Job, The End Time Son
George Kirkpatrick  

Vital Words to the Body of Christ 
Freely We Have Received, Freely We Give
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In the Old Testament, people's names represented the character, a particular trait, or a special job that God had for a person to accomplish. Job's name means "persecuted". When persecution enters into our lives, it is for good.

No one knows for sure in what time period Job lived; some thought before the flood, some after the flood.

When we look at the affliction God allowed to come upon Job, we find God was purifying Job as an example to us. Job is an example of how God will purify His Sons.

Job was from Uz. Uz is located in the Arabian desert, west of Babylon. Job was an Arab and desert dweller. Desert dwellers in those days were usually nomadic, but Job was not. He was a man who was stable.

Job had ten children, seven thousand head of sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she asses. Job also had a great household with many, many servants. Servants were the sign of great wealth. Therefore, Job was a very wealthy man. He was the greatest of all the men of the east.

Besides Job's great wealth, he had great authority, and was well looked up to. He was truly God's man of the hour.

Job was a man that offered up sacrifices for his sons continually.

Job was before God continually. We know Job had great patience, a man who stood righteous before God. But there were things in Job's life that he had to change if he was to stand before God with clean hands and a pure heart. *** Psalm 24:4

Satan was going to and fro in the earth. We are told,

Satan is still seeking whom he may devour today. The word devour means "to swallow up". Satan never changes his tactics.

The Bible says God never changes. Then, who changes? We do! We are continually changing; either for the better or for the worse. It is according to what voice we are listening to. Are you listening to the voice of God who desires to change you for the better; or are you listening to the voice of satan who will change you for the worse?

There are two factions pulling at you; one pulling one way and the other pulling the other way. But if we will listen to the Father's voice, the still small voice, our change will be for the better. Only God can make us better. Man cannot change himself. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. *** Isaiah 64:6

God did not see Job the way he was. God saw Job the way he was going to be. He knows the end from the beginning, *** Isaiah 46:10. God was declaring Job as he would be, not as he was. This is the way God sees us. This does not mean we have arrived, but God sees the finished product.

We will observe what happened to Job. Then we will look at the end of the book to find why God found it necessary to afflict Job.

God was desiring to make Job a usable vessel; just as He must put us through the fire so He can make us a usable vessel in the kingdom of God. It was not to try Job's patience. God did not want to see if Job would fall away. Instead, God was purifying Job for the kingdom of God. God was using satan as a tool in this purifying process, just as He does today.

When satan is allowed to come against us, it is not to destroy us. It is to strengthen and build us up, that we might know we are victorious and more than conquerors. Jesus defeated satan on the cross. If we are to walk into this place of purity, we must learn to battle satan and know his devices. God is desiring us to be overcomers. If we are to overcome, we must learn that satan is a defeated enemy and that we are the overcomers.

Some say, "Accept Jesus Christ and your problems will all be over. Just hang on until His return, or you die, and everything will work out." Where is the strength? If we do not learn to battle satan, how will we be able to stand?

Man-made doctrine may say "You are alright." But the Bible says to grow up. Do you want to remain a baby and never grow, eating only upon the milk of the Word? Or do you desire to grow and eat the meat of God's Word? Do you want something to chew on, a challenge; or, are you content "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"? *** II Timothy 3:7

We have seen Bibles completely worn out on the outside and brand new on the inside. The pages still stick together. Others read the New Testament but reject the Old Testament saying that it has all been fulfilled and done away with, having nothing to do with this time.

The book of Job teaches us many things concerning how God desires to work in our lives. God's cleansing power comes in many forms. God removed all Job's earthly wealth and his children were taken. This was part of the cleansing process needed in Job's life to prepare him for the kingdom. We read of all the things God removed from Job to get his attention:

Job lost all in one day. The Bible speaks of the day when this world is going to lose everything in one day. The Chaldeans had stolen Job's livelihood. The fire burned up the sheep. His ten children had all been killed by a wind storm.

Job loved his children as much as we love ours. He had offered up daily sacrifices for his children continually. We know Job was filled with grief, but how did Job respond to his grief?

What would our attitudes have been if this calamity had fallen upon us? Would we have been able to worship the Lord if everything we owned or loved had been destroyed; gone, completely devastated and stolen? Would we have worshipped God - or cursed Him?

Job did not have anything left. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

Job did not accuse God for what had happened to him. Would we react in this manner; or would we ask, "Why are you allowing this to happen to me?" Would we say, "I have offered up sacrifices to you daily. Why have you allowed this to come upon me? If this is how you are going to treat me, then I am going to turn my back on you." "I will just go back to the bar and drown all these troubles in the bottle. I will get a needle or take a pill. I did not have any problems before I started serving you, God. Since then, all I have had is problems, problems, problems!"

This was not the end of Job's problems. Although devastated, Job had to endure much more. Satan was not done with Job because Job was still praising God.

Satan said, "You attack Job's flesh and he will curse you." 

God said, "All right satan, you can do anything you want to Job, but you cannot kill him."

Now, every inch of Job's body became covered with sores; from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.

Here sat the greatest man of the east, who served God day and night, sitting in a pile of ashes, taking broken pottery and scraping his skin to rid himself of the boils. Yet, this was not the end of Job's problems.

There were two things God did not take away from Job. One was his land. God did not take away Job's inheritance. The other thing Job kept was a nagging wife. What Job's wife spoke to him was certainly not uplifting. This was definitely not one of Job's better days. Job's answer to her was...

Next time you are feeling down, get in the book of Job and read a little about him.

The word evil here means "trouble, displeasure and affliction". Do we only accept the good God has to give us? When things start to get tough, do we turn back and begin to complain?

Again, this was not the end of Job's problems. Job had three friends. We may say that surely these were not true friends; yet, we find at the end of the book of Job, God mentions them again. Both times Job refers to them as friends. The friends were:

Eliphaz the Temanite
Bildad the Shuhite
Zophar the Naamathite

Job's three friends came and sat down to tell him of all the sin in his life. These men were like many we have around us today. As soon as something happens, they begin accusing God's people of everything. Every sin ever committed is brought up to rehash.

The teaching in the church today is that all good comes from God and all bad comes from satan. When something which seems to be bad comes upon us, people say, "What did you do to cause God to remove His protection from your life?" But God has not taken His protection from our lives; nor is He necessarily angry with His people. God chastens those whom He loves and are called according to His purpose. *** Hebrews 12:5-6

God was purifying Job. Job's three friends spoke out of the flesh not in the Spirit. None had the Spirit to reveal to Job the cause of his chastisement. They were taking the things of the flesh and slapping Job in the face with them. That is all they knew to do. They had no spiritual discernment.

There were many things that were in Job's life which were not pleasing to God. In fact, when we look closely at Job's life, we find Job was a "stinker". If God had not changed Job, we would not have read about Job in the Bible. 

God could not use Job the way Job was. But Job was a man of God. Job did all the outward religious things that he thought were pleasing to God. He thought these works allowed him to stand righteous before God. But there were several areas in Job's life that had to be dealt with and purified.

The same is true of us today. God does not see us as we are. He sees the finished product. He predestined us before He ever laid the foundation of the earth. He is continually changing us into His likeness that we may become pleasing in His sight.

After Job's three friends were done criticizing, Elihu stepped into the scene. Elihu had not been mentioned before this point. Elihu had been there all the time, but had not said anything.

Who was this young man who said Job had justified himself rather than God? Elihu was a Spirit-filled young man, full of knowledge and truth. God is desiring to raise up Spirit-filled young men, full of knowledge and truth today, just as he was desiring to do in Job's life.

Who are the Spirit-filled young men of today?

The young men are those who are strong and have the Word of God abiding in them. They have overcome the wicked one.

Let's look at Elihu's qualifications.

Observe the five characteristics concerning Elihu.

# 1 His lips uttered knowledge
# 2 Formed by the Spirit
# 3 Received life from God
# 4 Did the will of God
# 5 He was in God's stead

Elihu was an "end time" man of God. Elihu could counsel Job wisely because he was speaking by the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge. Elihu was walking with God and doing His will. Elihu ministered in the gifts of the Spirit.

God has put all these qualities into man, formed of clay, that he might minister in the Spirit. Elihu was an "end time" son of God prepared and formed by the Spiritual Father to minister.

Speaking in the knowledge and wisdom of the Spirit, Elihu pointed out to Job where he was in error. Elihu not only spoke to Job, but to his three friends as well.

Like many today who have a condemning spirit, these three men condemned Job.

No man has the right to condemn. Job should have been comforted and uplifted in his time of trouble. Instead, his three friends tore down and condemned. So many brothers and sisters today do not know how to uplift and encourage each other. They operate in division, devastation and devouring; accusing instead of helping.

Job was being purified, fit for the Master's use; yet, his so-called friends came and ripped him up one side and down the other. Chapter after chapter, Job's friends accused and condemned.

As has been stated before, God did not see Job as he was, but as he would be when the chastening of the Lord was complete.

Elihu pointed out twelve areas in Jobs life God had to change.

Job was self-righteous.

*** Isaiah 64:6 says our righteousness is as filthy rags. Job did not stand righteous before God. Many, today, have established their own righteousness. This generally comes from a religious belief, or doctrine, or from the church they attend.

But Jesus said, 

The first thing God had to deal with was Job's self-righteousness. Job declared his righteous innocence before man, saying, 

Job had convinced himself he was pure in God's eyes. But Elihu was about to teach Job wisdom concerning the ways of God.

Scorning means "scoffing". Job was a scoffer. Evidently Job scoffed at anything he saw.

Certainly, we know that these are the last days because of the mockers and scoffers. *** Galatians 6:7 states that God is not mocked. God will deal with those who are mockers. God had to deal with this mocking in Job's life.

Job also had a problem with the company he kept.

Job walked with those who caused trouble and those who were walking in vanity. Job allowed himself to be associated with worthless troublemakers. Job kept company with those of low degree so that he, himself, might be exalted.

We are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? What communion does light have with darkness? *** II Corinthians 6:14. With Job, there was no separation from wicked men. We cannot be around sin without getting it on us. We cannot be around sin without it affecting our walk with the Lord.

"Be ye separate." Do not accompany thyself with the workers of iniquity. Job had not learned this principle. He was still walking with the wicked men of his day.

Job saw nothing to gain in his walk with the Lord.

Job was a man who was self-sufficient. Anything Job wanted, he was able to accomplish on his own. He needed no help from God. It was only when all his wealth had been taken away, that he found the following scripture to be true:

Jesus said, 

Job, like many today, feel they are self-sufficient; without need of God. God had to deal with Job in this area, as He will with many today.

But Job had other problems in his walk with God.

Both knowledge and wisdom are gifts of the Holy Spirit. *** Colossians 2:2-3 reveals the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, the Father, and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Therefore, we see Job was not operating in the Spirit; but, rather, Job, as so many today, was operating in the flesh and standing before God in self-righteousness. God had to bring Job to the place where he would hear His voice.

In *** Job 34:37, three more sins in Job's life were revealed which God had to deal with.

# 1 Job was rebellious
# 2 Job was a smiter
# 3 Job spake against God

Job was rebellious. The sin of rebellion was in Job's life. Job's eyes were on his wealth. Jesus said very few wealthy people will enter into the kingdom of God, *** Matthew 19:23. Yet, a false prosperity teaching is still rampant in this nation. We are taught to desire the things of the world. God says these are an abomination unto Him. "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." *** I Samuel 15:23

Job was a "smiter". Evidently, Job was cruel, slapping those around him. Why did only three friends come to Job? Why were his wife's remarks spoken so rudely? There are those today who cannot control their tempers. One of the gifts of the Spirit is temperance which means "self-control". God had to deal with this lack of self-control and temper in Job's life.

Job continued to speak against God. He continued to raise himself above God. He constantly complained against God, giving no glory or thanks. It seemed nothing God did satisfied Job. Many, today, treat God the same way. We should remember *** I Thessalonians 5:18:

God saw Job as he was going to be, but Job still had many areas in his life that had to come under obedience to God.

Job had come to the place where he believed everything he did and every word he spoke was just in the eyes of God, and that he was an example of God's perfection. How foolish man becomes.

Job felt he was so righteous, so pure in the eyes of God that God accepted his sin and that anything he did was acceptable in the eyes of God. So many today have this same philosophy: "Once saved, always saved" and "eternal security". Job was a perfect example of this kind of thinking. He felt, as many today, that after salvation, we cannot lose our right standing with God. 

God is looking for a holy people without spot or wrinkle, *** Ephesians 5:27. Only those without spot or wrinkle will enter into His presence. Those who believe God winks at their sin will be purified as Job, or lose out.

Job's words were empty. Truth was not in him. He evidently talked much, but said little. So many today confess with their mouths, but do not believe in their heart. The truth is not in them. They have convinced themselves and others, of their righteousness with their mouths, but stand in naked judgment before God.

There were twelve things that God had to correct in Job's life. The afflictions that God allowed to come upon Job were very necessary to cleanse his life from all unrighteousness, so that his life might become an example to us.

We need to deal with many of these areas in our own lives. It was not Job who had patience, it was God. When Elihu, the Spirit-filled young man, was through pointing out Job's errors in his walk, God comforted Job. *** Job 38-39

Was God's chastisement of Job successful? Job proclaimed:

The word vile means "small, trifling, and slight". Job finally recognized he was nothing. We, too, must fall on our faces and declare that we are nothing in His sight. Then, and only then, can He use us. As long as we lift up ourselves, saying, "Look at all the great things I have done for you, Lord", God cannot use us.

Job said, "I put my hand upon my mouth." God had to break Job and bring him to repentance before He could bless him. How would we answer God? 

Jesus said in *** Matthew 21:44,

Job would have been ground to powder had he not repented before the Lord. But Job had completely submitted to the Lord; as each of us must do. I think we would all rather be broken than ground to powder. 

 

This is one of the most profound statements of all time. Job said, 

We have all heard of the goodness of God, but now we begin to see it with our eyes. Job said, 

God had to change Job before He could bless him. Observe, Job was given back children.

God gave everything back to Job that He had taken. He gave it back in more abundance and better than Job had ever had before. All of Job's children were given back to him. His daughters were the fairest of the land.

God is doing an "end time" work in all His people. Eliphaz, one of Job's friends, said,

God is doing a perfect work in His saints in these last days. It will come through patience; and patience comes by tribulation. *** Romans 5:3

Job was chastised, but he came to the place in God, wanting nothing. We, as Job, have many things in our lives that need changed by God. We can willingly listen to the Elihus sent by God and allow the Father to do a mighty work in us, or we can listen to our "best friends" and our "mates" and curse God and die.

Job had a hard lesson to learn. But by the grace of God and the humbling of self, Job was changed and was blessed, turning toward that mark of the high calling of God, wanting nothing.

Vital Words to the Body of Christ 
Freely We Have Received, Freely We Give
E-mail: vitalwords@aol.com
Come visit our online catalog at: http://www.newfoundationspubl.org/catalog.htm