When the Bottom Falls Out: God, Suffering, and Unshakable Faith

Job 1-2

[INTRODUCTION]

Good morning, church.

Go ahead and open your Bibles to the book of Job—right before the Psalms, middle of your Bible. We’re beginning a new series that I believe will be both unsettling and anchoring. We’re diving headfirst into one of the most profound books in all of Scripture—a book that asks a question most of us have asked, whispered in hospital rooms, graveyards, empty bank accounts, and bedrooms with broken marriages:

Why do the righteous suffer? And where is God when they do?

Now, Job doesn’t give us a neat answer. This is not the book to turn to if you’re looking for clichés and comfort. Job is raw. It’s honest. It refuses to let you slap Romans 8:28 on a bleeding soul and call it good. It forces us to ask: Is God worthy of worship when everything else falls apart?

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

“There is no school like the school of sorrow, and no teacher like the Man of Sorrows.” — Charles Spurgeon

[I. HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT]

Let’s set the table before we eat the meal.

The book of Job is ancient—many scholars believe it’s the oldest book in the Bible. That’s because there’s no mention of Israel, no reference to the law, the priesthood, or even God’s covenant with Abraham. What we do see is a man acting as a priest for his household—offering sacrifices for his children. That puts him in the patriarchal era, the same time as Abraham and Isaac.

Job lives in the “land of Uz”—probably in Edom or northern Arabia. He’s not an Israelite, but he knows the true God. This tells us something crucial: God has always been King over more than just Israel.

Job is part of wisdom literature, alongside Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. But where Proverbs says, “Live wisely and you’ll be blessed,” Job says, “What if you live wisely and you still suffer?”

Job explores the exception—not to discredit wisdom—but to deepen it.

“The book of Job may be the oldest book in the Bible, yet its wisdom is timeless.” — Matthew Henry

This book is ultimately not about Job’s suffering—but about God’s sovereignty and the integrity of worship when suffering comes.

[II. JOB’S CHARACTER – Job 1:1–5]

Let’s look at verse 1:

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.”

Four traits mark Job:

Blameless

Upright

Fears God

Turns from evil

He’s not perfect. But he’s devoted, humble, and righteous.

He’s also a father deeply concerned about the hearts of his children. Verse 5 says that he would rise early and offer burnt offerings just in case they had sinned in their hearts.

“He who truly fears God is ever humble and cautious. He dares not live in sin because he dreads offending his Father.” — John Calvin

This is a man of deep, thoughtful holiness—not surface-level religion.

[III. THE COSMIC COURTROOM – Job 1:6–12]

Now we shift scenes—from earth to heaven.

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.”

This is a cosmic staff meeting. Angelic beings stand before the throne. And then—Satan shows up. But don’t picture him as ruling hell with a pitchfork. He comes as a heavenly accuser, a prosecuting attorney.

“Satan does not act autonomously—he is summoned before God’s throne.” — NICOT

God brings up Job:

“Have you considered my servant Job?”

And Satan says—“Of course he fears You. You’ve made his life easy. Take it all away and he’ll curse You to Your face.”

“Satan is God’s devil.” — Martin Luther

Church, this is not about Job’s comfort—it’s about God’s glory. The question is: Is God worthy of worship even when the blessings stop?

God says, “Test him. But don’t touch his body.”

[IV. DEVASTATION AND WORSHIP – Job 1:13–22]

In verses 13–19, Satan unleashes hell on Job’s life.

His oxen and donkeys are stolen.

His sheep are incinerated by fire.

His camels are raided.

His servants are murdered.

And worst of all, a wind collapses the house where his children are feasting—and they’re all killed.

Job loses everything. Everything he owns. Everyone he loves. One messenger after another, each bringing darker news.

And then, verse 20:

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground—and worshiped.”

This is not stoicism. This is sacred grief.

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

“We may not always understand God's purposes, but we can always trust His heart.” — Charles Spurgeon

[V. ROUND TWO – Job 2:1–10]

The courtroom scene repeats. Satan returns.

“Skin for skin. Strike his flesh, and he will curse You.”

God permits it—but says, “Spare his life.”

So Job is struck with loathsome sores from head to toe. He sits on an ash heap, scraping himself with broken pottery.

And then his wife—grieving, bitter—says:

“Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”

But Job replies:

“Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”

“If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.” — Spurgeon

In all this—Job did not sin with his lips.

[VI. THEOLOGICAL REALITIES IN JOB 1–2]

1. God is sovereign over Satan and suffering.

Satan can’t move an inch without God’s permission.

“Though Satan is the immediate cause of Job’s afflictions, the ultimate cause lies with God’s sovereign permission.” — ESV Study Bible

2. Satan is real—but restrained.

He is powerful—but on a leash. He must ask. He is accountable.

3. Suffering is not always punishment.

Job’s suffering isn’t because of sin—it’s because of faith. His pain is God-glorifying.

“The Lord tries His saints not to destroy them, but to prove and improve them.” — John Calvin

4. True faith survives the furnace.

Job doesn’t worship because God is useful. He worships because God is worthy.

[ILLUSTRATION]

Think of Horatio Spafford. He lost his business in the Great Chicago Fire. Then his four daughters drowned in a shipwreck. And yet he penned these words:

“When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll— Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say: It is well, it is well with my soul.”

That’s not cheap theology. That’s Job-level worship.

[APPLICATION]

1. Build your theology of suffering now.

Don’t wait until disaster strikes. Know now: God is sovereign. He is good. He is enough.

2. Worship through your weeping.

You can tear your robes and still raise your hands. Job shows us grief and reverence are not enemies.

3. Reject prosperity theology.

If your faith is built on ease, it will collapse in crisis. Real Christianity follows Christ through the cross, not around it.

4. Cling to the true and better Job.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate innocent sufferer. He was blameless—yet crushed. Job suffered without knowing why—Jesus suffered so we could know why.

“Christ leads us into the furnace not to destroy us—but to refine us.” — John Owen

[CONCLUSION]

So let me ask you this:

If everything was stripped away—your money, your health, your family—would Jesus still be enough?

He was enough for Job. He’s enough for you.

“Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him.” (Job 13:15)

Amen.