Job 1, 'And in all this Job sinned not; nor charged God foolishly.'
Job 40: 3- 5, "Then Job answered the Lord, and said, v. 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. v. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further."
Job 42: 1-8, "Then Job answered the Lord, and said, v.2 I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be witholden from Thee. . .v. 5 I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. v. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. . .
We want to take a look at this relationship of God and Job. It is a open window for us to see how man sees God; and how God sees us. And this is very important for the life that we are leading and the life that is to come.
I am captured by the beginning and end of Job. The account is before us of how Satan sought to destroy Job. And in essence he did. He took all his possessions; all his children; and his health. And I mean destroyed to describe the things outwardly in his physcial world. What did he have left? Friends that forsook him with their counsel and words; a wife that sought an early end to his sorrows; and nothing left but him and God. He sought an audeince with God to answer the question of 'why, Lord?' Many of us have been there. 'Why is this happening Lord?' 'Lord, I don't understand this; help me'. But the sky is brass and the voice of God is silent for a season. That is one lesson that we need to learn, it is only a season. If it is any longer than a season, then there is something else wrong in the relationship.
We want to examine these points:
I. How did God see Job?
II. How did Job see God?
III. What was the final verdict of it all? (what does it teach us?)
I How did God see Job?
Satan comes and appears before God in the first chapter of Job. God asks of him, 'Where have you been?' He has been in the earth, watching, observing and no doubt, afflicting. He is still in the earth; he is still doing what he has always done, seeking to devour and destroy the lives of men, women and children. And as he answer the Lord God, God puts before him Job, His servant. 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fearthe God, and escheweth evil?' Is there such a man to be found today? Can God declare such a statement about you or me?
Now isn't this interesting to note, that God, Who speaks absolute truth, declares this about Job. Is He lying? No, for God cannot lie. He is speaking the truth about His servant Job. Yet what does Satan do, he questions God about such a statement. I am convinced that Satan holds no regard for man, no respect and this is another reason for him to seek our destruction. So that he may approach back to God each time we sin, each time we fail and say, 'See, I told you; those humans are full of sin, full of disobedience, full of disappointment.' And how often the great liar, Satan, is found speaking truth about God's people. What shame, what reproach we cast before His great Name.
Knowing all the while that God is just and must judge sin. Satan knows that he shall be judged and is already condemned. It is just that his sentencing has not happened yet. But Satan tries to destroy Job, for he knows what he means to the Lord. Just like he attacked and lead Adam and Eve into sin, so he seeks for all of God's chosen children. Have you been tried? have you been tempted? Has he sought your destruction? It is because you are chosen and beloved by the Lord. And when God makes such a profound statement about Job, SAtan immediately sets to work to destroy him.
And the reason being that Satan sought to destroy Job was because he could not stand it that God had also searched the earth and knew of Jobs faithfulness. Oh, the blessed favor that God has searched all the earth and found one that has such a perfect heart before Him. Is this not what He desires today? Does God see a Job among us? Does He see perfectness? Does He see one the 'escheweth evil'? God is always looking unto the sons of men to see their heart. He knows the intent, He knows the thoughts that we think. He is able to discern whether we are truly His or not.
Job is perfect before the Lord. And when Satan unleashes his hand against him and takes his possessions, his children, and his health, we read those blessed words, 'And in all this Job sinned not.' What did he say? 'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.' Learn this statement and have it ready at such a moment that life is cruel to you. And be not as one of the fools who charge God foolishly, but know it is Satan, himself, seeking to rid you of your perfect walk with God. use this statement then to maintain your integrity before the heavenly hosts. Job is perfect and has kept his perfect status. Then we read at the very end of the book, when God has appeared, He begins to make Job give an account.
Job 38: 1 - 3, 'Then the Lord answered Job out of the whilrwind, and said, v.2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? v. 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will deman of thee, and answer thou Me.'
Job 40: 1 - 2, "Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said, v.2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. "
Job 40: 6, 7, "Then asnwered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, v. 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me."
We see by these verse that after God has declared Job to be perfect and upright in all his ways; He reproves Job for questioning Him and calls him to give an account. This is not the first time we see such a condition. WE see over in the book of Numbers another scenario. In Numbers 23: 20, 21, "Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. v. 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them."
What?? No sin in Israel? Is this not the people that murmured agains the Lord? against Moses? Is this not the people that bowed down to serve a false god in the form of a calf? Is this not the same people right after this blessing with Balaam is found sinning wiht the children of the Moabites?
6/9/11 - began;
Continue. . . . .
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