Sunday 24 October
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The Two Battles Job 2:1-13 We venture further into the book of Job this week and I am wondering if you took up last week’s challenge to share with someone the stresses or pains that you are carrying, have carried or worries for others that a brother or sister can pray for or with you? The Satan has been giving me a hard time this week – He does not like getting exposed for what he is and let us remember that our victorious God ought to be much more in our sights rather that the deceiver. In verses 1-3 of chapter 2 it is very similar to the previous heavenly council meeting in chapter 1. There are however, some additional features.
Notice now in verses 4-6, The Satan is not conceding overall defeat and has already got plans for round two. He claims Job’s integrity is only skin deep – skin has seven layers. What he is saying is that Job will do anything to preserve his own life. The first-round affliction on Job only cost him the outer layer of his skin – metaphorically speaking. Losing his ten children and all his possessions is not a small matter, but is he willing to lose this, so long as he still has health and lives? In verse 5 The Satan pushes further - Bones and flesh are deeper than skin. Here Job’s afflicter aims to remove that ‘hedge of protection’ that God has placed around Job. Again, The Satan extorts permission to afflict Job, this time through disease – and again the claim is Job will then curse God. Notice though in verse 6 that God’s condition is that The Satan must watch over Job’s life – He cannot take Job’s life. The second wave of affliction begins from verse 7-10 painful sores from the soles of Job’s feet to the top of his head. The implications are that this is not a regular disease but something abnormal, like the “Fire of God” in chapter 1. Job is now humiliated and can be mocked for his faith in God – sound familiar to anyone? So, Job sits in ashes and dirt, mourning the death of his children, the loss of his possessions, his personal health loss and even the act of sitting causes him much pain. Job’s wife is far from happy having gone from the wealthy wife of the richest and most blessed man in that area to being poverty stricken and whose husband is untouchable, an object of ridicule covered in sores. So, she tells Job, curse God and die – the implication is that he’d be better off dead than living in his current state. Often there is legislation for ending life discussed in our land for people whose quality of life is so poor or who are in such never-ending pain. However, life, made in God’s image is priceless; can it be right to take it? I had a wife who only ever gave me great advice and support, Job, at least is man enough to refuse her foolish suggestion. Yet sometimes we don’t have a good easy option to our plight. Instead of offering comfort or support, Job’s wife unwittingly adds to Job’s pain and is unwittingly supporting The Satan’s cause. Now this curse is not simply a bad word called out in a rage of self-pity or a feeling of injustice. For Job has this spectacular relationship with God, it would mean denouncing that. It would be unforgivable to have had that and then not accept God’s sovereignty to give or take as He pleases. So, Job calls his wife a shameless fool, her suggestion is disgraceful – a word which means the opposite of being full of grace. Words or the tongues that blurt them out are dangerous as James teaches us in his New Testament book. Job is for the second time passing the test, unswerving in humility, pious and willing to accept anything God permits him to face. His living faith has excellent foundations. So, in verse 11 we are back down on earth: Job sitting in the dirt with his friends gathering around him. As friends, they hope to bring comfort and to give meaning to Job’s affliction Giving their time and talents, as loyal friends. In chapter 6 verse 14 Job calls them out as doing the opposite of this as they unwittingly become his false accusers aiding the Satan in his plans, piling more afflictions from those who ought to be helpful. Yet on the other hand in verse 12 we see that they are devastated at Job’s state and they mourn along with him – tearing their garments and donning dust on their heads – aligning their grief with Job’s. This is no act or duty either because in verse 13 they are so distraught that they do not utter a word for seven whole days or nights. However, during that period, it turns out that rage and other unhelpful things fill their minds…and that erupts in chapter 3. So, what strikes us or challenges us?
Our sovereign God deserves our unswerving allegiance, love and wholehearted worship – are we there yet? I called this sermon the Two Battles. There is a battle going on between The Satan and Job – a spiritual battle – Job is unaware of what The Satan is up to, he just has to deal with the consequences. The other battle is between Job and his earthly opposition – a physical, emotional and mental battle. It is the same for each one of us. God is our help and as a church, we are here to help one another – but let us all be careful whose wisdom we use in our quest to help others. Amen |