The Fortitude Of Worship
(Job 1)
Introduction:Often, our worship experience ebbs and flows with the circumstances. There is no constancy of strength in our worship of Almighty God. It is diminished when we face trials and tears, and sometimes worship is ignored when we enjoy triumph and treasures.
But whether we are on the highest mountain or in the lowest valley, God is still worthy of our worship.
The Bible tells us that in Job’s darkest hour, he exhibited a fortitude of worship.
(Job 1:20) Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
worshipped – Hebrew 7812. shachah, shaw-khaw'; a prim. root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (espec. reflex. in homage to royalty or God):--bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.
I. Job’s Worship Experience Was Not Diminished By His Ways
A. His Worship Was Not Limited By The Deficiency Of His Testimony
(Job 1:1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
perfect – Hebrew 8535. tam, tawm; from H8552; complete; usually (mor.) pious; spec. gentle, dear:-- coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.
upright – Hebrew 3477. yashar, yaw-shawr'; from H3474; straight (lit. or fig.):--convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet (-est), + pleased well right (-eous), straight, (most) upright (-ly, -ness).
feared – Hebrew 3373. yare', yaw-raw'; from H3372; fearing; morally reverent:--afraid, fear (-ful).
eschewed – Hebrew 5493. cuwr, soor; or suwr (Hos. 9 : 12), soor; a prim. root; to turn off (lit. or fig.):--be [-head], bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get [you], go (aside), X grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, X be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.
Claude Williams would describe him like this: “He’s gun-barrel straight.” or “He’s clean as a hounds tooth.”
His life didn’t contradict the worship that he exhibited.
B. His Worship Was Not Limited By The Dignity Of His Testimony
(Job 1:8) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Though he had such fine qualities in his life, he was not prideful about it so that it prevented him from humbling himself in worship.
II. Job’s Worship Experience Was Not Diminished By His Worries
A. Job Could Have Become Concerned About The Distance In His Children’s Lives
(Job 1:5) And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary explains, Job “sent and summoned them to him: for Job was not present himself at their feasts (Job 1:13,18).”
B. Job Clearly Became Concerned About The Defilement In His Children’s Live
(Job 1:4-5) And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. {5} And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament says…
The text, understood simply as it stands, speaks of a weekly round (Oehler and others). The seven sons took it in turn to dine with one another the week round, and did not forget their sisters in the loneliness of the parental home, but added them to their number. There existed among them a family peace and union which had been uninterruptedly cherished; but early on the morning of every eighth day, Job instituted a solemn service for his family, and offered sacrifices for his ten children, that they might obtain forgiveness for any sins of frivolity into which they might have fallen in the midst of the mirth of their family gatherings.
The JFB Commentary says that “every one his day” suggests…
the birthday, (Job 3:1). Implying the love and harmony of the members of the family, as contrasted with the ruin which soon broke up such a scene of happiness. The sisters are specified, since these feasts were not for revelry, which would be inconsistent with the presence of sisters. These latter were invited by the brothers, though they gave no invitations in return. The sisters, according to Eastern custom, lived in their mother’s home (Genesis 24:67). The Hebrew perfects, “feasted, sent, called,” imply that this was their regular custom, each in his turn (namely, on his birthday) to feast the rest. Maurer objects that, as the birthdays must have fallen at different times in the year, it is not intelligible in Umbreit’s view why Job, who was as solicitous that no offence of his children should be unatoned, should not after each birthday, and not merely at the close of the whole year, offer the atonements. The narrative implies the series of feasts was at one anniversary season each year, and lasted for seven days, and each of the seven sons was the entertainer on one day of the seven, beginning with the oldest son.
III. Job’s Worship Experience Was Not Diminished By His Wealth
A. He Feared God When His Wealth Was Great
(Job 1:3) His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
greatest – Hebrew 1419. gadowl, gaw-dole'; or (short.) gadol, gaw-dole'; from H1431; great (in any sense); hence older; also insolent:-- + aloud, elder (-est), + exceeding (-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing, -er, -ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, X sore, (X) very.
His estate was the largest. His holdings were the most numerous.
B. He Feared God When His Wealth Was Gone
(Job 1:13-17) And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: {14} And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: {15} And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {16} While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {17} While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Notice that he kept his composure until word came of his children.
IV. Job’s Worship Experience Was Not Diminished By His Woes
A. Though There Was A Revelation Of His Distress
(Job 1:18-20) While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: {19} And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {20} Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Adam Clarke’s Commentary says…
Tearing the garments, shaving or pulling off the hair of the head, throwing dust or ashes on the head, and sitting on the ground, were acts by which immoderate (excessive) grief was expressed. Job must have felt the bitterness of anguish when he was told that, in addition to the loss of all his property, he was deprived of his ten children by a violent death.
B. Though There Was A Realization Of His Dread
(Job 3:25) For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
feared – Hebrew 6342. pachad, paw-kkad'; a prim. root: to be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence to fear in general:--be afraid, stand in awe, (be in) fear, make to shake.
This sheds light on his practice of offering up sacrifices in their behalf. He was afraid they would die.
V. Job’s Worship Experience Was Not Diminished By His Wife
A. Notice Her Charge Against God
(Job 2:7-9) So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. {8} And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. {9} Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
The Barnes’ Notes Commentary says…
The question implies that, in her view, he ought not to be expected to mantles, patience and resignation in these circumstances. He had endured evils which showed that confidence ought not to be reposed in a God who would thus inflict them. This is all that we know of the wife of Job. Whether this was her general character, or whether “she” yielded to the temptation of Satan and cursed God, and thus heightened the sorrows of Job by her unexpected impropriety of conduct, is unknown. It is not conclusive evidence that her general character was bad; and it may be that the strength of her usual virtue and piety was overcome by accumulated calamities. She expressed, however, the feelings of corrupt human nature everywhere when sorely afflicted. The suggestion “will” cross the mind, often with almost irresistible force, that a God who thus afflicts his creatures is not worthy of confidence; and many a time a child of God is “tempted” to give vent to feelings of rebellion and complaining like this, and to renounce all his religion.
B. Notice His Commitment To God
(Job 1:21-22) And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. {22} In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
(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.
One writer said…
This is the grandest scene that human nature has ever presented. The world had never seen anything to compare to it. The greatest conqueror that ever won his triumph in Rome was as a pigmy beside the giant.
(From The Homilist as seen in The Biblical Illustrator)
Conclusion: