Lord’s Day, Vol. 12 No. 7
Opening the Book of Job
Introduction
Chronologically speaking, the Book of Job is the earliest book of the Bible. The Chaldeans and the Sabeans mentioned at the beginning of the book, tell us that it is in the era of Abraham and his ancestors. Job lived 140 years after his severe trial of faith. Job’s life would have exceeded 200 years. Comparatively, Abraham lived for 185 years. God gave Job 10 children and he had a full life before the Lord severely tried him. And if you consider that, then Job lived closer to those times after the dispersal from the Tower of Babel. And he was probably at the Fertile Crescent because one of the modes of transport and measurement of wealth was in camels.
The Book of Job is a biography concerning a suffering saint and the story of the triumphs over suffering. Job had a faith, a deep-water faith, to trust God during the time of his suffering. When suffering increases, faith must proportionally increase. His faith can be described as unflinching, undeterred, and unyielding in the face of the fiercest attack on him.
The name Job means hated, persecuted, one who is the object of enmity. And it’s derived from the verb “to be hostile”. It means “to be cruelly, hostilely treated”. And so, this first book of the Bible brings the saints face to face with the reality of the Christian life. It is not a bed of roses, that trials and tests come into our lives, and how can we respond in a manner that is fitting in the sight of God, giving glory to His Name.
Job and his trials explained the causes of human suffering and trials. Where did it come from? How did it happen?
In the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, chronologically speaking, God brings us to a heavenly scene to see that our physical life on earth has a spiritual dimension. There was a conversation that took place in heaven.
During the time of Job’s prosperity (Job 1:1-5), unbeknown to him, a severe trial was about to come upon him. And there is an adversary that was there to accuse him before God in heaven. His name is Satan, the fallen angel (Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-18) or the devil – Revelation 12:9 (KJV) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
The name Satan means “an adversary, an accuser”. Satan presented himself among the sons of God and roundly accused Job of not loving or serving God with integrity (Job 1:6, 7; 2:1, 2, 4, 7). For every believer, there is an accuser, Satan, standing before God, hurling accusations upon us ceaselessly, before he is cast out of heaven – Revelation 12:10 (KJV) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
There is a spiritual dimension to this present life. Although Job cannot explain, it was not told him what happened, the Book of Job reveals to us the conversation that took place in heaven to help us understand the reality of spiritual conflict and warfare, so that when something happens to us, we realize there is a spiritual dimension which we do not see and need to seek God to overcome.
Job was perfect and upright, one who fears God and hates evil (Job 1:1,8; 2:3). He was not sinless, but he lived a blameless life before God and man. In his time of peace, Job took time to learn how to walk rightly with God. He would rise early in the morning to make right with God and pray for all his children. Our life consists of walking in a way that is right before God. And that is all that matters as Solomon well-articulated in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Although he had all the material blessings of this world, he did not set his heart on riches but was steadfast in his devotion to God, the Determiner and Giver of all things. And the Lord had blessed him, blessed him with many children. And he lived a spiritual life as a devout man. Suddenly, life took a rude turn. In a very short time, everything changed. In a very short time, He lost everything that he had.
Job understood that the end of learning is to know God and out of that knowledge to love Him and to imitate Him. This is the highest of true virtue, observes the Puritan writer John Milton. Having a true knowledge of God is never a burden, but life’s richest blessing. Everything can be taken away from us and yet life continues to thrive within him. And the Lord wants us to understand, see and learn.
Three thoughts: (1) The Grief of Job (2) The Gospel of Job (3) The Glory of Job
- The Grief of Job
The severe trial came upon Job unannounced. Suddenly he lost all that he had. Yet he understood that all these things that were external to him, he has to learn to take them with a spiritual perspective. Job loved God who gave him life, and all things that he possessed. He had faith to trust God in ordering all things well for him though he did not understand why God allowed it to happen – Romans 8:28 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Job experienced great grief because he indeed suffered great losses suddenly of all that he had. He also lost his health. Everything seemed to fall apart. God was still real and true for Job for he indeed continued to keep faith in the Lord – Job 1:20-22 (KJV) Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Dear reader, Job taught us how to give a godly response to the trials of life.
The grief that Job experienced was from two types of trials that a believer will inevitably have to go through. Trial by hostile external environment (Job 1-2). Trial by hostile people (Job 3-31). Job was tried physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and economically or financially. God allowed Job’s three friends, who came to comfort him, instead, to be the instruments of Satan to accuse him of wrongdoing, that he sinned against God.
How did Job overcome and have victory in His trial? It is revealed in James 5:11 (KJV) Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
The “patience” of Job. The word “patience” describes the pressure that comes to a believer in his external environment, including sicknesses. The Greek word for “patience” is “hypomone”. The word describes one under severe trial and to stay under severe trial from external environment. If you are a working adult, that can come from the work environment, and circumstances in the work environment. It can come also in the family, in the circumstances that happen to the family. Job was able to bear patiently.
The word there, hupomone, comes from the preposition that means “to be under” and the verb to abide or to stay under. In other words, “to endure” is to have the spiritual strength that God gives to handle hostile external circumstances that come upon us. Imagine attending a vigil service with ten coffins of his ten children. The great external calamity that came on him which he cannot explain. And it’s not that Job had done anything wrong. The Lord said that he was perfect and upright, one who feared God and eschewed evil. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. The fear of the Lord is something positive. This “fear” means to be someone with a proper attitude, to reverence God, and to always seek to be on good terms with God. It is not a slavish fear. The psalmist said well in Psalm 34:9 (KJV) O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
In times of peace and prosperity, our knowledge of God, our faith, is, on paper. It’s a different thing that we have to go through the trial ourselves. We experience the grace of God when we trust God to help us commit ourselves to His care, waiting upon Him – Psalm 27:13-14 (KJV) I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
He cannot take losing everything. Job had faith in God. So, when trials came, his faith was strong enough to weather every storm with the Lord’s help. Let us take time to build our spiritual lives, to understand how to handle the trials of life in times of peace. Are you taking time to learn from men of old how they went through times of persecution, and times of loss? How did they handle it? So that when the time of testing comes we would be ready. Peace time is preparation time. Do not take for granted the time of peace that you have.
For Job, it is not just having to endure a hostile external environment. He needed to learn patience with people.
That is another Greek word “makrothyméō”, translated “long-suffering”, which is from “makrós”, long, and “thumós”, wrath, anger. To suffer long, be long-suffering, as opposed to hasty anger or punishment – 1 Corinthians 13:4a Charity suffereth long, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (KJV) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
It means “to forbear” – Matthew 18:26 (KJV) The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
It means “to endure patiently as opposed to losing faith or giving up” – Hebrews 6:15 (KJV) And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. James 5:7-8 (KJV) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Makrothuméō involves exercising understanding and patience toward persons while hupoménō involves putting up with things or circumstances.
There were three rounds of verbal abuse from his friends that Job had to defend. In the first round, the three friends would verbally attack him. He had to defend himself. And that came when he was already very grieved (Job 2:13). After all the calamity that came upon him, our text tells us that his friends came and sat down with him seven days and seven nights. None of them spoke, for they saw his grief was very great. You realize that grief can come to us because God allowed us to go through trials. And as you read Job’s response, you cannot fault him. The first word that he said, “Let the day perish wherein I was born.” Why was I born? He asked himself this question. Dear reader, during the time of trial, there are searching questions that come to our hearts. That we ask ourselves, at that particular point, but if you were to look at his life after, at the end of his trial, it’s a very different picture, isn’t it? The Lord restored him. But during the time of his trial, the time of his grief, how will you respond?
How do you handle this mental assault, the mental attacks from his friends? Colossians 1:11 (KJV) Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
By the spiritual strength that the Lord imparts by His Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit’s fruit as the believer takes time to follow Him. In other words, the environment is forbidding, the barrage of conversations against him is overwhelming. He was able to subsist with joyfulness. He was able to take hold of himself. Inside him, the inner man that is inside him was not disturbed, was not toppled. But there was a strength that was inside him.
(2) The Gospel of Job.
What was the hope that was in the heart of Job? What is it that was in him, that enabled him to handle the pressures that came upon him? Job understood that by himself, he’s unable to handle. In his agony, he says, in Job 9:33 (KJV) Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
When he was accused, badly and unjustly accused, is there someone to defend him? Is there an advocate that will stand for him? Job was seeking for a daysman, a mediator, someone that would represent him to bring his needs before God, to bring his burdens before God. So, in the midst of Job’s trial, he sought a mediator. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:3-6 (KJV) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Job sought for a days man, someone that would come in between, someone that he can cast his burden upon. Job understood that he has that daysman. That he can come to the Lord. He can cast his trouble upon Him. Job understood the person of the mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. And God has enabled him to find peace because he understood there is a daysman whereby he could give his burdens – Psalm 55:22 (KJV) Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
And Job also testified of the resurrection of the dead that enabled him in the decay of his body to see the glorious future with God in the resurrection – Job 19:23-27 (KJV) Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Job could see God through that keyhole in this affliction. He could, by faith, see heaven. He could see the Source of his strength. He understood where help comes from. He could see that little light that shines in the midst of all the darkness.
Dear reader, have you taken hold of the Mediator? Have you taken hold of the Lord Jesus Christ? Because if you have not taken hold of Him, if you haven’t learned how to cast your burden upon Him, then you will realize that when trials come, you are going to be very, very burdened. But for Job, he has learned. He has understood. Although the torment was unbearable, in utter contempt, in great loneliness, he did not crumble! Job lost his wealth. People around him avoided him and don’t want to talk to him. His friends were fair-weather friends, all ran away from him. There was no one to comfort him. He was alone. But he had the Lord with him. That is the most important. Do you have the Lord with you? If you have the Lord with you, then you would be like Job. He knew his Redeemer. And he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. He could see the light, in the state of his decay all over him, all around him. He was not dismayed.
(3) The Glory of Job
This brings us to the last chapter in Job 42. God had revealed Himself to Job in Job 38-41. He had to go through eight discourses with his friends They would accuse him, and he would have to defend himself. And three of his friends would speak again, and he had to reply another three times. And another third round, two times, two of his friends would speak again.
And finally, he would give his final defence, so that the third round, the third friend did not open his mouth anymore. Job understood how to live with integrity before God and before men, so defended his integrity. Then God sent Elihu to defend him. And Elihu will defend him. Then after that, God Himself will appear to Job, so that he would at the end of his trial testified in Job 42:5 (KJV) I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Have you had that experiential knowledge of God? Job learned it in the thick of his trial. He saw the Lord. The Lord spoke to him. So he says, “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job was truly humbled. All the pride that is in his heart was taken away. Like cotton, you put something hard on it, it goes down? But you take the weight away, it bounces up again. That is a picture of the human heart. Like cotton. And God has to use trials to humble us. To press us down. So that we would learn to walk humbly before Him. We would learn how to subsist under Him. And that is the best place. In the vision of Zachariah, it was given in the low valley, there were the myrtle trees. The myrtle leaf is sweet in scent but very bitter in taste. But there in the midst of the myrtle trees there was a man on a red horse. The Lord Himself. With us in our trial. Cannot be very clearly seen, but He is there. Job saw it. Job understood that it is His Redeemer with him in the midst of his affliction. Job saw the glory of God. Job prayed for the friends who tormented so that God’s wrath will be averted from them for wronging Job. What was the glory of Job? That he learned to forgive his friends. He had to forgive his friends in order to pray for them. And only after he forgave his friends and he prayed for them, that God restored him. Everything that he lost, the Lord doubled it up for him, even his children, he has seven sons and three daughters. The Lord gave him another seven sons and three daughters. With the Lord, we suffer no losses. With the Lord, He takes care of us. We can be sure that whatever happens in this life, God is there putting a hedge around us to protect and shield us. The devil is but His puppet. May His Word strengthen our hearts. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee