Day 13, January 13 Part 2

1900 BC

Job 1-3 Job is tested twice / Job’s three friends / Job’s complaint

Job was someone who really sought to please God and wanted to be upright. He even sacrificed for his children when they partied, in case they cursed God.
Jacob's actions didn't show the same kind of faith or concern toward his children's behavior. Jacob's one son slept with one of his many wives, but Jacob didn't say anything. Two of his sons slaughtered an entire town and Jacob only complained that it would make him look bad.
And yet God blessed Jacob in all his wickedness and He allowed Job to suffer immensely in all his blamelessness.

Why do we read the book of Job after we read Esau's genealogy? Many scholars believe that Job is actually King Jobab ben Zerah, king of Edom. [Gen 31:31]
Here was Heaven’s assessment of Job direct from the throne room of God: Job was as a man of integrity (blameless), upright, feared God and shun evil (Job 1:1; 8)
How Did He Shun Evil? (Job 31). Let’s be practical. As you read this list, are these a part of your life also?

Made an agreement with his eyes to not look at young women: Do not lust (Job 31:1)
Not given to living with lies or running after deception (Job 31:5)
Concerned with steps and process to follow the proper path (Job 31:7)
Refused to be seduced by a woman (Job 31:9)
Does not abuse the rights of employees (Job 31:13)
A Humanitarian: (Job 31:16-18) Did not refuse the requests for the poor; Gave occasion for a widow to stop looking for help; Does not food alone without sharing with an orphan;
Does not put confidence in bank account (Job 31:24)
Did not enjoyed when enemy is ruin (even though a curse was initiated) (Job 31:29)
Open home to visitors (Job 31:31-32)
Was open when he did wrong even to the public (Job 31:33-34)

Another perspective on "Satan." "Satan" is not a name, but merely means "adversary." It should always be translated that way.
The sons of God make up the Divine Council of God. They are also called the "watchers." They are both God's family and his judicial system. When God called a family meeting, it looked like a judicial meeting, and there was form and order and rules, somewhat like our Congress has. In this Divine Council, the Adversary attended to give a report.
When God allows Satan, the Adversary, to affect what God has protected it looks like the following:

Increased Criminal Activity and your resources in danger (Job 1:13-15). In Job’s case, they took all his assets, your resources, livestock, and diminish your productive capacity(oxen, donkey, servants)
Freak Occurrences, Accidents, and Emergencies: In Job’s case, fire from God fell and completely burn everything (Job 1:16).
War by Foreign Governments/ nations; gang activity, terrorism by rebels. It affects market conditions and long term viability. Your high end assets are threatened and gone. (Job 1:17).
Finally it looks like Freak Weather: Storms, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Whirlwinds, Tsunamis which take away people; both innocent and not so innocent. It separates family and leaves people dead. In Job’s case his entire family was killed in a tornado.

So why would a good God allow Satan to do these things, or frankly even exists?
Does God do this still? " God is not counting men's sins against them 2 Cor 5, and God is NOT using weather to punish or judge anyone, period. Jesus rebuked typhoon like storms and did not bring them or cause them. It is hurricane season and it rains on the just and the unjust, when James and John wanted Jesus to call on the elements to destroy a few cities who didn't receive Jesus, He rebukes them. Anyone saying that it is the judgement of God are functioning from a wrong covenant and are bringing confusion to the body of Christ." - Jamie Englehart

Unfortunately though his wife, who could not bear seeing her husband suffer any more, told him to curse God and die. Job was appalled. Maybe he should have been sacrificing for his wife every morning too. What was Job’s response to ensure that you don’t disparage God? [Job 2:10] "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
What does it mean to accept not only good but trouble from God when it comes? A disoriented Christian would say that they are not sick when they really are, fearing it shows a lack of faith. Haven’t you heard Christians do that?
Being upright and blameless, does not mean that you cannot express your pain, without sinning. There is a way to do so and still maintain your integrity. This is the way Paul expressed it: [2 Cor 4:8-9] “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” That is how to truly express your state, yet retain your integrity without blaming God.

It is good to have friends. Job’s friends were: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Eliphaz was a son of Esau. More on that later.

1:1-10 Job said the day he was born should be cursed and darkness should be upon it. He wishes the night he was born was made barren. The day and night should be cursed because it did not shut up the doors of his mother's womb, before he was born.
1:11-15 Why did he not die at birth? Why did knees receive him, or breasts fed him? If they did not, he would have died and be with kings and counsellors of the earth who built ruins for themselves. This was a clue that Job was a King himself.
1:16-19 He wished that he was like a still born child. In death, the wicked stop giving trouble, prisoners are gathered together and oppressors have no more voice. The small and great are there and the servant is free from his master.
1: 20-27 Job turned his thoughts from wishing he died during birth, to why is it so hard for people who want to die, to actually die. Why is life given to a bitter soul? Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, who is suffering so much? Job is living with his greatest fear, his greatest dread and he feels he has no rest.

There are times life makes you initially regret the day you were born, but you must never regret the God who birth you. Never become bitter and abort your faith.