Have You Considered My Servant Job?
Imagine receiving a compliment from Jehovah! For Abraham, God noted him as “friend” (James 2:23). No other notable in holy writ received that acclaim from Jehovah. For king David, God said, “A man after Mine own heart.” (Acts 13:22) When Satan was going to and fro in the earth, walking up and down, (Job 1:7), it was obvious Satan was in search of a soul to destroy. God complimented Job saying, “Have you 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?” (Job 1:8) What a marvelous compliment and one Job merited as it is impossible for God to lie. He would not have said this of Job were it not been true in every respect!
Granted, we do not know when Job lived. Most scholars agree he preceded the law of Moses, for neither Moses nor the Law is mentioned in the forty-two chapters of this book. Therefore, it is apparent that he lived during the patriarchal time when there was no written law, but God’s word was spoken to the father of the family whose responsibility it was to teach it to his children, who in turn would teach it to their children, ad infinitum. That Job was righteous, we need only to examine his character recorded in verse 1. Job was so caring about the righteousness of his family that we read in verse four of the first chapter, “Job send 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.’” Indeed, God’s description of Job is accurate!
But the point of our consideration is this: Those same distinct values are to be found in each of us as Christians! We are to be different than all others in this world. We are to be perfect, upright, fearing God, and eschewing (i.e., hating) evil. For us, this valued description is much more than a compliment: it is to be our life! (Colossians 3: 1 – 17; Galatians 2:20)
Our difference is in the fact that we are no more like the world at all! (Romans 6:16; 1 John 2:15 – 17) Paul and Peter both use the word “peculiar” (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9). While in our modern vocabulary the word means “odd/different” as compared to “kindred/like,” the original bears the understanding of “purchased.” (See Strong’s Concordance). When we consider the cost used to purchase us (the blood of Christ Jesus – Acts 20:28; Ephesians 1:14), we realize “there are none like us in the world.” Why? Because we have come out of the world of sin, being translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son via our obedience to the gospel of Christ (Colossians 1:13).
“Perfection” is not sinlessness, for 1 John 1: 5 – 10 emphatically says we sin! Nonetheless, the Lord demands our “perfection,” just as God the Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Further, Paul explains in Ephesians 4: 11 – 16 that our perfection is through Christ, just as he informed Colossae (Colossians 2:10). Again, Paul declared, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16 – 17)
The word “upright” as seen in Job 1:8 means, “strait, strict.” Thus, Job was a “strict” man in his character before the Almighty. Notice we must be “strict” in our discipline of life. Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7: 13-14) Since we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), our steps much be strict in following the Master!
“Fear” is defined as “awesome respect; unquestioned allegiance,” Solomon tells us that to fear God and keep His commandments is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Peter tells us this requirement has not changed! (1 Peter 2:17)
“Eschew” is an old English word that isn’t used much in today’s vernacular. Instead, we use the phrase, “absolutely shun; avoid; hate evil.” In the KJV, Peter uses the word (1 Peter 3:11), while Paul is more direct when he says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil,” (1Thessalonians 5:22) and “Abhor that which is evil,” (Romans 12:9).
Now let’s return to the “compliment” thought. First, can God extend this commendation to us? If not, why not? Are we permitted to be any less than these attributes before the Almighty? When we consider life, we Christians much live before God, where is the “permission” to be less than the quality established with Job? Yes, Job was persecuted and brought very low in his life; all without sinning or charging God foolishly! (Job 1:22) Can the same be said of us, or do we blame God or His children for our erring conduct? Or worse, do we sin feeling “justified” in our expression of worldliness? If so, what Scripture authorizes a change from righteousness to wickedness just for a moment’s pleasure?
What a marvelous compliment was given to Job. But a better one can be given to us – the compliment that says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” It is all contingent upon our willingness to obey God!