FRIDAY SERVICE

15 MARCH 2024

The final blow that brought Job to his lowest state.

Job 2:7–13 ESV

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. 11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job needed his wife at the point he was down but she was of no comp]fort or encouragement.

Job’s friends proved to be good friends when they started to support him. Better than his wife.

When problem persist, people start to loose hope and courage.

Therefore build up your courage by fixing your eyes on God and your hope by keeping your integrity.

Job’s friends had good intention in heart, but failed to support him emotionally and spiritually as time went. They started to blame him for what happened to him. They did not know better. Anyone who act like this in you life, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.

Job Lament over his affliction.

Job 3:1–4 ESV

1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 And Job said: 3 “Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, ‘A man is conceived.’ 4 Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it.

No matter how strong we are, sometimes we brake down, but remember to rise up again after that.

To find yourself hopeless is a sign to seek the Lord even more and ignore the voices of people.

I mean, when things get very tough it is not a good time to give your attention to people, but search for Jesus.

e.g. A woman with issue of blood, Bartemius, Zaccheus, The Centurion, Mary & Martha when Lazarus was sick, etc

ENCOURAGING WORDS OF COUNSEL FROM JOB’S FRIEND ELIPHAZ.

Job 4:1–6 ESV

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking? 3 Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands. 4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees. 5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed. 6 Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?

Lessons:

The same advise you give others is what you should live by.

Practise what you speak (otherwise you act like a hypocrite)

Let your confidence in life come from the fear of the Lord only.

those who hope do so in the Lord Jesus Christ by walking in the integrity of heart.