Sunday: God’s Servant, Job
Read Job 1:1-22. Focus specifically on Satan’s accusations against Job. What is Satan saying? What’s implied in his attacks? Who, in the end, is Satan really attacking?
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” ‘Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land’ ” (Job 1:10, NKJV). The book of Job opens by referencing not only Job’s righteousness and good character but also his material blessings and fruitful household. These were the specific things that helped make Job revered as “the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:3, NASB). And these, too, are the specific things that Satan hurls in God’s face, saying basically that only because You have done this for him does he serve You.
What, then, is implied in Satan’s charge that if God were to take these things away from Job, Job would ” ‘surely curse You to Your face’ ” (Job 1:11, NKJV)? The attack, really, is an attack against God Himself. (This is what the whole great controversy is about anyway.) If God were so wonderful, so good, then Job would obey and fear and worship Him out of love and appreciation alone. After all, who wouldn’t love a God who had done so much for him? In a sense, Satan was saying that God had all but bribed Job into being faithful to Him. Thus, he claimed, Job served God not out of love for God, but out of his own selfish motives.
Think about some of the most nasty and hateful political rulers who have faithful cronies loyal to the death because this ruler was good to them. If, in fact, the Lord really was the kind, loving, and caring God that He is portrayed to be, then even if Job lost all those good things, Job would still serve the Lord. By claiming, however, that Job wouldn’t stay faithful, Satan insinuates that even Job doesn’t fully trust Him and that Job is loyal only because of what God has given him. That is, in the end (according to Satan) Job’s loyalty pretty much depends on whether it’s a good business deal for him.
Why do you serve the Lord? Suppose your motives aren’t perfect. If you had to wait until your motives were perfect (if they aren’t), what might happen to you and your faith?
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If ye search for the kingdom and ALL His ritcheousness then all the things your heart desires will be added to you but in my case I started out looking for what I could gain out of God through these verses now its a different story I don't want anything besides Him in my life I have cancer a 1 in 9 000 000 kind of cancer and I have said if it is in me it to will have to serve and Glorify He who gives me breath so the word is a lamp to our feet and the wisdom that comes from studying His Word is worth way more than belongings
Eric
Your faith and positive outlook even in the face of cancer is encouraging. Leaves me wondering why I complain about 'little' things in my life when others like you still praise in their physical infirmities!! I glorify the Lord because of a faith such as yours. The Lord bless you in ways may not all understand.
Satan continually misrepresent our Lord's character to us,but that does not change the fact that God is love and we serve him because He gave His son to die in our behalf .
Are our motives for serving God sincere and genuine? Upon studying today, that is the question we need to ask ourselves?
Having a personal relationship with God is paramount!!
It is one thing to know about God but it's another-and the most valuable- to know Him. Know Him through His Word so that nothing, not even Satan's lies, can dissuade us. We must remember at all times that we are precious to the Lord and Satan cannot get directly to God so he gets at us but our connection to God is what sustains us in our faith.
This life is temporary, but life eternal is what we strive for. Since you and l know the end of the story, we will not panic as each chapter unfolds. Eternal life? That's what matters! Praise God!
Do we realized that Satan was attacking God and not Job?
I serve God because I love Him and He loves me so much in spite of my sin He sent His son to die for me
Satan's attempt of managing the investigative judgment can never be done with the right motive or purpose. Aren't we glad that it will happened under God's management, of the one most interested in our salvation.
After reading today's lesson I have come to realize how much more I need to wait upon the Lord. Too often we have placed limited on how we worship especially when things are going well for us. Reading today's lesson reminded me that despite any adversities that may come my way, the only constant that will remain is GOD. Family and friends will fail but my Heavenly Father remains. I am so glad I am apart of the family of God. Come what may, I will continue to praise and worship my Father in heaven.
God knows who keeps their mind on loving Him and others despite the loss and gain in their lives. May the people in Haiti who were impacted by Hurricane Matthew and have experienced loss be helped.
People put their trust in the possession of this world and in each other
But Jobs didn't do that, he put this trust in God. God knew who Job was that is why God could say to Satan have you considered my servant. Can we ask ourself that question? can God Bost about us?
The commandents are all about love. Love for God, and love for each other. God is Powerful enough to force us to obey him, but he knew that is not love. Satan knows God's true nature, so he told God he was bribing Job, and that's why Job "loved him". So the great Conterversy is not about power, it is about true love. God wants us to love him truly. And Satan does not want us to love God, because he knows that if we don't love god it would hurt him, because he loves us so much.
this weeks lesson addresses the most important question of Christianity...Why do you serve God?...may the Lord help us not to be fair weather Christians in Jesus name Amen!