Leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide can be done in various ways. One format is the “study group” model, where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.

1. Each week the members of the study group read through a selected chapter of the guide, answer the reflection questions (see Appendix 2), and come prepared to share in the group.
2. Prior to each meeting, a different member is selected to lead the group and share his answer to Question 1 of the reflection questions, which is a short summary of the chapter read. This section of the gathering could last from five to fifteen minutes. This way, each member can develop his ability to teach and will be motivated to study harder during the week. Or, each week the same person could share the summary.
3. After the summary has been given, the leader for that week facilitates discussion of the remaining reflection questions and selected questions from the chapter.
4. After discussion, the group shares prayer requests and members pray for one another.

The strength of the study group is that the members are required to prepare their responses before the meeting, allowing for easier discussion. Another is that each member has the opportunity to further develop his ministry skills through teaching. These are distinct advantages.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Writing is one of the best ways to learn. In class, we take notes and write papers, and all these methods are used to help us learn and retain the material. The same is true with the Word of God. Obviously, all of the authors of Scripture were writers. This helped them better learn the Scriptures and also enabled them to more effectively teach it. In studying God’s Word with the Bible Teacher’s Guide, take time to write so you can similarly grow both in your learning and teaching.

1. How would you summarize the main points of the text/chapter? Write a brief summary.
2. What stood out to you most in the reading? Did any of the contents trigger any memories or experiences? If so, please share them.
3. What follow–up questions do you have about the reading? Are there parts you do not fully agree with?
4. What applications did you take from the reading, and how do you plan to implement them in your life?
5. Write several goals: As a result of my time studying God’s Word, I aspire to . . .
6. What are some practical ways to pray as a result of studying the text? Spend some time in prayer.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Introduction

Let’s begin by addressing the title I have chosen for this brief, three-lesson, series on the Book of Job. Is it too much of a stretch to try and link the message of the Book of Job to our current pandemic? I think not. The current pandemic gives us a bit of a handle, a connection if you would, with Job and this book. After all, Job was likely written early in Old Testament history. It was a different time, a different place, something long ago and far away. Living in the 21st century we may have difficulty fixing our minds on the setting and the message of such an ancient text.

The Covid-19 pandemic can serve as a kind of lens, through which we can view the Book of Job. I believe we will see that Job’s circumstances way back in time and our experience with the Corona Virus have a number of similarities, which will help us identify with Job and with his suffering. Because of the current pandemic many people have lost their jobs, and find themselves economically devastated. Job unexpectedly lost all of his wealth in a very short period of time. He, too, was broke. This Corona Virus has taken the lives of friends, neighbors, and relatives, and so there is much grieving going on, around the world. Job lost all of his children in a moment of time. He, too, had much to grieve over. And finally, many of those who are currently infected with the Corona virus are suffering greatly. So, too, with Job, whose suffering took him to the very edge of death. I don’t believe many today could claim that they are suffering as much as Job did, centuries ago, but many are suffering the physical effects of this virus.

The long and the short of all of this is that the adversity Job experienced on an individual level is similar to that which we are now experiencing globally. It was the apostle Paul who wrote these words about comfort and hope:

For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope (Romans 15:4, NET¹).

3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Simply put, Job’s comfort is meant to comfort us in our time of adversity, and to promote our hope and endurance. As God gives us comfort, He expects us to share this with others who are also suffering. So let us listen well to the message which God has for us in the Book of Job.

My Approach In This Brief Series

I do not intend to conduct an in-depth, verse-by-verse exposition of this book. Rather than to dwell on the “gnats” (the minute details) of this book, I intend to focus on the “camels” – the main points of emphasis – of Job (see Matthew 23:23-24). I will seek to summarize the message of Job in three lessons. This first lesson will deal with the first two chapters of Job. The second lesson will be much more challenging, because we will deal with chapters 3-37. And the third lesson will conclude this study by concentrating on chapters 38-42. I believe that this study will be helpful for those who are dealing with suffering. It will also lay a foundation for a more extensive study of this great book.

An Overview Of The Book Of Job

Chapters 1 and 2 set the stage for the rest of the book. The reader is taken up into the heavens to witness a meeting God has with the “sons of God,” the angelic host,² and particularly Satan. Bear in mind that the details of what we read here are not known to Job at the time of his suffering. We are provided with information that was not given to Job,³ making the testing of his faith an even more difficult experience.

In His conversation with Satan, God calls attention to Job and his righteousness. Satan scoffs at this, contending that anyone would worship and serve God if divine blessings, like those Job experienced, were showered on them. Satan then set forth a challenge: Let God take away all of Job’s material blessings, which included his children, as well as his worldly wealth, to see if Job will continue to worship the Lord. Job’s faith held firm, as described in chapter 1. Satan then proposed an even greater test: attack Job directly with great physical affliction. God granted Satan’s request, but with certain limits prescribed. His power to inflict Job with physical suffering could not bring about Job’s death.⁴ Once again Job responds in faith (chapter 2). It is only when Job’s suffering appears to be endless that Job begins to complain and to question God’s purposes. His protests and complaints commence in chapter 3, and continue through chapter 31.

Job then begins to protest and to complain due to his intense and extended suffering. He sees death as preferable to life and wishes that he had never been born, or at least that God would take his life. This opens the door for Job’s three friends to intervene with their “words of wisdom.” From chapters 4 through 31, Job’s friends take turns accusing Job of sin, and urging him to repent, while Job defends himself by maintaining his righteousness. When Job’s three friends give up their accusations, the mysterious Elihu steps in for the next 6 chapters (32-37), rebuking not only Job, but also his three friends.

Finally, beginning in chapter 38 God speaks, for the first time in the book. His focus is primarily on Job, and His lessons come from creation and from nature. By this God humbles Job, till he comes to the realization that he is neither all-wise nor all-powerful, and thus he has no right to speak to God as he has. Job’s final words in 42:1-6 are a humble expression of his repentance. After this, God focuses on Job’s friends, contrasting what they have wrongly spoken of Him, with those things Job has rightly said of Him. Job becomes a mediator for his three friends, so that their sins are forgiven (42:7-9). Finally, God multiplies Job’s material and physical blessings (42:10-17).

The Focus Of This Message

In this message I have purposed to focus on four main subjects: Job, Satan, the angelic host, and the “mystery” of what God is doing in Job’s life.

Job: The Man

Spiritually, God Himself presents Job as the godliest man of that day:

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was pure and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1).

So the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8).

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason” (Job 2:3).

As if this were not enough, listen to these additional commendations of Job elsewhere in Scripture:

Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign LORD (Ezekiel 14:14).

Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy (James 5:11).

In Ezekiel, Job is named as one of the three greatest men in all of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, James tells us that Job is known for his endurance (steadfastness is the main theme of the Book of James). Obviously, Job is viewed as one of the greatest saints in the Bible, which is what God had called to Satan’s attention.

One evidence of Job’s godliness is to be seen in his role as a father. (You and I know that many of the great men of the Old Testament were far from model fathers.)

4 Now his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one in turn, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice (Job 1:4-5).

It would seem that Job’s children enjoyed the benefits of having a wealthy and influential father. One of the ways they spent their time was having family banquets. One of the sons would host the event, and the other siblings would attend, apparently on a fairly regular basis. It does not appear that Job necessarily attended all of these banquets, but he was well aware of them. Job seems to have sensed that in such a setting it was possible that one or more of his children might have sinned. So, after each banquet, Job would send for his children and “sanctify” them. This involved the offering of a burnt offering for each child. Job believed that these sacrifices would atone for any misconduct which might have taken place. As a father, Job is more than passively concerned about the spiritual well-being of his children.

The reader is also given an accounting of Job’s prosperity, assessed in terms of how wealth was appraised in those days. He had 7,000 sheep. That, my friends, is whole lot of wool (or lamb chops). Then we are told that he possessed 3,000 camels. Wow! So, what use made camels valuable in those days? I think of them in terms of the way they provided transportation. One example would be their use in caravans that transported goods for trade. For example, Joseph’s brothers sold him to the Midianite traders whose camel caravan was on its way to Egypt (Genesis 37:25-28). In today’s terminology, I think of camels as the “long haulers” of ancient times. That’s a whole lot of trucks!

We are also informed that Job possessed 500 yoke of oxen (2 oxen per yoke?). Think of these oxen as the tractors of that day. 500 tractors could do a great deal of farming. Next Job owned 500 female donkeys. I look at these as the “short haulers,” the FedEx vehicles of a delivery business. You could deliver a lot of packages with 500 donkeys.

Finally, we are told that Job had “many servants.” We don’t really know the number of servants, but if you think of their number in terms of the animals which would require care and handling, this would be a very large number. (Perhaps it was such a large number that no precise accounting could be made.)

The sum of this is that Job was not only a very godly man, and a godly father; he was also a very wealthy man. Beyond this (or perhaps because of this) he had great status and influence in the community. He was, indeed, the “greatest of all men in the East” (Job 1:3).

Satan: The Adversary

7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the LORD, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” 8 So the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? 10 Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land. 11 But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!” (Job 1:7-11)

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason.” 4 But Satan answered the LORD, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life! 5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!” (Job 2:3-5)

Satan is no stranger to anyone who is familiar with the Bible. His origins are described in Isaiah chapter 14 and Ezekiel chapter 28. We are first introduced to him in Genesis chapter 3, where he deceives Eve, resulting in the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. It would seem that some of Satan’s fallen colleagues are involved in the corruption of the human race as described in Genesis chapter 6. In 1 Chronicles 21:1 Satan prompts David to number the Israelites. And in Zechariah chapter 3 he makes accusations against Joshua the high priest.

In the New Testament we find Satan at the temptation of our Lord (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). In John 13:25-27 Satan entered into Judas, prompting him to betray the Lord Jesus. In Acts 5:1-11 Satan corrupts the hearts of Ananias and his wife Sapphira, so that they lie about the amount of their contribution to the church. In 2 Corinthians we read of Satan’s schemes (2:11) and later in the book we are told how Satan works through others, and also disguises himself as an angel of light (11:3-15). In 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Paul writes that Satan hindered his attempts to visit the Thessalonian saints. Peter likens Satan to a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Finally, in the Book of Revelation Satan appears as God’s adversary at the end of this age. At last, Satan is defeated and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10).

Satan’s Travels

7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the LORD, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it” (Job 1:7).

And the LORD said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it” (Job 2:2).

Satan’s travels must be important if they are mentioned twice in these first two chapters of the book. They are also important because some translations don’t necessarily convey the full meaning of the term employed here. Consider, for example, the rendering of the New American Standard Version:

The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it” (Job 1:7, NAU).

While not frequently used today, the expression, “cruising,” would capture the sense that we take away from “roaming about.” It refers to a kind of non-strategic wandering about that has little or no purpose – hanging out. But that is not the way this word is frequently used in the Old Testament.

I prefer the rendering of the New Living Translation:

“Where have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on” (Job 1:7, NLT).

Consider these Old Testament instances where the same word speaks of a much more deliberate and strategic, kind of traveling.

The king told Joab, the general in command of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the army, so I may know the size of the army” (2 Samuel 24:2).

“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NAU).

Neither the process of numbering the Israelite warriors (something like a census), nor the penetrating scanning of the earth by the searching eyes of God are presented as casual or thoughtless deeds. They are deliberate and focused. This helps us to see Satan’s “travels” in Job as much more purposeful, and thus more in line with Peter’s description of him:

Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

I believe that Satan travels about the earth, with the goal of identifying the most vulnerable targets for his opposition to God by deceiving the nations and attacking the saints. I would therefore expect that Satan had already obtained a considerable amount of “intelligence” about Job, because he would likely be one of his primary targets.

Satan’s Theology

9 Then Satan answered the LORD, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? 10 Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land. 11 But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!” (Job 1:9-11)

4 But Satan answered the LORD, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life! 5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!” (Job 2:2-5)

From Satan’s perspective, Job’s commitment to trust and obey God was easily explained on a human level. Who would not serve God if this was rewarded by good health and wealth? (Prosperity gospeleers, beware!) And so Satan challenged: “Let Job’s prosperity and easy life be taken away, and then see how faithful he is.” Satan was convinced that Job would curse God when his enjoyment of the good life was taken away.

When the first test (taking away all of Job’s wealth and children) failed to prove Satan right, he is not dissuaded. No, Satan maintains that God has not yet directly harmed Job enough. Let Job’s health be taken away and then, Satan contends, Job will curse God.

It should not be overlooked that Mrs. Job served as Job’s “Eve.” She urged her husband to do exactly what Satan expected. It would seem that she embraced Satan’s perspective as to why people worship God. Job’s wife, urged Job to renounce his relationship to God and die.

I am reminded of our Lord’s response to Peter, when he adamantly opposed Jesus’ suffering and death at Calvary:

21 From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s” (Matthew 16:21-23, emphasis mine).

In the final chapter of this book, God will indict Job’s friends for not speaking rightly about Himself (Job 42:7-8). Satan, too, is guilty of speaking wrongly of God. Think about what his declaration implies about God. In effect, Satan is saying, “God, the only way you can attract and keep a following is to bribe people with prosperity and ease.” What kind of a God has to buy His friends?

The saints should worship and serve God because of who He is. Satan insists that men worship God only because of what He gives. When the saints worship God, what do they worship Him for? Let’s take a look:

1 Come! Let’s sing for joy to the LORD!
Let’s shout out praises to our protector who delivers us!
2 Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving!
Let’s shout out to him in celebration!
3 For the LORD is a great God,
a great king who is superior to all gods.
4 The depths of the earth are in his hand,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
6 Come! Let’s bow down and worship!
Let’s kneel before the LORD, our creator!
7 For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep he owns. Today, if only you would obey him! (Psalm 95:1-7)
6 The LORD does what is fair,
and executes justice for all the oppressed.
7 The LORD revealed his faithful acts to Moses,
his deeds to the Israelites.
8 The LORD is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
9 He does not always accuse,
and does not stay angry.
10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.
11 For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.
12 As far as the eastern horizon is from the west,
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on his faithful followers (Psalm 103:6-13).

God is to be worshipped for who He is, for His character, His mercy, His grace, and His forgiveness. And when God takes the physical blessings away, it even more dramatically shows His goodness and greatness when men continue to worship and praise Him.

Isn’t what Satan is saying to God in our text what he really believes? Compare his words in these first two chapters of Job to what he says when he seeks to tempt our Lord:

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9).

In effect, Satan reveals his own limitations. How does he seek to get Jesus to follow him? Offer a bribe. In some ways, Satan took the same approach with Eve, and Adam in Genesis 3. God had given Adam and Eve complete freedom to partake of any plant in the garden, save one – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From what God has forbidden, Satan implies that God is not good, because He has withheld something which Eve saw as good and desirable (Genesis 3:6). So, by following Satan Eve, and Adam, can have something they would not otherwise receive. In the Garden of Eden, Satan is followed because of what he offers, not because of who he is.

So, Satan proposes taking away all of Job’s prosperity, family, and health, expecting that this will terminate Job’s devotion to God. Job’s response reveals that Satan’s thinking is faulty.

In both tests, God allowed Satan a certain degree of freedom to carry out his request, but these came with limits. Satan was always “on a leash,” and God was holding that leash.

Satan’s Peers: The Angelic Host

Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD– and Satan also arrived among them (Job 1:6).

Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the LORD (Job 2:1).

It is very easy to fix our attention on Satan, and forget the angelic host that has been summoned by God. It wasn’t just Satan who came to present himself to God – it was the angelic host, identified as the “sons of God.” The use of this expression, “sons of God,” in Genesis 6:2, 4; Job 38:7; and Luke 20:36 verifies that in Job, “sons of God” refers to angels, or the celestial host.

This gathering seems as though it were some kind of “inspection” or “scheduled review,” where the angels give account of their actions to God, or where God gives out their assignments. The reason why I am making a point of calling attention to the presence of many angelic beings is that we may mistakenly read chapters 1 and 2 as though God were having a private conversation with Satan. But this is surely not the case. We know that angels (fallen and unfallen) are very much interested and involved in the affairs of men.

In the Old Testament it appears to be fallen angels (“sons of God”) who intermarry with the “daughters of men” and produce a hybrid race that will need to be wiped out by the flood (Genesis 6:1-4). Then, we read of an angelic host (of unfallen angels) that is made visible to Elisha’s servant, so that he need not fear the vast army that has come to attack Elisha (see 2 Kings 6:8-23). In Daniel, chapters 9-12, we find that the affairs of men on earth are somehow related to angelic activity in heaven.

In the New Testament angelic activity is even more prevalent. The angels are greatly interested in what God is doing on earth, and so they eagerly watch, while God instructs them through His church:

7 I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power. 8 To me –less than the least of all the saints– this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan– a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things. 10 The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ’s faithfulness. 13 For this reason I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory (Ephesians 3:7-13, emphasis mine).

For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels (1 Corinthians 11:10, emphasis mine).

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory. 12 They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven– things angels long to catch a glimpse of (1 Peter 1:10-12).

We know from these Scriptures and others that the angels are eagerly “watching” what is happening on earth, and particularly in the church. We also know that the angels who did not stay within their proper domain are being kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up until the judgment of the great Day (Jude 1:6). From Luke 8:31, it would seem as though demons in Jesus’ day could be cast into the abyss. Also, when we take Revelation 12:4, 9 into account, there may still be a number of angels who will even yet choose to follow Satan, to their own destruction (Matthew 12:41).

From all that we know about angels, fallen and unfallen, it is not difficult to conclude that God has chosen to confront Satan in front of all of the assembled heavenly host, in order to instruct the angels for their own good. Does God anticipate teaching Satan anything at all? I think not. But by proving Satan a liar and a deceiver I believe God is teaching those angels who are able to grasp what He is doing:

Flog a scorner, and as a result the simpleton will learn prudence;
correct a discerning person, and as a result he will understand knowledge (Proverbs 19:25).

I was reminded of an incident that occurred in one of my theology classes at Dallas Seminary. The professor had asked his students a question, and a rather arrogant fellow spoke up to answer. But rather than speaking in a humble, student-like way, he chose to pontificate in a way that irritated not only the class, but the professor. The professor took the bait and proceeded to question this fellow in greater and greater detail. At every point, the student-scholar dug himself into an ever-deepening hole. I have to tell you that the other students were listening intently, and those as carnal as I were enjoying every moment of it. Finally, the professor “buried” the student, much to my delight. (The professor was more spiritual than I because the next day he apologized to the pompous student before the entire class.)

But can’t you see how this conversation between God and Satan would rivet the attention of all of the angels, so that they were very much engaged in the discussion, and most interested to see the outcome? Hopefully, the angels were instructed, at Satan’s expense.

The Mystery: What Job Didn’t Know

Let us remember that Job handled adversity very well in these first two chapters, in spite of the fact that he had no knowledge, at the time, of what God was doing, or why. The author has clued the reader in, but as yet Job has not been informed of the celestial / angelic / satanic dimension of his adversity. Indeed, Job cannot know what is taking place in the heavens, because that would make his suffering easier to deal with, and thus would make the “test” Satan proposed much easier to handle.

How I’m tempted to wish that the book ended right here, but if that were so I would be tempted to conclude that Job was another one of those Old Testament superstars, who, unlike me, always seemed to do the right thing at the right time. I know better than this because there really are no Old Testament superstars. To conclude Job with a “happily ever after” ending just wouldn’t seem right. Rather than being an encouragement to me, so prone to wander and fail, it would discourage me.

I don’t think Satan wanted it to end here, either, though we do not hear from him again in the book, as we have in these first two chapters. Since the heavenly conversation ends in chapter two, one might conclude that it was not Satan who chose to prolong Job’s testing, but God. What if God wanted to increase the “level of difficulty” for Job in order to show the magnitude of Job’s endurance of faith? What if God did this, not only to amplify His own glory here, but also to increase Job’s faith and obedience? Perhaps the answer will become clear as we continue to study the rest of the book. But for now, let’s consider some applications from what we have learned thus far in Job.

Conclusion

What We Learn About Satan In Our Text

First, we learn that Satan is the great destroyer, who takes great pleasure in destroying all that is holy, pure, and right. He delights in the destruction of human life (John 8:44). He is also a liar, a deceiver (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 John 1:7; Revelation 12:9; 20:7-10), and an accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). I personally believe that Satan also deceives angels to become his followers. How else did angels become fallen angels?

Satan is no one’s friend. While he may present himself as our advocate, he is really our adversary. In the Garden of Eden Satan presented himself to Eve as one who was on her side, seeking to help her pursue what was in her best interest. He was “a friend,” seeking to help Eve achieve the good life, even if that meant disobeying God because He withheld something from her which seemed good (Genesis 3:6). We find the same approach when Satan tempted our Lord at the outset of His earthly ministry (Matthew 4; Luke 4). He was trying to get Jesus to help himself to food which was, for the moment, forbidden. He sought to tempt Jesus to achieve His kingdom the easy way, rather than God’s way. My friends, Satan is never our friend. He is never to be trusted. He is a liar and a deceiver, one who seeks only to destroy God’s work and God’s people. When we seek our own interest, we are actually living according to Satan’s schemes.

There is no greater advocate of “the prosperity gospel” than Satan, who seeks to convince us that God is not really good, especially when He withholds something we desire or delight in. When Satan (ultimately God)⁵ took away “the good life” from Job, with all of its material and physical blessings, he believed that Job would forsake his faith, and curse God. Satan could not comprehend why men and women would follow God, even when He brought them into great suffering and adversity. He could not grasp that God is worthy of our trust and obedience because of Who He is, rather than because of what He gives.

What We Learn About God In Our Text

One thing we learn about God is that, contrary to the thinking of Job’s friends (and many more today), God sometimes purposes for His saints to suffer because they are righteous. Job was the most righteous man on the face of the earth, and yet God brought great suffering into his life – because he was righteous. When you stop to think about it, it is not just Job’s faith that is being tested, but God’s faithfulness, and His commitment and ability to finish what He started:

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day (2 Timothy 1:12).

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

24 Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, 25 to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

It is God’s faithfulness that serves as the basis of our faithful endurance in suffering:

So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good (1 Peter 4:19).

To do so is to imitate our Lord Jesus:

21 For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls (1 Peter 2:21-25).

Also, we learn that when God brings suffering and adversity into our lives, it is because He purposes good things to be the outcome.

5 The LORD said to me, 5 “I, the LORD, the God of Israel, say: ‘The exiles whom I sent away from here to the land of Babylon are like those good figs. I consider them to be good. 6 I will look after their welfare and will restore them to this land. There I will build them up and will not tear them down. I will plant them firmly in the land and will not uproot them” (Jeremiah 24:4-6).

1 Now as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him” (John 9:1-3).

1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:1-5).

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. 7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold– gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away– and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:3-7).

12 Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad (1 Peter 4:12-13).

God is glorified when we persevere in our faith and bless Him in the midst of suffering:

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, who is the Spirit of God, rests on you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. 16 But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear such a name (1 Peter 4:14-16).

Job 1 and 2 teaches us that God is in complete control. While Satan may exercise authority and apparent control in certain areas, his power and authority is never outside God’s control. Even Satan’s opposition is used by God to achieve His purposes (such as Judas’ betrayal of Jesus and His subsequent arrest and crucifixion).

14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 15 and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

What We Learn From Job

If Job were to be graded on his perseverance at the end of chapter 2, he would be given an A+. He passed both of Satan’s tests with flying colors. He did not curse God; instead, he praised and worshipped God (see Job 1:20-22; 2:9-10).

Job believed in substitutionary atonement, that is he believed that God forgave sins on the basis of the offering of an innocent sacrifice. (He offered sacrifices for each of his children, in case they had sinned, and he believed his sacrifice would atone for their sin.)

Job knew that his suffering came from God’s hand (1:21), and thus he would not accuse Him of wrong doing.⁶ He also seemed to recognize that a saint may experience both prosperity and material blessings, as well as adversity and suffering: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.” Job recognized that God was worthy of praise, whether He brought material blessings or not. In other words, God is worthy of our praise, whether we are experiencing ease and prosperity, or adversity and suffering.

So, to recap the message of these two introductory chapters of the Book of Job, what do we learn from this introduction that sets the stage for what is to follow? Allow me to summarize:

• There is a real person, Satan, who actively opposes God and His saints.
• There are many (some might say countless) angelic beings with whom both God and Satan have contact. They are always observers, and sometimes participants in what God, or Satan are doing on earth.
• God is sovereign – in complete control. At no time is Satan free to act independently of God. He is always subject to the permissions and limitations God places on him.
• God does purpose to use suffering and adversity in the lives of righteous saints, for their good and for His glory.
• Job’s relationship with God is based on faith, and not his works. Job must trust in God because of who He is, rather than because of what He gives.

So why doesn’t the book end here? Job has remained faithful, in spite of the suffering God has allowed Satan to bring into his life. Satan is wrong; God is right. But 40 more chapters remain ahead of us. Let us continue our study, with the goal of learning what is still to be accomplished by Job’s prolonged suffering, some of which comes by means of his “friends” and their counsel.

What Do We Learn That Can Help Us During This Covid-19 Pandemic?

There is nothing here for Satan to learn, but there is much for the Old Testament saints to learn, and much for us that applies to the current pandemic. Let’s ponder a few points of application.

It should be obvious that Satan is intent on attacking the righteous, as he is here in Job, and elsewhere:

Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1, NAU).

Next I saw Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him (Zechariah 3:1).

Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, and lead it to water? (Lk. 13:15 NET) Then shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 13:16, emphasis mine)

The good news is that Satan can only harm the Christian within the boundaries God establishes. And even when he is allowed to afflict us, his attempts to destroy the believer will lead to our growth in Christ, and the fulfillment of God’s purposes.

8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. 10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:8-10).

31 “Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).

7 Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me– so that I would not become arrogant. 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Satan almost certainly has his own plans to use the Corona virus for his own purposes. But this virus will only persist within the limits God sets for it (and for Satan). God’s purposes for this virus (and our suffering) will be accomplished, and we, like Job must confess, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

We should also be cautioned regarding the ever-so-popular “prosperity gospel,” which alleges that those who do good and trust God will not suffer, but will most certainly prosper. Job suffered because he was righteous, not because he had sinned. But Job’s suffering ultimately brought him closer to God, and his example has been recorded in Scripture to instruct us, as we deal with Covid-19, and with all the adversities that we will encounter in this life.

In the midst of our present trials and tribulations, let us never forget God’s promise:

31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).

¹ Unless otherwise indicated, all quoted Scripture will be from the NETBible.

² In addition to Job 1:6 and 2:1, see Genesis 6:2, 4; Job 38:7.

³ At least they were not made known to Job until after his repentance and restoration.

⁴ Since Satan is a liar, a deceiver, and a murderer, this was a necessary prohibition (see John 8:44; Revelation 12:9).

⁵ So far as Job knew at the moment, it was God that took away his material blessings. And, in the final analysis, it is always God (see 1 Chronicles 21:1; 2 Samuel 24:1).

⁶ I’m not altogether satisfied with the rendering, “nor did he blame God” (see NAU, NAS, NLT). He did see his affliction as coming from the hand of God, but he found no fault in God for having done this.

Introduction

Years ago, a friend recommended an excellent book to me, entitled Shantung Compound. It was written by a man named Langdon Gilkey. It took place in China during the Second World War, when the Japanese invaded China. Westerners (primarily those from English speaking countries) living in China at the time were interned in various camps. Langdon Gilkey was among these Westerners. He was interned at a former Presbyterian encampment in the province of Shantung, China. His assigned task was to oversee housing for the numerous detainees that were relocated to this camp.

He quickly learned that this was no easy task. In one instance there were two identical rooms. Thirteen men were living in one of these rooms; in the other there were 11 men. That looked like a simple problem to solve – simply relocate one of the men in the 13-person room to the room with only 11 residents. Gilkey found out that the 11 men were not impressed with his mathematics. They were not inclined to make room for another roommate. Their reasons were shoddy and self-serving; nevertheless, their opposition was strong.

In another instance, there was an apartment with the luxury of having two bedrooms. There was a family with several children who hoped to be assigned to these accommodations. There was also a pastor and his wife, who likewise hoped to live in this apartment. The pastor was aware of the other family and its needs, and yet he strongly argued that he and his wife should be given this apartment, because “his ministry was such that he needed to have a study.”

There were many such stories in this excellent book, but Gilkey’s overall thrust was to show how people’s true character is revealed when they are forced to live in adverse circumstances. I could not help but remember Gilkey’s excellent book when I considered Job’s response to his prolonged adversity in the chapters we are studying in this lesson.

Job came out looking very good at the end of chapter two. He did not curse God, as Satan contended, even though his wealth, and later his health were taken from him. Satan’s proposition (that men only serve God because of the good gifts He gives) was proven false, while Job’s faith was proven to be genuine. One might expect the Book of Job to end here, but it does not. In fact, these first two chapters of Job only serve as a prelude to this book; 40 chapters remain to be read.

At the time I first preached this message in Job, the Covid-19 pandemic was in its beginning stages. Now, we are six months into our battle with this virus, and it looks as if it will still be some time until the danger is over. We, like Job, are now having to deal with our affliction as something which must be endured for a good while yet. We are already seeing a change in attitude by those who are “sick and tired” of this pandemic, and whose impatience is showing (and growing!). We certainly are at a place in time when we can identify with Job, and when we can, like Job, learn to trust God. So let us come to this lesson with open hearts and minds to learn about sustained faith and obedience in the midst of prolonged suffering.

Observations

Here are a couple of observations to keep in mind as we commence our study of the major portion of the Book of Job.

First, there is no further reference to the heavenly (angelic) gathering, or of any additional conversations between God and Satan. It would not have been surprising to find yet another objection raised by Satan, something that went like this: “Sure, you took away Job’s wealth, and then his health, but he has not suffered that long. Extend the length of his suffering and then he will surely curse you.” No such words are found.

Second, Satan is silent after chapter 2. So what is the reason for this extended period (seemingly months – see Job 7:3; 29:2) of suffering? I think this is God’s doing; Job’s continued suffering seems to be at God’s initiative. Yes, Satan has been shown to be a liar, but Job’s faith is greater than what we have seen thus far. And so (I am supposing) God extends the period of Job’s affliction, not at Satan’s suggestion, but as His own decision. He raises the “level of difficulty” much higher, so that Job’s faith will be even more dramatically demonstrated. If God proved Satan wrong in chapters 1 and 2, He will show Satan to be really wrong in the chapters (and suffering) that follow.

Third, while Job’s wife took up Satan’s theme (curse God and die) in chapter 2, it is now Job’s friends who become Job’s adversaries. Job’s friends, early on his sympathizers, who silently suffered with him at the beginning (Job 2:11-13), now attack him with accusations of guilt and call for his repentance.

Fourth, Job’s responses in this section are not nearly as pious sounding as we have seen in chapters 1 and 2. What we read about Job’s friends, and even what we read about Job, is not encouraging.

Finally, let’s face it, the chapters we are about to consider are those which we might actually be tempted to skip over. Our text is not “a happy text” as some might prefer. I confess, it might be tempting to simply pass by these chapters and avoid the Job’s complaining to God and his arguing with his three friends. It would also be tempting to pass over the error of Job’s friends. I recall years ago, when a well-respected preacher suddenly ended his “chapter by chapter, verse by verse” exposition of Job. He, like many in his audience, grew weary of the accusations of Job’s friends, and Job’s response to his affliction.

But God has placed these chapters in this book for us to read. So, let’s keep in mind what we would miss if we were to skip our text for this lesson.

• We would miss Job persevering much longer than with his suffering in chapters 1 and 2.
• We would miss seeing the benefits and blessings which resulted from Job’s extended suffering.
• We would not see the basis for Job’s righteousness as clearly as we do in our text.
• We would not see the error of Job’s accusers, and of their theological system of works.
• We would not gain the instruction that is found here regarding how to comfort and counsel those who are suffering.

Two more observations may prove helpful as we commence our study:

First, Job is poetry. I am indebted to Ray Stedman for reminding me of this fact. Esther is the last of the historical books. When we come to the Book of Job, we begin the poetry section of the Old Testament (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs). Even the words of angst that Job expresses are set forth as poetry.

Second, because there is so much repetition of content in our chapters, while there are only a few “themes,” we are able to capture the essence of what Job and his friends are saying, without going into a very rigorous and minute examination of each chapter. Thus, we are seeking to discern the essence of what Job and his friends are saying here without examining every detail carefully.

How I Plan To Approach This Message

1. I plan to begin with an overview of this entire passage.
2. Then we will focus on Job’s “friends,” their message and their methods.
3. We will next consider Job’s response to his circumstances, and to the rebuke of his friends.
4. After this, we will look at the counsel of Elihu.
5. Finally, we shall seek to identify some areas of application for all of us.

An Overview Of Our Text

Our text begins in chapter 3 with Job’s lament over his extended suffering. His wish to be dead is couched in terms of lamenting the day of his birth: Oh, if only he were to have died at birth, or even before! Job’s friends take his response to his extended suffering as an invitation to share their counsel with him. They are convinced they can help him find an end to his suffering. With ever-increasing severity, they accuse him of having sinned. In their minds, the way for Job to be restored is for him to confess his sin and to begin anew to live according to God’s commands. The accusations against Job come in three cycles,¹ using a kind of tag-team approach. First comes the attack by Eliphaz, followed by Bildad, and then Zophar. Interspersed are Job’s rebuttals to each indictment. The first cycle looks like this:

Eliphaz (chapters 4 and 5)

Job’s rebuttal (chapters 6 and 7)

Bildad (chapter 8)

Job’s rebuttal (chapters 9 and 10)

Zophar (chapter 11)

Job’s rebuttal (chapters 12-14)

The third cycle ends prematurely, it would seem, with only Bildad’s comments taking up one chapter, which contains only 6 verses. Job’s rebuttal to Bildad’s accusations requires a full six chapters (26-31).

Then, out of nowhere, Elihu appears in chapters 32-37, where he rebukes both Job and his three friends. Chapter 38 begins the text for our third and final message on Job (Job 38-42). Here, God finally speaks directly to Job. Job repents, God provides atonement for Job’s friends, and Job’s prosperity is renewed and enhanced.

Job’s “Friends” And The Great Debate

I have difficulty calling these three men Job’s “friends.” I know that’s the way most of the translations render it, but in fact the original word that is used for them is found 183 times in the Old Testament. 91 times it is rendered “neighbor,” while it is translated “friend” only 49 times. These men are obviously not the kind of folks you or I would want for our closest friends.

It would appear that these men met together and agreed in advance on the approach they would take with Job (2:11-12). To their credit, they empathized silently with Job for seven days, but now that Job has expressed his desire to be dead, they begin to carry out their plan of action. At first, they attempt to give Job the benefit of the doubt, leaving him room to voluntarily repent of his sin (which they were sure was the cause of his suffering). Eliphaz, the oldest of the three, took the lead. He first claimed that his words of counsel came from a vision from the Lord (4:12-17). After all, it’s not easy to argue with a man who claims to have gotten his message straight from God.

Here is how the counsel of Eliphaz began:

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied to Job: 2 “Will you be patient and let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out? 3 “In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. 4 Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. 5 But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. 6 Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? 7 “Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? 8 My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same (Job 4:1-8 NLT; see also Job 11:13-15).

Eliphaz and his two colleagues are committed to the principle: “You reap what you sow.” In their minds, when you do good, you are blessed; when you do wrong, you are punished with suffering So, given this premise, Eliphaz concludes that Job’s suffering is the consequence of his sin. When I read what Eliphaz is saying here it reminds me of the song which Julie Andrews sang in The Sound of Music :

Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever could
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good

This could be Job’s friends theme song. Given this assumption, his suffering would require lyrics that go like this:

Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever had
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something very bad.

Sadly, the accusations intensify as the debate goes on. Job’s friends no longer give him (or his children) the benefit of the doubt; Job is assumed to be wrong, even to the point of identifying the sins of which they believe him guilty:

If your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin (Job 8:4).

5 Is not your wickedness great and is there no end to your iniquity? 6 “For you took pledges from your brothers for no reason, and you stripped the clothing from the naked. 7 You gave the weary no water to drink and from the hungry you withheld food. 8 Although you were a powerful man, owning land, an honored man living on it, 9 you sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you crushed. 10 That is why snares surround you, and why sudden fear terrifies you (Job 22:5-10).

I want to deal with Job’s defense in just a moment, but before I do, I’d like to call your attention to Bildad’s final words, as recorded in chapter 25. Listen to what he says:

3 “Dominion and awesome might belong to God; he establishes peace in his heights. 3 Can his armies be numbered? On whom does his light not rise? 4 How then can a human being be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure? 5 If even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure as far as he is concerned, 6 how much less a mortal man, who is but a maggot– a son of man, who is only a worm!” (Job 25:3-6, emphasis mine)

Job’s friends are wearing out. In this third and final round of attacks on Job’s character, Eliphaz speaks in chapter 22, followed by Job’s response in chapters 23 and 24. Now, in chapter 25, Bildad speaks his final words of accusation against Job. This attack is but six verses long. Bildad seems to sputter here, his case against Job runing out of gas, so to speak. Zophar is speechless, so far as any recorded response from him is concerned. He remains silent. But Job’s defense is lengthy (chapters 26-31). It seems that as time drags on, he becomes stronger and more forceful in his own defense.

But this is not the only significant thing to note about Bildad’s words, few though they are. Listen to what he is saying:

4 How then can a human being be righteous before God?
How can one born of a woman be pure? (Job 25:4, emphasis mine)

As I think through the argument that has developed over these chapters, Job’s friends have concluded that the only explanation for Job’s suffering is that he must have sinned, for which he must repent. Job has insisted that he has not sinned. And now, Bildad blurts out (my paraphrase), “Job, how you say that? God is so great and so holy, that no one can measure up to His standards. No one born of a woman can be without sin.”

Think about the theological implications of Bildad’s statement. His premise, and that of his two colleagues, is that ‘a person reaps what he sows’. When Job insists that he has not sinned, Bildad hastily disputes this, saying, in effect, “How could you say such a thing, Job? No one can be righteous in God’s eyes, for we are all sinners.” But if man is an unworthy sinner and can do nothing to deliver himself from his sinful state, then how can anyone ever attain righteousness and God’s favor by means of their works? It is on this very note that the “counsel” of Job’s three friends ends. Bildad has run out of things to say, and he says it in six verses. Job will have much to say in response, so much that it will take six chapters.

Job’s Final Defense

Job stands firm against all the accusations his friends have made against him. Based upon his knowledge of how one is justified before God, he is convinced of his innocence:

10 “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. 11 For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food (Job 23:10-12, NLT; emphasis mine).

It is not Job’s words to his friends that are problematic; it is the challenge he puts to God, questioning the way that He has orchestrated the events of his life. In short, in his mind, God has dealt harshly, even cruelly, with Job.

18 With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat.
19 He has thrown me into the mud. I’m nothing more than dust and ashes.
20 “I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer. I stand before you, but you don’t even look.
21 You have become cruel toward me. You use your power to persecute me.
22 You throw me into the whirlwind and destroy me in the storm (Job 30:18-22, NLT; emphasis mine).

There is a note of arrogance that comes through in these words of Job:

35 “If only someone would listen to me! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out the charges against me. 36 I would face the accusation proudly. I would wear it like a crown. 37 For I would tell him exactly what I have done. I would come before him like a prince (Job 31:35-37, NLT; emphasis mine).

Job has now become the accuser. As his friends accused him, he now accuses God. Here is a man, standing with his hands on his hips, demanding that God explain His actions.

The Unexpected Intervention Of Elihu
Job 32-37

Elihu appears out of nowhere. He has waited, patiently, for the older men to speak, and now he sees that they have nothing left to say. He is not interrupting; he is speaking because there is silence, and because both Job and his friends deserve a rebuke.

Opinions differ greatly about Elihu and his words, but I have chosen to agree with those who see his words as those which need to be taken seriously. In the text, his words immediately precede God’s words to Job in chapters 38 and following. So here are some of the reasons why I, along with others, find Elihu’s words worth heeding.

1. Elihu rebukes both Job and his friends. Elihu appears to be impartial in this matter. He speaks for God, and he does not take sides, either with Job, or with his three accusers.
2. Elihu’s rebuke is based upon what these men have actually said, rather than on whatever wrongs he supposes these men to have committed. Job’s friends, on the other hand, condemned Job on the basis of what wrongs they assumed he had committed.
3. While Job was quick to dispute what his friends said, he never seeks to defend himself against anything Elihu said. Indeed, it would seem that Elihu invited Job to give a defense, if he was able to do so.
4. Job’s friends did not seek to defend themselves against Elihu’s rebuke.
5. Elihu’s rebuke is God-centered. Neither Job, nor his three friends, view his suffering from a divine perspective. Job and his friends are man-centered in their thinking and emphasis, rather than God-centered. Elihu rightly accuses Job of seeking to justify himself, rather than God.
6. Elihu seemed to be very astute in following what would be proper protocol for what he said.
7. God speaks immediately following Elihu, yet He does not have any word of correction for him. He does, however, rebuke Job and his three friends.
8. Elihu is granted six chapters to present his case, paving the way for what God will say next.
9. Elihu’s rebuke is reasonable:

2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 With Job’s three friends he was also angry, because they could not find an answer, and so declared Job guilty (Job 32:2-3).

8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!): 9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no iniquity. 10 Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy! 11 He puts my feet in shackles; he watches closely all my paths.’ 12 Now in this, you are not right– I answer you, for God is greater than a human being. 13 Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person’s words? (Job 33:8-13)

Here is one last (but very important) observation regarding Elihu. I cannot help but believe that he is looking forward to the coming of Christ² when he says,

23 “But if an angel from heaven appears-- a special messenger to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright-- 24 he will be gracious and say, ‘Rescue him from the grave, for I have found a ransom for his life.’ 25 Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again. 26 When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing. 27 He will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it. 28 God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.’ 29 “Yes, God does these things again and again for people. 30 He rescues them from the grave so they may enjoy the light of life (Job 33:23-30, NLT; emphasis mine).

Conclusion

Before we talk about the applications which should flow from our text, let’s be sure that we summarize what it is that this text has said to us about God, and about Job and his friends.

First of all, God was present, and He was paying close attention to what Job and his friends were saying. He was also listening to Elihu, and He had no words of rebuke or correction for him. We know this because we are given God’s appraisal of what Job and his friends said about Him in chapter 42.

After the LORD had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has (Job 42:7; see also verse 8).

I believe that we must conclude that what Job said about God was true, but that his attitude was not commendable, because it was irreverent. We see this in Job’s protests addressed to God:

8 With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat.
19 He has thrown me into the mud. I’m nothing more than dust and ashes.
20 “I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer. I stand before you, but you don’t even look.
21 You have become cruel toward me. You use your power to persecute me.
22 You throw me into the whirlwind and destroy me in the storm (Job 30:18-22, NLT; emphasis mine).

Elihu points out Job’s irreverence when he rebukes Job:

14 “Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

15 Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

16 Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?

17 When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still,

18 he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. Can you do that?

19 “So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.

20 Should God be notified that I want to speak? Can people even speak when they are confused?

21 We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.

22 So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor.

23 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us. 24 No wonder people everywhere fear him. All who are wise show him reverence” (Job 37:14-24, NLT; emphasis mine).

When we get to chapter 38, where God begins to speak to Job, God will also rebuke Job for his arrogance, and He does this by calling attention to truths that will humble him.

I am reminded of Jonah, when he protests against what is true and praiseworthy about God. Instead of praising God for His mercy and grace, Jonah protests:

1 This displeased Jonah terribly and he became very angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “Oh, LORD, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish! – because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment. 3 So now, LORD, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!” (Jonah 4:1-3, emphasis mine)

Job’s friends are also wrong for a very significant, reason. They insist that God must deal with men on the basis of legalism alone, no more and no less. They believe that God deals out suffering and adversity or blessings and prosperity in direct proportion to man’s deeds, good or evil.

4 Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees.

5 But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you.

6 Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?

7 “Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed?

8 My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.

9 A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in a blast of his anger (Job 4:4-9, NLT; emphasis mine).

In their kind of legalistic system, God really has no discretionary options. He must deal with men as their actions require. In the minds of Job’s friends, there are no exceptions to this “legalistic” rule of life. That is why they persist in seeking to convince Job that he as sinned, and needs to repent. There are no other options which might explain Job’s suffering. If he repents and does good, then God’s blessings will return. To Job’s legalistic friends, it’s that simple.

So what is the problem with this kind of legalistic theology? As God Himself said, they did not speak rightly about Him:

7 After the LORD had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about 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 offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7-8, emphasis mine).

Legalism leaves no place for grace. Legalism insists that “you reap what you sow.” Blessings come to me, or to others, because of the good things I have done. Therefore, I deserve credit for the blessings I have received from God. God is obliged to bless me when I do good. I’ve often wondered at those who reject the gospel because it is a matter of grace, and not law. I have heard people say or infer that they don’t want salvation on the basis of God’s mercy and grace because this does not allow them to take any credit for their salvation. The gospel is offensive to a legalist because it is a manifestation of God’s grace.

So how does legalism (what you sow you must reap) constitute saying something wrong about God? How have Job’s friends spoken about God in a way that is not right? The way they have spoken about God denies that He is a gracious God, who deals with men on the basis of what He has done in Christ, rather than on the basis of what we have done.

When Moses asked God to “learn His ways” he did so in order that he might find grace from God:

“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people”
(Exodus 33:13, NKJ; emphasis mine).

A little later in Exodus, Moses asks to see God’s glory, and God speaks of His glory as His goodness. He also links his goodness to His sovereignly bestowed grace:

18 And Moses said, “Show me your glory.” 19 And the LORD said, “I will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the LORD by name before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:18-19; emphasis mine).

6 The LORD passed by before him and proclaimed: “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7; emphasis mine).

Think of how important grace was to Moses, and to the people of Israel. They had just committed a grievous sin by worshipping the golden calf, a sin for which God could have justly wiped out the entire nation. Moses knew that God’s presence with him, and with Israel, could not be based on his performance, or on Israel’s futile efforts to do better. They were a stiff-necked people, predisposed to sin. Their only hope was to trust in God’s grace and mercy, and in His provision of forgiveness. God’s delight is to save unworthy sinners by means of His grace, rather than by man’s works. By adhering to legalism, Job’s friends denied God’s goodness, as manifested by His grace. Legalism would prohibit God from showing grace to unworthy sinners because they would not get what they deserve. If God’s grace is both His glory and His goodness, then denying the grace of God is to speak very badly of God, which is precisely what Job’s friends did.

But there is a flip side to this coin. On the one hand, God is completely free to graciously bless unworthy sinners. But on the other hand, since men do not deserve, and cannot earn, God’s favor, God does not owe His blessings to anyone. Thus, God is as free to withhold His blessings as He is to bestow them. That is the part that Job was struggling with. Withholding blessings Job did not earn was completely consistent with God’s sovereignty, just as sovereignly bestowing them on one who is undeserving is consistent with His grace.³

But we are not done yet. The error of Job’s friends has even more sobering implications. They were convinced that there could be no such thing as “innocent suffering.” If there is no possibility of “innocent suffering” then there can be no such thing as substitutionary atonement – an innocent animal that is sacrificed to pay the penalty for the sins of someone who is guilty. We know that Job believed in substitutionary atonement because he offered burnt offerings for each of his children, in case they had sinned (Job 1:5). He rightly believed that the sacrifice he offered in behalf of each of his children would atone for sins they may have committed.

If there can be no such thing as “innocent suffering,” then there is no possibility of “substitutionary atonement.” Given this premise, salvation through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus could not happen, because Christ could not take on sinless human flesh and then die in the sinner’s place on the cross of Calvary. Therefore there could be no such thing as “substitutionary atonement.”

Legalism appears to promote justice, but in reality, it prohibits grace, because justice is thus divorced from mercy. But the gospel of Jesus Christ inseparably joins justice and mercy:

9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory.

10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! (Psalm 85:9-10, NLT).

“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others (Matthew 23:23; emphasis mine; see also Exodus 34:6-7).

Job’s friends did not believe in grace. Job believed in grace bestowed; what he did not like was grace withheld, without explanation.⁴ Faith is best tested and grown in times of adversity, especially when God’s reasons are not revealed to us.

Other Applications

Righteous people are not perfect people. I believe that Job was a righteous man, in chapters three through forty-two, as well as in chapters one and two. I believe that Job’s faith was tested by his tragic losses and his physical suffering in the first two chapters of Job. And, I believe that God intensified Job’s suffering in chapters 3-37, demonstrating to Satan and to the heavenly watchers that Job’s faith and endurance was even greater than what was first displayed.

But this is not to say that Job’s righteousness meant that he lived a flawless life. Job’s complaining in our text was not the ideal for every Christian to follow. Job’s protests about God are such that God Himself will speak strong words to him, rebuking him for his lack of reverence.

I think that there are some Christians who believe the Christian life is – or should be – a life of continual joy, praise, and undiminished confidence in what God is doing. Job is, by God’s declaration, the most righteous man on the face of the earth, but he is not perfect. Neither was any other saint that we find in the Bible. But when all is said and done, righteous people believe in God, even when they don’t like where He has put them at the moment.

Adversity is God’s means of purifying our faith. Extended suffering is part of God’s instruction to deepen our faith and expand our witness.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. 7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold– gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away– and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:3-7).

3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you. 6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.” 7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it (Hebrews 12:3-11).

2 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything (James 1:2-4).

The path of extended suffering is the path which our Lord Jesus chose as an example for us to follow.

For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10).

For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).

7 During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered (Hebrews 5:7-8).

Those who are blessed with prosperity and earthly ease need to be very careful not to assume that their performance (good deeds) is the determining factor. My wife and I have been greatly blessed by our godly children, but I know of many godly parents whose children are not walking with the Lord as they should. It is not the good parenting of my wife and I that brought about godly children; in the final analysis it is the grace of God. Let us be very careful not to assume that God’s apparent blessings are the fruit of our godliness and good works, rather than the gracious gift of a merciful and compassionate God.

God sometimes allows the wicked to prosper while the righteous suffer. Job knew this, and so did Asaph, as we read in Psalm 73. This almost caused Asaph to stumble, and to question why he should continue to live as a godly man, until he looked at life through an eternal lens. Sometimes our own suffering and affliction becomes even more painful when we see the wicked prospering. We must see our current suffering through an “eternal lens,” rather than a merely “temporal lens.”

16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

I believe that while we have passed the initial stages of this global pandemic, it will likely linger on (and perhaps even intensify) as time goes on. Thus, our suffering will be extended, just as Job’s suffering was. Let us pray that we might live rightly, trusting God, and speaking rightly of Him, if our adversity and afflictions persist. Like Job at the end of chapter two, our testing is not over until God Himself ends it. In our sufferings, let us be found faithful and joyful, to the praise and glory of our God, as we contrast our present afflictions against eternal glory.

When we successfully endure our present suffering and adversities, our faith and confidence in God are strengthened:

3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

Finally, the truths about God which Job’s friends found unacceptable are actually the “good news” of the Gospel. God is not only righteous and just, He is also gracious and compassionate. God does not delight in dealing with lost sinners as their sins deserve. He delights in showing mercy and granting forgiveness. Indeed, mercy is God’s preference. He is able to be both just and merciful through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ added sinless humanity to His undiminished deity, and came to live on this earth, to speak for God, to reveal man’s sin, and to demonstrate that He is without sin. He became the sinless sacrifice that bore the penalty for our sins, which provides righteousness for all who trust in Him. My friend, you do not want God’s justice (as Job’s three friends did); what you want and need is God’s grace, through the gift of salvation that comes from the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, rather than from your works. The salvation which God provides in Christ will persevere and endure, in the worst adversities of life. If you have not yet trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of eternal life, trust in Him and be saved.

¹ Cycle 1: Job 4-14; Cycle 2: Job 15-21; Cycle 3: Job 22-31.

² Intentionally or otherwise.

³ I need to make it clear that sovereignty and grace are inseparably linked. Because no one deserves God’s blessings (God’s grace) then men’s blessings don’t depend on their works, but on God’s sovereign choice (Romans 9:9-13, 30-33). God sovereignly bestows unmerited blessings (grace) on men, and He can sovereignly withhold unmerited blessings. Since Job’s “blessings” were not the fruit of his efforts, or worthiness in and of himself, God was not obligated to bless him. Job’s suffering was sovereignly bestowed by God, just as his prosperity was.

⁴ In reality, Job’s suffering was a manifestation of God’s grace, because it deepened his faith, and strengthened his relationship with God. If “the nearness of God is our good” (Psalm 73:28), then whatever draws us nearer to God is gracious, even though it may not appear so at the moment.