Job 1-2

0:25 A quick show of hands, just so I understand what you understand. I think I know the answer to this, but how many of you honestly have read the book of Job already before? Okay. See, I didn't want to say how many of you have not read. That's kind of an embarrassing way to do it. So there's a good chunk of you that have. most of you have. I like to tell the story that I had a roommate that, and I'm careful not to mention his name because he's still living, but he was a roommate when I was living in Santa Ana in Huntington Beach, and he refused to read this book because he was unemployed at the time, and he thought it was the book of job, and he felt that if he read it, he would just be utterly convicted of his laziness and it's going to be all about that and when I found that out I said David well I just said his name David David if you're listening I love you but yeah this is the book of Job the book of Job you know it's an interesting phenomenon that I have discovered that whenever I set out to teach a series or a book of the Bible that the Lord does not want to waste the opportunity and that he will allow me to experience in part some truth that is contained in that book. And the last time that I taught the book of Job on a Sunday morning series many years ago, I announced that I was going to do it.

2:22 People were excited because of the way we were going about it. It was going to be the questions of Job answered in the New Testament by Jesus. We're going to make a comparison. and that week that I announced it my wife was diagnosed with cancer and she I'll never forget in the doctor's office she turned to me and she said you would have to pick the book of Job wouldn't you and um you know and I'm not saying that you should be superstitious by you know oh we're going to read the book of Job what's going to happen to me this week but I have discovered that the Lord does not want to allow the opportunities to be wasted. And sometimes he allows us to taste a little bit of the truth that we uncover. Well, the book of Job, and again, just if you are new to this, we are going through the Bible verse by verse. And I might aim at covering two chapters tonight, but we put the book down when the time's up.

3:27 If we go a little bit deeper and pull back a little bit and move on, once the time's up, we will quit. But, you know, I'm ready. The book of Job is written principally about a single episode of this man's life. where several disasters that happen sequentially happen to him and he finds himself during this period of time suffering in a way he never imagined was possible. It was a season of his life. I'm going to take a guess that it was several months long, the duration of it. I say that because over in chapter 7, verse 3, Job says, you have allotted me months of affliction or misery, months of adversity. So I believe it was a period of several months. During that time, he loses his children. They die. Thieves, marauders take his goods. He loses his health, and he ends up with a very unsympathetic wife and he is on a dunghill scraping the sores on his body.

4:53 So you know that if you have read the book of Job. Here's something you may not know that I find fascinating. Just a different take on it. If you were to study the Bible from a different vantage point. The vantage point of questions that are asked. How many questions are asked in the book of Job? There are no fewer than 330 questions asked in the book of Job. Now you compare that to other books of the Bible. There's significantly less. Book of Genesis, I think, has 180 questions. or a hundred and no yeah like 160 questions the book of Matthew has like 180 questions the longest book of the Bible the book of Psalms has about 180 questions Job has 330 questions most of them wondering about why God would allow this and I think that's just an important facet because when we suffer, that's what we do. When we suffer, we have lots of questions.

6:09 And even if you try to get those questions answered, we have more questions. And we want the reason for this. Here's what I've discovered. Reasons don't help suffering people. if somebody could sit down with you and explain to you why God is allowing this trial to be in your life and what it's going to eventually lead to, that's not going to make you feel better. Or at least it's only going to make you feel mildly better. You don't need reasons, you need resources. God's resources. That's what you need during times of suffering. So 330 questions in this book. I mentioned when we were taking the Lord's Supper a moment ago that many of us believe this is the oldest book in the Bible. That is, it's the oldest, yeah, the oldest book of the Bible. Not everybody shares that belief. I hold to that belief. I think it seems to be the oldest book. That is, we're dealing with somebody who lived between 2000 BC up to 1000 BC. Why do we think it's so old? Well, for a few reasons. There's no reference at all in the book to the law of Moses, which from Exodus on, you have references to the laws of Moses. There's no reference in the book of Job to previous Israelite history. It's almost like they didn't exist or they didn't exist yet. So no reference to the law of Moses, no reference to Israelite history. Also in the book of Job, names of places are ancient names.

7:58 The land of Uz was an ancient name. The land of Sheba or Seba, the Sabians are mentioned, The Chaldeans are mentioned. So ancient monikers of places are given in this book, probably because it's very, very early. Another consideration is that Job's wealth, and he was extremely wealthy, is measured not in the amount of silver he had, as in other books of the Bible, but the livestock he owned, much like Abraham's wealth is described.

8:41 The name of God used frequently in this book is Shaddai. The name Shaddai is almighty. Shaddai is used in Genesis a lot and in Job a lot. So all of these are clues that would lend us, lead us to believe that Job was a very, very ancient person. And you get to the last chapter of Job and you find out how old he was when he died, 140 years of age. That puts that kind of lifespan back in those ancient patriarchal times. So it is my belief that Job was a contemporary or lived during the time of Abraham.

9:31 And if I was in a class and my professor made me give a date to it, I would place it between Genesis 11 and Genesis 12. After the Tower of Babel, before Abraham enters the land of Canaan. That's where I would place it. And I'm bringing that background up for this reason. It's a book about suffering. It's one of the oldest books in the Bible. It goes to show you that people have been suffering a long time. Since time immemorial, people have gone through trials and struggles and heartache and hardship and pain. It goes all the way back to the earliest records.

10:22 Verse 1. there was a man, stop there, This is a book about a real man. It is not an allegory. It is not a parable. It's about a real person with a real life who had real suffering. Job will be mentioned in the book of Ezekiel chapter 14.

11:01 And the mention of it is with two other historical figures, Noah and Daniel. And God is announcing to the prophet Ezekiel that he is going to bring judgment. and he said even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were alive in this land, only they would be delivered because of their righteousness. Everybody else would go into captivity. So because you have two other historical persons, Noah, Daniel, along with Job, that also lends credibility to this being not a parable, not an allegory, but a real person. There was, amen. Then you get to the book of James, and James says, you have heard of the perseverance or the patience of Job. And you have seen the end, how the Lord is merciful and compassionate, and how God blessed him more at the end than at the beginning. So it's a real book about a real person.

12:06 and there are specific names that are in this book names of people names of places you don't get that when you deal with parables and allegories so there was a man in the land of us and of course he's related to a wizard who lived the wizard of us no that didn't happen but the land of us is an ancient name it's an ancient name for edom The Edomites lived there. What is south of the Dead Sea, southeast of the Dead Sea? And there's a picture behind me. This is kind of the area that he lived in. It is the area of modern day Jordan, southern Jordan, northern Arabia, very stark. You think it's stark around these parts, that makes the moon look lush. I mean, it's just barren, rocky wilderness, although there are oases during that, and there's high country, and it is my belief that Job didn't live out in these desert regions, but up in those oases in the higher regions. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man, listen to the description, anybody would love this as a description of his or her life. Blameless and upright, one who feared God and hated or shunned evil. When it says he was blameless, it does not mean that he was perfectly sinless. It means he was morally upright. When it says he is upright, it's a word that means to go straight ahead and not veer off the path. That's what the word designates. To walk straight ahead and not veer off the path. In other words, a man of integrity. He walked the straight and narrow, we would say.

14:10 He's an upright man. He feared God. That is, he respected God. He worshiped God. He loved God. and his fear was doing something to displease the Lord. So he feared God and he hated evil. It's setting him up. This verse is very descriptive and very necessary for what follows because you would not expect normally a person this awesome to go through this kind of suffering, but that's who he was and verse two seven sons and three daughters were born to him so he had ten kids big household my mother lived in a household where there were nine of them she had seven brothers as well but just one sister so um uh crazy kind of upbringing people sleeping on top of one another but different situation here seven sons three daughters were born to him also his possessions were 7 000 sheep 3 000 camels 500 yoke of oxen 500 female donkeys and a very large household so he had servants like abraham did so that this man was the greatest of all the people in the east.

15:44 The word greatest, and some of you who know Hebrew, like Matt, who remember this word, the word is gadol, gadol. When it says he's the greatest, gadol, which means large. He was the largest man in the east. And that doesn't mean he was overweight. It just means he was significant and very, very well-to-do. So he was the greatest of all the people. Think of an Arabian sheikh, somebody who had great power, was over lots of people, and was well-known. So he's the greatest or the heaviest. He's a heavyweight back in those days of the people of the East. Now, 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. I think this is kind of cool.

16:44 You know, the boys traded off having the party at their house. And so the sisters wouldn't have to bother on the feast day. You know, you're all invited to our house. So these seven guys, these seven sons traded off having the festive meal. We don't know if it was a daily celebration or it was like a yearly celebration, like birthday celebration. But they traded off having the feast at the seven boys' homes.

17:12 And the sisters would come and eat and drink with them. 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 have cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did regularly. Let me suggest that you do this for your children. Job had adult children. They grew up. He knew they liked to party. and so he goes to prayer for them every day that God would keep them that God would forgive them some of you have children you're just not quite sure about they've grown up you know your influence in their lives isn't what it used to be get up in the morning pray for them it's one of the best things you could do now I'm not suggesting you go kill a goat and have a burnt offering like Job did But that's another reason that we think it's in the patriarchal period, because obviously there is no priesthood in Israel because there's no nation of Israel.

18:32 So this is the ancient practice of the husband, the father being the priest of his own home. So like the tribal leader, he's taking animals, sacrificing them, having the fear of God, praying for his children. So you get a picture of this man. he is very wealthy he's very renowned and yet he is very godly large family very godly very wealthy very godly and it is going to be he's serving the lord and you might think well anybody that has that you know that kind of loot and god has blessed him is going to be serving the lord and that is going to be satan's whole spiel his whole contention is that's the reason job is following you because he is the greatest man in all the east you have made him that way but i find it interesting i find it fascinating that in verse 5 the reason the motivation behind this daily getting up and sacrificing for his sons is he has this hunch for job said it may be that my sons have cursed God in their hearts and sinned.

19:44 Now, why on earth would Job think that? Well, wait till chapter two and you meet Mrs. Job. because Mrs. Job suggests to her husband, what? Curse God and die. Could it be that the influence of this woman in the children's life was enough that Job said, I got to offset that. She has a propensity to blame a lot of things on God, and that's not a good role model in this house. So I'm going to get up and counteract that and go to prayer for these kids and sacrifice for them because maybe they have cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did regularly. Now there was a day, and this now sets up the behind the scenes, behind the stage goings-on of the book. There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them.

20:53 of course, Job does not know any of this, right? We have the book of Job. Job will wish he had the book of Job. He doesn't have that resource. We have it. We can look and we can, um, acknowledge and we can study and we can break it down. Oh, that's why this is happening. He didn't have that. It just happened to him. And he has to figure out with his friends, why is this happening? So there was a day when the sons of God, and that, that is a phrase that almost always refers to the angels of God. Genesis chapter six uses that phrase. Job chapter 42 uses the phrase the sons of God as being a synonym for the angels of God at creation. So there came a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them.

22:07 the name Satan isn't really a name it's a title it means adversary I believe his name was originally Lucifer we call him the devil Satan means adversary this is the first time in scripture that this official title is used for him is Job chapter one so there came a day the angels of God, the sons of God, come to give an account, and Satan also came among them. did you know that Satan is not in hell contrary to popular opinion Satan is not in hell he has never been in hell now he'll go there one day that is his ultimate end and when he goes there he's not going to be the head of it the chief of it he's going to be the chief victim of it hell is prepared Jesus said for the devil and his angels but he is not in hell that's that's fact number one that we find out about he's not in hell he has he has access to God he has access to God he is wherever this took place in the heavenlies even though he's been kicked out of heaven he has temporary visiting rights, you might say, to give an account, which is an important second fact. He is accountable to God. Satan is on a leash. It's longer than I would like. I sometimes wonder why it's not shorter.

23:48 I have an idea why I have reasons for it, but now is not the time, but he is accountable to God. That is Satan does operate in the earth, but he operates within the perimeter, the parameters of God's will. He can't just do what he wants willy nilly without God allowing him to go so far. Again, I don't know why the leash is as long as it is, but he has to get permission. In the New Testament, you remember the demons asked Jesus, permit us to go into that herd of swine. He had to give them permission to do that. So Satan operates within the parameters of God's will. So Satan is here, accountable to God. Satan's among them.

24:40 And the Lord said to Satan, from where do you come? So Satan answered the Lord and said, yes. I just did that for a fact. From going to and fro on the earth and from walking back and forth on it. Where you been, Satan? Oh, cruising. Cruising Central.

25:10 Just going around the earth. Now we know what he is doing. Peter said, your adversary, the devil, roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. That's what he's doing. Cruising the earth, looking for prey. And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? Now here it is as a question, it is best rendered as a rhetorical question. In other words, you have been considering my servant Job, haven't you? This brings us to point number three about Satan. He studies people. He considers them. He notices things about them. He understands our propensities, our weak points.

26:20 Listen, he's been doing this a long time. Before you and I were even here, for thousands of years, Satan has understood humanity and human nature. And he understands our vulnerable points. He studies us. It's an eerie kind of a thought. But it's a true thought. have you ever been like in a restaurant or in a store and you you just get this weird feeling and then you turn and you notice there's some dude over there some gal staring at you you know it's like their their eyes were locking in on you this whole time and you just noticed it creepy feeling right eerie feeling you've been considering my servant job haven't you have you considered him? You know what this guy, this guy's blameless. He's upright. He fears God.

27:16 He shuns evil. In the New Testament, in Luke chapter 22, Jesus and Peter are having a conversation and it is at the hour of Jesus' greatest trial in the upper room. And Jesus says, Peter or Simon, He uses the old name Simon, Simon Satan has been asking About you he wants to sift you like wheat, but I prayed for you. And when you are returned, strengthen your brethren. well thanks for the prayers but wow what a revelation satan's been asking for me by name yeah he's been asking about you but i prayed for you so satan studies us he's not in hell he has access to heaven he's accountable to god he studies mankind and so Satan answered the Lord verse 9 and he said does Job fear God for nothing have you not made a hedge around him around him around his household and around all that he has on every side you have blessed the works of his hands and his possessions have increased in the land. Now that brings up another characteristic about Satan. He accuses people.

28:57 He studies us. He finds our weak points. He brings it up before God. He is called the accuser of the brethren who accuses us before God night and day. you might recall if not just jot this down and look at it later but in Zechariah chapter 3 almost at the very end of the old testament Zechariah chapter 3 Zechariah as you know is a series of visions the prophet gets in the third chapter he gets a vision of Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him to oppose him. So that's one of his dirty little tricks. He accuses you before God. And I'm guessing you've heard some of those accusations. You call yourself a Christian. Look at you. Right? You've heard those little voices that cause guilt and shame and distance.

30:03 and you know satan is such a creep about it he entices you he says oh go ahead do that you'll enjoy that nobody will care nobody it's okay and then as soon as you do it he comes and says i can't believe you did that and the guilt is piled on you call yourself a christian all those accusations you've experienced Thank you. he said look you've you've made a hedge about him and his household and all that he has on every side you've protected him you've blessed the work of his hands and his possessions have increased and let him stretch out your hand and touch all that he has and he will surely curse you to your face so the lord said to satan behold all that he has is in your power only do not lay a hand on his person. Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. What is the accusation?

31:08 The accusation is this, God, the only reason Job serves you is because you bought him off. he serves you because he's a mercenary you give him so much you bless him so much take that stuff away he won't love you and so here here's the challenge can God be loved and worshiped for who he is alone or must it always include for what he does and what he gives what if God strips away the favor and the blessing and he still is who he is. Can God be worshiped then? So in this, this is a challenge. This is like the divine epic story of all stories. The gauntlet gets thrown down. The challenge is on. Of course, Job doesn't know this. It'd be helpful if Job had the book of Job, but he doesn't have it. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.

32:25 Okay, there's a series of four tragedies that will occur. Here's the first. And a messenger came to Job and said, the oxen were plowing, the donkeys feeding beside them. and when the Sabians, Sabians are people that live in Sheba, you remember the queen of Sheba? This is Arabia, northern Arabia. The Sabians, a marauding band of nomads, raided them and took them away and indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was speaking, another also came 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. Stop there. This servant says to Job, it's the fire of what? God, right? Probably referring to a lightning strike that caused a wildfire that burned this up fire of god actually who sent the fire satan yes god gave go ahead challenge is on but don't touch his person so the second tragedy that happens is a lightning strike fire from heaven that the servant mistakenly calls, this is God's fault.

33:55 You know, it always has bothered me a little bit when I read some of these insurance contracts and it talks about acts of God. you're not insured in case there's an act of God. What about acts of Satan? Look around the world at all the tragedy that happened. Don't call it an act of God.

34:21 Satan is the prince of this world. I alone have escaped to tell you verse 17 while he was still speaking another also came and said the Chaldeans another from Mesopotamia now another band of marauding nomads the Chaldeans formed three bands raided the camels and took them away so your camels were gone and I don't think Job would walk a mile for a camel.

34:56 Now, some of you got that joke, right? How many of you got that joke? Raise your hand. Okay, these are the old people of our congregation. That's an old commercial. you know, I can't resist some of these. It's just, it's a perfect setup. So the camels are gone. He has to go to Marlboro now with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to tell you while he was still speaking. Another also came and said, your sons and daughters were eating and drinking in their oldest brother's house. And suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house and it fell on the young men. And here's the phrase, they are dead. Your children have died and I alone have escaped to tell you. Now there are winds that come up in that area that can be very devastating. I lived in Israel when every year in the spring they had this crazy desert wind called the Hamsin, which is now also called the Sirocco in certain parts. But it can wreck havoc. And building codes weren't what they are today. This house collapsed. The children died. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell to the ground and what?

36:32 Worshipped. worshipped. Oh, the only reason Job serves you is because you have lavished him with blessing. Take it away. He'll curse you. He worshipped him. Everything was taken away in an instant. Only four servants survived. He lost his servants. He lost his livestock. He lost his children.

37:03 and he's about to lose his health. He arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground, and he worshiped. I know we've read this before. let it sink in. One day, Job is in the backyard barbecuing falafels with his boys. Everything's great. Livestock are in good shape. Happy servants, large family, great wealth. the next day everything is stripped away here is a man who is righteous here is a man who is godly here is a man no one deserved this less than job there's nobody alive who who who deserve this less than job no one suffered more than job or few people have suffered more than job So.

38:15 to lose everything. Now this brings up a category of study. This is one of the biggest problems in faith. It's a category of study, but more than a category of theological study. It's a real problem when you talk to people about God and they always ask you the question, how could a God of love allow evil and suffering to the extent that it is in a world? How can a good God allow an evil world? Why didn't he put a stop to it? It's one of the biggest problems you have faced when you have shared your faith. That area of study is called theodicy. Theodicy simply means justice of God. How can God be just, all loving, all powerful, so he could do something about it, and if he loved people, he would do something about it, but he doesn't do anything about it, it seems.

39:16 How is that compatible? How is a loving, powerful, just God compatible with a world filled with suffering? Now, I have attacked this subject and dealt with it and explained it many different series, many different occasions. So I'm not gonna delve into it to the extent that I have in those places. But that has become, in our faith journey and in our sharing with unbelievers, a real problem. Why does evil exist if there is a good God? First of all, we know evil does exist. There's no arguing about that. Evil exists. it's not an illusion unless you are a christian science believer christian science is a branch it's not a christian it's a cult but it's a group of people if you've ever seen christian science reading rooms etc that believes that suffering death and pain are all an illusion Amen.

40:22 that aside we know that not to be true it's very real it is universal evil exists number two if there is a god and there is if he's a good god and he is if he's all powerful and he is he certainly does allow evil and pain and suffering to exist He does. now I'm putting the pause button because though I just made that statement that God allows evil to exist did you know there's another branch of belief that says God would like to do something about the evil in our world but he just can't this is called process theology God is in process and he's becoming a better God every single day because he's learning more. He knows more today than he did yesterday because he's been able to observe everything since he made everything. He's now able to observe it and he's not perfect. He's not sovereign. He's not totally in control, but this open theology, this idea is God is in process and he cannot sovereignly control the universe that he made.

41:54 Okay, that's nonsense. I know that you know better. So evil exists, God allows it to exist. So we have to ask, why does God allow evil to exist? And again, I am not going to go into, I've done a few series on this. But did you know, and I bet you did know, that suffering can be very beneficial.

42:20 It can be very beneficial to the believer. What do I mean? Number one, it purifies you. Remember Peter and 1 Peter talked about the trials that purify your faith, even though you're going through a whole season of them. They are refining you, refining your faith.

42:42 If you really want to find out what a person believes about God, take him away from the theology book, take him away from the theology class, put him in a trial. Once that person suffers enough, the veneer is stripped off and you really starts seeing what that person believes about God.

43:04 Job has lost everything and he worships. So suffering purifies us. Number two, suffering humbles us. Humbles us. Paul said, that happened in my own life. I was humbled by a thorn in the flesh, lest I should be exalted above measure by the visions and revelations that I have received, the abundance of them. God allowed Satan to give me a thorn in the flesh to keep me humble. Third, suffering makes you dependent upon God because now you realize your own resources and strength are diminished and you don't trust in your youth and strength and resources financially. When that gets stripped away, you start leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. More than ever before.

44:00 so Paul said you know I asked God to take this thing away and he just said nope I asked three times and God said nope nope nope my strength is enough for you not your strength my strength you depend on me you lean on me and trials will do that it caused you to lean and depend on him so they can be beneficial that aside I'm fascinated with Job's response first of all So Job does what we expect him to do. He grieved. He tore his clothes, shaved his head. These are expressions in antiquity of grief. When tragedy happens, you should grieve. When you lose somebody and they die, you should grieve. When I see people at a funeral and somebody goes, boy, Look at her, look at him.

44:55 He's so strong. He didn't shed a tear. That's not healthy. you've heard of good grief there is such a thing as good grief you do it right you do it good it's good it's healthy you work through the the process so that's expected he tore his clothes shaved his head he cried out what is not expected is that he worshiped he fell to the ground and he worshiped and he said naked i came from my mother's womb. Naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Okay, the veneer is stripped away. Now you discover what Job really thinks about God. And what Job really thinks about God is exactly what God told Satan he thinks about God.

45:54 Just like the description in verse one, blameless, upright, fears God, hates evil. That's who he is at the core, at the core, when everything is taken away. When you come to a place where he goes, yeah, you know, I've lost everything, but I came into this world kind of that way. I had nothing. And I'm going to leave that way. So the Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Job is not mercenary. He's not only worshiping God for what God can bless him with and give him things for. But because of who God is, blessed be the name of the Lord. See, pain will move you. Pain will always move you in some direction.

46:39 It'll move you to him. It'll move you away from him. It'll move you into yourself. It'll move you in some direction. And you've heard me say this and others say this so many times. pain will make you better or bitter or battered. Some people are bitter. They're just angry, always mad. And you trace it back and their expectations weren't met. Suffering happened, grief happened, loss happened. They expected that not to ever happen because God should have a hedge about me. But it happened. So they get angry. They get bitter. And that bitter gets more acrid as time goes on. Some people become just battered. They just kind of grit their teeth and muster through it. And yeah, you kind of expect this in life. A lot of bad things happen. You just kind of just become crusty, battered. But some people actually become better. Some people are like tea bags, the flavor comes out when you put them in hot water.

47:46 ooh what an aroma fragrant they're better job is better naked i came from my mother's womb naked i shall return there the lord gives the lord has taken away blessed be the name of the lord and all this job did not sin nor charge god with wrong do you see what is happening here sometimes God will calm the storm in your life other times God will calm you in the storm of life storm is battering around you the waves are billowing over you but God keeps you calm in the midst of it again verse one of chapter two again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord it's that accountability that access to God and the Lord said to Satan from where do you come so Satan answered the Lord and said cruising around going to and fro on the earth walking back and forth on it now just pause for a moment you know that Satan is not the only malevolent being doing this kind of stuff right he's got an army a third of the angels fell with Satan there are principalities and powers demons the New Testament speaks about and so he has a lot of help and so it's not like Satan himself that the prince of darkness is just zeroing in on you I know you might feel like that sometimes but honestly he didn't really care a lot about you you are collateral damage to him you're you're small fish he really cares about attacking Jesus

49:54 Christ, hurting him. And yeah, he'll get you so that he can hurt him and his reputation and his glory. He wants to diminish that. But more than Satan himself taking a keen interest in you, he's got enough demons to do that for him. Maybe one is assigned to you, to watch you. If you've never read the book by C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters, read the book. it almost ruined C.S. Lewis he says in his preface he said because for the months that I wrote this book I had to put myself in the mindset of being the devil training young demons how to ruin people's lives but it's a good read it's a fascinating read and if you've never read it get the book screw tape letters or download it and read it okay so Satan fell Satan has a lot of help in this evil world. And it would seem that there are demons that are assigned to different places geographically. I can't, I don't want to make a whole theology on this, but the hint there is when the archangel finally came to Daniel, the prophet who was praying in Babylon, he finally showed up and goes, look, I was dispatched the day you prayed, but it took me 21 days to really get here with this revelation from God, because I was battling the spirit prince of Persia for 21 days. And boy, was he tough. You know, it's like that's the implication.

51:34 You know, it was quite a battle. I had to battle him to get to you with this revelation. now Persia is the ancient name of Iran isn't it interesting that Satan it takes a vested interest in governments of the world and places high-powered demons over certain places on earth you wonder why so much trouble in that part of the world read Daniel you'll figure it out prince of Persia now if there's a prince of Persia who's that powerful I wonder what the prince of Las Vegas is like or San Francisco is like, or you could name it several other cities. But here is Satan giving an account before God. Again, verse three, the Lord said to Satan, if you considered my servant Job, that there is unlike him in the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God, shuns evil, and still he holds fast to his integrity don't you love that although you incited me against him to destroy him without cause so satan answered the lord and said skin for skin yes all that a man has he will give for his life I've always found that verse a very insightful read on human nature it's the law of self-preservation we'll do just about anything to protect our lives if we're attacked skin for skin all that a man has will he give for his life you know if somebody throws a punch at you you will protect yourself you'll protect your skin you won't say yeah go ahead man and and i you know it's just a it's just an insightful read he understands human nature they'll do anything to preserve their life so skin for skin all that a man has will he give for his

53:39 life but stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh. The first round, you wouldn't let me do that. Do that. Touch his bone and flesh, and he will surely curse you to your face. So the Lord said to Satan, behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life. Then 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.

54:18 And he, Job, took for himself a pot shirt, a little broken piece of pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes. Then Now here's Mrs. Job You can't call her the better half In this scenario Job was the better half His wife said to him Do you still hold fast to your integrity?

54:49 Curse God and die I'm sorry, I couldn't resist What a nag But he said to her You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Amen. Shall we indeed accept good from God? And shall we not accept adversity? That's a good question. That's a great question. You're only willing to accept God's blessings, but if God dishes out some hard episode in your life, you're not willing to embrace that as some means by which God is going to humble you or refine you or make you depend on him? Is it only the good that causes you to follow God? Job's got it right. Shall we indeed accept good from God and shall we not accept adversity? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips. So here's Mrs. Job saying to her husband, who's suffering? Yes, I understand she lost her children. I get it. You're prone to say a lot of things when you, she's at loss as well.

55:57 but let me use this as an opportunity to say this good people can give you bad advice good people people who love you you're married to parents children teachers friends good people can give bad advice maybe well-intentioned they may be great they may not have your interest at heart but it could be also bad advice good people can give bad advice remember jesus said to peter when jesus announced he's going to the cross he goes no it's not going to happen far be it from you, Lord. This shall not happen to you. At which point Jesus said, get behind me, Satan. You're thinking like a man, not God. Good people can give you bad advice. He said, you speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God? Shall we not accept adversity in all this? Job did not sin with his lips. There's a little poem that I remember.

56:57 doesn't rhyme so it's one of those kind of poems but it's written by a guy that I love to read named Samuel Rutherford he's from the 1600s he lived in Scotland he was jailed by the Anglican church for preaching truth but he lived and ministered in Scotland I've been to his grave but he wrote a little poem. And if memory serves, it goes like this.

57:30 Why should I tremble at the plow of my Lord that maketh deep furrows in my soul? He is no idle husbandman. He purposes a crop. Let me explain that. Why should I tremble at the plow of my Lord? I'm feeling like God is cutting deep into my life. Why should I tremble at the plow of my Lord, the farmer plowing the field, breaking up the fallow ground. Why should I tremble at the plow of my Lord that maketh deep furrows in my soul? He's no idle husband, but a husband is a farmer. He's not an idle farmer. He purposes a crop. He's going to use this to make me grow. It's a great little poem. I'll never forget that. I'm glad I didn't. in all this Job did not sin with his lips now we'll finish up this chapter now when Job's three friends you may want to put quotes under that noun friends put quotes around that friends yeah kind of like frenemies heard of all this adversity that had come upon him I want to be easy on him especially in this chapter I'll unleash on them later or what I'm doing.

58:47 that each one came from his own place. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite, I'll describe where they're from later. For they made an appointment together to come and mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, they did not recognize him. They lifted their voices and they wept. And each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 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 great. Okay.

59:42 I admire them. For this reason, they came from a long distance. they entered into his pain emotionally. They wept like Jesus. When he came to the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept.

1:00:03 And number three, they just sat there and said nothing for a blessed week. And if that's all they would have done, that would have been perfect but it's not they're going to now pontificate there is a ministry called the ministry of presence a person has lost something he's in deep deep pain and sorrow and suffering and you come up to them and you just sit with them you hug them you don't say okay now here's why i think god allowed this to happen in your life or some little thing like oh you know heaven needed him and you know he's better off stop shut up zip it sit there stay there comfort them let God be the God of all comfort who comforts us in our tribulation and so there is a ministry of presence and I admire these guys for for that but that is going to end very very quickly all of that to say this as I've said so many times walk softly around a broken heart walk softly be very tender what you say don't say much whatever you say make it good I love you I'm so sorry Thank you.

1:01:43 just sit there. Job is facing a test. Some of you are facing a test. If you take the test, go through the test,

1:02:04 pass the test, you're going to have a testimony. to get a testimony you have to go through the test you have to take the test you have to pass the test you can't have a testimony without a test he's no idle husbandman, he purposes a crop.

1:02:30 Father, we are reassured by that truth, that all things work together for good to those who are the called according to your will. thank you for being our father. Thank you for the example of Job, the perseverance of this man, the example that James holds up in his book. I pray that you would comfort broken hearts, bind up the brokenhearted.

1:03:05 Set at liberty those who are bound. I pray those who are here or listening from afar, who are dealing with loss and pain and suffering will be comforted, strengthened. Let them know that you love them, that we love them, and that you have a plan. Though it is hidden from them, it is not hidden from you. and that's where we leave it in Jesus name Amen