Purposeful Suffering – Part 1

0:48While he was yet speaking, there came another 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 yet speaking, there came another and said, The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels, and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.

1:31Chapter 2, verse 6. And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand, only spare his life. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his feet to the foot of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die.

1:58This is God's word. You may be seated. Migraine headaches, the recognition that the pregnancy is going to end at three months, the revelation that the text on your spouse's phone is from his lover. Another year of singleness or infertility. The diagnosis that the disease is stage four. The call in the middle of the night from the police. Pain, miscarriage, divorce, infertility, cancer, death. Virtually everyone in this room will be experiencing suffering sooner or later. Some already. Have while others are in the midst of suffering this morning, and you can mark it down ahead of time.

3:11When suffering comes, it will seem absurd, meaningless, and undeserved. Most of our suffering is not linked to our sin. Most of our suffering comes out of nowhere and baffles our sense of justice. That's why the book of Job is so relevant. Job's suffering seems to come out of nowhere and has no connection to his character. His story is recorded for us so that we will have some help in living through suffering, not just with a stiff upper lip, but bowing reverently, trustingly before the sovereign goodness of God in the midst of what is purposeful suffering.

4:16So, for the next three weeks, what we're going to do is we're going to study the book of Job. And we're going to divide the study into three sections. We're going to, first of all, look at Job's initial response. Response to purposeful suffering. That's chapters 1 and chapter 2. We will then look secondly at Job's response in the midst of purposeful suffering. That will be chapters 2 through the end of chapter 37. And then we will look at Job's, in the third sermon, his final response to purposeful suffering in chapters 38 through 42.

4:56And in the process, the sole goal will be to answer two questions. Question number one is: Why do the righteous suffer? Question number two is, how do the righteous respond in the midst of suffering? This week we will answer the first question: why do the righteous suffer from the perspective of God? Let me emphasize that is how our suffering, the suffering of the righteous, benefits God. Next week, we will answer the very same question: how the righteous suffer from our perspective, how that benefits us.

5:40And then in week three, we'll answer the second question, which is, what is the proper response of the righteous to suffering? Let me interject a note here. I have taught this three times. This will be the third time that I've done this. And in reviewing my notes last night, I decided to go back out and look at John Piper's sermon on this particular. Sermon and recognized that some portion of the introduction that I gave earlier and much, if not most, of the practical application I will give at the end, were actually borrowed from his sermon. So I want to be very clear right up front that that is coming from his. The format is more or less the one that I and many others have followed, and the central point of the sermon is mine, though you will definitely see that it is Piper-esque because it was inspired by John Piper. So I wanted to recognize at the outset that the Piper's important contribution to this sermon. With that, before we consider Job's initial response to purposeful suffering, let us establish the context of our story and answer this question: Who is Job?

6:53Look at me, chapter 1, verse 1. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants. And that man was the greatest of all. Of the men of the East. His sons used to go down and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, think his birthday. And they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

7:48When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did continually. Is Job a real person? The answer is yes. Job is not a character in a parable like the Good Samaritan or the prodigal son. He is spoken of as a real person in the scriptures, as is Noah, as is Daniel, and as Abraham. We see that in Ezekiel chapter 14 and in the passage that Cody read from James chapter 5.

8:44What do we know of Job's ancestry? Like Abraham, Job is not a Jew. The book appears to place Job in the same patriarchal period that God. God selected Abraham, a Chaldean, out of the Ur of the Chaldees. How is Job's character described? We saw in verse 1. Job was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. How had God blessed him? Look at verses 2 and 3. He was given seven sons, three daughters, and huge numbers of sheep, camel, oxen, and servants.

9:32And what is the meaning of this story in verses 4 and 5? Verses 4 and 5 try to show us a snapshot, a portrait that every time Job's sons and daughters gathered for a feast, he would wake up the very next morning and offer burnt offerings for each one just in case any one of them had sinned or cursed God in their heart. In other words, Job was extremely jealous for God's honor, that it not be profaned, that it not be, they were extremely vigilant for the sake of his children, not wanting any of them to come to ruin.

10:23So, in short, Job is the greatest man in all of the East. Fortunately, this man that will provide the answer to this question: Why do the righteous suffer? And this morning, we're going to look at that from God's perspective or how such a man in his righteous suffering benefits God. And Job will show us the answer: that God's superior worth becomes evident to all when God alone is our treasure. Let me repeat that. God's superior worth becomes evident to all when God alone is our treasure. This can be seen by looking at Job's reply to the loss of his wealth and children in chapter one and to his reply to the loss of his health in chapter two. So let us first consider Job's reply to the loss of his wealth and children in chapter one. Look again at verse 13 that Katie read. Now, on the day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them. The Sabaeans 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 came up and said, The fire of God. Fell from heaven and burned up the sheep, the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another came up 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. And while he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and 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.

12:45In one afternoon, actually, if this is timey, in less than two minutes, all that Job had, anything he considered precious, is gone. The question that we must ask is, what is going on here? Isn't this the greatest man in all the East? Isn't this man blameless, upright, fearing God? What has he possibly done to deserve this magnitude of loss? To understand what's going on in this world. World, we have to look outside of this world. Turn with me to verse 6 of chapter 1. Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. So, I apologize in advance for those uncomfortable with the change in voice, but Satan has to be given an evil voice. We just can't have it equal with God. Okay, so here's my choice. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From roaming about the earth and walking around it. The Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.

14:22Notice that God points out Job to Satan. In essence, God is setting Job up for trouble. This is no accident. This isn't God going, oops. He believes that he's so pleased with Job that he is going to purposefully use Job for God's own glory. Then Satan answered the Lord, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands and his possessions, and they have increased in the land.

15:22Satan believes that Job fears God in order for Job to get rich. Or that he believes that Job reveres God because God's placed this protective hedge around him. Satan is simply unimpressed with Job's fearfulness, blamelessness. But put forth your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. Then the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not put forth your hand on him.

16:05So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. God places Job into Satan's hands, and the end result is the destruction of his oxen, donkey, sheep, camels, and servants. And even worse, is the death of all ten children. So we must ask. Did God have to put Job to this test? The answer is no. He didn't have to, but he chose to. He chose to use Job for His God's own glory. So how does Job respond? Let's hear Job's reply to the loss of wealth and children. Then Job arode, verse 20 of chapter 1. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head. And he fell to the ground and worshipped. He said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. And through all of this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God. Notice, Job does not blame God, but he does attribute his loss to God.

17:41More about that in a minute. Satan is proven wrong. Job does not curse God, rather, he worships and blesses God. So we ask that question again. What is God trying to prove? He's trying to prove that Job treasures Him more than any earthly possession or any member of his family. Or, a different way of saying it, Job uses, excuse me, God uses Job to show us that the superior worth of God becomes evident to all when God alone is our treasure.

18:25This also can be seen at looking at Job's reply to the loss of his health. Chapter 2, verse 7. Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head. And he took a pot shirt to scrape himself while he was sitting amongst the ashes. Seriously? Is this the reward of a man who gives a reverent reply to disaster? Is this what you do when you lose everything and you don't blame God? Do you get this as the follow-up? So, what is really going on here? Again, we have no explanation in this world, so we must again look to what happens in heaven. Turn with me to chapter 2, verse 1. Again, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves. Before the Lord. And Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, Where have you come from? And Satan answered, From roaming about on the earth and walking around it. The Lord said, Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to ruin him without cause.

20:10Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin. Yeah, all man will give for his own life. Why is Satan unimpressed? It is possible that he thinks Job is callous. It's also possible that he thinks Job is a narcissist. Job's all about himself. He doesn't really care about anyone else. It's also possible that he just sees in Job a refined form of selfishness. But in any case, Satan is simply unimpressed with Job's response. However, you put forth your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.

20:54So the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in your power. Only spare his life. Life. God places Job into Satan's hands, but notice always with fixed limits. And the end result is the loss of his health and the advent of incredible suffering. In fact, Job considers himself so worthless, he goes and sits on the garbage dump. That's what the ashes refer to. He goes into the garbage dump, sits on top of the garbage dump. His sores are so disgusting, he picks up broken pieces of pottery to scratch these sores. He considers himself worthless.

21:37And it gets worse. Verse 9: Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die. Now, some of you would believe that the wife would sound more shrill, like, Do you still feel your curse God and die? But I'm going to pause here for a second. Time out. Do not be too hard on Job's wife. Prior to this episode, we have no evidence that she was anything but a good wife. The text seems to show she bore the first test well with no complaint. And in addition, subsequent to this episode, we have no evidence that she was anything but a good wife. It is only when Job's health fails, it is only when her last Earthly prop is being pulled out from underneath her. It is only when her surviving solace is perishing before her own eyes that her own faith collapses. Do not be too harsh on Job's wife.

22:47How does Job respond? Let us hear Job's response to the loss of health. Verse 10, but he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? In all of this, Job did not sin with his lips. Now, notice again, Job does not curse God, but he attributes his adversity to God. More about that in a moment. Job lovingly and mildly rebukes his wife. He goes on to worship and bless God, and Satan is proven wrong once again. Job has already shown that God is a greater treasure than any family member or any possession. What is God trying to prove now? He's trying to show that God is a greater treasure than Job's own health and his own physical suffering. God uses Job to show us that the superior worth of God is a very good person. Becomes evident to all when God alone is our treasure.

24:07Now, some of you may be thinking this morning, my God that I believe in and I worship does not act this way. There's some others of you who may be thinking, if this is the God of the Bible, I would never serve him. And some of you may be even thinking that, oh, if I had this kind of God, I'd have to make excuses for him. So, in closing, let us embrace five practical applications and truths from this text. Again, giving credit to John Piper. First, let us address the elephant in the room. For children, what does that mean? The elephant in the room means we're all in here talking about everything and anything other than the elephant that's sitting in the room, which should be drawing our attention.

25:06Let us realize that Satan's work is ultimately the work of God. That is, it is ultimately under God's control. Look at the first test. Did you notice that Job handed, excuse me, God handed Job over to Satan's power? And when Satan had done his work, Work of taking Job's wealth and family. Job says in chapter 1, verse 21: the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Job says it was the Lord Himself ultimately who took away his family and took away his wealth. He knew that Satan's work is ultimately the work of God. Similarly, in the second heavenly scene, God says to Satan, Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life. So in verse 7, Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils. But in verse 10, Job again says, Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? In other words, Job goes all the way up to the sovereignty of God over Satan and says that that sickness was from God.

26:33Satan may have been the nearer cause, but ultimately it is from God. Job knew that nothing can happen without God's approval. While God is not the author of sin, everything is ultimately under his control. I shudder at the thought that anything happens in this world. That's not under his control. Now, I also equally look forward to heaven to get a better explanation than what I've just given to you. But what I will tell you is, until then, I will agree with Job that Satan's work is ultimately the work of God. Second, let us remember that God grants Satan limited power.

27:29In 1:12, God says to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power, only upon himself. Do not put forth your hand. And in 2:6, God says, Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life. God sets the limits of Satan's power. Our God is not frustrated by the power and subtlety of Satan. Satan cannot make a move without the permission of God Almighty. Satan may be a lion, but he's a lion on a leash. Let us remember that God grants to Satan only limited power. Third, let us not forget that Satan's aim is to destroy our joy. In God. He uses two weapons, pain and pleasure. He uses pain to make us feel powerless or hostile to God. He uses pleasure to make us feel that God is superfluous. He failed to turn away Job from God in the days of his pleasure and prosperity. So he attacks Job's God-centered joy through pain.

29:01Let us forget that Satan's, do not forget that Satan's aim is to destroy our joy in God. Fourth, let our tears flow freely when suffering comes. Verse 20 of chapter 1. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and he fell to the ground. The sobs of grief and pain are not the sign of unbelief. Job knows nothing of a flippant, insensitive, superficial, praise God anyhow response to suffering. The magnificence of Job's worship is because it was in grief, not because it replaced grief. Let our tears flow freely when suffering comes. And let the rest of us weep with those who weep. And finally, let us recognize that God's aim to magnify His worth in the lives of His people. The great aim of God in creation and redemption is to preserve and to display the infinite worth of His glory.

30:30The way He does this is by redeeming a people who love Him and cleave to Him and cherish Him above family members, earthly treasures, or earthly pleasures. Or stated differently, the mirror He has chosen for the reflection of His worth is the indestructible joy of His people. Or, as stated in our sermon, the superior worth of God becomes evident to all when God alone is our treasure. Let us pray. God, you are great, you are holy, you are sovereign, and you are loving.

31:25We learn in Isaiah that our thoughts are not your thoughts, nor our thoughts. Your ways, our ways. This sermon teaches us something very similar. Our thoughts, our ideas of why the righteous suffer would be completely different if we had it our own way. Thus we bow, as did Job, in humble submission to your sovereign purpose. For those in the midst of suffering this morning, may they sense your love. May they see your faithfulness. May they draw upon your grace. May they be empowered to boldly proclaim in word and boldly demonstrate in deed to all who see them that any type of suffering, that any type of loss is nothing compared to you, who alone is our treasure.

32:33For those supporting friends and loved ones in the midst of suffering, may we be slow to point to sin as the basis for suffering. May we be quick to weep with those who suffer. And may we encourage those who suffer to grasp the superior worth of God theologically. And practically. And for those who struggle with a view of God that would lovingly and purposefully use his followers for his own glory, may they grasp for the first time the true nature of who you are: that you are holy, that you are without sin, that you are all-powerful, and you are also loving and kind.

33:30And for those here this morning who do not profess faith in Christ, may they see in themselves the sin that will distance themselves once and for all from God, and that no works, no beliefs will save them apart from accepting Christ's work on the cross that was payment for their sin and placing their faith in His work and then serving God for the rest of their life. We thank you that all suffering is purposeful. And we thank you that you demonstrated even that with your wonderful Son, who chose to die on the cross and to suffer in our place.

34:32How can we expect that we would be any different than to suffer for your glory? We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.