Job 1:20-23 “ How to handle the Sovereignty of God “

Job 1:1 (NRSV)

1 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

Job 1:20–22 (NRSV)

20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped.

21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

Job 2:9–10 (NRSV)

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.”

10 But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

“ How to Handle the Sovereignty of God “

The most important doctrine that you can learn as a Christian is the Gospel

To accept Christ as your personal substitute is the greatest truth that you can learn

But the second greatest truth you can learn is the sovereignty of God

Because if you don't believe God is sovereign

You live your life by Luck

Chance, Happenstance, Fate

There's no such thing as Luck in the Christian vocabulary

Everything is either caused by God or allowed by God

But nothing is never missed by God

He is sovereign

And when life crushes In on you

if you don't have a handle on the sovereignty of God

You will collapse at the work of the devil

Job 1:6–12 (NRSV)

6 One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.”

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

10 Have you not put a fence around 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 stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”

12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Note: Satan was the immediate cause, but God was the ultimate cause

Quote: We insult God as mere men when we reduce what He’s doing in our lives when we think it should be done another way

Note: The book of Job is NOT ABOUT Job, the book of Job is about the SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

Note: If you don’t understand the Sovereignty of God you will struggle as a BELIEVER

Note: And the Sovereignty of God doesn’t mean you’ve done something WRONG [ V. 1 ]

Statement: Whether Good — Bad — Ugly — Horrific — People doing Evil to you — People putting their tongue on you it is STILL THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

The book of Job is written around the time of the Babylonian exile

In 587 BC the Israelites was conquer

by the Babylonians under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar

And when they are conquered

Jerusalem is destroyed

The temple is burn down

And the Israelites are sent into Babylon to live in exile

They live in exile 70 years

Until the Babylonians are conquer by the Persians

And the Emperor Cyrus gives a command

that gives the Israelites a pass to go back to Jerusalem

And through all of this

the people of God have one question on there mind

And there question is this

Question: How could God let this happen to us

How could a God that love us allow our city to be destroyed

How could a God we worship allow the temple to be burn

How could a God we serve send us into exile

And the only answer they was hearing

Was a answer that came from the Prophets

So while Israel is trying to figure this thing out

Jeremiah — Hosea — Ezekiel — Isaiah

All give Israel the same answer

And the answer is this here

The reason you're struggling

Is because you have sinned

In other words the Prophets were saying

what you do will determine what God will do

If you act right God will reward you

If you mess up God will punish you

And the book of Job is written to remind us

That God don't always operate like that

So when Job is talking to his friends

Eliphaz — Bildad — Zophar

They represent the traditional theological understanding

that you Job, had to do something wrong

Because God wouldn't have punish you

if you had not done something wrong

But the text says Job was Blameless — Upright — Fear God — Escheweth evil

Job shows us that bad things happen to not good people

But Godly people

Statement: As a faithful believer you’re going to have the MOST QUESTIONS IN life ABOUT life.

Blameless — free of guilt

Upright — compliance with justice & law

Feared God — Reverence , Respect & Obeyed God

Escheweth evil — to reject , turn away , remove , abandon , change directions

Note: This is the first two chapters of Job, Job has to deal with the Sovereignty of God.

Explain: Job

7,ooo — Sheep

3,000 — Carmel

500 — oxen

500 — donkeys

Servants — Many

10 — Children

His Wife

1st. His Sorrow in the Sovereignty V. 20

Job 1:20 (KJV 1900)

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

1st He didn’t Conceal his Sorrow

“ rent his mantle, and shaved his head “

Psalm 137:1–4 (KJV 1900)

1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.

2 We hanged our harps Upon the willows in the midst thereof.

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; And they that wasted us required of us mirth, Saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song In a strange land?

Note: Things can get so bad at times , it will make you just want to lay down and die [ Job 3:1 ]

Job 3:1 (NRSV)

1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

Statement : Don’t you ever think that things can get so bad to where you don’t think of taking yourself out

Statement: In the OT they was suicidal as well, but because it was an AFRONT to God they didn’t do it.

Afront — “an offense”

Psalm 30:5 (NRSV)

5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

1st He didn’t Conceal his Sorrow

2nd He was Consisted in his Sorrow

Job 1:20 (NRSV)

20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped.

Note: Job didn’t disconnect himself from God

1st He didn’t Conceal his Sorrow

2nd He was Consisted in his Sorrow

3rd He Consoled himself in his Sorrow

Note: Job had to comfort himself

Note: Look at Job’s wife

1 Samuel 30:6 (ESV)

6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

1st. His Sorrow in the Sovereignty V. 20

2nd. He Submitted to the Sovereignty V. 20

Job 1:20 (KJV 1900)

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

1st. His Sorrow in the Sovereignty V. 20

2nd. He Submitted to the Sovereignty V. 20

3rd. His Steadfastness in the Sovereignty V.13:15

Job 13:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him.

1st. His Sorrow in the Sovereignty V. 20

2nd. He Submitted to the Sovereignty V. 20

3rd. His Steadfastness in the Sovereignty V.13:

4th. His Statement about the Sovereignty V. 21

Job 1:21 (KJV 1900)

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.

4th His Scriptural Knowledge of the Sovereignty

You got to have some knowledge of the scriptures if you gonna make it

1st. His Sorrow about the Grief V. 20

2nd. His Submission to the Grief V. 20

3rd. His Steadfastness in the Grief V. 13:15

4th. His Statement from the Grief V. 21

5th. The Sovereignty over the Grief V. 22

Job 2:9–10 (KJV 1900)

9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.