Doth Job Fear God for Nought?

The Book of Job

Lesson 3October 8-14/15"Doth Job Fear God for Nought?"

Memory Text:"But he said to her, 'You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips"(Job 2:10, NKJV).

The book of Job opens up to us a whole new dimension of reality. It gives us a glimpse into the great controversy between Christ and Satan. And by doing so, it also provides us a template, a frame, an outline to help us better understand the world that we live in, a world that so often baffles, dazes, even frightens us with what it tosses our way. But the book of Job also shows that this great controversy is not merely someone else's fight, in that we have nothing to do with it. If only that were the case; unfortunately, it's not: " 'Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time' "(Rev. 12:12, NKJV). Satan has come down to the earth and to the sea, and we know for ourselves that his wrath is indeed great. Who among us, as flesh, hasn't felt that wrath?

This week we will continue to look at the first two chapters of Job as we seek to get a greater understanding of how we fit in as the great controversy continues to rage.

SundayOctober 9God's Servant, Job

ReadJob 1:1-22. Focus specifically on Satan's accusations against Job. What is Satan saying? A Possible Answer:1) That Job serves God only because God protects and preserves him, his family and his property. 2) because God blesses that which he dose.3) That Job serves God for personal profit. What's implied in his attacks? Who, in the end, is Satan really attacking?A Possible Answer:What is implied is that God can be bought... that is unjust is implied. Satan insinuated that Job served God from selfish motives—for the material gain that God permitted to accrue as an inducement and a reward for his service. He attempted to deny that true religion springs from love and an intelligent appreciation of God’s character, that true worshipers love religion for its own sake—not for reward; that they serve God because such service is right in itself, and not merely because heaven is full of glory; and that they love God because He is worthy of their affections and confidence, and not merely because He blesses them. Satan is really attacking God.

" 'Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land' "(Job 1:10, NKJV). The book of Job opens by referencing not only Job's righteousness and good character but also his material blessings and fruitful household. These were the specific things that helped make Job revered as "the greatest of all the men of the east"(Job 1:3, NASB). And these, too, are the specific things that Satan hurls in God's face, saying basically that only because You have done this for him does he serve You.

What, then, is implied in Satan's charge that if God were to take these things away from Job, Job would " 'surely curse You to Your face' "(Job 1:11, NKJV)? The attack, really, is an attack against God Himself. (This is what the whole great controversy is about anyway.) If God were so wonderful, so good, then Job would obey and fear and worship Him out of love and appreciation alone. After all, who wouldn't love a God who had done so much for him? In a sense, Satan was saying that God had all but bribed Job into being faithful to Him. Thus, he claimed, Job served God not out of love for God, but out of his own selfish motives.

Think about some of the most nasty and hateful political rulers who have faithful cronies loyal to the death because this ruler was good to them. If, in fact, the Lord really was the kind, loving, and caring God that He is portrayed to be, then even if Job lost all those good things, Job would still serve the Lord. By claiming, however, that Job wouldn't stay faithful, Satan insinuates that even Job doesn't fully trust Him and that Job is loyal only because of what God has given him. That is, in the end (according to Satan) Job's loyalty pretty much depends on whether it's a good business deal for him.

Why do you serve the Lord? A Possible Answer:1) In that I love Him, it is an automatic response of my heart. 2) Considering who He is, the wonder of His perfections and what He has done to draw me to His side I consider Him worthy of service. 3) As a created being, I serve Him as an act of obedience.4) Noting that it is the leaning of the human heart to worship that which is loved, valued and appreciated, it makes sense when you consider that all other options i.e. Entities to worship...(Satan, Spouse, self etc.) are less worthy or trustful.Suppose your motives aren't perfect. If you had to wait until your motives were perfect (if they aren't), what might happen to you and your faith? A Possible Answer:Yes we may continue to exist and live but as we do, what happens to us is that we will all worship something to varying degrees. We will be assimilated into whatever we worship and partake of its nature.Our faith grows with exposure and exercise... hence our faith will grow in proportion to the degree we expose it to God as revealed in His Word (Rom. 10:17), the degree of submissionwe are able to exhibit and lastly, our desire to exercise it.

MondayOctober 10Skin for Skin: The Battle Continues

Job 2:1-3 begins almost repeating some of Job 1:6-8.The big change is the last part of Job 2:3, where the Lord Himself talks about how faithful Job remained despite the calamities that befell him. Thus, by the time we get to Job 2:3, it looks as if Satan's accusations have been shown as false. Job stayed faithful to God and didn't curse Him, as Satan said he would.

ReadJob 2:1-13. Job 2:1Again 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. Job 2:2And 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. Job 2:3And 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. Job 2:4And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. Job 2:5But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. Job 2:6And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. Job 2:7So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Job 2:8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Job 2:9Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. Job 2:10But 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's Three Friends Job 2:11Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. Job 2:12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. Job 2:13So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

What happens in these texts?A Possible Answer:Satan appearing again before God obtains further leave to tempt Job. 7 He smites him with sore boils. 9 Job reproves his wife, moving him to curse God. 11 His three friends condole with him in silence.Also, what is the significance of the fact that in both Job 1 and 2 these "sons of God" are there to witness the dialogue between God and Satan?A Possible Answer:Understanding the following...The LXX translates the phrase, “angels of God.” Evidently angels are meant (see DA 834; GC 518; 6T 456). Angels, like men, are created beings (Col. 1:16), and in this sense sons of God.[1]

The phrase "skin for skin" is an idiomatic expression that has baffled commentators. The idea, though, is this: let something happen to Job's own person, and that will cause him to show where his loyalty really is. Ruin Job's body, his health, and see what happens.

And interestingly enough, what happens does not happen in a vacuum either.Both instances of the controversy in heaven, as revealed here in the book of Job, take place in the context of some sort of meeting between these heavenly intelligences and God. Satan is making his accusations "publicly"; that is, he is doing it before these other beings. This idea fits in perfectly with what we know about the great controversy. It is something that is unfolding before the whole universe.(See 1 Cor. 4:9, Dan. 7:10, Rev. 12:7-9.)

"But the plan of redemption had a yet broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe. . . . The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpetuity of the law of God and would reveal the nature and the results of sin."-Ellen G. White,Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 68, 69.

TuesdayOctober 11Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

After Satan's first attack on Job, after the news came to him about all the calamities that befell him, how did Job respond? (See Job 1:20-22.)

Job 1:20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, Job 1:21And 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. Job 1:22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

The expression in Hebrew is idiomatic. Literally, “did not ascribe to God tiphlah.” Tiphlah seems to refer to that which is out of harmony with the character of God. In his reaction to the initial tragedy, Job said nothing he need later regret; he did not stoop to self-pity or melodramatic mourning; he kept his head when lesser men would have disintegrated under the staggering blows.

A Possible Answer:Job’s conduct was a dramatic denial of Satan’s insinuation (v. 11). To the question, “Does Job fear God without regard for selfish gain?” Job gave the answer “Yes.” Satan was perplexed. He had seen many who would have cursed God under similar circumstances—but Job’s attitude was inexplicable.What is the significance of the fact that, even amid such tragedy, Job "sinned not, nor charged God foolishly"?A Possible Answer:A) Job’s response substantiated God’s knowledge of and estimation of people’s lives and character. B) It verified God’s dealings with Job as a representative of the larger family of God and His fairness in His appropriations.C) It tells us that it is possible for sinful human beings to reflect the character of God in the midst of peril, suffering and loss. D) Job was safe to be saved.

Central to God's government, a government based on love, is freedom of choice.God wants us to serve Him because we love Him, not because we are forced to serve Him. "Satan insinuated that Job served God from selfish motives. . . . E) He attempted to deny that true religion springs from love and an intelligent appreciation of God's character, that true worshipers love religion for its own sake-not for reward; that they serve God because such service is right in itself, and not merely because heaven is full of glory; and that they love God because He is worthy of their affection and confidence, and not merely because He blesses them."-TheSDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 500.

In the book of Job, Job proved Satan's charges wrong. However, though God knew what would happen, Job still could have acted differently. He could have sinned, he could have "charged God foolishly." Job was not forced by God to act as he did. F) His steadfast faithfulness, considering the circumstances, was an amazing testimony before men and angels.

Compare what happened in Job 1 to what happened with Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-8. The Temptation and Fall of Man 1Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which theLordGod had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;3but of the fruit of the tree whichisin the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”4Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.5For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”6So when the woman saw that the treewasgood for food, that itwaspleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to makeonewise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that theywerenaked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8And they heard the sound of theLordGod walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from

How does the contrast make their sin appear so terrible?A Possible Answer:It makes their sin more terrible because... A)Adam and Eve did not have any reason for sinning or B) Having come from the creative hand of God, they didn’t even have the propensity towards sin.C) Their historical exposure on an earthly basis was only that of purity, obedience, decency, faith, trust and fairness.

Adam and Eve, sinless beings amid a true paradise, transgressed and fell into sin because of Satan's attack; Job, amid utter pain and tragedy and ruin, stayed faithful to the Lord despite Satan's attacks. In both cases, we have a powerful example of the great issues at stake in regard to free will.

How does Job's reaction here show us how cheap, easy, and false our excuses for sin can often be?A Possible Answer:1) It shows that because it portrays the depth, the intensity and passionate desire to be at one with his maker... not the gratification of appetite, greed or evasion of the sterner things (i.e. pain, loss, suffering or disappointment) that may come one’s way. 2) It shows how real the warfare was in his mind and how he understood that the experiences of life are but conduits through which we express faith, commitment, hope and love. 3) Supreme love for God, unwavering faith in God’s promises, a relationship with his Father and responsible stewardship were the motivating factors that moved him... not the cheep earthly transient things like selfish pleasure, personal considerations or the applause/approbation of men that so often colors our decisions and choices.

WednesdayOctober 12Job's Wife

This is probably as good time as any to deal with another victim in the story of Job: his wife. She appears only in Job 2:9, 10. After that, she vanishes from the story and from history. We are told nothing more about her. However, considering all that happened, who could imagine the grief that this unfortunate woman went through? Her tragedy, that of her children and that of the other victims in chapter 1, show the universality of suffering.We are all involved in the great controversy; no one escapes.