Job

Information

We don’t know when Job was written. It was probably during or before the time of Abraham

Job is a very long poem. Dissecting it, while helpful, is not the way to see the point.

* like watching 10 minutes of a movie every day for 2 weeks

The Story

The main character Job: He’s “a man who was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” 1:1

He was wealthy, he had a big family, a wife, everything you could ask for. He served God and sacrificed to Him, not only for his own sins but for his family.

Job 1:6–8 “6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.””

Job 1:8–12 (NIV)

9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

The enemy kills all of Job’s flocks, his kids, and destroys all of his wealth. Job finds out all of this at the same time.

Job’s response: Job 1:20-22

Job 1:20–22 (NIV)

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Why does it say this?

Let me talk to the people who have heard this story before. If you’ve heard it preached “don’t be like Job’s 3 friends” you’ve probably left thinking - this story is meant to teach me I should be like Job. But that’s wrong. Let me prove it.

Who said it?

Job 4:17–19 “17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker? 18 If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error, 19 how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!” (Job’s friend Eliphaz)

Job 5:8–9 “8 “But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. 9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” Job 5:17–18 “17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. 18 For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.” (Job’s friend Eliphaz)

Job 8:5–7 “5 But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, 6 if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. 7 Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.” (Job’s friend Bildad)

Job 9:21–24 “21 “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. 22 It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ 23 When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent. 24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?” (Job)

Job 11:7–9 “7 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.” (Job’s friend Zophar)

After Job loses everything the enemy goes back to God and says, well it’s because you won’t let me touch him. God allows the enemy to cripple Job with illness. While his wife is telling him to curse God and die this is how Job responds.

Job 2:9–10 (NIV)

9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

This is the last time it says “Job did not sin”

Continuing the story

Job and his 3 friends go round and round arguing about why these terrible things are happening to him. Here are the arguments:

If you are innocent and blameless - hope in that. Good people get good things. God corrects us when we fail, seek Him and find your fault.

God has decided to crush me. I wish He’d look away and let me die.

In chapter 6 Job puts a challenge before his friends. Tell me my fault and I will repent. <- This is where he starts to go wrong.

Job 7:19–21 “19 Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? 20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you, you who sees everything we do? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you? 21 Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more.””

3. God is not unjust. Your children must have sinned. You must have sinned. “Seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty.”

4. Seek the wisdom of your ancestors. Instruction from the wisdom of those who have gone before us.

Chapter 9 Job proclaims Job 9:2 “2 “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?” Job 9:14–15 “14 “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? 15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.” Job 9:16–17 “16 Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. 17 He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.”

“What charges do you have against me?” “Does it please you to oppress me?”

5. If you turn to Him he will show you your fault and He’s faithful to restore you.

Job mocks their wisdom. He mocks God’s justice. He demands a hearing because HE ALREADY KNOWS Job 13:1–3 “1 “My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. 2 What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. 3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.” Job 17:10 “10 “But come on, all of you, try again! I will not find a wise man among you.”

They go back and forth then Job pull the “Leave me alone!” card: Job 19:2–7 “2 “How long will you torment me and crush me with words? 3 Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. 4 If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone. 5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me, 6 then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me. 7 “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.”

Chapter 19 Job accuses God of all types of wrong doing.

This goes on for 13 more chapters, back and forth, Job telling his friends that God is a cruel, unjust, kid on an ant hill burning ants with a magnifying glass and that he’s a poor ant that never did anything to God but has no recourse. This whole time his friends try to talk sense to him, but nothing’s getting through. Then it stops:

Job 32:1–3 “1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.”

Job 32:6–8 “6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: “I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know. 7 I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ 8 But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.” Job 32:13 “13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom; let God, not a man, refute him.’” Job 32:18 “18 For I am full of words, and the spirit within me compels me;” Job 33:4–10 “4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5 Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me. 6 I am the same as you in God’s sight; I too am a piece of clay. 7 No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy on you. 8 “But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words— 9 ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. 10 Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy.”

Job 33:12 “12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal.” Job 33:14 “14 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.” Job 33:15 “15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds,” Job 33:19–21 “19 “Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones, 20 so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal. 21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out.” Job 33:29–30 “29 “God does all these things to a person— twice, even three times— 30 to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.”

Job 34:5–10 “5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice. 6 Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’ 7 Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water? 8 He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked. 9 For he says, ‘There is no profit in trying to please God.’ 10 “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.” Job 34:12 “12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.” Job 34:17 “17 Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?” Job 34:31–33 “31 “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more. 32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’ 33 Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know.”

Job 36:5–11 “5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. 6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights. 7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. 8 But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, 9 he tells them what they have done— that they have sinned arrogantly. 10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. 11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.” Job 37:23–24 “23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. 24 Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?””

Elihu DESTROYS Job for approaching God as an entitled, arrogant, brat, who thought that God owed him something for his righteousness, as if he’d done anything that God needed. Job eventually tells God, fine! If there’s no reward for righteousness then why not go on sinning? Elihu replies, Job 35:6–8 “6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? 8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.” God is telling you not to sin for your benefit not His.

While Elihu is speaking evidently a storm appears, which Elihu uses as an example of the power of God, then God speaks.

SIT DOWN

Job 38:2 “2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?”

Job 40:2 “2 “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!””

Job 40:7–8 “7 “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 8 “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?”

Job responds

Job 42:4–6 “4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.””

God’s final words

Job 42:7 “7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” Job 42:9 “9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.”

Who’s missing? ELIHU

Why? Because he was right!

Then Job is restored and blessed more in the 2nd part of his life than the first

What’s the Application

God didn’t bring up Job to the enemy because he wanted Job destroyed. God brought Job up to the enemy because He wanted to elevate him. He was supposed to be the shining example.

Then God allowed Job to continue suffering because Job 42:5 “5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” God wanted to SHOW HIMSELF TO JOB

Job had it completely wrong. How did he get it completely wrong? He thought he had wisdom, instead of seeking wisdom.

Elihu sought wisdom from God and spoke as a prophet.

Job’s 3 friends so called “wisdom” acted as a distraction preventing Job from seeking God. It got no where because Job was already convinced he was right.

Example

People ask me all the time what I think about things, sometimes God gives me wisdom and I answer - but many times - and you can ask Art, Jimmy, Tim, or Mike I’ll say, it doesn’t matter what I think you need to ask God. They’ll say something like, yeah I’ll ask God but what do YOU think? Don’t you have some wisdom?

In those moments, no. My words would be like the 3 friends, a distraction from seeking God.

Many times when we try to speak with people who are already convinced they’re right we are distracting them from seeking God.

Vision

Vision: Elihu is the vision. Imagine speaking the words of the living God.

What does your life look like in 365 days if every time you opened your mouth the wisdom of God became manifest?

Colossians 4:5–6 “5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

What does your relationship with your son, daughter, grandson, spouse look like in 1 year if you open your mouth and Elihu comes out?

How many useless conversations avoided, how many brothers and sisters encouraged

What does that do to your depression? Your anxiety? Your loneliness?

How would that change your relationship with God? Do you think you might see Him?