SUFFERING

Job charged not God foolishly

    [adapted from J. G. Malphurs' sermon to the victims of the tornado in Clyde, Texas, in 1938.]

    "Job stood up and tore his robe in grief.  Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground before God.  He said, 'I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die.  The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away.  Praise the name of the Lord!'  In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God."  [Job 1:20-22  The Book]

    1. We do not say God sends every disaster.  We know He sends some.  2 Samuel 24:1-17; Acts 27.

    a. For a divine purpose when God sends them.

Compare Revelation 9:20-21.  “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.  And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”  Rev 9:20-21 (NKJV)

    b. To punish ungodliness.  Genesis 19  Sodom & Gomorrah

    c. In Job's case it was to prove to Satan that Job was "perfect," not a hypocrite.

    2. Disasters strike the righteous as well as the unrighteous, generally.  But in Job's case he was Satan’s main objective.  Job 1:6-12; 2:6-7.

    3. Such disasters prove man's helplessness.

    a. There is a greater power. 

    “Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.  Thus says the Lord: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.  For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.”  Jer 10:1-3 (NKJV)

    b. Better to bow before God before calamities strike. 

    “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God."  So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”  Romans 14:10-12 (NKJV)

    4. Duties of the church in times like these.

    a. Lead the faithless into faith. 

    “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.”  Acts 16:25-27 (NKJV)

    b. Help God's people to glorify God in spite of disaster. 

    “Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"  But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”  Job 2:9-10 (NKJV)

    5. Job was an obedient soldier.

    a. God had the right to test Job's loyalty by taking away the things given him in trust.

    b. Job's faith helped him to defeat Satan's scheme - of which Job was unaware.  

    “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:6-8 (NKJV)

    6. If disaster strikes, let us say:

    a. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.  He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.”  Job 13:15-16 (NKJV)

    “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  Psalms 23:4 (NKJV)

    b. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28  The Book  [for our eternal good]

    c. "Enjoy prosperity while you can.  But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.  That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life."  Ecclesiastes 7:14  The Book

    d. Look forward to the resurrection! 

    "We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as His children, including the new bodies He has promised us."  Romans 8:23  The Book

    “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.  For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”  Romans 8:23-25 (NKJV)