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.
3. Job’s greatest treasure was his family—especially his ten children. If the tragic loss of one child is devastating to a parent, the agony of the loss of all of Job’s children is beyond comprehension.
1) The loss of Job’s children was the greatest of Job's losses. This loss would hurt any parent.
2) The devil reserved it for the last, that, if the other trials and losses failed, this might make him curse God.
4. Our children are a part of our entire being: physically, emotionally, memories, love and on and on we could go. Losing one child is a very, very difficult loss.
1) But to part with as many of them as ten, all at once! For all of our children (whether two or thirteen) to die in a swift moment in one day is a horrible thought to consider!
2) Job’s all died together, and not one of them was left alive. David, though a faithfully strong and Godly man, was extremely crushed by the death of one son.
3) How hard then did it bear upon poor Job who lost ten children, and, in one moment, was completely childless?
4) Had Job’s children been taken away by some lingering disease, he would have had time to expect their death, and somewhat prepare for the loss; but their deaths came upon Job without giving him any warning.
5. Another thing that would have made it harder for Job to lose his children is the fact that they died when they were feasting and making merry.
1) Had they died suddenly when they were praying and/or singing hymns to God, Job might could have had 100% assurance that they were all on their way to heaven.
2) Back up in verse 5 reference to Job offering sacrifice for his children after their feast for Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus did Job regularly.
3) Job’s children may have died and went to heaven and they may not have went to heaven. That would have weighed heavily on Job’s heart.
6. Let’s read again the statement in verse 19, “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!”
1) Job’s first thoughts and our first thoughts might be, “No one but God could be responsible for the great wind.”
2) There are no verses that specifically explain who directed God’s wind, and God’s lightning to bring death and destruction to Job’s children, livestock and servants.
3) However, the bible teaches not only by direct statement, command and example, but also by implication.
4) Since Satan had ask for permission to put Job through severe trials it is implied that God, not only allowed Satan to have power to wrongfully influence the Sabeans and the Chal-de’ans, God also allowed Satan to use God’s lightning and wind in wrong and hurtful ways.
5) Satan has no creative power. Satan does not have the ability to create lightning or wind. They all are first created by God. However, God has and is allowing Satan to use those forces in showing hostility against man. Satan, not God, uses good things in a destructive way.
6) Satan is the great juggler, and has already shown himself as such, even in the Garden of Eden and in the temptation of Jesus Christ.
7) There are the forces in nature, such as tornados, hurricanes, droughts, floods, earthquakes and such that Satan quite frequently uses to try and get men to curse God and to turn away from God.
8) Turn to Eph. 2:2. This passage makes reference to Satan as being “the prince of the power of the air”.
a. The “prince of the power of the air” is a reference to the devil, a real being whose #1 aim is to defeat and do everything that he can to get men and women and boys and girls to curse God and turn away from God. Hold your place at Eph. 2:2 while I go through about seven passages rather quickly. We will come back to Eph. 2:2 in a moment!
b. Satan is unconcerned about the fact that countless precious souls of males and females are consigned to hell as a consequence of his activities (Matt. 25:31-46; 2 Cor. 11:13-15).
9) Satan is also called the "god of this world." 2 Cor. 4:4, “whose minds the god of this age (world KJV) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
10) Satan is described as "the prince of this world." John 14:30, "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.”
11) Satan's strength is spoken of as the "power of darkness."
a. In Luke 22:53 Jesus says to those who were about to crucify him, “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
b. In Colossians 1:13 Paul reminds those who have quit the walks of Satan: "He (God) has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed (KJV translated) us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”
c. In Ephesians 6:12 Paul reminds Christians: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
12) Look again at Eph. 2:2. The phrase “prince of the power of the air” in Eph. 2:2 is used in reference to the realm of Satan's influence in this world. The word “air” is equivalent to “the world” of 1 John 2:15-17: “15 Do not love “the world” (that is “the air” or the part of “the world” or “the people of the world” that Satan has influence over and is controlling to the point that they are living ungodly lives) or the things in “the world” (that Satan is “the prince of the power of the air over”). If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in “the world”—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of “the world. 17 And “the world” (that part that Satan is “the prince of the power of the air over”) is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
13) Let’s now read all of Eph. 2:2, “in which you (before becoming a Christian) once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.”
a. The spirit that works in the children of disobedience is Satan. Satan does everything that he can to turn each and every person into a son or daughter of disobedience.
b. From what we have read and studied so far in the book of Job it appears that Satan has the privilege of using, not only other people, but God’s lightning, God’s wind and even possibly all of God’s forces of nature: droughts, floods, hurricanes and etc. to try and get people to curse God.
c. Since no verse in the bible says what I have just said, I don’t know for sure if I am correct. We do know that what I have just said is the way Satan used God’s wind and lightning against Job.
CONCLUSION
1. Turn to Job 8:1-6. In this passage one of Job’s visitors had been listening to some of Job’s comments about the fact that what had happened to him was not because he had sinned.
2. Bildad speaks up and accuses Job of sounding like a big wind bag and Bildad even accuses Job’s children of getting what they deserved because of their sin.
3. Bildad drew the conclusion that the reason for the lightning, the wind and the enemies stealing and killing all of Jobs livestock, servants and children was because Job and his children were sinners.
4. Let’s read Job 8:1-6, “1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “How long will you speak these things,And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice? 4 If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. 5 If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, 6 If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place.”
5. I think that Bildad was wrong in accusing Job of being a sinner. I don’t know whether the children died as sinners or not. They may have, since Job 1:18 refers to them dying during a time of parting.
6. However, even if they did die while committing sin, I am convinced that it was Satan and not God that caused the strong wind to blow the house down and kill them.
7. Something else that I am sure of is that Satan will do everything he can to keep you from coming forward during the singing of the invitation hymn, if you need to come.
8. Satan being so vicious against Job let’s each one of us know that we will have a hard time making it to heaven if we show any weakness at all.
9. If you need to express belief, repentance, confession and be baptized or if as a Christian you need to come forward for prayers please 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.
