Rev. Stuart Orr brought the message.
Job 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.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; 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.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan 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 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 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. 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.13 And there was a day when his 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 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.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.20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,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.22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Think about the credentials given to Job in verse 1. He loved the Lord. Not often do you see one called perfect and upright. He stood for the right and wasn’t afraid to tell people when they did wrong. How often do we go to God for our children? Job did it often. Verse 5 verifies that he went to God for them. One day God called the hosts of heaven in and guess who also came—Satan himself. He was once an archangel. He had a great name among the angels and pride entered into him. Without the divine protection of God, we’d all be destroyed whether saved or lost. Satan had been going back and forth in the earth. Hear the bold accusation Satan made against God in verse 11. Yes. We are protected by the hedge of God. Yes Satan accuses us to God. His methods haven’t changed. I’m sure my name has come up. Look at what God allowed Satan to do to Job.
God allows the times to come that test us. Abraham was told to sacrifice his only son. It was not until he was 100 that he got the promised son. God allows things to happen to show how much we love him. Calvary shows how much he loved us. Twelve legions of angels—12,000—were ready to come to his rescue. Destruction would have been swift. The plan was laid out and in the Garden Jesus said not my will but thine be done. He knew that he needed to die. Regardless of what goes on in life, God is still worthy of our praise.
In Corinthians Paul listed his trials and sufferings. His body hurt. What did he do? He dusted off and went back to preaching. He knew the saving of souls and the establishment of the church was worth the suffering. The world watches us when we go through our trials. They wait for us to slip up. Our suffering testifies that we still love the Lord.
The old devil showed back up before God. Job came up again. Satan had taken things and family away but he said that because Job still had his health he wouldn’t curse God. So God allowed Satan to attack the body of Job. He still praised God. He got discouraged. His wife told him to curse God and die. She had lost it all too. Job’s friends wanted to know what he had done wrong for the Lord to afflict him. They told him to confess. Job cursed the day he was born. God got hold of him and asked Job where he was when the world was created. Job had to confess he wasn’t around. In the end of his life Job had more than what he started with.
There will be trouble on every side but the Lord is always there. The world will come to an end. Read the book of Revelation—no more separations, no more trials and sufferings. Don’t let things of this life separate you from God. The choice is yours.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 