Lessons From the Book of Job

1. Lessons From the Book of Job Job 13:15

2. Background • Name means “One Persecuted, afflicted.” • Lived during Patriarchal age. • Lived in Land of UZ east of Palestine • Was a God Fearing Man (1:1, 8) • Was Upright – (31:5; 23:12; 31:7,9, 16; 29:11-17 • Had right attitude concerning problems – (2:10; 1:21; 19:25; 13:15)

3. Background • His possessions – 7K sheep, 3K camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 she donkeys. • A model of Patience (Job 19:1-27; James 5:11) • Job – Practical message for all generations. • An example of endurance.

4. Setting & Circumstances • Satan appears before God. (1:7) • Does so today (1 Peter 5:8) • Job an example of faithfulness to God. • Accuses God of Protecting Job (1:11) • Satan Allowed to Afflict Job, at First not personally, wastes no time. • Job loses all he has (including 10 children) – (2:3; 1:22)

5. Setting & Circumstances • Satan allowed to touch Job (2:7,9) • Boils – 2:7 • Itching – 2:8 • Drastic change in appearance -2:12 • Difficulty in eating – 3:24 • Mental depression – 3:25 • Worms and running sores 7:5 • Shortness of breath 9:18 • Darkness of eyes – 16:16 • Odorous breath – 19:17 • Loss of weight – 19:20 • Corroding of bones and gnawing pain – 30:17 • Blackened skin and fever – 30:30

6. Setting & Circumstances • Wife adds to his torment. • Perhaps left alive for this purpose. • Some women in history have been downfall to man. • Eve – Genesis 3:6 • Delilah – Judges 16:16-19 • Jezebel – 1 Kings 21:5-16 • Bathsheba – 2 Samuel 11:12-17 • Strange Women Solomon loved – 1 Kings 11:1

7. Setting & Circumstances • Job’s Friends hear of his calamity and seek to mourn with him & comfort him. • Eliphaz the Temanite • Bildad the Shuhite • Zophar the Naamathite 2:11 • Find Job and first don’t recognize – 2:8 • Sit silently and mourn with him for seven days – 2:11-13 • Turn out not to be friends – 13:4 • Job breaks the silence – 3:1,11

8. Setting & Circumstances Job breaks the silence – 3:1,11 Series of Speeches Each speaks 3 times except Zophar (2) At first sympathetic then became very critical of Job when maintains he had not sinned. Argued suffering is a result of sin. Job persists that he is innocent. Continue to say Job sinned.

9. Lessons From the Life of Job • The Place of Material Wealth • Had great wealth – 1:1-3 • Wealth didn’t interfere with Devotion and service to God – Matthew 6:24 • Where is there a man today who could suffer such a lose and maintain allegiance to God? – Matthew 19:23-24 • Realizes nothing in this life permanent – Ecc. 5:13-16; Phil. 3:7-8; Luke 12:16-21 • Proper attitude toward riches – 1 Tim. 6:6-10; Psa. 37:16; Prov. 15:16; Phil. 4:11,13; Heb. 13:5-6; Prov. 27:24

10. Lessons From the Life of Job • His Patience and Forbearance • The most trying of circumstance befalls Job – 1:14-17 • Children taken – 1:18-19 • He can no longer over come his grief – 1:20-21 • All that he has is taken to many too much to bear! • Reaches for God. • Able to see his own littleness. • His patience – 2:10-11; Ecc. 7:8-9; James 5:11 (Job); Luke 21:19; Rom. 2:7; 5:3-4

11. Lessons From the Life of Job • His Humility • Job not arrogant or proud, but, Humbles himself under the mighty hand of God – 1 Pet. 5:6-7 • Prays for his friends. He was blessed again in the end – 42:10 • Every child of god is to show humility – Micah 6:8; 1 Pet. 5:5; Matt. 23:12 • We must be strong as and strive to enter the strait gate that leads to life and leave all access baggage of this world behind.

12. Lessons From the Life of Job • His Reverence for God • So often in trials people say why me? Lay blame at feet of God. • Job complains to God he thought … • God was shooting him with poison arrows 6:4 • Harassing him constantly – 7:11,12 • Inflicting wounds without cause – 9:17 • Killing him - 13:15 • Hiding His face and counting Job as an enemy – 13:24

13. Lessons From the Life of Job • His Reverence for God • Job complains to God he thought … • Giving him a ‘body slam’ by the neck – 6:12 • Walling him up and depriving him of his ‘glory’ and ‘crown’ – 19:9 • Persecuting him – 19:22 • Not allowing Job to have a “Day in court” to defend his innocence – 24:1 • Depriving the righteous of blessings while blessing the wicked with long life and great prosperity – 21:7-13 • Job is questioning the providence of god! • All the while God is silent!

14. Lessons From the Life of Job • His Reverence for God • God answer Job out of the whirlwind – 38:1 • Asks a series of questions. • Job 38:2-7, 16-18 • Through chapter 41 God answers Job with a series of questions that only God can know and understand. • Contrast God’s greatness, majesty and glory with Man’s finite limits. Man cannot fathom! • Our knowledge limited! • How terrible when prayers are offered to God disrespectfully by some “Hi Dad!” • Rev. 5:12-13

15. Few blessed God as Job did. Men often promise to remain stedfast, even when trial comes. Yet forget pledge. Job a remarkable man 1:13 Many other lessons could be seen: Untested Faith – Insufficient. God validates Job’s faith. Suffering can have value in Spiritual discipline. Helps us. Know self better Attain proper set of values. Be thankful and avoid self-pity. Suffering Doesn’t disprove there is a god. Lessons From the Book of Job