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FreeWay Foundation            January 31, 2014

 

Does job fear god for nothing?

(Job 1:1-22)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

 

I.  Concentration:  on the background of this book

            1.  The authorship of Job is unknown, but the manners, customs, and lifestyle are

                 from the patriarchal period, about 2000 B.C.

            2.  Job as a real person, according to the Old Testament and New Testament

                 Scriptures:  Ezekiel 14:14 and James 5:11.

            3.  Job was a Gentile from Uz, and a descendant of Nahor, Abraham's brother;

                 he knew God by the name of "Shaddai" (The Almighty).

            4.  The Book of Job is a dramatic poem, made up of several dialogues among

                 the characters:  Job, his wife, the Lord God, Satan, Job's friends (Eliphaz,

                 Bildad, and Zophar), and a young man named Elihu.

II.  Meditation:  on the contents of chapter one

            1.  The man Job is introduced as a wealthy person with a wife, seven sons, and

                 three daughters; he is portrayed as a man who worshipped God and who cared

                 about the spiritual condition of his family, vv. 1-5.

            2.  One day in heaven, all the angels (Sons of God) came to report to the Lord;

                 God called Satan's attention to Job's righteousness; Satan implied that Job's

                 good deeds came from his selfish motive of wanting to be blessed by God;

                 God allowed Satan to test Job's faith without doing him bodily harm, vv. 6-12.

            3.  Satan caused catastrophes which killed all ten of Job's children and took away

                 all of his animals, vv. 13-19.

            4.  Job mourned over his great losses, but he did not sin no charge God with wrong

                 . . . in fact, even in his intense grief, Job worshipped and blessed the name of

                 the Lord, vv. 20-22.

III.  Revelation:  on Satan's position and purpose

            1.  Satan, one of a group of created angels, is accountable to the Lord, v. 6.

            2.  Although Satan is not omnipresent or omniscient, he does know all the inhabitants

                 of the earth, which is his temporary realm, vv. 7-9.

            3.  Satan, the Adversary, accuses God's people of sinful deeds and wicked motives,

                 and he is behind all the evils that curse the earth, vv. 9-12.

            4.  Satan can do nothing without divine permission, and when God gives Satan

                 permission to test persons, He sets definite limits, v. 12.

IV.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

            1.  Realize that God knows all His people by name and takes pleasure in their faith

                 and faithfulness, Matthew 25:21.

            2.  Recognize that God is the source of all "good things," James 1:17, but that Satan

                 is the cause of all destruction and death, John 10:10.

            3.  Rejoice that the Lord will not allow Satan to test me above what I am able to endure

                 with God's help, I Corinthians 10:13.

            4.  React positively to testing:  "counting it all joy" because it strengthens my spiritual

                 endurance and increases my faith, James 1:2-4.

 

 

 

Lifeskills in scripture

Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

1.  VALUES:  Liberty (freedom) based on equality, truth, and justice

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," (John 8:32)

 

2.  SELF-ESTEEM:  Healthy and balanced view of personal worth

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?

For You have made him a little lower than the angels,

And You have crowned him with glory and honor," (Psalm 8:3-5)

 

3.  COPING:  Skillful handling of difficult situations

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (Philippians 4:13)

 

4.  PROBLEM-SOLVING:  Process of finding solutions to life's dilemmas

            "Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

                        And lean not on your own understanding;

            In all your ways acknowledge Him,

                        And He shall direct your paths," (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

5.  COMMUNICATIONS:  Active listening, and sharing thoughts and feelings

            "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath

                        of man does not produce the righteousness of God," (James 1:19-20)

 

6.  CONFLICT RESOLUTION:  Non-violent and peaceful settling of disagreements

            "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good

                        For necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers . . .             

                        Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from

                        you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving

                        one another, even as God in Christ forgave you,"  (Ephesians 4:29-32)

 

7.  DECISION MAKING:  Choosing wisely after evaluating possible consequences

            "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,"

                        (Deuteronomy 30:19)

 

8.  NATURAL HIGHS:  Wise use of leisure time; enjoying life without chemicals

            "I have come that they may have life; and that they may have it more abundantly,"

                        (John 10:10)

 

"There is no such thing as a non-working mother."

--Hester Mundis

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