1. Godly Devotion for All Seasons

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Hymns: RHC 311 Does Jesus Care? 314 Nearer Still Nearer, 306 Pass Me Not

Job 1:1-5

1There 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. 2And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3His 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. 4And 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. 5And 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. (Job 1:1-5 KJV)

Godly Devotion for All Seasons

OUTLINE

(1) A Christian in Prosperity (1:1-5)

(a) His Character

(b) His Social and Family Life

(c) His Spiritual Life

(2) When Adversity Comes Suddenly (1:13-19, 7b-9)

(3) A Heavenly Perspective of Christian’s Trials (1:6-12, 2:1-2:7a)

(4) Responses to Adversity (1:20-22, 2:9-13)

 

INTRODUCTION

The book of Job is a biography of a suffering saint and the story of the triumph of faith, deep-water faith. When sufferings increase, faith must be proportionally increased. His faith can be described as unflinching, undeterred and unyielding in the face of the fiercest attacks to his faith in God.

The name Job means “hated or persecuted” or one who is the “object of enmity” derived from the verb which means “to be hostile”, and to mean “cruelly or hostilely treated”.

The book of Job is a doctrinal book, a book thick on the doctrine of faith. If you were to observe the content page of your Bible, you will notice the Old Testament consist of 17 historical books and 17 prophetic books sandwiched between 5 experiential books – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. These five poetic books that deal with the individual human heart teaches us practical day to day Christian living right between two groups of 17s, at the very heart of the Old Testament. I believe it is not an accident but providentially designed by God. And the first book in the heart of the Old Testament is the book of Job and the overarching doctrine taught is that of faith. Faith in times of suffering.

We begin our Christian life by that first step of faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We begin in faith we grow from faith to faith and end also in faith or by faith.

The story begins on a happy note (1:1-5) and ends with a happy note (42:12-17). In between are the life transforming events that shaped and changed his perspective of life forever. There is much we can learn from Job’s trials especially in dealing with setbacks from the comments of people around us. This is the bulk of the book from chapters 3-37. If we were to focus on the first and last chapters and fail to study how Job dealt with difficult people in his affliction – we will miss the many precious lessons which can be gleaned hidden from the text. May the Lord help us to see the richness of these verbal encounters between with Job and his friends!

(1) A Christian in Prosperity (1:1-5)

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.

(a) His Character

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.

“Perfect and upright” – holy and blameless, not sinless but he examined himself and confess his sins before God.

“Fear God and eschewed evil” – understood that God will judge sin and understands the holiness of God and seek not to fall under God’s wrath. He hated every evil and wicked way.

His piety prepared him for the adversity to come.

(b) His Social and Family Life

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.

“A very great household…was the greatest of all the men of the east.” – He was materially well-off and a prominent person in society.

Job understood Jesus’ words to beware of covetousness. He did not set his heart on riches was steadfast in his devotion to God – Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. He set not his affection on the things of this world.

Colossians 3:2-3 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

In fact, he was one who was a helper to the poor and a good steward of his wealth.

“Seven sons and three daughters” – He was also well endowed by God with 10 children, Psalms 127:3-5 “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

The children enjoyed the fruits of their wealth in periodic feastings.

(c) His Spiritual Life (v5)

5 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.

He interceded for his children before God continually. He was a caring father to his children, concerned with the spiritual well-being. He acted as a mediator before God for his children.

“He rose up early in the morning..thus did Job continually” – speaks of his devout life.

Since he does everything right in the sight of God, isn’t life supposed to go on smoothly?

To be continued…

Series on the Book of Job

  • Job’s Adversity (Job 1-2)
  • Job’s Perplexity (Job 3)
  • Job’s Defence – First Round (Job 4-10)
  • Job’s Defence – First Round (Job 11-14)
  • Job’s Defence – Second Round (Job 15-17)
  • Job’s Defence – Second Round (Job 18-21)
  • Job’s Defence – Third Round (Job 22-24)
  • Job’s Defence – Third Round (Job 25-31)
  • Job’s Defence – Third Round (Job 31-37)
  • Job’s Deliverance (Job 38-42)