Today, as promised, we will complete the book of Job. Last week we left him in the midst of his misery with three friends who came to "comfort" him. Remember, when we met Job, he was wealthy and seemed healthy, he walked with God blamelessly, and he deeply cared about his 10 children and especially their spiritual welfare. Then we overheard a conversation between God and Satan where Satan accuses Job of hypocrisy or at least shallow faith, and God of propping him up by protecting him. Satan is given permission to take everything from Job, everything, including the lives of his children. But Job remains faithful. Satan still accuses God and Job and, because of God’s incredible patience, Satan is also permitted to afflict Job’s body, but not take his life.
There are many angles from which we might look at this book of Job. I went to see my mother Friday and she’s reading along with us. She told me that every time she reads Job it reveals new encouragements about God and his wisdom and way with us. We agreed that God knew Job’s strength and faith. God knows that Job will stand. God is not a tempter of man, but he does allow our testing at times. The real ignorant one in the story is not Job, or even Job’s three friends. The really ignorant one is Satan. He will not and can not understand nor see goodness. He is both blind and the blinder of all who listen to him. His way is the way of darkness and deception. As Jesus said, “When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” He is also a murderer. His goal is your soul’s everlasting death in hell. Peter tells us, Satan is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Where is Satan? Did you notice nothing else is said about him after chapter 2? The sly serpent slithers off unwilling to accept the truth of Job’s integrity and continuing to seek a way to dishonor God and man. Look out! He has only disappeared from view temporarily. You can read about his work in the papers even today, and see his doings just about everywhere. He’s angry. He knows his time is short.
Listen to the last book of the Bible, Revelation 12: 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
His time is short…
That’s good news. For all who are in Christ we can know that Satan’s time is short. He will do his worst and he will fail, just as he failed with Job. Do you know why? Because for all who are in Christ and who are loyal to Him and who love not this world nor the things in it, but who live by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, there is sure and certain victory. We will face suffering for a season, but not without this assurance: the Lord knows those who are his! He who watches over you will not allow your foot to be moved! He who keeps you will not slumber.
God knows you and me. He knows our hearts. He wants us to be saved. He works for our salvation. God is the one who formed you and who planned for you to be here. He chose you, he redeemed you, he sent Jesus to die for you, because he wants you. He loves you.
But back to Job…
Job faces the horror of loss and pain and in the midst of it all he knows that God is in this whole thing. Notice, Job never once mentions Satan. Job never refers to any authority over himself but God’s authority. I have a hard time believing that Job has never heard of the tempter. But his eye is on the Lord his God. His cries are to the Lord. His anguish and bitterness are poured out before the Lord. As his friends join Satan in the accusing, Job refuses to listen. He knows his integrity before God. He rebukes them for falsely accusing him and continues to plead his case to God. Waiting, wanting, begging for relief and justice. He will look to none other! His words? My advocate is in heaven! I know that my redeemer lives! Though he slay me, yet will I serve him! Wow! Do you see Jesus in that?
Let me say a couple of things about Job’s friends at this point. What do you think of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar? We discover after they are through blaming Job that there is at least one more, Elihu.
Now, if you read this, you know that not all they have to say is wrong or bad. In fact, much of what they say about what happens to evil people is true. The problem is, they look at Job and judge him not according to what they know he has done, or have seen him do, but according to what has happened to him and his cries to God for justice. They, like Job, see the hand of God in this. They don’t mention Satan either. They simply decide that since Job has had all these terrible things to happen to him, he’s got to have done something bad to deserve it!
Does anyone remember the old movie, “The Sound of Music?” Remember when Maria meets Mr. Von Trapp and they finally fall in love? She sings, “Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could. So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.” That’s the theology of Job’s three friends too, or at least the reverse of it. Good things happen to good people, bad things happen to bad people. That’s the rules. That’s it. Period. End of story. So Job, we know that you MUST have done something bad.
It’s true, isn’t it, that God’s word teaches that if you are faithful God will bless you? Have you ever read the end of Deuteronomy? And is it not also true that God’s word teaches that if you forsake God, you will be cursed. This is in there too. But is it true? Of course it is! It’s in the Bible! And when we reach the end of Job, guess what? That’s exactly how it works out. But… listen to me now, there are a lot of lessons in Job, some that bring us closer to seeing Jesus than the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy.
Job’s three friends are wrong. God said so, and we can see so. Were they men who believed in God? Of course. Were they men who sought to walk with God? Yes! They did exactly what God told them to do at the end. Were they trying to hurt Job? No! They were trying to help Job! They came there to comfort Job. They wanted Job to be better and were horrified at what had happened to him. They were willing to speak their minds to him, thinking that surely Job has sinned and brought God’s wrath upon himself. Every time Job claimed to be innocent or said things about God’s justice not being carried out fairly upon himself, they were aghast and rebuked him for his language! Then they would light into him again telling him that God would never bring this upon anyone unless that person was a sinner! So, Job, you must be a sinner! Admit it!
But they were wrong.
Do you know anyone like Job’s friends? Anyone, who looks upon the misery of others and blames them for it? This reminds me of Jesus in John 9 when he and his disciples go past the beggar who was blind from birth. What happens when they see him there? What do they do? The disciples want to fix the blame. “Lord, why was this man born blind? Was it he or his parents that sinned?”
Their point? Who is responsible for this? He wouldn’t be in this condition if not for his sin or his parent’s sin. Either he or his parents had to sin to cause this! Which?
Jesus tells them, “It was neither this man nor his parents who sinned that he is blind, but this is so the works of God might be displayed in his life!”
Here’s a man who waited for a long time to see God’s works displayed in his life. How many people have looked at his condition and blamed him or his parents for it? But Jesus opened his eyes and he saw God’s works displayed in himself!
Can you hear Jesus words, “Judge not that you be not judged. With the judgment you use you will be judged and the measure you use will be measured against you.” There is clearly a time and place for rebuking, exhorting, and correcting, but not when you don’t know what a person has done, not when you have no information about their decisions and behaviors and only see their circumstances.
Isn’t it easy to find fault, point and blame? More time and energy is wasted over this than you would believe! Three guys are being chased by lions back to their car and to their horror the doors are locked and the keys are still in the ignition! So what do they do? They break into a big argument about whose fault it is! Now that’s really helpful, isn’t it!
God is the one true judge of all the earth. He is the only one who sees and knows the whole story and can make the righteous and perfect judgment and bring about true justice.
After Job’s three friends have finally given up on convincing Job that he is getting what he deserves, Elihu has a long speech that is finally interrupted by God’s coming to speak with Job himself. Did you read it?
God speaks out of the whirlwind and storm. It is an awesome sight. He puts Job back in the place of humble submission with several questions. He basically says, “Job, when you know enough to run the universe, I’ll answer your questions.” God asks, “Who darkens my counsel without understanding?”
I don’t know what you think about all God says to Job, but one thing is sure, it impressed Job and he completely submitted himself to God and repented of his attitude toward God’s justice. God knew he would. God knew Job’s heart and believed in Job’s loyalty. And while he never answered Job’s questions, he more than met Job’s need.
Chapter 42 is great.
God sides with Job! Job is vindicated and even his words are defended by God to his friends! God says to them, “You have not spoken rightly of me as my servant Job has!” God says this twice! Look at it at the end of verse 7 and 8.
Then, and I love it, look at the first part of verse 12, And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…
Do you see Jesus in that? Do you want to see yourself in that too?
For the sinner, life is like a pyramid. There is so much room at the beginning! You are free to spend your energy and health on whatever your flesh desires! Take in all the pleasures of sin! Eat the forbidden fruits of life and run with the devil! But watch what happens as you move to the top. The fun begins to lose it’s punch and the pleasures begin to demand payment. Smaller and smaller becomes your world until the end that leads to death and judgment. You will have traded your life for dust and given your soul for nothing.
On the other hand, look at the life God calls you to in Christ. It is like an upside down pyramid. It begins with putting to death the sinful desires and worldly ways as we meet Jesus Christ at the cross. The way is narrow and the gate is small that leads to life, said Jesus, and few there be that find it. But broad is the path and wide the way that leads to death and many go that way. As we begin our journey on the path of life there is room only for Jesus and you. But Jesus gives us benefits and blessings that begin to expand our hearts and minds with joys and peace and love that fulfills our lives and these only grow and enlarge to greater and deeper and wider and higher expanses of God’s grace to us. We lose our sinful self at the beginning, and gain new life with a new self in Christ that God continues to mold and make more and more into the image of Jesus.
Truly, in Jesus the end is blessed more than the beginning!
You may face loses, pain, accusation, and betrayal of friends. But you will never be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God knows you. God wants you. God loves you. But the path you take, he allows you to choose.
