INTRODUCTION #29
1. Open your bibles to James 5:11.
2. The context of this verse is encouraging Christians to be patient.
(1) James 5:7a&8 refer to Christians being patient when they are mistreated. James gives the example of rich employers holding back part of the wages of their employees and yet encourages those being mistreated to patiently endure and understand that their cries are being heard by the Lord of the Sabaoth. James teaches that matters will get straightened out and that those being mistreated must patiently wait for the coming of Jesus.
(2) James 5:7b uses the example of the patience of the farmers and encourages Christians to be patient like farmers are in the growing and harvesting of crops, as they wait on the adequate rains.
(3) James 5:9 warns Christians to be patient during difficult times and to not become guilty of blaming one another for their problems.
(4) James 5:10 exhorts Christians to look at the example of the suffering and patience of the prophets. We discussed the suffering and patience of Jeremiah.
(5) Let’s read James 5:11 and observe James giving another example of patience and a reminder about the Lord blessing this individual due to his patience. “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”
2. Open your bibles to Job chapter one! We will begin our discussion of the man Job.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, JOB 1:1-5 GIVE US OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHERE JOB LIVED – JOB’S CHARACTER - THE PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH JOB LIVED – THE SIZE OF JOB’S FAMILY – THE SIZE OF JOB’S MATERIAL POSSESIONS – THE FESTIVITES OF JOB’S CHILDREN – JOB PRAYING FOR HIS CHILDREN.
1. Verse 1 gives opportunity to discuss were Job lived – Job’s character and the period of time in which Job lived.
(1) “V. 1aThere was a man in the land of Uz” (Uz was maybe S. E. of the Dead Sea. An “Uz” is mentioned in Lamentation 4:21, but we don’t know if they are the same.)
(2) The time period in which Job lived may have been a little before or after Abraham or during the same period of time. Abraham lived to be 175. Isaac, 180. Jacob, 147.
Job was probably 40 or 50 years old at the time he had all his trials. Job lived 140 years after all the loses, which would indicate he lived during the period of time when men were living around 200 years. Also, Job lived during the Patriarchal age, because he, as head of his household offered sacrifices in worship. In the Mosical age only the Levites offered the sacrifices.
(3) V. 1b, “whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil”. (Job was not sinless, but Job lived a faithful life in obedience to God. Rom. 3:23 states, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. “All” includes Job and everyone else other than Jesus.)Job was faithful to God.
2. Verses 2 & 3 give opportunity to discuss the size of Job’s family and Job’s material possessions.
(1) V. 2, “And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
(2) Job, like many others during his time had many children. Job was extremely rich and yet Job lived faithful before God. Job’s material wealth did not become a stumbling block to him.
3. Verses 4&5 give opportunity to discuss the festivities of Job’s children and Job praying for them.
(1) V. 4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. (Probably referring to Job’s children getting together on their birthdays. However, since the feasting lasted over a period of days, this could have been festivities other than their birthdays.)
(2) V. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.”
1) The bible teaches that each person must confess, repent and pray for their own forgiveness, but parents need to also regularly pray for their children.
2) This example of Job serving as a priest for his household is what we were talking about earlier that helps determine that Job lived during the Patriarchal (father ruled) period of time and not in the Mosical age, in which the Levites served as the priest.
II. SECOND, JOB 1:6-12 REPORTS THAT SATAN APPEARS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND ATTACKS JOB’S CHARACTER.
1. Let’s read verses 6&7,
V. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God (referring to angels) came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” (This reminds us of
1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” )
2. Let’s read Job 1:8, “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” Think for a moment about all the wonderful character traits that are mentioned in v. 8 about Job!
(1) God spoke of Job as his servant—his true and faithful servant.
(2) God knows all hearts; he knew every person living on the earth in that generation, and could accurately say of Job, that there is no other person on the earth who is like him.
1) The Lord cites this as the reason why the devil should pay close attention to Job. God is inviting Satan to notice that there is no defect in Job, as though he were issuing a challenge to the adversary to see any weakness in Job.
2) Jehovah described Job as a blameless and an upright man, who fears God and shuns [avoids or eschewth] evil.
3) Could a greater tribute that what we read in v. 8, be paid to anyone? This is God’s assessment of Job; God’s appraisal of Job is correct because God views the inner man.
4) Turn to 1 Sam 16:7. In this passage God is having the prophet Samuel to examine the sons of Jesse to see which son would be the best for the king. In 1 Sam. 16:7 we read: "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart".
5) This passage lets us know that the good things that God says in Job 1:8 were said due to God’s ability to look at the heart of Job.
6) Because Job is exalted, by the Lord, above all other people on the earth, this could mean that Job was not living at the exact period of time as Abraham, but maybe a little before or a little after the time of Abraham.
3. Let’s read Job 1:9-11, “So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
(1) Satan accuses Job of serving God because of the material blessings that he is receiving. Satan is accusing Job, of figuratively “having heaven on earth” due to God building a “hedge or fence” around Job as God provided Job with so many material things.
(2) The question from verse 9: “Does Job fear (or reverence and serve) God for nothing?” is a question of insult from Satan to God. Satan is implying that God did not really mean that much to Job, but rather the material things were serving as bribes for getting Job to serve God.
(3) Satan is going to find out that Job served God, not because of the material blessings, but because God is so Wonderful and Great!
(4) “Faith originating from the word of God and with a loving desire to please God” is what motivated Job’s service to God, not selfishness, as Satan tried to claim.
(5) People in the 21st century have many “precious hedges” which protect us, such as the Bible, God’s providence, the Lord’s church, prayer, worship, good Christian homes and on and on the blessing are available for us. Living in a nation that has a measure of respect for God and his word is likewise a hedge of protection. In the U. S. privileges have been abundant for many years, but they may be a lot less in the future.
1) All of these hedges and the knowledge of our Great and Wonderful God should motivate us to be faithful servants of God.
2) Job has left us his example and we should follow his example.
4. Let’s read Verse 12: “And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”
(1) The bible teaches that there are various reasons why God allows Satan to tempt man. Why God allowed Satan to tempt Job is one of those reasons.
1) God wanted to prove to Satan that He knew Job better than Satan knew Job.
2) God knew that Job would be faithful, no matter how severe the trials, and God wanted to prove that to Satan.
(2) On occasions when you are tempted it may be that such happens because God is proving to Satan that you, as his child and servant, are stronger than Satan and Satan’s temptations.
(3) Sometimes, when we’re going through trials, we might have the idea that we have committed some sin and that God must be angry with us, and that is why we’re going through tough times.
(4) In Hebrews 12:5&ff the bible teaches at times God’s disobedient children will receive chastisement. This chastisement will come because the Lord loves us. God allows the chastisement and hopes that it will bring us back to a faithful walk with the Him.
1) It is going to be hard for us as human being to know the exact reason for our trials? What if instead of being angry with us, God is actually very proud of us and is allowing Satan to tempt us, so that he can prove to Satan that we are stronger than Satan and his trials?
2) As the Union Pacific Railroad was being constructed, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wanting to test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the bridge, where it stayed an entire day. One worker asked, “Are you trying to see if we can break this bridge?”
“No,” the builder replied, “I’m trying to prove that the bridge won’t break.”
(4) Sometimes we go through difficult trials and hardships, not because we have sinned, but because God is allowing Satan to find out that we are stronger than Satan. God wants Satan to know that we are not hypocritical, but rather that we are genuine Christians, fully dedicated to our wonderful heavenly Father.
CONCLUSION
1. There are many good lessons to learn from the man Job.
2. Job operated by free will; he could choose what to do or not to do.
(1) Job chose to remain faithful to God, but not merely because of the material blessings and large family.
(2) Job served God because God is great and wonderful due to the spiritual blessings that God provides.
3. If you are going through a lot of trials, don’t conclude that it because you have sinned, and that may be the reason, but it may be because Satan (the Adversary) is wanting to prove you to be a hypocrite before God.
4. Job provides a wonderful example of being patient and persistent to remain faithful to God.
5. Job provides an important example of being concerned about sin being confessed and praying for forgiveness.
(1) Specific reference is made of Job regularly offering sacrifice for his children.
(2) This first chapter doesn’t state specifically that Job did the same for himself, but we can be for sure that he did.
6. If you are not yet a Christian, you are living in sin that will keep you from going to heaven.
7. If you are a Christian that has committed sin and you have not repented and prayed for forgiveness, you have sin that will keep you out of heaven.
8. Please come forward and let us help you receive forgiveness! Come as we stand and sing.
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
