Job Loses His Livestock – His Children And His Health ! Series

INTRODUCTION #30

1. Open your bible to James 5:11.

2. In a previous lesson we discussed James’ exhortation for us to be patient and for us to imitate the example of Job’s patience.

3. In the previous lesson, from Job 1:1-12, we discussed the sterling character of Job and how that God allowed Satan to tempt Job.

4. Among the lessons that we learned from the previous study was the lesson that sometime our suffering and hardships may come due to God proving to Satan that we are spiritually stronger than what Satan thinks that we are.

5. Let’s turn to Job 1:13&ff and begin to learn other lessons as we discuss the patience of Job.

DISCUSSION

I. FIRST, VERSE 13 REPORTS THAT THE DAY JOB LOSES ALL THAT HE HAD THAT HIS CHILDREN WERE EATING AND DRINKING WITH ONE ANOTHER.

1. Let’s read V. 13, “Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house”.

(1) The Hebrew word for wine does not specify if the wine was intoxicating or not.

(2) Let’s hope that it was non intoxicating.

(3) We don’t know for sure if this would have been one of the occasions mentioned back in verses four and five – it may have been. It may have been on the oldest brother’s birthday or it may have been a feast for some other occasion.

II. SECOND, VERSES 14-16 REPORT THE LOSE OF JOB’S OXEN, DONKEYS, SHEEP AND SERVANTS. V. 17 Reports that Job’s camels were stolen and the servants of the camels were killed!

1. Let’s read vs. 14-16, “V14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans 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!”

2. Job would have had to have been very confused after these three reports. The stealing of his oxen and donkeys and camels and the killing of his servants by the Sabeans and the Chaldeans may have been thought of as something that might take place due to the wickedness of men.

3. But to have Job’s sheep all burned with lightning from God would have been extremely difficult for Job to understand. His sheep, among other things, were used to offer sacrifices in his worship to God. Job would have had difficultly comprehending why God would have burned and consumed all his sheep and the Sheppard’s.

4. It would have seemed more natural for lightning from God to have burned the Sabeans and the Chaldeans as they attempted to steal the oxen and the donkeys and the camels and kill the servants.

5. Satan in being so “subtle” and being so “crafty” and having so many “wiles” and “tricks” undoubtedly schemed things so that God’s lightning would be used in consuming the animals that Job would normally use in his worship to God.

6. By Satan doing this he would cause Job to think that God was unhappy with him and his sacrifices and worship.

7. Satan, thought that for sure the loss of the sheep and the Sheppard’s would cause Job to curse God. In spite of this loss, Job remained faithful.

III. THIRD, VERSES 18&19 REPORT THAT ALL OF JOB’S CHILDREN WERE KILLED.

1. Let’s read vs. 18&19: “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 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!”

2. Again, while the previous evil report was being delivered, another servant came with a report of another tragedy. All this indicates the rapidity (the speed) of the movement of Satan, and his desire to ‘overwhelm’ Job with the suddenness and greatness of his calamities.

1) The reason for the rapidity and speed seems to have been to give Job no time to recover from the shock of one form of trial before another came upon him.

2) If an interval or the stretching of these things out over a few days had been given him he might have rallied his strength to bear his trials a little easier; but Satan knows that afflictions are much more difficult to be dealt with when they come in rapid succession.