A. INTRODUCTION
1. Job’s trials came at age 70. He had 140 years of blessings after his trials (42:16). Job had seven adult sons, and three adult daughters (42:13). What is the primary spiritual ask of a 70-year-old person? Faithfulness.
2. Job status:
a. Owner of several property holdings (1:14 ff).
b. Livestock (1:17 ff).
c. Ten grown children (1:2).
d. Respected in community “He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil” (1:1).
3. Response of the godly. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb; and naked … shall I return, the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken it away” (1:21).
4. Satan looks for our weakest defense. “Skin for skin … stretch out Your hand … touch his flesh … surely curse You” (2:4-5). What is your weakest point?
a. Money.
b. Family.
c. Business.
d. Reputation.
e. Possessions.
f. Real estate.
g. _____________________________________.
5. Fair weather friends (with you in good days but will criticize you).
a. Eliphaz – when did innocent ever suffer (4:7).
b. Bildad – did your children sin so you suffer (8:3-4).
c. Zophar – you deserve worse than what you get (11:1-20).
d. Elihu – rebukes the three friends, then rebukes Job (32:1-22), said the Almighty never does wrong so Job is responsible for his problems.
6. Note the difference, Eliphaz was sensitive, Bildad was logical, Zophar was hot-headed. They are different, yet the same; they believe “Good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people, and God will not let the righteous suffer." The message of Job. The righteous suffer, just like the wicked, but the righteous can look at problems through God’s perspective. Job’s friends did not fear God. Job feared God and his faith in Him.
B. PRACTICAL TAKE WAYS
1. God is great, people never overestimate God’s ability to help/keep us, they understand. We think God is too small.
2. Our strength is in God, not ourselves. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
3. Your faith works only when you work your faith. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him” (Psalm 28:7).
4. Be still. We rarely learn/grow where we thrash about in all of our difficulties. “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10). If you have a friend like Job’s wife who said, “curse God and die” (2:9), do not pay attention.
5. Realize no one really knows how bad it feels when your suffering is unique. Job’s friends thought they knew but did not.
6. Sometimes you will never know why you are suffering, and you will never know in the future. You base your life on your relationship to God because:
a. He knows.
b. He cares and loves you.
c. Will indwell you with His presence and strength.
d. He can/will get you through it.
7. God uses crisis/suffering to bless us spiritually. Usually, we learn a greater understanding of God/His plan who we go through safely.
a. We call on past memory.
b. We build new memories.
c. We experience with no connection to money.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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