The art of suffering

Introduction

I. Job

Blameless

Job 1:1 “1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Job 1:8 “8 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.””

Job 2:3 “3 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. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.””

Rich

Job 1:2-3 “2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.”

Devoted

Job 1:4-5 “4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.”

Job 1:20-22 “20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

II. Satan

Bad

Job 1:6-7 “6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 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.””

Job 2:1-2 “1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.””

1 Peter 5:8 “8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Restrained

Job 1:9-12 “9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 “Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 “But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.”

Job 2:4-6 “4 Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 “However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” 6 So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.””

Destructive

Job 1:13-19 “13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four…”

Job 2:7 “7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”

III. Family and Friends

Wife

Job 2:9 “9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!””

Friends (3-25)

Job 2:11-13 “11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. 13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.”

John Calvin “they only have one song and they sing it to death.”

Eliphaz : Job 4:7-8 “7 “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed? 8 “According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it.”

Bildad : Job 8:3-6 “3 “Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right? 4 “If your sons sinned against Him, Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression. 5 “If you would seek God And implore the compassion of the Almighty, 6 If you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate.”

Zophar : Job 11:13-20 “13 “If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; 15 “Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, And you would be steadfast and not fear. 16 “For you would forget your trouble, As waters that have passed by, you would remember it. 17 “Your life would be brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning. 18 “Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely. 19 “You would lie down and none would disturb you, And many would entreat your favor. 20 “But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last.””

Elihu : (32-37) Job 32:1-3 “1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.”

“suffering has educative properties. Suffering can teach you things that nothing else can.”

IV. God

Sovereign

Job 1:6; “1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.” Job 2:1 “1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.”

Job 38:1-4 “1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 “Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,” Job 40:6-9 “6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm and said, 7 “Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. 8 “Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? 9 “Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?”

Tolerant

Job 42:7-9 “7 It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. 8 “Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job.”

Gracious

Job 42:10-17 “10 The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. 11 Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold. 12 The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land no women were found so fair as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man and full of days.”

Conclusion

God

Sovereign

Faith and Trust

Jesus is Lord Romans 10:9 “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

Tolerant

1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Gracious

Romans 5:8 “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Tim Keller - OT Professor:

Psalm 39, 88

“They were prayers”