The Lord Has Done This

This afternoon, before we partake of the Communion, I want to bring to your attention truths related to Job's statement in verse 9 – "Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? That is, who does not know, even among the beasts of the earth, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, that the hand of the Lord had done this? Job thought that God had brought him to this awful place; the place where he did not feel that he could go on living because of all that had happened to him. He did not understand why God was afflicting him in this awful way.
There are 3 truths which I want to give to you now, concerning Christ's sufferings, which really do address all of Job's questions and concerns. Christ suffered and died so that, eventually, Job would come to see just how much God really did love Him; how much He really did care for him, all through the time of this trial. God loved him, not only for being the righteous man that he was, but also He loved him and cared for him as a sinner who needed grace and instruction and help in the time of his greatest need.