FOUR OPINIONS OF JOB
By Burton Scott
TEXT – Job 1:6 – 2:10
INTRO. – We want to look this hour at the Book of Job. It is regarded as the oldest book in the Bible, written before Genesis was written by Moses. The Book of Job superbly answers in part the question, “Why do the godly suffer?”. We will see a part of the answer in the text we have before us. Our text gives us four opinions of the man Job and in these four opinions is a message for us from God to each of us.
I. LOOK AT THE ATTITUDE OF GOD TOWARD JOB – Ch.1:6-8, 2:3
It is God who brings the devil’s attention to Job. I believe the reason is that God delights in finding people who
so love and trust him so he can rub it under the devil’s nose. Most people are sold out to self, Satan, or the world.
This includes many so called Christians. Many Christians are not fully surrendered to Jesus so when the Lord God finds a true dedicated, separated believer, he likes to brag on him to the devil. Most of us like to be bragged on to the place some of us brag on ourselves. How many of us are interested in God braging on us or how many can he brag on if he wanted to.
Job was a man who God could brag on. Vs.8 says he was “perfect” which means he was mature and upright (but not
sinless).
Have you ever thought that maybe some of the trials, testings, and temptations that God has allowed you to face
has been for the purpose of showing the devil and others that you will stay true to God at all costs. God wants more than fair weather Christians.
II. LOOK AT THE ATTITUDE OF SATAN TOWARD JOB – 1:9-11, 2:4-5
In Chapter 1 of Job, Satan comes into the presence of God from roaming the earth. Somehow the devil has access to
the presence of God. He cannot enter heaven but he can as a creature have access to the Creator. His name “Satan” is found 52 times in the Bible but the name devil is found only in the New Testament and then only 36 times. Both “devil” and “Satan” mean enemy or adversary in the sense of being an accuser. He is found here living up to his name. Satan only speaks three times in all the Bible yet his footprint crosses every page. Here he speaks and accuses man to God. In Gen. 3 he assures God to man. In Matt. 4 at the temptation of Christ he accuses the God-Man.
We see here that Satan has not been living in a monastery. He works and lives where man lives and he knows
human nature as no other.
What is Satan’s attitude toward man? Does Job fear God for nothing? Absolutely not! Job is outwardly decent because he is being paid to be. Job does not love you God for what and who you are but only for what he can get out of you. The devil knows human nature and knows most people are just this way. Let problems come, let sickness come and they will curse God to his face as verse 11 says. Satan tells God to take away the protection and he will show God what Job is really like.
So God does just that — vs. 1: 12 – 19
Job lost his possessions – vs. 14
Job lost his wealth – vs. 16
Job lost his animals – vs. 17
Job lost his children – vs. 18 – 19
Not all death is due to God and not all troubles come from God but all things do come with God’s permission.
Notice – vs. 22 – Job sinned not. He did not let God down.
In chapter 2 of Job, Satan comes again and God again points out Job as a man God can brag on. See 2: 1-3
Notice what Satan then tells God – 2: 4-5 Satan tells God that in the previous testing of Job he was allowed to touch Job’s possessions and family but not Job himself. If Satan could touch Job personally, Satan figured, Job would forsake God because “skin for skin all that a man hath he will give for his life”. Satan knows many people will
give anything for their lives.
ILL. – Many people will sell their souls to save their skins. Some years ago during a communist scare a man was seen bearing a sign in a protest group which read, “I would rather be Red than dead”.
Do you have a “selling out” price? What would you sell out to the devil for? Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver. Esau sold out for a mess of pottage. What would the devil tell God that you would sell God short for? Look up Rev. 12:9 for the way to overcome the devil on this.
God allowed Satan to test Job again — 2: 6-8
Job was smitten with boils.
Notice Job 2:10 – last part of the verse. Job sinned not.
III. LOOK AT THE ATTITUDE OF JOB’S WIFE – 2: 9 – 10
This looks like a family argument with the wife giving up and the husband lashing back at her but this is not the
case. In fact, it is the woman who is more likely to stand by in time of tragedy than the man. Notice her words – “curse God and die”. Many of us have given the same advice. Oh, not with our lips but by our indifference and carelessness. There are parents who say this to their children by getting interested in other things and no longer having time for church and the things of God. They renounce God by putting him in second place. Some have put Job’s wife among the worst of women. Some have made her the instrument of the devil. I believe she spoke out of deep and tender love for Job. Her faith in God went to pieces, not her love for Job. She saw the boils and pain he went through. She also lost the things that he did. The children were hers too. The possessions were hers too. She just could not understand how God could allow such pain on a man like Job. Job calls her foolish. I believe this was spoken in love also. It was a gentle rebuke. She was foolish too. She could not see where pain and suffering could be
consistent with the love of God. She thought that getting rid of God would get rid of the evil it seemed God had sent. She was foolish because to renounce God is to renounce all hope.
IV. LOOK AT THE ATTITUDE OF JOB – 1:20-22 and 2:10
Job kept trusting God until the end. True faith will trust God when all looks bad with no way out. True faith trusts God when it seems God has forsaken you. Look at a few outstanding verses in the Book of Job.
Job 1:21 – The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.
Job 13:15 – Though he slay me, yet shall I trust in him.
Job 19:25-27 – I know that my Redeemer liveth…
Job 23:10 – But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
IN CLOSING —
God blessed Job for his faithfulness and God will bless you and I for our faithfulness.
Look at the end of Job’s life after all the trials and testings seen here are over.
Read Job 42: 12 – 17
Does Job fear God for nothing? Absolutely not!
