Lesson 372 - Senior

Memory Verse

"Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.  For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways" (Job 34:10, 11).

Cross References

I The Trial of Job

1. Satan was permitted of God to try Job's faith by trouble and distress, [JOB:1:1-22].

2. The evil devices of Satan that tried Job's faith are permitted within the divine order of God to purify the saints, and to accomplish the plans of God, [JOB:2:1-9]; [JHN:15:2]; [HEB:12:5-13]; [HEB:5:8]; [ROM:8:28].

3. Job was tempted of Satan to succumb to evil under the pressure of a severe trial, [JOB:1:9-11]; [JOB:2:4]; [DAN:3:1-18]; [MAT:4:1-11]; [LUK:22:31].

II The Discouragements of Job

1. Job's wife counselled him to curse God and die, [JOB:2:9]; [NUM:31:16]; [2CH:32:15-18].

2. Job's three friends accused Job of unconfessed sin as the cause of his troubles, [JOB:4:7-8]; [JOB:8:6]; [JOB:11:6], [JOB:11:13-16].

3. Job had to suffer the contempt and derision of his neighbours because of his afflictions, [JOB:30:1-15]; [PS:41:7-9].

4. Job's disease caused him great bodily pain and extreme discomfort, [JOB:30:16-18].

5. Job could not seem to find God, because of Satan's opposition, and this caused him great distress, [JOB:9:25-33]; [JOB:23:10-17].

III Job's Confidence in God

1. Job held on to his faith in God despite the great temptations and distress of body and soul he was forced to endure, [JOB:27:1-6]; [JOB:19:25-27]; [JOB:13:15]; [JOB:1:21-22]; [JOB:2:10]; [JOB:23:10].

2. God turned the captivity of Job, and the end of Job was better than his beginning, [JOB:42:8-17]; [ECC:7:8]. 

Notes

Job's Example

Some men become infamous or renowned for some deeds they have done and forever after their names are synonymous with those deeds. Thus, the name of Judas has become symbolic of treachery ever since the betrayal of his Lord, Jesus Christ. The name of Job has become associated with patience. His is a name of honour and faithfulness because of the integrity, which he held despite the cruellest kind of sufferings of both body and soul.

Job was a believer in God, and although his history is vague, his name and record is a bright, shinning page on the records of God's eternal Word. Job was a man of such personal integrity that God pointed him out to Satan as an example of righteousness. From Satan's answer to God regarding Job it is apparent that the world's unbelief in and derision for Christianity and its righteousness is satanic in origin.

Satan declared it of Job, and still declares it of Christians, that they serve God for gain: remove that gain, or hurt them in their bodies, and they will renounce God. This has been attempted innumerable times through the ages by Satan against God's people. But God has raised up men and women who, by the grace of God, have repudiated the claims of Satan by their immovable stand for righteousness, even though it cost many of them their lives.

Without question, the story of Job has been a great enlightenment to the followers of God. Christians are taught by the story of Job that afflictions and distresses are brought by Satan, but that such things are not without purpose and are within God's will for His people. God is not the author of sin or evil of any kind; or any of the results that evil brings, such as disease and death. Nevertheless, such things arse in the world, and so long as Christians are in the world, evils will have to be met and overcome. That they can be met and overcome by the grace of God is the lesson we are to learn from Job's trials and afflictions. He was tested almost to the limit of human endurance, and was true to God through it all.

The Temptation of Evil

One of the great lessons God's people need to learn from Satan's attacks upon Job is that his attacks are usually from several points at once. Paul said that "we are not ignorant of his devices" [2CO:2:11]); and some of his methods are revealed from Job's experience.

It should be noted that Job's trial was a battle from within and without. He had to suffer great bodily pain and discomfort and also fight a great fight within himself for his soul. To further Job's distress, those who should have been his aid and comfort opposed him. Those who should have encouraged him in his faith in God became his accusers. Job's wife advised him to curse God and die. Had Job listened to such advice he would have lost his soul forever.

Furthermore, Job's three friends accused him of secret and unconfessed sin, and that therefore his afflictions had come upon him. Still more to endure came from Job's neighbours and business associates. From the Scripture we learn that Job was a man highly respected in the community, and his words were listened to as coming from a man of wisdom. The prosperity with which God had blessed Job brought him great renown and prestige. When his riches were destroyed, and he himself was brought literally to the ash heap, his reputation seemed to have vanished. Young children dared to taunt him, and he was the disdain of his neighbours.

It was public opinion that such disaster that had come upon Job could be nothing but divine judgment against his sin, and so they held him in ill repute for the sin they did not know about but felt that he must have committed.

Only a man with unshakable faith in God could have withstood such an onslaught against his soul as did Job. God will not permit us to be tempted beyond that which we can endure, and God knew that Job could (and would) prove the strength of his salvation and faith in God. The temptation was to throw away every hope and confidence in God, and give way to hopeless despair. It was the attempt of Satan to bring such unbearable suffering on Job that he could not hope to stand against it. God's grace is sufficient for any trial and it was sufficient for the need of Job. God's grace did not spare Job from the suffering of his trial in all its aspects, but it retained for him his integrity in God and brought him through to glorious victory for God.

Job's Faith

Probably the hardest part of Job's trial was that he could not feel the presence of God. Great trials can be overcome more easily when the soul rests confidently in the faith that the Lord knows best and will bring everything to a conclusion according to His will. There was a time when Job said, "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: . . . he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him" [JOB:23:8-9]). So far as feelings were concerned, it seemed hopeless. But faith is not feeling. Through it all Job could say, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" [JOB:23:10]). How many times God's people have taken comfort from those words! Because Job had a pure faith he was able to keep his integrity in God even though his fortunes were swept away, his body was racked with pain, and his soul was darkened by the evil attacks of his fellow men and Satan.

Job's great declarations of faith in God in his darkest hours are some of the most sublime passages in the Bible. It was only through the inspiration of the Spirit that he could look ahead to the time when Jesus will come in His revelation. Job said: "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." [JOB:19:25-27]). The hope of the Resurrection is the hope of the Church, and Job proved himself to be worthy of the First Resurrection.

Job's statement, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," parallels in intensity the faith and trust that Abraham had when he was about to offer his son as a burnt offering, and said, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering" [GEN:22:8]).

The End of Job

In the end, God changed the distress of Job, and restored to him twice that which had been taken away from him. His reputation was greater than ever before. Not only did he receive many earthly blessings from God because of his great faithfulness, but his testimony shall reap rich rewards in eternity because of the noble record he left to the Church. 

Questions

1. Of what did Satan accuse Job the first time?

2. Of what did Satan accuse Job the second time?

3. Why did God let Satan attack Job?

4. What did Job's wife advise Job to do?

5. Of what did Job's three friends accuse him?

6. How do we know that Satan's attacks can be multiple?

7. Name some of Job's discouragements.

8. Why did his friends think that Job had sinned?

9. How do we know that Job believed in the Resurrection?

10. What was Job's great declaration of faith in God?