The Lord said to satan, "Have you considered My servant Job?" For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." Job 1:8
I would like to continue in Job this week. This is a lenghty devotional, but please read to the end. We are going to stay in the first chapter. The chapter begins with a similar description of Job given here in verse 8.
God was pleased with Job. However we know that Job was not perfect in the sense of being sinless. The Bible teaches us that all of us fall short of God’s standard of perfection. What the writer is asserting here is that Job could not be justly charged with any moral failure by his fellow men. From the human point of view he was without blame. However God alone knows what lies within the heart of man. He alone is all knowing and always just in His judgements of His children.
Those He loves He disciplines. Discipline is love according to Scripture. Our happiness is not as important as our holiness before God.
Hebrews 12:4-11 proclaims:
"You have not resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
"MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
These are scriptures I read to my children often while disciplining them. Notice Scripture refers to the fathers for disciplining their children. This is a thing of the past here in America. The church has failed to teach from the Word of God instruction to fathers, and fathers seem to have forgotten they are the high priest of their homes; not the mothers. He did not set up the family with the woman as the head. The man is. If you don’t agree with that, take it up with the One who wrote it. His ways are always higher than ours.
We cannot improve upon the Word of God. Unfortunately mothers end up disciplining the children, because the careers far exceeds the priority of the children, and the spiritual condition of the family. Discipline is absolutely necessary in all our lives, especially during child training. Love and discipline are synonymous according to the Bible, but we read every book on child rearing but the Bible!
Reading Job years ago I remember the impact it had on me as I read of a man who was truly a high priest of his family. I grieved then for the lack of in our present society, and it has only gotten worse.
Job had seven sons and three daughters. Each son held a feast in his house on his day, and they would invite the three sisters to eat and drink with them. When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said,
"Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts."
This he did continually! Job kept his home in order. He kept his family covered for internal sin. He was a man who knew the value of guarding the heart realizing no one can see the internal but our just God.
That is the lesson in the book of Job. God help us to get it. The Bible tells us he continually did this. No wonder God was pleased with him, and loved him enough to purge the self-righteousness he carried in his own heart. God the Father is the great Hight Priest of His family! Are you being disciplined by your Father?
We then read how there was a day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and satan also came among them. The sons of God is referring to angels. We know from Scripture satan was a fallen angel. Here it reveals he is a person, not just an evil influence. Then we read of a conversation that took place on that day in verses 6-10:
The Lord said to satan,
"From where do you come?"
Then satan answered the Lord and said,
"From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. "
The Lord said to satan,
"Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."
Then satan answered the Lord,
"Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face."
I see the Father heart of God here for a son He is well pleased with, and very proud of. Satan hates what God loves. He is the enemy of God. He hates God. Satan reveals to us all those prayers Job has prayed God has heard. It also reveals how God loves to bless His obedient children. They reap the blessings as do earthly children who obey godly parents. God has placed a hedge of protection around His home and family, and all that he owns. Satan couldn’t get to Job in any way. So he does what he does best; he accuses Job of conditional love for God; that He only loves God because of what God has given him. He is extremely wealthy, has a great family, and health; he has it all. But God knows Job. He knows what lies within His heart. God knows his love for Him. Then He does something very hard for us to understand. I used to struggle greatly with this, but not anymore. God replies to satan in verse 12:
Then the Lord said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him."
So satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
We know from last week how the book ends. God has no timeline. He is God. He knew the outcome. Satan is only allowed what God’s sovereignty allows in those who are His. We also know it is always for our good as it was in Job’s life. Job loved God and had chosen Him as His God. Job desired His holiness above all else. We too will if we love Him as Lord of our lives.
Through the refining time satan thinks he is going to destroy Job, but God is purifying Job from his own self righteousness, and Job is allowed to gain deeper fellowship with God, and a deeper revelation of who God is, which only caused Job to become more steadfast in His love for God. God used all for Job’s good! He doubled back to Job all that was lost by the evil one.
Satan never learns. He thought he was destroying Jesus on the cross. It was Friday, but Sunday was coming! No, I no longer try to figure out God. His children have to live by faith and trust in who He is.
We all claim to love God, but when I sift my life through the book of Job, I realize I fall short. However, that is why I love the Scriptures so much! I have learned to not be discouraged by finding the truth about myself — but great hope. I know only the truth can set me free from the hidden sin deep within that keeps me from His holiness. It is God’s desire to share His holiness with His own children. We know that from our verses in Hebrews. I know this is a long devotional. I pray you will find it worthy of your time. May I challenge you to begin the book of Job, and read a chapter a day. Journal as the Lord reveals truth to you personally. Cry out from the depths of your being to know the hidden mysteries of God He longs to reveal to those who long for it. May you become one of the few!
In His love.
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This week photos from home! Relishing in the gifts freely given by God!
