Give thanks in all circumstances

Job 1:1-2:10; 42:12-17

Key Verse 1:20

(1Th 5:18)

This passage shows us that we must give thanks to God for all that are from God including trouble. 

Skim through the passage. What was the day of Job like? (1:15,17) Yet how did Job live? (1:1,5,8; 2:3) Describe how Job was blessed. Who blessed him? 

** It was not that different from our day, for it came with violent people for example. Sabeans – one of Arab tribes (Isa 45:14; Eze 23:42; Joel 3:8); Chaldeans (in Hebrew the word Chaldeans are the same as Assyrians and Babylonians) doing a drive by shooting. 

** He was an upright man, going against the stream of the world. He is like Noah or Daniel. Eze 14:14, 20

** Job was blessed abundantly.

** The Lord God

Read verses 6-7. What does this passage tell us about Satan? 

** 1) Satan is always looking to cause trouble to God’s children, especially those who love the Lord fully.

2) Satan hates those who love the Lord. Satan also works to destroy the relationship between God and God’s children.

Job did not go by a fancy title like a missionary or a pastor. Yet in verse 8 the Lord called Job “my servant”. In what respect was Job the Lord’s “servant”? What does the word “servant” indicate about the secret of Job’s success (financially or otherwise) so far?

** A servant is the one who serves the will of his master, not the will of his own. Jesus is God’s servant in that he serves God’s will, not his own. 

** Serving the Lord God is the key to the prosperity without a limit. 

Read verses 8-12. What does this passage show us about Satan? Why did the Lord allow Satan to strike “everything he [Job] has”? 

** Satan is jealous of men. Satan wants man to be destroyed and come to ruin. Satan tries to break the relationship between God and men, by causing the parties to not “trust” each other’s integrity.  

** The Lord is the opposite; the Lord trusts his children (esp. their integrity.)

Read verses 13-19. There are four direct causes that caused the four disasters to occur: 1) Sabeans; 2) [Chaldean] Raiding Parties; 3) the fire of God [from the sky]; and 4) a mighty wind. Yet who is (or are) behind them? 

** Satan and the Lord God approving. 

Think about Job’s response in verses 20-22. On what basis did he say, “May the name of the Lord be praised”? 

** 1) God is the object of worship

2) It is the Lord who gives and takes

Read 2:1-10. Job’s reply to his wife indicates that choosing to accept from God selectively (i.e., only good, not trouble) is a “foolish” thing to do. Why?  

** God is good, and good all the time, so that when God sends trouble, God does so to bring about a higher good out of it. So not accepting trouble is a foolish thing to do. Read Chapter 42 esp. vs. 12-17. 

The end