“IN ALL THIS, JOB SINNED NOT” JOB 1
(Job 1.22)
Taught by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Tuesday Morning Bible Study-January 26, 2010
1:1: “There was man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God, and shunned evil.
The theme of the book of Job is the age-old question, “Why does a loving and righteous God permit the godly to suffer?” In just a few days, Job lost his business, his wealth, his family (and possibly his wife also), and also his health! Why should this happen? His three friends had it figured out that Job was really a hypocrite, that there was hidden sin in his life, and that Jehovah was chastening him. But Job insisted that he knew of no hidden sin, so they kept arguing with him. In Job. 2:3, God states very clearly that he had no cause against Job! And in 42:7, God rebukes the three friends for not speaking the truth about him! Job was not a hypocrite, although (like any of us) he certainly had room for improvement in his life, and this he admitted in the end (42: 1-6). It is true that God does send chastening when His children need discipline. (Heb. 12: 1-13). This training is evidence of His Love. It is also true that the wicked have their enjoyment today, but will soon be cut down (Psa. 37 and 73). If the believer waits, he will see his reward. But neither of these facts meets the need in Job’s life. God had a divine purpose in permitting Job to suffer; for one thing, he revealed unto Satan and the heavenly host the testimony of a man of faith. (Eph. 3: 9-10) “And he makes all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” However, the main lesson in Job is this: God is completely sovereign in His dealings with His people, and will never permit anything to come to the life of an obedient Christian that is not for his good and God’s glory. That is an absolute!!!!!! God does not have to explain His ways to us. Is it enough for us to know that He cares and that He is too wise to ever make a mistake? In one sense, the book of Job does not give a “pat answer” to the problem of why the righteous suffer. Certainly, Job was a better man after the trials were over, for suffering can have a purifying effect if we will surrender to the Lord. Job maintained his faith in God and believed that, in the end, God would vindicate him---and God did! Perhaps this is the greatest lesson of the book: God is completely sovereign in our lives, and does not have to explain His ways to us. He works out His purposes and this is all that matters. (Romans 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” I believe that. When we believe that then “Faith is a Fact”.Let us not misjudge the subject of the book of Job: It is not dealing with the problem of suffering as a whole, but only one aspect of that problem---why do the righteous suffer? There is no final solution, but we do have in the Book of Job an interim answer. “Behind all the suffering of the Godly is a high purpose of God, and beyond it all is an “afterwards” of glorious enrichment and restoration. He is an “ISH” man – notable man of high degree. In Lyn Gitchell’s book, Eleven Reasons Why Job Stayed Sick, she takes his ancestry back to Genesis 46:13. “And the sons of Issachar, Tola, Phuvah, and Job and Shimron.” Throughout the Bible when we study the Sons of Issachar, these were all Holy of Men of God, under the favor of God and Blessed of the Lord. Job, son of Issachar, went down to Egypt with his father in the years of famine. If Job was around twenty years old when he went with his father to Egypt, and as is thought, seventy years old when adversity struck him, then sometime in the interim fifty years he had taken his family to this land of Uz and was successful there.Genesis 22:20-21 we read that Abraham heard his brother Nahor had eight sons, and among them two are named Uz and Buz. Buz and Aram are mentioned with Elihu in Job 32:2, which would seem to suggest that this was the Uz who was Job’s contemporary and in whose land Job dwelt. The land of Uz is also mentioned in Jeremiah 25:20 and Lamentations 4:21. It lies south of Edom, west of Arabia, and extends to the borders of Chaldean.Job 1: 2-5: And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 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. 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 the. 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 the all: for Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
- Seven = Perfection, Completion (the number of God (His nature).
- Three = Resurrection, Godhead (Trinity), completeness.
- 10 = Law, Responsibility or trail, resting, tribulation.
JOB’S SUBSTANCE:
- 7000 SHEEP = 7 X 1000 = Kingdom
- 3000 Camels – The camel is a vehicle of tribulation (carried Joseph to Egypt)
- 500 Asses – burden bearer
The Chaldee explains it in a way that is tongue-in-cheek: 1000 sheep for each of his sons; 1000 camels for each of his daughters, 500 yoke of oxen for Job, and 500 she-asses for his wife!”
Job rose early in the morning. He performed his devotions with meticulous conscientiousness and regularity. He had faith in the atonement though the burnt offerings and the shedding of blood. He had a deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his family. He had a reverential fear of God arising from his recognition of the holiness of God. He had an awareness of the sinful state and propensities of the human heart. He had an awareness of the divine attribute of omniscience.
Verse 1:6: WHO ARE THE SONS OF GOD IN VERSE 6? “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and satan came also among them. 2:1: “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. I will first quote Lyn Gitchell and then Kelly Varner. “The title “sons of God” is given only to those who are brought into being by a specific creation of God. Adam is called the Son of God in Luke 3:38. “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” In Christ we, as believers, are called sons of God. (Romans *:14-15) “For all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God…The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. 1 John 3:1: “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” This is brought about by the specific creation of God in the new birth and does not denote offspring in the way that we use the word son of our children. However the sons of God referred to here cannot be the believers in Christ for obvious reasons, both chronological and redemptive, so there has to be another explanation. The term is used to describe the form of an angel that walked with the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:25, (the fourth is like the Son of God- sounds like Jesus to me - my interjection). There are few other usages and only the fact that angels are specific creations of God, and the context in which it is used in Job suggest that is the angels that are referred to here. There is another time when the term sons of God is used presumably of angels and occurs in Genesis 6:2 and 4. Bullinger has some useful comments on this: 'That there was a fall of the angels is certain from Jude 6. The nature of their fall is clearly stated in the same verse. They left their own “oiketerion”. This word occurs only in 2 Corinthians 5:2 and Jude 6 where it is used of the spiritual (or resurrection) body. The nature of their sin is stated to be “in like manner” to that of the subsequent sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jude 7. The time of their fall is given as having taken place “in the days of Noah,” (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:7). 2 Peter 3:6; (The Flood) “For this they willingly are ignorant of< that by the word of God the heavens were of old< and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was< being overflowed with water perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now< by the same word are kept in store< reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men>” for this sin they are “reserved unto judgment, “2 Peter 2: 4: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.” and are “in prison,” (1 Peter 3:19) “By which He (Christ) went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” 'Tgeur progeny, called “Nephelim,” translated “giants,” were monsters of iniquity, and being superhuman in size and character, had to be destroyed. This was the one and only object of the Flood.’---End of quote from Bullinger This explanation of angels leaving their spiritual state and mixing with humans to procreate half-humans is a little far-fetched and strange, but it offers an explanation for the myths and legends that so many countries have handed down of half-human half-divine heroes and heroines that were able to accomplish super-human feats. It may be a possible explanation of these ancient legends. It really has no relevance to our study of Job to consider the fall of the angels except for the sake of interest. We will accept the explanation that the “sons of God” referred to in the first two chapters of Job does indeed refer to angels. Satan a fallen angel, gook his place among them when they assembled before God.”---End of quote from Gitchell. Varner: K.V. also offers the simplest and most common answer is that these wee “Angels”. However, he offers us another answer: They were the “Elohim”. This position is detailed in the book, “Two Kingdoms” by William Lethbridge, 61 Elgin St., N., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada NIR 5H2. Simply stated, “Ye are gods”(lower case g) (Elohim). Psa. 82; Dan. 2:47; Ex. 22: 28; Jn. 10:34 ;) John 10:34: Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, Say you of him, whom the father has sanctified, and sent into the world, you blasphemed because I said, I am the Son of God?" Ps. 82:1: “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods.Ex. 22:28: You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of your people.” The "Morning Stars" and the “sons of God” in Job 38:7 were the Elect who were there in Him before the foundations of the world. “Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who lad the corner stone thereof, When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? This is a deep subject. If you ever feel inclined to pursue this study, you will find many opinions. Unless the Lord speaks to me, all we have are educated opinions. It is assumed this encounter took place in Heaven. Verse 6 reveals that the “sons of God and satan have to report their activities to the Lord. Satan has access to the Lord which he uses as “the accuser of the brethren.” (Rev. 12: 9-10). These accusations may be true or false, but they are so often false that his ordinary name in the N.T. is “slanderer.” Verse 7 reveals certain facts concerning satan of his personality as an angelic being who possesses faculties of communication employed with a consummate skill and shrewd intrigue. His restless sprit and feverish haste (in Arabic “heat of haste” for “walking up and down”) engaged in incessant activity and unwearied vigilance which bodes no good for any soul, much less the faithful servants of God. The sphere of his activity is limited to this earth, (and to the carnal minds of men at that!). He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). He has to find us first! (Col. 3: 1-3). Satan can only eat dust which is the carnal mind, the first man Adam. The serpent of Gen. 3 has become the dragon of Rev. 12 because the carnal minds and mouths of men have caused him to grow. Now let the spiritual minds and mouth of men cause his demise. 1: 7-11: And the Lord said unto Satan, where have you come from? Then satan answered the Lord, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that fears God, and shuns evil. Then satan answered the Lord, and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. Put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” It was God who initiated the events of Job 1 & 2. In the remainder of this chapter, Job lost his possessions and his family, yet he sinned not with his mouth and his faith remained intact as he successfully met the challenge. Verses 9-11 reveals satan’s reluctant and probably jealous admission of Job’s godliness. His base insinuation is that the piety of Job proceeds from merely mercenary motivations. Satan responds to God with fixed determination. He made an audacious challenge to God in the full council of heaven. His challenge to God was to disprove Job without the Lord’s protection of Grace. One of his diabolical plans was to select some of the Lord’s choicest saints for his special target with cunning discrimination, well knowing that their fall would cause the fall of many others. He made a bold prediction. This means he did not possess foreknowledge of Job’s reaction or he would have never put him to the test. It does not appear in scripture that satan has the gift of foretelling. Although certain fortune-tellers have perverted the gift. Verse 12: “And the Lord said to satan, behold all that he has is in your power; only upon himself put not forth your hand. So satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. Satan cannot touch God’s people without permission from God, which should be a great consolation in times of adversity. Job’s trial was absolutely necessary to vindicate God and silence the attack of satan calculated to damage the reputation of both God and Job. God mercifully places a limitation upon the malignity of satan’s wiles as he roams about the earth in search for an object of his hatred. God protects people against satan’s efforts to overthrow them without their being aware of it. Verses 13-19: “And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house. And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, the oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away; yes, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell you. While he was speaking, there came also another and said, ‘the fire of God is fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them, and I only have escaped alone to tell you.While he was yet speaking, there came als9 another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away. Yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only escaped to tell you. While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house; 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 escaped to tell you.”
- Satan cunningly waited for a time to take Job unaware, a day of festivity when the least expected trouble.
- the suddenness of Satan’s blow was calculated to trigger Job into an impulsive denunciation of God
- The rapid succession of diverse blows from diverse directions was intended to deprive Job of time for reflection and the assumption of a defensive posture to ward off the attack. This is one of the ways we know we are under attack, is several things happen at one time.
- The increasing pressure from increasing losses, not only in number but also in value, would tend to have the effect of undermining Job’s faith, questioning his God, and the breaking down of his resistance.
- the last blow was the worst of all and was confidently expected by satan to overwhelm Job with unbearable personal grief and sure to cause him to expose his presumed hypocrisy.
Satan is fully cognizant of the fact that the character of man is generally revealed in the hour of sudden crisis. With no time to think, what is in the heart will suddenly break out, especially under those pressures of great anguish and pain. Satan has power not only to employ wicked men to accomplish his purpose, but also to employ the elements of nature (God permitting) Satan chose a time when Job enjoyed the security of material prosperity, which the adversary would suddenly turn into painful calamity. Satan’s onslaught was without any pity, as stroke fell upon stroke by a merciless adversary solely bent on his victim’s destruction.Verses 20-22: “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 there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” Instead of rising up against God in rebellion as satan had wanted, Job fell down to the ground in submission to the Sovereignty of God. Instead of turning from God in his sorrow and grief as satan had intended, Job turned to God in worship. Instead of charging God with injustice as satan had expected, Job kept faith in God’s righteousness. Instead of rejecting the hand of Providence as satan had thought, Job accepted what it brought. Instead of cursing God, Job blessed the Name of the Lord. Instead of defeating Job, he defeated satan and vindicated his God. Job acknowledge God’s right to ownership of all things and, therefore, His right to take away as well as to give. Job possessed great riches, but his riches did not possess him. We must remember that all that we have is still God’s, for we ourselves belong to God. Perceiving this calms the resentful and rebellious spirit which is the source of so many of our emotional miseries. Job retained an unwavering confidence in the wisdom and righteousness of the absolute Sovereignty of his God. Job had an implicitly confidence in the un-impeachable integrity of the Name of the Lord for, in the final analysis, the Name of the Lord is what He is. If all that God is could be expressed in one word, that one would be His Name. Many names of God are used in the bible because such one word does not exist. Neither could such a word be formed. An infinite God cannot be expressed in a finite word any more than God can be reduced to a mathematical equation. Job's confidence in the Name of the Lord was mingled with the worship of that Name. This worship in confidence was Job’s best and, perhaps, only defense against the deadly temptation of bringing God into question because of circumstances that appear to be the very negation of His promises. Worship of the Name of the Lord in the hour of deep distress thwarts satan’s attempt to discredit God by bringing Him to trial. Therefore, and especially at such a time, one should remember His Name, call upon His Name, and trust His Name. The literal rendering is “May the Name of the Lord be Blessed!” Job throws water in satan’s face by blessing the Name of the Lord both openly and resolutely!
"In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly.” Job proved to be greater than his calamity. He did not accuse God of injustice, nor utter a word which in any way reflected on the character of God. Job kept the door of his lips---and with it his integrity! Job did not say anything wrong. He did not murmur or speak of his “rights for he knew the “rights” of a sovereign God who gave it all!
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
www.eastgateministries.com
Text from Principles of Present Truth on Job by: Kelly Varner and quotes from Lyn Gitchell, Eleven Reasons Why Job Stayed Sick. Comments and conclusions are my own.
