Job 1

How do you react to devastation in your life? I think that, with most people, the worse our tragedies are, the worse our reactions will be. And while that is a human instinct, is it a Godly instinct?

Let’s take a look at the book of JOB today and see if there is anything we might be able to pick out that would help us in our time of need. We will concentrate on just the first chapter in today’s message.

Many scholars believe that Moses wrote this book and that this is the oldest book in the bible. It was written sometime between 400-700 years prior to the birth of Jesus.

Job was a much respected man of his time. He was also a very rich man. And, in addition to these things, he was a very loving father. And this book about him is often overlooked, but does offer us some of the most-needed information we could have when it comes to living a holy and proper life.

JOB 1:1-3:

1 In the land of Uz, there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man in all the region.

While verses 2-3 tell of job’s earthly wealth and influence, verse 1 begins where it should start; with where Job stood with the Lord God. He was blameless in God’s eyes and he shunned evil. In many ways, Job still stands as the example for Christians today. He is described as a good and Godly man who treated others in a Godly fashion.

When scripture says “fear god”, it doesn’t mean to be scared or afraid of God. It means to show holy reverence to God from the love in our hearts - not because we have to do it but because we want to.

The rest of the book of job is based upon the information given in these verses – what happened to him, how he reacted and why he reacted that way. It helps if we understand that Job’s character was based upon his total trust in God. He suffered unimaginable hurts and lost everything he had, but he did keep his full trust in God.

JOB 1:4-5:

4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

We all like family get-togethers, don’t we? But in those get-togethers, how many of us have drank alcohol or indulged in other things that did not help us in our walks with God? Job’s children threw feasts, or what we call parties today. And at those parties, they drank. Sometimes they would drink a lot. And what happens when we drink? We get loose with our tongues and actions, don’t we? Well, because of those parties, we can tell that Job really loved his children.

He did not condemn or scold them. He simply sacrificed his time so he could perform cleansing for any sins they may have committed during those parties. He was not only a loving father who wanted to make sure his kids were okay with God, but he was also an image of the proper spiritual leader that is talked about in Scripture. I cannot help but wonder how many of us men are the spiritual leaders of our homes.

In JOB 1:6-12, we find that some angels approached God and Satan came with them. And then God and Satan had a conversation.

JOB 1:6-7:

6 One day the angels a came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord saying, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

In verse 6, we see where Satan did not live in heaven any longer. He came to visit God along with the angels. It was not a friendly type of visit, though. When God asked Satan, “Where did you come from?” I am sure it was not with a pleasant tone. But Satan did not answer God directly. He just said he was roaming around on the earth. This shows that Satan is not omnipresent as God is, and cannot be everywhere at the same time like God can be. And when he said he had been roaming around on earth, God knew that he was roaming around trying to find souls to destroy.