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Job 1:13-22/2.1-10
WORLD VIEW in a Time of Loss
November 12th 2023
So, we have the Satan having been given permission from YAHAVAH to go forward. I think we ought to cover what happens next so let’s read from verse 13-22 beginning with verse 13-19:
Job 1:13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Because of the thrice repeated line, “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee,” from different people in reporting different tragedies it seems that this is a created tale to some extent and certainly not literal – but if it is, no problem.
In the realm of suffering there are really no surprises in this world – it is a place where suffering exists.
The longer I live the more I realize how fickle and weak we human beings are when it comes to suffering and losses.
Interestingly enough, the main way, perhaps the only way, we toughen up is in and through suffering which may include the losing what we esteem important, of value and or what we love the most.
When we were children and the least thing infringed upon our comforts and wants – we drop our ice-cream cone, someone takes our toy, mom makes us take a bath – we rise up and resist, some might throw a fit – until we understand that what we is demanded of us is part of life, that there are good and poor ways to respond and once we get it down we move on almost unaffected by the interference, perceived loss, or injustice on our time and will.
Here with the man Job, the accuser throws everything (and the kitchen sink) at him in one fell swoop, giving him no time to prepare, adjust or understand – these EXTREME obstacles are meant to stun and bring the point of suffering home.
So for Job, he first experiences the loss of oxen, asses and servants.
Then, the loss of sheep and the servants tending them (by fire from heaven that the writer has the surviving servant say, “elohiym sent.” (Which was not really accurate as elohiym only permitted ha Satan to send ).
Then we have the ultimate loss of something Job (in the set up of the tale) was most concerned with – his children.
All of them – at least all of the young men as the daughters are not mentioned specifically but the sons are, are killed by the wind.
So, let’s take the tale and assign it to ourselves. In your mind, take the top three things (collections of things and not necessarily individual people or items in your life) and sort of prioritize them in your mind –
Don’t include your health because that is the last thing Job will lose.
But take them in your mind and stack the most important material things you possess – the most important things/collections.
As you are thinking, for me it’s my family members, second, it’s my life’s work, and thirdly I suppose its my ability to work (meaning having the way and means).
For most with children its family, friends, bank accounts, careers, portfolios.
The general point to our reflecting is that there is not one single material physical item we can take with us where we are going.
Not one.
And at this point, this is Job’s reaction, after a very emotionally driven response (verse 20)
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Right off the bat, we have to admit that it is within Job’s human purview and right to react to the news emotionally.
We are emotional creatures and its highly abnormal to respond to the loss of something we love and appreciate without it – at least somewhere along the line of our grieving.
We weep over the loss of these things that have been a blessing to our lives, that we cherish most, that we feel like without them our lives will suffer a tremendous loss so we are emotional by the loss – or the perceived loss.
In the face of His emotional reaction (meaning he rent his clothing and shaved his head and fell to the ground) we note that it also says that He worshipped (ostensibly YAHAVAH) with the words,
“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
I mean, what a world view. What a perspective on this life and the most astute way to prioritize things.
Of course, the pain of such loss is intolerable – emotionally – as being human and having a life these things – these people – are so dear to us.
But we cannot get around the fact – the fact – that all of us are going to die and at that point in time WE will be joining those who have left us here and we will be causing those we leave behind who love us sorrow and pain.
But with our exit we trust there come comes joy – in reuniting with those we lost, becoming unencumbered by worries and woes and most importantly, coming face to face with the facts of the faith, even our God.
By faith I trust that choosing right here on spiritual things will matter there.
Job, at this point, appears to have this perspective in hand – and it is a perspective I want to encourage everyone within the sound of my voice to spend some time creating in themselves – that our lives here are but a vapor on glass – but there is more, we trust, even “mo better” to come and we walk with this reassurance that comes through faith.
Many people mock this faith, believing that it is built on an inferior foundation like shame, guilt, fear and wanting certainty in the face of doubt. And to some extent I would agree they have a point.
But wanting to really understand whether I should take my own life too in the face of such losses or to cling to faith in His better promises, I (with you) have taken the time to try and understand why trusting in a “better end” is superior to being engulfed in sorrow and to believe, to trust and to look forward to a brighter day is superior philosophically, rationally, intellectually and social to all the reactions the world promotes.
Isn’t it interesting that the very means by which God allows Satan to prove Job is through an attack on his material possessions including taking the lives of his servants and children?
God tells ha Satan not to take his life, but he does allow Satan to take the lives of those Job cares for and loves!
This indirectly hearkens to the ultimate test of Jobs fidelity and heart for God, which looking back YAHAVAH always knew, but perhaps the Accuser and the rest of the Divine Counsel was in the Dark about.
And what Job has proven thus far is his complete allegiance to the first ten WORDS discussed last week – Job put God’s command first, which posits in ten succinct Hebrew words in Exodus 20:2
“I am the LORD thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Here’s the key – when we make Him the focal point of our love and devotions, He equips us to face the trials He allows.
Part and parcel of our goal here as Yeshuan’s is to help EQUIP people – living breathing people – with the right perspectives, the right beliefs, the right doctrines so that they are BETTER prepared for what this life will inevitably present almost all souls in the vain of Job – especially believers.
In other words, being a believer will not prevent a person from experiencing pain, loss or tragedy. With great soberness, the reality is, as in the case of Job, it may even invite such.
But the moral of the story of Job is his heartfelt response to the loss and pain, which at this point is summarized in us reading:
“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
And the added line,
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Remember the line, in all this Job sinned not, as He in his heart and with his suffering retained the ten words in His life.
That is a man who has the order right, the priorities correct, the hierarchy in place.
A love for THE LIVING GOD
And Him alone first – then
FAMILY
HIS PROPERTY AND SERVANTS
HIS LIVILIHOOD
HIMSELF
But just when we think everything has happened that could happen, the second blow is delivered – chapter 2
Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, (BUT YAHAVAH ADDS THIS TIME) although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
What’s that saying, “anyone who thinks money is everything has never been sick?”
It seems Satan knew the right way to really get to a human being and that is to cause him personal pain and suffering, discomfort in the flesh.
And he gave him boils.
Now, I don’t know if you have ever had a boil but when I was about 9 years of age I got a boil right on the left cheek of my rear-end.
My mom took me to the doctor, and he told her what to do but the thing was pernicious and would not go away. It was here that I first learned the story of Job.
My older sister nick named me, “boil-butt” a name that drove me insane, and everyday for a few weeks I would get the thing dressed with gauze and tape to keep it clean but it just grew in size and brough real discomfort.
On a late Saturday afternoon I went to little league and was somehow able to get a hit that day (I was otherwise not very good at that age in baseball) and when I came back to the dugout the coach, who was so excited that I connected with the ball, slapped my left butt cheek hard – I mean super hard – and the pain was excruciating but quickly thereafter I noticed the discomfort leaving that area of my body.
I remember going home and my mom removing the dressing which was loaded with thick yellow pus. Apparently, the coach smashed the boil when he slapped me releasing the trapped infection and that ailment was healed the next day.
I was able to learn firsthand how sometimes even inadvertent unintentional pain is needed to alleviate deeper issues.
Here in Job, we do not have him reacting to His losses or turning on God. Instead we have read that He first sees his plight philosophically saying,
“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
At the loss of his health and comfort however says more realistic wife speaks up and mocks him, telling Him to curse God and die. To this, Job says
“Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”
Both are statements from a heart of humility, reason, and a world view that from all appearances that hangs on the first command, the first ten words, and obeys them from the heart.
As mentioned last week, it is the ten words that YAHAVAH wants His creations to embrace, absorb and put in the front of their minds.
It is not the Law – that was NEVER ever obeyed by anyone ever. But it was a command some were able to keep.
Abraham broke the Law (even though it wasn’t given to Him then) David made a major mess of the thing and yet God called David a man after (I think this means David was a man who pursued after) God’s own heart.
As mentioned the man failed repeatedly to keep all the commands of the God He so loved. But He always put God first.
It’s not that breaking God’s Law is good, and to break it enough might show that the individual’s heart is indifferent to God, but show me a man or woman who takes the ten words into their heart and believes them, looks to them, relies on them and trusts Him in the way they describe, and I will show you another man or woman after God’s own heart who at least desires to try and keep the other laws.
This is our invitation to all souls everywhere – put Him on the throne of your life. Ahead of all other things, people, places and conditions. Embrace the first command of faith and the follow-up command to love and you will walk according to His will and ways and encounter the pains and loss of life as He would desire.
I know I have talked about this recently but I love King David’s attitude toward things as he repeatedly evidences this central heart to the One True and Living God which does not ever seem to give way to any other thing before Him.
Consider the following story found in
2nd Samuel chapter 12 after Nathan reveals David’s sin with Bathsheba to him:
15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
This is a heart seeing the world through the right perspective, and not seeking to “do the law right,” but keeping the real command central to His heart – faith and trust in God – and walking in that strength irrespective of what other thought.
We find a similar reveal when David was just a shepherd boy and heard about the giant Goliath and all the men and soldiers of Israel feared him and David shows up, much to the chagrin of his brothers, and after assessing the scene by himself says to those who stood by him
What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? (1st Samuel 17:26)
When they tried to wrap him in the armor of Man, David wisely replied,
“I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.”
From the Fall of Man, we have had men considering their love for their wives more than their love for God – and see this played out in Adam and others who chose to hearken to her instead of Him.
Here in the story of Job we have his wife, who simply said to him in the face of his misery,
“Do you still maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
But Job refuses to listen to the negativity she brings with respect to the living God.
Turning back to David, once he was able to secure the ark of the Covenant, we read in 2nd Samuel 6:24
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.
20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
No, neither Job nor David would ever allow their wives to undermine their heart for the living God. And no wife should ever let a husband undermine her heart for Him either.
The point – have NO OTHER GOD’S before Him, spouses included.
David was also was boundlessly loyal to the one that stood as God’s king on earth – granting Him every break imaginable for the simple reason he respected the office Saul bore as King of God’s on earth.
Several times he had the chance to kill Saul who at times hated was His mortal enemy but he loved God more and withheld his hand.
When Saul ultimately died along with his three sons, Saul by falling on his own sword, we read the following:
2nd Samuel 1:5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’S anointed.
Because the young man took false credit for ending Sauls life and Saul was the anointed King, David acted in accordance to his deceitful words and ended him, again, putting all honor before the Lord.
Even in his affair with Bathsheba, Listen to the heart of David as he writes in Psalm 51
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Job, like David, was able to understand and clearly see his life and place under the all-seeing eye of His Maker. It allowed him to plainly and rightly state,
“Naked was a born from my mother’s womb and naked I will return from here, meaning, “I entered this world with nothing and I will certainly exit it the same way.”
And he placed his full allegiance and trust in the very living God who desires it.
Human beings will stumble, faulter, in weakness, perhaps, look to ineffective false gods. But the heart of His own, even amidst life’s trials and weaknesses, will always stand on Him alone letting nothing come between them and their love, devotion and trust for Him.
Tap-rooted spiritual issues are always ferreted out in trials and pain and honed down when we are not holding Him up from the heart as our one and only God, King, Truth and object of devotion.
We remember the various examples from Yeshua’s life of redirecting and correcting the minds are hearts of the people around him. In our first example we read
In Matthew 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Then in the next verse
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
We remember the following story where this earnest young man failed to grasp the import of the Greatest Commandment and we read
Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be complete/whole/having integrity, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Why these instructions? Because thy were akin to him going and getting rid of anything and everything that stood in between he and the Living God – in his case, material and money – and Yeshua was putting his feet to the fire hoping he would surrender this obstacle that stood in his path of perfection/integrity or being complete.
He did all of the law – from His youth, but like the Nation of Israel before and around him he let the single most important command slide – and failed to love the Lord His God MORE than his riches.
And we read
Mt 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Are you seeking to have the right relationship with the living God and for it to stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of genuine devotion?
Put Him first and foremost in your life – His will and ways above all other things around you –
Above your spouse, your children, your family, your neighbors, your friends, your job or interests or talents or occupation, above your wealth, your material possessions, your will, your fame, your labors, your goals, your fears …
Put Him, in your heart and mind first, as the preeminent and primary go-to in all things, looking for no other inspiration, insights or directives ahead of His.
No religion.
No traditions.
No self-will.
No idols, objects or ambitions.
When you do, you will have put His command first and everything else – all things in life, will fall into place the way He desires and in this you will find peace and rest that will sustain you if He allows your devotions to be tested.
In making sons and daughters, the first and the final steps remain the same – those who are His and remain His make Him their Lord God in the heart and in the head and even when He tests them, and even when they fail Him trust that He reigns.
We will leave off with Job’s wife’s comments to him when she said
“Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.”
But how Job replied,
10 Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
All because his heart was right.
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