This past month for us – it’s been all about faith. Satan will attack that faith relentlessly. He will attack a church elder, including a pastor, in order for that person to throw their hands up and throw in the towel.
And if he can’t get the person, he’ll attack those close to him.
I mentioned Job before but let’s look at this person deeply.
At the beginning of the book, we’re introduced to the man. From the New King James, Job chapter 1, the first five verses…
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer 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 Job did regularly.
Now we see that Job resides in “the land of Uz.” There are differing opinions as to where this land was. What is in agreement is that it’s to the east, and it was probably east of present day Jordan and south of present day Syria.
What is important in this passage isn’t where Uz was located, but where Job stood when it came to his family and where he stood financially.
Job was a family man and the patriarch of the family. He had ten kids, seven sons and three daughters. He also had a sizable stable of animals, worth a sizable sum of money. He was the richest man in the area.
The sons would each take a day and throw a feast, and invite the sisters over to join them – and in the morning, Job, being the man of God that was (see the first verse – upright and blameless and feared God), he would offer sacrifices, in the event that any of them may have cursed God.
We, as parents today, we pray for our kids and grandchildren for salvation, and their safety – Job was no different.
As the husband and father, he was the priest of the household. Satan hates people who dedicate their lives to serving God and leading their families in the right way.
We see this in verses six to twelve…
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not you a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it hundreds of times, Satan can do nothing unless God allows it – and this is a perfect example.
After God shows him the blameless Job, Satan asks God, please let me take away everything he has – his riches and possessions and those he loves – that he would sin and curse God.
God says ok, with the stipulation that Satan can’t kill Job.
See that? Satan asks to test, and God in this case gives the green light.
Verses 13-22, Satan sets about his work, and Job’s reaction
Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans (people of Sheba, an enemy) raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed 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 fell 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, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed 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, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly 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 are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Oxen and donkeys, stolen; servants killed; sheep and more servants killed; camels stolen and the last of the servants killed.
His wealth – gone in an instant.
Even worse than that – all of his children are taken and killed off – surely, this is enough for anyone to curse God.
Nope, not Job – I came into this world with nothing, and I can’t take it with me – blessed be the name of the Lord!
How many of you could say that if this happened to you? I’d venture to say, not many, if any of you. I’ll be honest with you, I’d have a very hard time saying that.
What do those game show announcers say? “But wait, there’s more!”
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Remember what I said about Satan getting quite perturbed when he doesn’t get his way in swaying an unbeliever. Job was not swayed. Satan wasn’t finished with Job, not just yet. But again, he needs God’s permission to afflict anyone – and that includes Job.
Satan wants to afflict his health for surely he’ll curse God then. God green lights this too, again that Satan cannot kill him.
Job is afflicted with painful boils from his head to his feet. He scraped them with a piece of pottery.
His wife now comes along to help Satan seal the deal… curse God an die already. His response was just like the first in chapter, that we can’t accept good, there has to bad as well, we shall praise the name of the Lord.
Again, I ask you. You’ve lost everything, you’ve lost your health, and your spouse is encouraging you to gravely sin. What do you do?
Think about that truthfully. It’s easy to say that you’d be just fine, but very much doubt that anyone, and I mean any one of you would think, “I just can’t take this anymore.”
Get real for a moment.
It would be forty chapters of back and forth between friends telling him that he must have sinned to bring all of this on himself, to having it out with God Himself, who pretty much sets Job straight. We don’t have the time to do an expository study on the entire book – but I encourage you to read it.
Job finally repents, and God restores his fortunes double, and has seven sons and three daughters.
All because he didn’t sin.
Why do I go through this mini study?
Let’s say that Satan loves to go for the head first, then try to work his way down. One chink in our armor, Satan gets in, and there goes the leadership, of the family, of the church.
On top of everything else we as a family have endured, that sprain wrist of Jeannie’s was actually a fracture. The urgent care center got it wrong.
We decided to get out of the house and check out a new store not far from home. We found that they have these shopping carts with wheels that lock up if you try to take them out of the store. I can use a shopping cart as a walker – I get exercise that way. As I was making my way to Jeannie, the cart wheels locked up when they shouldn’t have, sending the cart sideways, and me to the floor.
You see how Satan works?
One problem after another, after another, after another – all to get me to curse God. Once I do that, I’m sure that a lot of this could subside, but what about my eternal future, what about my testimony?
Ministry means the world to me, and seeing a soul surrendering to Jesus and repenting gives me the biggest thrill.
So to Satan, I say, “Bring it on!” I will not curse God – ever.
I love my Lord Jesus.
When y’all surrendered your lives to Jesus, you made a commitment to Jesus. You’re going to see stuff thrown at you too. Maybe your family. Don’t you dare curse God. That’s the time to sing your praises louder.
No one wants this. I certainly don’t. I just know that it’s part of this walk with Jesus. I know He’ll see me through it.
He’ll see you through it too.
The #Heb10 Church 