Job: What do we need to learn from him?
As with all the great men of the Bible, there are wonderful lessons we can learn from them all. Such is certainly the case with this man named Job.
I guess a lot of people have heard comments about “the patience of Job.” But what is this comment about? It is about the fact that despite suffering that was apparently greater than anyone has ever experienced over quite a long period of time, he maintained his faith and his trust in God. Haven’t you heard people ask the question— “If there really is a God, why does He allow all the suffering in the world?” As you’ll see in his story, Job apparently handled it as well as anyone ever has. But it is suffering itself that people often speak of as good reason [or an excuse] not to believe in God. But this was not the path Job took. If there was ever a person who suffered beyond anything any of us could ever even imagine, it was this man, Job.
All this that occurred in Job’s life was around 1700 B.C. in a place called the land of Uz not long after the occasion of Abraham expressing his willingness to offer up Isaac as a sacrificial offering. Job’s father was Zareh, a descendant of Esau. Job’s mother was Bosorra, and he was said to be the fifth generation from Abraham.
Let’s look at the things said about Job in the first two chapters of the book of Job—
Job 1:1-22
1 There WAS a man in the land of Uz [near the region of Edom, which corresponds to modern-day southwestern Jordan and southern Israel], whose name was Job; [meaning this is not a parable or a fictitious story] and that man was perfect [blameless] and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed [SUR = resisted or turned away from] evil.
2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
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.
4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day [when they had a birthday]; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
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 [meaning he was a faithful believer].
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God [speaking in this case of angels] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan [the highest-ranking angel of them all] came also among them.
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.
8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect [TAM = consistent (a man of integrity)] and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge [SUK = fence] 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.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
This “hedge” he speaks of is so important. We all need to realize that God does this for every believer even today. If Satan and his angels could destroy us, they would. But even though so many believers are not conscious of it, God protects us from them. Therefore, we have sound reasons to relax about them. Fear of them is not to be a part of our thinking.
2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. [Emphasis added]
Then we have more of this marvelous story in Job 1—
12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself [his body] put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
One very important thing this story is telling us is that Satan is a real creature. At one time he was one of God’s angels who served Him faithfully. For more information about him, please see my articles about him—
Satan: What are the basics about him?
Satan: What does he look like?
Satan: What is his origin, name, and/or titles?
Satan: Why does God allow him to exist?
Satan has been given by God great power. But unlike God his power is quite limited and always under God’s control. As well illustrated in this story of Job, he can’t do anything without God’s permission. That is clearly seen in this story.
13 And there was a day [Again, this is true history! These things really happened.] when his [Job’s] sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
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.
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God[apparently lightning] is fallen from heaven [the sky], and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
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.
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:
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.
Next, we have the record of Job’s response to all this loss. He first apparently did what people did in that day when they experienced some great loss. But notice what he did after those things.
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle [his clothing], and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and WORSHIPPED,
Yes, HE WORSHIPPED! He doesn’t panic and go into a rage against God, blaming Him for his losses. Instead, we see the display of a fabulous attitude about it all. Then he first makes a statement that is true of us all. But it’s what he says after that that is so significant.
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 [an expression of praise] be the name [speaking of God’s character] of the Lord.
For more information about the use of this terminology— the NAME of the Lord, please see my article about it.
Jesus Christ: What does it mean to believe on his NAME?
Then notice this next statement. It is very important!!! It is a statement that reflects Job’s spiritual maturity.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. [Emphasis added]
I don’t know what you’ve been experiencing but always realize that suffering is something God can use to bring greater blessing into your life than you’ve ever known. I don’t believe there’s a better illustration of that principle in all of Scripture than what we find here in the life of Job. Now let’s move on to the next chapter of this fabulous story.
Job 2:1-13
1 Again there was a day when the sons [angels] of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Among other things we’re again seeing in this story the fact that Satan is a real living creature who is free to roam on the Earth and in a position to not only see what goes on but to affect things like weather conditions and much more.
3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect [having integrity] and an upright man [one who habitually did the right things], one that feareth God, and escheweth [avoids] evil? and still he holdeth fast [maintains] his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin [meaning he serves God only to save his own life], yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
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.
8 And he took him a potsherd [a broken piece of ceramic material] to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
This simply speaks of things done in that time for medicinal purposes.
Next, we’ll see that Job’s wife, instead of serving as the helpmate God intended every woman to be to her husband, Satan uses her to serve as another source of irritation to him.
9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
I have no doubt that her statement was completely out of character for Job’s wife. I believe she was probably very much a reflection of Job as a mature believer. But, as it can happen to anyone, she reacts to what she’s seeing. She loves her man and wants no harm to come to him. Note Job’s response—
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest AS one of the foolish women speaketh. [meaning she’s NOT a foolish woman but she’s acting like one] 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.
Do God’s people in our time ever act like unbelievers? Of course! It happens in every generation. Our apostle Paul warns us all about this in his letter to the Corinthians [1 Corinthians 3:1-3].
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil [a tern used in this case for suffering] 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.
These three “friends” of Job will prove to be no help to him at all. Instead, without them realizing it, they’ll be “pawns” of Satan to bring even more grief to Job.
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not [he was unrecognizable because of all the ulcerated boils on his body], they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven [again, a case of all these things they did being traditional expressions of grief].
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. [Emphasis added]
The book of Job is somewhat long. We need not go through it all in this article to learn its primary lessons. So, here’s a list of truths about Job that can be helpful to us all.
- Job was a man who saw his need to be submissive to God.
- Job was a man who took the initiative to learn about God.
- Job had come to know the true character of God.
- Job had become a source of blessing to all those in his life.
- Job was a hard-working man who had become very wealthy.
- Job was a man who worshipped God and not His creation.
- Job chose to have a positive attitude regardless of his circumstances.
- Job prayed for people and was concerned about their spiritual well-being.
- Job had become consistent in his own manner of life.
- Job serves as a longstanding example to be emulated by us all.
- Job was a blessing to all who knew him.
- Job will be rewarded in eternity for his faithfulness.
God is always faithful to put a hedge, a wall of protection around such people. Only the things God allows will happen to that person. A statement that relates to all this is one that we’ve had framed and in our home for many years. Its author is a man named Alan Redpath. Here’s what he said. I hope his words will be a blessing to you as they have to us—
“There is nothing—no circumstance, no trouble, no testing—that can ever touch me until, first of all it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret—for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is! That is the rest of victory!”
We must always be aware that ultimately it is God who is our shield of protection. This reminds me of young David’s words when he faced Goliath the giant in the Valley of Elah—
1 Samuel 17:45-47
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands. [Emphasis added]
No matter what trials we’re faced with in life, God’s provision is always sufficient to face it. Always!!!
Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Emphasis added]
In case you’re wondering what later happened to Job, here’s the “bottom line” to that. God restored Job’s health and wealth after his period of suffering. The Bible recounts that God healed Job from his sores, restored his possessions, and even blessed him with a larger family than before, including beautiful daughters.
Job 42:12-17
12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
15 And in all the land were no women found so fair [beautiful] as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days. [Emphasis added]
Conclusion—
Job, David, and many others serve as examples for us in both defeat and victory. It is just as our apostle Paul tells us—
Romans 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. [Emphasis added]
We have the writings of Scripture to both inform and reform us in our thinking. That takes time and a lot of study. Heros of the faith are there to direct us in how to learn through both their successes and their failures. God has seen fit to record the details of both. And, again, people like Job, David, and many others are there “for our learning” and that we might have confidence, knowing our Lord will sustain us every step of the way. We must never lose sight of that!
