WHEN LIFE TUMBLES IN, WHAT THEN? Job 1:1-22
Proposition: It is normal to question God when life tumbles in and wonder “Why” this is happening to us, but such experiences can bring us closer to God if we make the right choices.
Objective: My purpose is to help people realize that God really does love you even when life tumbles in.
INTRODUCTION:
Everyone goes through difficult times. Augustine put it this way, “God only had one Son on this earth without sin, but none without suffering.” When these times come upon us, we can react in one of two ways. We can either move toward God, or we can move away from Him. You may have seen trials produce both reactions in the people to whom you know. Joseph Lincoln caught this attitude when he said, “Trouble affects folks differently. Troubles are like hot weather, it sours milk, but it sweetens apples.”
One of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is, “when life tumbles in, what then?” What happens when our best laid plans lie in ashes at our feet or when everything and everyone we have put our trust in has failed us? What happens when those whom we cherish are taken from us in death, or when our own strength and health fails us and we can no longer care for ourselves or those whom we love? Who do we turn to and where do we find comfort, peace and strength to endure with joy?
The name Job means "hated, persecuted" in Hebrew. He lived in the land of Uz, named after one of the grandsons of Shem. The father of Uz was Aram. Some scholars say that Job lived around the time of Abraham, one of the patriarchs. Some date it around 2000 B.C. for Job as the main character and may have been written by Moses according to Jewish tradition. At one time or another, almost everyone has felt like Job. While going through trials & times of suffering, we are often overwhelmed by self-pity. We want an explanation for why God allows trials to happen to us. The Book of Job records the troubling questions, the terrifying doubts, & the very real anguish of a sufferer. The Book can help us in the time when we are surrounded with troubles by giving us a glimpse of God’s perspective on our suffering. “Why do the righteous suffer?” Other suggestions: “Why does man serve God?” “How can a man stand before God?” The book addresses the issue of the suffering of people who are righteous. The Book of Job is not religious fiction. Job was a real person, not an imaginary character; both Ezekiel (14:14, 20) & James (5:11) attest to that. Because he was a real man who had real experiences, he can tell us what we need to know about life & its problems in this real world.
In summary, The purpose of this book seems to disprove the view that suffering or misfortune is a sign of divine displeasure and is always brought upon people by their own sin. In chapter one he deals with prosperity (1:1-5) and adversity (1:6-2:13).
I. A DESCRIPTION: AN EXAMPLE OF A PERSON OF FAITH (vvs. 1-5) “One who feared God and shunned evil”—Here in these verses Job is presented to us as straight in conduct as well as wealthy, contented, complete, conscientious, a great man—the greatest of his day. Whatever else this book is going to say to us, it makes clear that there is such a thing as innocent suffering.
1. Character: A wise man (v. 1) “blameless and upright”—Job was a man who lived in the land of Uz, southeast of Palestine in the land of Edom or northern Arabia. Job was “without moral blemish: or “morally whole” (blameless). He has perfectly met all of God’s demands. He was “straight” in the sense of not deviating from God’s standards (upright). He “shunned evil” by rejecting the opposite of God’s character.
Illus: “A Christian’s character, like a beautiful gem, is formed by pressure and polished by friction.”
2. Consideration: A wealthy man (vvs. 2-3) “And seven sons and three daughters” “His possessions were:--In the Middle East, having many children was usually considered as a sign of God’s blessings. In that day, wealth was measured primarily in terms of land, animals and servants, and Job had all three in abundance. Job did not let his family and possessions take the place of God.
3. Consecration: A worthy man (vvs. 4-5) “His sons would go and feast…Job would send and sanctify them…offer burnt offerings”—At each feast (celebration) and family get-together, like a birthday party, wedding days, harvest days and sheep-shearing days, Job fills a priestly role in his spiritual responsibility as he is concerned that his family receive forgiveness of any sins committed knowingly or unknowingly. His concern is that they might have cursed God. Job was a person of integrity as shown by his many good qualities that make his upcoming adversities all the more severe. No one deserved suffering less than he did and few if any have suffered more. Job was not attacked by the devil because he was a sinful man, but because he was a righteous man!”
Illus: Setting the tone for the family is the father’s responsibility. “The Saturday Evening Post” featured a cover in 4 sections with a picture in each quarter-section. On top, at the left, a boss was shown bawling out an employee. At the top right, the employee took out his frustration by yelling at his wife at home. The bottom left showed the wife spanking their child &, in the last picture, the child kicks the family dog. It all started at the office with the father. In the eyes of man, Job is “perfect” in righteousness & is rewarded by God with “perfect: riches & a “perfect” family. In the eyes of God, Job is more. Job is introduced to us as God’s best representative of His purpose for man on earth.
II. THE DISPLAY: AN EXAMINATION REVEALS THE WORK OF SATAN (vs. 6-12) “Have you considered My servant”—Satan is not always present everywhere, but his influence can by felt everywhere. Satan can go from earth to heaven (v. 6) and he can travel all over the earth (v. 7). Satan is not all knowing, even though he thinks he is. He thought he knows why Job feared God, but he was wrong. Satan is very powerful but he is not all powerful, even though he is much more powerful than we are.
1. The adversary (vvs. 6-7) “Satan also came among them”—This is one thing that’s amazing about God. While He knows everything about everyone about where they’re been (SATAN, in this case). He STILL ASKS Satan where he’s been just to remind Satan, “Hey, buster! I know everywhere you’ve been but I want YOU TO TELL me, anyway.” Without an invitation, he intrudes upon heaven’s council meeting. Satan has access to God and must “report” to God.
2. The attention (v. 8) “Have you considered My servant Job” – “Have you noticed my friend Job?” Satan’s been walking around the earth basically saying, “All these humans are weak! Is there no match for me?” (Wouldn’t you like to say you’re one who could follow God to the letter “T” and say Satan is no match for you?” God, “Did you note his spiritual character?” so God challenge Satan by saying how good a follower Job is.
3. The accusation (vvs. 9-11) “Does Job fear God for nought”—Satan argues that if everything away from Job, Job would curse God to His face. Satan suggests that if God removed His protecting hedge around Job and removed everything he ever owned. Job, in other words was worshiping for selfish reasons. The accusation was also an attack on the integrity of God, for it suggested but the only way God could get people to worship Him is to promise them wealth.
4. The arrangement (v. 12) “only do not lay a hand upon his person”—The Lord granted Satan permission to test Job by robbing him of his possession, but not to touch Job’s person. So God allowed Satan to test Job by doing everything bad to Job short of harming Job’s body. Satan had & has dominion over much of the world, but God points out that Satan could not dominate Job. Unknown to Job, God & Satan discussed his case. Had Job known about this conversation, he would have had no room for doubt or concern. He would have known that God was using him as a weapon to refute Satan’s lies. God points to Job as “Exhibit A” of what a Godly man ought to be. This teaches us that God draws boundaries within which evil may work in the world. We see that God has chosen to give man his freedom with the risk of a decision that brings sin & its consequences upon His creatures & His creation.
III. THE DIFFICULTIES: AN EXASPIRATION AS SUFFERING COMES TO ALL (vvs. 13-19) “The fire of God fell…A great wind came”—Here we see the disasters that Satan brings upon one of God’s children. Here we learn something about the sources of evil. What did Job lose in one day? He lost all his possessions and his sons and daughters. Imagine everything that happened to Job in these verses occurred within the period of one day. Today, it would be comparable to finding that your entire stock market portfolio dropped to ZERO and that all of your children had died. Just one of those two is enough grief for one man but much more than what happened to Job. Note that Satan used common things to attack Job—enemy armies, fire and a strong wind. Job’s friends thought these destructive forces came from God when they really came from Satan.
1. The attack (vvs. 13-15) “The Sabeans raided them & took them away”—The Sabeans, Arab Bedouins, stole 500 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys and killed the servants who were in charge of these animals. The Sabeans were nomadic merchants. Some believe that may be in northern Arabia near Medina. They fell upon them with violence or rushed unexpectedly upon them. This is the way in which the Arab tribes now attack the caravan, the traveler or the village for plunder. They took them away as plunder. We see the assaults were alternatively caused by human and “natural” forces. God permitted Satan to move both kinds of causes to accomplish His purposes—and to do so in rapid, precise timing.
2. The adversity (v. 16) “The fire of God fell from heaven & burned”—Job, while reeling in shock from the news of one loss, was stunned by another. Lighting destroyed 7,000 sheep, as well as the servants who were tending them. Nature can bring tragedy to us in the form of accidents. It sounds like these things were under the control of Satan, though by the permission of God; and his power over the lightnings and the winds (cf., 1:19) may serve to illustrate the declaration, that he is the “Prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2).
3. The assault -- (v. 17) “The Chaldeans …raided…and killed the servants”—The Chaldeans stole 3,000 camels and killed the servants who cared for them. These raids may have been surprise attacks. In time “they” gained the ascendancy over their Assyrians masters, and grew into the mighty empire of Chaldea or Babylonia. They were a fierce and warlike people, and when they were subdued by the Assyrians, a portion of them appear to have been placed in Babylon to ward off the incursions of the neighboring Arabians. Today Chaldea lies in the country of Iraq, very close to its border with Iran, and touching upon the Persian Gulf.
4. The alarm (storm) (vvs. 18-19) “A great wind…and it fell on the young people”—Such tornadoes are not less common in Oriental countries than in the United States. Indeed they abound more in regions near the equator than they do in those which are more remote; in hot countries than in those of higher latitude. This storm of a great wind caused the collapse of the house where Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking, killing all of them.
If Satan had found sin in Job as a weapon to be used, there would have been no Book of Job.
IV. The DEVOTION: AN EXPLANATION REVEALS THE CHALLENGE TO ALL (vvs. 20-22) “Then Job arose, & shaved his head”—In spite of these terrible losses, Job was enabled to worship God. Job learned that God is faithful even when it seems otherwise.
1. Reverence for the Lord (v. 20) “Then Job…fell to the ground and worshiped”—In spite of these terrible losses, Job was enabled to worship God. Think of all that Job lost! Many of us would have reacted in anger and frustration. Others may have turned on the Lord and cursed His name, but not Job! His response was going before the Lord in worship.
2. Rejoice in the Lord (v. 21) “Blessed be the name of the Lord”—When Job opened his mouth, it was not complain or to whine. He recognized that his loss resembled his birth and his death. He had been naked at birth and he would be naked at death. When He spoke, it was to praise the Lord and to declare his continued dependence upon the power and will of God. The remarkable thing is that Job, recognizing that he could not resist the sovereign God, not merely maintained his spiritual composure, but even found in adversity occasion for praise to God.
Illus: God can transform trials into triumphs.
3. Respect the Lord (v. 22) “Job did not sin nor charge the Lord with wrong”—Job’s saintly worship at the moment of extreme loss and intense grief verified God’s words about Job’s Godly character. Job did not say anything “wrong.” Satan was disappointed and had borne a false accusation before God. He did “not’ charge God foolishly, and he did “not” curse Him to His face. One states, “The answers God gives us in His Word may not take away our sadness, but we can always rest in the truth that He is wise, sovereign and good.” This wisdom is because He feared God still even in the midst of his sufferings.
God understands your heartache, He knows the bitter pain;
O trust Him in the darkness, You cannot trust in vain. —Smith
CONCLUSION: Truths that Job learns:
1, God is sovereign in all things. He is still on the throne of heaven.
2. Satan has access to God’s throne in heaven.
3. God found no fault with Job, but Satan did. Satan was saying, “You have to pay people to worship and honor You.”
4. Satan can touch God’s people only with God’s permission and God uses it for their good and His glory.
5. A person when life tumbles in can still utter this statement of faith: “The Lord gave & the Lord has taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
6. The truth of Job, and John 9 and John 10, is that God is glorified through the sufferings of His faithful children. This book doesn’t, in one instance, give an answer to the specific reason - because there’s no reason other than God’s glory!
There are basically two responses to suffering: 1. Trust God even though we do no understand what we are going through, or 2. Allow ourselves to become full of resentment toward people, life and God.
Illus: George Matheson was engaged to a young woman whom he deeply loved, and they planned to be married. In the meantime, Matheson lost his eyesight—he became totally sightless. His fiancé told him that she could not marry him. She could not marry a sightless man. The marriage was asking more from her than she could give and she left him. He was very devastated that made this choice. Amid his brokenness and loneliness he sat down at the piano and wrote the hymn: “O Love That Will Not Let Me God.” Listen to the words of the first verse:
O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee.
I give Thee back the life I owe, that in Thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.
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