The Journey Brought Forth "Job"

This blog series is focused on God’s word bringing people through their journeys in His intentional way that He has set in front of them thereby bringing them through to His completion.

Exodus chapter twenty through Matthew chapter four is the section of scripture that most Christians find themselves living in its revolving pattern of realization, but once they receive its revelation, the Third Stage of Life is what their lives are built upon instead of attempting to achieve.

The book of Job is a book focused on an individual man of God’s development into humility with four of his friend’s accompaniment of this experience. It begins with describing Job being a godly man, his family, and his possessions. This is followed up by God meeting with His sons and Satan. God points Job out to Satan, and Satan replies that Job is only faithful to Him; because of the protection and prosperity that he received from God. (God knows what His people need to experience to be closer to Him and leads them through every step of their journey.)

God granted Satan the ability to take Job’s children and property, and Job’s response was, “Naked I came 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.” (Job knew what the truth was in the situation of his ability to retain the things that he was given, but proclaimed God had done it; which, He had not done it, but allowed Satan to do it. God has control of every situation that His people go through during their lives.)

God points Job out to Satan again, and Satan replies it is the protection you supply for him. If you took his health away from him, he would curse you. God told Satan he was in Satan’s hand but to save his life. Satan struck Job with boils from head to toe, and Job’s wife said curse God and die, but Job replied, shall we receive good from God and not evil? (God’s people can know that God is the giver of all gifts and realize that everything that comes into their lives is a gift.)

Job’s three friends hear about Job’s persecution and come to mourn with him in his troubles. They sat quietly with him for seven days; then, Job opened his mouth to curse the day of his birth stating that all men are troubled and it would have been better if he had not been born concluding that the thing that he feared had come upon him. (Life’s lessons are difficult to go through and the thing that people fear is what often initiates the experience.)

Eliphaz, a descendant of Esau, was the first to reply to Job, and basically told him that while everything was good with him, he had ministered to others helping them through their journeys, but now that something had happened to him he had lost his strength and understanding; then he continued by accusing Job of transgressions and telling him even the angels are charged with folly: how can mortals that dwell in clay be found just, and continued by stating that man is born unto trouble, God does not allow the wicked people’s plotting to flourish, and He saves the poor. He then tells Job how he can live in God’s peace when he obeys Him. (People often give instructions to others, when they have not gone through the issue, or while they are not in distress, about how God’ s people who are one with Him can have peace and prosperity in their physical lives, but this is not God’s truth; it is worldly wisdom that does not line up with His promises when He shows them the entirety of who He is; because lessons must be learned, and people’s lives must be directed.)

Job answered that his sorrows are heavier than the sand of the sea, he wished for death, his friend's advice was not appropriate because it was not accurate, that there is an appointed time for man to live, and all of his days are vanity. (A hopelessness often comes during challenging times, but God’s sustains His people through them and leads them to a place of transformation.)

Bildad the Shuhite, a descendant of Abraham’s wife after Sarah died, asked Job how long he would speak of his own righteousness because if he were righteous, he would prosper, but since he was not righteous, God had done this to him. (God chastens who He loves, but the world’s challenges are not always for correction; sometimes, they are for instruction.)

Job answered I know that man cannot contend with God who has made and commands everything in existence, that He destroys the perfect and the wicked; then, stated he would speak with God if He took His rod away from him, and finally asked for a little comfort since God had taken him out of the womb and given him what was required for life. (God gives life and equips His people to go through the learning seasons of it that are not pleasant to their flesh.)

Zophar the Naamathite, a man from the city of Naaman in Canaan, said should your multitude of words make men hold their peace? Can you find God’s perfection? If you cleanse your life and look to Him; then, you shall not fear, but the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and their hope shall be as death. (Job’s third friend that had come to help him agrees with the other two telling Job he must have done something wrong or his life would not be like it is. This was inaccurate because God never promised a life on earth in which the external challenges would cease, but that His people could be beyond them.)

Job continued with telling his friends they were not the only ones with understanding: they could ask the beasts, the birds, or the earth and all of them would say that God had done this; because He is in control of all. Job now wants to speak with God because his friends are speaking false words for God and he would hold to his own righteousness. There were only two things that Job desired God to do; which were to remove His hand from him and not to make him afraid. He continued with stating men are born into trouble to live for a certain amount of time in a certain geographic area, and they would die and not be reborn like a tree can come back from its roots. (Job is in a common place of people’s path of earning and possessing their own righteousness instead of receiving and living on God’s gift of righteousness.)

Eliphaz speaks up again telling Job that no man is clean because even the heavens are filthy in God’s sight. The wise men tell what they have heard from their fathers, and wicked men are full of troubles doing wrong and waiting for death. (Rumors of who God is instead of practical knowledge of Him is what most people have to give, and it is to be received as what it is, hearsay, instead of God’s voice directly to His people.)

Job answered, “You are miserable comforters.” I could do the same to you if the positions were reversed, but I would strengthen you instead. I have made my home with death and wait for it. (Job is coming to the realization of his utter despair through this experience, and this is necessary for God’s people to rely on Him instead of themselves.)

Bildad said when would Job stop speaking and realize that the wicked people’s light will be put out, he will not have descendants, and troubles abound for people who do not know God. (Friends often speak words that provoke thought even if they are not accurate, and they can be condemning instead of comforting; which may be necessary for the friend’s growth even if they are not right.)

Job answered how long will you trouble my soul and build yourself up against me? If I have done wrong, it is not against you, and God knows what I have done. God has removed all of my friends and family, even children revile me, but I know that my Redeemer lives and will stand on the earth in the latter day, and though my flesh is destroyed, yet will I will see God. (During trying times, God’s people can rest assured that He will raise them up to see Him even if they don’t understand what is happening.)

Zophar said the triumphing of the wicked is for a short time and he shall be overtaken from without and within himself; because this is his inheritance from God. (People often mistake short-term lessons for long-term destruction.)

Job answered by raising a question about the wicked people having their offspring established in their sight, their houses being safe from fear, their livestock prospering, their lives filled with music and celebration, they reject God not needing Him, the wicked are saved until the day of destruction, so your answers are in falsehood. (People often wonder why things are not just; however, things are always one hundred percent just because God is allowing them to happen for His purpose and God is just.)

Eliphaz answered can any man prosper God: what he does, is it not only prosperous to himself? Return to God and accept His ways into your heart; then He will lift you up and deliver the island of the innocent by the pureness of your hands. (God enjoys the relationship with His people, but He is sovereign.)

Job replied I would like to speak to God and make my cause before Him. I cannot find Him, and I have kept His ways, but He is fixed, and no one can turn Him. (Job is speaking what He had heard and therefore was in his heart.)

Bildad answered dominion and fear are with God and man cannot be clean in His sight because even the stars are not pure in His sight. (This is partially true, but God can and does make His people clean through His cleansing.)

Job replied how have you helped any without power and what have you declared in full? Hell is naked in front of Him and destruction has no covering. He continued by explaining how God has control over the placement of the earth, the things on it, and all the functions thereof, He even made the crooked serpent, but this is just a portion of who He is and man does not know Him entirely. Job held fast to his righteousness and would not justify their accusations against him, and said hypocrites gain is worthless because their things will be undone by God, wisdom is hard to find, and understanding is far from man; because the fear of the Lord is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding. Job continued by desiring the past when things were pleasant, and God seemed to be with him, when Job helped people and put down the wicked, Job was refreshed at night, and people gave unto him, and he dwelt as a king; but now, he was a reproach, people disdain him, everything had changed, and there was no rest for him. Job had made a covenant with God and had kept it, but he thought he still received injustice. He also thought if he had done unjustly he deserved repayment, but that he had not done so. The words of Job are ended. (People are often confident toward God in their limited understanding of who God is and what He requires; because of what they had heard about Him, but there is more to Him than people can understand at this point of their journey and that is why God is patiently allowing their journey to continue.)

Elihu the Buzite, a descendant of Abraham’s brother Nahor, a younger man that had listened to the four men’s conversation, began to speak and told them he had held his peace until they had finished out of respect for their age, but age is not indicative of wisdom because God places wisdom into people just like He places His Spirit in them. Elihu was angry with Job because he justified himself rather than God, and he was angry with Job’s friends because they had found no answer, yet condemned Job. Elihu’s heart was about to burst, and he had to let them know what his opinion was. (People should limit their speech to things they know and be slow to speak to understand the facts before doing so.)

Elihu continued by saying the spirit of God made him and the breath of the Almighty had given him life; therefore, he would speak in God’s place. Elihu said, Job has proclaimed his righteousness and stated God had unjustly corrected him, but God gives instructions and man does not understand it until God speaks to him in dreams because of man’s pride restricting his ability to receive God’s words. God often takes man to the edge of hell allowing him to understand his ways are not right then saves him from entering and restores him to the days of his youth; because the man prays to God and finds favor with Him. (Humility toward God is the starting point for all people’s redemption, and the youth is different than man can understand youth in this part of their journey.)

Elihu continued by speaking to Job’s three friends. Job has said, “I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.” But God is not unjust and will not commit iniquity. If God took His Spirit back from men, all men would return to the dust. There is no hiding from God and God repays wicked men in front of others to show them who He is. God commands peace and turmoil whether it be to a nation or a man. Ask God what iniquity has been done and receive His answer instead of thinking it for yourself. God does not profit or suffer loss by man’s righteousness or sin, but He is the judge, and they shall all see Him one day. Saying you will not see God is vanity. Elihu continued once again by stating that God is against the wicked and gives to the poor. God corrects His people, and if they obey and turn from their way to His way, they shall live in prosperity with pleasures, but if they don’t, they shall perish by the sword. God is far above man and does things they don’t understand: He even controls the weather. (God is just, shows people who He is, wants a relationship with His people, and will tell them what they are misunderstanding if they ask in humility.)

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind with questions that are only knowable to God and to those who He reveals the answer; God asked him if he had experiences that were beyond man’s ability, if he had control over things that only God has control, if he gave wisdom to things that required it to accomplish their tasks such as birds flying, and finally asked, “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.” (God allowed the process to occur which Job had made statements, asked questions, had been reasoned with and accused; and when all of man’s abilities and reasoning were fulfilled, He finally speaks clearly and definitively to allow him to receive revelation from Him in how much different God is than man.)

Job answered God, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.” God replied will you change my judgment, humble the people who require humbling, or will you control the great animals that I have created? Job answered I acknowledge that you can do everything and therefore I repent. (God continues breaking His people until they realize He is God and they are not.)

The Lord then spoke to Eliphaz saying, I am angry at you and your two friends. Go to Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves, and Job shall pray for you; unless, I deal with you after your folly because you have not spoken that which is right like Job did; so, the three friends went to Job and did as God had instructed. Job prayed for His friends, and God restored Job’s relatives to him, the same number of children and double the livestock he had prior to this incident. Job lived to see four generations of his descendants after this. (God works things to His people's advantage throughout their lives to the reveal Himself to them more intimately through it even though it may be painful during the process.)

There are different stages of humility as shown by the Book of Job. Job knew God’s ways were better than man’s ways, that the righteous shall be rewarded, and the wicked shall be punished, but he did not have the level of humility to enter God’s presence until he went through this gift that humbled him even more. God brought Satan’s attention to Job because God loved Job and wanted to bring him through this process that is necessary for His people to experience so they can receive the humility that expands their life into seeing God instead of just hearing about Him. The process seemed like a horrible curse until God revealed how much of a blessing it was; because God restores His people to a better state of being after they are humbled than they thought was possible before they went through it, and this sets them free to live a life beyond measure.