DAILY TEXT, Today Tuesday, May 7, 2024,  Put your hope in Jehovah (Ps. 27:14).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Tuesday May 7, 2024

Put your hope in Jehovah (Ps. 27:14).

Jehovah promised that in our day he would gather a group of human beings from all nations, tribes, and languages ​​so that they could all unitedly give him pure worship. We call that special group today the “great crowd” (Rev. 7:9, 10). Although this multitude is made up of men, women, and children from different backgrounds, they all form a united and peaceful worldwide brotherhood (Ps. 133:1; John 10:16). They are always ready to share their hope for a better world with anyone who will listen (Matt. 28:19, 20; Rev. 14:6, 7; 22:17). If you are part of the great crowd, you no doubt value this wonderful hope very much. The Devil wants to take away our hope. His goal is to make us think that Jehovah is not going to fulfill his promises. If Satan manages to take away our hope, we will lose courage and may even stop serving Jehovah. w22.06 20, 21 paras. 23.

SATAN TRIED TO MAKE JOB LOSE HIS HOPE

How did Job's life change in a very short time?

Job was doing well in life: he was a good friend of Jehovah, he had a large, close-knit family, and he was also a very wealthy man (Job 1:1-5). But in a single day he lost almost everything. He first ran out of his wealth (Job 1:13-17). And then all his children, whom he loved so much, died. Let's put ourselves in his shoes for a moment. The death of a child destroys parents; Well, let's imagine the blow, pain and anguish that Job and his wife suffered when they found out that his 10 children had died. No wonder Job tore his clothes in mourning and fell to the ground! (Job 1:18-20).

Satan then attacked Job's health and trampled on his dignity (Job 2:6-8; 7:5). Job had had the respect of the people, they even sought him out for advice (Job 31:18). But now they avoided him and marginalized him. His brothers, his close friends, and even his own servants rejected him (Job 19:13, 14, 16).

What did Job believe was the reason for his suffering, and what did he refuse to do? y What situations similar to Job's could a Christian experience? (See image in paragraph 7).

Satan wanted Job to think that he was suffering because he no longer had Jehovah's approval. With that intention, he used a strong wind to cause the house where Job's 10 sons were enjoying a banquet to fall (Job 1:18, 19). He also caused fire to fall from heaven and kill not only Job's flocks, but also the servants who cared for them (Job 1:16). It is clear that that wind and that fire were not simple natural phenomena. So Job concluded that Jehovah had commanded them, and that led him to think that he had done something that displeased Jehovah. Despite everything, Job refused to curse his heavenly Father. He recognized that over the years Jehovah had given him many good things and that, just as he had accepted the good, he had to accept the bad things. That is why he said: “Let the name of Jehovah continue to be praised” (Job 1:20, 21; 2:10). Despite the economic, emotional and physical blows, up until that moment Job remained faithful to Jehovah. But Satan was not going to give up.

What other tactic did Satan use to attack Job?

Satan used another tactic to attack Job. He made three false friends undermine the self-esteem of this faithful man. These individuals claimed that Job was suffering because he had done many bad things (Job 22:5-9). They also tried to convince him that even if he had not done all those evil things, he would never be able to please God, no matter how good he was (Job 4:18; 22:2, 3; 25:4). In reality, they wanted Job to doubt that God loved him, that he would care for him, and that he is worth serving. His words perhaps led him to think that his situation was beyond remedy.

Why did Job manage to retain his strength and courage?

Let's imagine the scene. Job sits among the ashes, and pain torments him night and day (Job 2:8). His friends do not stop attacking him and do everything possible to destroy his reputation. With so many problems, Job feels overwhelmed, and the pain of having lost his children tears his heart. At first he says nothing (Job 2:13-3:1). If his friends think that this silence indicates that he is going to turn his back on his Creator, they are very wrong. At one point, Job—possibly looking up at his friends—tells them, “Until I die, I will not give up my integrity!” (Job 27:5). Why did Job manage to preserve his strength and courage in the midst of so much suffering? Because even in the most critical moment he did not lose hope that his loving God would reach out to him. He knew that even if he died, Jehovah would bring him back to life (Job 14:13-15).

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