JOB – my Redeemer live

Job lived sometime after Joseph but before Moses, around 1650BC – as far as we can tell

Job lived in Uz, modern day area in the regions bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan and Syria

Demonstration: Give candy – instruct children not to open – tell story – take away candy when it's told that all Job had was taken – give back two at end of story to demonstrate twice as much as before...

Facts about JOB before he lost it all

• Job is a very rich man – he has 10 kids (7 boys, 3 girls), 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 burros (burden/pack animals) and many servants, so much so that “this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” (1.1-3)

• 1-2; Job is blameless, righteous and honors God (1.1) – so righteous, in fact that the Lord says to the devil in (1.8) “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”
• But his children were not so righteous – in fact they pretty much went against all the righteous ways of their Father (1.4, 5)
• “yeah, yeah,” the devil says, “but you have put a hedge about him and all his possession and this is why he obeys you...put forth thine hand and touch all the he has, and he will curse thee to thy face.” (1.11, 12)
• The Lord says, “okay, all that he hath is in thy power; only ...you can't take his life...” (1.12)
• The “evil/bad” things begin; Job's children were all killed by the sword, burned up with the animals and servants or carried away and killed by tornadoes, his body was ravaged by sores that brought much torment...in short – Job lost all he had in a single day, including his health (1.13-19, 2.4-8)
• His wife is a real comfort she says, “...curse God and die.” (2.9)
• His friends, so-called begin to examine why all the calamity has come to Job – maybe he sinned, surely he sinned to have so many bad/awful things happen at one time.
• His friends, so-called, also just sit and stare at him for days, pondering why he must suffer so.
• Job replies “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (1.21, 2.10)

What would you think, if you are saved and had been living right and God began to take away your possessions, your family, your encouragement?

Would you still serve him?

Is this treatment just? Is God just?

Why do bad things happen to good people?

• Job knew he was innocent and that God was just – He remains faithful to God, regardless of his suffering (27.1-4) – thought he does weaken briefly at the onslaught of accusations by his so-called “friends”
• One of his friends does point out that “adversity builds character” and this must be why God has visited so much suffering on Job (C32-37)
• while this makes sense, it offers no consolation to Job
• The Lord rebukes Job when he questions God and says “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth...and the stars sang...?” (38.4-7)

Does God owe anyone, any explantion about why bad things come into their lives?

• He designed a perfect world but sin messed it up.
• Job confesses and sides with God against himself, he says “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (42.6)

Then, look what the Lord does for this righteous man who has suffered and humbly admitted, God is just in all He brings to our lives:

• “...the Lord turned the captivity of Job...(and) gave Job twice as much as he had before...14,000 sheep (instead of 7,000), 6,000 camels (instead of 3,000) , 1,000 yoke of oxen (instead of 500), 1,000 donkey's (instead of 500), 7 boys/3 girls (even though he lost 10, he got back 10, he fathered 20 children!)” (42.10-13)

Give personal testimony:

• age 6 – children's church, going to altar – being baptized – nothing changed
• growing up – always in church, always in Sunday school, always at prayer meetings, always in revival meetings, singing in choir...but lost
• age 15 – Wed pm, man preached from about the rich man in hell – went to altar asked the Lord to send someone to help me – no one did – got a nose bleed and had take care of that – nothing changed
• age 18 – coming home from choir practice, Thursday pm July 1 1982 – praying in general, then for a family member I knew was lost – praying real big and the Lord said, “Yes, he is lost but so are you!” God's big eternal finger was pointed right at me. I couldn't deny He was truth. So, I took sides with the Lord against myself and admitted I needed Him in my heart.
• The only way to describe the change is that a light went on in my heart and it was as if I was washed with the coolest, gentlest water – I felt clean, new, different
• Went home, told momma, called the pastor, gave testimony that Sunday and have never looked back. Some say they have doubted, I can honestly say I never have. Doesn't mean I've always walked as straight and narrow as I should but it does mean “He's still working on me” and I can testify to that!

The only thing that matters in this life is if you are ready to live for Him.

The only thing that matters is that you are not ready to die if you are not ready to live.

Job thought he was ready to die until it was all taken away.

In the end he understood that if one is not ready to die, one is not ready to live.

If He took everything away from you, parents, sibilings, health would you trust Him

Could you say, like Job “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the Name of the Lord?

If you knew you might never draw another breath, could you say “I know my Redeemer liveth?

Do you know your Redeemer lives?

• The truth is, He got out of the grave on the first Easter Sunday morning.
• His suffering and torment, was over. He conquered death as our Passover Lamb.