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

Transcript

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

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Then Job arose and rent his mantle and shaved his
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped. Job
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: 1.20 Dear God, when my character is tested like Job,
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: I thank you that my heart and character will be
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: proven to be sincere and true. When troubles come upon me,
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: I will not cower and walk away from you, God. Instead,
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: I will press in more, knowing that you are the
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: source of my joy. In seasons of unrelenting blows, I
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: will lift my hands and voice to the heavens. I
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: will declare of your goodness, even when it doesn't make sense,
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: because I know that all things are working together for
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: my good. Satan, I serve notice that you will not
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: rob me of my joy. You will not have my
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: peace because I know that my day of victory and
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: vindication draws near. I trust you, God, even when I
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: don't understand you. I will choose to put my faith
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: and trust in you. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: for praying with us today. Continue your time with God
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: by listening to today's Bible story, brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: The Righteousness and Loss of Job In this story, we
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: dive into the poetic story of Job. We learn about
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: the cosmic dialogue between God and the enemy. God boasts
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: of the righteousness of a man named Job. Job was
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: a man of pure heart and noble intention. He walked
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: blameless before God and his family. His character would soon
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: be tested to prove to all mankind that it is
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: possible to persevere despite gargantuan loss, inspired by the book
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: of Job.
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of The Bible
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: in a Year. Previously, we heard about the final days
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: of Joshua's life and how God blessed Israel with peace
• 2:33
  Speaker 3: and many victories in battle, and gave them an ever-expanding
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: share of the land that God had promised, the land
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: of Cana, the promised land. Today, we dive into the
• 2:43
  Speaker 3: story of Job. The story of Job is one of
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: God's faithfulness even in the face of the greatest adversity imaginable.
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: As we begin today, we'll hear the dialogue between God
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: and the accuser, Satan, who challenges God to allow Job
• 3:00
  Speaker 3: to be tested to see if he will remain true
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: and righteous and faithful. The message of Job has so
• 3:06
  Speaker 3: much to teach us about the sovereignty of God and
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: his ability to be steadfast and true no matter what
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: pain comes our way. So let's begin with today's reading.
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: The ancient land of Uz was a blossoming and blessed country.
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: Before the ages of kings and conquests, a man named
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: Job dwelled in the land peacefully with his family. Job
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: was a man of noble character and pure heart. He
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: was wise in all his dealings and raised his family
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: with love, affection, and devotion. He lived in Uz with
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: his wife, seven sons, and three daughters. Together with his
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: servants they cared for his 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen,
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: and 500 donkeys. Each night the family would hold a
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: feast and laugh with each other in joy. Job was
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: a truly blessed man and made sacrifices for his family
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: every morning. Job would continually seek God in the cool
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: of the morning, and the two of them were close
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: in all his ways. In a different form of space
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: and time, near the shining presence of the Almighty, the accuser, Satan,
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: appeared before the Lord. From where have you come? God asked.
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: The two did not stand as equals. Satan was allowed
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: to live, but only under the permission of God. I
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: have traveled to and fro on the earth, seeking who
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: may be led astray, Satan said. His tone was slithery,
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: and his countenance was bitter. He looked at God with
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: equal reverence and hatred. The Lord spoke, saying, Have you
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: seen my servant Job? There is none like him. He
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: fears me, turns away from evil, and walks blamelessly before
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: his peers. God's voice was elated with pride as he
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: spoke of his beloved Job. It made Satan writhe where
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: he stood. You coddled Job like an infant, Satan snapped.
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: There is a hedge of protection over him miles wide.
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: You blessed his work, his possessions, and his family. Take
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: it away from him, and I promise he will curse you.
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: God's confidence in Job was unwavering. Do what you will
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: to him. I give you permission. Only do not harm him.
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord to
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: descend upon Job like a whirlwind. The day was drawing
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: to a close, and the sun was setting over the
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: land of Uz. The warm summer breeze trickled in through
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: the home of Job's oldest son. The entire family was
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: eating together, enjoying music and laughter. The revelry continued, and
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: the sound of instruments and conversation drowned out the noise
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: of plunder happening a few hundred yards away. In Job's fields,
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: a neighboring village swooped in and raided the livestock and
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: killed the servants with the edge of their swords. The
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: bellows of stolen livestock and swords being driven through servants'
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: chests were drowned out by Job's laughter. A servant came
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: to tell Job of all that was taking place, so
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: Job left with his servant to go to the barn.
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: As they were running, another servant came and said, The
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: fire of God fell from heaven. Your sheep and servants
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: were consumed in the pasture by a great wildfire. Job's
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: mind was beginning to unravel. He began to run towards
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: the pastures, where he heard a clamoring in the distance.
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: My lord! One of his servants yelled. The servant was
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: running from the western edge of Job's property. He fell
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: at Job's feet out of breath, saying, The Chaldeans are here!
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: They have made a raid on your camels! I am
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: the only servant to survive! What is happening? Job thought
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: to himself. He paused for a moment, and the eastern
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: winds began to rage. Job could barely stand upright. The
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: wind howled violently. and Job and his servants ducked for
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: cover under a crack in the hill near the pastures.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: Job heard a mighty crash in the distance, followed by screaming. Then,
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: just as quickly as the wind had come, it vanished.
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: Job could hear one single faint scream in the distance.
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: He and his servants looked up from under the rocks
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: to see another servant running towards them. Job knew in
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: his heart what the man was going to say. Job
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: fell to his knees as the servant grew closer. Everything
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: slowed down for a moment. The servant's voice was muffled
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: in his ear.' Lord!' Job did not respond.' My lord!'
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: the servant yelled again. Job looked up.' A great wind
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: just came in from the wilderness. It must have toppled
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: a beam in your son's house. I am sorry, but
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: they are all gone.' Job did not respond to his servant. Instead,
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: he walked away back towards his home. He walked a
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: few hundred yards, then fell onto his knees again. Job's
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: tears released like a dam breaking. He yelled, tore his shirt,
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: and drove his face into the ground. Job was weeping,
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: but there was no bitterness behind his tears. His face
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: lifted towards heaven as he said, I came to this
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: world with nothing. Naked, naked I shall return. The Lord gave,
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: and now the Lord has taken away.' Blessed be your
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: mighty name, O God!' Job stretched his arms to heaven.
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: His tears streamed down his face as he praised God.
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: Job's wife watched him from a distance from their home,
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: stewing in grief and bitterness. She hated him for his joy.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: Job's joy was complete in God. However, he was not
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: without grief. Job felt the loss deeply, and his heart
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: was shattered into millions of pieces. The next day, Job
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: stood over the wreckage of his children. Ash from the
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: burnt fields made the sky dark. His family, riches, and
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: property was destroyed. Dried tears and dirt caked his face
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: as he stared at his dead children. Job resolved in
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: his heart to not blame God, rather press into Him.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: His faith would be tested even further.
• 9:26
  Speaker 3: We open our reading today in God's Word in a
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: place called us, and we meet a man by the
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: name of Job. He is the patriarch of a great
• 9:35
  Speaker 3: and wealthy family, and he has lived righteously before the Lord,
• 9:39
  Speaker 3: and God has blessed him immensely. The riches and blessings
• 9:43
  Speaker 3: upon his life was a clear sign of God's favor
• 9:46
  Speaker 3: and blessing upon him. Job was a devoted husband, a
• 9:50
  Speaker 3: loving father, and a godly leader in his family and
• 9:53
  Speaker 3: in the community. He led his family in life and
• 9:56
  Speaker 3: in the worship of God offering sacrifices as a priest
• 9:59
  Speaker 3: for his own family. His devoutness and closeness to God
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: was visible to all. He knew God well, and yes,
• 10:08
  Speaker 3: God knew him by name. So here's the story. It happened.
• 10:14
  Speaker 3: One day, Satan, the accuser of the brothers, appears before God.
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: We often think of Satan as being banished from God's presence,
• 10:22
  Speaker 3: but God may allow Satan to come near him at
• 10:25
  Speaker 3: his own request. We also know that Satan is not
• 10:28
  Speaker 3: banished to hell in this epoch of history, but rather
• 10:31
  Speaker 3: he is alive and well and living on planet earth.
• 10:35
  Speaker 3: As Satan and God converse, God brings up Job, his servant,
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: his righteous service, a man that fears God and turns
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: away from evil. But Satan, the accuser, claims that Job
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: only fears God because God has blessed him. God has
• 10:50
  Speaker 3: given him everything, and that's why he loves God. He
• 10:54
  Speaker 3: is so bold, Satan is, to challenge God, saying, if
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: you took everything away from him, he would curse God.
• 11:02
  Speaker 3: God knows that Job's faithfulness is real, so he gives
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: Satan permission to do as he will with Job. There
• 11:09
  Speaker 3: was one condition, and that he leave the man himself alone.
• 11:14
  Speaker 3: But beyond that, He could attack Job. Satan leaves intent
• 11:19
  Speaker 3: on embarrassing God and destroying his most favorite servant. Job
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: has no idea what is about to happen. And then,
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: out of nowhere it seems, Job's world crumbles beneath his feet.
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: Servants run to Job from every corner of his property
• 11:36
  Speaker 3: and speak of one tragedy after another. His livestock, his servants, property,
• 11:43
  Speaker 3: all destroyed or taken away. Then the greatest tragedy of
• 11:47
  Speaker 3: all comes. His own children, all ten of them, have died.
• 11:52
  Speaker 3: Job responds, like you and me, with an outward emotional
• 11:57
  Speaker 3: display of intense grief. He tears at his clothing. He
• 12:02
  Speaker 3: shaves his head. He is broken. A man who seemingly
• 12:06
  Speaker 3: has lost nearly everything in the span of one single
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: terrible day. But then I want you to see what
• 12:14
  Speaker 3: Job says next. In chapter 1 of the book of Job,
• 12:18
  Speaker 3: verses 20 and 21. He fell on the ground and worshiped.
• 12:23
  Speaker 3: And he said, naked I came from my mother's womb
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the
• 12:30
  Speaker 3: Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
• 12:35
  Speaker 3: What a testimony. Whatever happens, blessed be the name of
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: the Lord. The story of Job is a difficult one
• 12:44
  Speaker 3: to understand at times, but in the midst of his tragedy,
• 12:48
  Speaker 3: he exhibited the most extreme kind of faith. It's the
• 12:52
  Speaker 3: testimony of a man who knew that God is sovereign
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: over all things and can be trusted no matter what.
• 13:00
  Speaker 3: Job's first response was one of intense grief and sadness,
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: and yet in the midst of all the tears, he
• 13:06
  Speaker 3: worshiped God. He looked to God for strength. God had
• 13:11
  Speaker 3: given him everything he had. God could choose to take
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: it away, and he has. But in the midst of it,
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: he praised God. It shows that Job's love for God
• 13:23
  Speaker 3: wasn't dependent upon the things that he had, his possessions,
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: or his blessings, but his love for God, his faith
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: in God, was true and steadfast. Dear God, may we,
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: like Job, worship you in every circumstance of life. Through
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: the tears of tragedy or through the joys of success,
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: we know that you are worthy of all praise and
• 13:47
  Speaker 3: all honor and all blessing. We can say, no matter
• 13:51
  Speaker 3: what we face, blessed be the name of the Lord.
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: And it is in this name that is above every name,
• 13:57
  Speaker 3: the name of Jesus, that we pray. Amen. Thank you
• 14:02
  Speaker 3: for listening today to the Bible in a Year podcast.
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church.
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: Download the Pray.com app and make prayer a priority in
• 14:13
  Speaker 3: your life. And if you enjoy this podcast, share it
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: with others, people that you love and care about, people
• 14:19
  Speaker 3: who want to know the Bible, help them understand the
• 14:22
  Speaker 3: Bible as well. This podcast can make a huge difference
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: in someone's life. If you want more resources on how
• 14:30
  Speaker 3: to tap into the power of Jesus Christ in your life,
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: then be sure to visit JackGraham.org.
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by MediShare, an innovative health care
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.