Latest / Bible in a Year with Jack Graham / The Righteousness and Loss of Job - The Book of Job

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The Righteousness and Loss of Job - The Book of Job · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. Then Job arose and rent his mantle
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  Speaker 1: and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground
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  Speaker 1: and worshipped. Job 1.20 Dear God, when my character is
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  Speaker 1: tested like Job, I thank you that my heart and
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  Speaker 1: character will be proven to be sincere and true. When
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  Speaker 1: troubles come upon me, I will not cower and walk
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  Speaker 1: away from you, God. Instead, I will press in more,
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  Speaker 1: knowing that you are the source of my joy. In
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  Speaker 1: seasons of unrelenting blows, I will lift my hands and
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  Speaker 1: voice to the heavens. I will declare of your goodness,
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  Speaker 1: even when it doesn't make sense, because I know that
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  Speaker 1: all things are working together for my good. Satan, I
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  Speaker 1: serve notice that you will not rob me of my joy.
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  Speaker 1: You will not have my peace, because I know that
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  Speaker 1: my day of victory and vindication draws near. I trust you, God,
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  Speaker 1: even when I don't understand you. I will choose to
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  Speaker 1: put my faith and trust in you. In Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time
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  Speaker 1: with God. by listening to today's Bible story. Brought to
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  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 3: Click the link in the description to grow closer to God. There,
• 1:39
  Speaker 3: you'll find daily prayers, Bible plans, sleep stories, and so
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  Speaker 3: much more, all on the Pray.com app. Click the link
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  Speaker 3: in the description to get started.
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  Speaker 4: The Righteousness and Loss of Job In this story, we
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  Speaker 4: dive into the poetic story of Job. We learn about
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  Speaker 4: the cosmic dialogue between God and the enemy. God boasts
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  Speaker 4: of the righteousness of a man named Job. Job was
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  Speaker 4: a man of pure heart and noble intention. He walked
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  Speaker 4: blameless before God and his family. His character would soon
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  Speaker 4: be tested to prove to all mankind that it is
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  Speaker 4: possible to persevere despite gargantuan loss. Inspired by the book
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  Speaker 4: of Job.
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  Speaker 5: We're so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 5: a Year podcast today. The Bible in a Year podcast
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  Speaker 5: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come
• 2:47
  Speaker 5: to you each week through the support of listeners just
• 2:49
  Speaker 5: like you. Your support today is so important. that we
• 2:53
  Speaker 5: want to thank you for your gift by giving you
• 2:55
  Speaker 5: a copy of my book called The Jesus Book. It
• 2:58
  Speaker 5: is a powerful guide that shows how every book of
• 3:00
  Speaker 5: the Bible points to Jesus and how his living word,
• 3:04
  Speaker 5: the truth of God's word, will transform your life. So
• 3:08
  Speaker 5: to get a copy of The Jesus Book, simply go
• 3:11
  Speaker 5: to jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank
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  Speaker 5: you for your support. Previously, we heard about the final
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  Speaker 5: days of Joshua's life and how God blessed Israel with
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  Speaker 5: peace and many victories in battle, and gave them an
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  Speaker 5: ever-expanding share of the land that God had promised, the
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  Speaker 5: land of Cana, the promised land. Today, we dive into
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  Speaker 5: the story of Job. The story of Job is one
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  Speaker 5: of God's faithfulness even in the face of the greatest
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  Speaker 5: adversity imaginable. As we begin today, we'll hear the dialogue
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  Speaker 5: between God and the accuser, Satan, who challenges God to
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  Speaker 5: allow Job to be tested to see if he will
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  Speaker 5: remain true and righteous and faithful. The message of Job
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  Speaker 5: has so much to teach us about the sovereignty of
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  Speaker 5: God and his ability to be steadfast and true no
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  Speaker 5: matter what pain comes our way. So let's begin with
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  Speaker 5: today's reading.
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  Speaker 4: The ancient land of Uz was a blossoming and blessed country.
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  Speaker 4: Before the ages of kings and conquests, a man named
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  Speaker 4: Job dwelled in the land peacefully with his family. Job
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  Speaker 4: was a man of noble character and pure heart. He
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  Speaker 4: was wise in all his dealings and raised his family
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  Speaker 4: with love, affection, and devotion. He lived in Uz with
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  Speaker 4: his wife, seven sons, and three daughters. Together with his
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  Speaker 4: servants they cared for his 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen,
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  Speaker 4: and 500 donkeys. Each night the family would hold a
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  Speaker 4: feast and laugh with each other in joy. Job was
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  Speaker 4: a truly blessed man and made sacrifices for his family
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  Speaker 4: every morning. Job would continually seek God in the cool
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  Speaker 4: of the morning, and the two of them were close
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  Speaker 4: in all his ways. In a different form of space
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  Speaker 4: and time, near the shining presence of the Almighty, the accuser, Satan,
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  Speaker 4: appeared before the Lord. From where have you come? God asked.
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  Speaker 4: The two did not stand as equals. Satan was allowed
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  Speaker 4: to live, but only under the permission of God. I
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  Speaker 4: have traveled to and fro on the earth, seeking who
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  Speaker 4: may be led astray, Satan said. His tone was slithery,
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  Speaker 4: and his countenance was bitter. He looked at God with
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  Speaker 4: equal reverence and hatred. The Lord spoke, saying, Have you
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  Speaker 4: seen my servant Job? There is none like him. He
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  Speaker 4: fears me, turns away from evil, and walks blamelessly before
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  Speaker 4: his peers. God's voice was elated with pride as he
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  Speaker 4: spoke of his beloved Job. It made Satan writhe where
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  Speaker 4: he stood. You coddled Job like an infant, Satan snapped.
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  Speaker 4: There is a hedge of protection over him miles wide.
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  Speaker 4: You blessed his work, his possessions, and his family. Take
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  Speaker 4: it away from him, and I promise he will curse you.
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  Speaker 4: God's confidence in Job was unwavering. Do what you will
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  Speaker 4: to him. I give you permission. Only do not harm him.
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  Speaker 4: So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord to
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  Speaker 4: descend upon Job like a whirlwind. The day was drawing
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  Speaker 4: to a close, and the sun was setting over the
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  Speaker 4: land of Uz. The warm summer breeze trickled in through
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  Speaker 4: the home of Job's oldest son. The entire family was
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  Speaker 4: eating together, enjoying music and laughter. The revelry continued, and
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  Speaker 4: the sound of instruments and conversation drowned out the noise
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  Speaker 4: of plunder happening a few hundred yards away. In Job's fields,
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  Speaker 4: a neighboring village swooped in and raided the livestock and
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  Speaker 4: killed the servants with the edge of their swords. The
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  Speaker 4: bellows of stolen livestock and swords being driven through servants'
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  Speaker 4: chests were drowned out by Job's laughter. A servant came
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  Speaker 4: to tell Job of all that was taking place, so
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  Speaker 4: Job left with his servant to go to the barn.
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  Speaker 4: As they were running, another servant came and said, The
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  Speaker 4: fire of God fell from heaven. Your sheep and servants
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  Speaker 4: were consumed in the pasture by a great wildfire. Job's
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  Speaker 4: mind was beginning to unravel. He began to run towards
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  Speaker 4: the pastures, where he heard a clamoring in the distance.
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  Speaker 4: My lord, one of his servants yelled. The servant was
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  Speaker 4: running from the western edge of Job's property. He fell
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  Speaker 4: at Job's feet out of breath, saying, The Chaldeans are here.
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  Speaker 4: They have made a raid on your camels. I am
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  Speaker 4: the only servant to survive. What is happening, Job thought
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  Speaker 4: to himself. He paused for a moment, and the eastern
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  Speaker 4: winds began to rage. Job could barely stand upright. The
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  Speaker 4: wind howled violently, and Job and his servants ducked for
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  Speaker 4: cover under a crack in the hill near the pastures.
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  Speaker 4: Job heard a mighty crash in the distance, followed by screaming. Then,
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  Speaker 4: just as quickly as the wind had come, it vanished.
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  Speaker 4: Job could hear one single faint scream in the distance.
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  Speaker 4: He and his servants looked up from under the rocks
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  Speaker 4: to see another servant running towards them. Job knew in
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  Speaker 4: his heart what the man was going to say. Job
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  Speaker 4: fell to his knees as the servant grew closer. Everything
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  Speaker 4: slowed down for a moment. The servant's voice was muffled
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  Speaker 4: in his ear.' Lord!' Job did not respond.' My lord!'
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  Speaker 4: the servant yelled again. Job looked up.' A great wind
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  Speaker 4: just came in from the wilderness. It must have toppled
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  Speaker 4: a beam in your son's house. I am sorry, but
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  Speaker 4: they are all gone.' Job did not respond to his servant. Instead,
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  Speaker 4: he walked away back towards his home. He walked a
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  Speaker 4: few hundred yards, then fell onto his knees again. Job's
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  Speaker 4: tears released like a dam breaking. He yelled, tore his shirt,
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  Speaker 4: and drove his face into the ground. Job was weeping,
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  Speaker 4: but there was no bitterness behind his tears. His face
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  Speaker 4: lifted towards heaven as he said, I came to this
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  Speaker 4: world with nothing. Naked, naked I shall return. The Lord gave,
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  Speaker 4: and now the Lord has taken away.' Blessed be your
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  Speaker 4: mighty name, O God!' Job stretched his arms to heaven.
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  Speaker 4: His tears streamed down his face as he praised God.
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  Speaker 4: Job's wife watched him from a distance from their home,
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  Speaker 4: stewing in grief and bitterness. She hated him for his joy.
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  Speaker 4: Job's joy was complete in God. However, he was not
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  Speaker 4: without grief. Job felt the loss deeply, and his heart
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  Speaker 4: was shattered into millions of pieces. The next day Job
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  Speaker 4: stood over the wreckage of his children. Ash from the
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  Speaker 4: burnt fields made the sky dark. His family, riches, and
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  Speaker 4: property was destroyed. Dried tears and dirt caked his face
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  Speaker 4: as he stared at his dead children. Job resolved in
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  Speaker 4: his heart to not blame God, rather press into Him.
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  Speaker 4: His faith would be tested even further.
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  Speaker 5: We open our reading today in God's Word in a
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  Speaker 5: place called us, and we meet a man by the
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  Speaker 5: name of Job. He is the patriarch of a great
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  Speaker 5: and wealthy family, and he has lived righteously before the Lord,
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  Speaker 5: and God has blessed him immensely. The riches and blessings
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  Speaker 5: upon his life was a clear sign of God's favor
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  Speaker 5: and blessing upon him. Job was a devoted husband, a
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  Speaker 5: loving father, and a godly leader in his family and
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  Speaker 5: in the communities. He led his family in life and
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  Speaker 5: in the worship of God, offering sacrifices as a priest
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  Speaker 5: for his own family. His devoutness and closeness to God
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  Speaker 5: was visible to all. He knew God well, and yes,
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  Speaker 5: God knew him by name. So here's the story.
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  Speaker 2: It happened.
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  Speaker 5: One day, Satan, the accuser of the brothers, appears before God.
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  Speaker 5: We often think of Satan as being banished from God's presence,
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  Speaker 5: but God may allow Satan to come near him at
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  Speaker 5: his own request. We also know that Satan is not
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  Speaker 5: banished to hell in this epoch of history, but rather
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  Speaker 5: he is alive and well and living on planet earth.
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  Speaker 5: As Satan and God converse, God brings up Job, his servant,
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  Speaker 5: his righteous service, a man that fears God and turns
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  Speaker 5: away from evil. But Satan, the accuser, claims that Job
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  Speaker 5: only fears God because God has blessed him.
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  Speaker 2: God has given him everything. And that's why he loves God.
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  Speaker 5: He is so bold, Satan is, to challenge God, saying
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  Speaker 5: if you took everything away from him, he would curse God.
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  Speaker 5: God knows that Job's faithfulness is real, so he gives
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  Speaker 5: Satan permission to do as he will with Job. There
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  Speaker 5: was one condition, and that he leave the man himself alone.
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  Speaker 5: But beyond that, he could attack Job. Satan leaves intent
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  Speaker 5: on embarrassing God and destroying his most favorite servant. Job
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  Speaker 5: has no idea what is about to happen. And then,
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  Speaker 5: out of nowhere it seems, Job's world crumbles beneath his feet.
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  Speaker 5: Servants run to Job from every corner of his property
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  Speaker 5: and speak of one tragedy after another. His livestock, his servants, property,
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  Speaker 5: all destroyed or taken away. Then the greatest tragedy of
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  Speaker 5: all comes. His own children, all ten of them, have died.
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  Speaker 5: Job responds, like you and me, with an outward emotional
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  Speaker 5: display of intense grief.
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  Speaker 2: He tears at his clothing. He shaves his head. He
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  Speaker 2: is broken.
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  Speaker 5: A man who seemingly has lost nearly everything in the
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  Speaker 5: span of one single terrible day. But then I want
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  Speaker 5: you to see what Job says in chapter 1 of
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  Speaker 5: the book of Job, verses 20 and 21.
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  Speaker 2: He fell on the ground and worshiped.
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  Speaker 5: And he said, naked I came from my mother's womb
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  Speaker 5: and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the
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  Speaker 5: Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
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  Speaker 2: What a testimony. Whatever happens, blessed be the name of
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  Speaker 2: the Lord.
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  Speaker 5: The story of Job is a difficult one to understand
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  Speaker 5: at times, but in the midst of his tragedy, he
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  Speaker 5: exhibited the most extreme kind of faith. It's the testimony
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  Speaker 5: of a man who knew that God is sovereign over
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  Speaker 5: all things and can be trusted no matter what. Job's
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  Speaker 5: first response was one of intense grief and sadness. And
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  Speaker 5: yet in the midst of all the tears, he worshiped God.
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  Speaker 5: He looked to God for strength. God had given him
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  Speaker 5: everything he had. God could choose to take it away,
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  Speaker 5: and he has. But in the midst of it, he
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  Speaker 5: praised God. It shows that Job's love For God wasn't
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  Speaker 5: dependent upon the things that he had, his possessions, or
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  Speaker 5: his blessings, but his love for God, his faith in God,
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  Speaker 5: was true and steadfast. Dear God, may we, like Job,
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  Speaker 5: worship you in every circumstance of life. Through the tears
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  Speaker 5: of tragedy or through the joys of success, we know
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  Speaker 5: that you are worthy of all praise and all honor
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  Speaker 5: and all blessing. We can say, no matter what we face,
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  Speaker 5: Blessed be the name of the Lord. And it is
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  Speaker 5: in this name that is above every name, the name
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  Speaker 5: of Jesus that we pray.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 5: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 5: And before we go, I wanted to let you know
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  Speaker 5: that the Bible in a Year podcast is an outreach
• 15:04
  Speaker 5: of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to you each
• 15:08
  Speaker 5: week through the support of listeners like you. Your support
• 15:12
  Speaker 5: today is so important that we want to thank you
• 15:15
  Speaker 5: for your gift by giving you a copy of my
• 15:17
  Speaker 5: book called The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful
• 15:21
  Speaker 5: guide that shows how every book in the Bible points
• 15:24
  Speaker 5: to Christ and how you can better read and understand
• 15:27
  Speaker 5: the Bible and how God's Word transforms our lives. So
• 15:31
  Speaker 5: to get your copy of The Jesus Book, simply go
• 15:34
  Speaker 5: to jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank
• 15:41
  Speaker 5: you for your support.
• 15:43
  Speaker 3: If today's reading moved you, the Pray.com app is where
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: you can go deeper with daily prayers, Bible plans, and more.
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: Download it free. Link in the description.