Job 1:20,21

DISCOURSE: 451
TRIALS AND RESIGNATION OF JOB

Job 1:20. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 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.

BEHOLD, the invisible world is here opened to our view. We here see an assembly of the sons of God, (whether of angels, or of glorified saints, is not certain,) and Satan himself intruding in among them, in the very presence of their God. We are informed also of a conversation passing between Jehovah and Satan in reference to Job; God commending him as the most eminent of the saints on earth; and Satan traducing his character, as a mercenary hypocrite, who would even curse his Maker to his face, if only he should be tempted to do so by a withdrawment of his temporal prosperity. We are told also that God permitted Satan to put the piety of Job to the test which he had proposed.

There would be no inconsistency in this, if we were to interpret it literally: but we apprehend that it is a kind of parabolic representation, like that of Micaiah, who saw in a vision a spirit coming into the presence of Jehovah, and proposing to go forth as a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets, in order to persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth-Gilead [Note: 1 Kings 22:19.]. In this view it is intended to shew us the malignity of Satan, and the restraints imposed upon him by Almighty God, who will suffer him to proceed no further than shall ultimately lead to his own confusion.

In whichever way we take this account, whether literally or mystically, it appears that Satan was permitted to assault Job with the most grievous temptations, and that the piety of Job was victorious in the conflict. In considering this account of Job, we shall notice,

I. His trials—

These were beyond measure great—
[Their number and variety; their rapid succession, without one moment allowed him for reflection and prayer; the extent of them, comprehending the loss not only of all his worldly property, but of all his children, and that too in a season of mirth, when he was peculiarly apprehensive that they might be least fit to die; and particularly the certainty of all these calamities, every one of them being reported by an eye-witness; all of these coming so suddenly, were sufficient to overwhelm any one, more especially when the hand of God himself appeared, not in the language of the reporters only, but in the events themselves, to have been thus awfully directed against him.]

In them we see,

1. How great the power of Satan is—

[How speedily he found instruments to execute his will! The minds of Sabeans and Chaldeans received in a moment the impulse which he chose to give them; and they performed exactly the service to which he destined them: the time, the manner, the measure of their actions were perfectly subject to his control, The elements also were alike obedient to his command, and performed precisely what he directed them to effect: the lightnings flashed, the winds blew, and, by their ready compliance with his will, proclaimed him to be indeed “the god of this world,” “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in all the children of disobedience.” True it is, he could not have done these things if God had not permitted him: but from what he did we may easily see what he both could and would do, if all restraint were withdrawn from him; and what he will do in the eternal world to those who shall be delivered into his hands.]

2. How uncertain is all worldly good—

[When Job arose in the morning, he was “the richest man in all the east;” and before night he was bereft of all that he possessed. And such changes are by no means unfrequent in the world. Not to mention the restless desires of a gamester, the unfortunate speculations of a merchant, or the misplaced confidence of a surety, (all of which are fruitful sources of misery and ruin,) let us contemplate those other sources of calamity which are more out of the reach of human prudence, such as earthquakes, inundations, shipwrecks, invasions, conflagrations; alas! alas! how many thousands are from time to time reduced by these from a state of ease and opulence to the most abject and destitute condition! Verily there can be no one so ignorant as not to know, as well from observation as report, that “riches make themselves wings, and fly away.”]

3. That the most eminent saints are not exempt from even the heaviest calamities—

[If ever any man could venture to say, “I shall die in my nest [Note: Job 29:18.],” it was Job; because, whilst he possessed more wealth than others, he had a mind more under the influence of piety, and consequently more free from those snares and temptations to which others are exposed. Yet, though there was no one like him upon earth in respect of piety, there never was a man so oppressed as he by overwhelming calamities. Let no man then ever venture to say, “My mountain standeth fast; I shall not be moved:” for “all things come alike to all.” “Of the righteous in particular the afflictions are many:” as in the case of Job, God often sends troubles to try and prove the sincerity of their faith, to strengthen their graces, to purify their hearts, to display before the world the efficacy of his grace, and to fit his people for a better world. If God have given faith to any, they may expect that it shall “be tried, in order that it may be to the praise and honour and glory of their God at the appearing of Jesus Christ [Note: 1 Peter 1:7.].”]

But in the midst of all his trials we behold, and admire,

II.

His resignation—

He felt, and deeply too, the heavy load of his afflictions; and hence he rent his mantle, and shaved his head, as customary expressions of deep anguish of mind [Note: Genesis 37:29; Genesis 37:34. with Job 2:12 and Isaiah 22:12. with Micah 1:16.]. But still he was composed and tranquil, “not charging God foolishly,” or uttering any thing hasty or unadvised. Let us notice,

1. The considerations with which he quieted his mind—

[These were two; namely, that what he had lost, was not properly his own; and, that he had taken it, whose property it was. He felt himself now only reduced to the state in which he was when he came into the world, and in which he must at all events soon be, when he should be called to go out of the world again. Why then should he repine and murmur at being stripped of all, when he was so lately, and must so soon again be, altogether naked, without any thing that he could properly call his own? So just and important is this idea, that St. Paul has actually quoted the very words of Job, to shew that “godliness with contentment is the only desirable gain [Note: 1 Timothy 6:7.].”

Moreover, the use and enjoyment of those things had been given him by God alone: whether they came by inheritance, or had been the fruits of his own industry, God was equally the giver of them [Note: James 1:17.]: and, whether men or devils or elements had deprived him of them, they were no other than as instruments in the hand of God, who had accomplished by them his own sovereign will [Note: Isaiah 45:7; Amos 3:6.]. How then could he presume to reply against God? No: “he would be dumb, and not open his mouth, because the Lord had done it.”

What astonishing grace was here, that could suggest at a moment such thoughts as these, and give them such an efficacy to compose and tranquillize his soul!
But let us notice more particularly,]

2. The manner in which he expressed his resignation—

[He “fell on the ground and worshipped” his God with the profoundest humility. O what submission of heart was here! How meekly did he receive at the Lord’s hands the strokes of his chastening rod! But he went further still, and “blessed the name of the Lord,” yea, blessed him for that very dispensation which Satan expected to have called forth only the language of cursing and blasphemy. Job was convinced in his judgment that “the Judge of all the earth could not but do right;” and that however “clouds and darkness might be round about him, yet judgment and justice were the basis of his throne.” He knew that whether he could see the reason of God’s dealings now, or not, he should see reason to adore him for them in the eternal world; and therefore he would bless and adore him for them here. Thus did he adopt exactly the line of conduct which God approves; “neither despising the chastening of the Lord, on the one hand, nor fainting under his rebukes,” on the other hand [Note: Hebrews 12:5.]. He “walked by faith, and not by sight,” and excelled all the saints, whether of that or any other age. David was not the least eminent of men; yet when the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag, and taken away his wives and property, “he wept till he had no more power to weep [Note: 1 Samuel 30:3.]:” and when he lost his rebellious son Absalom, he so fainted under the loss as to be altogether forgetful of all his mercies, and of all his duties [Note: 2 Samuel 19:4.]. But Job lost not for a moment his self-possession: his principles operated instantly to the full extent that the occasion required: “Shall we receive good at the hands of God,” says he, “and shall we not receive evil [Note: Job 2:10.]?” Any other conduct appeared to him to be highly unreasonable: and hence he is proposed by God himself as a pattern for our imitation to the end of time [Note: James 5:11.]

From contemplating this exalted character, let us learn,
1.

To sit loose to earthly things—

[We deny not but that a competency in earthly things is a blessing for which we have great reason to be thankful: but when we see how uncertain the possession of them is, and, above all, how happy we may be in God without them, we have no occasion to covet them, or to set our hearts upon them. St. Paul, when “he had nothing, yet possessed all things [Note: 2 Corinthians 6:10.],” because he had God for his God and portion. Let us in like manner “learn in every state to be content, whether we be full or hungry, whether we abound or suffer need [Note: Philippians 4:11.].” Let us, “if we have a wife, be as though we had none; if we weep, be as if we wept not; if we rejoice, be as if we rejoiced not; if we buy, be as though we possessed not; and altogether use this world as not abusing it, because the fashion of it so quickly passes away [Note: 1 Corinthians 7:29.].”]

2. To stand prepared for trials—

[Truly we know not what a day or an hour may bring forth; what losses we may have in our property, or in our dearest friends and relatives; or what calamities may come upon us. We are sure that “Satan, that roaring lion,” is “going to and fro throughout the earth,” “seeking whom he may devour:” and, if he have obtained permission to exercise his power against us, how soon may he bring us down to the ground, and even “sift us as wheat!” Who amongst us can have any idea what storms he may be preparing for us, or what instruments he may be stirring up against us? Knowing then his malignity and his power, let us stand upon our guard against him; let us “arm ourselves with the mind that was in Christ Jesus [Note: 1 Peter 4:1.];” and let us so endeavour to realize our principles, that we never give way to discontent or impatience, but bless in every thing the name of our God.]

3. To seek the things which neither men nor devils can take away from us—

[Spiritual blessings are out of the reach of all our enemies: “Our life is hid with Christ in God;” and not all the powers of darkness combined can destroy it. Moth and rust may corrupt our earthly treasures, or thieves may break through and steal them: but if we lay up treasure in heaven, it will be inaccessible to them all. That is “substance [Note: Proverbs 8:21.],” whilst all else is vanity and vexation of spirit. Let us then “labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life;” and “choose the good part, that never can be taken away from us.”]