Will the Lord Jesus Return to do a Goodwill Tour

 A Message from the Lord

Book of Job Chapters 38 through Chapter 41

If we do not learn anything else from the last lesson, let us learn that God has the final word at all times.

Nothing is ever over until God says it is over!

We should ask ourselves, just how much do we know about God, or do we think about all the things in this world that God causes to happen every day.

The Lord Jesus is the "Master" of "Life"!

We should understand that there is nothing that goes on of this planet called earth that Jehovah, or El Shaddai, the Almighty God does not have His hand upon good or evil.

God is righteous and does no wrong, but He does allow some evil to continue because it suits His plan. 

Remember it is the Holy Spirit who holds back evil as it suits Him. The Holy Spirit is God!

Every living human will go through temptation where they will be given the choice to accept the Living God or to reject Him.

To choose life or to choose death!

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 

Deu 30:20  That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. 

Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

Everyone that has ever lived and those who live now, and those who will live in the future, right up until the end of the Millennial Kingdom will have to make this choice.

In the end, all unrighteousness will be eliminated!

All death will be eliminated.

We need to have a complete understanding of our Lord!

There were some things that Job needed to understand. Job had not sinned, but he did not understand everything about the Lord.

The message of Elihu was cut short by the arrival of Jehovah or we could say the Lord.

We must understand that when we look out upon God's creation, we just take too many things for granted!

*****Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 

Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 

Job did not get an opportunity to answer Elihu this time.

God answered Job out of the whirlwind because no one is allowed to see God in all His glory.

With these conversations with all these five men, they had forgotten that God is real.

We cannot discuss God like He is a million miles away when He is everywhere!

God is very presently near us at all times. 

God does hear and see all things that are going on at all times.

Psa 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, "a very present help in trouble". 

Psa 46:2  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Psa 46:3  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

We must never get so caught up in the things of this world and forget God is always close to us!

Job had forgotten this.

Job 23:3  Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! 

Job 23:4  I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 

Job 23:5  I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. 

Job 23:6  Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. 

Job 23:7  There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge. 

If we will take our minds off of the world, we will be in a position to feel the presence of our Creator!

God will vindicate Job, but first He needed to set Job straight on a few things.

We must understand that God does what God does anytime God wants to do it!

We cannot put words in God's mouth!

We now have every word God wants us to know! 

There will never be a new prophet! 

There will never be a new book of the Bible! 

There are no lost books of the Bible!

The Bible is alive, and the Bible is just as relevant today as the day it was assembled as one Book!

Job did not have the written Word of God, but he did have the Word of God that had been passed down throughout all the generations since Adam.

Job was confused about a few things, and it is no wonder after having sat through the conversations of these four men, but this is still not an excuse.

We are to cling to the Word of God until the day of our death, then we will be judged by this same Word of God!

Eph_6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph_6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We seem to have a problem on that remain to stand, after we are ridiculed by the world.

We had better stand today or we may not have a nation that allows us to worship in freedom!

*****Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 

God told Job, "here I am Job do you really want to defend yourself against Me".

Do we ever want to defend our actions that are against the Word of God?

All God wanted Job to admit was "are you as perfect as I am"?

This is our biggest problem as Christians! 

We try to compare ourselves with other Christians or other humans about our sin, when we are to compare ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ who was not only pure but also perfect.

When we compare ourselves to Jesus, we find that we are nothing in comparison to Him!

When we compare ourselves to Jesus, we see how vile and worthless we truly are!

The Lord says gird up Job like a warrior and let us battle over this thing.

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

How are we to compare ourselves to our Holy God!

*****Job 38:4  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 

Do we want to learn about nature then we must listen to our Creator!

To answer this question put to Job, "where were we when God laid the foundations of the earth", we were on the mind of God.

Psa 139:14  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 

Psa 139:15  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 

Psa 139:17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 

We are always on the mind of the Lord!

Psa 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and "thy thoughts which are to us-ward": they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Pro 8:29  When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 

Pro 8:30  Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and "I was daily his delight", rejoicing always before him; 

Pro 8:31  Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and "my delights were with the sons of men". 

Jer 29:11  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you", saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

No matter what the Lord is doing at any given time, His thoughts are always on His greatest creation, "humans", especially those who love Him!

This is something we need to clearly understand!

What does the Lord say?

The formation of the earth is described as a building erected upon foundations and constructed according to specific specifications.

Our God-given habitat was precisely planned. The earth was no accident!

Psa 24:2  For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 

Psa 89:11  The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. 

Psa 102:25  Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

Psa 104:5  Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 

Psa 104:6  Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. 

Psa 104:7  At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 

Psa 104:8  They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 

Psa 104:9  Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. 

Praise the Lord our earthly home is built upon a solid foundation and will remain this way, until the Lord makes His changes, and we go to our true home in Heaven!

Job was not around at the time of Creation and no one else was beside the Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

So who was the designer, who gave Jehovah the "blueprints"?

*****Job 38:5  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

If our world happened by some accident how could it be so orderly. The only accidents I have ever seen were nothing but chaos!

The dimensions of our galaxy, our cosmos, our planets, our stars, and our earth, are in perfection except for the point that we live on a dying planet and this dying is brought about by sin and not by any actions of life!

It is the Lord who knows the dimensions of our earth and modern man cannot be precise nor can anyone understand how it was done!

Was Job there to see what and how God did these things? No and no one else was there, so to believe what some so-called evolution scientist says is all guess work, for God did not need any help to create this earth.

Isa 40:12  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 

Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 

Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? 

I do not know about you, but I love the fact that I am God made and not man-made!

Just how does the earth just hang in the heavens as it does? What keeps the earth in place? The foundations of the earth are invisible!

It is held in place by the mighty hand of God!

*****Job 38:6  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 

Job 38:7  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 

These are questions that no one upon the face of the earth can answer!

What holds all God's creation in place? Again claiming it all happened by some great accident is foolish!

It is obvious that none of these men were atheist, but at the same time all, but Job were polytheists.

Who or what are these morning stars?

What do we know?

Rev 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the principle morning star!

These morning stars are not the angels.

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 

These angels of the Churches are Pastors.

When our Pastors are in one accord, then the sons of God "by adoption", the Church can sing out with joy!

Who is to say that the stars themselves did not sing out?

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 

Psa 19:2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 

Psa 19:3  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 

These are certain things that were around at creation!

Gen 1:14  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 

Gen 1:15  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 

Gen 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 

Gen 1:17  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 

Gen 1:18  And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 

We are all to praise the Lord!

Psa 148:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 

Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 

Psa 148:3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 

Psa 148:4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 

Psa 148:5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 

God was not through with Job yet:

*****Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 

Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 

One of our greatest problems in this life is, we all sometimes try to pass judgment on God!

Who are we to question what God does at any time?

We may not understand why things happen as they do, but we always wrong to question the actions of our Lord!

I do not believe Job did this, but it may have appeared to those three men that he did, and we should not even have the appearance of doing evil.

Job 42:1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 

Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 

Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

God is never wrong in the things that He does, Never!

Do we condemn God?

There are those who get so mad at God for some things that happened in their life that they would condemn God to some sort of punishment.

All those that reject God do this, but even some of God's people do also!

Maybe a parent died, or a child died, and we do not understand why.

First, we will all meet death!

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The only way to avoid this death is to be alive when the Lord returns at the Rapture of the Church. 

Some will be, and they will still be changed, and the Rapture could take place at any time!

We have no control over this time of death! 

Death is in the hand of He who gave life to begin with!

We must always be prepared to die!

If we attempt to make our own selves more righteous than God, we are treading on dangerous ground!

If we just open our eyes to God's creation, we will understand that we will never be able to understand how all the things of creation came about.

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

We are only righteous when we do things according to the Word of God!

God always does all things right Jehovah is always righteous!

We just cannot do the things that God does!

*****Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 

As Christians we do many things right and it began with accepting by faith, that the Lord Jesus Christ died so that we may live.

The Lord Jesus Christ restored our relationship with our Heavenly Father by the works He did for our salvation. 

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer!

Now if this is all we know, after we have accepted the "Grace" of God, then we are saved by "faith".

So why not, after we are saved, do we not get to know our God, our Heavenly Father.

Many of us do not take the time to get to know Jehovah.

The Bible is full of things that the Lord God has done.

How He thinks.

His great love.

His Almighty Power.

His Mercy.

His Grace.

What He likes and what He dislikes.

How to please Him.

How to get close to Him.

Most of us when we pray, we seek the arm of God because we know of His unlimited Power!

In reality we very seldom seek the face of God!

One on one, face to face, we can see the gentleness of a Holy and Righteous God of All Power, who iwilling to sit down and listen as we speak with Him.

1Ch 16:11  Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

How do we cleanse our nation and heal America?

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Psa 105:4  Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Even Job did not know the Lord as well as he should have, and most all of us are the same as Job.

Yes, the arm of the Lord is mighty!

Psa 89:13  Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. 

Psa 89:14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 

When we hear the thunder, it is not God speaking.

If we ever hear God speaking His voice will be as thunder!

Psa 68:33  To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. 

Even King Solomon as rich as he was, decked out in all his finery could not match even the glory of God's creation.

Luk_12:27  Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

No one can match the glory of God.

*****Job 40:10  Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 

The only thing that comes the closest in reality to the glory of God that we can view upon this earth, is the "Rainbow"!

Eze_1:28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

No one could keep our planet livable except the Lord God Almighty!

*****Job 40:11  Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 

Job 40:12  Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 

Job 40:13  Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. 

Did Job question the manner in which God made His judgments?

All of us ask that question "why Lord" from time to time. 

Those that say they do not are probably liars.

Is it even possible to view this world with God's perspective?

Can any one rule this world as God does? Absolutely not!

There are actually those who question the way God manages this world. What foolish people they are!

How can anyone think of comparing themselves to our Redeemer, who can make a star as easily as He makes a flower, who can build the cosmos just by speaking and in that same breath speak to a human who has the smallest question.

Job had faith that never moved, but Job did not know Jehovah as well as he should have and neither do we unless, we dig into the Word of God and search the wonders of our Lord and Savior and seek His face.

God said to Job, "if you can do all the things that I do, then you can save yourself and you will not need Me".

*****Job 40:14  Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. 

We must always know that the only thing we have to offer the Lord is a "dirty, rotten, sinner"!

In reality, we need to be extremely careful how we approach God. We must never forget His power!

The fear of the Lord is just the beginning of knowledge about Him!

Pro 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

When we understand the fear of the Lord, we will find the knowledge of God!

Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

When we have the knowledge of God, we will mark our words.

Pro 17:27  He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Job did not have the power to save himself, no more than we do.

Once we acknowledge we are a sinner, it should open our eyes to the fact that we need a Savior and there is only One Savior!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

God gave Job a whole list of things that he could not do and that we cannot do.

*****Job 41:1  Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? 

Before we start, we should first know that this leviathan is much more than a crocodile or alligator as some would have you to believe.

Isa 27:1  In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. 

Psa 104:26  There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. 

I reject all that say God would compare Himself to a crocodile.

We all know crocodiles and alligators are caught with hooks every day.

I believe this creature to be a dragon.

We all know that what are now called dinosaurs, did exist and this sea creature would be one of those or similar to one of those.

Maybe, the fiercest, of all the extra-large animals, that God created.

In this comparison it says that it is impossible to capture this animal.

In comparison mere humans in no way can limit the power of Jehovah, the Almighty God.

He cannot be bound, tied down, hindered, or stopped in any form or fashion.

There is nothing made that can contain our Lord!

*****Job 41:2  Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 

Many large animals can be made docile by placing a ring in their nose.

They will submit to that pain.

God is Spirit, who in their right mind would think that our Lord would be led around with a hook in His nose.

Believe it or not there are those who believe God can be swayed to do what humans want, which is a farce.

We can ignore the power of God if we so choose, but we are foolish to think God's power is limited in any way.

Job did not think this way, but let us just say that God said, "are you clear on this matter Job"?

God is not some fish that be preserved on a ring for captured fish!

God cannot be made a prisoner and be led by a ring through His jaw as some captured slave!

In all of Scripture we know of only one thing that can move the hand of God by humans and this is the "prayer of faith".

Even then it must be in God's will for us!

The Lord Jesus had compassion on all of us, but even the grave could not hold Him.

The Lord Jesus may have humbled Himself for the cross, but that was a onetime deal.

Heb_9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

That second time Jesus will return in all His glory!

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

Will the Lord return on a good will tour?

*****Job 41:3  Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? 

Job 41:4  Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

The Church will be with the Lord already! 

All those on the earth will be the enemies of God at that time!

Will the Lord return begging for forgiveness?

Will He be subject to the will and whim of mortal men and women?

Will mortal men judge the Almighty God?

Will God consent to be as some domesticated animal?

It would take a fool to answer yes to any of these questions that our Lord has asked Job!

God is omnipotent meaning He has unlimited power!

We should have this fear of Him along with reverence of Him if we are to be the children of God!

Can we play childlike games with the Master of Life?

*****Job 41:5  Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 

Will God submit to being as some pet!

In reality we as humans will never be in such a position that we could judge our Creator.

Some do this today!

In fact every time we question the acts of God, we are saying that we know better than He does.

How could we ever think such things?

In other words we try to put God in a box and take Him out only when we need Him.

We try to use God as some Idol that we put in a place of high regard, but leave Him there and take a cloth and dust Him off as we see fit.

Are we able to control God!

We had better humble ourselves and submit to the Lord while we still have an opportunity, because God is patient, but His patience does have an end.

Job never sinned, but Job did not have a full understanding of the power of God and like God told Job, "you had better get this part right"!

We owe God more than we could ever pay if He just saves us from His wrath, but He gives far more than this, but Jesus said, "if you love me you will keep my commandments".

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

If we do this one thing, we will live a joyful life in the Lord!

Amen

Is There Any Unrighteousness In God

 Words From a Young Man

Book of Job Chapters 32 through 37

Today we look at this man Elihu.

I believe one of the greatest lessons we learn from this passage of Scripture is we need to give our young people an opportunity to speak.

Three of Job's so-called friends had come to comfort him at the loss of everything he owned.

We know that Job did not blink at the loss of his riches, but the death of his ten children had broken him.

Personally, I do not believe these three men ever considered the difference in the loss of family and loss of riches.

I have felt all along that these men were more business friends rather than godly friends.

Job's so-called godly friends which had abandoned Job entirely.

Job was an elder spiritually just as he was by age.

Paul wrote to Timothy:

1Ti 5:1  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 

1Ti 5:18  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward. 

1Ti 5:19  Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 

1Ti 5:20  Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

We should understand because God never changes, He would have been the same even in the time of Job.

These are some of the lessons we need to learn from the Book of Job.

We must understand why these three men had gone quiet.

They had decided that Job had convinced himself that he was so self-righteous that he had placed himself above God.

I do not believe Job ever did this because the Bible said Job never sinned.

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

God would not have said this if it was not true!

The Holy Spirit placed this in the very first chapter of the Book of Job so we would know this throughout this Book of Job.

So what we see is the opinions of the lost when dealing with a godly man.

Not many of the lost will ever have favorable opinions of Christians!

I disagree with most all commentaries on the Book of Job and will try to stick to what the Holy Ghost says.

Which means, I disagree with most of our lesson even though some good points are made.

The one thing we see of this young man is the respect for his elders.

We all should have respect for our elders, especially those godly Saints of God who have stuck with Jesus all their days after being saved!

*****Job 32:1  So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 

Job 32:2  Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. 

Again, these three men had grown quiet because in their own eyes and their own arguments, Job had made himself self-righteous above the righteousness of God.

This was their opinion!

This was not true of Job!

These three men had decided themselves that all our problems in this life are caused by our sin.

Job was a godly man and God Himself had said that Job was a godly man!

Since we have the whole picture of these things because the Holy Spirit preserved these things for us, we know more than these three so-called friends, but they still had no excuse to reject the truth of Job himself.

Job had not made himself to be self-righteous! The man offered sacrifices daily for himself and all his family and we can say he did the same for his employees and his friends.

Job was walking the talk the Lord ask us to walk, according to his relationship with the Lord.

Was Job perfect. In the eyes of God Job was perfect because God said so, only because he repented of his sin daily.

Job still had the sin nature that came by Adam and Job knew this very well!

Those three men got quiet because they could not convince Job that it was his sin that had caused his problems, even some hidden grievous sin which was not true.

Job was in great despair because these things had happened, and he had not understood why?

One of the greatest questions we all ask is "why"!

Elihu was a Buzite. The Book of Genesis says Buz was a relative of Abraham by his brother Nahor.

We know that even in the time of Isaac that these were a pagan people.

Elihu got mad at Job because he to felt Job was claiming to be self-righteous.

Righteous meaning upright toward the commands of God and all the things written of Job says this was true of him.

There were no "Laws of Moses". 

There was no mention of faith. 

There was only the fact that Job sacrificed clean animals for his sin and the sin of others. This act showed his faith!

What is faith? 

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

This was the faith of Job!

Elihu was mad at those other three men because they had not found a solution to Job trials.

We must keep in mind, Job was suffering grief because he had lost all his children in one day and it just about broke him, but he was clinging to his faith as he told his wife.

The Lord gives, but the Lord also takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

*****Job 32:3  Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 

Job had refused to accept what they were saying as the truth, because Job knew the truth.

When we do not accept what the world sees of us, then the world will get mad at us and condemn us just as these men had done to Job.

This one point did not set well with Elihu, but he was just as wrong in his beliefs.

Job was not a bad man and did not need to be condemned by his friends.

True friends do not condemn us!

True friends help us though our bad times!

Things happen that we have no control over and if we trust Him, the Lord will comfort us through these things.

We should really never ask God why?

We must accept that God knows best for us all! Romans 8:28

*****Job 32:4  Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. 

Job 32:5  When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. 

We can see that Elihu had witnessed all the conversations of these men and he had not butted in, because of his youth.

We can see that even respect for the elders had been taught in the land of Uz.

Some say Elihu was trying to be a moderator between Job and these three men, but what we will see is a new plan to attack Job.

In fact Elihu claims to be a prophet of God.

*****Job 33:1  Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. 

Job 33:2  Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. 

Job 33:3  My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. 

Job 33:4  The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. 

Job 33:5  If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up. 

Job 33:6  Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. 

Job 33:7  Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. 

Job 33:8  Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

This was a brash young man saying, "now you listen to me Job".

He said, "I understand all these things Job and I have the answers you seek".

The Holy Spirit will never lead us to cause harm to someone who is in such grief as Job had, so it was not the Holy Spirit who was using this young man!

It would have been the wicked spirit of Satan!

God called His prophets and God calls each man of God, but God did not call Elihu!

Elihu did know about Creation.

Most all the world accepted Creation according the Word of God for many centuries. 

Evolution is a modern-day thought beginning about the time of Darwin.

Elihu said Job, I know you are not a hypocrite.

Elihu said I will ignore the words of your friends, let us just talk about the words you used.

Elihu said let us put aside all that has been said, but "you need to listen to me for my words come by God Himself", which was a lie!

Elihu immediately calls Job a liar.

*****Job 33:9  I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. 

Job 33:10  Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy, 

Job 33:11  He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths. 

God Himself had said that Job as perfect as any human being could be.

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 

Many times while being blasphemed by those other men, Job had said he was a sinner but that he had not committed such a grievous sin to cause so much devastation in his life.

God had said this Himself.

Job had never blamed God for what was happening to Him!

Job is just like we all are when we ask that question "Why Lord".

Did God show a hostility toward Job without a cause?

The one thing we have no right to do is to question the actions of our God because He is a Holy and Just God!

Psa 99:9  Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

It is God who will justify only those who have faith and faith Job had!

Rom 3:30  Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Job just did not understand why all these things had happened to him.

Job even asked, why would such men as these be sent as comforters.

Job 16:11  God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 

God had not sent these men! We know it was Satan.

Job had never said he was clean in God's eyes.

Job 14:4  Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 

All in all Job was saying "Search me Lord"

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Job says, "the Lord knows my path because He directs my path"!

Then Elihu says, Job you are not just, and you cannot justify yourself.

It is true that we cannot justify ourselves. Only by the Lord Jesus are we justified. 

Even in the day of Job it was "faith" that justified and Job had that "faith"!

*****Job 33:12  Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. 

The things God had allowed to happen to Job were not because of some judgment!

God has already stated that to us, but Job never knew these things!

Job knew much more about the ways of God than Elihu and those other three put together.

Elihu was right that God is much greater than man!

Was Job justified in the eyes of God? 

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

The thing we must understand is, that we must give God full control of our life.

Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 

Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

As long as we are in the hands of God our future is safe!

If we are asking God to take us through our life with no problems, then that will not happen.

There are going to be Hurricanes.

There are going to be lightning storms.

There are going to be things that affect us that affect everyone else.

We live in a cursed world where Satan roams about freely!

We see that Satan is sometimes allowed to influence these things to cause destruction.

We live in a world of terrorists and fanatics.

The world is trying to indoctrinate our children against us.

The world is trying to stop the Church.

These things happen whether we are the children of God or not!

God promised to be with us through all these things.

These things are not the days of wrath that the Lord promised we would not see!

Again Elihu was wrong.

*****Job 33:13  Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. 

Does God give an account of any of His matters?

God has given us 31,173 verses in the King James Bible to give an account for Himself!

God did not have to do this! 

In fact God tells us why He does everything that He does! 

What He does for us is for our own benefit! Again Romans 8:28

Then what God tells us to do is to find somewhere in the Scriptures where He was not right to do the things He did.

There are none even if we do not understand that God did!

Jehovah is a righteous God that does according to His own will and God does not make mistakes!

God used Job to teach us the truth of Satan, of sorrow, and of misery as a believer.

What happened to Job was for the benefit of the Church today!

It is just that simple! God knew Job would not fail Him as Satan had thought he would fail!

No, we must not strive against God, but it is OK to remind God of His promises if we do it in the right manner.

Just talk to Him. This is where we fail the most!

We want something all the time when we should just spend more time talking to Him.

I believe Job did sit down and just talk to Jehovah often.

God is speaking to us through His actions at all times.

The Scriptures give us Gods plan and we must know that we are a major part of God's plan.

The key to our relationship is "faith" and we must be willing to listen!

*****Job 33:29  Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, 

Job 33:30  To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. 

God has one purpose!

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

\God is sovereign in that God does as He pleases but He always has His creation in mind!

So is God unrighteous?

God used Job just as He used Pharaoh and just as He uses Satan!

Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 

Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 

Job never understood what happened for he did love God and tried his best to live a righteous life.

Again the things that happen to Job are written and preserved by the Holy Spirit to teach the modern-day Church!

So are we listening? Do we learn the great lessons in the Bible that are preserved for our learning? We had better!

*****Job 37:14  Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 

If we agree that Jehovah is our Creator, many do not agree, but if we agree, then if we look at all the wonders of God's creation then we can begin to understand how wonderful the secret things of God are.

There are not words to describe how wonderful Heaven will be!

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

These are the things we need to lay up in our heart!

These are some of the secret things we need to clearly understand!

The Bible gives us enough information to clearly understand that God's New Heaven will be a truly wonderful place to spend eternity and anything less than that is Hell, but we know the Hell is a Burning Lake of Fire and nothing but misery will be found in Hell.

Again What is "faith"?

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Our hope is in the Lord and the Lord said:

Joh 14:1  "Let not your heart be troubled": ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

This is where our hope must lie!

This is the substance of things not seen!

We all need to stand still and be amazed at the wonders of God!

*****Job 37:15  Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

It is God who makes the rain, small drops and large drops at His choosing.

Job 36:27  For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:  

It is God who forms the majestic clouds and the builder of the thunderstorm.

Job 36:28  Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. 

Job 36:29  Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? 

It is God who gave us the rainbow to remind us that He is in control of our atmosphere.

It is God who is in control of this world!

We have seen these things for so long that we ignore the power of God behind His creations.

Job knew all these things to be true!

*****Job 37:21  And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 

Just as the Sun is hidden by the clouds but we know it is still there.

Our own "faith" can see light when the whole world is in darkness as it is today.

Job was in the darkest days of his life, but he still knew the truth of God.

Job did not need the advice of Elihu!

Job had already said he knew he had a Redeemer.

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. 

Job believed in the resurrection of the body to forever be with the Lord. Job had not forgotten these things!

We as Christians know we will have days of darkness as we travel the pathway to Heaven.

To look for a clear path every day is foolish.

Most of the things that happen to the Christian are the same things that happen to those that hate God or do not know God.

God will test our faith from time to time, not for His knowledge, but for us to know ourselves if we are who we say we are.

Job was not being tested by God. God already knew what the outcome of Job would be!

God is teaching us some valuable lessons in this Book of the Bible.

As Christians we must never worry about the things that Satan can do to us. Even in our darkest days Satan has no power over us!

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

It is in submitting to God where we fail the most!

This is all we need to know about our dealings with Satan, he will flee from that unmovable Christian.

We need to remember it is our Savior who sits upon the throne of this world at all times!

*****Job 37:22  Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. 

God displays His power in our weather just as He displays His power in our salvation.

If we cannot look upon the Sun on a clear day, how do we believe we could ever look upon the "Glory" of God when He comes down to this earth.

If we are not His children, we will never be able to stand before Him!

Exo 33:20  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Anyone who believes other than this, will burn at the "Glory" of God!

As far Elihu believed, God is so great that no one will ever be able to stand before Him.

Job knew better just as we know better today!

By the Lord Jesus Christ we will one day stand before our Heavenly Father!

*****Job 37:23  Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. 

Job 37:24  Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart. 

Elihu believed himself to be some sort of prophet just as so many do today.

We can certainly find the Lord because He is never far from us!

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

The Lord is not hiding from us, He is keenly aware of the things we go through.

He wants to go through our days of darkness with us and He will if we ask Him to.

When we do not ask, He will still watch over us!

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

We must understand the reality of Jehovah God!

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man". 

Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

These are the things we must do.

Jesus said:

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

As we study all these things of these three so-called friends and Elihu, we can see why they were of no help to Job because they went against everything Job stood for.

So we know in reality it was Satan who sent these men to try to break Job and they failed because of the "faith" of Job.

We now see why it is said that Job had a lot of patience.

When we face the Lord, we will not be able to offer up excuses because He has shown us men like Job who went through terrible darkness, but held onto their faith and never spoke one word against our Heavenly Father.

There were some things that Jehovah would speak to Job about and we will see these things in our next lesson.

Amen

Comforter or Accuser

 Miserable Comforters

Book of Job Chapter 2 Verse 11 through Chapter 31

What is a comforter? A comforter is anyone who feels called to the side of another to try to strengthen them in their woes. 

To console them. To encourage them.

We will see that these men who felt called to help Job were indeed miserable comforters.

Job had been abandoned by those called "the sons of God" like he was some leper and excommunicated.

Job 19:13  He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 

Job 19:14  My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. 

Job 19:15  They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. 

Job 19:16  I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. 

Job 19:17  My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body. 

Job 19:18  Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. 

Job 19:19  All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. 

Job 19:20  My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. 

Job 19:21  Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. 

Job 19:22  Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? 

All these that Job had cared for had abandoned him and we will read of three who I believe to be business friends knowing nothing of the ways of God.

God even says they did not know Him!

Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 

So let us meet these so-called friends.

*****Job 2:11  Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

As we get into these three friends, I believe they may be Job's friends but business friends of the world and not believers.

Job's friends who were believers, (the sons of God) had already abandoned him.

God said these three were certainly not any help to Job!

Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 

Job 42:8  Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 

The world will never be able to solve our problems we must trust in the Lord, as did Job.

Eliphaz was from Teman. We do not know who wrote the Book of Job and the exact time frame so the area would have been later called Teman before the time of Eliphaz.

What we do know is that this area of Teman has never been known of being a place of godly people.

Bildad the Shuhite. Shuah was one of Abrahams son by his second wife Keturah and from Arabia a follower of false gods.

Zophar was an inhabitant Naamah. Another man most likely from Arabia. Probably the worst of the accusers for that is what they were, accusers.

They accused Job of sin and Zophar had the gaul, to tell Job all his children were terrible sinners.

We are all sinners, but this father and his children were godly people.

When they first joined Job it seemed they had good intentions, but their methods were not in any way godly.

Grief is said to be great displeasure with our present condition, sometimes called sorrow.

We know that we are going to suffer being a Christian.

We suffer with grief at the death of our loved ones.

We also know the answer to grief is still the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord may not have arrived on the scene in the time of Job, but he did have great faith in The Almighty God.

These three men had met Job face to face and they hardly recognized him as they approached.

*****Job 2:12  And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. 

Job 2:13  So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. 

If we do not understand anything else, we need to understand that the grief of this godly man was so great that these three men knew it was best to keep quiet and sit down with him. 

In fact we will see it would have been better to have remained quiet and just took care of Job’s necessities. 

Sometimes the best comfort we can give is just to be there when our friends need us the most, we do not have to say very much unless called upon to do so.

In fact when these three men began speaking things went downhill, because they became accusers and not friends.

The one thing these all had in common showed, when they sprinkled dust upon their heads. 

All Job's problems had not come from the Lord, but by the actions of Satan, which the Lord allowed.

We all understand as Christians that the Lord is never to be blamed because He is a righteous God.

Righteous meaning, God never does things that are unrighteous.

We know Job's calamity came from Satan! 

Satan's goal is to destroy God's people and all godly families!

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

What we also know is, Satan cannot touch the Christian without God allowing it and if God allows it then He has a purpose for it to our benefit.

So let us listen in on the conversation of these three men with Job, remembering they came to comfort Job.

At the same time we need to remember Satan was involved in the selection of these three men.

*****Job 4:1  Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 

Job 4:2  If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? 

Job had conveyed his feelings to his friends and now it became time for a response.

Eliphaz was probably the oldest and was allowed to speak first and he begins seeming to brag on Job and his qualities as a human being.

Notice the first thing he says is how can you be so grieved?

The things Job had said in Chapter three seemed defiant to Eliphaz. 

As if Job had no right to question the things of God.

In fact, we have every right to go before the Lord because by the Lord Jesus Christ the veil was rent opening the way into the throne room of God.

Certainly, we need to be humble when we get there, but God expects us to bring every "every" problem we have before Him! 

After all Jehovah has all the answers, but we must come in faith!

Certainly, it was OK for Job to be grieved but Job was not in despair!

Job knew himself and he knew he was far from perfect, but he did offer sacrifice often for his sin and he was pure in the eyes of God as God has already stated.

Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and art upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 

Job had been a great comfort to many others throughout the years of his life.

*****Job 4:3  Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 

Job 4:4  Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast confirmed the feeble knees. 

Job 4:5  But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 

Everyone had known of Job's wisdom in all matters.

We will see that these three men lacked all godly wisdom.

It is godly wisdom that can be a help to all people, but worldly wisdom, especially the wisdom of false gods is useless to the man of God!

As far as these three men were concerned, Job was just another terrible sinner who whined and cried if things did not go his way.

Keep in mind that Job had lost everything, but it was only the loss of his children that had brought him to this grief.

For Eliphaz he regarded that every man that suffered was only proof of his wickedness!

We know for certain that the same things happen to the godly and the ungodly and the Bible even says that this is true.

Those who are wicked are not always down and nor are all the godly happy in this life.

We must never judge anyone's character by what we see on the outside!

Remember God looks into the heart where the true character of any man or woman can be seen accurately and clearly!

1Sa 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

When it comes to grieving, Job was no different than any other. His heart was broken over his children.

We can also be sure that suffering is not always connected to sin!

In fact, suffering can bring us closer to God if we know Him by our "faith"!

The things we think when we are suffering, are not always evil when we ask that question "why Lord".

We must never forget God does what God does and He always has our best interest in mind!

Why God allowed these things to happen to Job we may not understand, but we must accept what we read in the Book of Job and know that Jehovah is a righteous God who does no wrong and is alwaysconcerned for us.

What we do know is that all Scripture is written for us to learn about our God!

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

The Lord's thoughts are always on us!

Psa 139:17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 

Psa 139:18  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 

These things were true for Job also!

We must understand that God does many things just to show us His Almighty Power.

Exo 4:11  And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I the LORD? 

God always has His reasons, and His reasons are to teach us, the Church, more about Him!

*****Job 4:6  Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy ways? 

Job 4:7  Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the upright cut off? 

Job 4:8  According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.  

Certainly, Job was a God-fearing man and he had shown this all his years. 

Job's grieving now was not a sign of a fall from God!

As far as Eliphaz was concerned, Job had to be guilty of some grievous wicked and hidden sin that only God knew about, which is the same way the world thinks today.

Even in our insurance policies it states, "an act of God", as if God brings destruction when again Jehovah is a righteous God! 

He tells us when He will bring His wrath and yes God does chastise His own children, but the problems of the lost come by this wicked world.

Satan is the instigator of all this world's problems, except for the ones we cause ourselves, which may be the biggest portion of our problems.

We must never forget that our choices bring consequences!

Job did have the fear of God which was a holy respect for His person!

It could be said that Eliphaz was partially right.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. 

The truth is, not everything we reap in this life is the result of some evil we have sown!

Theology cannot be replaced with a lost man's logic!

To say that wherever there is suffering, it is the result of sowing sin is just wrong!

Most suffering in this world comes by this world, its governments and its politicians!

We must understand that God does many things just to show us His Almighty Power.

Joh 9:1  And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. 

Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? 

Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Job answers for himself.

*****Job 16:1  Then Job answered and said, 

Job 16:2  I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. 

These so-called friends of Job had only added to his misery! 

They were in fact troublesome or we could say comforters of trouble!

As soon as I read this, this the first thought that went through my head was the actions of our news sources today.

They too provide nothing but more worries and more trouble!

What had this man asked Job?

Job 15:11  Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? 

All the conversations with these three men were based upon their own assumptions and not based on the truth of God.

They had all agreed that Job had some hidden sin that had caused God to cause these things that happened to Job.

This whole Book of Job is given to us not only to show the actions of Satan, but also to teach us how not to be miserable comforters.

When our brothers and sisters in Christ need someone close to them to aid in comfort, they certainly do not need more misery.

All true Christians know their ending and know their Savior in a personal way! 

The Holy Spirit is our greatest comfort through all things good and bad!

If we cannot help each other then we must certainly not hurt each other!

Job did not need to repent to these men, he had never wronged them.

When we cause the torment to increase of those we are trying to help, we do them a greater wrong!

In fact Eliphaz could be seen as being the cause of the things said by those other men!

We know by proof in the Scriptures, that Satan perverts and abuses the Scriptures, and we see this is exactly what these three men did to Job.

They certainly did not know the Scriptures!

They certainly did not have a personal relationship with the Lord!

They installed their own views as to what they thought of Jehovah!

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

The words Eliphaz had used were useless and vain and he was of no help to Job!

Every lost person knows the many things they do wrong and it is their belief that everyone else is guilty of those same things.

This is the truth behind all hypocrites!

*****Job 16:3  Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? 

Job had sit through these words of Eliphaz the gentleman that he was, but enough is enough.

In modern terms Eliphaz had indeed slandered Job!

Job 15:1  Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 

Job 15:2  Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 

Job 15:3  Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? 

The integrity of Job was known throughout the land, yet we see here that Eliphaz had no respect for Job, and certainly had not considered the tragedy of Job's children.

Job simply asked what provoked you to such words and we should have little doubt that it was again Satan who was behind the talk of these so-called friends.

Jehovah had given him permission, he could just not take Job's life, even though if Job happened to take his own life, Satan could then say that Job was just another weak human.

Job 2:4  And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 

Job 2:5  But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 

Job 2:6  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

Satan had gone after Job physically, but we know for certain that Satan accomplishes his greatest work in our minds which then causes our actions!

Job had already asked that these men would just shut up. Their silence would have been far better than their speaking!

Job 13:3  Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 

Job 13:4  But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 

Job 13:5  O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 

Job 13:6  Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 

Job 13:7  Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 

As we know they would continue until God Himself put an end to it.

Job said, if you were in my shoes "I would treat you with respect".

*****Job 16:4  I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. 

Job 16:5  But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. 

The worst thing we could ever do, to our friends while they are grieving, is to make heartless speeches.

What is God's command in such matters?

Rom 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 

Rom 12:16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Job was saying "I could run you down as you have done me, but I would never do such a thing".

Job brings up the "soul" here.

It is the soul that is the most valuable part of us in the eyes of God!

The "soul" is that breath of life given to us by the Lord.

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 

It is this "breath of life" that causes us to seek out our Heavenly Father!

The "shaking of the head" was a sign of contempt and this was the feeling Job felt his friends had for him.

As the Jews had done to the Messiah.

Psa 22:6  But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 

Psa 22:7  All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 

Psa 22:8  He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 

In this instance, Job is a type of Christ.

What are we called upon to do to help our friends in such times as these?

Job said it very gracefully; "But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief."

Pro 27:9  Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. 

Then Job says, "no matter what I do my grief remains over my children".

*****Job 16:6  Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? 

We should understand that as God's children, when we pray, He hears every prayer we pray in Jesus name.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Joh 16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Now would Job have said in Jesus' name, probably not, but Job did know of the coming Messiah.

We know for certain that Job prayed and offered the proper sacrifice at that time.

Knowing these things, God still answers prayer in His own time!

We must not forget that Job had done nothing to cause these things to happen.

God had only allowed these things to happen to Job for our benefit!

The Bible is written to the Church.

There are great lessons we are to learn throughout the Bible and the Book of Job teaches us much about suffering in the name of God.

We also learn that Satan has no control over the child of God unless God allows it.

So many other lessons can be found in this great book of the Bible.

Job never knew why these things happened to him, but he never blamed God.

God had the answers for Job with answered prayer, but it was not yet time.

*****Job 16:7  But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. 

Here again we see Job as a type of Christ.

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

These friends of Job had done nothing to help him in his grief and people cannot do what God can do.

God will never abandon us.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

If we cannot be that comforter to our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we need to keep quiet and just show them the love of Christ that is within us!

We must certainly understand that God will chasten us, but the most important thing about the chastening of God is the fact that He only chastens those He loves.

Pro 3:11  My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 

Pro 3:12  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 

Now we know that Job had not done anything for God to chasten him, but Job was also not perfect. 

Job did possess the sin nature of Adam as we all do.

In fact one of the best passages in the Bible is contained in a simple phrase.

Act 2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

One hundred and sixty-one times the Bible uses the phrase "it shall come to pass".

There are many things that we will face in this life and most of them will come and then they will pass on by.

If we learn the lessons intended for us to learn we will benefit from those things!

If not, we may suffer through them again and again!

Amen

True Integrity

 Prosperity, Adversity, and Misery

Book of Job Chapter 1 through Chapter 2 and verse 10

Job was a real man, and the story of Job is about a good man who in one day suffered more than anyone we could ever imagine.

I still believe there is no one upon this earth that has suffered as much or more than this Job in the Bible, who had not caused it themselves.

The Book of Job is not a work of imagination and the Book of Job is not a parable!

The Book of Job is a book of history.

The Book of Job is one of the wisdom books in the Bible.

The Book of Job is about circumstances that affect us all then and now.

The Book of Job is not about any particular nation, but it is about a certain individual that we can all connect with on a personal level.

The Book of Job is about the suffering of an individual.

We can see this type of suffering still exists today and we can learn valuable lessons from this godly man.

The Book of Job is also the oldest piece of literature known to man.

*****Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 

In the Book of Genesis we learned from the table of nations that Uz was the son of Aram, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah.

We now that Abraham or Abram, was also nine generations from the line of Shem, the Son of Noah, through Heber, which could be said to be the father of the Hebrew people so Abraham and Job did have some blood relations and both trusted Jehovah God by "faith".

Job was perfect. Job was not sinless.

Job was upright. Job walk in the ways of the Lord.

Job feared God. This fear was not a dread of God but godly reverence. There was no Bible to direct Job, he just trusted our Creator, our God.

Job eschewed evil. To eschew means Job fled from any and all evil. Job would have no part of any thing that was evil.

Job was a patient man.

Job is recognized in the Old Testament.

Eze 14:14  Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 

Eze 14:15  If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 

Eze 14:16  Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. 

Eze 14:17  Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: 

Eze 14:18  Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 

Eze 14:19  Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 

Eze 14:20  Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. 

We see that Job was held in high regard by our Heavenly Father, as high as Noah and Daniel.

Job is also recognized in the New Testament.

Jas 5:11  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. 

Job's patience came by his personal relationship with his Heavenly Father!

Job was a family man.

*****Job 1:2  And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

Job had a large family of ten. Seven sons and three daughters whom he loved dearly.

Through his labors and God's blessings, Job had become a rich man.

As God told Pharaoh and the blind man:

Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: "but that the works of God should be made manifest in him". 

Many individuals throughout history had things happen to them so God could be seen at work with them, good or bad.

*****Job 1:3  His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 

Riches, in the day of Job were not about how much land he owned, Job owned much land. 

Riches were determined by how many animals that were owned!

Sheep were very valuable animals. 

The wool from sheep was used for clothing and fine clothing today is still made from wool.

The sheep were one of the clean animals, so the meat of sheep was good for sacrifice and for food.

The sheep produced milk that was valuable then and still used in many places upon this earth today.

As the Bible states, sheep are also very dumb animals and they needed a shepherd! 

The shepherd has many valuable lessons in the Scriptures!

The Camel today has been replaced by the large trucks on our highways. They could get the products of Job's farm to the market over almost any terrain and through any climate and weather.

A yoke of oxen was also very valuable. The "yoke of oxen" is two animals that work really well with each other. 

Matched in strength and durability.

Today the yoke of oxen is replaced by the tractor.

The term acre came about as a measurement of the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in one day.

Job's oxen could plow 500 acres in a day. Job had a large farm.

Job had 500 jackasses.

As camels were to haul long distances, the burro(jackass) could haul the short distance carrying more weight than they weighed themselves.

Job dealt in commodities!

Job had a large household. Which means Job had many employees.

Job was one of the greatest of men of the east.

When we see directions such as east, we can know that this is east of Jerusalem.

East of Jerusalem would be Arabia, or we could say the Orientals. Remember Job lived in the land of Uz.

We can just imagine how close was this family as the children would celebrate their birthdays together.

*****Job 1:4  And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 

As we know all children have their special days even if it is their birthdays. 

This family would gather together every time a brother or sister had a special day.

They showed their love even after they were grownups!

And Job loved his children, and he knew his children.

He checked upon his children to see if they too remained righteous still knowing that we are all sinners.

Today all sinners need the "Grace" of God through Jesus Christ to be pardoned for their sin!

Even years before the Laws of Moses, the Old testament and the New Testament, Job knew there was a Redeemer coming from God.

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. 

Job had instilled these things into his children!

Pro_22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Most of America and the world have forgotten this or they use it for evil!

*****Job 1:5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered 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 did Job continually. 

In that day, Job was a very rich man and God had blessed him many times over, but he also knew his greatest blessing was his children.

After they had celebrated with each other, Job had taught his children to examine their own consciences and repent of any sin they may have. Why?

Jesus said: Luke 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

We know that Job had faith in his Redeemer.

The lesson of the intercessor stands out in this Scripture.

Job had godly children, yet he also knew we are all sinners. We must pray for our children. 

This shows the Lord our love and our concern for them just as Jesus prayed for us.

If we are to be like Christ then we must be an "intercessor" not only for our children, but our families, and even for the lost.

1Ti 2:1  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 

1Ti 2:2  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

In a godly family, we as fathers are the head of the family and the high priests of the family.

We cannot show the love of God, if we are not willing to pray for others!

Job had taught his children to be intercessors.

Notice just like in the Book of Genesis, the burnt offering was not new to those who sought out the Lord many years before the 613 laws given to the Children of Israel.

As we study portions of this great book we call the Bible, we will see the sufferings of Job who knew he was a sinner and repented daily for his sin.

Why Job had to suffer is never revealed to Job!

We as students of the Bible are given the entire actions of God who knew the heart of this man and allowed Satan certain freedoms.

This also will teach us that Satan does not have a free hand with God's children as he does with those who are lost!

Satan needs God's permission to even touch to cause harm to God's children.

Many times we suffer just as all people suffer and we question God, but we are affected by the same things that others are affected by.

We live in a sin filled, evil and wicked world, it will affect us almost daily!

We must also consider that God will test our faith!

The test of Job was not about his faith because God knew the faith of Job would not fail him.

*****Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 

Job 1:9  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 

Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 

Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 

Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. 

Job 1:13  And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 

We must also know that Satan does not have the freedom to prance around in Heaven as he chooses.

He can speak to God just as we do because God is everywhere all the time and Satan is now limited to the ground and to the lower heavens.

Eph_2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 

Satan is only a tool in the hands of the Almighty God and could be stopped at any time and will be when his purpose is over!

Now we will begin to see the misery of this godly man.

Job is going about his daily routine and he believes the Almighty is with him, and He is, but God has allowed Satan certain freedoms, of which he cannot cause the death Job but only to his possessions.

Job's children were gathered probably for the birthday of one of them as they always did.

Job had been an intercessor that morning as he always had.

Job had thanked God for His blessings as he always did.

And Job's world began to collapse around him.

What does Satan do? He immediately goes after Job's riches thinking he will curse the Almighty God when he becomes poor.

*****Job 1:14  And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 

Job 1:15  And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

These Sabeans were the descendants of Cush the oldest son of Ham and the father of Nimrod.

The Bible tells us much about Nimrod so we can understand the type of people these Sabeans were.

These Sabeans were based somewhere in Africa.

After much time the Bible says that even these Sabeans will come to know the Lord.

Psa 72:10  The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 

At this time they were only traveling terrorist, out to murder, rob, and destroy.

Job's day is getting bad and it gets much worse.

*****Job 1:16  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

Job had 7000 sheep and many hire shepherds and lightning destroyed them all at once.

We already know that this thing was caused by Satan because it did not happen until God allowed Satan this freedom, in his attempt to prove Job would curse God.

So we know Satan does still have some great powers, but they are held in check when it comes to God's people!

To this servant he only knew that the Almighty had this power.

Many today say that thunder is the voice of God, but it is not. When God speaks His voice is as thunder!

Many today say that lightning is the fire of God, but to see the example given for the fire of God we need only look at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to realize the true fire of God.

The great riches and the businesses of Job was reaching an end that he never anticipated.

But this is not all.

*****Job 1:17  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

These Chaldeans were also descendants of Cush and these Chaldeans grew in power until one day in the days of Israel they became a world power.

They were ruthless destroyers, and had no respect for others or the property of others.

Job had been a target of them for many years.

All of Jobs animals and many of Job's employees were now murdered or stolen and Job who had begun his day rich, was now a poor man.

The Lord gives and the Lords takes away, as Job would say!

Job's faith was still strong, but this day that began by celebrating a birthday would now be a terribly bad memory.

*****Job 1:18  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 

Job 1:19  And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

In the span of one day Job had lost everything he owned and all his children.

A day that begin in celebration had ended in a total loss.

Satan had systematically destroyed all the Job had, but he could not take Job's life because Jehovah would not allow it.

Job was a broken man, but he did not blame God our Creator.

We cannot even imagine these losses especially the loss of his children.

We can be sure if God allowed the death of these children, then God had taken them into Heaven.

We know this because we serve a righteous God who would never do wrong!

All Job knew to do was to go to God in his misery.

*****Job 1:20  Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 

Job 1:21  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. 

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

As we have seen, Job took the losses of his riches calmly with very little reaction, but the loss of a child is devastating enough and we see Job lost all ten of his children at the same time and it brought an entirely different reaction from this godly man. 

Just to note, this is a firsthand look at how Satan seeks to destroy our loved ones and our families!

All these things Job did, the renting of his mantle and the shaving of the head were outward signs of grief in the culture of that day, and these type things continued at least through the time of Jesus' first coming.

Jacob: Gen 37:34  And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 

In the time of Jeremiah: Jer 41:5  That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.

Cutting themselves was more like the heathen did as God cautioned His people to not act like the heathens.

Ezra: Ezr 9:3  And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

There are many others in the Scriptures.

Job did not curse God, but fell upon his face and worshipped and verse 21 tells us what he said.

In all this Job never had a harsh word for Jehovah!

Since Job did not do as Satan thought, Satan again said Job was not the godly man that Jehovah bragged about. 

God allowed Satan one more opportunity to prove Him wrong.

*****Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 

Job 2:4  And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 

Job 2:5  But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 

Job 2:6  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. 

Job 2:7  So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 

Notice how our integrity is important to our Heavenly Father!

You see Satan spends all his time walking around in search for God's people to see who he can cause to fall from grace.

God allowed Satan to cause Job bodily harm, but Satan could not take Job's life.

Boils, as described in this Scripture are related to the "Staph Infections" we see so much of today!

In the case of Job it may be as bad as it gets. There is no other place in the Scriptures, where boils are this bad on any person.

In the Arab lands it was known as black leprosy.

To the Greeks it was called Elephantiasis.

A similar event will also take place near the end of the Great Tribulation.

Rev 16:10  And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 

Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. 

For Job, he had no sin and even this event in his life did not cause Job to lose his integrity and cause him to sin!

Job did the best he could to find some relief from his misery. Mentally and physically.

*****Job 2:8  And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. 

The ashes were another form of sorrow and grief and may even have brought Job some relief here.

Remember Job suffered not for his riches but for his children!

Job would not use his hands as they too were covered with boils, but he used a piece of broken pottery to scrape away the acrid pus that covered him.

We should know that when we are in our deepest valley, it is at this time we can get closer to the Lord.

This does not mean we wait till we are in a valley to get in touch with the Lord.

2Co_12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God will snuggle up to us to be with us in our misery and our weaknesses!

To sit down in the ashes was to show God just how miserable he had become.

Eze 27:30  And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: 

Eze 27:31  And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.

The misery of Job was seen by his wife, but she did not have the same spiritual strength as Job.

*****Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. 

We need to stop and think of this for a moment. Satan took all Job's children, at least he caused their death. I am sure they went to the glory world of Heaven.

Satan left Job's wife and it could be that Satan knew that this woman would add to the trouble Job already felt.

Job's integrity was based upon his faith!

Her thoughts were if you would forget your "faith", and curse your God, that he may cause your death also.

This mother had assumed that there were reasons God had taken these children and God was to blame!

As far as this mother was concerned, it was far better to be without her husband than to see him suffer as he was suffering.

How many of us fall into this trap?

It is far better that we hold onto our relationship with God, than to just give up and give in to this world!

Job was not about to fall into this trap! 

Job might say later that he wished to be with his children or not even born, but this in no way caused Job to sin nor to lose his integrity.

Satan knew he could not cause Job's death, but now if he just gave up on life, in a sense take his own life Satan would have laughed all the way to his next confrontation with Jehovah.

You see Satan is a loser and every little victory he thinks he achieves makes him feel that he can win against God, which will never happen!

To this day, Satan does not actually believe he is a loser, but he is! 

He is just wickedly evil, and he would destroy all God's children just to ruin their testimony!

In the end, our testimony is all we have while we are upon this earth! 

We have godly testimony and we do not ever need to show the world any weakness as Satan will take advantage of any weakness we have.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

Eph 4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 

Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 

Eph 4:27  Neither give place to the devil. 

Job put an end to those things that came from his wife's mouth.

*****Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. 

We know that the Lord is the Master of Life! Why would we ever try to make up our own laws and ask God to think as we do?

We know God is righteous which means God cannot ever do us wrong!

Everything that happens to us is for our benefit even though we may not understand many of those things!

Rom 8:28  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. 

One man wrote, "should we not bless God for all the mercy He has already showed to us"?

When God has saved us from His wrath because we love His Son enough to trust Him for our salvation, why should He do anything else for us?

Why would He not leave us to the whims of Satan all the time, but He does not!

We are blessed with Heavenly blessings that are kept in store awaiting our arrival on Heavens shores!

We are also blessed in so many ways until that day comes when the Lord takes us home!

We have seen that Satan cannot touch us unless God allows it and if God allows it then He has a greater blessing awaiting us!

God only ask us to serve Him until He takes us home and sometimes that means that no matter what happens to us, we are to stand our ground based on our faith.

This is the way it is today as we face these elections.

This is the way it is today as we face this plague.

My thought I just had as I wrote these words is, "could I stand as tall as Job if God allowed Satan to take my family". I pray I do!

Increase my faith Lord.

Increase my love Lord.

Help me to be more like your Son, Lord.

It is equally right for God to give gifts just as it is for Him to take some away!

God is always thinking ahead in our future and He knows what is best for us at all times.

We see our world approaching those days as they were in Noah's day.

The things of this world will never get better, and the best awaits us in Heaven!

Yes, what this wife said was foolish, but Job held on to His Savior.

Hold onto the Savior today because no one loves us like Jesus does!

Amen