Job: A Man of Integrity

Job is mentioned by both Ezekiel and James, so we can be sure he was real, and not fictional. In fact, twice in Ezekiel, God mentions Job along with Noah and Daniel.

The book of Job is classified as poetry. While it contains many poetic elements, we have to be careful with such a classification.

Many people have used the poetic nature of the book as a means to allegorize it.

One thing we need to remember, is that no matter how poetic it sounds, Job is a record of actual conversations.

Conversations between satan and God

Conversations between Job and his friends

Conversations between God and Job.

We need to first see it in this light. As such, many of the things his friends say, are incorrect.

Every word of God is pure, and in some cases it perfectly records the words of man, which are not.

v.1:

Job was blameless and upright.

This does not mean that he was perfect or sinless, it means that Job wholeheartedly wanted to please God.

He feared God and shunned evil. He knew what God wanted from him. In fact, a fear of God is very beneficial.

There is nothing wrong with a fear of God, in fact it is healthy. It’s much the same as when you did something wrong as a child, you feared your parents.

That doesn’t mean that you didn’t love them. It means that you acknowledge their authority and their ability to punish you for what you had done.

This fear is the cornerstone of awe and reverence and respect. Without fear, the other three wouldn’t exist.

The Bible tells us a couple of ways in which a fear of God is beneficial to us.

We’ve covered all of this before, so I won’t spend much time on it.

Fear is a motivator for obedience

Proverbs 16:6

Proverbs 16:6 NKJV

In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

In fact, Job shunned evil. This was almost certainly due to his fear of God.

The fear of God brings wisdom and knowledge.

Psalm 111:10

Psalm 111:10 NKJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

Proverbs 9:10

Proverbs 9:10 NKJV

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The fear of God is a good thing and a healthy thing. It is beneficial to us, and it is an attitude that we must cultivate in our daily lives.

Job was a man of integrity, he was well respected by others. Because of his fear of God, Job had great wisdom, and people sought his counsel.

Job had wisdom and people sought his counsel

Job 29:21-23

Job 29:21–23 NKJV

“Men listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them as dew. They waited for me as for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.

Job was highly blessed by God.

vv.2-3:

We see here, that Job had great wealth.

Wealth is not necessarily a bad thing. A Christian can have wealth, as long as it does not divert from his worship of God. A person can only serve one master.

Job was wealthy, but wealth must not become your master

Matthew 6:24

Matthew 6:24 NKJV

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

v.4:

Job’s children were able to enjoy the best of everything. The general picture of their happy life is clear.

The son's most likely had their own residences, while the daughters still lived at home.

It's important that we don't arbitrarily develop a negative image of these feasts, because no disapproval of them is mentioned in Scripture.

In fact, few details are given, we don't even know how often they were held.

verse 5 simply says "it MAY be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." No statement is made that they actually did.

In fact, the phrase "eat and drink" in the O.T. is often linked with rejoicing. There is no basis to imply the use of alcohol, based on this phrase.

v.5:

We see Job's dedication to his role as a father.

Job showed deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his children. Fearful that they might have sinned unknowingly, he offered sacrifices for them.

Job was simply a concerned parent, making intercession for his children, as all parents should - even if we know of no wrong they have done.

Parents today can show the same concern by praying for their children. This means “sacrificing” some time each day to ask God to forgive them, to help them grow, to protect them, and to help them please him.

Job acted as the family priest, as any godly father should. Job is a good example, not only in the good times, but also in the bad. For we are told that Job never lost his integrity.

Through his trials, Job never lost his integrity

Job 1:22

Job 1:22 NKJV

In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Job 2:9-10

Job 2:9–10 NKJV

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Indeed, God Himself calls Job blameless and upright.

God called Job blameless and upright

Job 1:1

Job 1:1 NKJV

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

Job 2:3

Job 2:3 NKJV

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”