JOB AND THE END OF HIS LIFE

Our text:

Job 42:7-17

Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

My Pastor Sam Duncan has told a story of Maze Jackson many times. Maze Jackson was a tremendous Evangelist who has gone on to be with the Lord. But it seems that when Maze would get ready to go somewhere to preach he would always go to the passenger side of his car and open the door. He would then get in on the drivers side. When asked about this he would say “I was letting the Lord in so He could go with me”. What Job had forgotten was the God had never left him during this time when he thought he had lost everything and had buried all his children. These things had broken Job to the point where he just didn’t want to live anymore. He was in a real need for comfort but that comfort never came from those around him. Comfort can only come from the Lord!

In typology Job is a type of Christ. Christ gave up Heaven’s throne and Heaven’s riches to come down to this Earth and put on some flesh so He could pay my sin debt and your sin debt and all the sin debt of this world forever.

You see God had not answered Job because Job had not prayed and asked. Job was truly a righteous man who had done nothing wrong even in the eyes of God. God has said this many times. There was not a more moral man in the land where Job dwelled. There was not a more loving father than Job was to his family. Do you see the comparison to Christ Jesus.

Yet Job had not prayed. Not praying is a sin unto God:

Samuel prayed:

1Sa 12:23  Moreover as for me, God forbid [that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you]: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

Not praying for the lost, not praying for our leaders, not praying for each other is worse than murder, than adultery, than every other sin. Prayerlessness is the greater sin!

Jesus Christ prayed for us over 2000 years ago:

Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, [but for them also which shall believe on me through their word];

I may not have gotten saved without this prayer of Jesus nor anyone else. If we are to be followers of Christ, true Christians then we must pray. When we know what to do and refuse to do it then we have the greater sin.

Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

The Bible says:

Heb 2:3  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Let’s be solid in our prayer life and be more like Christ Jesus.

Jesus Christ was innocent of all guilt. He was free from guilt. He had not violated any law. He was pure and upright. He had done no evil action or crime.

Even Judas the betrayer realized this:

Mat 27:3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Mat 27:4  Saying, [I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood]. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

You see Job was innocent yet these men had tried to convince him of guilt. We can see the work of Satan behind these things of Job and we can see the work of Satan behind the destruction of Christ Jesus on that cross. We can see that God does things that we may not understand but they were necessary in order that we have eternal life. So why do the Christians have to suffer.

1.) We suffer because Christ suffered. Jesus said:

Luk 9:22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luk 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

The Bible says:

Act 13:28  And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

God is not the cause of this suffering but there is one called the Devil that is to blame:

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

1Jn 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

There are some other reasons we should consider:

2.) We suffer so that Satan can be silenced:

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.

3.) We suffer that we might put God first again in our lives:

Rev 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

4.) We suffer sometimes because we just do not see ourselves properly: (He has to wake us up)

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.

5.) We suffer because we judge others: (Job was innocent of this but not his friends)

Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

6.) We suffer because we do not pray properly: (Job lashed out when he should have prayed)

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.

7.) We suffer sometimes to prove that God’s plan is always the right plan:

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.

WE MUST LEARN AND GROW FROM EVERY THING GOD BRINGS INTO OUR LIVES!

They will come and they will pass.

Psa 25:12  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
Psa 25:13  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
Psa 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Psa 25:15  Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Psa 25:16  Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
Psa 25:17  The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
Psa 25:18  Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
Psa 25:19  Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
Psa 25:20  O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Psa 25:21  Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

*****Our Text:

Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
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.
Job 42:9  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.

1.) What we immediately see in this verse is that again God says that Job spoke of things that were right.

Look at those words (My servant). The Lord knows who His children are.

The Bible says:

Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

2.) We see that Eliphaz and his(HIS) two friends would now see the mercy of God and not His wrath.

It was these three that gotten together before they came to Job. They may have had good intentions but because they did not know God they did not know how to comfort Job.

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

We can see the influence of Satan on these that are called friends of Job.

The Bible says:

1Ti 3:7  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

What we do not see: We do not see anything of Elihu. God does not acknowledge him. When the serpent went after Eve, God rebuke the serpent. I am sure God knew what Satan was doing at that time but the animal(the snake) belonged to God. Elihu could have been a manifestation of Satan or some human being used of Satan but he also will have his day.

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].

The sacrifice:

From this it appears that Job was considered as a priest, not only to his own family, but also to others. For his children he offered burnt offerings Job 1:5, and now he is to make the same kind of offerings, accompanied with intercession, in behalf of his three friends. This is a full proof of the innocence and integrity of Job.

These men had seen a manifestation of the Lord God Almighty, they would see His “grace” on this occasion but only through the Blood.

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

And God accepted Job:

Pro 3:11  My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Pro 3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

Ecc 9:7  Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

*****Our Text:

Job 42:10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:11  Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
Job 42:13  He had also seven sons and three daughters.
Job 42:14  And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
Job 42:15  And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

We can see that with all that had happened to Job, he was still better off than those that were around him. No matter what we are going through, every soul we come in contact with should see us as a witness for the love of God. A “Born Again” child of God will never loose his or her salvation but we are always around those that are lost and will spend an eternity in hell. When we do not show a good witness to them we may have condemned them to death. God places us everyone where we are at to be missionaries where we live. If we will not witness for Him where we live He will not ask us to go elsewhere to witness.

When Job prayed for his friends God place that hedge of protection back around Job and closed the door to Satan. Job received twice what he had had.

Prayer brings:

1.) Reconciliation:

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2.) Forgiveness:

Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

3.) Restoration:

Heb 13:18  Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Heb 13:19  But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Heb 13:20  Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Heb 13:21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord God gave Job twice as much as he had had. It was the first born son of the family that usually got this honor. God would soon put this as a law to the children of Israel.

Birthright:  The advantages accruing to the eldest son. These were not definitely fixed in patriarchal times. Great respect was paid to him in the household, and, as the family widened into a tribe, this grew into a sustained authority, undefined save by custom, in all matters of common interest. Thus the “princes” of the congregation had probably rights of first born. Gradually, the rights of the eldest son came to be more definite:

(1) The functions of the priesthood in the family with the paternal blessing.
(2) A “double portion” of the paternal property was allotted by the Mosaic law.
(3) The eldest son succeeded to the official authority of the father.

We can see that Jesus Christ our Lord was the first born to our Father God who is in Heaven.

The first thing Job received was to have his family restored to him. True comfort finally came. It seems when we are in need of comfort, those that are closest to us can have a better understanding of what we are going through. Our Church family can learn much from this study of Job.

Satan was defeated and he will always be defeated by the child of God that remains steadfast in the word of God.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and [having done all, to stand].

Because:

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: [because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world].

We might say that Job did not get twice as many children but Job’s first children were raised in a godly home where their father the priest of the family had performed the sacrifices continually for them. Job will be reunited with these first children at his death when he gets to Heaven.

2Co 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
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.

Notice again in the Book of Job. We have already establish the location of Job. Basically where Syria, Iraq, Iran and Arabia. The females received the same respect as the men from the word of God. This does not take place in these areas now in our time.

The Bible says:

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

This holds true no matter where we live. God teaches that man be head of the family but man is to love women as he loves himself.

Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives [as their own bodies]. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29  [For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it], even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and [they two shall be one flesh].

The three daughters:

1.) Jemima which means “warm and affectionate” The warmth of a Dove.

2.) Kezia which comes from the word Cassia. Cassia is made into an essential oil and used in therapy. Cassia is also aromatic that causes soothing and calming. It is called Cinnamon sometimes. This child had a pleasant aroma even therapeutic.

3.) Kerenhappuch which means cosmetics. This child had a natural complexion that you would think was painted on her.

*****Our Text:

Job 42:16  After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
Job 42:17  So Job died, being old and full of days.

If we believe that Job even was blessed with double his years then Job would have been seventy years old when all this took place. If my aching bones can make it and the Lord has not come to take us home, I would not mind hanging around to see my grandchildren’s children. Life is beautiful to those that know the Lord as Savior. Job died in the Lord but he died satisfied. He died knowing he had done everything he morally could to be a witness to his family.

What we see as we end this short study in the Book of Job is that God does not offer to explain what has happened to Job. God does not owe us any explanation for watching out for us and doing the right things for us in order to serve Him better. Like I said earlier if you worked for Job you would have had great pleasure in your work. If you happen to have known Job as a friend it would have been a great pleasure to meet such a godly man.

I’m sure when Job came face to face with the Lord he heard these words:

Mat 25:23  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

We are bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. He owns us yet it is a great pleasure to serve Him and to know Him and our glory will come when we get to Heaven and in His presence. I love you Jesus!

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Let’s Pray!

JOB AND JEHOVAH GOD

Text: Job 38-42:6

Focus 38:1-7; 40:3-9; 42:1-6

As we wind down this short study of Job we must realize as always that God is speaking to Job but His message is also to all those that are mentioned as friends but more importantly to all the children of God and whoever reads God’s word. God gives us some amazing information in these ending chapters. He will challenge all who are Evolutionist and Non-Believers though the word of God is intended for the Believer.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

What we all should understand in our prayers and in all things related to our relationship with Our Lord and Savior is that God will have the last word.

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

God does not explain what He does because everything He does is righteous. In other words what God does is the right thing to do ALL THE TIME.

Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

There is not one child of God alive or that has ever been alive that would not have struggled going through the things that Job suffered. We just do not know why these things happen nor can we understand them. What we do know is that when we die we are going to Heaven. What awaits God’s children is Paradise! What awaits God’s children is Eternal life in that Paradise. God gave us the whole book. There are no missing Books of the Bible. If we look in the Book of Revelation we can see the end of the story. The Saint of God, the Child of God, the Saved of God will be with Our Lord Jesus in the end and we need only remember these things and while we are here we need to concentrate on the pleasant things God has already given to us.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

God does not battle with Satan but He will show Satan just how foolish and wrong he is some times as He did this time with Job. Satan cannot dictate a thing to the Lord. Satan cannot touch a saint of God without God’s express permission. If you are working hard for Christ you are the real enemy of Satan and he will probably ask God for permission to destroy you. Satan went after Jesus, he will not hesitate to take on those that believe on Jesus Christ.

“kick him in the head Lord Jesus”

God proved to Satan that His children love Him for who He is and not for what He can give to them. There is no greater gift than Eternal life in Heaven.

We do not need to know about all the battles of Good versus Evil that happen in our life times. God gives us these examples in His Holy Word for us to learn from.

Let’s keep the main thing the Main Thing!

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  [In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation]: [in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise],
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance [until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory].

ARE YOU A PURCHASED POSSESSION? Then lets act like it.

The words of the Apostle Paul:

Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, [which he hath purchased with his own blood].

Friends, Christ climbed on that cross to save us. He knew that there was no other way. He was glad to pay the price for our salvation:

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

*****Our Text:

Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Job 38:4  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Job 38:5  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Job 38:6  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
Job 38:7  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

The first thing we see is that God answered. God never forgets his children.

In Genesis we saw that God remembered Noah:

Gen 8:1  And [God remembered Noah], and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

Abraham:

Gen 19:29  And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that [God remembered Abraham], and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

Rachel:

Gen 30:22  And [God remembered Rachel], and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

Hannah:

1Sa 1:19  And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and [the LORD remembered her].

God remembers His Covenants:

Exo 2:24  And God heard their groaning, and [God remembered his covenant] with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

God remembers false Religion:

Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and [great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath].

You see God does not forget anything but, Praise the Lord there are some things He chooses not to remember:

What is a pardon?

The forgiveness of sins granted freely:

Isa 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and [will not remember thy sins].

My Lord says:

1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Did Job have knowledge?

Job knew of his salvation!

Job 14:13  O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Job 14:14  If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, [till my change come].

Job knew of his future resurrection:

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].

If Job did anything wrong it was that he felt that he had served God with all his heart and his suffering was not suppose to happen. Job did not have the word of God to study. Job is the first Book of the written word of God. In fact the Book of Job is probably the first written word in all the world and Job had plenty of time after his time of suffering to write it all down. Job probably lived 140 years after these things. Remember God rewarded him double as we will learn in the next lesson.

The Bible says:

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

What will God do now?

He will teach Job, his friends and all of us that IT IS HE THAT SITS ON THE THRONE!

1.) WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENDURE THE PAIN OF LIFE KNOWING HEAVEN IS IN OUR FUTURE!
2.) JESUS WILL NEVER DISAPPOINT NOR WILL HE EVER FAIL US!

God ask the whole world, “WERE YOU THERE WHEN I CREATED THIS WORLD”?

It’s obvious that no one saw how this world was created nor will they ever figure out how God did it.

Heb 1:8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Heb 1:9  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Heb 1:10  And, [Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands]:

When a home is built somebody will pull a line to get a straight wall or a line to plumb a wall. God ask do you know who pulled the line to build this world we live in?

What we should remember is that God will always speak to us through our storms of life. In all the trials of Job he was looking for explanations. He was not giving any thought to the lessons he could learn nor for Spiritual growth.

God would ask Job 77 questions before he would allow Job to speak. He ask us these same questions. Read these chapters and ask yourself each one of these questions. Your answer may surprise you. From the beginning of creation Satan has cast doubt in all mankind about the Word of God. We see that it still goes on today. These lies are told over and over again.

We must have faith in the word of God and that starts with believing that there is such a God who can do these things.

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].

Are you seeking the knowledge of God. God has given us His completed Word. The Bible is the way the Lord speaks to us now. If God is to reveal something for you, IT WILL BE THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD. There are no more prophets, no more apostles, and there will not be another cross. We have the completed Word of God. Before we look for a special purpose for our lives, we need to be obedient to the Word He has already given to us. God will not reveal a His specific will for us until we are obedient to His Word that He has already given to us.

*****Our Text:

Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5  Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

The very first thing we see here is that once Job has seen the revelation of God in this whirlwind he knows his own righteousness is as filthy rags and he humbles himself before God.

God tells us to come boldly to His throne but we need to humble ourselves when we get there. I cannot get in to see the President. I cannot get in to see the Governor but I can boldly go to my Father who is in Heaven at any time but when I get there I better be humble.

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Jas 4:5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Jas 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Mat 23:11  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Mat 23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

When we try to find fault with our Lord or try to blame Him for the things that go wrong in our lives we have over stepped our boundaries. God is God, He will do whatever He pleases anytime He wants to.

Isa 46:8  Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
Isa 46:9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and [I will do all my pleasure]:

If we truly want to get a picture of the day we face God and we will let’s take a look at Daniel:

Dan 8:17  So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
Dan 8:18  Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

Every saint of God will face Jesus at the judgement seat of Christ. This will not be for our salvation as that has already been taken care of:

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We will be judged in order to receive rewards for what we have done since being saved. Every sin we have and ever will commit has been forgiven, pardoned.

What is really sad is that every man, woman, and child that died not knowing Christ as their Savior will also face Him:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Do you realize that every one of these at the white throne will also be a believer. It did not take but a second for them to realize there was a real true God when they got to Hell. That will not change a thing because their names still will not be in the Lambs book of life.

The Bible says:

Isa 14:26  This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
Isa 14:27  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

*****Our Text:

Job 42:1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Will God allow us to speak? What we will find out is that Job had not committed a sin with his mouth during this whole time. Job was a righteous man. God had said so Himself on several occasions. Job had to bury all his children. This was the one thing that brought Job to his knees but it had taken him a long time to get there. You know God sees His children die and go to hell everyday by the thousands. He doesn’t ask very much from us but He does ask us to be a witness of His “GRACE”.

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

The Saint, the Saved:

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The Lost:

Luk 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23  And [in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments], and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

If we witness and not judge:

Dan 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The bottom line is that as mortal human beings we cannot think on the scale with a Holy God:

Psa 139:2  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psa 139:3  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Psa 139:4  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psa 139:5  Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Psa 139:6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Everything we do and everything that happens to us is under the watchful eye of our Creator. He knows what we go through and He cares for us:

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

God will always do the right thing in our lives and bless those that love Him:

Psa 40:4  Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psa 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

The Lord will never forsake 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.
Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Not many of us will go through the hardships and suffering that Job went through but we all will have our trials and tribulations. Many will be painful but we must know one thing, WE WILL NOT GO THROUGH THEM ALONE. CHRIST JESUS WILL WALK WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND HE WILL BE PRAYING FOR US ALL THE WHILE.

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, [my peace I give unto you]: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Joh 14:18  [I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you].

Joh 16:27  [For the Father himself loveth you], because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

Joh 17:9  [I pray for them: I pray not for the world], but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Joh 17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Joh 17:20  [Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word];
Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

We may never see God as Job did in that whirlwind but if we cannot see Him in our lives then we need to go back to the altar and repent. I know I have already gotten more blessings than I deserved. If I only get to go to Heaven then why should I ask for more. If we will look back to where we came from before we were saved and realize the Glory that awaits us in Heaven we should be able to go through our trials and still remain at peace.

I LOVE YOU JESUS.

Let’s Pray!

JOB AND ELIHU

As Job is confronted with his so called friends we meet someone (Elihu) who is never acknowledged of God. A brash young man who knows nothing of Spiritual things.

Text Job 32-37

Focus Job 32:1-4; 33:12-14,17,18,28-30; 37:14, 22-24

Job had been in grief and agony and had been pushed aside by his own family for clinging to the Word of God.

Job 6:15  My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

Job 19:13  He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

Job’s kinfolk had forgotten him because he clung to God’s Word. Job’s familiar friends had forgotten him in his need.

Job 19:14  My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

Those employed by Job had abandoned him.

Job 19:15  They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
Job 19:16  I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.

Job’s wife would not listen to her own husband but criticized him.

Job 19:17  My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.

Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

All those that Job loved had turned against him.

Job 19:19  All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

This is an example of our own future and not so far away. It goes on now in many countries to those that call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus foretold of this:

Luk 21:15  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16  And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

So who is this Elihu?

*****Our text:

Job 32:1  So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Job 32:2  Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
Job 32:3  Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
Job 32:4  Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.

Was Job righteous in his own eyes? It is believed that this time of Job was before the Laws of Moses. There were 10 moral laws that have been the basis of law in the entire free world for many centuries. These were called the Ten Commandments. There were actually 613 laws given to the children of Israel. These laws were not given to anyone else even though God said they were good laws to live by and to learn what He considered to be sin.

1.) Those that obeyed the Law would be justified before God:

Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

2.) The Gentiles were never given these laws:

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:

But some do by nature the things that are contained in the law “such as Job”.

3.) These laws are the schoolmaster to the world until, we know Jesus Christ as our savior.

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

If you read the Book of Job you will see that he was well ahead of the Ten Commandments in serving the Lord God Jehovah. In fact God said Job was perfect:

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.

Did this mean Job was sin free? NO, Job knew he was a sinner but Job knew he had not committed a sin that he had not confessed to God. Job had no hidden sin!

Was Job righteous in his own eyes.? I believe YES would be that answer. Job was truly a righteous man! We simply cannot forget that our own righteousness means nothing to God.

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.

There is not one person in Heaven or that will be in Heaven that got there by his own works and neither could Job!

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ our Lord:

Rom 5:17  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 10:4  [For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth].

If all of us could be as righteous as Job and make it into Heaven then THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO DIE FOR OUR SIN!

Gal 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Our righteousness can only come through Christ Jesus:

Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

*****Elihu: There are many commentaries of Elihu but besides what he says of himself we know nothing about him.

1.) He was not friend, nor family but possibly some young man that just heard an argument and decided to get involved in it. Elihu is presented as a “Buzite”. His lineage has contributed to his character. The Hebrew noun “buz” means “contemptuous or contemptible” and occurs several other times in The Book of Job:

In Job 12:5 the Hebrew Word Buz means “despised”.
In Job 12:21 the Hebrew word Buz means “contempt”.
In Genesis this word Buz is used for “shamed”

In the Book of Psalms we read of the word Buz:

Psa 31:18  Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and [contemptuously] against the righteous.

2.) Elihu is said to be an angry youth, frustrated with Job and his three friends. We find that most of our young people express this same thing in our day. Frustrated with the things of this world and angry at all of us.

3.) Elihu claims to be filled with the Spirit of the Almighty but he strangely describes himself as being filled with the spirit of wine to such an extent that he has to vent. That spirit with which Elihu is filled is not the spirit of the Almighty. The Hebrew there is literally “the spirit or wind of my belly swells.” Elihu is bloated and puffed up by his arrogance.

4.) Elihu admits twice that what he offers is opinion, not knowledge. (Job 32:6,17) Elihu then turns around and claims he has the perfect knowledge only God could have. “For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is before you.” (Job 36:4) All Elihu has to offer is “opinion” not knowledge.

5.) Elihu promises he will be impartial (Job 32:21) and not repeat the arguments of Job’s friends. (Job 32:14) Yet that is precisely what he does. And those arguments will later be condemned by God himself. (Job 42:7)

6.) Elihu says he will speak in the place of God (Job 33:6). If you are going to speak for God, you better be reading out of His Book, the Holy Bible!

7.) In spite of this description of Elihu, he condemns Job many times.

1.) That Job is a sinner.
2.) That it is blasphemy to force God’s hand.
3.) That it is blasphemy to demand that God give an answer to the question of why there is evil in the world.

*****Our text:

Job 33:12  Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
Job 33:13  Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
Job 33:14  For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

Job is righteous and he knows it. God has declared him righteous three times already. Job has repeated that claim to integrity. He has bolstered it with an Oath of Innocence, whereby he has put his temporal and eternal life on the line. It is all staked on his righteousness. Job is righteous in his own eyes and rightly so. Yet many assume Job is a sinner to demand that God give an answer to the question of why there is evil in the world.

Job 1:1  The very first verse says Job was perfect and upright.
Job 1:8  God tells Satan Job is perfect and upright.
Job 2:3 God tells Satan Job is still perfect and upright after losing all his possessions.
Job 23:11-12 Tells us that Job has always followed the word of God.
Job 31: List the Moral Laws Job has written for himself to go by.
Job 9:20-22 Tells us that Job knew he was a sinner saved by the “Grace” of God and how he humbled himself to God.

Job 9:20  If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
Job 9:21  Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
Job 9:22  This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

Job had done everything he knew that God had wanted him to do. Job was truly a righteous man. Not because I say so but because God said so.

Elihu claims to be an innocent man that can speak for God:

Job 33:8  Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
Job 33:9  I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

All we know of Elihu is his opinion and we know that God never acknowledges him at all. Elihu was sent of Satan and tries to preach a twisted truth of God.

Elihu says himself he is giving his own opinion:

Job 32: 6, 10, 17.

The Bible tells us:

1Ti 6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Satan will attack us at any time but if we seem weak he will mount his greatest attacks.

The Bible says:

Mat 4:1  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Satan did not go near Jesus until He had fasted for 40 days and was very hungry.

Satan went after Job only after he had taken away everything Job had even his children. Satan still loses the battle.

Even when we are going through the things we do not understand we must hold on to the word of God and the truth of the Gospel of Christ. There is a reason and a purpose for everything that happens. In this case of Job, God showed Satan that the Children of God are strong because they love Him not because He blesses them. Satan loses this battle every time.

*****Our text:

Job 37:14  Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

Job 37:22  Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
Job 37:23  Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.
Job 37:24  Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

Elihu is dictating his opinion to God’s man. I do not believe that there is anyone else in the Bible that suffered as much as Job did of course we cannot include Jesus who suffered more than anyone. The troubles of Job were intense. Job lost everything he had including his friends but the death of his children devastated him. Not many then nor now have a clue to what Job was going through. You would have to be one of the Jews saved from Hitler’s death camps to understand this kind of suffering. Let me say that there is tremendous persecution of God’s children in some places now who also suffer a lot like Job did.

Now Elihu continues to explain to us and Job just how wondrous God is. Remember Elihu says he is speaking in behalf of God or FOR GOD.

Job 36:1  Elihu also proceeded, and said,
Job 36:2  Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.

“Behalf” means as an agent he (Elihu) will substitute himself in place of God to judge the actions of Job.

The Bible says:

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Job had already described the predecessors of Elihu:

Job 13:3  Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
Job 13:4  But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

Job 13:7  Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
Job 13:8  Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
Job 13:9  Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

Elihu was also in this group.

A short time later, Elihu unwittingly adopts a position that Satan himself has presented in the first scene in heaven.

“Let us choose what is right; let us determine among ourselves what is good.

Job had already warned all these men, Elihu included, not to show deceit or partiality on behalf of God when discussing the question of why there is evil in the world.

Job 13:6  Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Job 13:7  Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
Job 13:8  Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
Job 13:9  Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
Job 13:10  He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
Job 13:11  Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
Job 13:12  Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

And Job said:

Job 13:15  Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job 13:16  He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

Jesus said:

Mat 16:1  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Mat 16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

God is not a great thunderstorm but He has His way in them:

Nah 1:2  God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
Nah 1:3  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

When the Lord came up in this storm he had nothing to say to Elihu.

Troubles may always make us question what we thought was true but we should never doubt eternal truth. We should cling to our beliefs and believe in them. The word “doubt” should not be in our vocabulary when it comes to the Lord.

Satan had sent these men to try to cause Job to “doubt” in his relation with God. We will see that Job never wavered in his trust. He certainly didn’t understand. We do not get to see the big picture but we should remember some things:

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
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].
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

This was just as true in the day of Job and God has shown us this example to know that these things do happen.

Job proved to Satan that a man can love God enough on his own to stay true to His commandments.

You know Satan walked away from Job and probably never tempted him again and if we are as strong as Job and trust in God and Love Him With All Our Might, Satan will move on to someone else. We know these things and this is why God says:

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 in a battle daily and we need each other to be strong as the day is approaching for our ascension into Heaven.

The Bible Says:

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Let’s Pray!

JOB AND HIS FRIENDS

Text: Job 2:11-31:40

Focus: Job 2:11-3:3; 16:1-5

As we go through the Book of Job let’s keep the main thing the “Main Thing”. IT IS JEHOVAH GOD THAT SITS ON THE THRONE! The God of the Bible.

Keep in mind “Real friends comfort with God’s comfort”!

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, [that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God].

Job said of these three:

Job 16:1  Then Job answered and said,
Job 16:2  I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

We must not forget why Job is in this position:

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.

Job 2:6  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

We know this is on two separate occasions because of what God said:

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].

Even God said there was no reason on this Earth to destroy Job. If God says it then it must be true!

I know I am a long way from understanding many things in the Bible but there is one thing I’m sure of. God gave all humans the freedom of choice. I believe He also gave all the angels this same freedom of choice. In creation there is a theory that Satan destroyed God’s first creation and God rebuilt it. In the time of Noah there are those that teach that it was the evil angels of Satan that took wives of humans and created the giants and all evil before the flood. I believe that in order for either of these things to happen God would have lost control of Satan and his angel followers for a period of time.

I JUST ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT MY ALMIGHTY LIVING GOD IS NOT IN TOTAL CONTROL OF ALL HIS CREATION AT ALL TIMES, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE. TO BE ANYTHING LESS WOULD CAUSE ME TO DOUBT HIS SAVING POWER. IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW SATAN TO HAVE POWERS THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE.

What we know about Job:

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.

What we know about Satan:

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:

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

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?

(prince and not King)

1.) We have God’s greatest witness at this time on the Earth. (“this man was perfect”)
2.) We have the roaring lion Satan who has been given freedom under the watchful eye of the Almighty God who is the one in control of this world and all creation. (“because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”)
3.) We have Job’s trial. (1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:)
4.) We have Job’s so called friends.

a.) The friends of Job are not saved. They do not know God, though they may know about Him from the witness of Job:

Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, [My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends]: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
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.

These are more the friends of Eliphaz than friends of Job. We can also see God would allow a sacrifice of their sin. Job was priest to his own family but God would allow Job to sacrifice for these that could not.

Note this as we learn to be witnesses for Jesus. These could not pray for themselves.

Psa 66:18  If I regard iniquity(sin) in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

But Job as a righteous man could pray for them:

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. [The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much].

b.) Elihu is not mentioned at all by God: (Unless you can count this verse):

Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

God will not call out the name of anyone that does not know Him as Savior!

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, [I never knew you]: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

For what is knowledge?

Pro 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

c.) God said:

Luk 21:16  And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

“Real” friends can see the needs of their friends:

1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

It seems that before Job was afflicted by Satan these were probably some that Job could have considered his friends. Most of the time things change once the riches are gone.

Pro 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Pro 27:14  He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

but:

Pro 19:6  Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

*****Our text:

Job 2:11  Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
Job 2:12  And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Job 2:13  So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

We know of the existence of the postman these days:

Job 9:25  Now my days are [swifter than a post]: they flee away, they see no good.

We can assume that news would travel pretty fast up and down the caravan routes of this time. Especially of someone as rich as Job. What we must notice is that these friends got together with themselves to make sure they all came at the same time. Though this in itself is not bad if you are going to do good. It can be devastating to gang up on a soul as miserable as they new Job would be. Were they friends with good intentions? This answer could still be true but those that do not know God are at the will of Satan at all times. We can let the evidence of their actions speak for them. James wrote:

Jas 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

But God also writes:

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
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].

I believe these men were captives of Satan:

(Afar off)

These three men Eliphaz which means (God of Gold), Bildad which from the word Shuah means “dell” or “the pit” or “a hollow place” and Zophar which means “forsaking” . This is a word description of these men by their names. You know the name Job means “to be hated or to be persecuted”. We know it is not God that hates Job. It is Satan that hates Job because he is perfect in the eyes of God and as we know Satan was cast out of Heaven because of his sin.

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.

We can see these so called friends of Job are actually servants of Satan. They may not even realize it at first but we will see they do more damage than good for Job.

The word “afar” can mean from a distance but it can also be used as “estranged in affection or alienated”.

The Hebrew word for “Afar”, “min/minny/minney” when used in the Old Testament is never used for “distance”.
The Hebrew word for “off”,  is used for a greater distance than being able to see clearly with the eye, or also in phrases such as “long ago.”

These men had been told by the news they had gotten exactly what had happened to Job. Where he was located for he had left his home and what he looked like. Before they could see for themselves with their own eyes, they immediately went into a show of mourning. Not for Job because he was to far away but probably for anyone else that was around. Many look upon it only as a compliment to visit their friends in sorrow; we must look for life! And if the example of Job’s friends is not enough to lead us to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in Christ.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

They restrained themselves once they arrived at the side of Job and watched the grief of Job as he suffered. This is not always a bad thing to do. Being there, also has it’s own merits.

Mourning is as much a custom in the Orient for the observer as the partaker.  One marked feature of Oriental mourning is what may be called “its studies publicity”, and “the careful observance of the prescribed ceremonies”.

But Job was in dire grief because of his children.

Job 3:25  For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

Job just like any other parent had not wanted to outlive his children.

*****Our text:

Job 3:1  After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
Job 3:2  And Job spake, and said,
Job 3:3  Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

(cursed his day)

We can see that the family of Job made great celebrations of their birthdays:

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.

We can be sure that this came from their earthly father Job. They enjoyed life. They celebrated life to the fullest extent. We now have Job cursing the day he was born. Job wished his day of birth was not even included in the calendar. Job had, had a wonderful and fulfilling life up until the death of his children. Job was in misery. Job had forgotten the truth of God’s word:

2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

None of us can absorb unlimited amounts of misery! Job had reached the bottom of all his reserves of joy. He thought his friends had come to mourn with him but they had come in scorn and accusation.

Eliphaz had told him:

1.) Do not claim to be just:

Job 4:7  Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
Job 4:8  Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
Job 5:12  He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

2.) Be quiet and admit your guilt:

Job 15:5  For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Job 15:6  Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Job 15:13  That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
Job 15:2  Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Job 15:3  Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

3.) You wicked sinner, return to God and be restored:

Job 22:2  Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
Job 22:3  Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Job 22:4  Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
Job 22:5  Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Job 22:23  If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

Bildad had said:

1.) A just God does not punish the innocent:

Job 8:3  Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
Job 8:4  If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

2.) Wise up and and admit you are wicked:

Job 18:21  Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.

3.) No person can be righteous before God:

Job 25:4  How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Job 25:5  Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.
Job 25:6  How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Zophar had said:

1.) Feeble, ignorant humans must confess sin:

Job 11:2  Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
Job 11:3  Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Job 11:4  For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
Job 11:5  But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;
Job 11:6  And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Job 11:10  If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?
Job 11:11  For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

Job 11:20  But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

2.) Your short lived prosperity shows you are wicked:

Job 20:4  Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Job 20:5  That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
Job 20:6  Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
Job 20:7  Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

Job 20:12  Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
Job 20:13  Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
Job 20:14  Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
Job 20:15  He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

Job 20:23  When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

Job answered them:

1.) I once had respect from by friends:

Job 29:7  When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
Job 29:8  The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
Job 29:9  The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
Job 29:10  The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
Job 29:11  When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

2.) Now I see cruelty:

Job 30:1  But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

Job 30:9  And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
Job 30:10  They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

Even from God:

Job 30:19  He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
Job 30:20  I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.

3.) In my innocence, I cry out to God:

a.) I have not looked with lust at maidens:

Job 31:1  I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

b.) I have not lied nor been deceitful:

Job 31:5  If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Job 31:6  Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

c.) I have not committed adultery:

Job 31:9  If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Job 31:10  Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
Job 31:11  For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

d.) I have treated my servants  fairly:

Job 31:13  If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Job 31:14  What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Job 31:15  Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

e.) I have been generous and kind to the poor:

Job 31:16  If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Job 31:17  Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
Job 31:19  If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

f.) I have not worshiped false gods:

Job 31:24  If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
Job 31:25  If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
Job 31:26  If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
Job 31:27  And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
Job 31:28  This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

g.) I have not rejoiced in the ruin of others:

Job 31:29  If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Job 31:30  Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

h.) I have not refused hospitality to anyone:

Job 31:31  If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
Job 31:32  The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

i.) I have nothing to hide from God:

Job 31:33  If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
Job 31:34  Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

j.) I have not kept back payment to those that labored for me:

Job 31:38  If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
Job 31:39  If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
Job 31:40  Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

If the laws of Moses had been written at this time we could see that Job was truly a righteous man. So what did he lack if anything?

*****Our text:

Job 16:1  Then Job answered and said,
Job 16:2  I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
Job 16:3  Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Job 16:4  I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
Job 16:5  But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

The word “asswage” means: Job says, “I would lessen your pain or grief, I would reduce you to perfect peace, I would say the things that would soften the blow of this tragedy.

Job’s friends had not come close to helping Job in his time of need.

Job had outlived his children! These friends of his never clearly got this in their heads but concentrated more on Job’s monetary losses. They debated Job rather than comfort him. Sadly, Job was drawn into debate with them.

The Bible says:

Pro 26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

And again:

1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

You these three friends were not trying to comfort Job, they were trying to win an argument with him. They wanted Job to admit to being as sinful as they were. Job was not unwilling to confess sin but he was unwilling to confess something he had not done. You know the world is like this. They love to hear when one of God’s children is in a bad way or has made a serious mistake.

When we confess our sin “we should know what sin we committed” and confess that sin. If Job had committed some heinous sin he would have known about it and confessed to God for it. We all have sin in our lives but as Christians the Holy Ghost will make us aware of them and we should repent immediately. If these friends of Job had known and believed in him as a friend they would never have condemned him of being so sinful in the eyes of God.

To comfort someone in their hour of need is not to condemn them but to love them. They do not need our wisdom, unless they ask. They need a shoulder, a hug, and a prayer and someone with a good ear and closed lips.

None of these men could see past the present tragedy of Job. None would tell Job that God would make things better and that He was with Job throughout all he suffered. Job knew these things himself and these are the things that keep us going:

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.

How do we go about helping others in their time of need?

The Bible says:

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

Some other helps from the word of God:

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Isa 35:3  Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

1Co 4:21  What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Jas 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jas 3:18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Heb 13:3  Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Jas 3:2  For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

We must also learn from these words given to Paul by the Holy Spirit:

Php 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: [for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content].

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.
Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

God is faithful:

1Co 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

We can over come the things of the world:

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: {because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world}.

When we are weak is when we are the strongest if you only believe:

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Let’s pray!

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!