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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The Character Of Job

Who is Job really?

Job was a man of Character that few today possess.

Here are the following things we know about Job, his life and ministry.

The Positive Aspects of Job's Character Are MANY! 

God says Job is Righteous and Shuns Evil.  Job 1:8Job 2:3

Job cannot be trusted as a reliable source of Theological accuracy in regard to his trial. But he can be trusted as a reliable source for who and what he was. Here are some things that we know about him from his own testimony. Especially in Chapters 29-31.

Job was a leader in the city counsel, taking his seat in the city square. He held the highest esteem among men and children. Rulers and young men alike would hush when he entered the room. Everyone who heard about him talked well of him. His very presence demanded respect. 29:2 starts to tell us why he had this command of the people around him.

He worked with the poor, fatherless, widows, and strangers. His work caused widows hearts to joy, and men who were dying to bless him. He says his "Blessing was like a robe and turban" around him. He wore THE BLESSING of God as clothes.

He went looking for ways to help people he didn't know yet. He didn't wait for the poor to show up on his door, he went looking for those in trouble to rescue them from evil people and be a father to them. (29:16).

He was "The Counselor" to talk to. People would come and be silent and listen just to be taught and counseled by Job. He was a light hearted person, who laughed and teased. (29:24) He wept/cried for those in trouble and grieved for the poor. He was emotionally involved and dedicated, passionate, about reaching the lost, rescuring and defending the weak, comforting, sheltering, helping, guiding.(29:all, and 30:25)

 He lived a pure life. He made a covenant with his eyes to never look on any woman with lust.

He was very concerned with keeping his life honest. He made a point to never lie, cheat, or steal. He didn't just stop there, he did the opposite of lie, cheat, and steal. He went out of his way to protect, defend, and provide. He lived as a king over many men, even armies. He used that power to defend and protect and provide.

When strangers came along, people who didn't live in the area, visitors, Job would seek out ways to welcome them, providing hospitality and help. Job 29:24, 31:32.

To summarize all of this. God says:
I would say that very few men are like Job to this day. He lived a life that was TOTALLY dedicated in service to others, to meeting others' needs.

The Areas Of Opportunity For Growth. 

There is NO human who is without sin, or "perfect" as we use the word in modern English. Job was not perfect.
Job 1:1 ASV
The word "Perfect" is also translated "Blameless" in NKJV. The Hebrew word "Tam" means, complete, mature, lacking nothing in physical strength, beauty, or moral character.

Never the less. Job was a man. All men have fallen short of the Glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Job did fail in key areas of his life.

1. He fell short as a father.

In Job 1 we read about his kids. They were partiers. They threw wild parties. We know these weren't always clean parties, otherwise why was Job so concerned over the idea that they may they may have done something wrong or cursed God? So he made sacrifices for them. He did this on a regular, recurring basis.
This indicates that he didn't raise them with the same respect for God that he had. Parents cannot always be blamed when their kids go astray. This is not to say that all parents who have wild kids are at fault.

However, there is a common theme called "Pastors' Kid Syndrome". Many, if not most, of the preachers and pastors (for that matter CEO's and Secular Leaders) have focused so much time and energy on helping other people, they neglect their children at home. It's very common. I believe that is what had happened to Job here.

This is why his sacrifices were not done in faith. This wasn't a man standing in faith for his wayward children, this was a man sacrificing in fear for his children. He gives us insight into this inner working on his mind on the matter by saying "That thing I so greatly feared has come upon me..." (Job 3:25). Which leads to us to the next point.

2. FEAR.

Fear connects us to the curse, Faith connects us to the Blessing. "That thing I so greatly feared has come upon me..." (Job 3:25). Job had been acting in fear, not in faith regarding his children. Fear is the biggest weapon Satan uses against men.

Satan had been after Job's mind to get him to curse God. We see that repeatedly when Satan is telling God that he can get Job to curse God, we see it in Jobs fear that his kids may have cursed God, we see it in his wife's response to "curse God and die".

This cursing God is not something that Job would ever do. And yet, the fear of the curse had worked it's way into Job so that he started operating by fear, rather than faith, in regards to his kids.

I believe that this is the key component that broke down the hedge around Job and allowed Satan entrance into his life. When parents stay up all night "worried about their kids" it is doing the same thing Job did, and will end up with similar results. The best thing you can do for your kids is to get in faith over them instead.

3. Accused God Of Wrongdoing.

You can read through Job's words over and over how he calls himself righteous without sin, and how he says Paraphrased: "I didn't nothing wrong but God is punishing me anyway".
Job 33

He said two things wrong here. 1: There are no men without sin. 2: God is not the one who was punishing him, and he was accusing the wrong enemy.

The End Result - God Is Deliverer Not Curser

Elihu is our only speaker in the book of Job, besides God himself, that has the right message, the message that aligns it'self with all the light we have from Genesis to Revelations. He shows us that we need a Mediator, and he preaches God as Savior, not as Curser.

So Job was a GREAT man, but he was not a perfect man. He opened himself up to the curse through his fear, and then blamed God for the curse that came. Rather than going to God in humility and asking Him about the events and asking for deliverance.

We see God is the one who brings deliverance not curse.
Job 33:28

The KEY Job was missing: Run TO God, not from God. 

Job 33:13-24

It's little hard in the English they chose here. But here is what I believe this section is saying. If something happens to you, whether you think it's God, the devil, whatever... run TO God. Run to him. The hypocrites serve God with their lips, but fail to cry to God for help when trouble comes.

Job was blaming God (creating distance between him and God) rather than running TO God for "Help in time of need", Heb 4:16. The iniquity referred to here is that Job started to blame God. "I did nothing wrong and you did this to me!"

1. There is no man who has done nothing wrong. 
2. God did not do this to you. 
3. Fear did this to you.
4. God was waiting to deliver you!

If Job had run straight to God instead of complaining... he probably would have received deliverance much faster.

Even with all of that, most scholars believe this entire episode was less than 6-9 months of time. Given that Job likely lived over 200 years that means that it was less than one year over 200+ that Job spent poor. That's not bad in the grand scheme of things, even though it was BY FAR the worst and saddest year of his life, probably ANYONE's life!


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