One of the most extraordinary people found in the Old Testament is Job. I think that multitudes, including many who are not overly knowledgeable about the Bible, has heard of the "patience or endurance of Job".
Of course, this refers to the fact that - in a short span of time - Job lost his children, his wealth and even his precious health. In spite of these calamities, Job maintained his integrity and faith. In this, Job gives us a great example to follow when we find ourselves in the midst of great adversity.
I am not wanting to focus our attention on Job’s life in the midst of his sufferings. Today, I want us to consider his life before misery and woe befell him. I want us to consider, for a bit, what God told Satan to consider. I want us to take a look at and admire the righteousness of Job.
Let’s read Job 1:6-8, "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, ’From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, ’From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.’ The Lord said to Satan, ’Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’"
The Lord had a very good opinion of Job. He said that Job was "blameless and upright". That is high praise coming from a Holy God. Yes, Job had a great reputation. And may I say that acquiring a reputation such as Job’s should be our top desire.
Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name (that is, a good reputation) is to be more desired than great wealth, favor (that is, to be held in high esteem) is better than silver and gold."
How true! As a Christian, we want to have a good reputation in our community so as to not dishonor the Name of Christ. Though we should strive to have a good reputation among people who know us, our greatest concern is to have a good reputation with God.
The beginning of Job’s uprightness is found in the statement that he ’feared God’. Job knew that God is holy and righteous. He knew that God is just. He knew that God requires uprightness and will punish wickedness. This knowledge made Job ’fear’ - have a deep respect - for the Lord Almighty God. Proverb 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." 16:6, "And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil."
However, to be upright means more than just keeping away from evil. It means filling our lives with righteousness. Job says in 29:14, "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me, my justice was like a robe and a turban." Like clothing, in his day to day life Job was never without righteousness; that is, doing what is good and right. The practice of justice (giving each person what is their due) was his daily adornment or ornaments.
Christians are to, according to Ephesians 4:24, "put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Romans 13:14, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ , and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."
Let’s now look at some specific things in Job’s life that demonstrated his righteousness and justice:
1.Spoke truth and not deceit.
Job 27:3-4, "For as long as life is in me, and the breath of God is in my nostrils, my lips certainly will not speak unjustly, nor will my tongue utter deceit."
Job knew the importance of honesty. Job surely understood that there are few things that God abhors more than a liar and a slanderer. Proverbs 6:16-19, "There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:...a lying tongue,...a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brethren."
With God, there isn’t such a thing as a white lie nor a little fib. Any dishonesty from our lips is hated by Him. Lying to our neighbor, our boss, our teacher, our spouse, our children, our brothers and sisters, other family members and to our Christian brethren is wicked. There is never a justification for lying.
God hates those who bear false witness; that is, lying and saying damaging things about others that are not true. Those who spread false rumors about others and who cause strife by doing so are an abomination to God.
If you want a good reputation before God and man, always be honest. Once you have been caught lying or bearing false witness, it is extremely difficult to win back the trust of others. Ephesians 4:25, "Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you to his neighbor."
2. Maintained moral purity.
Job 31:1, 9-12, "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?... If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway, may my wife grind for another, and let others kneel down over her. For that would be a lustful crime; moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges. For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon, and would up-root all my increase."
Job was a married man. He took seriously his vow to love his wife and be faithful to her. So far from allowing himself to be guilty of adultery, he had made a commitment to not even gaze lustfully at another woman.
Of course, Christ Jesus said, in Matthew 5:28, "that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
We live in a sex obsessed culture. By what you may see on television, or in the movies, or on the internet or on highway billboards...by what you read in books and magazines... by what you hear on the radio you would clearly come to the conclusion that the most important thing in life is always being sexy and fulfilling your wildest sexual fantasies.
Today, our society is increasingly adopting the opinion that keeping sex within the confines of marriage and monogamy (having one marriage partner for your entire life) is extremely puritanical and prudish.
What are the fruits of the new attitude on sex and relationships:
Every day in America, 7742 new teenagers become sexually active.
Every day, 20 thousand teenagers contract a sexually transmitted disease.
Every single day, 1295 unmarried teenage girls give birth to babies.
Each day, 1106 teen girls have an abortion.
Cohabitation (living together outside of marriage) has sky-rocketed 1,150% during the last 40 years. Currently, there are 5.5 million couples who are cohabitating.
Among those who are married, it is estimated that between 25-35% of all marriages, one spouse has an extra-marital affair (commits adultery).
46% of all marriages each year (3.9 million) involve a person who is remarrying after a divorce. The Bible, of course, calls this adultery (Mark 10:10-12; 1 Cor.7:10-11).
Fornication and adultery is at epidemic proportions in this Country and through-out the world. God’s standards for moral or sexual purity are being tossed to the wind.
The Bible’s instruction is clear - Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge."
If we wish to have a reputation like Job’s, we must follow Job’s example of sexual purity.
3.Loved his Enemies.
Job 31:29-30, "Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, or exulted when evil befell him? No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life in a curse."
Job did not wish for evil upon his enemies. He did not find satisfaction when bad things happened to his enemies. Moreover, even though there may have been those who cursed him or done him wrong, he did not return the curse nor the wrong.
Our fleshly natures tend to get a little bit of enjoyment when our enemies stumble or get a taste of their own medicine. It isn’t always easy to have goodwill in our hearts towards those who are against us. It’s not easy to wish good upon those who hurt us.
However, Job seems to have followed the principles that Christ has taught us: Luke 6:27-28, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
This may sound radical. However, let’s not forget that God does this daily. "For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45)"
And even more amazing - Romans 5:8-10, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet SINNERS, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were ENEMIES we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His Life."
Ephesians 5:1-2, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love."
4.Was hospitable.
Job 31:31-32, "Have not the men of my tent not said, ’Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat?’ The alien has not lodged outside, for I have opened my doors to the traveler."
One of the greatest gifts we can bestow to another is hospitality. In years gone by, it was a common occurrence for people to open their doors to, not only their neighbors but also traveling strangers. Before the days of inns, motels and hotels, a traveler need only knock on the door of a house at sunset and they would be welcome to share the table-spread and spend the night in security and comfort. Sadly, in the main, those days are past.
Today, it is even rare to see neighbor visit neighbor, let alone demonstrate hospitality.
For we Christians, the New Testament Scriptures teach that we ought to follow Job’s example. In 1 Peter 4:9, we are commanded, "Be hospitable to one another without complaint."
We Christians are family and showing hospitality to one another should be as normal and welcome as showing such to our own flesh and blood families. Hebrews 13:1-2, "Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."
God especially blesses those who show hospitality toward those who will never be able to return the act of kindness. Luke 14:12-14, "’When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’"
This leads me to the next thing I wish for us to examine in the life of Job - his deep and sincere compassion for those less fortunate than himself.
Job’s life had been one of great blessing and abundance. Job 1:2-3, "Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions also were 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men in the East."
Wealth has a tendency to make a person proud, self-indulgent, materialistic and unmoved by the plight of those who are poor or weak or afflicted. Job did not succumb to this temptation.
Despite his prosperity, Job could feel for those much less fortunate, those who experienced real hardship and affliction. Job 30:25, "Have I not wept for the one whose life is hard? Was not my heart grieved for the needy?"
Job’s heart ached as he witnessed the sufferings of others. Job’s compassion did not end with a feeling of sympathy. He actively sought to assist those whose live’s were hard. He actively involved himself in protecting the vulnerable and satisfying the needy:
A. Protecting and providing relief for the widow and orphan.
In earlier times, the widow and orphan had little if any legal protections. When the head of the household died, his property and wealth would be transferred to his brother. The brother, if a bachelor, could marry his brother’s widow and adopt her children. Otherwise, the surviving widow and children would be dependent upon the affection and charity of the brother and his family for support.
Needless to say, not all families were so just as to take in the widow and children. In such cases, the widow and orphans were virtually forced to become homeless beggars.
God told the Israelites to assist such women and children. He commanded that portions of the farm fields, orchards, and vineyards be unharvested so that the widows and orphans, and the poor could have a source of food. Again, not all Israelites were so generous.
Job states that he did not ignore the plight of desperate widows and orphans. Job 31:16-17, 22, "If I have... caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the orphan has not shared it..... let my shoulder fall from the socket, and my arm be broken off at the elbow." Job 29:12-13, "I delivered... the orphan who had no helper. I made the widow’s heart sing for joy."
Today, the widow and fatherless have some legal rights and protections. Yet, they still face difficulties. If not financial, certainly there are other gaps and needs that often go unmet without the presence of the man in the household.
Job understood this. Beyond providing the widows and orphans with food and clothing; in verse 18, it says that the orphan "grew up with me as with a father " and that he "guided" the widow.
He provided widows with ’guidance’. This is a blessing. Widows often need counsel on how to run the finances which, typically, had been handled by her husband. Then, there is the physical maintenance and up-keep of the home and property. And, if she still has children at home, she could use counsel on how to raise her children without the support and assistance of her husband. Its a challenge to be a good Mother, let alone try to fulfill part of the role of the father as well.
In that same verse, Job says that he made the effort to be a father to the fatherless. This was an immense blessing to those children. Research has confirmed the extreme importance of the father-figure in the lives of children. The negative effects of not having the father within the home are devastating.
Children from a fatherless home are:
5 times more likely to commit suicide.
9 times more likely to drop out of school.
10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances.
16 times more likely to become pregnant while still an unmarried teen.
20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders, especially anti-social.
20 times more likely to end up in prison.
With 25% of children in this Country being raised in fatherless homes, a Christian man could really be a blessing if he, like Job, would spend some time with such children. His involvement in their lives would be a powerful blessing for those children, their mothers, and Society as a whole. He could truly be "the salt of the earth."
So, let us not forget the words of James 1:27, "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress."
B. Contributing to the Needs of All the Poor.
Whereas the widow and orphan is likely to experience poverty at levels much higher than the general population, they do not have a monopoly on that scourge. Many are poor in this world.
It is estimated that one billion people in the world lack adequate housing, including 100 million who are completely homeless. In America, is estimated that 760,000 people are homeless on any given night, and 1.2 to 2 million people experience homelessness during one year.
More than one billion people will go to bed hungry tonight More than 800 million people in the world are malnourished. 777 million of them are from the developing world. And 177 million of them are children. (3.1 percent of U.S. households experience hunger: nearly 8.5 million people, including 2.9 million children, live in these homes.)
Between 25 and 30 thousand people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five. Famine and wars cause 10 percent of hunger deaths. The majority of hunger deaths are caused by chronic malnutrition, which is caused by extreme poverty.
Proverbs 29:7, "The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, and the wicked does not understand such concern."
Job proved to be righteous: Job 29:12-13, "I delivered the poor who cried for help... The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me."
Job 31:16, 19-20, 22, "If I have kept the poor from their desire... if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering, if his loins have not thanked me, and if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep... let my shoulder fall from the socket, and my arm be broken off at the elbow."
We should do no less:
1 John 3:17-18, "But whoever has this world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or tongue, but in deed and truth."
Galatians 6:10,"So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."
Proverbs 19:17, "One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed."
Matthew 25:31, 34-40, "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.... Then the king will say to those on His right, ’Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; naked, and you clothed Me’.... Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ’Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?’... And the King will answer and say to them, ’Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’"
CONCLUSION: The righteousness of Job is very impressive. No wonder the Lord boasted of His fine servant to Satan. And no wonder the Lord felt that his story was worthy to be place in this Divine Book of encouragement and instruction.
May we find inspiration from Job to live as he lived - "blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil."
