JOB

I. How a Godly Husband Deals . . .

A. With His Children

1. ( 1:2, 4 ), “And 7 sons and 3 daughters were born to him … And his sons used to go hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.”

a. A godly husband will teach his children that “family” is one of God's greatest blessings!
1) ( Psa. 127:3 ), “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.”
2) The love that Job's children share for each other is a testament to the work of Job and his wife.
3) Family is God's basic unit of society. Our marriage illustrates the intimacy God want to have with us, ( Eph. 5:31-32 ), “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” ; children's relationship with their parents promotes societal harmony, ( 6:1-3 ), “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”
4) The love we have in God's family is what He wants in our own family, ( I Jn. 4:7-8 ), “Beloved, let us love one another for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is
love."

2. ( v. 5 ) “. . . when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and conse- crate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the
number of them all; for Job said, ‘Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job did continually.”
a. The book of Job was written before God gave “The Law” to Moses.
1) Therefore, since there was not yet a Levitical priesthood, each man was called to be a priest.
2) Today, all of God's people are part of His priesthood, ( I Pt. 2:9a ), “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,”

3) Therefore, the godly husband will continue to offer up prayers for his children and train them in the ways of God, ( Eph. 6:4 ), “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

B. With His Possessions

1. Job was a wealthy man, perhaps the wealthiest among all the people of his time.
a. ( 1:3 ), “His possessions were also 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.”
1) There are many who can withstand adversity, but only a few can deal with prosperity.
2) Remember, money is spiritually neutral. It is how we use/contemplate it that defines us.

3) The Lord speaks to us today and says, ( I Tim. 6:17-18 ), “Instruct those who are rich in in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches,
but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.”
4) We see these qualities in Job, ( Job 29:12 ), “I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the orphan who had no helper.” ; (Jms. 1:27), “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

C. With Adversity (four types of adversity Job faced)

1. Job faced financial adversity a. ( Job 1:14-17 ), “A messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you.'”
1) Because of the Scripture Reading, we know that Satan used his power to do these things!
2) Satan believes something about people (us!). He believes we do all that we do in order for God to reward us! Ask yourself the question, “Would you still be faithful if God didn't bless you with any earthly blessings? Would God still be worthy of your/our worship?”
3) Yet picture yourself in Job's sandals! All that he had of financial wealth was taken in one day!


2. Job faced emotional adversity
a. ( Job 1:18-19 ), “While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, and behold
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 died; and I alone have escaped to tell you.'”
1) The loss of a child is one of the greatest pains a parent would ever have to endure! Imagine the loss of all of your children in a single moment??!
2) It seems like one of the greatest trials God allows is the death of a child; Adam and Eve (Abel), Abraham (asked to take the life of Isaac), David and Bathsheba's illegitimate son, as well as the death of Absalom, ( II Sam. 18:33 ), “O my son Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son.” Etc.!

3) Of Job the text says, ( Job 1:20-22 ), “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.' Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”
4) While Satan said he would, “Curse You to Your face” ( 1:11 ), instead Job “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

3. Job faced physical adversity
a. ( Job 2:4-5,7 ), “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give in exchange for his life. However, put forth Your hand, now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.'” Then Satan left the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”
1) This was not his only affliction: ( 19:17 ) “My breath is offensive to my wife,” ( 19:20 ) “My bone clings to my skin and my flesh” – weight loss, ( 30:30 ) “My skin turns black on me, and my bones burn with fever.”
2) His pain was so great that he fled to the city dump to hide from people. His only comfort was to take broken pieces of pottery to scrape the boils and relieve the pressure, ( 2:8 ), “He took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the
ashes.”
3) Yet Job did not curse his spiritual situation, but he did curse his physical situation.
( 3:1 ), “Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.”

4. Job faced marital adversity a. ( Job 2:9 ), “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!'”
1) Poor Mrs. Job. She takes a lot of heat for this (probably explains why Satan let her live)!
2) But let us understand some things; she also had lost everything (money, children, and now even the seeming loss of her husband).
3) She had bought into Satan's lie perhaps was motivated by a false compassion, believing that her husband would curse God, then He would in turn kill him and end his suffering!
b. But Job responds to her and says, ( Job 2:10 ), “‘You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

D. With His Friends

1. Three of Job's friends came to “comfort” him. They believed God was punishing Job for something evil he had done. So how do you respond to your friends when they believe something about you that is wrong?!
a. Eliphaz asked, ( Job 4:7-8 ), “Whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed? According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who
sow trouble harvest it.”
1) We have seen the source of Job's troubles – and it is not Job!!
2) In three cycles of threes Job continually tries to reason with his friends, but to no avail!
3) ( Job 6:10, 14 ), “I have not denied the words of the Holy One … For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend.”
b. How do you respond to your “friends” who mistreat you, or who believe false things about you?!
1) ( Matt. 5:46 ), “If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same?”
2) Yet, Jesus not only told us what we need to do, He also demonstrated it!
3) ( Jn. 13:11-12 ), “Jesus knew the one who was betraying Him … And so when He had washed their [all the disciples – including Judas] feet, and had taken His garments, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you?'” Clearly, one thing He did
was to show how we are to serve, even our adversaries!

4) Regarding those who crucified Him, Jesus said, ( Lk. 23:34 ), “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” 

CONCLUSIONS:

1. A godly husband understands that his role as an example is equally as important as his role as a leader !
a. Thus, we are to exemplify before our wife and our children the way God would have us…
1) Treat Others
2) Deal with the possessions God has entrusted to us
3) Handle adversity


2. During times of adversity, a lot of husbands today generally say, “ HOW can I get out of this?” When what they ought to be saying, is, “ WHAT can I get out of this?”
a. God still allows there to be trials in our lives so that we can grow and become more like our Lord, ( Jms. 1:2-4 ), “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.'
1) A history teacher once said, “If Columbus would have turned back, nobody would have blamed him– but nobody would have remembered him either!”
2) Sometimes we have to be miserable in order to be memorable!
3) Adversity doesn't create character – rather, adversity reveals the character that a person has!!!

3. Rainbows come AFTER storms!
a. ( Job 42:12 ), “And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning, and he had 14,000 sheep, and 6,000 camels, and 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.” Double what he had in the beginning!
b. God even allowed Mrs. Job to get what was coming to her, ( Job 42:13 ), “And he had seven sons and three daughters.” This also is a doubling. For while the livestock will one day cease to exist, Job's first ten kids are awaiting him in heaven and he will be joined there by his second group of ten!
c. He was even vindicated before his three “friends.” ( Job 42:7-9 ), “Then the Lord spoke to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you
have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.'”

4. In spite of all that Job experienced, he never lost his faith in God!
a. ( Job 19:25 ), “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.”
b. Yet not only is his faith in His Redeemer, for Job knows what God will do for him. ( Job 33:28 ), “He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit and my life shall see the light.”
c. Our Redeemer, Jesus, also desires to redeem your soul from the pit! But He can only do so with your permission. Only those who say they are ready to follow Him and do His will shall be saved!!!! How
about you?! ( Matt. 28:18-20 )! “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'”