Unit 3: Justice and Adversity
Serving a Just God Bible Background • JOB 42 Printed Text • JOB 42:1–6, 10–17 | Devotional Reading • JOB 37:14–24
AIM FOR CHANGE
By the end of this lesson, we will UNDERSTAND the necessity of being humble before God, APPRECIATE how God listens to our thoughts and responds with justice, and HELP others see the justice of God in difficult situations.
IN FOCUS
IN FOCUS
A woman named Carrie had finally been released from jail. She was happy to get out, but Carrie was also fearful and anxious about returning to society. How would she take care of herself? How would she be able to get hired with a felony on her record? The odds were stacked against her.
On top of that, she still felt anger and frustration at the events that one night long ago. Carrie had not done anything wrong except be in the wrong place at the wrong time. While she and her friends were hanging out in front of their apartment building, police officers came by and frisked them for drugs. One of the officers planted drugs in Carrie’s jacket. She had no record or any history of being affiliated with drugs or dealers, but she had no voice in the courtroom. She ended up spending 6 years in prison for a crime she did not commit.
Carrie happened to walk past her old church while a Wednesday night Bible Study was going on. She went in without really knowing why. The pastor immediately recognized and embraced Carrie. In the weeks that followed, Pastor Jackson helped Carrie find a job and a place to stay. Carrie also began to go back to school to be a lawyer so she could be an advocate for those who needed a voice against injustice.
We try to teach the younger generation that sometimes even though people are allowed grace, they still have to face the consequences. Where have you seen this in your life?
NLT Job 42:1 Then Job replied to the LORD:
2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
10 When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!
11 Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the LORD had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring.
12 So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
13 He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters.
14 He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren–happuch.
15 In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers.
16 Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren.
17 Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.