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Q & A MAY THE NAME OF THE LORD BE PRAISED

Job0121qa.txt
Job: 1:1 - 2:10
Key Verse: 1:21

Through this study thanks and praise should come forth. We have many things to be thankful for. Instead of thinking, “Why me,” in times of difficulty we should praise God. God dispels complaints from our hearts when we have deep thanksgiving.

1. What was Job’s relationship with God? (1:1)

In verse 1, the passage says that Job was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. To shun evil means to completely avoid it at all costs. It is difficult to say that we are blameless and upright in this generation, think of recent politicians, like Rod Blagojevich, Elliot Spitzer, or John Edwards.

This shows that Job had a clear priority in life and lived a clear Godly life. Job had obtained status in the world but had his status in God.

How had God blessed him? (2–3)

Job had seven sons and three daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and a large number of servants. The passage says he was the greatest man among the people of the East. This Bible only mentions two other people who were upright and blameless before God, Noah and Daniel. God had guided Job and given him good things. As Job sought God and feared him, God enabled him to become great in the spirit of God. Job was also fruitful as God commanded in Genesis.

How and why would he have a purification ceremony for his children? (4–5)

Verse 4 and 5, “His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.”

He would go after them to make sure everything was right before God after their time of celebrating. He really loved his children and wanted them to receive God’s blessing and have the same relationship. Job valued their spiritual condition over his possessions.

In the midst of such abundant blessings, how could his children possibly dare to curse God in their hearts? (Ro1:21)

Romans 1:21
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Because of the great fortune of his family, the children used to have parties. Also sometimes rich children and children raised in the church are spoiled and complain to God.
His children might not have the same fear of God and relationship that Job had so Job offered a sacrifice just in case his children sinned. He saw sin as serious against God, not a light thing to be excused because of children.

2. How did God express his delight in Job? (8)

Verse 8, “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’” Satan is roaming around looking for people to devour but Job was upright in the world.

How did Satan question Job’s integrity? (9–10)

Verse 9-10, “’Does Job fear God for nothing?’ Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.’”

Satan charged the Job’s righteousness was selfishness. That Job was only righteous because God had blessed him financially. Satan accused Job’s righteousness as evil. Satan was Jealous.

What did he try to incite God to do? (11)

Verse 11, “But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Satan wanted God to take away all of Job’s abundance and wealth and good things to prove that Job would curse God to his face – that Job’s righteousness was fake – it was only self serving because God was bribing Job.

What can we learn here about Satan and the way he works? (Eph6:12; Rev12:10)

Ephesians 6:12
“For our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Revelation 12:10
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power of the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night has been hurled down.’”

Satan’s name means accuser, he is a divider. Satan wants to destroy us because we are made in God’s image. Satan attempts to distort righteousness as self-serving and separate man from God day and night.

About the Lord? (12; Da4:17)

Verse 12, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.’”

Daniel 4:17
“The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.”

We can learn here that God is sovereign over all, even the devil needs permission to do something to Job.

How does this comfort God’s people in times of trial? (1Co10:13)

1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

God lets us know that all things happen for his good purpose. Also he lets us know that God provides a way out of all temptation. We can learn that God is faithful. We learn that God knows our struggles. Also we learn that this is a time to experience God’s deliverance and power.

3. What suddenly happened to all Job’s property and children? (13–19)

Suddenly, Satan did not wait. In the matter of minutes, Job’s camels, oxen, sheep, servants, and even his 10 children were all taken away in a matter of moments. Satan really struck at the heart of Job. Satan made this personal in taking everything form Job.
How would most people react to such an overwhelming personal disaster?

Perhaps some people would die at all this news in the span of mere minutes. Most people would blame God and shout, “Why?!” Most people would be overcome with uncontrollable sorrow. Some blame others, some in this financial crisis lose control indulging in drugs and the internet. Some even commit suicide.

What did Job do first? (20)

Verse 20, “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship” Job came to God with his grief in worship. He did not lose faith.

Next? (21)

Verse 21, “and said; Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job came with nothing and would leave with nothing. It is not easy to remember God in disaster.

At such a moment, how could he not curse but praise God?

It looks amazing that Job did not curse God. But Job did not have a sense of entitlement, instead he recognized God’s sovereignty and the owner and giver of all things. If we recognize God in times of trouble then we grow in faith.

At all times God’ loves us. Job suffered but he glorified God. Job was mournful but also thankful for all God had given him. Job could worship and even praise God in this tragedy because Job knew God’s character.

Job really had to know God and rely on God in this time, otherwise a man of weak faith would be crushed by these circumstances. A man whose faith was based on his check book and prosperity would lose his faith as fast as he lost everything.

4. How did God delight in Job even more? (2:1–3)

Verse 2:1-3, “On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ ‘Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.’ Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who dears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, thought you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”

Praising God in times of suffering pleases God. God said there is no one like him. Even after losing everything, Job was still blameless and upright. Job’s righteousness was vindicated to God’s delight.

What did Satan want to take away from Job this time? (4–5)

Verse 4 and 5, “Skin for Skin! Satan replied. ‘A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.“

This time Satan went after personal comfort. We learn here that we should not look at suffering only but look at God. Satan wanted to prove that Job was not righteous but selfish in preserving himself. Many people who suffer for long periods with painful time give up hope and curse God because of their suffering.

What does this reveal about his main work? (1Pe5:8; Rev12:9)

1 Peter 5:8
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Revelation 12:9
“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

The devil wants to drive a wedge between man and God. The devil’s whole job is to accuse and destroy man. He is roaming around looking for people to destroy. Satan is the enemy of God and wants to destroy God’s people.

What did God allow Satan to do? (6)

Verse 6, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”

In order to show that Job’s righteousness was based in God and not physical health and finances, God let Satan test Job. Here we learn that we must find our answer in God. Most of the time we don’t know why something is happening. God gives us over sometimes for refining and testing but often we do not know his divine purpose for suffering. But it is always in God’s hands.

5. Describe Job’s pitiful condition under Satan’s torment (7–8; cf. 2:12b–13).

Verse 7-8, “So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles d his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.”

Verses 2:12b-13, “they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”

Almost Christ like in his passion. Job was so painful he couldn’t do anything. Like when you had the chicken pox as a kid or when you have a strong headache and it hurts just to move and inch. His friends could not even recognize him because he was suffering so much under Satan’s torment.

What discouraging thing did his wife say to him? (9)

Verse 9, “His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

Satan was working through Mrs. Job. She too was carrying the same burden as Job, but she also had to take care of him and pay the medical bills. Many people crack under this pressure. Marriage is the closest relationship between two people and Satan works to attack our faith through attacking our marriage sometimes.

How did he respond to her? (10)

Verse 10, “He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”

Even in Job’s great suffering and wondering why God had abandoned him, he did not curse God. He rebuked his wife for having such a wrong idea and spiritual attitude. Her foundation was not it God but in her circumstances and she was then crushed by the tragedy and gave bad advice.

What was Job’s integrity? (13:15a)

Verse 13:15a, “Though he may slay me, yet I will hope in him;”

His integrity is that he hopes in God his faith was personal in spite of his wife. Accepting trouble is not so easy, but those who do grow in their faith. Job’s hope, his standard, his integrity does not waver.

6. Finally when Job kept his integrity, how much did God bless him? (42:7-17)

7 After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver [a] and a gold ring.

12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.

Job was doubly blessed when he kept his integrity before God. Here we learn that God takes care of those who are faithful.

What can we learn here about what we should do even in the midst of unbearable sufferings?

We should repent and praise God. The only thing we can do is praise God for all the good he has given. Even if we suffer, know that we are in God’s hands and praise him. Otherwise we curse God and die, if not physically then spiritually.

What can we learn here about praising and thanking God? (1Th5:16–18; Hab3:17–18)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Habakkuk 3:17-18
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

We MUST give thanks to God otherwise our hearts curse God.

Why is it so important to accept God’s sovereignty?

If we do not accept God’s sovereignty then we cannot but curse God to his face if our situation goes bad and base our faith on our physical material blessings. If we accept his sovereignty we have peace even in difficult times and can praise the Lord no matter what happens. The Lord becomes the focus of our life and his sovereignty.

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