Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus,
Job is easily the most misunderstood book in The Holy Scriptures. More wrong doctrine, wrong sermons, and wrong teaching have come out of this book than any other book in The Scriptures. I can remember for many, many years of my life, I would refuse to read the Book of Job after having read the first two-three chapters a couple of times. I could not reconcile how a supposedly loving, omnipotent, gracious, and compassionate God and Father could turn His child over to satan and allow the destruction, pain, and suffering to happen to Job and his family. I was ostrich-like, thinking if I just stuck my head in the ground and ignored the Book of Job, God wouldn’t decide to turn my family and me over to satan. Now, when I look back on this, I am ashamed I ever thought this way of my Father. Had I “studied to show myself approved unto God,” I never would have entertained such lies about my God and my Father. Thankfully, I’m now a called and anointed teacher enabled with The Holy Spirit’s wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to help set the record straight. Our Father COULD NEVER purposely turn His child over to satan. As Paul Harvey, a past, colorful radio personality, journalist, historian, and storyteller would say, “And now, the rest of the story.”
Job is a true story of events that actually happened in history. Most Believers, like me at one time, don’t like reading the Book of Job because they fear what happened to Job can happen to them or someone they love. Because of this fear, a Believer who does not read and study Job misses out on one of the greatest teachings of The Scriptures.
The writer of Job is anonymous. However, early Jewish Rabbis attribute the writing to Moses. Job lived some time before Abraham. Job 1:3 tells us Job is the greatest of all the men of the East. There is no mention of the Patriarchs, no mention of the law, no mention of any of the Mosaic institutions, none of the covenants, the priesthood, the Tabernacle, the feasts, etc. Job lived 200 plus years. The Chaldeans and Sabeans are mentioned as nomadic tribes in Job 1:15, 17. They later became institutionalized in cities.
Job is generally referred to as an “theodicy.” A theodicy is an explanation of why a loving, almighty, and all-knowing God allows evil to exist. The technical definition is “a theological argument or doctrine that seeks to explain how the existence of evil in the world can be reconciled with the justice and goodness of God. We addressed this in the previous two Caleb’s Promise messages. Technically, Job is not a theodicy. It is not trying to explain why God allows evil to exist in this world. Instead, it assumes we know there is evil in this world and that satan is behind it and not God.
Job is a book about “Grace.” Why do I capitalize The Word, “Grace?” Because “Grace” is a person, a King, a Redeemer – Jesus Christ. We know Grace as “the unmerited, unearned, undeserved, and unlimited favor of God.” Not of works. When you read the Book of Job, you’ll see Job had a works mentality. He had to learn he couldn’t earn God’s favor. Eventually Job recognizes this and recognizes he needs a Redeemer, a Mediator, an Advocate. Once Job recognizes his shortcomings, he speaks about himself in Job 40:1-4.
Job 40:1-4
1 Moreover The LORD answered Job, and said,
2 Shall he that contendeth with The Almighty instruct Him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
3 Then Job answered The LORD, and said,
4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
“Vile” = “despicable, awful, deserving of hatred and contempt.”
When Job is compared against others, he looks great. When he is compared against God’s standard, he is vile and desperately in need of God’s Grace.
We want to look at the initial event in Job 1 that kicked off the entire series of disastrous outcomes for Job. God makes it very clear to us we are either in “faith” or in “fear.” There is no other state we can exist in as Believers. Fear is the gateway through which satan, the adversary, can exploit and defeat a Believer. Fear causes us to focus on the problem and not on God’s promises. Fear causes us to speak the world’s language and wisdom and not God’s Word and promises. Let’s look at Job 1:5.
Job 1:5
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them [his seven sons], 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 is in fear that his sons are sinning against and cursing God in their hearts. So, Job steps in as an intercessor and “continually” begs God to forgive his sons as Job offers burnt offerings for them. Now, this seems like a wonderful thing for a father to do for his children. Religion would agree with you. However, this is kryptonite and creates a mile-wide portal for satan to walk through into one’s life and create devastation. We’ll talk more about this as we go through this series. We can see in the upcoming verses we discuss that Job 1:5 is the genesis of all of Job’s problems and the destructive events that occur.
Job 1:6-8 (King James Version)
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before The LORD, and satan came also among them.
7 And The LORD said unto satan, Whence comest thou? Then satan answered The LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 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?
There is a mistranslation in Job 1:8 that has created false doctrines, false teachings, and a complete misrepresentation of God our Father. To see it, I’m going to list the same verses from Job 1:6-8 in the Young’s Literal Translation (YLT), which translates the Hebrew and Aramaic into English holding true to the Hebrew and Aramaic words and meanings.
Job 1:6-8 (Young’s Literal Translation)
6 And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst.
7 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Whence comest thou?’ And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, `From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down on it.’
8 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Hast thou set thy heart against My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God, and turning aside from evil?’
Notice in verse 8 what God says to satan, the adversary. “Hast thou set thy heart against My servant Job…?” Verse 8, correctly translated, is a statement of fact rather than a question. The truth is God had noticed that satan had been watching Job and studying Job, and God called satan out over it. It is a rhetorical question by God pointing out the obvious. Another translation says, “Then The LORD asked satan, ‘You’ve noticed My servant Job haven’t you? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless, a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.’” To paraphrase it, God said, “I’ve watched you, satan, as you’ve roamed the earth studying everything that’s going on. I’ve noticed you’ve become fixated on Job. Job is blameless, a man of complete integrity. He fears Me and stays away from evil.” Notice, satan doesn’t deny what God says. Satan’s answer in Job 1:9-11 shows that he had been studying Job, was very familiar with Job, and that he had given much thought as to why Job was such a good man. In fact, satan had purposely come before God to accuse Job to God. To accuse Job of what? Of fear. No, not the “fear” spoken of in the verses meaning “reverential trust in God and His Word.” It is the spirit of fear, which creates bondage as told us in Romans 8:15-16.
Job 1:9-11
9 Then Satan answered The LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not Thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face.
Notice what The Holy Spirit says about the spirit of fear in II Timothy 1:7.
II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
If God doesn’t give us the spirit of fear, where does it originate? Of course, from satan as part of the curse. satan knew Job was a man of God, and he observed him to determine how he could attack him and cause a breach in the hedge God had placed about him. satan finally determined he could attack Job with fear about his children. And satan knew if he could get Job into fear, continually, he would have the legal right to attack him. Job was not only in fear through his actions, but he was in fear through his words as well. We know according to Proverbs 18:21 and Deuteronomy 30:19, among many other verses, death and life, blessing and cursing, is in the power of our tongue. We must choose carefully what we think, say, and do. Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 12:35-37. He warns us to watch our words.
Matthew 12:35-37
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
There it is in red letters from Jesus, Himself. What is in our hearts? What was in Job’s heart? Fear. Job condemned himself and his family. Rather than thanking God for the protection, deliverance, prosperity, and healing and wholeness of his sons and decreeing what God’s Word has to say about his sons, Job decreed what satan planted in his mind, which when considered, or meditated, continually, became Job’s decree or testimony about his sons. This broke the hedge of the protection of God’s Word around Job and his family.
Ecclesiastes 10:8
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
This verse sums it up succinctly. How do we break a hedge? With out thinking, speaking, and doing. Job’s thinking or meditating on the thought satan planted, led to his speaking fear, and then acting on it with the sacrifices. What happens when we break a spiritual hedge of protection? We make it possible for the serpent, the adversary, satan to attack us.
The Scriptures in Genesis 3:1 tell us “the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field God had made.” The key word is “subtil.” Subtil means, “crafty, shrewd, cunning, and prudent.” Strong’s Concordance tells us subtil “often describes someone who is mentally sharp or strategically clever—sometimes positively (as in wisdom), but often negatively (as in deceit).” We know with satan it was subtil in deceit. What satan did with Eve in the Garden of Eden, he did with Job. satan planted a seed, and Job planted, watered, and harvested it with his meditation, speaking, and doing. Rather than meditating God’s Word, God’s promises, Job meditated satan’s cunning and deceitful seed.
Now, satan was even cunning with God even though God knew what satan was doing. Let’s look at Job 1:9-11, again.
Job 1:9-11
9 Then Satan answered The LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not Thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face.
satan already knew Job had breached the hedge with his meditating of thoughts, speaking of words, and doing of deeds of fear. satan wanted to catch God in a lie. But notice that God doesn’t lie, nor can He lie (Titus 1:2), in Job 1:12.
Job 1:12
And The LORD said unto satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So satan went forth from the presence of The LORD.
Job had put God in a position that He could do nothing more than protect Job, himself, from destruction. God has given us all free will. We have free will to obey His Word or to disobey His Word because we think we know better. If we choose to disobey, we tie God’s hands. Notice in Job 1:12 that God doesn’t argue with satan. Paraphrasing, God tells satan “Job has put himself in a position I cannot do anything for him at this point. Job has given you legal access to his family and his possessions. However, he has not given you access to him, personally. Don’t touch Job, himself.”
Now, I must address one more thing in this Part I of the message series on Job. Many times, including this past Tuesday, I’ve heard preachers, teachers, and evangelists instruct that God used satan to test Job. This is utter heresy. God never has, doesn’t, and never will use satan to do anything for Him. If God were to use satan to do anything for Him, this would be a temptation. satan doesn’t test. He deceives, he condemns, and he tempts. These are his three weapons designed to steal, kill, and destroy. God never deceives, God never condemns, and God never tempts. In fact, James 1:13 makes it plain as day that God cannot and will not tempt a man or use anyone else to tempt a man.
James 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:
God’s tests are designed only to promote His children, never to demote them or to cause them harm. If we fail God’s tests, we don’t receive the blessing, the promotion, He has for us. However, we aren’t punished for failing the test. Our Father is a good Father, and He can only give to us good and perfect gifts, and He can only do good and perfect things for us (James 1:17).
I know for many reading this message, you may have never heard it taught this way. Believe me, I understand. When I studied this years ago, and The Holy Spirit revealed The Truth to me about the Book of Job, I was shocked and embarrassed. Shocked at what The Truth really is and embarrassed that I had ascribed to my Father characteristics and attributes that were not Him. God has taken so much wrongfully placed blame from the misunderstanding of the Book of Job. Again, we are commanded to “study to show ourselves approved unto The Lord….rightly dividing The Word of Truth.”
Next week we’ll continue delving into the Book of Job to learn The Truth. We’ll see as we examine the book, it is one of Grace.
In Christ Jesus,
Larry