Jump Start # 135

Job 1:14-19 “a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from Heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, ‘You sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

  Our passage today is long, but it is necessary to see the say suffering came upon Job. There are several lessons to see here.

  First, trials and suffering came all at once. It is hard enough to deal with suffering and pain but when they come at you from all sides it nearly destroys us. A common expression in these verses is, “While he was still speaking” (16, 17, 18). Financial problems, work issues, trouble at home, someone in the hospital all happens at the same time. We feel like a rubber band that is about as stretched as it can be. We think we might snap. Some do.

  Second, Job’s suffering came from natural causes (fire from Heaven, a great wind) and from violence and crime (the Sabeans attacked, the Chaldeans made a raid). James tells us that there are various trials. Which is better? Neither. Storms come quickly and often catch us unprepared. The victim of violence and crime hurts emotionally for a long time. I don’t know if Job belong to a nation but the Sabeans and the Chaldeans making raids sounds like a form of war or invasion.

  Thirdly, Job’s suffering involved the loss of life. The Sabeans killed his servants. The fire from Heaven consumed his servants. The Chaldeans killed his servants. The great wind killed his children. The servants are not named. But they were loved by someone. They had families or were a part of a family. Things can always be replaced, life cannot. The servants belonged to Job and worked for him. He was responsible for them. Now they were gone.

Fourth, as we know, but Job doesn’t, Satan was behind all of these trials. Satan hits hard. Satan is powerful. The tears would be many for Job. The loss of livestock and herds would cripple him financially. The cemetery will all the fresh graves would be a lonesome sight for Job. And each time, one servant was allowed to escape. Not one child but one servant. Satan did that. The hurt was intended to crush his faith in God.

Fifth, Job mourned and Job worshipped. It is not a sign of weakness nor a lack of faith to shed tears nor to be troubled by these things. Life for Job would never be the same. When we bury a loved one, we bury a part of ourselves. Some folks give the impression that if you shed tears you are weak. The Bible doesn’t say that. Those folks live in a bubble and have never seen trials like these. They often add guilt and burden upon the suffering by stating their false and dumb opinions.

  Job worshipped (1:20). He didn’t give up. There were things to be thankful for. God had allowed Job to know these people and to be blessed with those possessions. God was still God. Satan failed. Job was hit hard, but he was still standing, still worshipping, still committed to God.

  These are important lessons to be grasped by us.

Roger