Your parents have their jobs. Your teachers have their jobs—in fact you’re part of that workload if you’re still in school. Your pastor has his job—which you are also part of, especially on the Sabbath.

Jesus Christ has His job or jobs. His has many job descriptions, including: Creator, Savior, High Priest in heaven, Lord and Master and soon-coming King, and the perfect example of living. God the Father has His job presiding over all things.

God’s servants in the Bible all had their jobs, most of which were fairly obvious. David was a judge, deliverer, slayer of giants, great king and certainly not least he was above all others the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1).

The many prophets had their jobs of taking God’s people to task for their sinful behavior, declaring God’s will to any and all they were sent to, and foretelling what God was going to do depending on the obedience or disobedience of their hearers. Likewise the apostles had their multi-faceted jobs much like the prophets but with the added commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God and make disciples of those who God called to the true faith. In fact that continues to be the work of God’s true church even today.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had their jobs as “father of the faithful” in the first case, and as “the fathers”—ancestral and spiritual fathers of all Israel and all true believers in God’s way through Christ.

Taking it like Job

Now, let’s consider God’s servant Job. There was none like him back in the day. Although we don’t know exactly when his day was, we do know from clues in his book that it was during the Patriarchal Era—that is, before the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. We know that Job had large holdings of livestock land and camels for transporting goods (read Job 1).

But as he stood before and served God, what was Job’s job?

Think about it. Satan desired to destroy Job and God let him attack the great man of the East—up to specific limits. In one fell swoop Job lost all his wealth and all ten of his children (Job 1), and then he lost his health and his friends.

Job suffered great pain, deep sorrow and anguish of spirit before his last three (actually four) friends came to “grieve” with him. He was in such a sorry state that they sat silent before him for an entire week!

Then the conversation began. Job expressed his grief and his friends accused him of committing great sins—otherwise why would God punish him so? Job was a righteous and faithful man so he declared his innocence. Job in exasperation voices that God is treating him unfairly, but the “friends” disagree. The argument continues from chapter 3 to 31, then Elihu—the fourth and youngest friend—who has more savvy than the others speaks his mind. He makes some good points (chapters 32-37), but there remain things to be said.

It is at this point that God enters the conversation—directly with Job. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Ummm… Job’s silent is deafening.

- Read Job 38 and put your Sabbath focus on the greatness of God. How would you have answered God’s question?

- Read chapter 39 through 42, but focus on that last chapter. Put yourself in the place of Job, just as if you were sitting on the ash heap (which he did to soften the pain of the infected boils he was afflicted with). Focus on Job 42:1-6. What did he mean? Can you identify with Job? If so, and I hope so, then how so?

- Finally, here was Job’s job. Your job is to see how Job fulfilled his job descriptions, to be an… example of faith, example of suffering as a real person with real life problems, example of how to grieve over a great loss (his children), example of how to extend mercy even after being severely accused (42:7-9), example of receiving great blessing with great grace and appreciation (42:10-17).

Now, answer for yourself how did Job's job compare with one of the great jobs that Jesus Christ exemplified and then gave to us, to set an example of the true way of life? Can we come through trials like Job and still set a positive example?

Keep thinking vertically!