The Devil’s Devices

(From Luxury To Landfill(Job)

Job Real person (Job 1:1; Ezk.14:14, 20) Lived in Uz (1:1)

East (1:3) Edom? (Teman, 2:11)

Patriarchal period

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, You who dwell in the land of Uz! – Lam.4:21

I. Job’s Attributes

1. Blameless Not sinlessly perfect Whole; upright

• Partial = immature, imperfect (Mt.5)

Lord

Fam. Gov.

?

1. Blameless

2. Upright Straight, i.e., not crooked / perverse

Jg.17:6 “What you see is what you get”

1. Blameless2. Upright

3. Feared God Fear, reverence, honor

1. Blameless2. Upright

3. Feared God

4. Turned away from evil Turn aside Pr.3:7

1. Blameless2. Upright

3. Feared God4. Turned away from evil

5. Family man, 2, 4-5 Concerned over children’s spiritual

status – especially at parties Job, priest of family Regular practice

Before Moses No written revelation

1. Blameless2. Upright

3. Feared God4. Turned away from evil

5. Family man, 2, 4-5

6. Rich Multitudes, 3 Each son owned a house, 4

Yet, he is righteous

1. Blameless2. Upright

3. Feared God4. Turned away from evil

5. Family man, 2, 4-56. Rich

7. Respected, popular judgeJob 29:7-25

I. Job’s Attributes

II. Job’s Adversary

Job 1:6-126: ‘sons of God’ – heavenly context7: 1 Pt.5:88: God ‘rubs it in’ (Ac.1:24)9-10: satan the cynic

“For nothing?” [rich uncle]“Hedge” [invisible fence]

Slanders God (bribery) and Job (price)

Admits Job’s moralsAttacks Job’s motives

Job 1:6-126: ‘sons of God’ – heavenly context7: 1 Pt.5:88: God ‘rubs it in’ (Ac.1:24)9-10: satan the cynic11: curse (lit.: bless) 5; 1 K.21:10; Ps.10:312: God in control, not satan

Gn.3: promises pleasure to enticeJob: provides pain to break him

I. Job’s Attributes

III. Job’s Afflictions

II. Job’s Adversity

Job 1:13-19What did Job lose?

Wealth (happy occasion – birthday?)Two natural disastersTwo man-made disasters

Job cannot recover from one shock before hearing another

Job 2WealthHealth, 2:4-8

Formerly, fence; now, flesh7: one big sore; 8

Variety of symptoms:7:4-5, sleep, skin, worms,

7:14, nightmares19:20, weight loss30:30, skin, bones

Job 2 . . . Wealth Health, 2:4Wife, 2:9-10Friends, 2:11-13 / 19:13-19Reputation, 4:7; 30:1… [Jn.9:2; Lk.13]Peace of mind, 10:2

I. Job’s Attributes

IV. Job’s Approval

II. Job’s Adversity

III. Job’s Afflictions

1. God honored JobTrusted him to disprove satan’s lies (1:9, 20; 2:3)

1 Pt.1:6-71 Pt.2:12 Job

Worship1:20

Self-control2:10

Teaches us how to respondin time of crisis

1. God honored Job

2. Job trusted GodIn prosperityIn adversity

42:3 – Does not explain sufferingDoes not justify God’s ways w. manExtols deep faith in spite of suffering

42:5, ‘now my eye sees You…’42:6 – maturity agonizes over sin

1 Very idea of judging God is absurd2 Job loves God more than ‘things’

(Gn.22)

1. God honored Job2. Job trusted God

3. God defended Job42:7-8 – “My servant” [1 Pt.5:7]

o Christians boast in cross of Christo God boasts in His children

Job’s friends were not the last people who thought they

were speaking for God

1. God honored Job2. Job trusted God

3. God defended Job

4. Satan, our adversaryWants to destroy us

Lk.13:…162 Co.12:7-10. God overrules for good

Conclusions1. God allowed Job to suffer in order to . . .

2. Moses’ law required double restoration for stealing ‘ox, donkey, or sheep’ (Ex.22:4)

1 counter satan’s slanders2 comfort sufferers. Ja.5:11

Conclusions3. God is worthy of worship at all times, 1:20

4. God does not explain suffering; trust, 42:3

5. To see God, first see ourselves, 42:5-6

6. Easier to see other’s faults, 42:7-9

7. It’s not all bad; somewhere a Job…