Why Do The Righteous Suffer? JOB 1

Transcription

1 Message for THE LORD'S DAY EVENING, March 11, 2018 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister Message 6 in The Greatest Chapters of The Bible Sermon Series Why Do The Righteous Suffer? JOB 1 It is an image that we in eastern North Carolina are all-to-familiar with: Trees ripped out of the ground...telephone poles snapped in two like toothpicks...roofs blown off of houses...collapsed walls...and flood waters as far as the eye can see. Sometimes even the best and strongest of houses don't survive the fury of a hurricane. But even when a house is destroyed, if it had a solid foundation, that foundation can be used to build a new house, perhaps even a better and stronger house. Our lives are like buildings in many ways. In fact, in II Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul compares our earthly bodies to a house. II Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV) For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from GOD, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Tonight as we continue with our series of messages on THE GREATEST CHAPTERS OF THE BIBLE, we are going to meet a man who's life was built upon a rock solid foundation of faith in GOD that sustained him through the most devastating storm any human being has ever been through. Of course, I'm talking about JOB. Please open your Bibles to JOB chapter one. We don't not know who wrote the Book of Job; nor do we know exactly when it was written. But most Bible scholars are in agreement that the BOOK OF JOB is likely the oldest book in the Bible, even predating the writings of Moses in the first five books of the Bible.

2 This first chapter of Job, in fact the entire Book of Job answers for us one of the most troubling of all of life's questions and that is: Why Do The Righteous Suffer? And perhaps an equally troubling question: If the righteous suffer, then why be righteous? But the Book of Job is about much more than the issue of human suffering,...it is about the Sovereignty of Almighty God. As we study this great chapter of the Bible there are three thoughts I would like for us to focus on: First of all, let me draw your attention to... I. The CHARACTER of Job (vs. 1-5) 1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. 4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed[a] God in their hearts. Thus Job did regularly. 1. As this chapter begins all is well for JOB in the land of Uz. The land of Uz is believed to have been located southeast of the Dead Sea in northern Arabia. 2. This is the calm before the storm. This is life as Job knew it before the incredible devastation and loss that will come later.

3 . 3. Verse 1 describes JOB as a man of impeccable character. It is extremely rare to find a man of great prosperity and great character. Sadly, great wealth and prosperity tends to corrupt a man's character; but this was not true of JOB. 4. Job's name comes from an Arabic word meaning to return or to repent. Verse 1 tells us JOB WAS BLAMELESS. Several translations use the word perfect here, instead of blameless. Of course this doesn't mean Job was without sin or fault. Only Jesus Christ is perfectly sinless. Job was blameless or perfect in the sense that he was a truthful man, a sincere man, a genuine man. In one sense, if you were to compare the life of Job side-by-side with the other men of his day, it would certainly appear that Job was much closer to perfect than anyone else. We are also told in verse 1 that JOB WAS UPRIGHT. That means Job was a man of integrity in all his dealings with his fellow man. His word was his bond. If he made a promise, he kept kept it. If he made a deal, he honored it. He was upright. Verse 1 also tells us that JOB FEARED GOD. Job didn't fear God in the sense that demons fear God-----and tremble. Nor did he fear God in the sense that Adam and Eve feared God after they sinned in the Garden and hid themselves. Job feared God in the sense he had reverence and awe for GOD!

4 Verse 1 also tells us that JOB SHUNNED EVIL. That means Job departed from sin; he didn't want to have anything to do with sin; he hated sin as God hates sin. 5. The verses that follow tell us that God's richest blessings were upon this man of such great character. God blessed Job with seven sons and three daughters. Psalm 127:3 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION) Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him. God also blessed Job with incredible material wealth. v. 3 tells us Job had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 hundred female donkeys, and a house full of servants. There was no one in that part of the world in those days whose wealth even came close to Job's. 6. Verses 4-6 tell us that Job's sons and daughters would routinely get together in one of their homes for a time of feasting. Job didn't go to these feasts, either because he was too old, or because his character was such he had no desire to be a part of such gatherings.

5 I don't believe we are to assume necessarily that there were sinful things going on at these family feasts, but we all know at family get-togethers that sometimes we talk about things we shouldn't talk about, or words are said that shouldn't be said, or the humor gets offcolor, or perhaps a family member behaves inappropriately. And Job's family was no different. And Job was a man of such great character that after his sons and daughters had a get-together, Job would offer a sacrifice to God to atone for any sin or wrong-doing that may have taken place during the family feasts. 7. While it is obvious the eyes of GOD were upon JOB, we now learn in VERSES 6-12 that someone else has his eyes on JOB also, and that someone is Satan. Often when Satan attacks us he attacks us at our point of greatest weakness, our point of greatest vulnerability; but in the case of Job, Satan wants to attack him at his point of greatest strength. And as we have already learned, Job's greatest strength was his godly character.

6 JOB 1:6-12 (NKJV) 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the Lord said to Satan, From where do you come? So Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it. 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? 9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face! 12 And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. 8. Here we are given a behind the scenes look at an unseen, invisible world that is around us each and every day. Satan is always busy, always restless, always on the prowl, always looking for someone to devour. And this time he has his sights set on Job.

7 9. These verses set the stage for everything else that happens in the Book of Job. GOD loves JOB. GOD is well-pleased with JOB. Job is blameless...and upright...and he fears God...and shuns evil. Job is the kind of man GOD desires for all men to be. He is a man of holy and righteous character. 10. That is the very aspect of Job's life that Satan wants to challenge. Satan questions the sincerity and the motivation behind Job's godly character. Satan believes that Job doesn't live such an honorable and holy life because he loves GOD, but rather because GOD has blessed him with ten children and an abundance of material possessions. Satan's premise is that if JOB has all of these things taken away from him he will curse GOD in a heart-beat! Is Satan right? Is the accusation he made against Job true of us today? Do we just follow God for the rewards, and the blessings? Do we just follow God because He has promised us eternal life? Is it possible for us to follow GOD simply because we love Him, and not because of what we can get out of Him? 11. Well God gives Satan permission to strike all of Job's possessions...with this limitation; Satan does not have permission to lay a hand on JOB himself.

8 This brings us to the second point we want to consider and that is... II. The CRISIS of Job (vs ) 13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided them and took them away indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you! 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you! 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you! 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you! 1. Satan did not leave the Lord's presence and immediately attack JOB. Between verses 12 and 13 there is an eerie stillness, like the calm before the storm. 2. JOB is totally unaware of the agreement that has taken place between GOD and Satan. Job hasn't got a clue about how drastically his life is about to change over the next twentyfour hours.

9 3. It was just a routine, typical day. Job's sons and daughters were doing what they routinely did; they were feasting at in the home of the oldest brother. 4. Job is about to be visited by four messengers, each bearing more tragic news than the messenger before him. And let me point out the order in which Job's losses occur are in reverse order from the way they were listed back up in verses 2, 3. * In verses 14,15 the first messenger came to Job and said, Job, I have some really bad news! The Sabeans had attacked and stole all 500 of your donkeys and all 500 yoke of your oxen, and they killed the servants who were taking care of them! * In verse 16 the second messenger came while the first messenger was still telling Job about his donkeys and oxen, and he told Job I'm afraid I have some more bad news, lightning fell from the sky and burned up all 7,000 of your sheep and your servants who were tending the sheep were killed by lightning. * In verse 17, the third messenger came while the second messenger was still talking about what happened to the sheep, and this messenger told Job, I'm afraid I have even more bad news! Three bands of Chaldeans attacked and stole everyone of your 3,000 camels and they killed the servants who were taking care of them.

10 * And then in verses 18, 19 the fourth messenger came in while the third messenger was still telling Job about his camels and servants, and that messenger said, Job, I've got the worst news of all! A tornado struck the home of your eldest son where all of your children were gathered for a feast. Job, the house collapsed on top of them and killed all ten of your children. There were no survivors! 5. When we receive tragic news it leaves us in a state of shock! Can imagine what a state of shock Job must have been in after receiving bad news on top of bad news? 6. I don't know if you have ever heard this or read this, but the forces of destruction came upon Job from all four points on the compass: The Sabeans attacked from the south...the lightning struck from the west... the Chaldeans attacked from the north...and the sirocco wind or tornado blew in from the east. 7. Job had to have felt as though the whole world was literally falling in on him. This brings us to the moment of truth...the moment Satan had waited for. After taking away all of his possessions and all ten of his children, cocky old Satan thinks JOB will now prove him right. But Satan himself is about to be shocked!

11 Let's look at... III. The CONSECRATION of Job (vs ) 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: Naked I came from my mother s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. 1. Was Job devastated by his losses? Was he stricken with grief and sorrow? Of course he was! This is evident by the fact he tore his robe and shaved his head. These were symbolic gestures of intense mourning. But in the midst of what had to be the absolute worst day in the life of any human being who ever lived, Job's faith in GOD stood as firm as an anchor in an angry sea. 2. Job didn't curse God or shake his fist at God, he fell to the ground and worshiped. 3. In verse 21 Job states one of the most profound truths in all the Bible. I came naked from my mother s womb, he said, and I shall have nothing when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were His to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21 The Living Bible)

12 4. Don't miss the truth here! We must worship THE GIVER and not the gift! Everything we own in this life doesn't truly belong to us; it belongs to GOD. GOD has entrusted us to be stewards of those things He has placed in our care; our mate, our children, our grandchildren, our parents, our possessions, it all belongs to GOD, and the GIVER reserves the right to recall what rightfully belongs to Him whenever He chooses. 5. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said it so eloquently... You say that illness took your loved ones life. Perhaps that was the immediate cause, but if you can realize the illness was only the instrument in God's hand to transfer your loved one from your care to His, it will help dry your tears. Also, once we accept that GOD has done something, we will not complain. It must be right because the LORD did it. We may not know why, but He knows, and that is enough for us. God deserves our praise as much when He takes away as when He gives, for there is as much love in His taking as in His giving. (---edited) (Spurgeon's Commentary on The Greatest Chapters of the Bible, p. 38, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan,Copyright 1998)

13 6. That statement in verse 22 is like the exclamation point on this Great Chapter of The Bible. 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. 7. That is a powerful statement! How many of us, who have suffered far less than JOB have blamed God or become angry with God, or accused God of not loving us when something bad happened in our lives? 8. Which do you think brings more glory and honor to GOD...to spare us from all trouble and sorrow...or to uphold us...and strengthen us...and sustain us in the midst of our troubles and sorrows? 9. JOB knew the answer to that question, and even in the midst of the greatest devastation ever experienced by one human being, JOB DID NOT SIN NOR CHARGE GOD WITH WRONG! ************************************************************ C O N C L U S I O N As we close out this GREAT CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE I want to leave you with this closing thought. Job's experience teaches us that even though we may not understand all of the reasons for our suffering in this life, we can trust that GOD is in control! GOD'S ways are always perfect! And if GOD allows suffering or loss or trouble to come into our life, we don't need to know why, we simply need to trust and obey.