In verse Job1:1 we can see the integrity of Job and how God’s Word says he was perfect, he was upright, and one that feared the Lord, and he did not go near evil. And, it is an example for us who are living in these last days, that it is possible for us, even more, because of the blood of Jesus and because of the Holy Spirit to live an upright life, perfect life, a life that fears God, where heaven will say, this is written by the Holy Spirit over here that he is an upright man. God has to certify about our lives, that this is my daughter. God should be able to look at satan and say this is my son, this is my daughter who is upright, who fears me, who his closes eyes to evil and he is perfect before me. God can say that. This goes completely against what we hear now - that we all sin daily, we all fall - so if God can say about an Old Testament where a person, a man, how much more for us, we have more grace. So the second and third verse that we see is, now we see the period when Job was living. Job had everything, he had all the riches, he had camels, sheep, and donkeys, and he had a lot of money, he had lots of servants, and he had everything. So, Job was very rich, so now Job is having a good time. We are going to see that Job really worshipped the Lord during his good time. So we are going to look at that and we are going to continue reading from verse 4
4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered 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 did Job continually.
Now we see in verse 5, how did Job worship the Lord, and how his priority was, as he rose up early. He was a rich man, he didn’t have to do that, he had everything. He didn’t have to rise up early and sacrifice to the Lord and worship the Lord, but he did it, because of his relationship with the Lord. And so in his good time, he did not say, “ okay I have everything, I don’t need God, and I don’t have to get up early, I want to sleep late, I have servants, I want to eat a lot, live like how worldly, rich people live.” Even in the parable, Jesus said about a rich man and Lazarus, how did that rich man live, that’s a contrast between that rich man and Job. Job was a very wealthy man, but how did Job live. Here you can see, that you can have everything and still be a worshipper of the Lord, where your heart cannot be on things, but your heart will be on the Lord. And so he had everything, but he was still rising up early and worshipping God. And then we see, we keep reading,
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Now, we see that this is God who made heaven and earth, he is like certifying, this is God of Heaven and Earth, and he has certified - He is saying that, “ this man is upright before me” and He is actually boasting about Job to Satan, that’s what He is doing. Did you see it? So now we have to think like, “Lord, I want to be like that.” “We want to be like Job.” Here the Lord says that the whole heaven hears and the whole hell hear, “ have you seen my child who always fears me, who always loves me, who is always a worshipper of me?” And then now satan is saying,
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Satan is saying that God, you are protecting him, and so job is so rich,
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Now, this is what Satan is telling, you know what the Lord knows, just like he said in Romans before Esau and Jacob were born, not that God was partial, God foreknew who is going to follow and who is not, who is going to be a squanderer and who is actually going to be a father of many nations, a father of Israel. So, in the same way, when the Lord put a challenge out to satan and satan challenged him back, the Lord knew Job very well. So at this point, we have asked ourselves a question, does the Lord know me, how much does he know me, and can he trust me like he trusted Job. So we have to ask ourselves a question, “Lord, I want to be known by you; I want to know you and I want to be known by you.” That will only happen with that constant relationship with the Lord, like how Job was like every day, and I’m sure it was not just the morning, it was throughout the day, he had that in him throughout the day, he was a worshipper, just like David, it was constant, it was a life, it was a lifestyle, it was a practiced, learned, relationship with the Lord. Like anything comes by practice, whether it’s a good habit or a bad habit, they come by practice. Without practicing we cannot have anything. That's why it says in New Testament that, just as you have yielded your members to uncleanness, yield the members of your bodies to righteousness, to holiness. To whom we serve that’s going to become our master. So, he has been practicing worshipping the Lord, worshipping the true God at all times. So when Satan came and told the Lord, God knew that Job will not deny him. Just like how Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, the Lord knew Job will not deny him. So the Lord knew about Job. So we have to say, Lord, I want to become like that. That’s the whole point of tonight's meeting. It is not to look at Job and see and say “ I cannot be like Job, I’m feeling depressed.” That’s not the point of the message. The message is to drive us toward the Lord. Look at Job, if he can be like that, we can be like that. So, it’s first to push upward more toward the Lord.
And if we continue the reading, we are going to see what happened in verse 12.
12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
So we see, what happened to Job was, that he lost his oxen, he lost his donkeys, he lost his sheep, he lost his camels, he lost his servants, and he lost his children. Basically, he lost everything, it is inked to this day we can say, he lost his car, he lost his house, he lost all his income, his bank account was zero, and then he lost his children too. He has lost everything. Just one thing like that can happen to us can just make us sit down. In spite of that, what he does is his routine thing. His heart was after the Lord. He got up, and he says “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”, he is worshipping the Lord, and he is blessing the Lord during his most difficult time. I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. And here we see, Job and how he has blessed him and he is an example of a human being going through such extreme circumstances. He was not like a superhuman, he didn’t have like the gift of this and gift of that, to say like oh he had the gift to praise God, no! he was an ordinary person just like us but he made a choice. He made a very clear choice to praise the Lord that was his lifestyle. It will not come without practice. Practicing is not like a mantra or something like that. It comes from our hearts because of our love for the Lord. So, he said it, out of his love for the Lord from his heart, and he was trusting the Lord, Lord, I will bless you, Lord, all times, even during this time, I will bless you. And Job blessed the Lord from his heart. So, you see that it wasn’t just from his lips. He went and he just fell before the Lord and he worshipped the Lord.
We can choose to honor His Name. Let’s pray! Most gracious Father, we thank You for this evening, we thank You for the souls that are listening to this broadcast as we share Your wonderful Word of Life. Father, it is our high privilege to glorify You, to bless Your name, and have Your praise in our mouths at all times, day and night, O Lord. Worship is due to Your Holy Name. We thank You Lord for the reason we have to bless You, the greatest reason: for giving your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary so that no matter what we have done in our lives, no matter how much of a failure we have become, no matter how much we have offended You, God, we can come to you at the foot of the cross and ask Your forgiveness, knowing that You are faithful to forgive, You are faithful to cleanse us from all sins, and unrighteousness when we come truly repentant before You. We thank You, Lord for Your blessing this night. In Jesus's precious Name, Amen!
