The opening line of the Old Testament book of Job states that Job was a man who…was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion. [All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted.]
A few verses later, listen to God brag about Job while talking with Satan:
“Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one
quite like him – honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating
evil.” [Job 1:8]
After this meeting in Heaven, Satan departs with God’s permission to afflict Job – with one exception: Just don’t hurt him, [1:12] Satan then immediately causes:
·
Job’s
oxen and donkeys to be stolen by the Sabeans; also killing all but one of his
servants
·
Right
after that, lightning struck and killed Job’s sheep and their shepherds – all except
one
·
Next,
Chaldeans raided Job’s camels and killed his camel-drivers – all except one
·
Then,
finally, a messenger arrived reporting that a tornado struck the house where
Job’s seven sons and three daughters were feasting. The house collapsed on the
young people and they all died
Job’s response is not what we would expect! Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped. His words were:
Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
naked I’ll return to the womb of the earth.
God gives, God takes.
God’s name be ever blessed. [1:21]
Most of us would find this response to be one of remarkable poise, faith and restraint! The text continues with an almost shocking statement: Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God. [1:22]
The very next verse tells of God meeting again with the angels and again Satan attends the meeting. To our great surprise, God repeats his question to Satan:
Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one
quite like him, is there – honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God
and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity! [2:3]
Satan argues that God has spoiled Job with special treatment and suggests that if he personally suffered, he would curse you to your face. [2:5]
God responded to Satan: “All right. Go ahead – you can do what you like to him. But mind you, don’t kill him.” [2:6]
Satan left GOD and struck Job with terrible
sores. Job was ulcers and scabs from head to foot. They itched and oozed so
badly that he took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself…[2:7-8]
Then, as a final blow, Job’s wife said: “Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it! [2:9]
Job answered her: “You’re talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God – why not also the bad days?” [2:10]
After the author reports that Job’s three foreign friends arrived to sit with him, a final note is included: Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God. [2:10]
However, after sitting with him in silence for seven days, Job broke the silence. 3:1
This godly man speaks out in an angry and depressed manner. And then, much of the bulk of this book is an ongoing dialogue between Job and his friends - with God ultimately having the final word!
__________________________
Let’s lay out what we've learned from this passage as an evaluation tool for our own lives.
God had tremendous pride and confidence in Job! God was so certain of Job’s persistence and integrity that God nearly challenged Satan to come against him!
Leaving the complications of this ancient text behind for the scholars and theologians to debate, we must bring this message into the 21st century.
1. How convinced is God of YOUR devotion to Him?
Are you honest inside and out?
Are you a man or woman of your word?
Are you totally devoted to God?
Do you hate evil with a passion?
Do you have a firm grip on your integrity?
Why not schedule a time to meditate on these questions? Open them before God and allow Him to whisper into your heart and mind areas that He might like to touch and refine?
2. Do you EVER consider that some of the problems and obstacles that you face and deal with could be coming from Satan?
Does it EVER occur to you:
·
We
have authority from Christ
“I give you power to tread on serpents and
scorpions… and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19)
·
We
have God’s armor to use in these skirmishes
Ephesians 6:10-13 teaches us to put on the
whole armor of God — truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith,
salvation, and the Word of God as a sword.
·
In
Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus used memorized scriptures in His battle with Satan.
·
Praise
and worship discomfort and discourage our spiritual enemy.
As a personal testimony, I thrive on Christian
music – both contemporary and traditional!
·
Prayer!
Jesus tells His disciples to pray that you may not enter into temptation
(Luke 22:40; Matthew 26:41) as a call to constant spiritual vigilance and
reliance on God’s strength.
·
BE
ALERT!
Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan,
your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for
some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and
remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these
sufferings too. (I
Peter 5:8-9)
3. Depression is NOT sin!
Job chapter 3 is difficult to read as we hear
Job saying things like:
o Obliterate the day I
was born. Blank out the night I was conceived. (v.1)
o Why didn’t I die at
birth, my first breath out of the womb my last? (v.11)
o Why does God bother
giving light to the miserable, why bother keeping miserable people alive, those
who want in the worst way to die, and can’t, who can’t imagine anything better
than death, who count the day of their death and burial the happiest day of
their life? (vs.20-22)
But God doesn’t cut off communications with Job
for this! There are many pictures of God’s leaders being angry or depressed!
o Remember when Moses
came down from the mountain and saw the golden calf? He threw down the Ten
Commandments and broke them to pieces!
o Remember when Queen
Jezebel told Elijah that she would see him killed.
He fled from the area and cried out to God in
fear and desperation!
o King David wrote a
psalm in which he said:
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have
you become disturbed within me? (Psalm 42:11)
o The prophet Jeremiah
sounds a great deal like Job:
Cursed be the day that I was born; Let the day
not be blessed when my mother bore me!
As one who has experienced chronic episodes of depression since my young adulthood, I know its pain. I have been – too many times – in a condition where I couldn’t make myself think a positive thought! But God never abandoned me! And He always delivered me. Many – even counselors I visited – suggested medications. But I chose to rely on spiritual resources that always led me out of the darkness. A few:
> Accountability partners
> Seeing professional counselors
> Christian music> Pouring myself into God’s Word> My last resort was to begin reading the book SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION, by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones. I have never made it past chapter five without experiencing relief! [I suppose the rest of the book is equally good! Maybe someday I should finish it! ðŸ¤]
If you struggle with depression – remember:
BEING DEPRESSSED IS NOT A SIN!
Follow some of the suggestions above to find relief!
___________________________
God wants us to pursue Him,
follow
Him,
obey
Him,
speak
with Him,
speak
up for Him,
love
Him,
worship
Him,
sing
to Him,
honor
Him, and
live
in His Word!
And like Job – He will restore us fully!
