Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt (Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland 
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org

FREE PRESBYTERIAN  ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES -- EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES  -- MAIN PAGE

The NT commentary on Job's many/varied experiences: James 5:11
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.
Job's sufferings/experiences had become proverbial - cp. even today
4 main points:
1) JOB'S EXPERIENCES HAD BEEN A TIME OF CAPTIVITY:

.A/ Captivity is usually an involuntary thing.
People are carried away into captivity (Psalm 137:3)
Job never knocked Heaven's door and asked to be so afflicted

.B/ Satan was Job's captor (chapters 1-2)
A more cruel, vicious, malignant jailer could hardly be found
Away above any physical afflictions…he wanted Job to curse God and die. Came to Job (cp Adam/Eve) through his wife (2:9-10)

.C/ It had been long, wearisome and very painful for Job
Job's longings for death etc., all catalogued and may be mulled over

.D/ No earthly help had been afforded to Job during this time:
His wife & family (as seen) was no help
His friends (Job's comforters) were no comfort at all
He relates his social problems: compare/contrast style (29/30)

.E/ Who is to say that it could not happen again?
Or similar to any of us? Hence: Romans 15:4/1 Corinthians 10:11

2) THE LORD REVERSED JOB'S TIME/CAPTIVITY: text

A/ Not enough to say that God was able to do so.
Allies were able to defeat Hitler, but only after a great effort, much delay and bloodshed. Touch and go. Hitler could've won.

.B/ God was able to do so, because God had given Satan permission in the first place to so afflict/captivate Job (1/2)
It was all planned/executed and totally controlled by a Sovereign God
[i] Bible teaches this everywhere/Scripture: Eph 1:11/
Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? (Proverbs 20:24)
Not only in a general sense…but particular sense re: saints:
Romans 8:28/Psalm 37:23

.[ii] Job admitted to such: 1:21 The Lord...taketh away
(Dake's notes say Job was greatly mistaken here…not so)
It was this which kept Job during those long, painful hours

.[iii] Had this been out of control at any time…God would have ceased to have been sovereign. And therefore ceased to be God!

.C/ At the correct moment…God brought the trial/Job to an end.
Satan had to back off - a defeated foe, exposed (again) as a shameless liar and tin pot wannabe god!

.3) JOB PROSPERED SPIRITUALLY DURING HIS TIME/CAPTIVITY:

A/ Although Job was in pretty good shape spiritually (1:1) before the captivity begun, there is no doubt it took its toll upon him.
If Elihu was sent of God (divided commentators) then Job stood in need of some rebuke (32:2) [Note: Elihu was not condemned/God]

.
B/ Yet even in the midst of his sufferings/failures, Job yields us gems like the following:
Though He slay me…yet will I trust in Him (13:15)
I know my Redeemer liveth etc., (19:25-27)

.C/ Job himself gives a wonderful picture of why he was tested: To come forth/gold (23:10) He would be a better believer

.D/ Even/text: He was able to pray for his 3 so called friends who instead of bringing him comfort, only added to his afflictions (v9-10)

.4) JOB PROSPERED MATERIALLY AFTER  HIS TIME/CAPTIVITY:

A/ Given twice as much as before
Two lots of "head counts" are in 1:3/42:10-13

.B/ It need not be necessarily so
No health/wealth gospel here!
[i] But it can be so, according as God sees our fitness to cope with such added responsibilities
[ii] Better it is not so, if such riches would pierce us through with many sorrows etc., (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
[iii] A good desire: Proverbs 30:8-9
Give us this day, our daily bread
But if God goes a lot further, let us use it as Job would it (ch. 31)

.Conclude:
How good it is to be in God's hands and under the great promise of Romans 8:28 and the following verses, not least v37!

FREE PRESBYTERIAN  ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES -- EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES  -- MAIN PAGE