Have you ever heard someone say “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” after experiencing loss or tragedy?
Perhaps you’ve questioned whether God is truly good when you’ve lost something precious—a loved one, a job, your health, or a dream.
Many believers struggle with this haunting question: why does God give and take away?
This interpretation of Scripture has caused countless Christians to lose confidence in God’s love, wondering if they serve a God who arbitrarily bestows blessings one day only to snatch them back the next.
This phrase, commonly quoted from Job 1:21, is often used at funerals or during times of significant loss to comfort the grieving.
But does this interpretation truly reflect God’s character as revealed in Christ?
The belief that God operates on a “give and take away” basis has robbed many believers of joy in their faith, leaving them uncertain about God’s nature and intentions.
This bible teaching examines this widely accepted teaching through the lens of Christ’s finished work, offering a perspective that may transform how you view God’s character and His relationship with you.
Job 1 vs 21 Explanation
Job 1:20-21 records Job’s response to devastating loss:
“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
This verse requires careful examination within its proper context.
Job spoke these words from a place of immense suffering and limited revelation.
Like many in the Old Testament era, Job’s understanding of God was based largely on second-hand information—stories, traditions, and belief systems he’d heard about God’s nature.
Job himself later acknowledged this limitation in Job 42:5: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.”
The phrase “heard of thee by the hearing of the ear” reveals that Job’s initial understanding was based on incomplete knowledge rather than direct revelation.
Throughout the book, Job lived with fear and sin consciousness, frequently offering sacrifices not from love or faith but from fear for his children.
He even admitted, “What I greatly feared has come upon me” (Job 3:25).
This statement reveals that Job’s theology included the belief that God might bring calamity—a belief that, when held strongly enough, opened the door for the very thing he feared.
Understanding Job’s limited perspective is crucial. The Old Testament doesn’t provide a complete revelation of God’s character.
People of that era often attributed all events—both good and evil—to God because they lacked the fuller revelation that came through Christ.
The Lord Gives and Takes Away Meaning
The traditional interpretation of “the Lord gives and takes away” suggests that God both bestows blessings and removes them according to His sovereign will.
This teaching has led many to view God as unpredictable—benevolent one moment and harsh the next.
But is this interpretation consistent with God’s character as revealed through Jesus Christ? To answer this question, we must examine Christ’s own words and actions, as He is the perfect representation of the Father.
Jesus declared in John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Notice the clear distinction—the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, while Jesus comes to give abundant life.
If we believe God afflicted Job or tested him with evil and hardships only to bless him later, how do we reconcile this with Jesus’ explicit statement about His mission?
Which should we accept—Job’s limited understanding from a place of suffering, or Christ’s direct revelation of God’s heart?
Hebrews 1:3 provides clarity: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
Some translations render this as “the express image of His person,” emphasizing that Jesus perfectly represents God’s nature and character.
To understand God’s true character, we must consistently look to Jesus. He never afflicted anyone with disease, never brought tragedy upon people to teach them lessons, and never took away blessings to test their faith.
Instead, He healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, forgave sinners, and demonstrated consistent goodness.
God’s Character: A Giving God
Rather than operating on a “give and take away” basis, Scripture reveals God as consistently generous.
James 1:5 beautifully describes Him as the “giving God”—what a wonderful way to characterize our Father!
Throughout the Gospels and Epistles, we see Jesus healing the sick, delivering those oppressed by the devil, and offering salvation and forgiveness to sinners.
His ministry demonstrated uninterrupted goodness, never taking away blessings or inflicting harm.
Consider these powerful scriptures that reveal God’s generous heart:
James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
This verse establishes two crucial truths: first, every good gift comes from God; second, He doesn’t change. There’s no shifting shadow in His character—no alternating between generous and withholding, kind and cruel.
Matthew 7:11: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Jesus uses human fatherhood to illustrate divine generosity. If imperfect human fathers know how to give good gifts, how much more does our perfect heavenly Father delight in blessing His children?
Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
The logic is compelling: if God gave His most precious gift—His own Son—why would He withhold lesser blessings? His ultimate act of giving demonstrates His consistent character.
Does God Take Away Blessings When We Sin?
This question haunts many believers who live under the constant fear that one mistake might cause God to remove His blessings. But this fear contradicts the gospel message.
If Jesus has already paid the price for sin and its consciousness (Hebrews 10:1-3, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 9:28), why would God take something away from you for falling short?
The idea that God waits to punish us for our mistakes is a misconception that has been propagated for generations, but it doesn’t reflect God’s true nature.
Consider the example of Cain, who murdered his brother Abel.
Despite his terrible sin, when Cain complained that his punishment was too severe, he went on to build an entire city—not just a house or mansion (Genesis 4:13-17).
This demonstrates that even under the old covenant, with its emphasis on law and judgment, God’s mercy exceeded His judgment.
Romans 4:7-8 declares: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, our sins are no longer held against us. There’s no longer a record of our shortcomings.
Second Corinthians 5:19 reinforces this truth: “That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
This may seem too good to be true, but it’s the essence of the gospel. Christ died for us while we were still sinners, not when we were doing good (Romans 5:5-8).
This demonstrates the depth of God’s love for humanity.
The parable of the Prodigal Son perfectly illustrates this principle (Luke 15:11-32).
The son who left home and squandered his inheritance was welcomed back by his father with generosity and love, without even having to ask for it.
The son expected rejection but instead was fully reinstated as a son. This is how our heavenly Father responds to us—not with punishment and withdrawal, but with restoration and blessing.
Why Would God Give Me Something Then Take It Away?
Many believers torment themselves with this question after experiencing loss. They wonder if God gave them something only to test their faithfulness by removing it, or if He’s punishing them for some hidden sin.
The truth is that God doesn’t operate this way. When we examine Jesus’ ministry, we never see Him healing someone only to later inflict them with sickness to test their faith.
We never see Him blessing someone and then removing that blessing as punishment.
If we believe this lie, then it means God is the one making people rich and poor. But a closer look, you have to recognizing that we live in a fallen world where the enemy still operates and natural consequences still exist.
Loss and difficulty come from living in a broken world, not from God arbitrarily deciding to take things from us.
Jesus made the distinction clear: the thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill, and destroy. When loss occurs, we should recognize the true enemy rather than attributing it to God’s sovereign will.
Not every closed door represents God’s punishment—sometimes it’s His protection or preparation for a greater blessing.
What Is the Real Meaning Behind Joshua 24 vs 14-15
Joshua 24:14-15 records Joshua’s challenge to Israel: “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
This passage emphasizes choice and commitment, not God’s fickleness. Joshua wasn’t suggesting that God arbitrarily gives and takes away, but rather calling Israel to choose between serving the true God or false gods.
The verse reveals that serving God is a choice we make based on His character and faithfulness, not on fear that He might randomly remove blessings.
Joshua’s declaration “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” was based on confidence in God’s goodness, not resignation to unpredictable divine whims.
This passage actually contradicts the “give and take away” theology. Joshua presented God as worthy of faithful service precisely because He is consistent, faithful, and good—not because He’s unpredictable.
What God Takes Away He Replaces Bible Verse
Many believers search for verses suggesting that what God takes away, He replaces with something better. While this sounds comforting, it still assumes that God takes things away in the first place.
A better understanding comes from recognizing that God’s goodness and faithfulness remain constant. When we experience loss—whether from living in a fallen world, poor choices, or spiritual warfare—God works redemptively in those situations.
Psalms 34 vs 19: Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him OUT OF THEM ALL.
This distinction is crucial. God doesn’t inflict loss so He can demonstrate His ability to restore. Rather, when loss occurs from various sources, He redeems those situations and brings good from them.
God Takes Away to Give Something Better, Bible Verse
The concept that God takes away to give something better still frames God as the author of loss. This contradicts His revealed character in Christ.
However, God does redirect us, close doors that would lead to harm, and guide us away from paths that aren’t in our best interest. This isn’t “taking away” in a punitive sense but loving guidance toward His purposes.
Jeremiah 29:11 declares: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God’s plans are always for our welfare, never for evil.
When a door closes, it’s not God punishing us or testing us by removing blessings.
It may be His protection, His redirection, or simply the natural consequences of living in a world where not everything goes according to plan.
The question isn’t whether God takes away to give something better, but whether we trust His character enough to believe that He’s always working for our good, even when circumstances are difficult.
God Can Take Away Your Blessings Bible Verse
Many believers live in fear that God might remove His blessings if they fail to measure up. This fear-based theology contradicts the gospel of His grace.
While the Old Testament contains warnings about blessings and curses under the law (Deuteronomy 28), believers in Christ operate under a new covenant.
Galatians 3:13 declares: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
Under the new covenant, God’s blessings aren’t based on our performance but on Christ’s finished work. His gifts and callings are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
God doesn’t bless us based on our worthiness and then remove those blessings when we fall short.
Second Corinthians 9:8 promises: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
This verse describes consistent, abundant blessing—not blessing contingent on perfect behavior.
The belief that God removes blessings as punishment keeps believers focused on their performance rather than on Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
It creates insecurity and fear rather than the confidence and rest that should characterize new covenant living.
Conclusion
Why does God give and take away? The answer, based on Jesus’ clear revelation of the Father’s character, is that He doesn’t. God is consistently good, perpetually generous, and unchanging in His love toward us.
He is the “giving God” who delights in blessing His children, not a capricious deity who randomly bestows and withdraws favors.
The traditional interpretation of Job 1:21 reflects Job’s limited understanding before he encountered God directly, not an accurate description of God’s character.
When we look at Jesus—the exact representation of God’s being—we see uninterrupted goodness, consistent healing, and perpetual blessing.
Loss and difficulty come from living in a fallen world where the enemy operates and natural consequences exist, not from God arbitrarily deciding to take things from us.
Understanding this truth frees us from fear-based religion and establishes us in the confidence that God’s character never changes.
As you reflect on these truths, consider how believing in a “give and take away” God has affected your relationship with Him.
Has it created fear, uncertainty, or distance? The gospel offers something better: confidence in a Father who gave His best for you and continues giving generously without finding fault.
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My passion lies in reaching out to young adults in communities and schools, witnessing the transformative power of faith in their lives.
This blog extends my ministry, sharing insights, encouraging believers, and exploring Christ's teachings in daily life.
Welcome, Brother James.
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