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
