Current Sermon

Job

Introduction:

The Book of Job is one of the books in the Bible that has an continuing lesson for each generation. Job is surely one of the best examples of patient endurance of trial and tribulation found in the Bible. This is the study for toady, “JOB.”

I. Job, a man of exemplary faith in God:

A. An upright man and one that turned away from evil - Job 1:1, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job ; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.”

B. A man who was concerned about the righteousness of his family - Job 1:4-5, “4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly” (NKJV).

C. Job was also a very rich man who apparently used his wealth to the glory of God - Job 1:3, “3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East” (NKJV).

II. The origin of Job’s trials and tribulations:

A. Satan - Job 1:9-12, “9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around 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 now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD” (NKJV).

B. Why did God allow this to happen? - Perhaps this book is included in the Bible for the very purpose of teaching generation after generation of men that regardless of whatever happens to us in this life if we are faithful God will eventually bless us.

III. Job‘s first great trial of suffering:

A. First, Job looses all his wealth and property - Job 1:13-20

B. Job maintains his faith and confidence in God - Job 1:21-22, “21 And 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 nor charge God with wrong”

IV: Job’s second trial, even more severe:

A. Satan is given leave by God to try Job through loss of health and suffering of great pain - Job 2:4-8, “4 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life." 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes” (NKJV).

B. Job’s suffering this second time is so severe that his wife suggests that he seek the peace of death - Job 2:9, “9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

Job, a man of unusual confidence in God in spite of great mental anguish:

A. Regarding the first trial, Job says - Job 1:21-22, “And 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 nor charge God with wrong” (NKJV).

B. Regarding the first trial, Job says - Job 2:10, “10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (NKJV).

VI. Job‘s friends and their advice:

A. Job 2:11-13, “Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place - Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great” (NKJV).

B. Job’ three friends advice:

Eliphaz says Job has sinned - Job 4:1-21, Eliphas says God is chastising Job for his sins - Job 5:1-27, Job says his complaining is justified, he claims he is innocent - Job 6:1-7:21

Bildad says Job needs to repent - Job 8:1-22

Zophar’s presents a long charge toward Job by illustrating the woes of a wicked man - Job 20:1-29

Elihu contradicts Job’s friends - Job 32:1-22, Elihu contradicts Job - Job 33:1-33, Elihu says that God is always just - Job 34:1-7, Elihu condemns Job for self-righteousness - Job 35:1-16, Elihu stresses God’s goodness - Job 36:1-23, Elihu stresses God’s majesty - Job 36:24-33.

VII. Job’s restoration by God:

A. God reveals himself to Job - Job 38:1-41, God challenges Job - Job 39:1-30, God

B. Job repents of the sin of presumption and over confidence - Job 42:1-17

C. The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly - Psalms 1:1-6, “1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish” (NKJV).

Conclusion:

The example for us today, faithfulness will be rewarded by God in the end, there is nothing that can separate us from God and his promises so long as we are faithful.

Consider Magazine is an independent work by Garreth L. Clair

Garreth has over 50 years experience as a preacher, and is currently the preacher for the church that meets at 4840 Cemetery Road, in Hilliard OH.

http://www.cemeteryroadchurchofchrist.org/

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Count from November 2008 to the present.