Blessings Through Suffering
Job 1:1-21; 2:1-10
Is it possible to simply love God for Him... and hold fast to your integrity... even if you lose all your material and physical possessions? Even if it cost you, heaven forbid, your job... your possessions and your health? Job did. Or... are you serving God for His blessings and the things He does for you? Or, are you worshipping God because you really love Him? Think about it as we go into the lesson.
I. We do not know the author of the book of Job... nor the time it was written. We do know, however, that it is a poetical book.
Introduction:
I don’t think there is anyone who is interested in suffering... in embracing pain and affliction. Suffering isn’t much fun... and I don’t believe it was intended to be an enjoyable experience. But we can learn from the book of Job that... indeed... there are blessings through suffering. There are lessons to be learned... and a deeper insight into the word of God. As we take a peek at Job... a sneak preview behind the scenes, so to speak... and see what Job went through, I believe it will be somewhat of an eye-opening experience. I can say with certainty that nobody has gone through as much as Job did... and I pray that you never will.
Illustration:
Roy Campanella’s Story
*Roy Campanella was one of the first African Americans to play in the US Baseball major leagues. In a distinguished career he won the Brooklyn Dodgers Most Valued Player award many times, and in 1955 was in the team that won the World Series.
But in January 1958 his career was cut short after a car crash left him a quadriplegic. After he was injured he spent a lot of time in the Institute of Physical medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City. One day he stopped to read a gold plaque upon one of the walls, and for someone who had been blessed with such athletic gifts it resonated deeply within him:
"I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn to humbly obey…
I asked for health that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity that might do better things…
I asked for riches that I might be happy,
I was given poverty that I might be wise…
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of others.
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God…
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things…
I got nothing I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among men, most richly blessed!
*Source: Scott Higgins, using information from Baseball Library.com and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Copyright © 2001 OzSermonIllustrations. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 13, 2006 .
The Text:
Please get your Bible... and turn with me to the first chapter of Job. (1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (2 )And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.( 3) His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
The country Job lived in was the land of Uz, in the eastern part of Arabia, which lay towards Chaldea.
Job’s Character:
The author says that (1) Job was perfect. It didn’t mean that Job was sinless. There is only One without sin... and that is Jesus Christ. It meant that he had integrity ...he was honest and blameless.
(2) Job was upright: Job was a righteous man... he was a true worshipper of God.
(3) He feared God.... Job was a God-fearing man.
(4) He eschewed evil.... He avoided wickedness
Lesson:
Job was not only a righteous man, a man who loved God and worshipped Him... but he was very prosperous as well. This lets us know that we don’t have to be poor or destitute to worship God. It’s all right to have wealth and riches... as long as it is not our focal point.... as long as we put God first... and it does not take away our ability to worship the Lord.
Many of the Patriarchs were rich but ..as we search the Scriptures, we learn that they worshipped God. Look at Genesis 12: 1-3: "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
Lesson: We, too will be blessed if we are obedient.
Let’s go to Genesis 13: 1-2: "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold."
Lesson: Abraham was not only rich materialistically but he was a man of faith... and he was rich in the promises of God. The lesson to be learned here is: Sometimes God makes us rich... then teaches us how to suffer want. We must be willing to trust God no matter what.
Back to our text: Job 1: 4,5: "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. 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."
Lesson: We have here a further account of Job’s prosperity and his love for God, and his family. He was the priest of the family... and he offered sacrifice for them. The Bible doesn’t say they sinned but he feared they had. In other words, in case they did. We are to pray for our family... our children... and teach them to pray and ask forgiveness for their sins. We must teach them to repent and live a life of integrity... a life of worhipping and praising God.
I. God Permits Satan To Attack Job
"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 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. 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? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 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. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 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" (Job 1:6-12).
Lesson: Let me point this out: God permitted Satan to attack his servant, Job. We give Satan more power than he really has. Without God’s permission, Satan would not have been able to do the things that he did to Job. Look with me once again at verse 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?" Job was an exemplary man of trust and obedience before the Lord... a man worthy to be called "God’s servant." Therefore, God allowed Satan to attack Job. God loves you and... He loves me... and although we are Christians... that does not spare us from trials and trouble. Problems will come... trouble will find us... but it is how we handle our trials that make the difference. There is always hope in the worst of circumstances.The word of God gives us hope even when everything is in chaos around us. Look at Romans 15:4: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
The key point here is: When you are in the middle of your problems... will you give up? Or, will you trust God for the victory?
In our trials, God expects us to remain true to Him and His word. Do you trust God in the midst of your trials? Or do you say, "Why is this happening to me?"
A. Satan Attacked Job’s Motives
Let’s look once again at verses 9-11: " Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 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. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."
Lesson: Did you glean what Satan was saying? Do you understand the point he is trying to make?... the accusations? He was attacking Job’s motives, saying he was worshipping God only because of his blessings.... because everything was going well and there was no reason not to love God. Satan declared that he would prove his point and drive it home. In other words, if all of Job’s things were gone... if his life was touched... Satan was insinuating that he would not worship God. A lot of folks...Christians trust God when everything is going well. Don’t let the storms come... or the trials begin... and they literally crumble and fall. What about you? How will you react when Satan attack you?
B. Satan is Roaming
Another point that I want you to understand is this: Satan is roaming around.... trying to find a victim. Go to I Peter 5: 8-9:
" Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world".
Lesson: My friends, Satan is roaming around... willing and ready to devour Christians. We must be sober, vigilant and knowledgable of our enemy... so we will become aware as to how to resist him. We must know the truth. James 4:7 tells us that, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We must have the word of God in our hearts.
Psalms 119: 9-11: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from they commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
II. Job Loses His Possessions
Job 1: 13-19:
"And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 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. 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. 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. 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: 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. "
Lesson: All of Job’s possessions are gone. But the worst and most grievous thing that could be done to him... was the death of his children. Of all his losses, this was the greatest. Can’t you see Satan... how he knew this tragedy would surely make Job give up... and curse God. You may lose jobs, possessions, and materilistic things but they are only ’things.’ But the greatest hurt is the loss of a loved one. Recently, we lost our father. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that the wind was knocked out of us. It was a most difficult time. But through God and His word... we were able to come through it. As we look at Job... we read that he said, "(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."
Job grieved... It’s all right to weep... to cry and to moan. The Bible tells us that, "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Proverbs 30:5). However, you need to realize that ... although Job grieved... he did not lose faith in God. This is very important. Job lost his possessions... he lost his children in the first of Satan’s attacks but he continued to trust God. Job proved that a person can still love God for who He is, not for the blessings and things that He gives.
Conclusion:
We know that not only did Job lose his possessions, and his family but he lost his health. Job 2:1-6: " Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 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? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life."
"Skin for skin" was the response that Satan had concerning Job’s loss of his family. He still believed that Job loved God only because of His blessings. Satan was under the assumption that as long as Job’s health was intact, he was fine. So, Satan wanted to inflict physical suffering upon Job to prove his point.
An important point that I can’t stress enough is: Satan had to seek permission from God to attack Job’s health. God set limitations on Satan and he can go only as far as the Lord permits. When we go through trials and suffering, let’s remember that God has not abandoned us. He did not abandon Job.
There may be times when you want to quit, just throw up your hands... but I want you to remember this: God is still in control. Romans 8:28 declares that, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
When we are suffering, it is difficult to see our blessings. But there are blessings in suffering.... there are lessons to be learned.... and a greater understanding to be gleaned. In closing... we learn that God blessed Job with more than he had before. Job 42: 10-17: " And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days."
Jesus said that anyone who gives up something for the Kingdom of God will be repaid (Luke 18:29,30). We must hold tightly to Jesus, trust Him through all of our trials, and we will be rewarded. If not in this life...in eternity. If we can trust Him in trouble, problems and suffering, we will get the victory.
