Job

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Bible Question: I have been a devout Christian all my life, recently my faith has been waivering and I want to ask this question because I don't understand, not because I am trying to disprove any thing, I just need help.
My question comes from the story of Job, from what I understand and I am paraphrasing here, that the devil went to God and told God that Job wouldn't be so faithful had he not been so blessed (this sounds to me like
manipulation) so God granted the devil to take everything from Job, ruining his life, putting him into hardships no one should have to go through. So if God says though shall not tempt the lord, then what was that? Jesus says
to be slow to anger, and quick to forgive, when the bible talks about God being a jealous, and vengeful God. This sounds contradictory to me, which is why I am so confused. If God was perfect and loving and impenetrable to sin then
why did he succumb to it in the case of Job, even Jonah, etc? Why does God test us? How much faith do I need before God says ok I believe you, you have faith I will stop taking away now and start blessing you.
I have been reading James, about the endurance of faith, but it seems contradictory to me, like do as I say not as I do.
If anyone could help I would appreciate it, I don't want to lose my faith, and I want to believe, but can someone help me make sense of this?

Bible Answer: Hi Kasterdl - EdB has given a well stated response but I wanted to add some thoughts as well.

We know that the context of Scripture is very important in understanding the more difficult passages. That is, understanding the piece we are reading with knowledge of what the rest of the Bible has to say.

As EdB pointed out we are tested by God for a reason which ultimately is to make us more like Christ. The bible is full of examples (the context) where people of God are tested in various ways that grow them spiritually "sanctifying" them and teaching them to live their lives in faith. We also see, and Job and Jonah (as you mentioned) are great examples that the choices of Satan and the choices of men have no chance of foiling God's plan.

The particular part of Job's story that we are focusing on here simply gives us a glimpse into how some of that is orchestrated if you will. This should help us understand, for example, that God is never in a cosmic struggle with Satan and certainly not one that would be won or lost determined by the decisions or behaviors of a man including Job. It's not a cliche to say "God is in control", He is absolutely in total control of all things. Satan is no more than a tool as you might consider the weather to be for example. I have heard stories of people who have lived through hurricanes and horrible weather events where they were convinced that their lives were spared only by the intervention of God. Of course their every breath is at the will of God. This might not be the best example but hopefully it makes the point.

As with Satan's actions toward Job were never outside of God's control and never contingent upon Job's decisions or actions either way so it is with other experiences we might live through, like surviving a "natural disaster" or an illness or any other situation. God is not saving our bodies for the sake of saving our bodies but building our faith.

It should also be pointed out that while Satan was not allowed to do anything God didn't allow, Job was not able to do anything in faith without God. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Eph. 2:8-9, NASB) Job didn't "muster up" the faith to believe and be faithful through the trial; God provided the faith Job would need to sustain through it.

In the story of Job we are NOT seeing a situation where God's bragging on Job instigated Satan causing God to then have to take action to address a situation his bragging put into motion. God was not gloating but I believe He was reminding Satan that He, God, is in control and and by allowing this to be told in His word (the bible) showing us that the faith He gives is enough to sustain us through earthly trials. These events did not, as you put it, "ruin his life" but instead greatly improved it bringing Job even closer to God through the building of his faith.

Satan, like Jonah's whale, was/is a tool that God "allows" to act and behave and those actions/behaviors at no time ever challenge God's authority or plan. God never has to adjust his strategy to counter Satan's activity or sit waiting to see what decision you and I will make that might result in his winning or losing a wager.

Also, we can't think of God in terms of human emotion and behavior. For example, when the Bible speaks of God as a jealous God we can't reason that He is jealous in the same way you and me might be jealous, for example jealous over a girlfriend or spouse or the job someone else got that we thought we should have gotten. This type of jealousy is out of envy, pride, control, an undeserved sense of entitlement and the list can go on. These things are sinful and so we should never attribute them to God.

God is the Sovereign Creator and has no equal and and is offended by our choices when we put anything else before Him.