Purple Heart: Wounded in Battle
How do we honor God when things
don’t go our way? How do we pray and
respond to God?
We’ll be looking at the book of
Job for inspiration and direction on this.
Purpose of book—to answer the question
of how the righteous should suffer.
Background on Job
· He was blameless and upright, he feared God and shunned evil
· Had 7 sons and 3 daughters
· Livestock in the thousands
· Large number of servants
· Greatest man among the people of the East
· His sons and daughters liked to party so he would sacrifice
for them in case they had sinned against God (Job did not join them)
· God and Satan had a conversation. God allowed Satan to bring disaster to Job’s
life and later on physical pain.
· Who’s in control of disasters? (God)
· Who brings disaster? (Satan)
Job’s First Test
Job 1:12-22
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has
is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence
of the Lord.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and
drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to
Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and
the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the
sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and
said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the
servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and
said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels
and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only
one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and
said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest
brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the
desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they
are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.
Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I
will depart.[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken
away;
may the name of
the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with
wrongdoing.
· Job’s prayer is accepting and humble
· Seeking repentance by humbling himself
· How would we respond to such a challenge
· My response to these types of situations
Job’s Second Test
Job 2
On another day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and
Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the
Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming
throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant
Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who
fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you
incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has
for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his
flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
6 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your
hands; but you must spare his life.”
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and
afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his
head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself
with it as he sat among the ashes.
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your
integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not
trouble?”
In all this, Job did not sin in what he
said.
11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the
Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come
upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and
sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a
distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they
tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they
sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word
to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
· Job still leading his wife despite everything that is going
on
· Job is not aware of the backstory w God and Satan
· His friends though initially supportive could not bear to
support their friend long-term through his suffering
· Carlos’ death (family fell away, his girlfriend fell away
and got cancer)—in our suffering we did not do enough to help them and support
them during that time.
· They suffered alone and the help they got was not the best.
· We often suffer alone, but we have a responsibility to God
to be humble and submissive to His plans.
· Are my prayers submissive and accepting during times of
great trials.
Job’s Complaints
Job 10:1-4
“I loathe my very life;
therefore I
will give free rein to my complaint
and speak out
in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I say to God: Do not declare me guilty,
but tell me
what charges you have against me.
3 Does it please you to oppress me,
to spurn the
work of your hands,
while you smile
on the plans of the wicked?
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
Do you see as a
mortal sees?
Job 13:14-28
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my
life in my hands?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
for no godless
person would dare come before him!
17 Listen carefully to what I say;
let my words
ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,
I know I will
be vindicated.
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?
If so, I will
be silent and die.
20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will
not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand far from me,
and stop
frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then summon me and I will answer,
or let me
speak, and you reply to me.
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
Show me my
offense and my sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
and consider me
your enemy?
25 Will you torment a windblown leaf?
Will you chase
after dry chaff?
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me
reap the sins of my youth.
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;
you keep close
watch on all my paths
by putting
marks on the soles of my feet.
28 “So man wastes away like something rotten,
like a garment
eaten by moths.
For 4 chapters The Lord rebukes Job
God’s response (God does not respond to
Job’s questions):
God Humbles Job
Job 38:1-5
The Lord Speaks
Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the
storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words
without knowledge? 3 Brace
yourself like a man; I will
question you, and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a
measuring line across it?
Job 40:1-7
The Lord said to Job:
2 “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who
accuses God answer him!”
3 Then Job answered the Lord:
4 “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand
over my mouth.
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I
will say no more.”
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:
7 “Brace yourself like a man;
I will question
you,
and you shall
answer me.
Job Surrenders in Humility
Job 42
Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of
yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without
knowledge?’Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too
wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question
you,
and you shall
answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes
have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in
dust and ashes.”
Epilogue
7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to
Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you
have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now
take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt
offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept
his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken
the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the
Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told
them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his
fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his
brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with
him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord
had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring.
12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the
former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand
yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons
and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the
second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the
land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father
granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his
children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job
died, an old man and full of years.
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