"Will You Remain Steadfast?"

"Steadfast In Suffering!"

As we look today in the book of Job, I find Job being tested by Satan a second time. Satan has been allowed to take most all of Jobs belongings by one means or another and now Satan has been given permission to afflict Job physically but not to take his life.

Have you ever felt like you had been forgotten by God or felt like God must have taken away your protection and left you to make it on your own? It certainly appeared this way for Job as he began to break out in sores from head to toe and all of his friends had to keep their distance from him! As I was reading this story in the second chapter I saw where Jobs wife was talking to him and she was feeling pretty desperate for not only Job but for herself as well!

Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Let's look at what the Septuagint says about this verse!

To this verse the Septuagint adds the following words: "Much time having elapsed, his wife said unto him, How long dost thou stand steadfast, saying, ‘Behold, I wait yet a little longer looking for the hope of my Salvation?’ Behold thy memorial is already blotted out from the earth, together with thy sons and thy daughters, the fruits of my pains and labors, for whom with anxiety I have labored in vain. Thyself also sittest in the rottenness of worms night and day, while I am a wanderer from place to place, and from house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labors, and from the griefs which oppress me. Speak therefore some word against God, and die."

We translate ברך אלהים ומת barech Elohim vamuth, Curse God, and die. The verb ברך barach is supposed to include in it the ideas of cursing and blessing; but it is not clear that it has the former meaning in any part of the sacred writings, though we sometimes translate it so.

Here it seems to be a strong irony. Job was exceedingly afflicted, and apparently dying through sore disease; yet his soul was filled with gratitude to God. His wife, destitute of the salvation which her husband possessed, gave him this ironical reproof. Bless God, and die - What! bless him for his goodness, while he is destroying all that thou hast! bless him for his support, while he is casting thee down and destroying thee! Bless on, and die. The Targum says that Job’s wife’s name was Dinah, and that the words which she spake to him on this occasion were בריך מימרא דיי ומית berich meymera dayai umith. Bless the word of the Lord, and die.

I see his wife Dinah telling Job to continue to trust in God and if God cares about you at all, you will be given mercy if you request to die! I don't believe Jobs wife was destitute of Jobs salvation because the word translated "to curse" has been translated in other uses to be "to bless"; therefore it makes more sense that Job blessed God, but she did suggest that he ask God to take his life. Dinah also made mention to Job that everything that he had been known for (his memorial on earth) was wiped out and gone, including his children! I cannot imagine the pain that he must have felt at this moment when his wife, the last remaining of his family, was telling him to give up! But Job was steadfast in his faith as we read verse ten,

Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Could I be so strong and steadfast in my faith that I could respond this way instead of giving up as all signs of hope have evaded me and my closest of relations had reached the point of hopelessness?

I don't know for sure! How about you? Are you going through some tough times that seem to be hopeless with no end in sight? Will you be steadfast in your faith? Will we not sin with our lips against God?

I want to look at how this unfolds for Job and his wife.

Job was staying outside of the city now, ashamed of his condition, I feel sure. He was desperate for some relief and his wife was exhausted from working all day and returning to her suffering husband each evening.

If you are a parent, I feel sure that you have had times when your child or spouse was sick with a virus for a few days. Weren't those the longest days of your life? It seemed that there was no rest to be gotten as the sickness overcame them and they had need of your care and attention to recover! If it was your children, they wanted you to hold them and to be within sight of you at all times! Somehow it brought them some comfort to not be alone while they suffered!

I wonder how Job must have felt as his condition caused all to keep their distance? Even his friends and wife couldn't stand to be close to him with his infections and sores!

Let's look at verses eleven through thirteen,

Job 2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
Job 2:12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Job 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had all decided that they would go and try to comfort their friend who was all alone! They must have been the few true friends that Job had made in life; the friends in whom he consulted and counseled with concerning issues. Maybe they felt that they could help Job make sense of the circumstances that had isolated him from the community and his position there.

In verse twelve it says that they couldn't even recognize Job and they began to weep loudly; tearing the clothes they had on and throwing dust on their heads. They were hysterical! Wouldn't you say? I think it would be much like seeing one of your best friends for the first time after being in a bad accident where they had been burned all over their body! You knew it was the person you once knew but their appearance was totally distorted.

Job's condition could have been small pox but it had reached a level that it was so extreme that Job had been scraping his skin with a tool and must have been covered in blood and swelling.

These friends of his were so close that they actually did come and sit with him for seven days and nights but they didn't say a word because Job was grieving. He had gone into a state of depression it sounds like and he was speechless for seven days as he endured this pain and embarrassment in the presence of his friends.

Have you or someone you know ever gone through something that just left you speechless? Did you despair or did you remain steadfast?

Did you offer support and strengthen them or did you complain about their circumstances and leave them as hopeless as they were before?

I have learned from this passage something that is so important as a single dad!

If I remember nothing else from this passage, what I must not ever forget for as long as I live is to remain steadfast! Steadfast in my faith and my trust in my Lord! It is by this that I will be able to overcome any condition!

It is by this that I will endure any circumstances!

It is by remaining steadfast that God will receive the glory and my faith will become the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen!

Remember! The things we hope for are made of faith and the proof of the things we cannot see!

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It is the faith in the unseen that we have that brings the hope for our future!

Without a vision, the people truly will perish!

We will look at the way that Job was able to remain steadfast next time.

It is going to amaze you when you understand how a man of such wealth and wisdom looks at the world around him. You too will be able to remain steadfast as we learn from the wisdom of Job!

Let's pray,

My Jehovah, as a father, I long to remain steadfast in my faith and trust in you! You have been with me through every one of the trials of life and I want to believe, oh Lord, that you will never leave me, nor forsake me! I do trust in your promises and believe that your comforter is always with me! You have always been the one who carried me when I couldn't walk on my own! You understood when I was weak and stumbled in life. You know my imperfections and love me regardless! I want to thank you right now, my JEHOVAH-ROPHE, for the healing you have performed in my life through the forgiveness of others, but just as important, through the forgiveness of myself. Father, forgive me today for the times I have not remained steadfast in my trust in you! Thank you for blessing and protecting my family and all who join me today in this prayer! Amen.