The Second Sunday in Lent.
The
Collect.
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LMIGHTY God,
who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly
in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all
adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may
assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The first day of Lent, commonly called
Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday.
The
Collect.
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LMIGHTY and
everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the
sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite
hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our
wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and
forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the
Collect appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday.
1 Then
Job answered the LORD, and said, 2 I know that thou canst do everything,
and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3 Who is he that hideth
counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not;
things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4 Hear, I beseech thee, and
I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I have
heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore
I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 7 And it was so, that after
the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the
Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye
have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8 Therefore
take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and
offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for
you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye
have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 9 So
Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and
did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 10 And
the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the
LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came there unto him
all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his
acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned
him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him:
every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 12 So
the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had
fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen,
and a thousand she asses. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the
second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. 15 And in all the
land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave
them inheritance among their brethren. 16 After this lived Job an hundred
and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days. (Job
42:1-17)
Needless
to say, we close our study of Job with some reluctance for it is always
probable that we have not gleaned as much bread from the table it provides as
we should have done. I develop a particular love for every Book of the Bible
that I study and, so, always dread completing the work. Of course, our studies
are never complete of any book of the Bible for our wisdom and knowledge
increases and our understanding matures as we continue to read the other works
of God. We may return to Job after two years and discover that we understand
much more of it than we did two years past. May God forgive us for any omission
of meaning which He would have us to know of Job, and may He forgive, as well,
any commission of error plainly stated in our interpretation of it. There is
one salient truth that stands out starkly in all of Scripture to our eyes –
every Word of it is as much intended for our own souls as it was for Job, or
Isaiah, or Jeremiah, or Paul. The Bread of Life in God's Word does not grow
stale, but is ever fresh and nourishing to all who partake thereof.
We
have seen how Job was considered a righteous man in the eyes of the Lord. How
Satan desired to tempt Job, and God consented with the stipulation that, first,
Job's body would not be hurt and, then, that his body might be tormented but
not unto death. Under the duress of loss, pain, and the unfair criticism of his
friends, Job begins to surrender to his fleshly and carnal nature in claiming
himself to be more righteous and just than God. It is at such a moment that God
cannot view us as righteous before Him – that is, the moment we rely upon our
own righteousness - for we have none – only that imputed righteousness of
Christ can be our own righteousness. We cannot blame Job for any lapse of faith
under the tribulation he has faced. If we can overcome our pride, we will
realize that we have committed at least the sins of Job and, perhaps far
greater ones. In the final analysis, we, too, are Job absent the torment and
loss that he suffered. Though the ordeal of Job begins with the devil's counsel
and continues to reveal weaknesses in Job's righteousness, it ends with a God's
revelation to Job of his admission of himself and the sin that he abhors. That
is a function of the Word of God as a mirror to our souls. We hold up the Word
and look into it. In the David we see our own incredible sinfulness. We see our
treachery in Absalom and Judas. We see our adultery – both physical and
spiritual – in the woman taken in adultery. We see our thirst for Christ in the
Woman at the Well; and we see our false self-righteousness in Job.
The final result of Job's trials is a better-oriented Job. In the end, he sees
himself with a keener spiritual eye than before, and he sees God in a clearer
vision than ever before. His growing wisdom results in confession: 1 Then
Job answered the LORD, and said, 2 I know that thou canst do
everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3 Who
is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I
understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. It
seems to me that Job's greatest failure in wisdom has resulted from his
miscalculation of the GREATNESS of God. With his puny brain (the same with
which we are equipped), Job knows of God's PHYSICAL power, but he has misjudged
the knowledge and wisdom of God. He has learned that the knowledge of God so
far exceeds that of man that man's knowledge is simply negligible in
comparison. GOD IS OMNISCIENT! Our mouths are not like God's. We
speak before we know. He knows before He speaks.
Now Job's increased
understanding results in Job's prayer. 4 Hear, I beseech thee,
and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I
have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
How does a man's perspective change once he has both heard and seen God? We SEE
God in Jesus Christ – we HEAR Him in the Word – the whole Word
which is Christ! We realize that we are silenced before Him…just as silenced as
the woman taken in adultery. There is no justification we can offer. Like Job,
we ABHOR ourselves. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent
in dust and ashes. Our repentance will not be a little, neat daub
of ashes on our foreheads by which we boast of our righteousness; nor will our
cross be a shiny golden one around the neck; but our repentance will be a dirty
pile of ashes (our sins) in which we know we sit in misery (for all are in
misery who are sitting in their sins). Our cross will be a heavy and rough-hewn
one which bears into the flesh of our shoulders, for this is the kind of cross
Jesus bore. The only difference is that we will not need to carry our cross the
distance He did, or hang upon it as He hung upon His. Only when we abhor
ourselves and our sins are we ready to be received of God. When is God most
near to us? 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken
heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (Psalms
34:18) Though she was with Him often, when was Christ closest to Mary
Magdalena? It was when her tears of sorrow flowed most prodigiously that
He approached her by the open tomb and called her name – MARY!
Once God has gotten the attention of His favored man or woman, He will gather
the attention of those nearby: 7 And it was so, that after the
LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite
I am reminded in tenderness the woman at the Well of Jacob. She had no
reputation of honor to commend her words to others. She was, essentially, a harlot,
yet the men and women of the village BELIEVED her when she told them about
Jesus. Why did they believe a woman who cheated on her men, and caroused in the
night? It was because she had found the Water of Life! That Water had changed
the woman in stark contrast to her previous self. She now spoke with the
authority of one who KNOWS! So God now turns to the village Samaritans (Job's
friends). See, He will not abandon us, either, in our ignorance if we will hear
His Voice! He is nearby us and He speaks! We have pointed fingers at the JOB's
of this life, yet, He turns to us to correct us – not for hurt, but for our
good! My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends:
for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath
The whole issue here, I believe, boils down to MOTIVE. Though Job spoke amiss
of his own righteousness, yet he KNEW God and believed he spoke truth. The
friends spoke only with condescending stance ABOUT God and not His true nature.
God will take the side of His favored man and will reveal to those around the
truth they need to know – like it, or not!
What is the result of bearing up under hardship and tribulation? 8 Therefore
take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and
offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for
you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye
have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 9 So
Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went,
and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
Those who have ridiculed you for groundless reasons will be forced to repent
and repay, and the Lord will accept you back to the favored place.
Now we see an astonishing truth regarding Job's losses and gains. 10 And
the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the
LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. This is not to
be construed to mean that the result of our prayers will always be greater
material wealth, and this is NOT the result for which JOB prayed. He repented
and prayed even for those who had been accusing him. Let us look at the riches
of Job at the beginning: And there were born unto him seven sons and
three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three
thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and
a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the
east. (Job 1:2-3) Now observe the final and restored riches of Job: 11 Then
came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that
had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house:
and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had
brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an
earring of gold. All from which he had been parted, and not actually
lost, was restored to him.
12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his
beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep (he had seven
thousand before), and six thousand camels (he had three
thousand before), and a thousand yoke of oxen (he had five
hundred before), and a thousand she asses (again, he had
five hundred before). 13 He had also seven sons (he
had seven before) and three daughters (he had three
before). But wait; did JOB not have the same number of daughters
and sons as before his troubles? Yes he did, so how can this be double the
previous number? It is because those sons and daughters JOB had before, he
still has in heaven. He shall go to them even though they cannot presently come
to him.
The lesson of Job is OUR lesson, too.
1) We
learn PATIENCE: 10 Take, my brethren, the prophets,
who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering
affliction, and of patience. 11 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 5:10-11) We learn
to have the PATIENCE of Job from his experiences. (Job 1:21, 2:9,10)
2) We learn that the wisdom of the world availeth nothing, but
the wisdom of God is all in all. 19 For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own
craftiness. (1 Cor 3:19) Compare Job 5:12-13.
3) We learn to despise not chastening (see Job 5:17): 5 And
ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My
son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art
rebuked of him: (Heb 12:5 )
4) We learn the loss of hypocrisy (see JOB 27:8): For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his
soul? (Matt 16:26)
5) We learn from Job God's deliverance: He shall
deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
(Job 5:19) Confirmed in 1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation
taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
6) We learn assurance: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and
that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: (Job 19:25) Compare
- For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am
not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Tim
1:12)
7) We
learn our LIFE comes from God: In whose hand is the soul of
every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10) Compare:
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your
own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:28)
And
many more points innumerable do we learn from Job. If you think deeply as you
read, you will discover many not covered here. So, we now say a temporary adieu
to Job and leave him there in the joy of a redeemed heart on the slopes of the
Land of Uz. But we do not leave him forever for Jordan Waters loom ahead for
each of us, and after our crossing that turbulent river, we shall learn
perfectly all that is shrouded in mystery at present. We shall fellowship with
Job, with each other, and the One who brought us over the Flood.
