Timing of Job's sufferings
Actually... in the beginning of Job, God didn't mentioned about punishing Job but rather praising Job for his faith. The very first verse explains that Job was blameless and a man of complete integrity. Job's faith was very strong and feared (loved) God.
go to Job, Chapter 2; God says, "Have you considered My servant Job? And he says, Let me at him again." And so in verse 6 chapter 2 the Lord said to Satan, "Behold he's in your hand, this time you can hit him but you can't kill him....you can't kill him. Satan went right out of the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to his crown."
During the conversations between Satan and God, Satan is basically telling God: "Why do you think he worships You, because he's a pragmatist, he knows who's delivering the goods. Job knows how to open the flood gate, he does his thing for You and You unload on him, all the blessings, of course he's good. But not for nothing." Then Satan said in verse 11: "Put forth Your hand now, "touch all that he has, he'll curse You to Your face."
In terms of faith and fear, take away Job's stuff and he'll curse.
"And the Lord said to Satan, behold all that he has is in your power." Behold all that he has is in your power. God turned Job over to Satan, no question about it. That was a divine act by the sovereignty of God. Only upon himself don't put your hand. You can do anything you want to his stuff, but don't touch him.
Chapter 3 through chapter 10 chronicle Job's sorrow and he's really hurting. He's in pain, "O that my grief were thoroughly weighed and my calamity laid in the balances," chapter 6 verse 2. Chapter 10, he says, "My soul is weary of life." And he says in verse 2 of chapter 10, "God, do not condemn me, show me why You're contending with me."
During the times of Job's suffering, his friends (like some believers here). This is where people are confusing about God punishing Job. How could God punish Job in the middle of his suffering? I will repeat I said before. Job's friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, & Zophar) reminds me of some movements who believes that when Christians get sick, they blame on a Christian who have committed sin. There are many of those who believes such doctrines. There are so many Elphazs, Bildads, and Zophars. God allowed Satan to inflict Job (i.e. boil which is a skin disease).
Job gets the message in chapter 42. "And Job answered the Lord and said, O, I see, I get it, You can do everything and no thought can be withheld from You and who's ever going to hide counsel without knowledge, therefore have I uttered that which I understood not, things too wonderful for me which I knew not." Job is saying: "God, I understand, You're God, You're sovereign, You can do anything. You know everything. You have all the privileges. I'm a fool for even opening my mouth, I apologize. I've been talking about things far beyond my understanding which I knew not. Too awesome for me to understand. "
Job's friends encourage Job to doubt his faith as many fellow believers will do. At one verse in Verse 39:8 God asked Job...."Would you discredit mJob had the strength, the continuity and the unwavering character of true saving faith, true love for God regardless what happened to him. Many of us have identified with him. Many of us also have identified some of our fellow Christians as Elphazs, Bildads, and Zophars. When when Christians face tribulations as Job did, what would their friends do? y justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Its interesting how people are putting Job's situation for their benefits rather than what really happened.
But again, self-motivation is always a "will" for people to reason.