Intro: Today is our
second and final message on the book of Job.
As the oldest book of the Bible and the first to be written it describes
the conflict of the ages. How man, God’s
greatest creation with the power of free will is the subject of the attention
of the forces of good and evil.
1. As we learned last
week Job, the greatest man of the east was attacked in every way
By satan, the
father of all lies, the tempter, the accuser, deceiver whose only wish is to
Rob, kill and
destroy.
a. In the first tack by satan, Job lost his family and
wealth but he refused to blame God.
In the second
attack by satan, he lost his health and hope for a time. His friends
Arrived to comfort
him but they were so shock by his condition, they sit in silence for
7 Days and when
they spoke the third attack began. They
tell Job it is because he
sinned hat he has
suffered this reverse. Job counters by
saying he is blameless and
innocent. Their
dialogue continues for 34 chapters.
Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Elihu
and state Job’s
present condition must be because of his sin.
b. Job in this book
stated many powerful statements of faith.
The first I will look at is
Job 13:13. We look at it last week but it still is so
powerful. Though He slay me, yet
Will I hope in him,
c. Job at this point knew that only God had the
explanation. Job’s faith had been
tested,
Strained and
stretched but it remains victorious. In
the face of loss of resources,
Family, friends
and health. He still trusted God.
d. The middle verse
of the Bible is Ps 118.9, “It states it is better to trust in the Lord than
To put
confidence in man.”
e. Many times our
faith will be tested, strained and even stretched to the limit but we
Must never lose
faith. Paul wrote about the three
virtues in 1 Cor 13:13. Faith brings
Hope, hope comes
because of the love of God. The greatest
of these virtues is love
Because as John
stated in 1 John 4:8. God is love. Job did not know why he was
Suffering but he
knew God loved him and that is enough Amen.
2. The second
statement I wish to look at is our text.
Job 28:28, was written hundreds of
Years before
Solomon wrote it in Pr 1:7. Job here is
answering Bildad, He says, “The
Fear of the Lord that is
wisdom and to shun evil that is understanding.” Job
Makes two
observations here.
a. Real wisdom begins
and ends with fearing or having a very healthy respect for God.
Only a fool or
someone very ignorant does not. In this
age of greasy grace and
convenient
conversions. We need to come back to a healthy
respect for God.
b. Today we make it
to easy for people. John Wesley had a
90% retention rate in people
That were
converted under his ministry. He told
them exactly what they were getting
Into. People in countries where persecution is real;
remain, because they know what
They gave up and
what they face is real. I have never
forgotten what I gave up or
Where I came
from.
c. Job knew
to shun evil is understanding. Evil has
no redeeming value. It’s only
Agenda is
robbery, murder and destruction. It has
no friends, it cares nothing for you
Or your
family. It will use any means, method or
person possible. Shun it, avoid it,
Expose it and run
from it.
d. A person of
understanding know that association with evil leads to nothing but
Hurt, bitterness,
pain and ultimately destruction. Even
innocent pranks can have a
Devastating
effect.
3. The last thing I
wish to focus on has a more positive and powerful influence on those
Around us. Job was a man who cared for those around him. He prayed for his
Family on a daily
basis. He also prayed for his four
friends at the closing of his trial.
In fact his
prayer for them was part of the healing process. Praying for others takes
The emphasis off
of us and puts it on others and God’s. The greatest commandments
Are loving God
and then others.
a. Job stated in Ch
31, he never looked at a woman with lust, he was honest,, took car
Of the poor, the
widow and the traveller. He clothed
strangers, fed the orphan, and
Never was
involved in any unjust. He never trusted
in his wealth or status.
b. Job spoke what was
in his heart and mind. He had evaluated
his life, stated
How he viewed and
how he would behave in response. Job
maintained his innocence
And
integrity. Job however did not see the
whole picture. He was not aware of
Satan’s part in
this trial. The invisible realm is as
important as the natural realm
When it comes to trials and tribulations of
life.
c. When God came and
displayed His glory, power and presence.
Job repented, he did
Not need to know
why, he just trusted God. His part to
overcome evil was to choose
To pray for those
who betrayed, blamed him and rebuked him.
When he prayed
Forgiveness
flowed, between him, God and them.
Prayer is so powerful because it
Exposes everything and
allows us to be fully restored.
d. None of the human
participants knew truly what was going on.
They made wrong
Assumptions. In the end, prayer broke the power of wrong
assumptions and beliefs
And I believe
made them better and closer friends.
e. Job at the end of
this part of his life was restored.
After his unselfish prayer offered
In 42:10. His faith was strained but remained
victorious. Job in fact later was named
As one of three
men that could not save
f. Job is known as a
man of patience. He learned as Paul
pointed out in Roman 5::3-5
That suffering
produces patience, character and hope.
Paul then says that hope does
Not disappoint
because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit
Whom He has given
us.
g. As I close
today. I love the book of Job because it
reflect so much the real world in
Which we all
live. We have times of great victories
and defeats. There are friends
And foes. Times where we are misunderstood, criticize
and hurt by those we thought
Were friends. There are times and seasons where things can
either go right or wrong.
Job is a real life
book based on a real life man who faced a real life crisis and through
It all he trusted
God and in the end his faith was victorious.
His patience was rewarded
And all was
restored. Sounds like real life. Amen.
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