Lessons from Job for 2026 (#2)

#1 … Whose name was Job … your name is of great importance and priority.

1. Job is one of the five great intercessors that God has highlighted (Ezek 14:14; Jer 15:1).
2. The Holy Spirit also highlighted Job again in the N.T. for enduring his trials (Jas 5:11).
3. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favour (Proverbs 22:1).

 

#2 … That man was perfect … why settle for anything less in a new year than perfection.

1. God appeared to Abram and called him, a contemporary of Job, to be perfect (Gen 17:1).
2. Recent sermons for an excellent spirit taught perfection by loving enemies (Matt 5:48).
3. A great prayer request is to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (Col 4:12).
4. Patience – cheerfully enduring negative events – will lead to perfection (James 1:2-4).
5. Seven great promises are for perfecting holiness in the fear of God like Job (II Cor 7:11).

 

#3 … That man was upright … unbending integrity to do what is just, right, and honest.

1. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness; He favorably beholds the upright (Ps 11:7).
2. David was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity (Psalm 18:23).
3. Our prayer and efforts should be against dominion of presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13).
4. We are to identify perfect men and upright men, for their future is peace (Psalm 37:37).
5. The family tree or descendants of the upright in general shall be blessed (Psalm 112:2).
6. The book of Proverbs has 15 verses about the upright that help to define this great goal.

 

#4 … One that feared God … reverential awe and respect of God to obey in all things.

1. Fear need not be separated from the love of God as Moses taught Israel (Deut 10:12).
2. The fear of the LORD hates evil: pride, arrogancy, evil way, forward mouth (Pr 8:13).
3. Solomon made fear of God the conclusion of life and whole duty of man (Ec 12:13-14).
4. David summarized it in a short verse, Stand in awe, and sin not: commune … (Ps 4:4).
5. The N.T. does not avoid the fear of God (Luke 12:4-5; Hebrews 12:28-29; II Cor 7:1).
6. You may need a trigger. How about, What would God think? or, What does God want?

#5 … One that eschewed evil … to carefully abstain from, avoid, shun, stay clear of sin.

1. Solomon wrote verses telling us to turn away from the path of sinners (Proverbs 4:5,27).
2. Peter described the condition of eschewing evil for God to hear and bless (I Peter 3:11).
3. To have this character trait of Job, we must avoid even opportunities to sin (Rom 13:14).

 

#6 … Greatest of all the men of the east … a large family and success did not alter Job.

1. It is an evil shame when God’s blessings relax conviction (Deut 32:15; 31:20; Hos 13:6).
2. God warned that the love of money corrupts (Ps 62:10; Pr 23:4-5; I Tim 6:6-11,17-19).
3. Jesus warned about the heart danger of riches (Mark 8:36-37; 10:23; Luke 12:15-21).
4. The goodness of God, benevolent kindness, should lead you to repentance (Rom 2:4).

 

#7 … His sons feasted every one his day … birthdays were allowed by Job but risky.

1. We understand these as birthdays and do not reject them with pagan holidays like JWs.
2. However, we also know that levity or partying may easily lead to sin (Rom 13:13-14).
3. A recent study of the Herods showed how a birthday cost John his life (Mark 6:21-28).
4. We should arm ourselves like Jesus did to avoid fleshly sins by partying (I Peter 4:1-5).
5. This kind of caution and conscientiousness is the exceptional character that God loved.

 

#8 … Job sanctified his sons and offered sacrifices … in case they had lightly sinned.

1. We see two actions here – first, Job sent to them and sanctified them by instruction and exhortation to repent and purify (Gen 35:1-3; Ex 19:10-15; Josh 7:13; I Sam 16:4-5).
2. The second action was to offer burnt offerings – all burned up – for each one of them.
3. He did this by zeal to rise early in the morning, as Abraham had with Isaac (Gen 22:3).
4. Job did not know if his sons had sinned in their hearts, but he covered any possible sins.
5. This incredible degree and measure of holiness is something he did constantly for them.
6. It is something we ought to do for ourselves first and then for children (Ps 139:23-24).
7. Job looked far beyond a large family as a blessing to see responsibility for many souls.

 

#9 … Angels report to God and Satan came also … they can do nothing outside His rule.

1. God asked Satan what he had been up to, and the devil answered the question from God.
2. We know that now they all report to Jesus our Lord (Eph 1:20-22; I Pet 3:22; Heb 1:4).
3. Observe that Satan was then as now like a roaring lion stalking the earth (I Peter 5:8-9).
4. Cast out of heaven at Jesus’ ascension, the devil is angry knowing the time (Rev 12:12).
5. This diabolical enemy will flee if you resist (James 4:7; Eph 4:27; 6:10-17; II Cor 2:11).

 

#10 … Hast thou considered my servant Job? … God boasted of Job’s superb character.

1. What a wonderful thing to read! Does God have reason to boast of you in such a way?
2. God knew Satan was aware of Job, and the LORD detailed Job’s character to the devil.
3. We know this privilege of Satan ended with Jesus in heaven (Rev 12:10; Rom 8:31-37).
4. By faithfulness to Christ doctrine of the apostles, we have greater power (I John 4:1-6).
5. Let us live in such a way that devils roaming the earth do not see us as easy to devour.

 

#11 … There is none like him in the earth … God ranked Job as the best man on earth.

1. We are graded in school and have performance reviews on jobs, but this is God ranking.
2. When we meet God in His word, like at this moment, why not aspire to be like Job?
3. Rather than resent ranking when found in the Bible, embrace it as exciting exhortation.
4. Much preaching misses the ranking as goals, but glory to glory is enough (II Cor 3:18).
5. Job was God’s favorite on earth not by things out of his control but things in his control; you already read what made the difference – perfect, upright, feared, eschewed, family.
6. When we read about David being the man after God’s own heart, we should desire it.
7. Others: Enoch (walked with God), Abraham (friend), Joseph (faithful), Moses (meek), Daniel (committed), Mary Magdalene (devoted), Paul (zeal), Timothy (kingdom man).

 

#12 … Doth Job fear God for nought? … we must not have any motive other than God.

1. The devil is able to see and measure God’s blessings in our lives that may influence us.
2. We must never change by circumstances, as Job’s wife will badly in the next chapter.
3. We know God’s promise for delight in Him, but let us glory in Him alone (Psalm 37:4).
4. Our glorious God and loving Father gave promises, but let’s fear and love Him for Him.
5. Paul saw himself separated from the world and the world from him by Christ (Gal 6:14).
6. We must not do anything for the Lord to be seen of men as Jesus taught (Matt 6:2,5,16).
7. We never want family, friends, or social benefits of a church to ever encroach on Christ.
8. We never want to be like the belly worshippers that wanted free food (John 6:24-29).
9. We thank God for financial and professional wisdom in the Bible but not over our Lord.