Job 1:1
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”
Job 1:4-5
“And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”
Job 40:7-8
“Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?”
Psalm 119:137
“Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.”
Ezekiel 14:14
“Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.”
2 Thessalonians 1:5
“Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:”
Revelation 16:7
“And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.”
Deuteronomy 30:6
“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”
Saints,
Perhaps and although naturally inconceivable, we have in the past believed some subtle lies of the devil as he seeks to ensure we remain a church with much blemish. Make no mistakes, Jesus Christ is coming back for a church without spot or blemish, His bride is the glory of His heart. Yes without blemish or spot, heavenly clean robes; no false doctrines or false images of God the Father. The only acceptable image of God the Father we should have in our hearts is our Lord Jesus Christ. I have heard gospels and teachings preached around the life of Job and his sufferings, with often misguided spiritual inferences. Whatever the inferences may be, we may need to consider that the Father’s judgments have eternal considerations, and often incomprehensible by the human mind unless through divine revelations. In all occasions, we would exclaim a resounding “Oh, ooh, OOOH”, to God’s mystical yet righteous and loving judgments.
In considering Job’s story, let us relearn God’s righteous Judgment:
• The foundation of Job’s righteousness, A perfect man; Job’s righteousness was based on the provisional sacrifices of lambs and Goats, for the only man that lived without sin was Our Lord Jesus Christ. God made a provision for man’s sin by the blood of lambs, which in God’s eye was perfect under the law. This is the very basis for Job’s perfectness and righteous; which meant he well accounted for his sins under the law and eschewed evil. Uprightness a virtue of God’s abundant mercy and grace.
• The Sin of Job’s Children; Job sacrificed continually for the sins of his Children and sanctified them fearing that they had sinned against God. Let us for now lay aside any speculations on the upbringing of Job’s children, it is also clear they did not follow God’s ways. Could this have been as oversight of Job’s love for them? Often a father’s love seeks to save in contrast to the word of God. So Job like Jesus Christ interceded for his Children, although in real fact he could not sanctify them if they were unrepentant. Any intercessor knows all too well the pains, patience, sorrows and possibility of laying down one’s life that is required as one proves the Love of Christ that lives in us.
• Ascription of Sin; though no sin was attributed to Job, like in Ezekiel 14:14, God said that even if Noah, Daniel and Job (great intercessors for Mankind) were present they would only save their souls. Even when Moses asked to be punished for Israel’s sins, God told him no, that those who sinned would have to account for their sin; this gives you a greater perspective and appreciation of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. Job’s children had to stand on their righteousness not on their father’s. Many men ask God, Why? Without seeking any direct accountability towards their children. Jesus when asked why calamity fell on some people said Luke 13:3-5 “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
• Tainted blessings and Sacrifice; It was God who blessed Job with enormous wealth, which under the law was a glory to God’s promised to His servants. When we glory over God’s provisions and neglect the giver, such provision becomes tainted, and now an instrument of Satan. Job’s Children through their feasting and boasting tainted Job’s wealth; Job’s wealth became a curse unto God’s Holy Servant Job. In God’s judgment, He removed the curse off Job, refined Job like Gold through his trials and then blessed Him with a new and eternal blessing that would remain a glory to God. Job’s new wealth and Children through Job’s refinement became a glory to God; so the 10 new children walked in the glory and things of God, each earning their individual righteousness. This is an example of what many of us go through when we lose provisions we have made idols; Job’s wealth became idols to his Children. Often idols in our family leave open doors to Satan; our families should be our first ministries, for a man who cannot rule his family cannot a city; this is much about open doors to Satan.
• Job’s refinement and renewed Blessing; we all have to go through refinement like Job to make all that God has entrusted unto us remain a glory to the name of the Heavenly Father. Nothing is worse than jumping the gun for a Christian when God has told us to wait; wait only means preparation. We need to secure our perimeter before venturing out to spiritual warfare with an aged enemy. The Midianites and Amorites often attacked the perimeters of the children of Israel to weaken their flanks and resolve, and to bait them into skirmishes that would weaken them before the intended war; so is Satan with our families. When we secure our perimeter by teaching our children the ways of God in Jesus Christ, blessing them and encouraging them, our perimeter become a great asset; the enemy becomes weary and skirmishes win the war. Let us venture to close all doors to the enemy especially in our first ministry which is our family.
This has helped me understand more clearly the woes of Job and God’s righteous Judgment towards Job, by removing a curse and refining Him to greater glory; this much like David and even us the Saints. Jesus Christ shed His blood to bring us to the greatest glory of all, in fulfilling Deuteronomy 30:6 by giving us the Gift of the Holy Spirit. One lesson I have learnt is that the fundamental definition of a Christian is “He or She who Love Jesus Christ with all His heart”; a bride gives her whole heart to the bridegroom, this is true love. Jesus Christ is the word of God; the word and Christ are one, Christ is living word of God as demonstrated to all mankind. The bride must love the Bridegroom by His word; the beauty of God is His word.
Our judgments in our suffering is similar to that of our Lord, it pleases the Heavenly Father when we laid down our earthly rights and privileges that others be saved; we have an eternal and true promise but the lost do not; for us death is a beginning for the lost it is an end; for us eternal life and for the lost eternal damnation. Be patient, and pray without rancor.
You are a bride without spot, blemish or wrinkle to Jesus Christ, Amen.
