wealth, popularity, or what seems like a perfect family but the righteous have a reward coming to them. The reward of the righteous may be in this world, but surely it will in the next. The reward of the faithful is to live eternally with their loving Father. The evil and unrighteous will be judged accordingly. Job saw his reward both in this world and the next because His God is the God of the living.

From Suffering to Rejoicing in Christ

When we face suffering, we may struggle at times just like Job. Job wondered what he did to deserve his suffering. The answer was that he did nothing to deserve it, just as our Savior did not deserve His own suffering. The suffering of this world, though it can be heart breaking beyond measure at times, will give way to rejoicing. Thank you Jesus for this promise. Thank you Jesus for loving me!

Waiting in Hope for the Lord

So what do we do when we suffer without understanding why? We remember Christ, who suffered not for His sin, but for ours. Through His resurrection our suffering has an eternal purpose and gives our life unshakeable hope. When you are suffering let us say with the prophet Micah,

"But as for me, I will watch in hope for the LORD, I will wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me" (Micah 7:7).