JOB
"Faith
Under Attack"
Job
1:1 A righteous man - But bad things do happen to good people.
Eccl.
9:2 "Everything
occurs alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and
the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who
sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the
good, so is the sinner; And he who takes an oath as he who
fears an oath."
God
blesses everyone
with good:
Mt.
5:44-45 "But
I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do
good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven; for
He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and
sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
Job
1:2-3 A wealthy man - Wealth is not the security to put our trust in:
1
Tim. 6:17-19 "Command
those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty,
nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God,
who gives us richly all things to enjoy. (18) Let them do
good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give,
willing to share, (19) storing up for themselves a good
foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on
eternal life."
Prov.
23:4-5 Do
not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding,
cease! (5) Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For
riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like
an eagle toward heaven."
Job
1:4-5 Job was conscious of sin & offered sacrifices.
Note:
We, in
this age,
are blessed in Christ by His sacrifice.
Heb.
10:11-14 Those animal sacrifices
looked forward
to Christ's sacrifice.
What
is our
part
in forgiveness of sin?
1
Jn. 2:1 "My
little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin.
And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous."
1
Jn. 1:9 "If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Job
1:6-7 Without Job's knowledge, the heavenly council takes place -
and Job is the subject
of discussion.
- Are we being discussed?
Note:
Satan had been walking to and fro in the earth.
1
Pet. 5:8 "Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
Job
1:8 Is our faith such that God would put such confidence in us?
1:9-11 Why
do we serve God? Do we serve Him when it is convenient
& it
suits
our circumstances?
Such as loyalty to local work & brethren.
Suffering
is not intended to be convenient
. It is not pleasant. Suffering is an opportunity that has been given to us for spiritual
growth
That
is why James says:
Jas.
1:2-4 "My
brethren, count it all joy when
you fall into various trials, (3) knowing
that the testing of your faith produces patience.
(4) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may
be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
Suffering
proves
the genuineness of our faith?
How
else can we know how healthy
our faith in God really is?
1
Pet. 1:6-7 "In
this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be,
you have been grieved by various trials, (7) that
the genuineness of your faith,
being
much more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the
revelation of Jesus Christ,"
Job
1:12 God limits Satan's power. Satan had to ask permission
from God.
1
Cor. 10:13 "No
temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but
God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what
you area able, but with the temptation will also make the
way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
(14) Therefore,
my beloved, flee
from idolatry." Note
our responsibility
to use
that gift.
We
need to realize where
temptation comes from - Satan, not God
Jas.
1:12-15 God does not tempt us with evil - Satan tempts us.
Job
1:13-19
1. Oxen & donkeys stolen, servants killed.
2. Sheep
& servants burned up by fire from
heaven.
3. Camels
stolen & servants killed by a band of
Caldeans.
4. All
his children killed when wind collapses
their house.
Job
1:20-ff See Job's integrity - his character - his faithfulness!
Job
2:1-6 Another heavenly council convenes between God & Satan Again,
Job is the subject of discussion.
Job
2:7-8 Boils! Personal pain can wear us down. Job
still doesn't know why.
2
Cor. 12:7-10 Paul's thorn in the flesh was not a direct result of
faithfulness. It
was a test
of his faith, given
for a purpose. Notice
his acceptance
of this "thorn" and his attitude.
Do
we view suffering as a test of our faith or as a reason to turn from
God?
Part
2
Job
2:9-10 His wife, his closest partner in life, discourages him.
Job
still
maintains his integrity.
Job
2:11-ff Job's 3 friends (?)
come. They
don't even recognize
him. They
sit with Job 7 days in silence.
Job
3:1-3, 11,16; 6:8-9 Job wishes he was never born - that he could die
The
erroneous assumption of Job's 3 friends:
1. Suffering
= punishment proportionate to sin.
2. Job
is suffering.
3. Therefore,
Job must have sinned grievously.
Jn.
9:1-3 "Now
as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
(2) And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'
(3) Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents
sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in
him.' "
Job
4:7-9 Eliphaz \
\
Job
8:3-6 Bildad \ Instead of comforting him, they discourage
him.
}
They accuse him of some sin, assuming his
Job
16:2-6 Zophar / suffering is the result of sin.
/
Job
22:3-5 Eliphaz /
Job
16:2-5 Job rebukes them for their discouragement rather than
comfort.
Job
7:6-7 Job loses hope - He sees no end to his suffering. He
had no way of knowing this would end.
Job
19:13-20 A sad description of Job. Forsaken by family & friends.
Job
remains steadfast in his determination to be true to God
Job
13:15 "Though
He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my
own ways before Him."
Job,
not knowing why he is suffering, begins to charge God:
Job
7:19-20 Job questions God as his Attacker, not knowing why.
Job
9:14-18 Job believes God is being unjust to him.
Job
13:23-24 Job believes God has abandoned him.
Job
23:2-7 Job unjustly questions God's motives by desiring to defend his
own uprightness before God.
Lessons
for us to learn from Job: Satan
is subject to God!
1. God
is author & sustainer of the universe (Job
38-41)
2. God's
ways are higher than our ways
We
view things from a different perspective
than He does.
Isa.
55:8-9 "
'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says
the Lord. (9) 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your
thoughts.'
3. God
does not reveal everything to us that we may want to know This
demands trust in His motives & His purposes.
Deut.
29:29 "The
secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which
are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,
that we may do all the words of this law."
4. What
are our
motives in serving God? Is it
only in response to how He
blesses us?
Job
1:9-11
"So
Satan answered the Lord and said, 'Does
Job fear God for nothing?
(10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his
household, and around all that he has on every side? You
have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions
have increased in the land. (11) But now, stretch out Your
hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse
You to Your face!"
God
is worthy of honor based on who
He is
- rather than what He gives
us. Otherwise,
we would forsake Him in time of trial.
5. No
one has a right to accuse or criticize God
or His motives.
Isa.
45:9 "Woe
to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with
the potsherds of the earth.
Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you
making?'
Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands?' "
Job
42:1-6 Job's response to God: Humility & Repentance
God
is merciful to Job & brings an end to his suffering.
Job
42:10-ff God blesses Job twofold.
6. Our
final lesson: When all others fail us - God
remains faithful
The
message to us: Patient Endurance - With a view toward heaven.
Jas.
5:7-16 "The end intended by the Lord" may be unseen to
us, but
we must wait on Him & put our trust in Him.
Isa.
40:29-ff "He
gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He
increases strength. (30) Even the youths shall faint and
be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, (31) But
those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run
and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."