Lessons learned from Job #2
Are we speaking foolishness?
Job Chapter 2:1-2:13
Introduction-
Last week we began a series looking into the life of Job.
We saw why bad things happen to good people-Because we live in a fallen world with sin and people have choices and sometimes their bad choices affect other people around them.
Sometimes bad things happen to good people because God will use those times to speak to others, direct our paths, correct us and disciple us to be more like Christ.
We saw Job living faithful and true to his God and things began happening to him.
He did not know all because he could not see all- only God can do that.
In a moment Job lost his possessions, his servants, and dramatically lost his whole family all in one quick moment.
Little did Job know that Satan and God were having conversation about him. Satan had told God that the only reason that Job serves him is because God has blessed him and protected him.
God allows Satan to take all these things away from Job but he would not allow Satan to physically touch Job. Chapter one ends (22) “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
Even though Job felt that God was inflicting these hardships, he would not charge God with wrong doing because he felt that he brought nothing into this world and he would not take anything with him.
Life lesson- We ask God for a hedge of protection, we ask that God would bless us, we say that no matter what, we would serve God… but what if He took it all away? Would we serve God?
This morning we are going to look at what else happened to Job, not only the lost of possessions, but he is physically attacked and near death.
Prayer-
Job chapter 2:1-2:13 Read from the Bible
As we read this chapter, we see almost a repeat of what happen in chapter one- Satan is allowed to inflict pain on Job through his possessions, his children and now his own personal infliction of pain on his body.
Satan, is again allowed to be on the roll call of angels and God asked Satan what he is up too- He says roaming throughout the earth. (Very familiar verse warns us of the roaring lion) in 1 Peter 5:8- “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
God again suggests his servant Job- “Have you considered my servant Job, there is no one on earth like him, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
(4) (Satan)“A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
(6) “The Lord said to Satan, very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”
Scenario seems the same, but there are some key facts that happen in heaven and on earth worth mentioning.
Satan, what are you up too… roaming around earth- forgetting a very important fact that he inflicted Job with great loss and hardship, but never mentions it to God. Probably because Job passed the test and as much as Satan hates God’s people, Job had given God glory in his affliction.
Satan again is coming after Job’s righteousness and his integrity. He believes when push comes to shove that Job will value his life over doing what God wants.
He believes that Job will give up everything including his faith to safeguard his existence.
He goes on to say that if Job suspects God is attempting to destroy him through disease, he will curse God and denounce him.
Job’s first test- losing possessions and children.
Job’s second test- losing his health
Job’s pain becomes personal- it is easy for some to console someone who is hurting and offer advice- it is another when it is you who is in pain.
That is why I think the best ministry God can give anyone is ministering to others who are going though the pain that you yourself have experienced because you have such a sensitive heart to what they are going through.
No one can help better serve than those who have gone through it.
Addiction
Loss of loved ones
Depression
Jobs
Ministry
Divorce
People will travel the world to find a cure for something they are going through. Satan proclaimed to God that if Job would lose his health, he would curse God. It sometimes happens, but it does not always happen and it does not have to happen.
When we are hurting, we become self-centered, we do not mean to do it but most times it happens. We look at ourselves as being the only ones who has ever gone through what we have.
“No one understands what we have gone through.”
(7) “So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.”
Job had come under the attack of Satan himself to inflict pain. The Hebrew word translated is skin boils. It is the same skin disease that God afflicted the Egyptians with in the sixth plague as God used Moses to free the Israelites.
It appears that God himself has given Satan limited power to test Job’s righteousness and integrity.
Job is left to deal with the affliction and stay true to his faith and his God.
Job is sitting in the middle of a garbage heap trying to find answers to what has just happened.
“Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
Cutting himself to relieve the itching, sitting in ashes to work as a itching crème.
Ever been there? Devastation has rocked your world!
5 stages of grief play into his life-
Denial- No, this can’t be happening to me!
Anger- Who’s responsible for this happening!
Bargaining- I would do anything to change it back.
Depression- I can’t go on.
Acceptance- There was nothing I could do different or nothing I can do to change it now.
Everyone tells you that you should just get over it- but you can’t.
If a little time goes by, others think you should move on and forget it.
You work your way to acceptance but for each person it is different.
Working through the process can be difficult and the pains we go through affect different people in different ways and take a person longer or shorter to get to the acceptance process because we are all different.
I do not have all the answers and I m not a grief counselor, but we need to identify our grief and we need to be open to get the help that is needed and we need to seek counselor from those that are qualified and willing.
Job is self medicating- he is on the pile of ashes and cutting himself for relief from the itching and his wife is the first one to respond to his agony- “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die.”
First reading, I am mad at her- how dare you, your husband is trying to serve God in turmoil, pain, confusion, he is trying to be the man that he feels God would want him to be and you are being sarcastic and bitter.
I try to see her side, her loved one is going through this and she is mad at God for doing this to him.
Then I think of the other side of her, she is caring about her man, seeing him in pain, seeing him serving a God that she felt had afflicted him and in her love for him, she says curse God and die- curse him and let him destroy you and end the pain you are in.
Job responds-
“You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble.”
This is the first time we meet Job’s wife and she is talking foolishness.
There is no doubt in her mind that Job is all in on his relationship with God. In fact, integrity translated means wholeness of God. He was all in- was she all in that her husband was all in? I don’t know.
Her second words- “Curse God and die” What did she mean?
Curse God so that you will die- emphasis on cursing God!
Curse God before you die- emphasis on revenge before you die.
Curse God and die- lay the blame where it belongs Job and show everyone that you maintained integrity.
Curse God and die- Bid God farewell because all these calamities just show your are a sinner and not on good terms with God.
Curse God and die- she thinks Job is a righteous but stupid man for blessing a God that has abandoned him.
All these emotions in Job!
Emotions in his wife who doesn’t even get her name mentioned.
“In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” But he definitely held anger in his heart!
What is the take-away here?
We certainly see how not to comfort someone when they are going through a rough time- more about that next week.
We see many times that God has called someone foolish either by speaking or by acting as fools.
God is definitely qualified to call us fools if need be.
How many of us have said or acted foolish when we were going through some trials?
Psalm 14:1
“The fool says in his heart there is no God. They are corrupt, their deeds are vile, there is no one who does good.”
We may not have said that but we have all at one time or another acted like there is not God and instead of seeking Him began running away from God.
Luke 12:19-20
“And I’ll say to myself, you have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, you fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.”
The road to hell is paved with those that thought and trusted on tomorrow.
Job’s wife was thinking of the property she lost, children that are gone, wealth is gone- now your physical is gone. It is not worth it Job- “curse God and die”.
That is foolish thinking! That is temporal thinking!
Man may wish sometimes that there is no God- but there is!
There may be atheist on earth now but I guarantee there are none in hell.
We cannot lose focus of now! This life is temporary, it is a blip on the screen.
Even if we have hardships, we have set backs, we cannot put the temporary in front of eternal.
Closing,
We have to be careful that we do not wrap our whole lives into right now! There is more! No one blames Jobs wife for her behavior- but it does not make it right!
Job in his hardship had learned some lessons-
God was bigger than his circumstance- even though he did not understand all of what God was doing- he knew that God had the final say.
He knew he did not see the big picture- only God can do that.
He was going to guard his words and his actions- so that God would be glorified.
I may not know what you are going through, but the Lord does!
He will help you through you or take you out of it, but He will be there if you let Him.
Surrender is a word most don’t like- let’s trust him. For what we can see and what we cannot see because He sees the whole picture.
Prayer-
