Jobbed with a Long O

December 7, 2021 at 4:18 pm | Posted in Job | Leave a comment
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A child learning to the read the Bible on his own at a young age might be excused for mispronouncing the name of the famous patriarch Job. It looks exactly like the word which means a bit of work, or someone’s occupation. Of course, once you becoming passingly familiar with the Bible you associate the name not with employment, but with patience, or, more properly suffering.

The slang term “getting jobbed” refers to the act of being swindled, deceitfully mistreated, or cheated, especially in the context of a sporting event. It is associated in the minds of some people with the world of professional wrestling.

The historical character, Job, for whom the Old Testament book of the Bible is named, certainly may have been tempted to think he was getting a raw deal, since he knew in his heart that he honored God with his life but had no clue about the behind-the-scenes machinations involving Satan which led to his tremendous suffering. Of course, how much do any of us really know about how the sovereign but secret will of God is being worked out in our lives – in the good times and the bad times, in the exciting times and the mundane times? The Book of Job contains great depths of wisdom along with difficult-to-answer questions that remind us to remain humble before the God who has greater and better plans than we could ever fathom.

Below are a list of links to a few lessons in the category on Job:

1. Behind the Scenes of Suffering (1:1 – 2:9)
2. When Sparks Fly (4:2 – 6:29)
3. Our Daysman (8:20 – 9:35)
4. How Not to Comfort a Grieving Parent (9-11)
5. A Greater Ladder (9:32-33; 33:22-24)
6. Easily Offended (17-23)
7. The Depths of Wisdom (24:12 – 28:28)
8. The Good Old Days (29:4 – 36:10)
9. The First Interpreter (33:22-24)
10. Who Do You Think You Are? (38:2)
11. S.W.I.M. with Humility (38:16)
12. Better Than Explanations (38-42)

Better Than Explanations

February 18, 2021 at 1:46 pm | Posted in Job | 1 Comment
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In Job Chapter 37 Elihu described a storm. It’s possible that while he was huffing and puffing (full of hot air) an actual storm was brewing in the distance, and in Chapter 38 the storm arrived and God spoke from it.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Job 38:1-2

In Scripture God spoke out of storms to impress people with His power and His might. In life, listen closely for God during the figurative storms through which you go.

God began to ask Job a series of questions. Remember, Job had been demanding to see God, to get some answers from Him, to summon Him into court. But Job couldn’t answer any of God’s questions.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Job 38:4

Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

Job 38:8

Job did not have the ability to create a single thing. Everything he had and everything he saw was made by God – with no help from Job – before Job even existed. Not only could Job not create anything, but he wasn’t even powerful enough to oversee God’s creations. All the wild animals that can’t be tamed by man, God provides a way for them to feed themselves, to care for their young. We have to study them today just to know how they behave. Job couldn’t explain the ostrich, a big bird that can’t even fly and that lays its eggs in the ground where they can be trampled.

In Chapter 40 Job got a chance to speak:

Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

Job 40:1-4

In Chapters 40 and 41 God called Job’s attention to two very remarkable animals: behemoth and leviathan. These beasts were beyond Job’s ability to tame.

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.

Job 40:15-19

Bible scholars debate exactly what sort of an animal behemoth was, but, given the so-called “young earth” creation account, it sure sounds like an herbivorous dinosaur.

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

Job 41:1

Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

Job 41:19-22

Leviathan is often defined as a crocodile, and some commentators say that the smoke was just mist rising up out of the swamp, but others believe that fire-breathing dragons (now extinct) actually existed during the days of Job, and even into more recent history.

The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.

Isaiah 30:6

The questions posed by God to Job were rhetorical questions. They were not designed by God to find out what Job knew. They were designed by God to change Job’s mind. When a kid says, “I’m not going to clean up my room, I’m going to eat candy whenever I want, and I’m going to stay out late,” his father might respond with, “Who pays for this house? Who pays for your clothes? Who pays for your food?” The dad doesn’t really expect an answer. He’s making a point.

In Chapter 42 Job repented for challenging God and impiously demanding explanations.

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Job 42:6

The sacrifices which were made by Job’s friends weren’t in line with Mosaic law, so it seems reasonable that Job (whose life is difficult to date with precision) may have lived after the Flood, but before Moses. In Job 42:7-8 God called Job “My servant” four times. What an honor to be a servant of God! A faithful servant can be trusted, so God restored Job double that which he had before.

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. 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. 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 42:10-12

However, Job did not receive twice as many children, perhaps because the first ten were still alive in Heaven.

After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.

Job 42:16

If the Lord gave Job twice as many years, this means that he was 70 when the Lord allowed Satan to attack him.

He had three daughters, Jemima, Kezia, and Kerenhappuch. Kezia’s name meant cinnamon. Kerenhappuch meant a horn of eye paint. And Jemima was an ancient word which meant, “These pancakes are good, but they’re kind of dry.” (Sorry, it actually meant “dove.”)

Lord, we don’t like to suffer, but, knowing what the Bible says about it, we must thank You even for our suffering. Suffering gets our attention when nothing else will. It sends us back to our Bible. It gets us to pray. It builds our faith. The trying of our faith works patience, so that we can have a good testimony for You. You are great. You know best. Help us to follow You. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

The Good Old Days

December 17, 2020 at 3:35 pm | Posted in Biblical Days, Job | 3 Comments
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In Job Chapter 29 Job began to reminisce about the good old days.

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

Job 29:4

My grandfather, whose family went through a very tough time during the Great Depression, used to say the only thing good about the “good ol’ days” is that they’re gone, but Job’s prime was indeed good, so in Chapter 29 he looked back. In Chapter 30 he looked around.

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 30:1

They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth. And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

Job 30:8-10

You will sometimes hear people, going through a difficult stage in life or a season of calamitous events, say, “Just call me Job,” but looking at what Job actually went through can be encouraging to us.

After looking back and looking around, in Chapter 31 he looked ahead. Job truly believed that he would stand before God one day – and he was ready for it.

Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

Job 31:6

I wonder how many of us, in times of trouble, are ready to confidently give an account to God, or to stand before Him, prepared to answer for what we’ve done.

Now another character comes on the scene in the Book of Job – somebody who had been standing around listening to all the debates, and all Job’s vows, and his questioning God, and all the arguments of Job’s three “friends.” His name was Elihu, and he started to speak up in Chapter 32. You’ve probably heard the joke about the shortest man in the Bible being Bildad the Shuhite (“shoe-height”), but we have to wonder if, when Elihu spoke up, people said “Eli-who?” Everybody knew Job. They knew Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. But Elihu had to explain who he was.

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. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.

Job 32:2-5

Elihu was also mad at Job, but he was mad at Job’s three friends, too. In fact, he was just plain mad about the whole thing. He had waited, he had listened, he knew their arguments, and he believed he was speaking for God. This is a dangerous thing. He said some good things, but he misquoted a lot of what Job had said. He didn’t try to prove that Job was a sinner, but he did try to show that Job’s view of God was wrong. He brought up two good points. One was that God doesn’t always send suffering to punish us for sin, but sometimes to KEEP us FROM sinning.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

Job 33:18-19 

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

II Corinthians 12:7

Elihu’s second point was that God sometimes sends suffering to make us better persons.

 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

Job 36:7-10

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:6

One of the toughest things to do as a parent is to let a child cause harm to himself to teach him a lesson. A child’s father can warn a child playing near a pond, and keep warning him not to get too close, but, if he keeps getting closer, ignoring the warnings, a fall into the water might scare him enough to make him more cautious, attentive, and obedient in the future. Of course, if it turns out there is a venomous snake in the pond, the father will jump in right away, willing to give up his own life to save the child. We might compare this to God’s use of the Old Testament prophets and their warnings, followed by Jesus and the Atonement. Jesus was the ransom for our sins.

This is what Elihu wanted Job to consider about his suffering. What if God is warning you for your own good? Or what if God is making you even stronger? We have to consider these possibilities when we suffer.

Thank You, Lord, that we don’t have to show off or make a show of doing what’s “right” in order to please You. You see everything we do, and reward us accordingly. Thank You that You have given us opportunities to be faithful in that which is least. Please help us to be faithful in that which is much. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

The Depths of Wisdom

November 12, 2020 at 11:18 am | Posted in Job | 2 Comments
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Job was confounded and exasperated. You would be too if you were getting harassed by your “friends” the way that he was. He began to point out some of the wickedness in the world that seems to go unpunished.

Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

Job 24:12

Injustice in the city, wickedness in the country, oppressors of the poor, murderers, adulterers, thieves: Where is God while all this is going on? My best friend in elementary school still believed in Santa Claus several years after I found out the truth. I was under strict instructions not to spill the beans, but one day in the second grade, walking home after school, some junior high age kids were lying in wait to bully us. They began to taunt my friend over the fact that Santa Claus wasn’t real. When he stuck to his guns, they challenged him with this question: “If Santa Claus is real, why doesn’t he bring food to all those starving kids in Africa? Huh?” After the confrontation I tried to console him with the explanation that Santa was strictly in the toy business, and that world hunger was beyond his pay grade, but the damage had been done; my buddy’s worldview had been seriously shaken. Sadly, some people are skeptical about God’s existence, or at least his goodness, based on this same line of reasoning. The mistaken idea that sinful people would be better off under a system of meritorious reward-and-punishment fails to take into account our true nature as fallen human beings, and God’s grace and mercy. Bildad fell into this error in Job Chapter 25, warning Job to stop claiming to be righteous, but in Chapter 26 Job responded by admitting that God is in control of everything. He did not want to accuse God of allowing his afflictions and hardships because He had fallen asleep on the job, or was incapable of controlling the situation.

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

Job 26:7

The Bible stated that the Earth was suspended in space way before this idea was scientifically explained or accepted.

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

Job 26:8

God controls the weather. Jesus said, “Peace, be still,” and the storm ended. God created all the elements and everything in nature, and He can control them.

In Chapter 27 Job began to warn his friends about judging him.

Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

Job 27:7

If Job turned out to be right, and if God justified him, then his accusers would fall into the category of the ones that they said deserved punishment. Then he started to teach them a lesson:

I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

Job 27:11

Some people feel so much guilt over their past that they think they can’t do anything for God. If God has allowed you to suffer, He’s given you a gift. Don’t be a bad steward of that gift. Share the lessons you’ve learned, and the wisdom and patience you’ve gained through suffering, with others.

Job and his friends were pretty much at a stalemate by Chapter 28. There may have been other people around, too. Job made it clear that he was tired of their so-called “wisdom.” He began to compare wisdom to precious jewels and metals mined from the earth. To achieve their full value these metals must be purified, refined. That’s how man’s wisdom is. If a man is going to be truly wise, then God must refine that wisdom.

Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

Job 28:1-2

But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

Job 28:12-13

God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

Job 28:23

Before we can teach anybody else, or even before we can understand ourselves, we’ve got to acknowledge that all true wisdom comes from God. We’ve got to acknowledge that He’s almighty, and that any wisdom we impart to others is by His hand.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

I Corinthians 3:11-:13 

Man’s wisdom is like wood, hay, and stubble. It’s easy to find, cheap, plentiful, and highly flammable. But if we go down deeper, we’ll find gold, silver, and precious stones. These are more valuable and rare, but only useful if they’ve been refined. Below them all is the True Foundation – the Rock.

The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

S.J. Stone

That was Job’s conclusion was on the subject of wisdom:

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28

If I don’t fear God enough to obey him, then I’m a fool, plain and simple. If I don’t have enough sense to come in out of the rain when it’s raining evil, then I’m just a soaking wet idiot with only myself to blame. Pray to God and ask Him for wisdom.

Easily Offended

October 27, 2020 at 10:04 am | Posted in Job | 2 Comments
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By Chapter 17 Job was ready for death.

My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

Job 17:1

But he never considered suicide.

The more Job’s “friends” argued, the more offended they became, especially Zophar.

I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

Job 20:3

Zophar was concerned with his own reproach, and this caused him to express his own spirit. As a Christian, it’s easier to yield to the Spirit when something is more generically offensive, but when we are personally offended we think it’s time for our own spirit take over.

By Chapter 23 Job got to a point where he had enough arguing, and he began appealing directly to God. In his pain, he became confused about where God is. Sometimes we pray and want to explain to God exactly what we’re going through – as if He doesn’t already know. We don’t have to search for God. He’s everywhere, and He knows where we are. He knew where Job was: in the furnace.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:10  

How Not to Comfort a Grieving Parent

October 13, 2020 at 2:32 pm | Posted in Biblical comfort, Job | 1 Comment
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By Chapters 9 and 10 the careful reader of the Book of Job starts to get some insight into where Job’s relationship with God, and his knowledge of God, could be improved. This happens as we observe Job’s questioning of God. In Chapter 10 Job wants to know if his life has been a waste.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

Mark 14:3-6

Nothing given to Christ in faith and love is ever wasted.

Zophar speaks next. He was the youngest of Job’s “friends“/inquisitors, and the angriest. He accused Job of being nonsensical, and, in doing so, showed his own hypocrisy.

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

Job 11:2

There’s a time and place to stand up for the righteousness of God, perhaps when someone publicly takes His name in vain or complains too much about the weather, but some occasions call for a differnt tone or sense of compassion, such as when someone is angry at God because he has lost a child.

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Job 11:7-9

Zophar had much to say about God’s sovereignty, but he didn’t say anything about God’s love.

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

The wisdom of God is beyond measure. The perfection of God is beyond measure. But so is the love of God for His children.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

Why were Zophar, and to some extent Bildad and Eliphaz, so angry at Job? Their fear had made them angry. They wanted Job to confess some secret sin to account for his troubles, so that they wouldn’t have to worry about troubles coming for them too. “If this happened to JOB, what could happen to US??” Zophar wanted Job to get his blessings back – but on his terms. He unwittingly spoke for Satan, wanting Job to make a “prosperity bargain” with God. An attempt to bribe God with an insincere confession is not the right motiviation.

When Eliphaz speaks again in Chapter 15, he first accuses Job of being an idiot, then he accuses him of being a hypocrite. He was anxious for Job to repent – to change his ways. He couldn’t understand how Job could possibly entertain the notion that God could let the wicked prosper or punish the righteous. God’s patience is often greater than we can grasp with our finite understanding.

Our Daysman

September 28, 2020 at 3:59 pm | Posted in Biblical Days, Job | 2 Comments
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Bildad the Shuhite had a real problem with anybody questioning the righteousness of God, and at first glance faithful Christians would agree wtih him. However, Bildad believed that the righteousness of man was a cause-and-effect transaction. “If you’re doing well in life, it must mean you’re righteous; if you’re having trouble, it has to be because of your sin.” He could see that Job was in BIG trouble, so he reasoned that Job must be an especially terrible sinner. He even accused Job’s kids of being terrible sinners.

Bildad’s theology was partly correct. He understood the idea of sowing and reaping, and it may be that Job’s children were exposed to God’s wrath because of their sin, but Bildad forgot about God’s love, God’s mercy, God’s forgiveness.

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

Job 8:20

We know these statements are true as general principles, but suffering and sickness are not always immediately caused by specific sins, and health and prosperity are not always the result of righteous living. God sees a bigger picture. When we read certain sections of the Book of Job, and Job is saying that God has been unjust to him, he’s not really doing what Satan claimed he would do. Job understood that God was God, and Job was a man, but he longed for some intermediary to go between them and work this out. Job knew he couldn’t win an argument with God, but he wanted God to hear his argument, and answer him.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

Job 9:32-35

We have that Daysman in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament calls Him our Mediator.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

I Timothy 2:5

When Sparks Fly

August 26, 2020 at 11:55 am | Posted in Job | 4 Comments
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In Job Chapters 4 and 5 the speaker is Eliphaz.

If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Job 4:2

Eliphaz recognized that what he was going to say was going to hurt Job, but he had the attitude of, “I’m thinking it, so I’ve just got to say it.” That is not a good philosophy.

Eliphaz’s argument was based on his own experience: “I’ve seen it happen, so it must mean I understand…”

Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

Job 5:7

Sparks, once they get going, come in bunches, but where do they fly? For Christians, we expect the sparks of trouble to come, but we know they’re going up to the One who can put out the fire. (“The Sparks” was the name of my daughters’ softball team when I coached, and Job 5:7 was our team verse.)

Job had to ask his “friends” to stop being so hard on him.

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

Job 6:29

He asked them to take back what they had said, imploring them not to be unjust with him. His reptuation for righteousness was at stake. Job valued his character. What people were going to say about him was bad enough; he didn’t need his friends starting rumors that some particularly bad sin of his had brought about his troubles.

Job did what any faithful believer should do; he appealed to God, and asked him to reveal any unknown sin.

Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

Psalm 19:12-13

Sometimes, we can sin presumptuously. We get in the habit of evaluating our behavior with the question, “What’s wrong with this?” instead of “What’s right about this?” Remember, Job didn’t know what was going on in Heaven. He really had no idea why this was happening to him. That’s perhaps the most amazing thing about Job’s blessing the name of the Lord. We sometimes have a hard time with this. We get mad and say, “God, I can’t believe you let the devil do that to me.” When you see Job questioning and disputing and even arguing with God, don’t make the mistake of thinking that he was faithless, but do remember that he didn’t know then what we know now.

Behind the Scenes of Suffering

July 6, 2020 at 4:03 pm | Posted in Job | 8 Comments
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Lord, I ask You to protect new believers. Thank you for the ordinance of baptism. Thank you for opportunities to disciple them. Let these new Christians be inroads into unsaved families. Grant us patience and endurance. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

If you were asked to guess the most famous doctor in the whole Bible, would you guess Luke? Or would you guess Job, because he had the most “patients?” I know, it’s a bad joke, but I couldn’t resist.

The Book of Job may have been the first book of the Bible to be written down, and the human instrument that the Holy Spirit inspired to write it is not definitely known. While it may have been the first written book of the Bible, its events do not take place first, chronologically. They are believed to have occurred in what is known as the Patriarchal Age, well after the time of the events recorded in the first couple of chapters of Genesis.

As mentioned in the previous attempt at humor, Job is known for his “patience,” even though the word “patience” does not appear in the Book of Job, or even in the entire Old Testament. The word “patient” appears only once in the Old Testament.  The popular allusion to Job’s patience comes from this New Testament verse:

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.

James 5:11

More than a book of patience, the Book of Job is really a book about endurance, especially endurance in suffering.

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 1:1

Job was not “perfect” in the sense of being sinless, but there was something extraordinary about his character and his life.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Psalm 37:37

Job was perfect in the sense of being “complete:” totally committed to serving the Lord. A man who lives an upright life before the Lord will not necessarily have a life filled with nothing but peace, but the END thereof is peace.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

II Chronicles 16:9

Christians are miraculously and gloriously forgiven by the MERCY of God, and He does want us to be perfect in our commitment to Him. As the popular sermon poem goes, “There are only two choices on the shelf: pleasing my God, or pleasing myself.”

Job had a secret for being perfect and upright: he feared God. Do you fear God? We are often quick to proclaim that we love God, or even that we have a healthy respect for Him, and the idea of correctly fearing God is not to have a panic-stricken, paralyzing fear of Him, but we should have a genuine fear of displeasing Him.

In addition to fearing God, Job eschewed evil. This was more than a mere, casual avoidance of evil. I generally try to avoid celery, but, here in South Louisiana, it is a main ingredient in so many delicious Cajun dishes that I would be seriously missing out if I truly eschewed it. The word eschew is from an ancient French word, eschiver, which looks like “shiver,” and meant to avoid something out of great fear. For Job, eschewing evil meant that he was terrified of it.

We might get the impression that Job was one scared dude. He was scared of God and he was scared of evil, but those two attitudes actually go together. If we don’t fear evil and sin – if we just have a vague idea of generally avoiding them – we may end up getting near enough to them to get tempted into participating, and this is an indication that we don’t fear God the way we should.

Job 1:3 tells us “that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” This means that he was wealthy, influential, and powerful.

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.

Job 1:5

Job prioritized worshiping God, and he was concerned about his family. There is nothing more important that you can do for your family than honoring the Lord with your life. Job was consistent. He didn’t honor God once in while, or just on certain special occasions. He wouldn’t have been one of those Christians who only come to church on Easter and Christmas, or only after hunting season is over. He wouldn’t have used the excuse of being tired. He worshiped and interceded for his family “continually.”

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:6

There is some debate as to whom “the sons of God” refer to here, but they were probably angels, and Satan was among them. Satan is not sitting on a throne in hell, getting a kick out of torturing lost souls who are imprisoned there. No, he is going to and fro like a roaring lion, and, at least on this occasion, and probably several others, he went into the presence of God.

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 1:7

Satan is subject to God’s commands. He is the liar of all liars, but when God commands, even the devil must tell the truth.

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 1:8

God actually bragged on Job. Some Bible commentators will say that, since all suffering is caused by sin, or at least unbelief (this is a favorite staple of the “Word-Faith/Prosperity” movement), Job must have had secret sins, but that is refuted by God’s statement and the suffering that is to follow. Not all suffering is caused specifically by the sins of the person suffering.

Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Job 1:9

I said earlier that God bragged on Job, but what must not be overlooked is not only what Satan did say when God asked Satan if he had considered Job, but what he didn’t say. He didn’t say, “Who??!” Satan knew Job’s name. Does Satan know your name? You can’t make a bargain with him, but if you’re not on Satan’s radar, you’re probably not doing anything significant for God. Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. That’s what he was doing here to Job. Satan goes before God and accuses you and me, as Christians. I’m afraid that’s one of the few times he tells the truth. He accused Job of having an ulterior motive for fearing God and doing right. He got permission from God to attack everything Job had, but not to touch Job himself.

Job suffered a tremendous loss, but he did not lose everything. Thank God for His restraining power. Satan can cause some serious destruction in a short period of time. Job lost his wealth, his children, all his livestock, but he did not lose his wife. She’s still around in Chapter 2 to prove it.

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

Job 2:9

Satan didn’t kill Job’s wife, even though God had not specifically forbidden it. This may have been because Job and his wife were “one flesh.” God didn’t even have to say it.

Job’s reaction was truly astounding and admirable:

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

Job 1:20-22

Heavenly Father, please help us to worship You when You give, and to worship You when you allow what You’ve given to be taken away. Blessed is Your name, Lord. We know there is purification and sanctification in suffering, in adversity.  The wicked have no peace, but, Lord, if we’re righteous – made righteous by faith in Christ and the Cross – then we know the end of our suffering is peace. In His holy name I pray. Amen.

A Greater Ladder

February 25, 2019 at 2:57 pm | Posted in Biblical Greats, Job, John | 4 Comments
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Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

John 1:50-51

Jesus referred to the incident which we often call “Jacob’s ladder” from Genesis 28:12. Jesus is the only one Who can connect Heaven and Earth – in Whom sinful man can come into peaceful relationship with holy God. Jesus did not identify Himself as the fulfillment of what the angels typified, but as the fulfillment of what the ladder itself typified. This motif – that Jesus would be the longed-for Mediator (daysman, interpreter) between God and man – appears in Old Testament passages as well.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

Job 9:32-33

Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

Job 33:22-24

The identification of Jesus with the fulfillment of Jacob’s ladder is also a statement of exclusivity. Aside from Christ, there are no other “ladders” or “stairways” to Heaven, no other ordained salvific connections between God and men. Faith in Jesus is the means to accessing this ladder, but no one really has faith in a ladder until he steps on with his full weight and starts the climb up.

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