Entering the Fire -- 3/27/11

Sunday, March 27, 2011

ENTERING THE FIRE

Job 1:6-22

“The 1991 U.S. Open at Hazeltine National Golf Course, just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, proved to be memorable, but not just for the game of golf. On what began as a peaceful and calm day for the first round of the tournament, a band of gray clouds gathered swiftly overhead. Turbulent skies blackened, and swirling clouds of electricity collected. Lightning struck a few miles away. Forty thousand spectators scrambled for shelter.

Gathering under a bent willow tree near the eleventh tee, a group of spectators huddled together to keep from being drenched. An official asked them to find cover elsewhere. A few people dispersed and a few stayed, as lightning struck a tree behind the tenth green, splitting its trunk in half. Then a minute later a lightning bolt struck the tall willow tree. A dozen bodies toppled to the earth like bowling pins. Six men got up. six lay dazed on the ground. One died with his hands in his pockets. The lightning had struck its target--the tallest tree in the area.” (Borrowed from Job: Old Testament Commentary, by Steve J. Lawson, p. 13)

I want you to keep that little story in mind, as we look at the experience of Job. Two weeks ago we read about how God had blessed this man Job. As a matter of fact, let’s quickly read again the first five verses of Job. Read Job 1:1-5… (NKJV)

¹ There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. ² And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. ³ Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
⁴ And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer 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 Job did regularly.

Job was a godly man -- blames and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. And he was truly blessed by God, as seen by his ten children and many possessions. As we observed, he was a good father, vitally interested in the spiritual welfare of his children. He regularly brought them before God and offered sacrifices on their behalf.

This morning we are going to take up where we left off. Remember the question I asked you. What did the future hold for this godly man who had been richly blessed by the Lord? Let’s now read the rest of chapter one. Read Job 1:6-22… (NKJV)

⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. ⁷ And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” ⁸ Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” ⁹ 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!” ¹² And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
¹³ Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; ¹⁴ and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ when the Sabeans^[c] raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ and suddenly a great wind came from across^[d]the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:
“ Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

There are lots of ways we could view this passage, but I want to suggest that we look at…

… The Powerful Evil Moving Against Job

… The Tragic Disaster Crashing Upon Job

… The Faithful Worship Rising Within Job

I. The Powerful Evil Moving Against Job (1:6-12)

Verse 6, “There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord.” “There was a day…” Apparently this was just a routine day, one among many. And who are the sons of God? While there is much debate about the meaning of that term in Genesis 6, there can be little debate here. While the term “sons of God” in the New Testament refers to those human beings who have been adopted into the family of God through Christ, that can’t be the meaning here. Here we find that the sons of God have access to God in heaven. From the rest of scripture, we conclude that it is only the angels created by God who have the privilege of presenting themselves before God in heaven. So the “sons of God” are the angelic beings, the “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:14). We now see these angelic beings reporting back to God, giving account of what they have done and waiting for more instructions from Him.

But then notice the last part of verse 6, “And Satan came also among them.” The word “Satan” literally means “ The Adversary.” Satan was once one of those angelic beings who worshipped and served God. We are told that he was an anointed cherub (Ezek. 28:14). But Satan wasn’t content to be one of the cherubim, blessed with close access to the holy and righteous God. He desired a loftier position and adopted the attitude, “I will be like the Most High” (Is. 14:14). He staged a heavenly revolt and persuaded a third of the angels of heaven to follow him. Think about how cunning and persuasive Satan really is. He persuaded thousands of angels who were in the presence of God to leave the side of the Almighty and follow him. As a result, Satan and those who followed him were cast out of heaven.

In the Bible, we find many names for Satan -- the devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Belial, the evil one, the tempter, the ruler of this world, the god of this age, the prince of the power of the air, the accuser of the brethren, the old serpent, the great dragon, a roaring lion, Apollyon. He is identified as a murderer, a liar, a sinner, a tempter, a perverter, a counterfeiter. I am well aware that many, if not most, people around us do not believe in a real and personal devil. Let me simply say this: It is impossible to believe the Bible and not believe that Satan is real and powerful in this world.

Satan’s presence there with the angels raises a difficult question. The Bible from cover to cover teaches us that that God is holy. He is so holy that no man can look upon the face of God and live. Isaiah heard the angels crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3). Just a vision of the Lord in the temple prompted this young man to say, “Woe is me, for I am undone.” We know that sinful man cannot stand in the presence of God. So here is the question: “How can Satan, the archenemy of God, come into His presence like this?” For we read, “And Satan came also among them.” How can this be? I don’t know. We are given no explanation. Ultimately, he is there only because God allowed him to be there.

Now verse 7, “And the Lord said to Satan, from where do you come? So Satan answered the LORD and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Does Satan’s answer remind you of any other verse in the Bible? I think immediately of 1 Pet. 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" When Satan answers the Lord and says that he has been going to and fro on the earth, you can be assured that in the process he was seeking whom he may devour. Satan knew that, and so did the Lord. He is the Adversary. He is always opposing the Lord and His work in mankind.

Now let’s stop right there. Do you realize what we are reading? We have the privilege to hear this conversation between Almighty God and Satan himself. This is not common. Here the veil is pulled back and we are able to listen in on what is happening behind the scenes. The book of Job is difficult enough as it is, but can you imagine how it would be, if we didn’t have this heavenly scene? Before the earthly action of Job gets started, we are privileged to know what is behind it all. Praise God for this rare glimpse into God’s purposes.

Many of you have been asked this question and have contemplated it. If you know the answer, please don’t say it out loud. For those of you haven’t thought about it, I ask you the question now: How did Job get involved in this discussion between God and Satan? In other words, who was it that brought up the name of Job? We find the answer in verse 8, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job?” It was God who introduced the name of Job. Satan had made no reference to Job whatsoever.

This brings up another troubling question: Doesn’t God protect His people from trouble? If not from trouble, surely He will shield His own children from major disaster. Doesn’t our text give us some indication of why Job was singled out to eventually become a target of Satan? Yes, there is an indication of why Job was chosen. Let’s read all of verse 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?” God singled Job out because there was none like him on the earth. The Lord then makes clear what He means by telling Satan that Job was blameless and upright, and that he feared God and turned away from evil. In other words, Job was the most righteous among all of God’s children.

That brings up another question, doesn’t it? If this is true, that God introduced Job to Satan, knowing that Satan would attack him, does that mean that even the best of God’s servants are not exempt from terrible and tragic suffering? Wow! If this is what God does for His choicest servant, then do I really want to pursue God? Is this the kind of thanks I will get?

Now let’s come to the next verse and see that Satan himself is about to weigh in on this very question. Verse 9-11, “Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 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. 11. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.” Do you understand what the devil is saying about Job? “God, this man doesn’t serve you for nothing. He serves you for one reason, because you make life wonderful for him. You protect him and his family and you make him rich. Take all that away from him, and he will curse you to your face.” Satan was simply saying that Job served God because he had it so good. He challenged God to take away his hedge of protection and earthly blessings and then see what would happen.

Our adversary is very shrewd, cunning, and deceptive. Though he is a liar, he often speaks much truth. That is exactly the style that allows him to deceive so many people and makes everyone of us vulnerable to his deception. Even here, what Satan says is based on a certain truth. Is it not true that many people who claim to serve God are doing so for what they can get out of Him? How many people in our society would continue to serve God, if they lost all their possessions and experienced serious troubles? Plenty. Many false teachers continue to appeal to people on the basis that God wants them to be healthy and wealthy.

Notice how God responds to Satan in verse 12, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand...” God could have argued with Satan, assuring him that Job wasn’t like that, but He didn’t. The proof is in the pudding. “Okay, Satan, have at him. Put him to the test and see how he does.” The Lord agreed to remove the hedge of protection He had placed around Job and to let use Satan everything that belonged to Job for target practice.

Let me pause here for a moment. Years ago a Christian friend gave me a little pamphlet entitled, “How to Pray a Hedge of Protection.” Perhaps you have heard of that concept. One particular teacher urges believers to pray a hedge of protection around his or her spouse. The concept is simple -- as believers, we can pray a hedge of protection around us and others and Satan cannot injure us/them or cause us/them serious trouble. While we could spend a lot of time discussing the issue of praying for protection, suffice it to say that “praying a hedge of protection” is not a scriptural concept. That is not what we find here in Job 1 (the passage that is referenced for praying a hedge of protection). Satan tells us that God had placed a hedge of protection around Job and his family, but he says nothing about Job praying for such a hedge. Obviously, in response to Satan’s challenge, the Lord agrees to remove that hedge of protection. There is no indication that Job prayed for that hedge. It seems clear that when God got ready to remove it, He did not consult with Job, nor did He notify Job when it had been removed. We must never think that we can come up with some formula, even a prayer formula, that will shield us from extreme suffering in this world.

II. The Tragic Disaster Crashing Upon Job (1:13-19)

Now we leave the heavenly scene and come back to earth. Verse 13, “And there was a day…” There were many days in Job’s life. This was just one of those days. It started out like any other, but it didn’t end like any other. On this day Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking in the house of the oldest son. Remember that they did this on the special day (like a birthday) of each of the sons. This was just one of those occasions.

In verses 14-19 we read about the events that made this a very unique day in the life of Job. Let’s read through these painful events again. Verse 14-15, “And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 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.” There went 500 yoke of oxen and 500 donkeys, along with the servants who were caring for them. Just like that, they were gone. We don’t know a great deal about the Sabeans, although they are mentioned other places in the Old Testament. What we do know is that they swept down upon Job’s oxen and donkeys and carried them away.

Notice how verse 16 begins: “While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said…” Get used to that language, because you will see it again more than once. Job hasn’t even had time to digest what has just been told him, when another messenger shows up and begins to speak. Maybe this second messenger will have some good news. Let’s read it in the rest of verse 16, “…The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” This time it is the 7,000 sheep. They are not stolen, but they are consumed by “the fire of God from heaven.” We are not given any details about this fire from heaven. Could it have been lightning. Maybe so. This much we know -- it was a fire that destroyed all of Job’s sheep and the servants who were taking care of them.

Verse 17, “While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, [here it is again, another messenger with more news] 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.” This time it is the nomadic Chaldeans who staged a raid and took away the 3,000 camels and killed the servants who were with them. That makes a clean sweep of the animals. Before he can catch his breath, Job has learned that all his animals have either been stolen and destroyed, and many servants have been killed.

That isn’t the end of the story. It actually gets worse. Verses 18-19, “While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 19. And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” Now we come back to the sons and daughters, who were mentioned in verse 13. Up until now, Job could have said, “Well at least it wasn’t my family. Even if I lose every possession I ever owned, I still have my beloved family.” But now he gets the news that a great wind has struck the house where all his kids were having a party. Maybe it was a tornado or a great whirlwind. Whatever it was, it struck with such force that the house was flattened. The text tells us only that the young men were killed, but the implication is clear that the daughters were killed as well. The context of the rest of the book confirms this.

Remember how Job was introduced in the first five verses. His sons and daughters are mentioned, followed closely by all of his livestock. We did not take that to mean that his children were on the same level with his animals. It is the same here. This time they are mentioned last. Certainly it is because the messenger of what happened to them was the last to arrive, but it is also in the providence of God that their destruction is mentioned last because they meant so much more to Job than all of his other possessions. It is one thing to lose your stuff; it is another to lose your children. And Job lost them all.

Can you hurt with Job? Try to put yourself in his place. We can read over these verses with great speed, but we need to slow down and let these things sink in. Yes, he lost seven sons and three daughters, but that isn’t how Job took it. There was Sam, his firstborn. Oh the joy Job experienced with the birth of that boy. And then there was Mark, the son who almost died at birth. After him came Shelley, the apple of his eye. There was John, who always kept him on his toes. And don’t forget Andrew. No one could forget Andrew, who was larger than life at birth. Then came little Erica. There was never a cuter baby with a sweeter spirit. If Peter didn’t stand out when he was born, he certainly made his presence known as he grew up. He was the one that had an unusual love for all his brothers and sisters. Then came Roberta, who was the spittin’ image of her mother. Last, but not least, was Tyler. Yes, mom and dad smothered him with love.

You may be wondering where I got all this information. Of course, I made it up. It isn’t my purpose to invent scripture, but my desire is to help us identify with Job. He didn’t lose ten children; he lost each one of these. He could remember hundreds and thousands of experiences with these kids. Remember that he had loved them spiritually, regularly offering sacrifices on their behalf and interceding for them.

Think about it. If Job had lost just one of the ten, would it have been a great loss? Of course, it would have. No loving parent will say, “Well, I’m sorry it happened, but I still have nine left.” The loss of any child is painful beyond belief. Multiply the loss by ten. Job lost ten individual, precious, beloved, children. Can you hurt with Job?

Next week be looking at verses 19-22. Notice especially that Job worshipped the Lord. Let’s meditate on that truth. With the rest of our time this morning let’s consider this question…

Why Job?

We would all have to agree that Job faced some very unique trials. Would anyone like to experience what Job experienced on that day? Those difficulties would be enough to last us for a lifetime; Job was confronted by all this at one time.

The big question is simply, “Why?” Why such life-jolting tribulation? And even more to the point, why Job? It is no accident that before we are told about what happened to Job, we are privileged to know two things. First of all, we are told about what kind of man Job was. On top of that, we are given a glimpse of what was happening in heaven and what led up to Job’s difficulties. Our knowledge of these two this are what leads to the intensity of our question. If we knew nothing about Job and the heavenly discussion, we might say, “Why Job?”, but it wouldn’t be with the same force. In light of the fact that Job was a blameless and upright man, who feared God and turned away from evil, why did these things happen to Job, of all people?

We touched on this question earlier, but let’s come back to it again. Why would a choice servant of God have to endure such tragedies? Surely it isn’t fair. And we have only begun to read about Job’s woes; there are more coming. If that’s what a man gets for being upright and serving God, then maybe it would be better to eat, drink, and be merry. How could things be any worse? Though we may never have all the answers to some of these questions, we must conclude from the first chapter of Job that serving God does not mean that we will have less troubles in this world than other people. If we pursue God in order to have happiness and avoid troubles, then we are on the devil’s team, because it was Satan himself who suggested that Job only served God for what he could get out of Him.

Consider this: To love God, serve God, and pursue God with all our heart is an invitation to great trials in this life. We don’t care much for that statement, do we? Is that not what we see in the life of Job? He wasn’t afflicted because he disobeyed the Lord, because he lacked zeal for God. The Lord brought up Job’s name to Satan precisely because Job stood head and shoulders about other men in his love for and devotion to God. As in our illustration at the beginning, Job was the tallest tree in the area. Satan had been going to and fro in the earth. We know that as he went to and fro in the earth, he wasn’t on a sightseeing tour. Rather, he was roaming around to see whom he might devour. That is what he always does. “Satan, in your diabolical work, have you thought about my servant Job, who is blameless and upright, fears God and turns away from evil? Would you like to see what you can do with him?” Job was exhibit one of a man who truly loves God. If Satan wanted a real test, then let him try to trip up Job.

Look down through the corridors of history and see if an all-out pursuit of God does not invite great trials and difficulties. One time God tested a man by sending him up on a mountain to sacrifice his only son. It wasn’t just any man; it was Abraham, a man who had walked with God and who had believed the promises of God. Fast forward hundreds of years to a man named Paul. When comparing himself with the false teachers who were threatening the Corinthian church, Paul wrote these words in II Cor. 11:23-28 (ESV)…

²³Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.²⁴Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ²⁷ in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. ²⁸And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

Paul was not just any man. He was Saul the persecutor, who was gloriously converted and became Paul the apostle. His great longing was to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering being made conformable to His death (Phil. 3:10). Knowing the cost, he preached Christ and Christ crucified to Jews and Gentiles alike. This choice servant of the Lord experienced great trials as a result.

And then come to Jesus, whom Abraham anticipated and Paul knew. Not only was He the choicest of all God’s servants, but He was indeed the Son of God. Never once did He sin against God His Father. He lived to do the will of His Father. Of all who ever lived, He is the One who deserved nothing but good from the hand of God the Father. Surely it was difficult enough to just come into this messed-up world. But He didn’t come as a king to be born in a palace, but he came as an ordinary man and was brought forth in a barn. His family had to flee to another country because King Herod tried to kill the little boy Jesus. When He grew up, He was the master teacher and healer and miracle worker. As Luke puts it in Acts 10:38, He “went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil.” Nevertheless, He was hated, ridiculed, and those of His home town tried to kill Him. As time wore on, the most respected religious leaders of the nation plotted to kill Him. Finally, Jesus was hung on the cross, where “the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:6).

May we never ask the question, “Why Job?” without quickly considering the other question, “Why Jesus?” When we are tempted to ask, “Why me?”, may we quickly come back to consider, “Why Jesus?” I am fully aware that Job didn’t have that luxury. He didn’t have the knowledge that we have. But praise God that we have the privilege of gazing upon the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is in that cross that the deepest questions life are answered. How can we do justice to the question, “Why Job?”, or any other deep difficult question, without coming to the cross. Is it any wonder that Paul said, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2)? And again, “But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Gal. 6:14).

We will continue to explore these questions about why Job was singled out and why godly people experience such deep tribulation. As we do, may God give us grace to always look to Jesus. So, as we close this morning, let’s ask honestly, “Why Jesus?” “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” (John 3:16). Yes, Jesus suffered, died, and was even cut off from God His Father, but there was great purpose in His suffering. Ultimately, even Jesus’ death on the cross would work for God’s glory and our good. Who can begin to imagine the pain for both Jesus and the Father, as He hung on that cross? But before Jesus went to that cross, He could see the glory that awaited Him. Heb. 12:2, “…Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…” Remember Jesus’ prayer the night before He was crucified… (John 17:1-5)

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Now Jesus is indeed sitting in glory at the right hand of His Father. The Christ who died will die no more, but He will ever live in His Father’s presence. And because He lived, died, rose, and ascended to the Father, we too can have life. We can anticipate Jesus coming again. We can rejoice in the truth that we will live forever in the presence of our Lord, where we will worship Him for all eternity. The sins that so easily beset us will be entirely gone, because Jesus took the punishment for those sins on the cross. “There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” (Rom. 8:1). Yes, trials will come. As we follow hard after God, those trials will increase, but praise God “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).

Introducing Job -- 3/13/11

Sunday, March 13, 2011

INTRODUCING JOB

Job 1:1-5

Please allow me to ask you some tough questions. Why do people suffer? Even more specifically, why do the righteous suffer? If God is love, then how can He allow the terrible suffering we see in this world? What is the relationship between sin and suffering? Can God expect people to worship Him, when they are in the midst of intense suffering? Is God touched by man’s suffering? Does God give answers to all of these questions?

At this point some of you may be thinking, “Ron, you sure do talk a lot about suffering. Why?” The answer is simple: Suffering is a prominent theme in both the Bible and in life. To ignore the theme of suffering is to fail to deal with life as it is. It’s kind of like death. We live in a society which has invented all kinds of ways to help us avoid thinking about death. Funeral homes bury our dead, so that we won’t have to have any direct contact. Soft music, nice clothing, and a truck full of lies so dominate funerals that most cannot hear the message of Heb. 9:27, “…It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Because death is not a pleasant subject, it is generally avoided. It is the same way with suffering. Large segments of our society have concluded that the best way to deal with suffering is to avoid it at all cost. Though many people have questions about suffering, they are generally left unasked, because it seems easier to avoid the subject altogether. That is not the approach of the Bible. Like death, suffering is a reality that must be faced openly and honestly.

Now let me ask you an easier question. Except for the Lord Jesus, what man has suffered more than any other person in history? I believe the number one answer has to be “Job.” Even among non-Christians, Job is known as the supreme sufferer. Phrases such as “the suffering of Job” or “the patience of Job” are not uncommon. Anyone who has read about or heard about Job will not soon forget his story, because he experienced incredible suffering. Job would easily make the Guiness Book of World Records as the man who endured the most extreme suffering. But even if someone could be found who suffered more than Job, his story could not compare with that of Job, because of the unique circumstances that surround the story of Job’s suffering. When we read the book of Job, we get the inside story about what was really going on.

As you might have guessed, we are going to spend some time in the book of Job. I believe we will proceed through the first couple of chapters rather slowly, as they set the stage for everything else. Then we will move through the middle part of the book a bit faster, though at this point, I think we will plan to cover all of it. Then we will give special attention to the end of the book. While the middle part of the book may seem a bit tedious, I have had more than one person say, “I get the first and last part, but it is hard for me to make much sense out of the rest of it.” Let’s dive in and ask the Lord to give us insight into the truth of this book.

Let’s begin by reading Job 1:1-5…

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. 2. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 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. 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. 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.

I. The Background -- Who? Where? and When?

So who was this man “Job”? He is introduced in almost storybook fashion: “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job.” He is the main character in the book that bears his name, and his name occurs in this book a total of 55 times. We call it “the book of Job” for good reason. But outside of the book of Job, this man is mentioned only three times -- twice in the fourteenth chapter of Ezekiel and once in the fifth chapter of James. Those references refer back to him, but they do not give us any information about his background. The reference to Job in Gen. 46:13 is most likely to another man by the same name (compare Gen. 46:13 to Num. 26:24 & I Chron. 7:1). Basically, we are introduced to a man we know nothing about.

However, we do know where Job lived. He lived in the land of Uz. The land of Uz is also mentioned in Jer. 25:20 and Lam. 4:21, which associates Edom with the land of Uz. Edom was south and east of the Dead Sea. This would be consistent with the attacks of the Sabeans (1:15) and the Chaldeans (1:17), who lived in that general area. Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, was from Teman, a city not too far from this area. It seems best to conclude that Job lived in what is the northwest part of modern-day Saudi Arabia, which included the area of Edom. This would put him down southeast of the Dead Sea. [However, some believe that he lived further north, east of the Sea of Galilee.]

So when did Job live? There is nothing in the Bible that directly tells us when he lived. It would be nice if some well-known biblical character was mentioned in the book of Job, but that is not the case. However, there are clues that point to the fact that Job probably lived in the time of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Let me just mention a few of those clues. First of all, there is a very interesting reference in Job 22:15-16, "Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16. Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood." Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends was speaking about how God in the past had cut down wicked men by a flood. Most all who have studied this book agree that he is referring to the flood in the days of Noah. If that is true, then Job lived after the flood. It seems that we can establish the other limit of Job’s life by concluding that he lived before the giving of the law in the time of Moses. Like other patriarchs (Genesis 8:20; 12:7-8; 31:54), Job, as the head of his family, offered up sacrifices to God (Job 1:5; cf. 42:8). After the giving of the law, this was the task of the priests. Also, in the law, daughters were not normally given land as an inheritance (see Num. 27:1-11; 36:1-13). However, we see in Job 42:15 that he did not hesitate to give his daughters such an inheritance, indicating that he lived before the time of the law.

The other thing we must note is the length of his life. How long did Job live? We don’t know exactly, but we can get some idea. Before his suffering, he lived long enough to father 10 children, and to become the greatest man of the east. It would seem that these children were grown, though it is possible that a couple of them may not have been. The book of Job concludes with these words: "After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 17. So Job died, being old and full of days" (42:16-17). We can’t be sure exactly when the 140 years started, but it certainly was after his suffering and seems to be after the birth of his second set of ten children. Putting the pieces together, it seems clear that Job must have lived to be around 200, and maybe a good bit older. Such an age fits in very well with the time of the patriarchs. Abraham lived to be 175 years (Gen. 25:7), while Isaac died at 180 (Gen. 35:28). So it seems safe to conclude that Job lived between the time of the flood and the time of Moses. (See http://apologeticspress.org/article/2516... article by Eric Lyons, “When Did Job Live?”).

A much more highly debated question concerns when the book of Job was written. Of course, we could answer that question much more easily if we knew who wrote it, but we don’t. Some would suggest that Job himself wrote the book. After all, it does include detailed biographical information, which no one would have known better than Job. Since he lived a 140 years after the events took place, he would have had plenty of time to have written it. Others suggest that Elihu may have written it, as he too was an eyewitness of what took place. (Elihu speaks to Job in chapters 32-37). Or maybe even Moses, since he spent time in the deserts of Midian, whose location was not too far from where Job lived. Many scholars today believe that it was written by Solomon or someone associated with Solomon, because its style has much in common with the wisdom literature (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). You will notice that it has been placed with the poetic books. Ultimately, it is the Spirit of God who is the author of this book. That is all we have to know.

With those background notes, let’s come to the text itself and see…

II. The Character of Job

What kind of man was Job? We don’t have to wonder. All we have to do is read the very first verse, “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.” The ESV reads, “…And that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” Who said that Job was blameless and upright? The author of this book, and ultimately the author is the Holy Spirit of God. But furthermore, God Himself gives the exact same description of Job later in this chapter. This is what God said about Job.

What is meant by the statement that Job was a “perfect” man? Most translations render the word “blameless.” However we translate it, we must understand something of what it means. It does not mean that he was sinless. How do we know? We know he wasn’t sinless because the Bible tells us clearly from cover to cover that all have sinned (Ps. 53; Rom. 3:23). Then what does the word mean? It (tam) comes from a Hebrew verb which means “to be complete, to be finished, to be without blame.” The text is basically saying that Job had the kind of character that could not be called into question. No one could rightly accuse him of moral failure.

Job was not the only Old Testament saint who was described as being blameless (perfect). We find the same thing said about Noah in Gen. 6:9, "These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." “Perfect” is the translation of this same word that means “blameless.” Later, God would say to Abraham, "… I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Gen. 17:1). So like Noah and Abraham, Job was a blameless man.

Not only was he blameless, but he was also “upright.” The root meaning of this word is “straight.” He lived a life that was straight on target. Of the two words, this one speaks more of the outward behavior of the man. He lived a just or righteous life. His behavior was exemplary.

Then we see that this was not just an arbitrary morality that Job pursued, but he feared God. The Bible elevates the fear of God to great heights. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 10:9). “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him…” (Ps. 25:14). "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared" (Ps. 130:3-4). “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever…” (Ps. 19:9). On the other hand, when Paul wanted to summarize the sinful behavior of man, he quoted these words from the Old Testament, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:18, quoted from Ps. 36:1). The person who fears the Lord has such great reverence for the Lord that he orders his life according to what the Lord would think. His audience is not the world, but the Lord Himself. That is the way Job is described. The fact that he was blameless and upright grew out of his fear of God.

Notice that the text then says that Job eschewed evil. That he is, he avoided evil; he shunned it; he turned away from it. Job refused to have anything to do with evil. We read in Ps. 97:10, “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.” That describes Job. He loved and feared the Lord, but he hated evil. Job did not see how close he could come to evil without actually partaking of it; he fled from it.

III. The Relationships of Job

Job’s character reflects a strong relationship with the living God. His blamelessness and uprightness does not describe a man who was a little bit more moral than the people around him. This was not just a human goodness. Rather, it was a righteousness that was rooted in his relationship to God. We see that in the fact that Job feared God.

Now let’s turn to his human relationships. Later in the book we will learn more, but at the very beginning we are introduced to his family. We will meet his wife in chapter 2, but here in 1:2 we learn that Job had seven sons and three daughters. Wow! That’s quite a family. We are not told how old they were or in what order they were born, only that there were seven sons and three daughters. Job was blessed with ten children, who apparently were healthy and normal in every way.

Did Job love his children? While there is no direct statement about his affection for his children, let’s allow his actions to speak. Job’s children must have been a close knit group of siblings, because whenever one of the boys had a birthday, he would invite all his brothers and sisters to come to his party. That speaks highly of the family relationship. We don’t really know whether Job attended the birthday parties or not; we are not told. There was something more important to Job than whether or not he attended their feasts. Notice that after each of these feasts, he would send for all of them and sanctified them. That is, he rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings for each one of his children.

There is a certain mystery about his actions. Remember that, as far as we can tell, this was before God established the priesthood among His people. As a father, Job took spiritual responsibility for his children. Notice the reason behind his actions. Job was thinking, “It might be that one of my children has sinned and cursed God in his heart.” Whatever the exact meaning of this sanctifying/purifying/consecrating of his children, it is clear that Job saw himself as interceding for them before God. We might even call this a dedication of his children to God. At least seven times a year (on the birthday of each son), he made it a point to offer special offerings to God on their behalf. His great concern for his children was spiritual. He was eager to further their relationship with the Lord. Not only was Job’s relationship with God a noble one, but so was his relationship with his kids.

Though we are not specifically told so, the text seems to imply that this done with the knowledge of his children. At first, you might think that Job just did this in private. However, notice that “Job sent and sanctified them.” The Amplified suggests this idea in its rendering: “Job sent for them to purify them…” If it is true that he made these offerings in their presence, it indicates that his children had the highest respect for their father and his God.

Notice the last words of verse 5, “Thus did Job continually.” This is a very literal translation (same wording in NASV and ESV). This doesn’t mean that Job never did anything but offer sacrifices on behalf of his children. Rather, it means that this was the regular custom of Job. Whenever his children celebrated a feast together, he would then send for them and sanctify them. Job did not grow weary in what he believed was his responsibility as a father. He continued to do this year after year.

IV. The Blessings of Job

So we have seen Job’s background, his character, and his relationships. Now let’s take a look at his blessings. Verses 2-3, “There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east” (ESV). As it was with the patriarchs, a man’s wealth in Job’s day was measured largely by the number of livestock he accumulated (another reason we believe that Job lived in the time of the patriarchs). Friends, that’s a lot of sheep, camel, oxen, and donkeys. You can see why he had “very many servants.” It required “very many servants” to keep up with and care for the very many animals. These animals were valuable because they provided labor and products essential to their owners.

The sheep are probably mentioned first because they were of the greatest value. No doubt, it required a large area to provide pasture for 7,000 sheep, but the wool and food they produced made it worth it. 3,000 camels also speaks of wealth. These were beasts of burden, able to carry heavy loads for long distances. What we know best about them is that they store up massive amounts of water and can thus go a long way between drinks. The possession of so many camels suggests that Job traded with others who lived far away. The 500 yoke of oxen were used mainly for plowing the land. Donkeys could be used to carry things, as well as for plowing. The specific mention of female donkeys probably suggests that they were also valued for their milk.

As we have already seen, Job had seven sons and three daughters. We realize, of course, that having these children was an even greater blessing than all his other possessions. Nevertheless, both the great number of children and the tremendous wealth he enjoyed were demonstrations of God’s blessing. Who can deny that God had richly blessed Job?

The concluding statement says simply, “This man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” What is meant by the “greatest”? The context leads us to understand that he was rich in both character and possessions. The two are related closely together. No other man in that part of the world had more than Job.

The extent of his riches does not exhaust the “greatness” spoken of here. Surely Job was a man of authority and influence. We can certainly see that in what Job says about himself in Job 29:7-10…

When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 8. The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. 9. The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. 10. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

Job had earned the respect of all those around him. Truly, he was a great man, the greatest man of the east.

Who can argue against the conclusion that the primary reason for Job’s greatness was the fact that he was a blameless and upright man, who feared God and turned away from evil and that God blessed him richly for his faithfulness? We will see the implications of this truth next week.

Conclusion

Now we have been introduced to the main character of this book. In reality, God Himself is the main character of this book and every other, but the action is centered around the principle human actor, and that is Job. We have an idea of what this man was like, what kind of father he was, and how he was richly blessed by God.

Now let me ask you one last question: What does the future hold for such a man is this? We must admit that Job is a very unusual man. It isn’t everyone who is designated blameless and upright, who fears God and refuses to have anything to do with evil. Surely God was pleased with this man. We read in Ps. 11:7, "For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright." Job not only had the respect of people around him, but he was a man in whom God was pleased. What kind of future would you expect for this blameless and upright man?

Perhaps he would be like Moses, of whom it was said: “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” (Ex. 33:11). Or maybe the Lord would bless him in a great way, as He would later do for His servant David. Or perhaps Job would be translated to meet God without dying, as was true of Enoch and Elijah. Didn’t God give these marvelous promises in Dt. 28:1-8… (NKJV)

¹ “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. ² And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
³ “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
⁴ “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
⁵ “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
⁶ “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
⁷ “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
⁸ “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

Surely the future was very bright for this faithful man of God. We are going to spend our time looking at the future of this man in the weeks ahead. As we do, we must remember the character of our righteous, holy, and sovereign God. The book of Job will stir up deep questions within us. Surely our great and gracious Lord is able to use our questions to further His own glory.