JOB AND HIS TRIALS

(Why do Christians suffer?)

Text: Job 1:1—-2:10

Focus: Job 1:1-12, 20-22, 2:7-10

Living a godly Christian life will not prevent all the trials we go through but this Book of the Bible assures us that God will be with us through all of them.

We have been studying in the Book of Genesis and we got up to chapter 11, so why did we stop. Let’s just say we need to insert this Book of Job now before we continue our study of Genesis. We need to keep in mind there is not enough time to really do a proper study of these books in Sunday School. This should be done at home.

In the Book of Genesis we have partly covered “Creation”, “The Fall of Man”, “The Flood of Noah’s day” and “The Scattering of Nations”. Throughout the world at that time, some of these things are still in progress but the Bible will now concentrate on the developing nation of Israel and the Jew, the look forward to the Church(Bride of Christ), the promised coming of the Messiah, and the second coming of the Lord.

Before we read and study about these things we will take a quick look the Book of Job. Job probably lived around the time of Abraham or more probably shortly before but he lived before the Exodus from Egypt.

Job was not a Jew because he was not a descendant of Abraham. Job was a Gentile but he was a descendant of Aram who also came from Shem as did Arphaxad a grandparent of Abraham.

We don’t know much about Aram other than he was a grandson of Noah but we do know he was the original ancestor of the Arameans.

Aram is a Hebrew name that means “Highland”. Aram would live in or near what we now call Syria. Note, Jacob is called a Syrian in the Bible:

Deu 26:5  And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, [A Syrian ready to perish was my father], and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

About the same time of the Nation of Israel, Syria also became a potent force. You may say all that is well and good but what does it mean. The language or you could say tongue of Aram was Aramaic. We have just witnessed the confusion of tongues in the Bible. Aramaic would be the language that would be most used in this area and still is  today. Jesus spoke Aramaic though I believe He preferred Hebrew.

Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Parts of the Bible were written in Aramaic:

1.) Ezra
2.) Part of Daniel
3.) Jeremiah

There are numerous Aramaic words and phrases in the New Testament. So as we study the time of Job we can see that God is busy in the lives of His children and His plan always goes beyond one little time period.

Job probably had his home south of Damascus between Edom and Northern Arabia.

Lam 4:21  [Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz];

The Book of Job is one of the most ancient books of the Bible. The Book of Job may be the first piece of written literature in the entire world.

There are references to the pyramids:(False religion)

Job 3:14  With kings and counsellors of the earth, [which built desolate places for themselves];

There are references to mighty kings and princes who built elaborate mausoleums and filled them with riches so they would have them when they returned. (False religion)

Job 3:15  Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

The Cities of the plains where he also lived in a city: (Job was a city dweller)

Job 15:28  [And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses] which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

In Job we see references to the flood:

Job 22:15  Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Job 22:16  Which were cut down out of time, [whose foundation was overflown with a flood]:

But we see no reference to Israel’s history, to the Law, to the Exodus, the Red Sea crossing, Canaan or to any King of Israel.

But just the opposite we do see references to what we now call Dinosaurs.

Job 40:15  Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

Job 41:1  Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

We also see a challenge to all future archaeologist and scientist in regard to the Flood and the days of Peleg:

Job 12:7  But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
Job 12:8  Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Job 12:9  Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
Job 12:10  In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Job 12:11  Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
Job 12:12  With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
Job 12:13  With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
Job 12:14  Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
Job 12:15  Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

With all these things the importance of this book is how God protects his children and will never leave them but also why the child of God may suffer and some of the reasons why. Another main point of Job is that we have no righteousness that can save us!

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and [all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags]; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Job was a righteous man that simply had done nothing to cause his own suffering nor was he punished for some sin.

Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, [to destroy him without cause].

Job was a tool to prove Satan to be wrong about mankind. We are all tools in the Master’s hands but a child of God will suffer because Jesus paid such a dear price for our sin.

God told Moses about Pharaoh:

Exo 9:16  [And in very deed for this cause have (I raised thee up), for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth].

We all have a purpose but we all also have free will to choose whom we will serve. Pharaoh chose to serve Satan.

Proof:

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, [to them who are the called according to his purpose].

We all have a part in this Masterful plan of God. We will fulfill that part but we must choose who will be our Master.

Joshua once said:

Jos 24:15  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.

Elijah said:

1Ki 18:37  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
1Ki 18:38  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1Ki 18:39  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, [The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God].

That Lord is Jehovah God of the Bible. We called him Jesus Christ when He came to us in the flesh!

*****Out Text:

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:2  And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
Job 1:3  His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
Job 1:4  And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
Job 1:5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Verse 1.)

Uz was most probably on the main caravan route from Syria to Egypt somewhere in Arabia.

Some proof of a route:

Gen 37:25  And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, [a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt].

Jdg 5:6  In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, [the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways].

1Ki 10:1  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
1Ki 10:2  And she came to Jerusalem [with a very great train, with camels] that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Isa 21:13  The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, [O ye travelling companies] of Dedanim.
Isa 21:14  The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

Job 6:18  The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
Job 6:19  The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

We can also look at the attacks on Job’s family:

Job 1:15  And [the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away]; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Job 1:17  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, [The Chaldeans made out three bands], and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

We can also look at Job’s possessions:

Job 1:3  His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and [three thousand camels], and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

The qualifications of Job:

1.) He was perfect:

Does this mean Job was sin free? NO, but it does mean Job pleased God.

The Hebrew word for perfect is “tam” which means Job was “morally” complete. He was undefiled. He  was a gentle man.

Ecc 7:20  For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

But God says:

Psa 18:32  It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

And in the end:

Psa 37:37  [Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace].
Psa 37:38  But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

What is the way to perfection?

God told Abraham:

Gen 17:1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; [walk before me, and be thou perfect].

God told the children of Israel:

Deu 18:13  Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

God told the disciples:

Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

God told those of the Church:

1Jn 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1Jn 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5  [But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
1Jn 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked].

2.) Job was upright:

The Hebrew word “yashar” is used here for straight and just. Job pleased God because Job was completely honest.

Job knew the word of God.

Psa 7:9  Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
Psa 7:10  [My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart].

3.) Job feared the Lord: Job was a devout man of God.

This does not mean Job was terrified of the Lord though the demons and the devil and his devils are terrified of God. No, Job had faith in God and he respected the Lord and the word of the Lord.

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

4.) Job eschewed evil: Job pleased God!

The Hebrew word “sur sur” is used here which means he would not go anywhere near an evil thing nor would he be a part of anything evil.

Pro 8:13  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

5.) Job was beyond the reproach of men and of God:

Job 4:3  Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Job 4:4  Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
Job 4:5  But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Job 4:6  Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

And of God:

Job 42:8  Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: [for him will I accept]: lest I deal with you after your folly, [in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job].

Verse 2.)

Job had the perfect family:

The numbers 7 and 3 indicates Job had the perfect family because these are perfect numbers. These children followed in the ways of their father.

Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Eph 6:1  Children, [obey your parents in the Lord]: for this is right.
Eph 6:2  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Verse 3.)

Job was blessed of God:

1.) 7000 sheep. Not only for food but it is evident that Job sold wool. The shearing of the sheep was a big deal:

2Sa 13:23  And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

2.) 3000 camels. Not only for transportation but as Job lived on the main caravan route, he had the means of delivering his goods. He had his own trucking fleet. A camel is a beast of burden that can tote upwards of 900 pounds over great distances and in any conditions. In weather from freezing to hot desert conditions.

Job had more camels than the entire nation of Israel when they came back from Babylon.

Ezr 2:67  Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

3.) 500 yoke of oxen. This is 1000 animals but each pair evenly matched. At one time an acre of land was the amount of ground a yoke of oxen could plow in one day. Job had the ability to plow 500 acres every single day. Job was a big time farmer who could ship his harvest anywhere in his part of the world. We know that large tracts would be plowed at one time. Proof:

1Ki 19:19  So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

4.) 500 female donkeys. Not only breeding stock but these animals also beast of burden can tote 30 percent of their own body weight over almost any terrain.

Gen 42:25  Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
Gen 42:26  And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

5.) Many in his house hold. Just to plow the oxen would take 1000 men at a minimum. We already know in Job’s qualifications he had no evil in him it would have been a pleasure to work for Job.

This man was the greatest man in the East at that time. We can see it is not a sin to be rich! Nor is it a sin to be poor. Job would see it both ways.

Verse 4.)

Because of the vast tract of land of Job each of his sons had their own houses probably far apart to help oversee this tremendous farm but what we see is this was a close family who had respect for their sisters. Many in this day and age would not allow the females to eat meals with them. These children of Job were in harmony with each other. The present customs in this area of the world do not allow the women to eat with the men. We can see this does not come from God. The people of this area now do not allow brothers to take ordinary meals with their sisters nor do the wives with their husbands. That is a sad note for the families who live there and even in America we do not take time for families to share meals or in this case of Job’s family the birthday celebrations.

Verse5.)

Even before the Jews had the Laws. Job, a Gentile was sacrificing to God for sin. Why?

Gen 4:25  And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
Gen 4:26  And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: [then began men to call upon the name of the LORD].

There were no laws of any kind at this time. Job had made his own laws to live by and God Himself said Job was a perfect man. The Laws show us what God considers to be sin.

God says:

Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.
Rom 2:12  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Those 613 laws were written for the Jew but they are also for the sinner to learn what God considers as sin:

Gal 3:24  Wherefore [the law was our schoolmaster] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But after you know Jesus Christ as your Savior:

Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, [we are no longer under a schoolmaster].
Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

The Old Testament looks toward Christ.

Job called for his family and made atonement for their sin with a blood sacrifice. He sanctified them in the only
way that would work at that time.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

This is the same way Abel did it:

Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect
unto Abel and to his offering:

Not the false religion of Cain:

Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

We can see that there were no priests because this is before the time of Moses and the children of Israel. IT WAS
THE FATHER OF THE HOUSE THAT SHOULD BE THE PRIEST OF HIS OWN FAMILY AT THIS TIME BUT
IN OUR DAY WE HAVE A HIGH PRIEST. It is still the father of the house that should lead his family in the
ways of the Lord!

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Heb 3:2  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Then you see how faithful Job was: “Thus did Job continually”.

*****Our text:

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Verse 6.)

(sons of God) This exact phrase is used in the Bible eleven times and I believe eleven times it means those humans
that worship the Lord God Almighty. I base what I believe about this on one main verse though there are others:

Heb 1:5  [For unto which of the angels said he (at any time), Thou art my Son], this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

God would never call an angel by the title son! God would never have lost control of this world to any angel or HE WOULD NOT BE GOD! This includes Satan.

IT IS JEHOVAH GOD THAT SITS ON THE THRONE!

The Bible is specific about worship:

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25  [Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together], as the manner of some is; [but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching].

We are to follow the things in Heaven as our example and I assure you the Angels of God are worshiping and
those that love God(the sons of God) are to gather together in worship also.

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, [to them gave he power to become the sons of God], even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, [they are the sons of God].

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, [that we should be called the sons of God]: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

There were none of the Laws of Moses at this time but we know from the Book of Genesis:

Gen 4:26  And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: [then began men to call upon the name of the LORD].

Corporate worship began with the life of Seth in the old world and remember the first thing Noah did when we got out of the ark:

Gen 8:18  And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him:
Gen 8:19  Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
Gen 8:20  And [Noah builded an altar unto the LORD]; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Now it doesn’t say if these men met on the seventh day or any other day but it does say these that had faith in God came together to present themselves before Him.

(And who was there, Satan)

If we believe that when we gather together in our worship service that some of Satan’s followers are not there we are foolish in our beliefs.

Satan cannot be but in one place at a time but he has many followers who gather with God’s people:

Mat 13:25  [But while men slept], his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

The more our Churches sleep the more the “enemy” sows his tares among the wheat! Wake up church!

Even God has said at this time and this place that there are none like Job in the Earth.(verse 8) Job would be Satan’s target this day.

The Bible says:

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Verse 7.) God is omnipresent. He can be at all places at the same time. Satan does not have to be in Heaven to confront God. In fact Jesus Christ said these words:

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

I know that we find these words in the Book of Revelation:

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

But we also know this:

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

This heaven where Satan can dwell is not the same place where we call the throne of God.

It is God that comes down on our level and when He does Satan will confront Him(God) about His(God’s) children. It’s obvious that I can be wrong as many others believe but Satan could never show his nasty self in Heaven ever again or it wouldn’t be Heaven.

Notice how arrogant Satan is here: God already knew what Satan was doing and God knows all the time what Satan is doing.

BUT HE SAYS TO GOD, “OH, I JUST BEEN OUT WALKING AROUND”. We know he is a roaring lion, he is never just out walking around.

The Bible says of Satan:

Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations]!
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

And Again:

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. [When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it].

Satan is never just out walking around on or in this Earth. If you do not believe in an actual devil(Satan) then you need to throw your Bible away because you cannot believe anything else in it either.

Verse 8.)

Satan was doing what he does(Revelation 12:10). You see God already knew Satan had come for Job:

We know that God never changes so this example of Peter:

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN TRUE WITH JOB!

We know that anywhere the Word of God is preached Satan or at least one of his followers will be there immediately:

Mar 4:15  And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, [Satan cometh immediately], and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Satan has not changed in all these years because his methods still work. If the Lord was not “praying” for us when we come under Satan’s attack we would be easy prey for the Devil. Add to that, Satan needs the permission of God BEFORE he can attack God’s children as we will soon see.

God knew exactly who Satan had his sights set on. Satan thought if he could take down Job or make him look real bad it would kill his testimony and more souls would be lost. We can be sure Job not only had a big influence on his family but on everyone he came in contact with.

James says:

Jas 2:14  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18  [Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works].
Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

God’s own words were that there are none on the Earth like Job. You cannot be a pew sitter and please God!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: [for he that cometh to God must believe that he is], and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1Th 4:1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us [how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more].

Verse 9-10)

Here again we see how arrogant Satan is. There is no doubt God blesses us much more than we deserve. But Satan says of Job, “anyone that has been given the things that Job has would worship you(God)”. Satan accuses God of buying Job’s affection with gifts. What we do know about God is that He loves everyone which is why He sent Jesus Christ to pay our sin debt:

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We also know that we are all on an equal standing with God:

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: [for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust].

It is for sure that blessings come to those that know God:

Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deu 28:3  Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
Deu 28:4  Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
Deu 28:5  Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
Deu 28:6  Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

These blessings had come upon Job because he had been obedient to the word of God. Not because God paid him for being a good man. You cannot buy favor with God and He saves us through His “Grace” which is a free gift.

Does God have a hedge of protection around all His children. YOU BETTER KNOW AND BE SURE THAT HE DOES. There is nothing in this world that can harm a child of God UNLESS HE ALLOWS IT. And if He allows it then it was something that we needed to fulfill the purpose He has for each and every one of us.

Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, [to them who are the called according to his purpose].

Satan also has a purpose in the realm of God. When God finishes with this evil thing HE WILL BE THROWN IN THE BURNING LAKE OF FIRE.

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan needs the permission of God to touch one hair of God’s children but he does not need that same permission for those that reject the word of God.

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, [who are taken captive by him at his will].

Verse 11-12.)

Here is where we ask the question why? We can see that Satan could not do anything unless God allowed him to. We who have read the Bible know the end result of this time of Job but still the question is why?

So what else do we know? It is easy to see why Satan wanted Job to fail. Job had a tremendous testimony for God. We will not get to much into it in this study for lack of time but we could see by the friends of Job, who were all lost may have gotten saved. We know this would be rejoiced in Heaven.

Here is a good question: CAN GOD BE SO GOOD THAT HE IS LOVED JUST FOR HIM SELF?

Jesus said:

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Job loved God this very way so why test him: My Pastor, Sam Duncan has said many times “there must first be a “test” before there is a “testimony”. We can believe that the testimony of Job was much greater after these things he went through.

God will never test us more than we can bear:

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

God will never leave us:

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be [content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee].

God wrote all these things down so we could know the truth of the Bible:

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Do all these things make us fill better when we suffer? Remember Job was not sin free but he was perfect in the eyes of God. He was upright. He feared the Lord and He absolutely would not go near anything evil.

That answer is NO?

We read of Joseph and know things worked out for the best for the whole nation of Israel.

Hear the words of Joseph when he understood:

Gen 50:19  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

God needed some one to be where Joseph was at this time. It took Joseph more than 20 years to realize this truth. There are many other such examples in the Bible. The main one being the Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

God knows how Satan will take advantage of every situation but every believer that stands firm in the word of God will win every battle with Satan:

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and [he will flee from you].
Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

*****Our text:

Job 1:20  Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Job 1:21  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.
Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

What were the words Satan had said about Job? (Verse 10-11) Satan had said if you take away all of Job’s wealth he will curse you(GOD) to your face.

Between verse 12 and verse 20 these things happened in one day:

1.) 1000 oxen and 500 donkeys were stolen by the Sabeans. JOB DID NOT MOVE
2.) Lightning killed 7000 sheep. JOB DID NOT MOVE
3.) 3000 camels stolen by the Chaldeans. JOB DID NOT MOVE
4.) Many of his servants were killed and murdered. JOB DID NOT MOVE
5.) His business is ruined. JOB DID NOT MOVE
6.) A Tornado killed all the sons and daughters of Job. His loved ones are destroyed. NOW JOB MOVED

God raised His hand of protection for just a moment and we can see it didn’t take long for Satan to makes his move.

Verse 20-21.)

(then Job arose)

Not until Job had gotten the word of the death of his children was he deeply moved.

1.) He arose from his sitting position. This news was overwhelming.
2.) He tore his clothing. In Eastern cultures this was a display, an outward sign of grief. We would hang a wreath on our door in most cases.
3.) He shaved his head. The shaving of the head was to show that he was deprived in the loss of his children. Notice Job had not grieved at the loss of his possessions.
4.) In spite of what Satan had said Job did not curse God but HE WORSHIPED GOD.  He humbled himself before the Lord.

YOU SEE SATAN IS FULL OF LIES AND HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN OUR LORD.

Job 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”.

God told Adam:

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, [till thou return unto the ground]; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Wise king Solomon wrote:

Ecc 12:7  [Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it].

Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles wrote:

1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

You see Job understood what Salvation really meant:

Job 19:25  [For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth]:
Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, [yet in my flesh shall I see God]:
Job 19:27  [Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another]; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job never gave a thought of blaming Satan. Satan has no power over the Christian unless allowed of God. Satan has tried his best to remain hidden behind the scenes of all evil. So much so that many in the world deny his existence. Satan is real! He is behind every murder, every sickness and every evil thing on this Earth!

Luk 13:16  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Job went straight to the One that has all the answers. We know that Job sacrificed to the Lord often. He may have done that first thing or he may have been on his way to his place of worship when these messengers came. Needless to say in all this turmoil in his life he continued to worship the Lord.

Verse 22.)

Satan again is the liar:

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

*****Our text:

Job 2:7  So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
Job 2:8  And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Again a congregation of believers are gathered before the Lord to worship. We can be sure that Job is the hot topic. Without a doubt Satan showed his ugly self again. He had failed with turning Job away from God. You see that does not matter to him because Satan wants to destroy every one that calls on God.

Joh 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 God still says Job is perfect, upright, God fearing and he still hates all sort of evil. Notice what else God says. “and still he holdeth fast his integrity”.

What a testimony that Job had: What is integrity? Job was unbroken by the things that had happened to him. He still had a moral character, he was upright in his dealings with people. He still worshiped the one true God.

The Hebrew word used here “tummah” means Job was still “innocent” of wrong doing before God.

Satan immediately said that Job had only done so well because “he cared more for his self than anything else in the world. In other words Job had been “sinfully selfish”. Satan said “all that man hath will he give for his life”. Most of the world has this philosophy but the Born Again child of God has no fear of death. Death is a STEP UP to the children of God.

2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
2Co 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

We can see that Job felt this way.

God gave Satan the permission to affect Job’s body but not with death. Job had no way of knowing these things. He just placed his faith in God.

Where was the first place we have seen these boils?

The Book of Exodus shows us these boils in one of the plagues of Egypt:

Exo 9:11  And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

Notice these magicians could not stand because of the boils! Job was covered with these boils from his head to his feet. The object of Satan was PAIN. Pain so severe it would cause Job to sin and turn against God. Not only was this severely painful but it was also humiliating and loathsome for Job.

The Hebrew word used here is “shechin” which means “to burn with inflammation”.

Not just “boils” but “sore boils”: The Hebrew word “raah” is used for “an evil malignant affliction”.

We have already seen those magicians of Pharaoh could not even stand and I’m sure Job was in much worse shape. Satan intended to bring Job to his knees, totally destroying his faith and his person.

How could I have ever been so foolish to ignore the word of God. We can see that the world suffers, NOT BECAUSE OF GOD, [BUT BECAUSE OF SATAN]!

(Job sat down in ashes) It was to painful for Job to stand and we find that Job told God these words:

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Job did not have a sinful selfish feeling for himself. HE HAD A REPENTFUL HUMBLE SPIRIT ABOUT HIM.

Satan again was proven wrong! Satan again was a liar!

The Bible says:

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1Pe 2:13  Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
1Pe 2:14  Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
1Pe 2:15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing [ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men]:
1Pe 2:16  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1Pe 2:17  Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Satan left the scene again defeated by a simple God fearing, God loving man.

The Bible tells us these words:

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Some suffering in the world is due to the curse caused by Adam.
Some suffering in the world is due to our sin nature again because of Adam.
But only the Christian can suffer in the way of Job if God allows such suffering and God will never allow more than we can stand and He will not allow anything that we cannot grow and learn from and make us a stronger servant more fit for His purpose.

(His wife)

Remember the wife of Job had lost everything that Job had lost. She was his helpmate and she not only suffered herself but she saw her husband suffer. She probably thought Job would never recover from his sickness. We can see that this wife had turned her heart against God.

“Dost thou still retain thine integrity?” ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE STILL INNOCENT JOB, WHY DON’T YOU JUST  “curse God, and die”.

JOB SAID: Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh.

Job didn’t call his wife foolish but he said “you sure do sound like one of those foolish women”.

You know when gossip begins in the Church it can affect our relationships at home.

Through these trying times Job had proven himself to be a faithful man of God.

God said: “In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”

These things come to us in our daily lives to make us stronger, maturing our faith. When suffering comes get on your knees before God and ask for mercy but the best thing to ask for “PLEASE GOD GO WITH ME”.

Remember these words of Jesus:

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Jesus is praying for us everyday:

The Bible says:

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Jesus says I will never leave you nor forsake you:

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

WE MUST NEVER HAVE A SELFISH SINFUL ATTITUDE FOR OUR OWN SELVES BECAUSE WE ARE NEVER ALONE IN THIS WORLD. WE NEED TO WAIT ON THE LORD IN ALL THINGS OF OUR LIVES ON THIS EARTH!

The Bible says:

Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Let’s pray!