For the love of God.

Introduction:

Can someone love God for the sake of simply loving God for who God is? What would cause Elisabeth Elliot to continue evangelizing the savage and dangerous Huaorani tribe after they slaughtered her husband Jim and 4 other missionaries? Why would someone like William Tyndale risk his life to translate the bible into English? Leading to him being strangled with a chain then burned at the stake as a martyr for Jesus?

On October 8, 1953, he married fellow Wheaton alumna and missionary Elisabeth Howard who many of us are at least familiar with. Jim and 4 other missionaries began the work of creating relationships with the Huaorani. In first meeting with a couple tribe members who showed initial warmth, this gave Jim and the missionaries hope that they were making progress. In deciding to go to make further contact with the tribe, they were met by the two tribe members they thought were friendly along with 8 other tribe members. Jim and the other 4 missionaries were deceived and were slaughtered by the tribe. Their bodies recovered downstream.

His journal entry for October 28, 1949, expresses his belief that work dedicated to Jesus was more important than his life (see . "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.") He wrote, "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." How did his wife respond to this tragedy? Elisabeth continued the ministry along with other missionaries in evangelizing the Huaorani. She has written several books and talks about the work for the Lord.

His wife Elisabeth continued the ministry along with other missionaries in evangelizing the Huaorani. She has written several books and talks about the work for the Lord.

Who does this? Who willingly lays down their life for Christ? Who gives up everything out of love for God and his salvation? I will again ask the question I opened with. Can someone love God simply because he is their heavenly Father? This is the main point I want to discuss today about the life of Job. From (1:1-2:10) I want to show you 4 stages of Job’s life that reveal that Job really loved God because God first loved him.

Point #1 - The blessed Job

Job is described three different times as a blameless and upright man, one who feared God and turned away from evil. We see this in (1:1 ;8 ;2:3) the last two times are declared by God himself. Job was not a perfect man, but he understood what sin was. Job loved God, and knew that rebellion to God deserved death and judgement so he was continually sacrificing animals for the sake of his family (5). Job feared God, not in the sense that we tend to think about fear as being scared of someone or thing. Rather, this fear was holy reverence for God for who He is, the Alpha and Omega, the Creator of all things who lovingly created humans in his image. He continually resisted evil and its deception. He was quick to repent and turn to his God because he loved the One who had mercy upon him and his family. He treasured God because he knew he did not deserve this great privilege.

Job was a very rich man. Measured in livestock and servants there was no equal among him in wealth anywhere in the east (3). Then in (4) we see that Job was blessed with 7 sons and 3 daughters. Each one on their birthday would come together to feast and drink as they enjoyed each other. They celebrated life together. This was not a family that was divided. It was the picture of a family that loved one another and cared for each other. Kinda like the Brady Bunch or the Waltons.

The heavens had opened above Job and his family and showers of blessing had been poured out from the loving hand of God.

Transition:

Transition:

In these 5 verses we see a man that would win hands down the MBP award. The Most Blessed Person. A man like David who sought after God’s own heart, who loved him and was grateful for all that he was given by his Father in heaven. Now this would get severely tested in the next phase of his life.

Point #2 - The Targeted Job.

Now there was a day. This would be like any other day where the angels of God would come and report their progress in what they were commissioned to do as well as look for further orders from God. But amongst these elect angels is one Satan who also came among them. The Hebrew word for Satan is the Accuser or the Adversary. He is the enemy of God and his people. His very nature is deceptive, crafty and highly intelligent. Lucifer was one of the cherubim which were the highest of God’s created angels. Yet he wanted to be God. He is the epitome of evil. Think of this that in the very presence of God and his holiness, he was able to deceive a 1/3 of the angels to rebel against God. That is how crafty he is at being evil.

Now you may be thinking, well I thought Satan was cast down to earth after this rebellion. How can he be in the courts of heaven as completely evil in the very presence of God who is perfectly holy? There is a simple answer to this. I don’t know. But evidently this was the case as we are able to peer behind the veil into the heavenly court and see this dialogue between God and the Accuser.

The Lord asked Satan where he came from. Did God really not know? Of course he knew as the omniscience of God is that he knows all things from eternity past to eternity future simultaneously. Satan answers in his arrogance. “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” meaning that he is the prince of this world. He has been given the keys to earth and boasts about how all the world obeys and worships him without them even knowing that they are living as his slaves.

Then the hammer drops. God brings Job’s name forward. “Have you considered my servant Job?” Basically saying that Job does not serve or worship you Satan. You are a liar! He is blameless and is straighter than an arrow in being righteous before me as Judge. He reveres my name, he is my faithful servant and he turns from the lust of the eyes and seeks to always follow me.”

From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Satan then answers back defiantly “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge 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. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has and he will curse you to your face.” The evil and crafty Satan has just accused God to his face that the only reason servants like Job worship God is because he buys them off. “Of course Job worships you. It is in his best interest to live this way because you protect him and give him gifts that keep him in service to you. You take that hedge away, let me at him and we will see whether he stays faithful to you. He is going to curse you, he will turn his back on you so fast and will turn to me.”

God then grants Satan permission to target Job with the full force of his vengeance and vile hatred for humanity but he was not allowed to afflict Job himself.

When we look at these verses, what is clearly evident is that Job was not targeted for anything sinful in his life. He was not being disciplined but rather he was like a tree that had grown higher than the rest of the trees as Steve Lawson puts it so well. His righteousness and godliness had risen and he as the tallest oak in the forest was about to become a lightning rod.

Transition:

So the stage is set in this great drama. Will Job’s faith in God hold? Will Job in fact turn from God and curse him? Let us now see the onslaught of Satan against God’s servant.

Point #3 - The Afflicted Job.

A day came, one like any other in the life of Job and his family. Job did not know of any diabolical scheme of Satan, he did not know that God had placed Job in the ring of spiritual warfare. Yet like many of us know, tragedy can strike at the most unforeseen times. Job, maybe relaxing at the table after a nice meal has a messenger come to Job. “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” The hedge of protection around Job is clearly gone. Satan has stirred in the hearts of these thieves and murderers to come against Job.

The hedge of protection around Job is clearly gone. Satan has stirred in the hearts of these thieves and murderers to come against Job. They had probably longed for an opportunity and failed but here now they strike.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came another 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.” A lightning strike from heaven has come down to earth and wiped out all his livestock and all the servants except this one that made his way to Job. You can already notice that outside Job’s door there is panic as these messengers start stacking up at the door.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came another 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.” A lightning strike from heaven has come down to earth and wiped out all this livestock and all the servants except this one that made his way to Job. You can already notice that outside Job’s door there is panic as these messengers start stacking up at the door.

“The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another 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 yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Just minutes have gone by. In an incomprehensible unfathomable short period of time everything Job has built up in livestock, servants and wealth is wiped out. Yet there is one more servant that enters Job’s darkened door.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” (PAUSE)

16 While he was yet speaking, there came another 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 yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Would this not leave any grown man to fall on his face in utter despair? Losing ones wealth and servants is awful, but to lose your whole family in the blink of an eye is something we simply cannot fathom. Our imagination cannot conceive such devastation. Yet this was the life of Job and his wife.

In the next scene (20) Job has possibly just completed burying his 10 children and at the foot of these freshly dug graves he perhaps rises, tears his robe, shaves his head and falls to the ground again to worship his God. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Grief stricken, utterly devastated and mourning his children, he worships God.

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Transition:

So, with all these great hardships and affliction, did Job curse God like Satan said he would? 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. His faith in God remained even though he lost everything. Satan was wrong, but the battle wasjust beginning as we will see.

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

Point #4 - The Sickness of Job.

Again we see that on another day, we have a repeat encounter in the heavenly courts. The sons of God present themselves before the Lord and again Satan is there in the midst. God asks Satan again where he has come from to which he replies again how he walked all over his earth and rules all things and people. God interrupts “Ah, have you noticed that my servant Job still holds to his integrity even though you incited me against him without cause?” To which Satan sneers “Skin for skin.” Meaning that Job still had his health and clarity of mind and his wife. He can still have children and rebuild his empire. But if you let me take his health, he will surely curse you. Again, as last time, God grants him permission.

Satan leaves God’s presence and strikes Job’s health. Loathsome sores from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. We are told from this book that this was not some eczema or pimples. These sores were itchy, degenerating his facial skin, loss of appetite, depression, worms in the boils, hardened skin and running sores, difficulty in breathing, dark eyelids, foul breath, weight loss, continual pain, restlessness, blackened skin, and fever which all lasted several months.

This grieving man now encountered a mighty blow to every part of his being. They didn’t have the medical care that we now have or pain medication to suppress it so it could be tolerable. There was no relief. (Sit on step) Ashes, Pottery, Pitiful, Wife, Deeper weapon chest So painful that he ends up sitting in the ashes in the city dump where they burn the garbage. The itching is so intense he finds a piece of broken pottery to scrape the boils and maybe pluck out the worms. A pitiful sight that literally as we will see in the next section, the three friends thought he was going to die at any moment. Then, to add insult to his injury, Satan influences Job’s wife to encourage Job to just curse God already and die. Often times, Satan will use those closest to us to do his bidding. Satan was not getting the results he thought he would get. Job was a hard nut to crack. Now Satan has to look deeper in his weapons chest so he incites Job’s loving wife and friends to continue the onslaught until he finally breaks and puts away his righteousness and integrity, cursing God.

Then, to add insult to his injury, Satan influences Job’s wife to encourage Job to just curse God already and die. Often times, Satan will use those closest to us to do his bidding. Satan was not getting the results he thought he would get. Job was a hard nut to crack. Now Satan has to look deeper in his weapons chest so he incites Job’s loving wife and friends to continue the onslaught until he finally breaks and puts away his righteousness and integrity, cursing God.

** Does this not sound like the same tactic that Satan worked through Peter when he rebuked Jesus for talking about his future death and resurrection? How did Jesus respond? “Get behind me Satan.” Satan’s tactics are always the same. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities, evil rulers in the powers of the air.

Job rebukes his wife and corrects her thinking. “You are better than this. You sound like someone who is foolish in their thinking and speech. You are speaking as a woman that does not know God. “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” We need to remember that she has lost family and their wealth as well. Now she sees her husband’s looking like he is knocking on deaths door. Let us not be too hasty with what she says to him.

In all this devastation, (2:10) Job maintained his integrity and did not sin with his lips. Satan was wrong because he did not know God. His accusations were weighed in God’s divine scales of justice and they were thrown out of court for being lies and fabrications. Does this surprise us? There is no truth in the devil and God knows this.

Job was greatly blessed no question, but Job loved God whether he had much or little. This is evident by what we have covered thus far. A question you may be thinking is this. How is this possible? How can a man worship God after losing everything? How can a man maintain his integrity and not curse God? Let us consider the apostle John’s words from his first epistle (4:7-12)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Then a few verses later 19 We love because he first loved us.

The faithful persevere in their faith to the end because God lives in us. We love God and one another because God first loved us. God is love, and all his children love God for who he is. Now this is obviously not done perfectly right at the point of conversion. This is the sanctifying work of the Spirit in us to grow in our love of God and others.

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The faithful persevere in their faith to the end because God lives in us. We love God and one another because God first loved us. God is love, and all his children love God for who he is. Now this is obviously not done perfectly right at the point of conversion. This is the sanctifying work of the Spirit in us to grow in our love of God and others.

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Have you trusted in Jesus as your Saviour? If not, you are guilty before God as your Judge. One lie, one lustful look makes you guilty before a righteous God who demands perfection. Only faith in Jesus as your substitute will make you righteous like Job. As Satan himself is damned to eternal hell, this is the destination for all who refuse the love of Christ in denying your need of a Saviour. I plead with you to bend your knee before your King and accept the free gift of salvation.

For Job, and for any of the family of God, Satan never relents. He does not have mercy when you go through trials and hardships. He continually is trying to divide your allegiance to Christ. As we will see in the coming sermons, Satan continues his frontal assault on Job by using despair and friends to break him down. Will Job maintain his integrity? Will he curse God? Will his faith stand this great suffering? Stay tuned.

Application:

For our application from this text, I want to highlight some of the theology in our passage. A proper understanding of God is going to help us when we come to our times of suffering and affliction.

Sin and Sacrifice - Job understood that sin separates us in our day to day relationship with God. He thus made sacrifices continually. For us who are Christians, we are justified, we are righteous and blameless before God because Jesus was the sacrifice on the cross who bore our sins judgement once and for all by our faith in Him. But sin can easily creep in so let us be mindful and work out our salvation with fear and trembling by the power of God who lives in us.

Satan - he is a real spiritual being who is evil to the core. there is no good in him whatsoever. There is a real spiritual war that is going on daily for our souls. He reigns upon this earth as the prince in this present age, but someday, he will be cast in the fiery furnace of hell where he will be bound forever by God. Therefore let us be prayer warriors that are militant in waging the good fight of faith. Pray for others in their pain and suffering that they will not curse God in their affliction. Realize this brothers and sisters, even if we deny Christ, remember that God is always faithful even when we are not. Peter denied his Lord three times, yet as Jesus told him. Satan is going to sift you like wheat, but when you turn from your sin of denial, encourage the brothers. Jesus is always faithful for he cannot deny himself (). As true followers of Christ, we are hidden in Jesus and he will bring us to glory even though our enemy is a great foe.

God’s sovereignty - Notice that Satan requires permission to afflict Job and his wife. Notice who protected Job and gave the blessings. Satan was not oblivious to who Job was. He had been trying forever to try and get at Job. Front door, back door, windows, chimney, but to no avail because God had a hedge of protection around him. What does that say to us? God protects his people, and if for a season the hedge is removed, God has allowed it for his glory and for our good. What good could come from our suffering and affliction? Patience, compassion, dependence upon God to help us every day, grace for others to comfort them when they go through their trials among much more. The challenge we all face beloved, is that in the middle of the suck, it is just plain painful. It is sometimes very hard to see light when we are covered in the darkness of despair. Trust in God, rest in the divine sovereignty of God. He has all things under control even though we do not see it.

Faith - Job endured more than any of us ever want to see. Yet his faith in God held. Why is this? Because the faith of Job was God’s gift of faith. He did not just suck it up and will his way through the storm. He was devastated, but the faith of God in him held. So in your storms, you can rest assure that if you have been truly born of God, your faith will also hold because it is a gift from his loving hands. The greatest blessing we sinners could ever receive.

Conclusion:

There is much in this passage that we have not unpacked. My hope is that you will take what we have given this morning and treat it like a roast that is prepared for dinner and is way too much to be eaten at one sitting. Chew on this during the week. Take it bite by bite, seeking the Lord for answers to some questions you may have. Resting in answers that may not be there. Trusting our Heavenly Father to give you peace in his loving arms that nothing is random about our pain or suffering. It all has a purpose according to God’s sovereign plan. Let us rest in that when we are troubled by life’s circumstances we look to Jesus. He suffered at the hands of sinful men, yet what they planned for evil, God was using it for the good of saving the people of God from their sin. As God was with Jesus in his suffering, he is with us in our suffering. He will see you through because he loves you as he loves his only begotten Son.

Conclusion:

Can someone love God simply because they love God? Yes, just like Jim and Elisabeth Elliot and many more have laid their lives down for Jesus, so did Job. He did not know what in heaven was going on, but he trusted in God his Redeemer. Let us also look to Christ, let us worship Him for saving us from our debt of sin as our Redeemer. Let us treasure Christ Jesus above all else because of the work of salvation already accomplished by Him alone. Let us remain filled with hope that in our time of trials, we also will love God for God because he first loved us. A greater day is coming when we will see Jesus face to face, and all our trials and pain will be revealed as God’s way of removing the stench of this world from us. Being made pure as the most refined gold, bringing glory to our God who saved us. Amen!