Many of us born again believers may have been brought up in a church, where the gospel according to Job was taught as gospel Truth. Many believers are still attending churches today, which preach the gospel according to Job. Do any of these statements ring true in the memory?
The LORD gave and the LORD hath taketh away, blessed be the name of the LORD.
Though he slay me yet will I trust him.
What? Shall we receive good at the hand of the LORD and shall we not receive evil (also inferred).
These are most of the, gospel according to Job, verses we have retained and recall from our church training. Also, a much generalized statement has developed from the Job teachings, which says, “God allowed the Devil to test Job!” This is the present doctrine for many denominational churches.
How many of us remember from our childhood going to funerals and hearing the Preacher say, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord”? We may remember hearing this statement at the funeral of a young child who died by accident or illness.
Hearing these statements can instill into a young mind a bad opinion about God. We can actually come away from that experience believing that God would actually take this child away from his parents and the way God did it was through accident or illness. We should really give some common sense thinking as to what we believe about God. All our doctrine needs to boil down to Good God/ Bad Devil!
After beginning to study the Word of God with seriousness and also common sense, Truth began to emerge that the Lord does not give a gift and then take that gift away. However, when we try to teach that God does not do bad things to people in order to teach them or to correct them, someone would always blurt out, “What about Job?” This called for a need to seriously study and mediate the book of Job.
If we recall from the book of Acts, Paul came into Thessalonica teaching that there had been a covenant change. When Paul started teaching on the new covenant, the people got together and rejected his teaching. Paul departed from there and then he went over to Berea and the scriptures states:
Acts 17:11 These (at Berea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
We must all come to that same point in our life. We must have a readiness of mind and be willing to search the scriptures to see, if that which we have been taught is the Truth of the Word of God. We should not believe something just because we hear it spoken by someone who we love and admire. We should search out the scriptures and see if it’s the Truth." There are a lot of people who love God who are using the Bible, as there source, but they have not always extracted proper counsel from the Word of God.
As we move about Christian arenas, listen closely to what is being said. Many will say that that God will allow sickness, accidents, financial stress or something bad to come on His children to teach them or discipline them. This thinking has developed from the church teachings and forces the question, “What about Job?”
Job is the most misunderstood book in the Bible and many churches still have Job’s darkened counsel being taught and operating in their church. Many of us may have been raised in a church that believes that God gives to his children both good and evil, and that “the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” That is what many teach and that is what Job believed and it is written in the Bible.
Job 1:21 the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Job 2:10b What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?
We may have already come to some understanding in our gut that Job was wrong, but just don’t know how to explain it. Well, it wasn’t until the end of the book that Job fully understood how wrong he was and then Job fully repented of speaking darkened counsel and making accusations against God. However, many still teach Job’s darkened counsel as the gospel truth.
This demonstrates the power of indoctrination. Highly educated people accept a teaching that God would do something to His children, of which, if we were to do the same thing to our children, we would be locked away in prison. If anyone were to cause a child to be involved in an accident or is anyone were to intentionally inject a child with a terminal sickness, that person would go to prison. However, if the child dies in an accident or dies due to an illness, many time we will hear that it was God who gave the child and it was God who took the child away. So did Job believe that God brought both evil and good into his life!
It is hard for us to put ourselves in Job’s position. Job had no written scriptures to study as we do. The book of Job is considered to be to oldest scriptures in the Bible. Job couldn’t read the book of Job! Most Scholars attribute the author of the book as unknown and also the date of writing unknown. With that said, turn to Job 1:1 and we will see what the scriptures state about the man Job.
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.
There are those who take this opening verse to mean that Job had no sin. Well, he was a descendant of Adam and he had a sin nature and I am sure that he had operated that nature on several occasions. If job had no sin, he could have been the Messiah and could have saved Jesus a lot of trouble.
perfect is #8535 tam (tawm); from 8552; complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically, gentle, dear:
upright is #3477 yashar (yaw-shawr'); from 3474; straight (literally or figuratively): -convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet (-est), + pleased well right (-eous), straight, (most) upright (-ly, -ness).
feared God is #3373 yare' (yaw-ray'); from 3372; fearing; morally, reverent:
eschewed is #493 cuwr (soor); a primitive root; to turn off (literal or figurative):
Verse one is just telling us that Job was a believer with some maturity and reverence for God and tried to stay free from evil. We probably could say that Job was the most righteous man of the East at that time, but Job wasn’t sinless. Just to get our mind set correctly here, who does the Devil always want to target the most? The most righteous!
Verse 2 and 3 just talks about Job’s children and everything that he owned. Then in Job 1:4 it says,
Job 1:4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 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.
One of the things that come into play here to a great extent is that Job did not do a good job in the raising his children. His children were seriously flawed.
When we look at the word “feasting” and “gone about,” and do a bit of word study there is some interesting light revealed on the matter. In other Bibles this verse is generally translated as, “when the feasting came to an end.” But doing a bit of a word study on these words and we find it says more than that.
feasting is #4960 mishteh (mish-teh'); from 8354; drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally) feast:
were gone about is #5362 naqaph (naw-kaf'); a primitive root; to strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of attack) to knock together, i.e. surround or circulate:
What were happening there was, Job’s children, and probably some of their friends, were having parties and were getting drunk and having brawls and fights. Now, if we run ahead a little bit, the Bible records that these parties were taking place while the servants and the oxen were working in the fields.
Job had 500 yoke of oxen working the fields, but his kids were having drinking parties laced with brawling. So obviously, Job didn’t bring up his children in a right manner. They were not even a vital part of the family business work force.
Work was going on and they were partying down. Later on, when Bildad started counseling Job, even though his counsel wasn’t good at all, he said this about Job’s kids:
Job 8:3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If thy children have sinned against Him, and He has cast them away for their transgression;
What Bildad was saying was, “Look Job, God does not pervert justice. Your kids were so terrible; God probably should have killed them before now! They deserved it! If they got justice from God, they should have been killed for their transgressions.” Some friend he was, huh?
Now, here’s here is another point we should consider seriously. It says that Job offered sacrifice for his kids continually. With Job’s belief system, which was, “the Lord gives and takes away and that both good and evil comes from the Lord,” it is easy to see that Job was offering his sacrifices in fear for his children instead of offering his sacrifices in faith for his children. Job could see that his children were not following God and Job had suspicions that his children had sunk pretty low in their life and especially their spirituality.
Job 1:5 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.
One of the other things that have caused misunderstanding in the book of Job is that in chapter one it says that Job did not sin with his lips and also that job did not charge God foolishly. The geographical locations of these statements in the Bible are highly important!
Job 1:21 And (Job) 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.
Job 2:10 But he said unto her (his wife), 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.
The problem is that we have incorrectly applied these statements to the whole book of Job. Up to this point, even though his beliefs about God were not correct, Job was just stating that which he understood about God. Chapter three starts a bad downhill spiral for Job and he charges God foolishly many times.
We will examine more of chapter one and chapter two, because right out of the gate we have stumbled over bad translations and bad indoctrinations. Both have caused us to have a wrong mindset with which to continue further into the rest of the book. We will read verses 6 through 12 and then thoroughly examine them. This is before the temptations and calamities came on Job and these scriptures are very highly misunderstood!
Job 1:6 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?
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.
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.
If we only surface read this passage, it seems to concur with popular denominational teachings about Job. We have good ole’ perfect and upright Job, working diligently in his business, fearing the Lord and praying for his messed up children and trying to stay away from evil. Then up in heaven, all of a sudden, at the Monday morning business meeting, when the angels show up before the Lord, guess what, Satan shows up at the meeting.
The Lord and Satan start a dialogue and it progresses to the point that the Lord calls attention to His servant Job and brags to Satan about His righteous servant Job. Then it seems that Satan challenges the Lord to a bet. It seems that Satan caught the Lord off guard and the Lord just took the bet on a whim and then allowed Satan to test Job. This bet by the Lord cost Job the life of his children, the life of his servants and the destruction his business wealth, seemly just to see if Job would curse the Lord to His face, just so the bet between the Lord and Satan could be settled.
FOLKS, FOLKS, FOLKS! That is denominational stupidity gone to seed and it is growing all over the body of Christ like ivy! So let’s meditate this passage and rightly divide the Word of God and extract the proper counsel contained within these scriptures, which is the simplicity of Christ.
Of course we all know that one of the titles of Satan in the Bible is “the accuser of the brethren.” So why did Satan show up at the staff meeting in heaven? To accuse a brother and specifically our brother Job, who was the most righteous man in the East!
Answer this question! Who gave Satan the authority to be present at this staff meeting in heaven to accuse our brother Job? Certainly not the Lord! It was Adam and Eve! Do we need any further explanation on that topic?
Then the Lord asked Satan this question. And the LORD said unto Satan, “Whence comest thou” or in non-KJV it would be, “where did you come from Satan?” Think about that for a minute! Do you think that God, the Word and the Holy Spirit were wringing their hands and saying, what in the world could that Satan be up to now? We have not seen him for some time now! Where in the world could he be? Oh my goodness there he is and he is coming to our staff meeting! Selah! Are you kidding me?
Why would the Lord ask this question of Satan? For one reason and one reason only! So you and I could get in on the answer!!! What was the answer that Satan gave the Lord? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, “From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it”. Well we all know that Satan is the father of lies and this was a half-truth. We can find the rest of the answer recorded in 1st Peter 5:8.
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan had studied Job and saw his relationship with his children and how that Job was offering his burnt offerings in fear instead of faith. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, had gained enough evidence to bring an accusation against Job before the Lord in the courts of the universe.
Faith activates the power of God in our life.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Fear activates the power of Satan in the life of a human being. In a very understandable feeling, Job confirms this later in the book, when he states the following.
Job 3:24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
The truth is this. The Devil was walking to and fro through the earth, seeking whom he may devour, and guess who he always wants? He wants to devour the most righteous and the most blessed! And who was the greatest man on the earth at that time? Job!
Job 1:3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
Now this is a huge biggie, so listen up! What question then did the Lord ask Satan?
Job 1:8 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?
We will now explore one of the worst translations in the Bible. This is bad translation and is the largest catalyst of the error of the book of Job, which has been perpetrated throughout the body of Christ. The word “considered” is reduced down from two Hebrew words and totally distorts the real question, which the Lord asked Satan.
There are two Hebrew words in the original text reduced to “consider”. The Strongs and the Interlinear Bible will document this truth. Consider is from #7760 and #3820.
considered is # 7760 suwm (soom); or siym (seem); a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically):
considered is #3820 leb (labe) a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything:
Even though this question is difficult to discern because of bad translation, the question, which the Lord actually asked Satan is this; “Have you put your heart and will and intellect and all your inner being against my servant Job for the purpose and plan to destroy and devour him because he is the most perfect, upright and righteous man in the East, who reverences Me and who shuns you and your evil on this earth”?
Even though it is not recorded in scripture, the answer from Satan was “Yes I am here to accuse Job”. Then Satan laid out his accusations against brother Job before the Lord of justice and Job was found wanting, because Job was operating in fear and offering his sacrifices in fear rather than operating in faith and offering his sacrifices in faith. This is huge in the spirit realm!!!
As we will see, the book of James is a NT companion book to the OT book of Job. James points out that the church must operate in faith. Faith releases the power of God. Fear releases the power of Satan.
James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Jesus instructed his disciples about believing in faith and speaking faith filled words.
Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Jesus and His half-brother James, both instruct that a person can speak or pray faith filled word and they should expect to see God respond. A person can speak or pray fear filled words and they should expect to see Satan respond. Job did not have any written teachings on Satan. One place Job said, “God sets me up like a target and shoots His arrows at me!” Then Job says, “If it is not God, who is it then?” We could jump right in the Bible and say, “We know who it is Job, it’s the Devil!” Our written Bible says that if you have arrows being shot at you that they are coming from Satan and not from The Lord.
Look at the response of Satan to the question the Lord asked him of, “Have you put your heart and will and intellect and all your being against my servant Job for the purpose and plan to destroy and devour him because he is the most perfect and upright and righteous man in the East, who reverences Me and who shuns you and your evil on this earth”?
Job 1:9 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.
No one ever seems to ever point out that which The Lord had done for his faithful servant Job. We always hear that God allowed the Devil to test Job. That is not true! The Lord had hedged around Job completely and Satan could not get to Job or that which was his. The rest of the response by Satan has been taught wrong and some the newer Bibles actually inserts more error into their translations. The Lord did not remove the hedge and turn Satan loose on Job and all that was his just to test him.
Eccl 10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaks an hedge,
a serpent shall bite him.
The Lord did not remove the hedge! Job broke the hedge with his fear filled suspicions and fear filled words and his fear filled offerings. Satan knew that he was on legal grounds before the Lord as concerning the actions of Job, because Job was operating in fear and not faith. Satan continues.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Satan presses his accusations against Job by challenging the Lord to take away the blessings, which He had given Job and then tried to provoke the Lord to an argument by saying, “he will curse you to your face.” Certainly, The Lord is not tricked by Satan and therefore the Lord did not even respond to that challenge made by Satan.
The Lord switches to the present condition of Job and Job’s operations of fear and concedes to Satan that indeed Satan has successfully enticed Job into fear for his children and for his family business. As pointed out earlier, Job’s children were derelicts toward the Lord and derelicts toward the family business. At this point Job was not in fear for himself. The Lord now speaks to Satan.
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.
“Behold” becomes the main word here in “rightly dividing the Word of Truth” and shunning profane and vain babblings by translators and denominational teachings.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Behold is #2009 hinneh (hin-nay'); prolongation for 2005; lo! That is all it means!!!! The KJV translates this word as; behold, lo, see.
The root is #2005 hen (hane); a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if: -behold, if, lo, though.
(AHD) lo Used to attract attention or to show surprise.
The NIV (nearly inspired version) translates this word “lo” as “very well then” What a lie! Paraphrased Bibles will mess you up big time. What does your version say? “Behold” is not a bad translation. Actually, it is a good translation to English.
(AHD) behold 1.a. To perceive by the visual faculty; see. b. To perceive through use of the mental faculty; comprehend. 2. To look upon; gaze at. --intr. Used in the imperative for the purpose of calling attention.
The Lord was forced to concede to Satan’s accusations against Job and stated, “lo (or I am calling attention to the fact that) you have succeeded in getting Job in fear over his children and in fear over his wealth but Job is not in fear for himself, so don’t touch him.
As we can easily sit here and read Job 1:12 and Job 2:7, Job could not read Job 1:12 and especially the last part of verse 12. Therefore, we should not make the same error that Job made.
We will learn later on that Job thought all his troubles were coming from God. If we run ahead to chapter 2 we see a similar statement with a bit more information added.
Job 1:12b So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Job 2:7 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.
We could correctly add to verse 12; So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD and smote Job’s children and Job’s wealth. We see this in the following verses.
The following verses demonstrate the havoc that we as human beings can release on ourselves, when we do not have a proper understanding of the good nature of God and the Word of God.
If we have a wrong understanding of the goodness of God and we begin to operate in fear as did Job, we also can break the hedge of protection set up by God in our life for our personal protection.
Now, the scriptures make it very clear that Job had a very, very bad day! Again, notice what the children were doing while the oxen were plowing.
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.
Children of God, this should cause us great concern about operating in fear. The Bible states, “fear not” 365 times. That is one for every day of the year. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, came before the Lord with an accurate account and accusation of Job’s fears and there was nothing the Lord could do to stop this assault of the Devil against Job, in the areas of his fears.
We could guess that Job had one of the worst days of any man in the history of mankind. I do admire the heart of job, because even though he had misunderstandings about God, in the midst of this most tragic day in his life, he did worship the Lord! However, even though Job had misunderstandings about God, Job did not charge God foolishly. When we get to chapter three we will see Job charge God foolishly. But let’s just admire him right now.
Job 1:20 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. (simply error in his beliefs about God at this time)
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
This was Job’s first doctrinal error. He didn’t know Job 2:7, which clearly states that it was Satan who was doing the smiting against Job, however Job thought it was God. By the way God does not give and take away as many churches sing that “so called” worship song.
Prov 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Okay, here we go to the court of heaven again. Satan’s first court case in the throne room against Job was a success. Of course, Satan then began to work on Job even harder with plans to devour him personally. We are not told how much time elapsed before Satan returned with another courtroom accusation but many believe it was only a very short time.
Because of denominational teachings, we have thought that Job was in these trials and tribulations for a long period of his life. Some writers say that this period was as short as 9 days other say as much as 21 days. We don’t know for certain but this was not a life style for Job.
Notice the similarity of the scriptural record of the second accusation by Satan against Job as compared to the first one. The KJV translators also stayed true to their very bad translations.
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, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Think about that! How does Satan move God against Job or anyone else for that matter?
We must understand the legal battle between the Lord and between Satan as pertaining to the Word of God, of which Jesus said, “The Word is Truth and cannot be broken”. Satan’s kingdom of darkness, with his lies, opposes all that the kingdom of God stands for, which is the Truth in light.
When anyone chooses darkness and lies instead of the Way the Truth and the Life, then that person removes them self from the hedge of protection by God. Ask Eve and Adam! Selah! Job made the same mistake as great grandfather Adam.
In the case of Job, the Lord had no choice because Job’s fear removed the hedge of protection over his children and his possessions. After reading the success and results of that hedge falling, one might guess that Satan would begin to work on Job’s mind concerning Job and so he does.
Job 2:4 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.
If we compare the first accusation with the second accusation, we will find that in the first accusation the Lord said, “behold, all he has is in thine hand, but don’t touch him” In the second accusation the Lord said, “Behold, he is in thine hand.” After we read what happened to Job and knowing Job’s wrong doctrine at this time, we can see how Job might have slipped into fear for himself.
Again, Job could not read the book of Job! Job thought all of this trouble was coming from God. The sad fact is that North American churchology and most name ministries hold on to the early errors of the gospel according to Job.
Misunderstanding chapters one and two are a formable stumbling block for us. We will see Job repent and change his beliefs about the Lord. The church is still holding on to and teaching the gospel according to Job before Job repented. Job and Job’s comforters both believed that Job’s troubles were coming from the Lord. We normally hear it stated, “The Lord allowed the Devil to test Job!
Turn to Luke 22:31. At the last supper, the disciples had been arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest in the kingdom. It seems sure that Peter won the argument with his argument; “I was the one who got the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. I am the one who walked on the water. I am the one who caught the fish with the gold in its mouth.”
Can you guess that the Satan was over there listening and taking notes. “Yes, Peter, I vote for you. You’re the greatest.” So there was Peter operating in pride and thinking he was the greatest of the disciples. And Jesus said to Peter,
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
In the Greek this word we translate “desire” has two meanings, a bad one and a good one. The good meaning is to humbly beg for the pardon of someone. In the bad sense, it means, “to demand for torture or punishment.”
Jesus could not just up a stop the Devil from sifting Peter. Satan was working according to the principals of the Word of God. Satan was limited in advance to operating according to the Word of God. He must have a legal reason by which he can come in and do something evil to a person. He can’t just up and do it. He has to have legal grounds on which to operate. Here's why the devil had a legal right to go after Peter. The Bible says,
Prov 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Peter was sure that he was the greatest and Satan went right along with him. Peter opened the door through pride and the Devil made a legal demand to Jesus to sift Peter. Jesus was limited to praying for Peter that Peter’s faith would not fail.
Again, as we have stated, the book of James is a companion book to the book of Job. What happened in the first part of the book of Job? Job fell into all kinds of temptations and very horrible troubles. How does the book of James begin?
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Job did not ask God in faith to give him the wisdom of why he had fallen into such troubles. Because of his belief system, Job just made two double-minded statements about God. Number one: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.” Number 2: “shall we receive good at the hand of God and not receive evil also?” Job attributed all that had happened to him to be from God. By observing the error of Job, James set forth the Truth in his book for all to see, just so no one would ever make that mistake again!
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:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
James wanted to get this Truth across to everybody. James is saying, “Brothers I don’t want you to make the same mistake that Job made.” James goes on to describes exactly how God the Father blesses those who choose Him!
16 Do not err, (or makes mistakes) my beloved brethren. (as Job did)
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James is saying this is how God the Father operates and there is not a chance that He is going to vary or take a different turn in His good act of giving perfect gifts to those who choose to follow Him.
Our Brother Job did err! Job’s wife was no better off in her belief system either and certainly was not an encouragement to Job.
Job 2:9 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.
Job was in error, but Job was not in willful sin because Job didn't know any better. At that time, there was no Bible. No James, John and Paul to tell him the Truth. So he wasn't held accountable for sinning in believing that God sends both good and evil.
At this time Job was operating in ignorance of the Word of God! However, that's the last time it is recorded that "Job sinned not with his mouth" because very soon Job starts sinning with his mouth big time.
Now his friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to comfort him. And they gave Job such foul advice that God would not even speak to them when this was all over. However, give them credit for sitting with Job seven days and nights before they started falsely accusing him of having huge sin in his life.
Job spends the whole third chapter cursing the day he was born. "Oh, that I had been still-born!" The chapter ends with this statement by Job.
Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
In other words, “I was not running around thinking everything was just fine in my life. I was sacrificing, I was praying, I was trying to take care of this problem. I asked everyone I knew to pray for my kids. With all my sincere efforts trouble still came. Why?” Job didn’t understand how his own fears would break the hedge, which God had set around him and all he had. James explains it to us this way.
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Now in chapter 4, Eliphaz starts with his doctrine. He said, “The way you understand God is by your own experience. You understand God by seeing what has happened in your own life. That’s how you know how God works with man.” His counsel was lousy! In the face of lousy counsel and Job’s double-mindedness, it seems Job begins to get a bit of light on the matter. Job says:
Job 6:23 Deliver me from the enemy's hand or Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
Job is finally coming to realize that perhaps; his constantly voicing his fears and spreading them around might be the cause of his problem. He suspects his mouth might be part of his problem. The book of James talks a lot about the tongue and how dangerous it is and what a tremendous amount of damage it can cause. There’s a good chance that James had the book of Job open before him when he was writing the book of James because everything he says parallels the book of Job
Job 6:30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? (yes there is Job) cannot my taste discern perverse
things? (no you can’t Job)
So James starts talking about the sins of the tongue. What did Job do when all these things started happening? He started wagging his tongue with wrong understanding against God. Remember!
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Job began cursing the day that God brought him forth from the womb! Later on Job would go on to learn that God had nothing to do with the evil circumstances, which had befallen him. Our brother James didn’t want NT believers making the same mistakes Job made with his tongue. And although in Chapter 6, Job acknowledged that he had sinned with his mouth, by Chapter 7 he’s back to blaming God again:
Job 7:11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Oh yeah, Job starts letting it roll now! So when the book of Job states, “In all this Job sinned not with his mouth,” it meant before he started blaming God for his troubles, which he carried on in the book until the Lord spoke to him and he came to his senses.
When we are is in the pits of trouble that is not a good time to start talking. (We have so many hymns written when people were in the pits and we continue to sing them in church!)
Job makes 74 accusations against God. We will not list them all but here’s an example:
Job 7:13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
15 So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.
The Devil was the one that was giving Job nightmares. Job was hoping to lie down and at least get some rest and relief at night while he slept, and even there he was tormented. And whom does he blame? He blames God! He accuses God of giving him nightmares.
Now in Chapter 8 Bildad, the second "comforter," starts speaking and gives his garbage doctrine. He believes one understands God by looking at human history.
Job 8:8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of
Their fathers:
Eliphaz (the first comforter) says to look at your own experience to find out how God operates in the life of men. Now Bildad is saying, “No, you must look at your ancestors and look at history to figure out how God works in the life of men."
In Chapter 9, Job again accuses God of taking his blessings away from him and just doing whatever He wants to do, good or evil:
Job 9:11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
But look at what he says in 9:16
Job 9:16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
If I had called on him and he did answer me, I wouldn’t have believed it. In other words, Job now has such a bad opinion of God, after everything that has happened to him, that even if God did something good, he wouldn’t give him any credit for it, because he was convinced that God would do bad things to him without a cause. Job blames God even further and now concerning the whole earth. This is serious!
Job 9:22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
WOW! Job makes this terrible accusation against God, and then says, “If it’s not God allowing all this bad stuff in the world, then who is it that’s bringing it on”? Hey Job, “It’s the Devil bringing this bad stuff on you!” Job didn’t know it was the Devil.
Satan isn’t mentioned very much in the Old Testament because until Jesus died and rose from the dead, there was no authority for men to deal with the Devil and demons. So there is not much teaching about Satan in the OT because there was just no authority to deal with him.
Job goes on to accuse God of unrighteousness, 74 times in all. Here Job says how much he’d love to have a mediator. We have the man Christ Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father to mediate between God and men but Job didn’t: Listen!
Job 9:30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 Neither is there any daysman (mediator) betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both.
God eventually did send a daysman, or umpire, to Job in the person of Elihu. When Elihu starts talking, we will see that he is the answer to Job’s plea for someone to be a go-between.
In Job 10, Job continues to blame God and reproaches God and insists God is not being righteous toward him. Job is completely confused. Job just cannot understand how a good God could perpetrate all this evil on him. We could say, “Brother Job you do err”!
Job 10:1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
Job 10:3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
Job 10:15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;
Job 10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.
In Chapter 11, Zophar, the third comforter, comes along with his garbage doctrine on human merit. He says, “You don’t look at your own experience to understand how God works. You don’t look at history to see how God works. God deals with every man according to each man’s own merit.” You get what you deserve type of thinking! Zophar speaks.
Job 11:2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
Job 11:4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
Zophar had heard Job say that which he was saying about God was right and true. But now Zophar tells Job, “Hey, God’s not even doing to you as much evil as he ought to be doing to you:”
Job 11:5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;
6 And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
Zophar accuses Job of being a big sinner. Then Job says something really funny. He’s being sarcastic:
Job 12:2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
Job says, "You guys are so smart that when you’re dead, all wisdom is going to be gone from the earth!"
Then Job gives his snappy come back! Well oh yeah!
Job 12:3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
Now Job starts to really get put out with God and what is going on:
Job 12:6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
Job says that God heaps good things on bad people. Just be a bad person and watch God bless you abundantly. This is just one of the 74 accusations Job made against God that are not true.
Now we come to the place where Job makes his famous statement that has come down through the church to the present day. We have heard this so many times in our church life.
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways
before him.
Basically Job is saying, God can do whatever he wants to me, even kill me, but I maintain my case that I am totally innocent and righteous. Furthermore, God does not have any right to treat me the way He’s treating me, unless He is bringing up my old sins and punishing me for the sins of my youth.
Job 13:26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the
iniquities of my youth.
Job says, "God, you’re bringing up all my old sins, the things I have repented for I the past that I’ve long forgotten." Now we should know that God doesn’t bring up our old sins over and over against us, but this doctrine went right on through the Bible. When the widow of Zarephath lost her son, the first thing she said was,
I King 17:18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
She was asking Elijah if God was slaying her son because of her old sins. She believed the same as Job, that God brings curses on people based on their past behavior, even if they have already repented.
Finally, Job gets tired of all the lousy advice from his friends:
Job 16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Now we are coming to the point that Job prays and gets what he prays for:
Job 19:23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever!
Well, Job got his wish and his own words are recorded in his book in the Bible and have now been read for thousands of years! The problem is that Satan has been slick enough to get great men of God to totally misunderstand this book and teach the garbage gospel of Job to the body of Christ. If the blind lead the blind, they both go into the ditch.
Let’s get back to Job's misery. Finally Job comes out and makes a statement against his comforters and their beliefs. “You have said what good is it to serve God? Where does it get you? Why bother?” Listen closely!
Job 21:15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
This garbage doctrine filtered down even to the time of Malachi, God was wroth with the people because they were voicing the exact same thing:
You still hear this today. "Why bother to serve God? Those who are not trying to do that which is right seems to be better off than believers, who are trying to serve God! They don’t seem to have many problems at all!” Job goes on to dig a deeper pit.
Job 23:1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even today is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
Even in Job chapter 23, Job was still saying, “I’m right and God is wrong. I wish I could come to His seat, just so I could set God straight about His unfair dealings with me.”
Job was just the opposite of David. David said,
Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Listen to that which Job said!
Job 30:19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
Praise the Lord; Job’s comforters start running out of gas!
Job 32:1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own
eyes.
Now comes on the scene another man, who was not mentioned as one of Job’s friends, who came to comfort Job. His name is Elihu. He is the younger than all the others but seems to have more understanding than all of them combined. In fact, later on God quotes Elihu. This is how Elihu is introduced into the scene.
Job 32:1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
None of Job's comforters had found the right answer to give him concerning his trials, but they had all felt very good in their own self-righteousness in condemning Job. Elihu first addresses these three.
Elihu then makes a statement of great wisdom, which will help us a lot in our understanding.
Job 32:6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and did not show you mine opinion.
7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Elihu tells Job’s friends that since they are so much older than he is, he had fully expected that they should have learned more about the operations of God and should be much more experienced in the Truth of God. We will find that Elihu gives some most excellent counsel, which can be beneficial to believers today.
Job 32:9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
Here Elihu is saying that he clearly expects people of older age to have developed some wisdom about God, but he’s learned that frequently, people who are older and supposedly full of wisdom have doctrines that are plainly in error. Great men of God who have a heart for God frequently preach doctrine with error embedded in it. As we have learned from Hebrews 4:12, we must judge every doctrine, thought and intent by the Word of God.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
This is neat! Remember back to when Job prayed for a daysman or an umpire? That would be an impartial person to listen to both sides to make a judgment? Elihu now says, “I’m that guy you wanted to hear from and I will be gentle with you.”
Job 33:6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
Although Elihu is not mentioned in chapter three with the other guys, it seems that he was present the whole time.
Job 33:8 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
Elihu says, Job I’ve heard you say you are totally innocent. He continues saying, “I’ve heard you say God counts me as His enemy.”
Job 33:10 Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
Elihu lists all the things he's heard Job say against God, and finally tells Job outright, Job you are JUST PLAIN WRONG. Job, all these accusations you are making are not right. I’m going to give you an answer to these accusations, which you have made against God.
Job 33:12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than
man.
Elihu says:
Job 34:5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
Paraphrased, Job had been maintaining, “Look you guys, I am righteous! God is dealing unfairly with me!”
Elihu now addresses Job with a bit of sarcasm to show Job how wrong he was to be so scornful of God and so certain that God had been unrighteous in dealing with him.
Job 34:7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
Elihu challenges Job’s belief that God gives both good gifts and that God gives bad gifts. Job, nor his comforters, had ever given consideration to the fact that they might be wrong about God.
Job 34:10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
Elihu tells Job that he was mistaken to accuse God of bringing Job’s calamities on him! Then Elihu tells Job his problem. I know that is correct!
Job 34:35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
So Job had reached the point where he was really rebelling against God. And Elihu does call it sin here. Oops, what about "In all these things Job sinned not?" That was back in the beginning of the book before Job started accusing God of being an unrighteous God, especially towards him.
Well God allowed Job and those guys to spout off all their beliefs and knowledge about God and did not speak a word to Job or his “comforters” until Chapter 38! God quotes Elihu.
Job 38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
This is the first thing God said to Job. Paraphrased from old English, “Job, you don’t know what you’re talking about!” “What you have been speaking are words which are void of knowledge and your counsel is darkened counsel.” Now the Lord is on the scene and challenges Job.
Job 38:3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
The Lord proceeds to ask Job 64 questions back to back and Job couldn’t answer one of them. Job 38 and 39 contain all those questions. Before the Lord showed up, Job had all the answers but when the Lord asked him 64 questions, Job couldn’t answer one single question.
Finally, God says, “Come on Job. You’ve been contending with me, reproving me, and blaming me and claiming that you have better counsel than I have. If you really know everything, just answer these questions.” And Job couldn’t answer one of them.
Job 40:1 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.
In chapter 40, Job has a change of heart and begins to realize how little he knew about God.
Job 40:3 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.
5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Even though Job said, “Okay, I am going to stop talking now”, The Lord wasn’t through with Job and his darkened counsel. The Lord puts another demand upon Job and also demands an answer from Job.
Job 40:6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
The Lord is saying to Job, “Are you going to make My Word null and void, so you can write you own gospel in a book? Are you going to condemn me just so you can be justified?”
Then the Lord asks Job some more questions and the Lord interjects some Divine Humor saying, "If you can do all these things, then I will declare that you can save yourself with your own right hand."
Job 40:9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
Of course, Job couldn’t do one of those things. In chapter 41, the Lord humors Job some more concerning the beast Leviathan. “Now Job, can you just go capture Leviathan and control him and make him your servant and cause him to obey you?” Of course, Job would be afraid to get near Leviathan because Leviathan would kill him. The Lord says to Job, “You are afraid to contend with Leviathan but even though I am the one who created Leviathan, you are willing contend with Me.” The Lord was pointing out to Job, his own sin of pride. The first and last verse of chapter 41 is:
Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Job 41:34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
JOB FINALLY REALIZED THAT HE HAD BEEN OPERATING IN DARKENED COUNSEL!
Job was deficient in knowing who God is, the nature of God, how God formed things, how God runs things, nor how God thinks with respect to mankind. So now we come to the point where Job admits that he doesn’t know very much and he was wrong in all his accusations against God. We noticed the Lord quoted Elihu. Well, Job then quotes both Elihu and the Lord.
Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2 I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Now Job humbles himself and uses the tactic, which the Lord used on Job. Job asks the Lord to listen to him one more time and demands the Lord to tell him if he is now correct in what he speaks. Listen carefully!
Job 42:4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job confesses that his darkened counsel was developed by listening to what other people had to say about what they believed about God and how He operates on the earth with mankind. Once the Lord showed up, Job saw clearly that he was wrong and the Lord confirms it to Job. Job said because of all the darkened counsel and the words without knowledge, which I have spoken, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.
The North American Churches need to get out the dust and ashes and repent like Job instead of continuing to preach Job’s darkened counsel!
Now we have it on three good sources that Job’s counsel was darkened and that Job didn’t know what he was talking about:
First Elihu told Job he didn’t know what he was talking about.
Secondly the Lord told Job he didn’t know what he was talking about,
Thirdly Job finally admits that he didn’t know what he was talking about.
So the question is why in the 21st Century is the church still teaching the book of Job as the gospel truth when so much of it was error? Could it be lack of meditating the Word of God and standing in pride on “one-verse” doctrines? Notice this one verse.
Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
There are those, who take this verse and insist that everything that Job had spoken was right. That verse taken out of context seems to support the fact that all Job had spoken about God was true. Left in context we can clearly see that which Job said that was right is; I uttered that which I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
The Lord spoke to Eliphaz in wrath because he and his two friends would not confess that they were wrong about God. They chose to hold on to their wrong doctrines. The Lord rejects the three friends from being His servants. After that the Lord directs the three comforters:
Job 42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
So when you hear someone stand up and say, “Thought he slay me, yet will I trust him,” you can know that person is speaking Job’s garbage doctrine because Job spoke those words when he had darkened counsel and didn’t know what he was talking about. And when someone says, “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away,” they are quoting something Job said about the Lord, which the Lord later told him, “Job, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
There is another “one-verse” doctrine that has developed from the companion book of Job i.e. James.
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
There are those, who teach this as Job was patient all through his trials and tribulations and because of that Job was blessed in the end. Well, we saw that Job was not patient during the trials and tribulations. Job was fussing at God the whole time. It was after Job began learning the Truth from the Word of the Lord that Job became patient.
Well now! How did learning the Truth about God and operating in patience turn out for Job?
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: (Job’s garbabe doctrine was a family tradition) every man also gave him a piece of money, and everyone an earring of gold.
12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days.
God has always wanted to bless His family members with goodness. We have many, many scriptures with which to confirm this fact. Job did not have these scriptures and Job made a big mistake. Jesus said in John 10:10 "The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
Nothing has changed from Job's day or from the day of Jesus up to our day. God wants to bless His people with His goodness. The Devil wants to destroy the people of God with evil.
The Devil will continue to go to and fro throughout the earth looking for any one whom he may destroy. If Satan can find a legal loophole with which he has a legal right to present himself before the Lord and accuse the family of God, he will do so. We are the ones who must make sure we keep the hedge of God strong around us. Please let’s don’t tear the hedge down, especially with wrong doctrine or fear. A serpent will bite us just as we see it happened in the life of Job.
Grace and Peace multiplied in the name of Jesus.
Compiled by Jerry Thomas 1992
All scripture references are (KJV) unless otherwise denoted.
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