10-27-2019 Weekly Message

Meditation of the week: Psalms 26:1-12

Text: Job 42: 1-6

Word title: Righteousness of man as unclean thing like filthy rags before Holy God

      Regarding Job, who lived about the same time as Abraham four thousand years ago, the Bible tells us how righteous he was:

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1: 1).

        God told Satan how righteous Job was:

 ” Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? ”(Job 1: 8).

         God also spoke about Job through the prophet Ezekiel:

” Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: 14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.”(Ezek. 14: 12-14)

        We must meditate and realize how Job, who had been admitted that he was a righteous man why with his own mouth, hated himself and  repented in dust and ashes. At that time, God did not choose the people of Israel yet, nor did he give the law. Obviously, at that time, people were living by their own conscience. Clearly, Job was one of the most righteous man among them, fearing and honestly following his conscience given by God.

            The words of Job testify of his righteous deeds:

“And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.“(Job 1: 4-5).

        When Satan told God to accuse Job, God allowed him to try Job. But God said not to touch his body. Finally, Satan used his power in God’s permission to kill all the cattle in his household as well as all his servants  with fire and blade in the morning. In addition, Satan blew a great blast and killed them all by hitting four corner of the house where Job’s sons and daughters feasted. Indeed, he lost everything in a day

       At that time he did not know or imagine God’s Word, saying, ” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.“(Romans 8:28) He did not blame God, but stood up for the dead servants, the animals, and his children, tore up his garments, tossed his head, and fell to the ground and worshiped God saying:

 ” Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.“(Job 1:21)

         In everything that happened to him, he did not sin nor  blamed God foolishly. We must ponder how many of God’s children today  be like Job, and how we will walk before God. At that time, he was not born again by the Holy Spirit nor  cleansed of conscience by the blood of Christ Jesus. Only with the good conscience from God never  he blamed God for such great tragedy. As God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, like Noah and Daniel, he was righteous among men at that time. However, we must realize how Job prayed to God in miserable repentance.

            When God heard Job’s confession, he told Satan that Job was a complete and honestly righteous man. Once again Satan asked God to try Job again. Again God allowed Satan. Satan said  if God would strike Job’s bones and flesh, Job will curse God. God gave Job once more into Satan’s hands and told him to leave his life.

           Finally, Satan struck Job with a heavy boil from his soles to his head. It was so painful that Job took a piece of earthenware, scratched his body, and sat among the ashes. At this time Job suffered more than his boil. The last remnant of his wife cursed him and inserted a dagger deep into his heart:

“Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die ”(Job 2: 9)

But even then he did not sin with his lips hearing her words:

” Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. ” (Job 2:10)

           Finally, Job’s three friends came to comfort him. How could they comfort Job? They couldn’t imagine why such great pain came to Job. They did not know that God allowed Satan try him with such suffering. They did not know the plan for God to make Job like pure gold after he is tried by God. They cried in a loud voice, crying at Job’s unfathomable face, and they said nothing to him as they sat with him seven days and nights.

Eventually they later had to say words condemning instead of comforting him.

         Finally Job opened his mouth and spoke in front of God, Satan, and three friends:

” Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived. 4Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

5Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

6As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months. 7Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein. 8Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

9Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:“(Job 3:3-9)

          The words he spoke openly were not words of resentment to God, but wishes that he had never been born, that is, words to himself that his servants and children would not have died miserably without him if he had not been born.

        Finally, Job began to open his mouth to say unto his friends.  Elihu, who was listening to what Job and his three friends were saying one another, was angry with his three friends.  He also got angry at Job’s speaking to his friends seeing him for himself more righteous than God. Because they did not find the answer but condemned Job. As Job spoke with his friends, his righteousness was deeply embedded in him. This is why Elihu told Job:

” Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s? 3For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?“‘ (Job 35: 2-3)

           To Job, who claims his righteousness, God finally answered and said in a whirlwind:

” Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.  6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38: 2-7)

Job could not answer a single word to God, who poured out enormous questions from chapters 38 to 41. No one in the world will be able to answer even one question.

       Finally Job confessed God saying hating himself:

”  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. “Job 42: 2-5)

       The Bible says that at the end of time, ” Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.“(Daniel 12:10). In other words, to purify a person, he must be gone through  trial. He also says, ” He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Revelation 22:11).

          Through the trial of the great tribulation, the Jews shall realize how dirty their own righteousness by the law  before God and repent like Job miserably saying: “But we are all unclean, and all our righteousness is like dirty rags, and we are all withering like the leaves, and our iniquities have carried us like the wind” (Isa 64: 6).

        To Job  who realized his sin before God regarding as righteous to God, God restored everything and blessed him in double than before. And God will bless the Jews when they repent as Job in the midst of the Great Tribulation in his kingdom. Apostle James testified of the sufferings and blessings Job received:

” Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.“ (James 5:11).

Amen! Hallelujah!