Job
Introduction:
This is the story of Job whose become very popular for his faithfulness to God. He had walk through trials that were allowed by God to test his personality. God allowed those things to happen to show Satan that Job will still follow His commandment in spite of many trials. He still faithful to God even if his wife ask him to deny God (the name of Job's wife was not written in the scripture). God doubles his properties after proving that he will not deny God even if walk though any trials.
Body:
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of allthe people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.
After seven days Job finally talked and he said "I have done no mistake! why God letting all this terrible things happen to me?". Eliphaz was shocked at Job's harsh question and he said "don't be upset Job but from what i have seen, God does not punish innocent people you must have done something wrong". Job replied "but i haven't sinned but even if i had God knows my heart and He will always forgive me". Bildad was not convinced to Job's reply. Bildad said " It sounds like you're blaming God for being unfair I'm sorry but if your kids were killed, because they must have deserve it. You have a chance to repent from your sins and you should take it". Job replied "I will confess my sin if God would come and tell me what i had done wrong". Jobs insistence offended his third friend Zophar and he said "You know nothing about God! you stubbornly insist that you have done no wrong, when the only thing that can save you is to apologize and repent to God for your sin". Job replied "Some friends you are! you do not comfort me at the worst time of my life. You thing you speak for God? I only wish he would come and speak to me for Himself. Even if he kill me, I would trust in Him "
Climax:
And God suddenly appeared to him in storm. "stand up on your feet like a man" I will ask you Job and you will answer me, do you think you know so much Job? where were you when i laid the foundation of the earth? have you commanded the morning to come? do you show the sun where to rise? can you untie the rope that holds the stars together? can you rule over the wonderful creature i have created? I am in charge of the universe, I am charge of everything that exist. You cannot understand my ways,you cannot know the greater things i have desire for you. Your role is just to simply trust in me.
In reply to what God had said, Job falls to his knees " I spoke thins i did'nt understand,forgive me".After this,God heals Job, God gives twice as many animals as he has lost and he gives more ten more children. Job live for a long time after this.
We must not depend on the things that we have. It should not satisfy our needs. God is more important in everything. Keep your faithfulness in God and he will surely give you what you need.
In the land of Uz (The land may have named after Uz, who was the son of Aram, and grandson of Shem (Genesis 10:23, 1 Chronicles 1:17))
Job, his slaves,his sons,his wife,Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.
Job was the richest person on that day. Even that he knew that fact he never fails to make God happy to what he is doing. Job was never been obsessed to his properties but he always give thanks to the Lord for what he has. It catches the attention of Satan and he ask God to test this person and God told him "you may, but you must not kill him". God allowed this to let Satan see how faithful Job is. Then Satan started the trials, Job lost all of his properties including his sons and animals. He has a skin disease that you cannot even recognize who he is. Job asked questions to God but he remained faithful. after he has proven his faithfulness, God showed and bring all his possessions back double as he has before. Job lived a long life after what happened.
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