[music] 00:00:00.40\00:00:11.94 [music] 00:00:11.97\00:00:22.02 [music] 00:00:22.02\00:00:26.96 [music] 00:00:26.99\00:00:34.86 Jolyne Simle: Welcome to "Sabbath School Study Hour." 00:00:34.93\00:00:37.33 We are so glad that you have joined us 00:00:37.37\00:00:39.57 to study God's Word together. 00:00:39.60\00:00:41.40 As you know, we are in the book of Job, 00:00:41.44\00:00:44.04 and enjoying a study and learning about Job's 00:00:44.07\00:00:47.18 relationship with Christ, and how it applies to us today. 00:00:47.21\00:00:51.38 Before we get started in our lesson study, 00:00:51.41\00:00:54.92 Pierre van der Westhuizen is from South Africa, 00:00:54.95\00:00:59.19 and he has been traveling around the United States doing concerts 00:00:59.22\00:01:02.69 for the last 14 months. 00:01:02.72\00:01:04.59 And he's going home this Wednesday, 00:01:04.63\00:01:07.00 so he is here to bless us with his music. 00:01:07.03\00:01:10.23 This morning, he will be singing for us 00:01:10.27\00:01:12.30 "How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings." 00:01:12.33\00:01:16.37 Pierre van der Westhuizen: God is good all the time. 00:01:17.34\00:01:21.28 God is good. Happy to be with you today. 00:01:21.31\00:01:24.88 Thank you, Michelle. 00:01:24.91\00:01:26.95 [music] 00:01:26.98\00:01:36.49 ¤ How lovely are thy dwellings, ¤ 00:01:36.52\00:01:42.10 ¤ O Lord of hosts. ¤ 00:01:42.13\00:01:47.60 ¤ My soul longeth, yea fainteth, for the courts of the Lord. ¤ 00:01:47.64\00:01:58.68 ¤ My heart and my flesh cry out to the living God. ¤ 00:01:58.71\00:02:11.96 ¤ Yea, the sparrow hath found her a house, ¤ 00:02:11.99\00:02:18.00 ¤ and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young. ¤ 00:02:18.03\00:02:26.94 ¤ Even thine altars, even thine altars, ¤ 00:02:26.98\00:02:37.15 ¤ O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. ¤ 00:02:37.19\00:02:47.23 ¤ O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. ¤ 00:02:47.23\00:02:57.51 ¤ O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer. ¤ 00:02:57.54\00:03:08.75 ¤ I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God ¤ 00:03:08.78\00:03:18.59 ¤ than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. ¤ 00:03:18.63\00:03:28.37 ¤ For a day in thy court is better than 1,000. ¤ 00:03:28.40\00:03:38.71 ¤ How lovely art thou dwellings, O Lord of hosts. ¤ 00:03:38.75\00:03:48.56 ¤ My soul longeth, yea fainteth, for the courts of the Lord. ¤ 00:03:48.59\00:03:59.30 ¤ My heart and my flesh cry out fot the living God. ¤ 00:03:59.33\00:04:12.38 ¤ Yea, the sparrow hath found her a house, ¤ 00:04:12.41\00:04:19.12 ¤ and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young. ¤ 00:04:19.15\00:04:29.00 ¤ Even thine altars, even thine altars, ¤ 00:04:29.03\00:04:39.37 ¤ Oh Lord, my God, my King and my God. ¤ 00:04:39.41\00:04:49.45 ¤ Oh Lord, my God, my King and my God. ¤ 00:04:49.45\00:04:54.79 [music] 00:04:54.82\00:05:04.90 [music] 00:05:04.90\00:05:11.57 Jolyne: Thank you so much, Pierre. 00:05:11.61\00:05:13.31 That was beautiful. 00:05:13.34\00:05:15.18 Let's pray. 00:05:15.21\00:05:16.95 Our Father in heaven, we humbly come before you this morning, 00:05:16.98\00:05:19.71 and we thank you so much for the opportunity to freely worship 00:05:19.75\00:05:23.85 you, to open our Bibles that so often we take for granted. 00:05:23.89\00:05:30.99 Just bless us today, Lord. 00:05:31.03\00:05:32.39 Open our ears to hear what you have to say 00:05:32.43\00:05:34.56 through us through Pastor Doug. 00:05:34.60\00:05:36.50 Help us to take the words that we hear, 00:05:36.53\00:05:40.24 apply them to our lives, that we can be shining lights for you 00:05:40.27\00:05:43.87 and do our part to finish your work so that you can come 00:05:43.91\00:05:46.24 soon and take us home. 00:05:46.27\00:05:47.64 We look forward to that day. We long for that day. 00:05:47.68\00:05:50.65 Lord, please just keep us ready and prepared. 00:05:50.68\00:05:53.35 I pray these things in your name, Jesus, amen. 00:05:53.38\00:05:56.99 At this time, our study will be brought to us by Pastor Doug. 00:05:57.02\00:06:03.89 Doug Batchelor: Thank you, Jolyne and our musicians. 00:06:03.93\00:06:07.46 Thank you, Pierre, that was beautiful. 00:06:07.50\00:06:08.90 Appreciate that. 00:06:08.93\00:06:11.07 Morning to our class. How is everybody? 00:06:11.10\00:06:15.80 We're continuing our study on the book of Job. 00:06:15.84\00:06:18.81 And today's lesson is going to be lesson number three. 00:06:18.84\00:06:24.38 Does Job fear God for naught? 00:06:24.41\00:06:27.25 I want to take a moment just to greet those who are some of our 00:06:27.28\00:06:30.75 extended Sabbath School class that are watching 00:06:30.79\00:06:34.29 from around the world. 00:06:34.32\00:06:35.62 I was in--where was I this last week? I forget. 00:06:35.66\00:06:38.83 No, I was in Louisville, Kentucky, 00:06:38.86\00:06:40.33 and drove across Indiana, was at 3ABN, 00:06:40.36\00:06:43.13 and just visiting with our friends there because 00:06:43.16\00:06:44.83 they air this program, of course, on 3ABN, 00:06:44.87\00:06:47.30 as well as Hope Channel and Amazing Facts TV, 00:06:47.34\00:06:49.74 and a few other networks. 00:06:49.77\00:06:52.04 And so, it was fun to meet some of our extended class. 00:06:52.07\00:06:55.08 They said, "Oh, we study with you every week." 00:06:55.11\00:06:56.81 And so, I just like to always--I say, 00:06:56.85\00:06:58.51 "Next time, I'll greet you." 00:06:58.55\00:07:00.38 And want to tell you thank you so much. 00:07:00.42\00:07:02.25 We have a memory verse in our lesson today. 00:07:02.28\00:07:06.69 And the memory verse is from the book of Job 2, verse 10. 00:07:06.72\00:07:10.93 Job 2:10, this is the New King James version. 00:07:10.96\00:07:13.83 If you want to read it right out of your lesson, 00:07:13.86\00:07:15.56 do it with me, you ready? 00:07:15.60\00:07:18.17 "But he said to her, 'You speak as one 00:07:18.20\00:07:21.17 of the foolish women speaks. 00:07:21.20\00:07:23.44 Shall we indeed accept good from God? 00:07:23.47\00:07:26.37 Shall we not accept adversity?' In all this Job did 00:07:26.41\00:07:30.88 not sin with his lips." 00:07:30.91\00:07:33.88 And so this, of course, is that time when this second wave 00:07:33.92\00:07:37.65 of temptations and trials comes to Job. 00:07:37.69\00:07:41.82 So, the lesson today is dealing with a number of themes 00:07:41.86\00:07:47.60 that are still based on the first two chapters, 00:07:47.60\00:07:49.63 this wave of attacks that comes. 00:07:49.66\00:07:52.20 And under the first section, it talks about Job, God's servant. 00:07:52.23\00:07:58.47 It's interesting it says there's a man--there was a man in the 00:07:58.51\00:08:02.58 land of Uz who feared the Lord. 00:08:02.61\00:08:05.41 And God refers to him as his servant. 00:08:05.45\00:08:08.28 Now, when the devil comes before the Lord, 00:08:08.32\00:08:09.95 and the devil says, "I've come from walking to and fro on the 00:08:09.98\00:08:13.79 earth, and up and down in the earth," 00:08:13.82\00:08:16.46 and God says, "It's not yours. 00:08:16.49\00:08:18.19 I know you're pacing the world as though it's your territory, 00:08:18.23\00:08:22.20 but have you considered my servant Job?" 00:08:22.23\00:08:25.50 And don't we all want God to look down on earth and say, 00:08:25.53\00:08:28.27 "Have you considered my servant Doug?" 00:08:28.30\00:08:30.61 Or my servant insert your name there, 00:08:30.64\00:08:33.34 that he sees us as his servants. 00:08:33.38\00:08:36.44 Everybody serves somebody. 00:08:36.48\00:08:39.15 How do you know whose servant you are? 00:08:39.18\00:08:43.45 Who do you obey? 00:08:43.49\00:08:45.55 Romans chapter 6, whoever you obey, 00:08:45.59\00:08:49.26 that's whose servant you are. 00:08:49.29\00:08:51.29 And if we love and follow and obey God, 00:08:51.33\00:08:53.60 we're his servants. 00:08:53.63\00:08:55.53 And Job, he obeyed God. 00:08:55.56\00:08:58.63 And you can look here, and Jesus gives us this principle of 00:08:58.67\00:09:01.50 servanthood in Luke 22:25. 00:09:01.54\00:09:05.24 He said, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over 00:09:05.27\00:09:09.04 them, and they exercise authority upon them, 00:09:09.08\00:09:12.85 are called benefactors. 00:09:12.88\00:09:14.18 But you will not be so. 00:09:14.22\00:09:16.15 But he that is greatest among you, 00:09:16.18\00:09:18.35 let him be as the younger, and he that is chief among you as 00:09:18.39\00:09:22.29 him that does serve. 00:09:22.32\00:09:24.09 For who is greater, he that sits at the dinner table, 00:09:24.13\00:09:26.93 or he that serves? 00:09:26.96\00:09:28.23 Is it not he that sitteth at meat? 00:09:28.26\00:09:30.23 But I am among you as he that serves." 00:09:30.27\00:09:32.33 Christ said, "Look, I have come among you as a servant, 00:09:32.37\00:09:35.17 and I'm your example." 00:09:35.20\00:09:38.24 Now, Karen and I were reading on our way to church this morning. 00:09:38.27\00:09:41.44 We were reading Colossians chapter 1 and part of chapter 2. 00:09:41.48\00:09:46.18 And it says that in Christ, all the fullness 00:09:46.21\00:09:49.98 of the Godhead dwells bodily. 00:09:50.02\00:09:53.39 Jesus said, "If you have seen me, 00:09:53.42\00:09:55.26 you have seen the Father." 00:09:55.29\00:09:58.73 Jesus came, he said, as one that serves. 00:09:58.76\00:10:00.93 He cared about people's practical needs. 00:10:00.96\00:10:04.17 He was concerned about when they were hungry, 00:10:04.20\00:10:07.10 and when they were tired. 00:10:07.14\00:10:08.60 And you know, he got down and washed the disciples' feet. 00:10:08.64\00:10:14.08 But all the fullness of God was in Jesus. 00:10:14.11\00:10:17.11 Is God a servant? 00:10:17.15\00:10:20.82 God spends all his time ministering. 00:10:20.85\00:10:24.39 It says, "He opens his hand and satisfies the desire 00:10:24.42\00:10:27.72 of every living thing." 00:10:27.76\00:10:29.09 God spends his life, his time, giving. 00:10:29.12\00:10:34.00 He's providing, he's sustaining all the time. 00:10:34.03\00:10:38.27 Jesus came to show us what the Father is like. 00:10:38.30\00:10:40.90 Now, why do we serve God? 00:10:40.94\00:10:42.84 This is the big challenge that the devil made. 00:10:42.87\00:10:44.77 You know, you look back there in Job, 00:10:44.81\00:10:46.88 and Job says to the Lord--I'm sorry, 00:10:46.91\00:10:49.11 the devil says to the Lord, "Does Job serve God 00:10:49.14\00:10:54.95 for naught, for nothing? 00:10:54.98\00:10:57.19 Why is he serving you?" 00:10:57.22\00:10:59.22 Why do we serve the Lord? 00:10:59.25\00:11:01.92 You know, we talked about this at church, 00:11:01.96\00:11:03.79 oh, a few months back, WIFIM. 00:11:03.83\00:11:06.13 Anyone remember what WIFIM is? 00:11:06.16\00:11:10.20 WIFIM, W-I-F-I-M, what's in it for me? 00:11:10.23\00:11:15.00 So many people, when they are evaluating a decision, 00:11:15.04\00:11:18.54 they think WIFIM. 00:11:18.57\00:11:20.71 "How will this affect me?" 00:11:20.74\00:11:24.21 But with the Lord, it's always, "How will it affect others?" 00:11:24.25\00:11:28.78 What are the great commands? 00:11:28.82\00:11:33.92 What did Jesus say--how do you summarize the great commands? 00:11:33.96\00:11:36.26 Thou shalt love the Lord 00:11:36.29\00:11:38.69 with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. 00:11:38.73\00:11:40.03 And what's the second part? Love your neighbor. 00:11:40.06\00:11:42.43 Do either of those include you until you get to the very end? 00:11:42.46\00:11:46.60 Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:11:46.63\00:11:48.90 So, it starts out with the Lord, it ends with yourself. 00:11:48.94\00:11:52.07 But most of the world has the equation inside out 00:11:52.11\00:11:55.28 and upside down. 00:11:55.31\00:11:56.61 We are first concerned with what's in it for me. 00:11:56.64\00:12:00.08 Jesus cane to say, "Love others. Give to others. 00:12:00.12\00:12:04.59 Love the Lord, and make that the priority." 00:12:04.62\00:12:07.26 And so, the devil said, "Oh, he's just like other people. 00:12:07.29\00:12:09.36 He's just doing it because of what's in it for him. 00:12:09.39\00:12:11.43 The reason he serves you is because you bless him 00:12:11.46\00:12:13.09 and you protect him. 00:12:13.13\00:12:14.40 It's all about what's in it for me." 00:12:14.46\00:12:17.37 Now, is there some truth to the devil's accusation that there 00:12:17.40\00:12:21.17 are some people, we used to call them rice Christians? 00:12:21.20\00:12:24.84 You ever heard that expression before? 00:12:24.87\00:12:28.48 I think it came out of the missionary days in China, 00:12:28.51\00:12:32.85 where if you gave free rice to the people, 00:12:32.88\00:12:35.35 they'd be a Christian. 00:12:35.38\00:12:37.45 And it's like when Jesus multiplied the bread, 00:12:37.49\00:12:40.76 they were all ready to follow him when 00:12:40.79\00:12:42.09 they multiplied the bread. 00:12:42.12\00:12:43.43 Today, there's another term. We call it prosperity preachers. 00:12:43.46\00:12:48.23 And they tell people if you serve God, 00:12:48.26\00:12:50.83 if you have faith in God, you will be healthy, 00:12:50.87\00:12:52.90 wealthy, and wise. 00:12:52.93\00:12:54.24 So, the reason to serve God is for your health, 00:12:54.27\00:12:57.47 wealth, and wisdom. 00:12:57.51\00:12:59.41 Is that the right reason? 00:12:59.44\00:13:01.71 Now, is there some truth to the idea that God blesses 00:13:01.74\00:13:07.48 those who serve him? 00:13:07.52\00:13:09.55 Yeah. Does God also protect people? 00:13:09.58\00:13:12.55 Let's look at some verses that first bear this out. 00:13:12.59\00:13:15.96 And by the way, I want to read Job 1:10. 00:13:15.99\00:13:17.99 This is the devil's accusation. 00:13:18.03\00:13:19.93 "Have you not made a hedge about him, 00:13:19.96\00:13:22.16 and about his household, and about all that he has? 00:13:22.20\00:13:25.43 You have blessed the work of his hands, 00:13:25.47\00:13:27.14 and his possessions have increased in the land." 00:13:27.17\00:13:29.17 Generally speaking, not always, but generally speaking, 00:13:29.20\00:13:33.41 it is true God will bless his people. 00:13:33.44\00:13:37.75 It doesn't mean that bad people don't receive blessings because 00:13:37.78\00:13:41.75 God sends blessings on the just and the unjust. 00:13:41.78\00:13:44.19 And it doesn't mean that bad things don't happen to good 00:13:44.22\00:13:46.52 people, as good and bad comes to everybody. 00:13:46.55\00:13:50.36 But generally speaking, the Lord has a lot of promised blessings. 00:13:50.39\00:13:54.56 Let me ask you, what are some of the blessings? 00:13:54.60\00:13:56.97 Can you think of any offhand? 00:13:57.00\00:13:59.10 If you pay your tithe, what's the blessing? 00:13:59.13\00:14:02.44 "I will open for you the windows of heaven, 00:14:02.47\00:14:06.11 and pour out a blessing that you'll not 00:14:06.14\00:14:07.44 have room enough to receive it. 00:14:07.48\00:14:08.81 I'll rebuke the devourer for your sake." 00:14:08.84\00:14:10.68 There's a blessing promised. 00:14:10.71\00:14:12.38 Does God keep that promise? 00:14:12.41\00:14:14.88 So, do you find that theoretically, 00:14:14.92\00:14:17.29 statistically, people who are faithful tithe payers 00:14:17.32\00:14:19.79 are blessed? 00:14:19.82\00:14:21.49 Is that right? 00:14:21.52\00:14:22.82 If God keeps his word. 00:14:22.86\00:14:24.16 What are the other promises and blessings that God offers 00:14:24.19\00:14:27.03 to his people? 00:14:27.10\00:14:30.00 "I was young, and I am now old, but hath not seen the righteous 00:14:30.03\00:14:32.87 forsaken or his seed begging bread." 00:14:32.90\00:14:35.34 Does God provide--seek first the kingdom of God 00:14:35.37\00:14:37.34 and his righteousness, and all these 00:14:37.37\00:14:39.27 other things will be added to you. 00:14:39.31\00:14:40.61 Meaning what shall I eat, what shall I drink, 00:14:40.64\00:14:42.14 what will I wear? 00:14:42.18\00:14:43.95 If you seek first God's kingdom, does he seem to provide 00:14:43.98\00:14:46.48 for our daily needs? 00:14:46.51\00:14:48.65 If he does for the birds and the flowers, right? 00:14:48.68\00:14:51.29 So, he promises provision. 00:14:51.32\00:14:53.15 Can you name some other blessings? 00:14:53.19\00:14:58.46 Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long on 00:14:58.49\00:15:01.40 the land that the Lord your God gives you. 00:15:01.43\00:15:03.60 So, does he promise that if you honor your fathers and mothers, 00:15:03.63\00:15:06.40 you'll maybe have a longer life? 00:15:06.43\00:15:10.51 I think I mentioned once before it can be demonstrated 00:15:10.54\00:15:13.64 statistically that some of the longest living people in the 00:15:13.68\00:15:16.18 world are the Japanese, and they also have a very high regard 00:15:16.21\00:15:20.38 for their elders. 00:15:20.42\00:15:23.32 Even though Japan is a largely atheistic country, 00:15:23.35\00:15:25.82 they still get the blessing of their days are long on the land. 00:15:25.85\00:15:30.06 Someone else--I heard a couple of others. 00:15:30.09\00:15:31.66 What are some of the typical--what's in it for you if 00:15:31.69\00:15:34.46 you serve the Lord in this life? 00:15:34.50\00:15:37.00 Is it wrong to ever think that? 00:15:37.03\00:15:40.90 I mean, should we feel selfish if we're wondering what do we 00:15:40.94\00:15:44.97 get if we serve the Lord? 00:15:45.01\00:15:48.44 Peter said, Matthew 19:27, Peter said, 00:15:48.48\00:15:52.48 "Lord, we've left everything and followed you. 00:15:52.51\00:15:55.25 What will we have?" 00:15:55.28\00:15:56.75 WIFIM. 00:15:56.79\00:15:58.42 Peter said to the Lord, "What's in it for me? 00:15:58.45\00:16:00.99 What do I get?" 00:16:01.02\00:16:02.32 You know, Jesus said, "No man has left father or mother, 00:16:02.36\00:16:05.03 or houses or lands for my sake and the gospels but he'll have a 00:16:05.06\00:16:09.86 hundredfold more in this life with persecution." 00:16:09.90\00:16:15.10 So, is it generally true that God blesses his people? 00:16:15.14\00:16:18.87 It is. 00:16:18.91\00:16:20.21 Let's look at some other verses on that. 00:16:20.24\00:16:21.68 Someone's going to read for me in just a moment 2 Kings 6:17. 00:16:21.71\00:16:24.88 You have that, Alberto? 00:16:24.91\00:16:26.21 I'll read Psalm 91, you all know this, 00:16:26.25\00:16:29.62 verse 11 and 12. 00:16:29.65\00:16:30.95 "For he will give his angels charge over you, 00:16:30.99\00:16:34.16 to keep thee in all thy ways. 00:16:34.19\00:16:36.56 And they will bear you up in their hands, 00:16:36.59\00:16:38.36 lest you dash your foot against a stone." 00:16:38.39\00:16:40.56 They're guarding you so you don't even slip 00:16:40.60\00:16:42.80 and crush your foot. 00:16:42.83\00:16:46.40 I went kayaking--no, rafting this last week with a number of 00:16:46.43\00:16:52.87 the Amazing Facts employees and their families. 00:16:52.91\00:16:55.31 I hadn't been river rafting in years. 00:16:55.34\00:16:57.28 We went down a section of the American River, 00:16:57.31\00:17:00.55 about a 4-hour trip, 3 rafts, had about 20 of us. 00:17:00.58\00:17:04.59 And I felt pretty confident, even though we were going 00:17:04.62\00:17:09.19 through some number three rapids, 00:17:09.22\00:17:10.53 I had nothing to fear because I kayaked for years. 00:17:10.56\00:17:13.03 I've gone through a number of six rapids. 00:17:13.06\00:17:14.46 If you know what that is, that's the highest, 00:17:14.50\00:17:15.80 most difficult level of rapids. 00:17:15.83\00:17:17.57 A hundred feet after launching the kayak, 00:17:17.60\00:17:22.04 it hit a rock and I fell over. 00:17:22.07\00:17:24.87 I was so embarrassed. 00:17:24.91\00:17:26.41 I made it through the rapids fine, 00:17:26.44\00:17:27.74 but I fell over before we even got out of kindergarten. 00:17:27.78\00:17:32.15 And the raft started kind of going over me, 00:17:32.18\00:17:34.28 and I thought, "Oh, this is it. My life is flashing before me." 00:17:34.32\00:17:37.95 But you know what? 00:17:37.99\00:17:39.29 I got back in the boat even though I got tumbled 00:17:39.32\00:17:40.62 around a little bit, didn't get hurt. 00:17:40.66\00:17:45.66 I thought, "Thank you, Lord. That could have really hurt." 00:17:45.69\00:17:48.30 In the water, you know, between the raft and the rock, 00:17:48.33\00:17:51.37 and getting bounced around a little bit. 00:17:51.40\00:17:54.37 And God's got angels watching us all the time. 00:17:54.40\00:17:59.47 Go ahead, read for us 2 Kings 6:17. 00:17:59.51\00:18:05.48 male: "And Elisha prayed and said, 00:18:05.51\00:18:08.12 'Lord, I pray open his eyes, that he may see.' 00:18:08.15\00:18:11.62 Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, 00:18:11.65\00:18:13.52 and he saw. 00:18:13.56\00:18:15.52 And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots 00:18:15.56\00:18:18.86 of fire all around Elisha." 00:18:18.89\00:18:20.56 Doug: You remember the story. 00:18:20.60\00:18:22.96 The king of Assyria wanted to capture Elisha the prophet 00:18:23.00\00:18:26.27 because he was like God's secret weapon for the king of Israel. 00:18:26.30\00:18:29.94 And he sent an army to surround the little town of Dothan. 00:18:29.97\00:18:34.18 Dothan is this little town in a valley, 00:18:34.21\00:18:36.64 and it means wells. 00:18:36.68\00:18:38.58 And he's there with his servant. 00:18:38.61\00:18:41.58 His servant wakes up, and he looks, 00:18:41.62\00:18:43.55 and in the morning, they see the glittering armor of all these 00:18:43.59\00:18:46.72 soldiers and army, horses surrounding the little town. 00:18:46.76\00:18:50.99 And the servant is panic stricken, 00:18:51.03\00:18:53.66 and Elisha said, "Don't be afraid. 00:18:53.70\00:18:55.16 Lord, open his eyes." 00:18:55.20\00:18:56.70 Elisha wasn't afraid because he knew that the angel of the Lord 00:18:56.73\00:19:00.14 encamps roundabout those that fear him. 00:19:00.17\00:19:02.14 See, Elisha read David. 00:19:02.17\00:19:04.54 Elisha comes after David. 00:19:04.57\00:19:05.87 And the eyes of the servant are opened, 00:19:05.91\00:19:08.71 and suddenly he sees there is an army of God and his angels that 00:19:08.74\00:19:12.75 surrounds the army of Syria. 00:19:12.78\00:19:17.29 Does the Lord put a hedge about his people? 00:19:17.32\00:19:20.29 He does. 00:19:20.32\00:19:21.62 And then I'll read you Psalm 34:7, 00:19:21.66\00:19:23.93 "The angel of the Lord encamps roundabout those that fear him, 00:19:23.96\00:19:28.13 and delivers them." 00:19:28.16\00:19:29.93 Now, these are just a few, but there are other Scriptures in 00:19:29.96\00:19:32.77 the Bible that share this principle that God does protect. 00:19:32.80\00:19:36.74 So, was the devil's accusation at least partially true? 00:19:36.77\00:19:42.28 Yeah, there's always the--the devil is a master 00:19:42.31\00:19:44.18 of mixing some truth. 00:19:44.21\00:19:45.51 He says, "You've hedged him in." 00:19:45.55\00:19:46.85 And God, basically God is saying, 00:19:46.88\00:19:48.32 "Well, I am blessing and protecting Job." 00:19:48.35\00:19:51.72 Because as soon as God withdraws that protection, 00:19:51.75\00:19:55.09 oh, the devil comes in, he's able to do all kinds 00:19:55.12\00:19:57.16 of things to Job. 00:19:57.19\00:19:59.06 And so, the book of Job is a sobering reminder 00:19:59.09\00:20:01.86 that except for God's grace and his hedge, 00:20:01.90\00:20:05.73 we would be going through what Job went through. 00:20:05.77\00:20:08.54 Now, some of us have gone through parts 00:20:08.57\00:20:10.64 of what Job went through. 00:20:10.67\00:20:12.14 Some of us have been sick, maybe not as bad as Job, 00:20:12.17\00:20:16.28 or at least not as much physical pain. 00:20:16.31\00:20:18.71 Some of us have experienced financial loss. 00:20:18.75\00:20:22.92 Job lost everything. 00:20:22.95\00:20:24.62 Some of us have lost loved ones. Job lost all of his children. 00:20:24.65\00:20:31.76 And imagine having all those 00:20:31.79\00:20:33.16 things happen one after the other. 00:20:33.19\00:20:34.46 I mean, and then you lose your health. 00:20:34.50\00:20:36.73 It's like you're just, "What's the point of living?" 00:20:36.77\00:20:39.33 at that time. 00:20:39.37\00:20:41.00 And then you have to ask yourself, 00:20:41.04\00:20:46.37 "How much is God protecting me?" 00:20:46.41\00:20:49.38 Now, God protected Job, and he was a righteous man. 00:20:49.41\00:20:52.95 I don't know, is there anyone here that's going to claim to 00:20:52.98\00:20:54.78 have the righteousness of Job? 00:20:54.82\00:20:57.75 It says, "Though these three were in the land, 00:20:57.79\00:21:00.49 Daniel, Job, and Noah, they will deliver 00:21:00.52\00:21:02.89 neither son nor daughter." 00:21:02.92\00:21:04.23 Job is up there with the greatest righteous people 00:21:04.26\00:21:08.23 in the Bible. 00:21:08.26\00:21:10.17 And yet, Job went through trials, 00:21:10.20\00:21:11.60 so do we have a right to complain when 00:21:11.63\00:21:13.20 we go through trials? 00:21:13.23\00:21:15.97 God protects us even though we're not as faithful as Job 00:21:16.00\00:21:19.21 because God is good, amen? 00:21:19.24\00:21:21.78 All right, then you go to the next section, 00:21:21.81\00:21:24.21 it's called Skin for Skin. 00:21:24.25\00:21:25.95 And this brings us back to the devil's other accusation. 00:21:25.98\00:21:28.72 Turn to the book of Job and you'll see that here 00:21:28.75\00:21:31.55 in I believe chapter 2. 00:21:31.59\00:21:36.06 Job chapter 2, "And again there was a day when the sons of God 00:21:36.09\00:21:39.79 came to present themselves before the Lord, 00:21:39.83\00:21:41.66 and Satan also came among them to present himself 00:21:41.70\00:21:44.80 before the Lord. 00:21:44.83\00:21:46.17 And the Lord said to Satan, 'Where did you come from?' 00:21:46.20\00:21:49.87 'From going to and fro on the earth, 00:21:49.90\00:21:51.37 and walking back and forth on it.' 00:21:51.41\00:21:52.91 And the Lord said to Satan, 00:21:52.94\00:21:55.04 'Have you considered my servant Job, 00:21:55.08\00:21:57.41 that there is none like him on the earth, 00:21:57.45\00:21:59.55 a blameless and an upright man who fears God and shuns evil. 00:21:59.58\00:22:03.55 And he still holds fast his integrity." 00:22:03.59\00:22:05.92 Now, you remember what his wife said to him? 00:22:05.95\00:22:07.96 "Do you still retain your integrity?" 00:22:07.99\00:22:09.96 "Although you incited me against him to destroy him 00:22:09.99\00:22:13.96 without cause." 00:22:14.00\00:22:15.83 The devil is the accuser of the brethren, 00:22:15.86\00:22:17.47 and he wants God to destroy Job. 00:22:17.50\00:22:18.97 And God is saying, "You know, I took everything he had away. 00:22:19.00\00:22:21.94 He lost all his family. 00:22:21.97\00:22:23.30 And he said, 'Blessed is the name of the Lord.'" 00:22:23.34\00:22:26.57 And Satan said, "Skin for skin." 00:22:26.61\00:22:30.51 Now, this has always--this phrase has been something 00:22:30.55\00:22:32.61 of a mystery to the commentators. 00:22:32.65\00:22:34.12 What did the devil mean by that, skin for skin? 00:22:34.15\00:22:38.09 "Yea, all that a man has he will give for his life." 00:22:38.12\00:22:42.29 It almost sounds like it's, you know, a trade. 00:22:42.32\00:22:44.73 And he's saying, "Oh, someone else's life for their life, 00:22:44.76\00:22:50.73 skin for skin." 00:22:50.77\00:22:52.07 You've heard the expression "by the skin of your teeth"? 00:22:52.10\00:22:54.94 That actually comes from the book of Job, I believe. 00:22:54.97\00:22:57.07 Oh no, no, that's from Psalms, I take that back. 00:22:57.11\00:22:59.21 No, skin of the teeth, I think that is from Job. 00:22:59.24\00:23:02.51 At your wit's end is from Psalms. 00:23:02.54\00:23:05.38 There's some of these expressions that we use 00:23:05.41\00:23:07.02 are in the Bible. 00:23:07.05\00:23:09.18 Anyway, and so he's basically saying that we are all wired, 00:23:09.22\00:23:14.86 humans are wired with this natural desire for 00:23:14.89\00:23:17.89 self-preservation. 00:23:17.93\00:23:19.73 How many atheists do you know that want to stay alive even 00:23:19.76\00:23:25.30 though they don't believe life has a purpose? 00:23:25.33\00:23:29.94 Isn't that interesting? 00:23:29.97\00:23:31.44 Not all, I mean, there's some, I suppose, that commit suicide. 00:23:31.47\00:23:33.98 But I know a lot of atheists that are 00:23:34.01\00:23:36.34 very tenacious for life. 00:23:36.38\00:23:37.68 They call it survival of the fittest. 00:23:37.71\00:23:39.15 And I always think, well, if you think there's no God 00:23:39.18\00:23:41.55 and there's no purpose, why do you want to survive? 00:23:41.58\00:23:44.35 Why do we have this desire to continue existing? 00:23:44.39\00:23:46.89 And why do we naturally jump out of the way of an oncoming car? 00:23:46.92\00:23:54.66 Why are we wired to do everything 00:23:54.73\00:23:58.17 to try to preserve our life? 00:23:58.20\00:24:01.57 If your fingers are burning, why not let them just burn? 00:24:01.60\00:24:06.24 We're predisposed to protect ourselves, 00:24:06.27\00:24:09.21 to nourish ourselves, to feed ourselves, 00:24:09.24\00:24:11.15 to save ourselves. 00:24:11.18\00:24:13.48 And God is basically saying, "Job's lost everything 00:24:13.52\00:24:18.05 and Job lost everyone, but he's still in good health. 00:24:18.09\00:24:21.79 When his life is at risk, he'll curse you." 00:24:21.82\00:24:24.86 Skin for skin, a man will give everything to save his skin. 00:24:24.89\00:24:28.06 That's pretty much what the devil's accusing, right? 00:24:28.10\00:24:33.34 And so, he says, "All right, I'm going to let him into 00:24:33.37\00:24:37.81 your hands, but do not touch his life." 00:24:37.84\00:24:41.41 Now, why is the devil attacking Job? 00:24:41.44\00:24:44.81 Is the devil's battle really with Job, 00:24:44.85\00:24:47.25 or is it with God? 00:24:47.28\00:24:50.45 Job is just a pawn. 00:24:50.49\00:24:52.25 Why does the devil tempt you and I? 00:24:52.29\00:24:54.76 Because he just hates humans? 00:24:54.79\00:24:56.93 Well, he does hate humans, but why? 00:24:56.96\00:24:59.89 What did we ever do to bother the devil? 00:24:59.93\00:25:03.67 I don't remember ever having a personal dispute with the devil, 00:25:03.70\00:25:06.30 and he's out to destroy me. 00:25:06.33\00:25:07.97 It's because he knows God loves you. 00:25:08.00\00:25:09.97 The devil resents that man was given dominion of the world, 00:25:10.01\00:25:12.57 so he took that dominion because Satan lost his leadership 00:25:12.61\00:25:15.64 in the universe. 00:25:15.68\00:25:17.65 And man was given leadership of the world. 00:25:17.68\00:25:20.45 And I think the devil also resents that he cannot create 00:25:20.48\00:25:23.59 life, and man was given the ability, 00:25:23.62\00:25:25.59 like God, to procreate in our own image, 00:25:25.62\00:25:29.19 as God made man in his own image. 00:25:29.22\00:25:31.23 So, and then he sees how much God loves us. 00:25:31.26\00:25:34.23 And if you want to hurt your enemy, 00:25:34.30\00:25:35.93 hurt what they love. 00:25:35.96\00:25:37.90 And the devil hates us because he hates God, 00:25:37.93\00:25:40.27 and he knows God loves us. 00:25:40.30\00:25:42.94 And so, really this is about hurting God 00:25:42.97\00:25:44.91 and proving God wrong. 00:25:44.94\00:25:46.51 And what good is it to prove that to God 00:25:46.54\00:25:50.68 unless there's an audience? 00:25:50.71\00:25:52.01 Who's watching? 00:25:52.05\00:25:54.32 See what I'm saying? 00:25:54.35\00:25:56.28 If you're ever going to be vindicated for being right, 00:25:56.32\00:25:58.12 what good is vindication if nobody knows? 00:25:58.15\00:26:00.89 I suppose there might be some self-satisfaction. 00:26:00.92\00:26:03.99 But if you've been accused publically, 00:26:04.03\00:26:07.10 and finally you're vindicated and the public doesn't know 00:26:07.13\00:26:09.20 you're vindicated, that would kind of defeat 00:26:09.23\00:26:12.07 a lot of it, right? 00:26:12.10\00:26:13.77 And so, there's an audience in all of these things. 00:26:13.80\00:26:16.50 He comes to present himself before the Lord, 00:26:16.54\00:26:18.91 this heavenly gathering. 00:26:18.94\00:26:20.84 You can look, for instance, in Hebrews 12:1, 00:26:20.88\00:26:25.35 "We also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud 00:26:25.38\00:26:29.02 of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that 00:26:29.05\00:26:32.85 does so easily ensnare us, and let us run with endurance the 00:26:32.89\00:26:36.46 race that is set before." 00:26:36.49\00:26:38.49 We're surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. 00:26:38.53\00:26:42.10 Who are these--who's the cloud of witnesses that's mentioned 00:26:42.13\00:26:44.83 there in Hebrews chapter 12? 00:26:44.87\00:26:49.30 First of all, you read in Hebrews 11, 00:26:49.34\00:26:51.71 it talks about all of the great faithful. 00:26:51.74\00:26:54.84 And Paul is saying, "Look, we've got this cloud of witnesses 00:26:54.88\00:26:57.38 through history." 00:26:57.41\00:26:58.88 But is that the only cloud of witnesses? 00:26:58.91\00:27:02.48 I don't know how many people are here this morning. 00:27:02.52\00:27:04.12 It changes from the start of Sabbath School 00:27:04.15\00:27:06.05 until the end of Sabbath School. 00:27:06.09\00:27:07.32 But if I were to look out and do an evangelist count--well, 00:27:07.36\00:27:09.19 if I'm doing an evangelistic count, 00:27:09.22\00:27:10.89 there's thousands of people here. 00:27:10.93\00:27:12.23 But if I was to do a realistic account, 00:27:12.26\00:27:18.70 maybe 150, 200 people. 00:27:18.73\00:27:20.97 Is that about right? 00:27:21.00\00:27:23.67 What do you think, Pastor Luke? 00:27:23.71\00:27:27.71 A hundred? 00:27:27.74\00:27:29.14 You don't turn around. 00:27:29.18\00:27:30.48 So, how many are in the room, 150, 200? 00:27:30.51\00:27:36.58 Or are there beings in the room that you don't see? 00:27:36.62\00:27:40.99 Yeah, I'm not talking about kidney beans and pinto beans. 00:27:41.02\00:27:43.46 I'm talking about angelic beings. 00:27:43.49\00:27:47.66 There's a lot that--and how many angels fell? 00:27:47.66\00:27:52.90 We don't know the number, but we know the percentage. 00:27:52.93\00:27:54.97 It says about a third. 00:27:55.00\00:27:56.50 Satan was cast out, and he drew a third of the stars with his 00:27:56.54\00:28:00.48 tail, and cast them to the earth. 00:28:00.51\00:28:02.28 About a third of these angels fell, which is good. 00:28:02.31\00:28:05.71 That means there's about two good angels for every bad angel. 00:28:05.75\00:28:09.75 But they're not just out there in heaven at these meetings. 00:28:09.78\00:28:13.42 They're here on earth. These are ministering spirits. 00:28:13.46\00:28:15.86 When the eyes of Elisha's servant were opened, 00:28:15.89\00:28:17.76 he saw the armies of God. 00:28:17.79\00:28:20.83 And so, God has his angels. 00:28:20.86\00:28:22.70 When Jacob's eyes were opened in vision, 00:28:22.73\00:28:25.03 what did he see? 00:28:25.07\00:28:26.47 Angels of God ascending and descending 00:28:26.50\00:28:29.27 on this heavenly escalator. 00:28:29.30\00:28:32.21 And so, there are angels around. 00:28:32.24\00:28:36.31 You read in 1 Corinthians 4:9, "For I think that God has set 00:28:36.34\00:28:40.88 us, the apostles, last, as it were appointed to death, 00:28:40.92\00:28:44.35 for we are made a spectacle unto the world, 00:28:44.39\00:28:47.42 and to angels, and to men." 00:28:47.46\00:28:50.53 A spectacle, being watched by angels and men. 00:28:50.56\00:28:54.93 We're not alone in this. 00:28:54.93\00:28:56.16 There's a stadium all the time beholding the things that are 00:28:56.20\00:28:59.27 happening here on earth. 00:28:59.30\00:29:00.97 Now, someone's going to read for me again that verse 00:29:01.00\00:29:06.64 in Job 2:4 and 5 in just a moment. 00:29:06.68\00:29:08.18 You'll have that Hafdis. 00:29:08.21\00:29:09.54 I also want you to look at Daniel 7, verse 10. 00:29:09.58\00:29:13.05 This is a picture of that great judgment. 00:29:13.08\00:29:15.55 It says, "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. 00:29:15.58\00:29:19.52 Thousands of thousands ministered to him, 00:29:19.55\00:29:21.99 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him, 00:29:22.02\00:29:26.16 and the judgment was set, and the books were opened." 00:29:26.19\00:29:29.06 Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present 00:29:29.10\00:29:31.27 themselves before the Lord. 00:29:31.30\00:29:32.90 How many of them were there? 00:29:32.93\00:29:36.17 Doesn't say in the text. 00:29:36.20\00:29:38.44 I think sometimes, we picture--well, 00:29:38.47\00:29:41.01 Revelation says he's got 24 elders around his throne. 00:29:41.04\00:29:44.95 Maybe there were 24 of them, and Lucifer showed up. 00:29:44.98\00:29:48.22 Or maybe that meeting in heaven is more like what we read in 00:29:48.25\00:29:52.02 Daniel 7, where it says 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him, 00:29:52.05\00:29:57.96 thousands of thousands ministered to him. 00:29:57.99\00:30:00.86 These are the ministering spirits. 00:30:00.90\00:30:02.16 And the ones who stand before him, 00:30:02.20\00:30:03.97 they could be the sons of God. 00:30:04.00\00:30:05.30 I mean, you think about these big heavenly gatherings. 00:30:05.33\00:30:08.77 We don't know how many there were. 00:30:08.80\00:30:10.67 If these are the leaders of unfallen worlds, 00:30:10.71\00:30:12.91 how many unfallen worlds are there? 00:30:12.94\00:30:16.28 For you and I, it's probably almost infinite, 00:30:16.31\00:30:17.98 I mean, just from what we know about space. 00:30:18.01\00:30:20.18 We can't even comprehend the vastness of space. 00:30:20.22\00:30:23.95 And so, it's a big universe out there. 00:30:23.99\00:30:25.62 All right, let's go back, we're going to return to that thought 00:30:25.65\00:30:28.26 about skin for skin for just a moment. 00:30:28.29\00:30:29.89 Why don't you read that for us? 00:30:29.92\00:30:32.46 female: So, Satan answered the Lord 00:30:32.49\00:30:34.20 and said, 'Skin for skin. 00:30:34.23\00:30:37.10 Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life. 00:30:37.13\00:30:41.50 But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his 00:30:41.54\00:30:45.21 flesh, and he will surely curse you to your face.'" 00:30:45.24\00:30:48.94 Doug: First of all, who is it that ends up 00:30:48.98\00:30:51.95 touching his bone and his hand? 00:30:51.98\00:30:54.32 Satan says to the Lord, "You stretch out your hand, 00:30:54.35\00:30:56.89 and you touch him." 00:30:56.92\00:30:58.62 Is it God who does it, or is it Satan who does it? 00:30:58.65\00:31:02.16 God then says, "I'm putting what he has in your hands, 00:31:02.19\00:31:07.23 but don't take his life." 00:31:07.30\00:31:08.66 In other words, you ever heard the expression 00:31:08.70\00:31:10.83 "within an inch of his life"? 00:31:10.87\00:31:14.07 He was tortured within an inch of his life. 00:31:14.10\00:31:17.67 That means he was just at the border of expiring physically. 00:31:17.71\00:31:21.78 And so Satan, he had to probably measure and back off his 00:31:21.81\00:31:26.45 torture every now and then when he said, 00:31:26.48\00:31:28.05 "Oh, he's almost dead." 00:31:28.08\00:31:29.78 You hear every now and then about people who are in some 00:31:29.82\00:31:32.82 concentration camp, where they're being tortured 00:31:32.85\00:31:34.82 by some cruel enemy. 00:31:34.86\00:31:36.59 And they don't want to kill them because they might 00:31:36.62\00:31:38.73 want them for ransom. 00:31:38.76\00:31:40.13 They might want them to trade with other prisoners, 00:31:40.16\00:31:42.26 but they've got information, so they torture them 00:31:42.30\00:31:43.70 within an inch of their life. 00:31:43.73\00:31:46.07 And they got to be careful not to kill them because 00:31:46.10\00:31:48.07 that might defeat the purpose. 00:31:48.10\00:31:50.37 And so, this is what the devil was doing. 00:31:50.41\00:31:52.27 How much can I torture Job so that he gives up his faith? 00:31:52.31\00:31:56.64 But I don't want him to die right away. 00:31:56.68\00:31:58.51 You know, I think it shocked the devil when Jesus on the cross 00:31:58.55\00:32:04.55 said, "Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit," 00:32:04.59\00:32:07.09 he breathed his last, and he died. 00:32:07.12\00:32:10.03 I think he died sooner than the devil expected. 00:32:10.06\00:32:13.40 Pilate did not believe he had died so quickly because he had 00:32:13.43\00:32:17.40 just tried him that morning, and a crucifixion victim 00:32:17.43\00:32:20.47 would often last for days. 00:32:20.50\00:32:24.24 But Jesus didn't die from the whipping and the torturing. 00:32:24.27\00:32:27.88 The Romans had developed crucifixion to extract the 00:32:27.91\00:32:30.55 maximum amount of suffering they could from a victim. 00:32:30.58\00:32:34.12 They didn't want them to die right away. 00:32:34.15\00:32:35.88 They wanted to make him--torture him. 00:32:35.92\00:32:38.45 And this is what the devil was doing to Job. 00:32:38.49\00:32:39.95 By the way, and it'll come up later, 00:32:39.99\00:32:41.82 and you've heard me say it, Job is a type of Christ. 00:32:41.86\00:32:45.69 And it seems like he's a virtually sinless person, 00:32:45.73\00:32:50.90 though he did sin, but he's a type of somebody 00:32:50.93\00:32:53.74 who is righteous. 00:32:53.77\00:32:56.14 Look at the difference between Job and Adam. 00:32:56.17\00:33:02.01 Adam is surrounded with blessings, 00:33:02.04\00:33:03.81 and health, and paradise, and he denies God. 00:33:03.85\00:33:07.98 Job is plagued on every side, has everything taken away, 00:33:08.02\00:33:11.85 he's suffering physically, and he retains his integrity. 00:33:11.89\00:33:15.06 He obeys God. 00:33:15.09\00:33:17.76 All right, skin for skin. 00:33:17.79\00:33:20.60 I was thinking of a few examples in the Bible where people sold 00:33:20.63\00:33:23.60 out to save their lives. 00:33:23.63\00:33:25.43 The devil's saying, "Job is going to sell out on you, 00:33:25.47\00:33:28.17 God, to save his life." 00:33:28.20\00:33:30.57 How many of you remember in the book of Judges, 00:33:30.61\00:33:33.81 when I think it was the people of Dan were trying to capture a 00:33:33.84\00:33:36.78 city, and they're taking the Promised Land, 00:33:36.81\00:33:38.18 and they see this one man out there trying to find the secret 00:33:38.21\00:33:40.18 entrance to the city? 00:33:40.22\00:33:42.25 And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city," I think 00:33:42.28\00:33:44.99 it's the city of Luz, "they said to him, 00:33:45.02\00:33:47.49 'Please show us the entrance to the city, 00:33:47.52\00:33:49.22 and we will show you mercy.' 00:33:49.26\00:33:50.56 So, he showed them the entrance of the city, 00:33:50.59\00:33:54.20 and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, 00:33:54.20\00:33:56.26 but they let the man and his family go." 00:33:56.30\00:33:58.63 They basically said, "You're dead unless you sell out 00:33:58.67\00:34:02.44 your city." 00:34:02.47\00:34:03.77 To save his life, he sold out all of his neighbors 00:34:03.81\00:34:06.78 to save his family and his life. 00:34:06.81\00:34:09.84 Not the first time that's happened in history, right? 00:34:09.88\00:34:14.95 Then you read in 1 Samuel 30, verse 15 the Amalekites had 00:34:14.98\00:34:19.29 captured David's family and the families of his mighty men. 00:34:19.32\00:34:24.63 And it says, while they're to hunt and figure out 00:34:24.66\00:34:26.73 where the Amalekites are, and rescue their family, 00:34:26.76\00:34:28.60 they find this Egyptian servant that had been abandoned 00:34:28.63\00:34:33.00 by the raiding party. 00:34:33.03\00:34:35.64 And David says to him, "Can you take me to this troop?" 00:34:35.67\00:34:38.17 to the soldiers. 00:34:38.21\00:34:39.51 He said, "Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me or 00:34:39.54\00:34:43.01 deliver me into the hands of my master, 00:34:43.04\00:34:45.55 and I will take you down to this troop." 00:34:45.58\00:34:47.55 Evidently, they made that promise because he took him down 00:34:47.58\00:34:49.62 to the army, and they killed all the Amalekites, 00:34:49.65\00:34:52.22 or most of them. 00:34:52.25\00:34:54.39 And he was ready to make a deal to do what? 00:34:54.42\00:34:57.69 Skin for skin, save his life. 00:34:57.73\00:35:03.26 Is there going to be a time in the last days where we may be 00:35:03.30\00:35:06.03 tempted with the same test? 00:35:06.07\00:35:09.60 What does it say regarding those who 00:35:09.64\00:35:11.57 do not bear the mark of the beast? 00:35:11.61\00:35:13.04 They can't buy or sell, which implies what? 00:35:13.07\00:35:18.78 Credit card at the mall will be of no use. 00:35:18.81\00:35:23.05 Yeah, we're not--we're not thinking about just not being 00:35:23.08\00:35:26.02 able to keep up with the latest fashions, 00:35:26.05\00:35:27.62 though that may be torture for some. 00:35:27.66\00:35:30.43 But I mean, cannot buy or sell, for me 00:35:30.46\00:35:32.96 it's a little deeper than that. 00:35:32.99\00:35:34.30 I'm thinking we can't buy or sell anything. 00:35:34.30\00:35:37.53 No gas for your car, no food for your refrigerator. 00:35:37.57\00:35:42.20 Maybe you don't pay your water bill, 00:35:42.24\00:35:43.57 they cut off the water. 00:35:43.61\00:35:46.14 It could get pretty--you could be in strait places 00:35:46.17\00:35:48.91 if you can't buy or sell. 00:35:48.94\00:35:50.88 And you'll be thinking, "Skin for skin. 00:35:50.91\00:35:54.68 All that a man has, he'll sell to save himself." 00:35:54.72\00:36:00.09 And if that doesn't work for God's people, 00:36:00.12\00:36:01.99 not being able to buy or sell, what's the final--what's 00:36:02.02\00:36:04.93 the final law? 00:36:04.96\00:36:07.86 Those who don't receive the mark of the beast should be killed. 00:36:07.86\00:36:12.30 Well, it doesn't get a lot more serious than that. 00:36:12.33\00:36:14.27 But what did Jesus say about if you're tortured 00:36:14.30\00:36:16.14 or killed for your faith? 00:36:16.17\00:36:18.54 Fear not them that can punish, torture, 00:36:18.57\00:36:23.01 kill the body, but they can't hurt your soul. 00:36:23.04\00:36:25.95 Don't fear those who can torture your body. 00:36:25.98\00:36:28.62 Fear rather those who can destroy. 00:36:28.65\00:36:30.69 If you're the one who can destroy soul and body in hell, 00:36:30.72\00:36:33.15 which is who? God. 00:36:33.19\00:36:34.69 He's got your eternity. 00:36:34.72\00:36:36.59 So, to get temporary relief, we might be tempted to sell out, 00:36:36.62\00:36:41.73 skin for skin. 00:36:41.76\00:36:44.43 But Christians need to have the courage of Job. 00:36:44.47\00:36:47.50 And even though he was suffering incredible physical pain, 00:36:47.54\00:36:50.07 he would not deny God. 00:36:50.11\00:36:52.07 He retained his integrity. 00:36:52.11\00:36:53.98 I remember reading that--you know, 00:36:54.01\00:36:56.48 there's a book, it's not--it's not a happy reading, 00:36:56.51\00:37:02.42 but it's an interesting book. 00:37:02.45\00:37:05.12 You ever heard of the book called "Fox's Book of Martyrs"? 00:37:05.15\00:37:09.26 you can download it for free and read it. 00:37:09.29\00:37:10.86 It's an old book. 00:37:10.89\00:37:12.39 It's a history of the martyrs of the Christian church up through 00:37:12.43\00:37:17.10 the Reformation, written by a guy named Fox. 00:37:17.13\00:37:20.10 And he just--he was a historian that chronicled, 00:37:20.14\00:37:24.61 he gathered all of the records and the chronicles he could of 00:37:24.64\00:37:27.58 what the martyrs went through, going all the way back to the 00:37:27.61\00:37:30.28 Christians thrown to the lions. 00:37:30.31\00:37:33.01 And boy, I'll tell you, it'll really challenge you. 00:37:33.05\00:37:37.45 A lot of them went through incredible suffering, 00:37:37.49\00:37:39.75 and they would not deny their faith. 00:37:39.79\00:37:42.59 Some of the martyrs that were burned for their faith, 00:37:42.62\00:37:44.63 one of them begged that they would add dry wood to the fire 00:37:44.66\00:37:48.26 because he was burning too slowly. 00:37:48.30\00:37:51.70 And he said, "Please speed it up." 00:37:51.73\00:37:53.17 I mean, it's terrible to think that a person--but he wouldn't 00:37:53.20\00:37:56.37 deny his faith. 00:37:56.40\00:37:58.77 Of course, at that point--some of them, 00:37:58.81\00:38:02.68 when they were being tortured, not by fire--during the 00:38:02.71\00:38:06.05 Inquisition, they would torture people with tortures I won't 00:38:06.08\00:38:08.25 even say on television, just awful things. 00:38:08.28\00:38:11.02 And they'd torture and say, "Renounce your beliefs." 00:38:11.05\00:38:14.62 And when the torture was so intense, 00:38:14.66\00:38:17.26 they'd say, "Okay, I renounce it, 00:38:17.29\00:38:18.96 I renounce it, I renounce it." 00:38:18.99\00:38:20.30 And they said, "Okay, not you got to sign here 00:38:20.33\00:38:22.46 that you renounce it." 00:38:22.50\00:38:23.83 And they'd say, "Oh no, I don't renounce my beliefs. 00:38:23.87\00:38:26.03 That wasn't me. 00:38:26.07\00:38:27.37 That was my flesh crying out." 00:38:27.40\00:38:29.37 And so, then they'd start torturing them again, 00:38:29.40\00:38:31.11 they'd say, "Okay, I renounce it." 00:38:31.14\00:38:32.77 They said, "Oh, sign here." 00:38:32.81\00:38:34.11 "No, I can't sign, I don't believe it." 00:38:34.14\00:38:35.71 They said, "When I'm in extreme pain, 00:38:35.74\00:38:37.35 I'll say anything, skin for skin. 00:38:37.38\00:38:40.15 But it's not me, it's the flesh." 00:38:40.18\00:38:44.15 I always thought that was interesting, 00:38:44.19\00:38:45.49 they had this one individual that they kept torturing them, 00:38:45.52\00:38:47.16 and then they'd try and get him to sign. 00:38:47.19\00:38:48.86 Once they stopped the torture, they said, 00:38:48.89\00:38:50.19 "I'm not signing." 00:38:50.23\00:38:52.86 They said, "I can't control what I'm saying when you're 00:38:52.89\00:38:54.46 tearing my skin off. 00:38:54.46\00:38:56.03 I'll say anything." 00:38:56.06\00:38:57.93 So you know, just the record of what people 00:38:57.97\00:39:00.70 went through for their faith. 00:39:00.74\00:39:02.80 And Job, even though he suffered just intense agony, 00:39:02.84\00:39:05.94 would not deny his faith. 00:39:05.97\00:39:08.54 All right, let's keep going here. 00:39:08.58\00:39:09.88 Got to get onto something a little happier. 00:39:09.91\00:39:12.71 Blessed be the name of the Lord. 00:39:12.75\00:39:15.42 And after Job goes through this--now, 00:39:15.45\00:39:17.02 you notice in chapter 1, when he lost everything, 00:39:17.05\00:39:22.09 he shaved his head, tore his clothes. 00:39:22.12\00:39:25.33 He sat down, said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb. 00:39:25.36\00:39:28.66 Naked I will return there. 00:39:28.70\00:39:30.67 The Lord has given; the Lord has taken away. 00:39:30.70\00:39:33.40 Blessed is the name of the Lord." 00:39:33.44\00:39:36.97 I remember hearing once about a farmer that he used 00:39:37.01\00:39:42.68 to always tell other people in town, 00:39:42.71\00:39:46.31 "You know, my crop's not my crop. 00:39:46.35\00:39:47.72 It's God's crop." 00:39:47.75\00:39:50.09 And they said, "You know, you're 00:39:50.12\00:39:52.19 always talking about God's crop." 00:39:52.22\00:39:53.52 And a drought came through, and then some grasshoppers, 00:39:53.56\00:39:57.63 and just ate up his field. 00:39:57.66\00:40:00.23 And some of his atheist neighbors were saying, 00:40:00.26\00:40:02.20 "Well, Wilbur, what happened to your crop? 00:40:02.23\00:40:05.73 I thought you said it was God's crop. 00:40:05.77\00:40:07.87 And if it was God's crop, how come he didn't protect it?" 00:40:07.90\00:40:10.87 And Wilbur answered, he said, "Well, look, if God 00:40:10.91\00:40:13.34 wants to feed his grasshoppers his corn, that's his business. 00:40:13.38\00:40:17.75 It's his crop." 00:40:17.78\00:40:20.42 So, no matter what, he said, "Blessed 00:40:20.45\00:40:21.78 is the name of the Lord. 00:40:21.82\00:40:23.12 Naked I came into the world; naked I go out. 00:40:23.15\00:40:24.69 The Lord gave; the Lord taken away. 00:40:24.72\00:40:26.02 It's up to him." 00:40:26.05\00:40:27.69 It's hard to have that kind of faith sometimes. 00:40:27.72\00:40:30.79 Psalm 113, verse 1 through 3. 00:40:30.83\00:40:34.10 By the way, where you find the phrase "blessed be the name of 00:40:34.10\00:40:37.07 the Lord," you don't find that often in the Bible, 00:40:37.10\00:40:38.90 but here's one of the places. 00:40:38.93\00:40:40.47 Psalm 113, verse 1 to 3, "Praise the Lord. 00:40:40.50\00:40:45.47 Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. 00:40:45.51\00:40:48.68 Blessed be the name of the Lord." 00:40:48.71\00:40:50.18 There's that phrase. 00:40:50.21\00:40:51.68 "From this time forth and forevermore." 00:40:51.71\00:40:53.98 It makes you wonder if David is quoting Job. 00:40:54.02\00:40:56.02 "From the rising of the sun to its going down, 00:40:56.05\00:40:58.62 the Lord's name is to be praised." 00:40:58.65\00:41:01.09 And so, you know, we complain when 00:41:01.12\00:41:05.06 we're surrounded with blessings. 00:41:05.09\00:41:07.13 Job praised to God when he was surrounded with cursing. 00:41:07.13\00:41:12.57 Isn't that interesting? 00:41:12.60\00:41:14.90 I don't know about you, but I'll admit that I can sometimes gripe 00:41:14.94\00:41:18.84 and complain, even though you stand back and you think, 00:41:18.87\00:41:22.98 "Wow, there's a lot of things to be thankful for." 00:41:23.01\00:41:25.18 But one little thing goes wrong, I could be blessed 00:41:25.21\00:41:28.45 on every side, but like I get a flat tire, 00:41:28.48\00:41:30.82 oh, the whole day is ruined, you know? 00:41:30.85\00:41:32.32 All you got to do is air it up. 00:41:32.35\00:41:33.69 And then you look at other people and they are happy, 00:41:33.72\00:41:39.33 and they're going through terrible trials. 00:41:39.36\00:41:41.16 Sometimes, I'm so ashamed. 00:41:41.20\00:41:43.53 Here I complain surrounded with blessings, 00:41:43.57\00:41:45.43 and Job praises God surrounded with cursing. 00:41:45.47\00:41:47.27 Does the Bible say give thanks to God in all things? 00:41:47.30\00:41:52.11 "In all circumstances, from one end of the earth to the other, 00:41:52.14\00:41:55.11 let the name of the Lord be praised." 00:41:55.14\00:41:56.98 And someone's going to read for me in just a moment 00:41:57.01\00:42:00.48 Matthew 15:8, okay? 00:42:00.52\00:42:03.99 But I'm going to read--it says here when Hezekiah found out 00:42:04.02\00:42:09.59 that the Babylonians were going to take everything away 00:42:09.62\00:42:11.76 because he was bragging about his stuff, he said, 00:42:11.79\00:42:14.93 "The word of the Lord is good." 00:42:14.96\00:42:17.00 Even though he heard that it was a pronouncement, 00:42:17.03\00:42:18.53 he said, "The word of the Lord is good." 00:42:18.57\00:42:19.87 But then he was thinking in his heart, 00:42:19.90\00:42:21.74 "At least there will be peace and truth in my days." 00:42:21.77\00:42:24.37 And so, he was still just thinking about himself. 00:42:24.41\00:42:26.98 Now, when--and this is a difficult passage. 00:42:27.01\00:42:30.45 When Job's wife heard that after not only losing all of his 00:42:30.48\00:42:34.15 stuff, but losing his health, he still said, 00:42:34.18\00:42:37.09 "Shall we receive good from the hand of the Lord and not evil? 00:42:37.12\00:42:40.16 Good and bad comes to everybody," 00:42:40.19\00:42:41.59 she had reached her snapping point. 00:42:41.62\00:42:44.86 And she said, "Do you still retain your integrity? 00:42:44.89\00:42:48.80 Curse God and die." 00:42:48.83\00:42:51.03 Now, can we understand the exasperation of Job's wife? 00:42:51.07\00:42:55.70 Yeah. 00:42:55.74\00:42:57.54 I mean, she's lost--what mother would not be devastated having 00:42:57.57\00:43:01.61 lost all of your possessions, all of your children, 00:43:01.64\00:43:05.81 and your husband's health? 00:43:05.85\00:43:08.08 I mean, the husband was often the principle source of the work 00:43:08.12\00:43:10.92 in the fields, and you could be left destitute. 00:43:10.95\00:43:14.66 And so, you can understand her being that way. 00:43:14.69\00:43:17.16 But Job said to her, "'You speak as one of the foolish women. 00:43:17.19\00:43:21.43 What, shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord? 00:43:21.46\00:43:25.13 And shall we not receive evil?' 00:43:25.17\00:43:27.27 In all this, Job did not sin with his lips." 00:43:27.30\00:43:30.34 Now, I just want to make something clear. 00:43:30.37\00:43:33.24 When it says he did not sin with his lips, 00:43:33.27\00:43:35.38 what does that mean? 00:43:35.41\00:43:39.41 With his words, right? 00:43:39.45\00:43:43.52 But where do your words come from? 00:43:43.55\00:43:47.29 Out of the abundance the heart, the mouth or the lips speak. 00:43:47.32\00:43:52.03 You remember when Isaiah saw the Lord, 00:43:52.06\00:43:54.56 he says, "Woe is me, I am undone because I am a man of unclean 00:43:54.56\00:43:58.17 lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. 00:43:58.20\00:44:01.77 For mine eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts." 00:44:01.80\00:44:03.81 Most people, they're not sincere with their speech, 00:44:03.84\00:44:06.81 or they're not clean and pure with their speech, 00:44:06.84\00:44:08.51 but Job would not say anything that was wrong 00:44:08.54\00:44:12.25 because his heart was right. 00:44:12.28\00:44:14.15 Go ahead, read for us please Matthew 15, verse 8. 00:44:14.18\00:44:16.58 male: "These people draw near to me with their mouth, 00:44:16.62\00:44:22.46 and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." 00:44:22.49\00:44:27.60 Doug: Yeah, so sometimes even people will, 00:44:27.66\00:44:29.30 with their lips, they'll say they love the Lord, 00:44:29.33\00:44:32.47 and they'll say pious, spiritual things, 00:44:32.50\00:44:36.07 but they're not sincere. 00:44:36.10\00:44:38.54 Job was sincere in his heart and in his words. 00:44:38.57\00:44:41.94 Now, when it says Job did not sin with his lips, 00:44:41.98\00:44:45.15 does it say and Job was sinless? Huh? 00:44:45.18\00:44:50.89 How many sinless people have lived? 00:44:50.92\00:44:54.76 One on earth. 00:44:54.79\00:44:56.26 I mean, of course God and unfallen beings are sinless. 00:44:56.29\00:44:59.43 But that one is Jesus. 00:44:59.46\00:45:01.56 All others have sinned. 00:45:01.60\00:45:03.67 You can read, of course, in Romans 3:12, 00:45:03.70\00:45:06.20 "They have all turned aside. They have become unprofitable. 00:45:06.23\00:45:09.84 There is none who does good, no not one." 00:45:09.87\00:45:13.58 Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fallen short 00:45:13.61\00:45:16.68 of the glory of God." 00:45:16.71\00:45:18.31 Galatians 3:22, "But the Scripture has confirmed all 00:45:18.35\00:45:22.18 under sin, that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be 00:45:22.22\00:45:26.29 given to those who believe." 00:45:26.32\00:45:27.99 So, all have sinned, including Job. 00:45:28.02\00:45:29.89 Matter of fact, in the book of Job, 00:45:29.92\00:45:31.33 it says in chapter 5, verse 7, Job 5:7, 00:45:31.36\00:45:34.56 "Yet a man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward." 00:45:34.56\00:45:41.07 Now, is there ever a good excuse for sin? 00:45:41.10\00:45:46.07 I don't know if any of you are planning on having children that 00:45:46.11\00:45:48.34 haven't had them yet, but what do you think the odds are if you 00:45:48.38\00:45:51.81 do have children that they will sin? 00:45:51.85\00:45:54.88 How many think there's a 100% chance that if you have a child 00:45:54.92\00:45:59.05 and they live long enough, they will sin? 00:45:59.09\00:46:01.66 And you're still going to do it. 00:46:01.69\00:46:03.83 Would you still have them? 00:46:03.86\00:46:06.96 And people say, "Why did God make Adam and Eve 00:46:07.00\00:46:08.83 if he knew they might sin?" 00:46:08.86\00:46:10.60 You're going to do the same thing, right? 00:46:10.63\00:46:13.47 You're admitting that you're going to have kids. 00:46:13.50\00:46:16.14 Some of you have had kids that have really gotten into trouble, 00:46:16.17\00:46:18.44 and you're thinking, "Well, now if I had to think of it over--" 00:46:18.47\00:46:24.38 So, there's something about, you know, 00:46:24.41\00:46:26.38 just we are prone towards sin. 00:46:26.41\00:46:29.52 Mark 10:18, Jesus said, "Why do you call me good? 00:46:29.55\00:46:32.99 There is none good but one, and that is God." 00:46:33.02\00:46:36.83 Only God is good. 00:46:36.86\00:46:38.66 You know, one of the things I love about the book of Job is 00:46:38.69\00:46:42.23 that the reason Job is so inspirational to us is because 00:46:42.26\00:46:46.23 he was able to witness through trials. 00:46:46.27\00:46:48.94 Suppose there was a story in the Bible that said, 00:46:48.97\00:46:51.71 "There was a faithful and upright man who loved God 00:46:51.74\00:46:54.58 and hated evil. 00:46:54.61\00:46:55.94 And he had 5,000 oxen, and 5,000 donkeys, 00:46:55.98\00:46:58.38 and 10,000 camels, and billions in gold. 00:46:58.41\00:47:02.32 He's a nice guy, next chapter. 00:47:02.35\00:47:05.52 Let's talk about Esther." 00:47:05.55\00:47:07.72 If the only thing it said about Job is there was a blessed, 00:47:07.76\00:47:09.92 wealthy man, would the story of Job be in the Bible? 00:47:09.96\00:47:15.36 You know why the story of Job is in the Bible? 00:47:15.40\00:47:17.73 Because he went through incredible trials, 00:47:17.77\00:47:19.67 and he was faithful. 00:47:19.70\00:47:21.64 When are we the strongest witness, 00:47:21.67\00:47:24.21 when God saves us from trial or through trial? 00:47:24.24\00:47:26.81 You know why the Exodus is such a great story? 00:47:26.84\00:47:30.78 Because God saved a nation through trial. 00:47:30.81\00:47:34.68 Why is Joseph a great story? 00:47:34.72\00:47:36.79 Because Joseph is saved through trial. 00:47:36.82\00:47:39.09 The Bible says it is through tribulation we enter the kingdom 00:47:39.12\00:47:42.92 of God. 00:47:42.96\00:47:44.39 And so, do we want to pray, "Lord, 00:47:44.43\00:47:46.86 save me from all trouble"? 00:47:46.90\00:47:49.06 Or should we be saying, "Lord, help me be faithful should 00:47:49.10\00:47:52.87 I go through trouble"? 00:47:52.90\00:47:54.20 How many of you know that if you continue living, 00:47:54.24\00:47:56.27 you're probably going to have some problems? 00:47:56.30\00:48:01.58 I don't look forward to it, but it's probably going to happen, 00:48:01.61\00:48:05.38 and I just want to say, "Lord, help me be faithful when the--" 00:48:05.41\00:48:08.85 You ever think of looking at a problem as an opportunity? 00:48:08.88\00:48:12.15 An opportunity to witness, an opportunity to grow. 00:48:12.19\00:48:16.36 How many of you want opportunities? 00:48:16.39\00:48:20.76 How many of you want problems? 00:48:20.80\00:48:24.50 Nobody--the people who said, "I want opportunities," didn't put 00:48:24.53\00:48:27.30 their hands up when I said, "Do you want problems?" 00:48:27.34\00:48:30.84 But those problems are opportunities to witness. 00:48:30.87\00:48:33.01 All right, now in what Job's wife said we also 00:48:33.04\00:48:37.18 need to look at. 00:48:37.21\00:48:38.51 And the lesson addresses this, it's called Job's Wife. 00:48:38.55\00:48:40.85 Someone's going to read for me Luke 17:2. 00:48:40.88\00:48:42.42 You'll have that, John? 00:48:42.45\00:48:45.55 When somebody is going through a trial, 00:48:45.59\00:48:47.26 do we ever want to say anything to discourage them further? 00:48:47.29\00:48:52.59 Philippians 4:11 to 13, "Not that I speak in regard to need, 00:48:52.63\00:48:57.17 for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. 00:48:57.20\00:49:00.40 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. 00:49:00.44\00:49:03.37 Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full 00:49:03.41\00:49:06.61 and hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 00:49:06.64\00:49:10.38 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 00:49:10.41\00:49:13.31 We may go through all kinds of trials, 00:49:13.35\00:49:16.25 but we don't want to be the source of discouraging 00:49:16.28\00:49:20.79 or increasing anybody else's trials. 00:49:20.82\00:49:22.76 Go ahead and read the next verse 00:49:22.79\00:49:24.56 for us, Luke 17:2. 00:49:24.59\00:49:25.93 male: Luke 17:2, "It would be better for him if a millstone 00:49:25.96\00:49:30.80 were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, 00:49:30.83\00:49:34.77 than that he should offend one of these little ones." 00:49:34.80\00:49:37.24 Doug: Jesus is telling us take heed what you do. 00:49:37.27\00:49:42.78 Don't do anything that is going to cause someone to stumble. 00:49:42.81\00:49:45.95 Now, when he says these little ones, 00:49:45.98\00:49:47.35 not only does he mean let's be good, 00:49:47.38\00:49:49.25 encouraging, optimistic examples for children, 00:49:49.28\00:49:54.26 but some are little in the faith. 00:49:54.29\00:49:55.59 Some are children in the faith. 00:49:55.62\00:49:57.26 And boy, I'll tell you, it's frightening when you think--I've 00:49:57.29\00:50:00.66 sometimes seen people who are new, 00:50:00.70\00:50:02.66 they make mistakes, they're learning how to be Christians. 00:50:02.70\00:50:06.27 And some who have been in the church for years are very harsh 00:50:06.30\00:50:09.54 in their treatment and their judgment of them. 00:50:09.57\00:50:12.07 We need to be as positive and encouraging--how does Jesus feel 00:50:12.11\00:50:15.74 about it if we discourage people who are already down? 00:50:15.78\00:50:21.08 We ought to speak words of encouragement, 00:50:21.12\00:50:23.32 words of hope, words that are positive. 00:50:23.35\00:50:25.32 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Therefore comfort." 00:50:25.35\00:50:30.03 And that Greek word there, comfort, 00:50:30.06\00:50:31.39 is really literally the word "encourage." 00:50:31.43\00:50:34.30 "Therefore encourage each other, edify, 00:50:34.36\00:50:37.90 build up each other, just as you were doing." 00:50:37.93\00:50:41.60 Paul always says, "Do these things, 00:50:41.64\00:50:42.97 as I'm sure you are doing." 00:50:43.00\00:50:44.54 1 Corinthians 8:12, "But when you sin so against the brethren 00:50:44.57\00:50:49.98 and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." 00:50:50.01\00:50:53.98 Now, is that serious business? 00:50:54.02\00:50:56.89 If we sin against each other by hurting a person's conscience or 00:50:56.92\00:50:59.72 by discouraging person, you sin against Christ. 00:50:59.75\00:51:03.56 Didn't Jesus say, "In as much as you've done it to the least of 00:51:03.59\00:51:06.29 these, you've done it to me"? 00:51:06.33\00:51:08.50 And so, we need to encourage each other. 00:51:08.53\00:51:11.00 We need to speak words of optimism, 00:51:11.03\00:51:13.77 words of faith. 00:51:13.80\00:51:15.57 It says, "You sin against Christ, 00:51:15.60\00:51:17.87 wherefore if meat makes my brother offend," he's talking 00:51:17.91\00:51:21.11 about if I'm eating food that's offered to an idol. 00:51:21.14\00:51:23.61 "If it offends my brother, I will eat no flesh while the 00:51:23.65\00:51:27.28 world stands," for the rest of the world, 00:51:27.32\00:51:29.45 "lest I make my brother offend." 00:51:29.48\00:51:31.02 You got to be careful about things that might offend others. 00:51:31.05\00:51:36.66 Then obedience unto death is the last section. 00:51:36.69\00:51:40.96 Says, "God--in all this, Job did not sin or charge God 00:51:40.96\00:51:44.80 with wrong." 00:51:44.83\00:51:46.84 First of all, we've all sinned. 00:51:46.87\00:51:48.17 1 John 1:10, "If we say that we have not sinned, 00:51:48.20\00:51:53.07 we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 00:51:53.11\00:51:56.68 But when we know the truth and we surrender to God," 00:51:56.71\00:51:59.85 he wants us to obey the truth. 00:51:59.88\00:52:01.88 And the Bible tells us in Philippians chapter 2, verse 5, 00:52:01.92\00:52:05.59 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ 00:52:05.62\00:52:09.49 Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery 00:52:09.52\00:52:14.00 to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, 00:52:14.00\00:52:18.33 taking the form of a bondservant, 00:52:18.37\00:52:20.30 and coming in the likeness of men. 00:52:20.34\00:52:22.40 And being found in the appearance of a man, 00:52:22.44\00:52:24.81 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, 00:52:24.84\00:52:29.91 even the death of the cross." 00:52:29.94\00:52:33.15 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were they obedient 00:52:33.18\00:52:36.02 to the point of death? 00:52:36.05\00:52:38.19 Daniel and the lion's den, was he obedient 00:52:38.22\00:52:40.32 to the point of death? 00:52:40.36\00:52:42.16 The apostles, when they stood before the Sanhedrin and they 00:52:42.19\00:52:45.23 said, "We ought to obey God rather than men," were they 00:52:45.26\00:52:48.33 obedient to the point of death? 00:52:48.36\00:52:50.77 And so, who was it that said, "If a man doesn't have a cause 00:52:50.80\00:52:54.74 for which he is willing to die, he is not fit to live"? 00:52:54.77\00:52:58.64 We need to have something we believe in, 00:52:58.67\00:53:01.21 and say, "I'm willing to lay down my life." 00:53:01.24\00:53:03.68 Truth is worth dying for. 00:53:03.71\00:53:05.35 Did you ever think about that? 00:53:05.38\00:53:07.05 'Cause Jesus is the truth, 00:53:07.08\00:53:08.52 and he is worth dying for, amen? 00:53:08.55\00:53:10.79 Well, we are out of time for today's lesson. 00:53:10.82\00:53:13.89 Boy, the book of Job, it's the--it's real business, amen? 00:53:13.92\00:53:17.89 And we have an offer we'd like to tell you about. 00:53:17.93\00:53:20.03 You've probably heard it mentioned already, 00:53:20.06\00:53:21.90 but in case you missed the beginning, 00:53:21.93\00:53:23.23 it's called "Satan's Confusing Counterfeits." 00:53:23.26\00:53:26.33 And just ask for offer number 191 when you call. 00:53:26.37\00:53:29.34 The number, again, is ... 00:53:29.37\00:53:33.01 That's ... 00:53:33.04\00:53:35.24 And we'll send you this free book. 00:53:35.28\00:53:37.15 Read it, please, and share it. You'll find it very encouraging. 00:53:37.18\00:53:39.98 God bless you till we get to study his Word 00:53:40.02\00:53:42.02 together again next week. 00:53:42.05\00:53:45.12 [music] 00:53:45.55\00:53:55.56 Doug: What can be more irresistible than a kitten? 00:53:55.60\00:53:57.60 These guys might look cute now, but some of their ancestors 00:53:57.63\00:54:00.64 have grown into man eaters. 00:54:00.67\00:54:06.64 We're here in a lion park in South Africa now, 00:54:06.68\00:54:09.38 where we can view these creatures in relative safety. 00:54:09.41\00:54:11.91 But there's a reason they're known as the king of beasts. 00:54:11.95\00:54:15.15 So, what is it that people find so enchanting 00:54:15.18\00:54:17.62 and frightening about lions? 00:54:17.65\00:54:19.55 Is it their speed, their claws, their sharp teeth, 00:54:19.59\00:54:22.56 or all of the above? 00:54:22.59\00:54:24.36 It might also be some of the stories about man eating lions, 00:54:24.39\00:54:27.20 like in 1898 right here in Africa, 00:54:27.23\00:54:30.27 they were building a bridge over the Tsavo River in Kenya, 00:54:30.30\00:54:33.37 and two brother lions terrorized the construction process, 00:54:33.40\00:54:37.77 eating 135 workers. 00:54:37.81\00:54:42.01 Did you know lions are mentioned in the Bible over 100 times? 00:54:42.04\00:54:45.08 And you can find them all the way from Genesis to Revelation. 00:54:45.11\00:54:48.18 It's usually in reference to their ferocity 00:54:48.22\00:54:50.89 and how dangerous they are. 00:54:50.92\00:54:52.22 Of course, Samson killed a lion with his bare hands, 00:54:52.25\00:54:54.92 and David killed a lion. 00:54:54.96\00:54:56.89 There are man eating lions in the Bible. 00:54:56.93\00:54:59.03 The way that they punished criminals was 00:54:59.06\00:55:00.80 by throwing him in the lion's den. 00:55:00.83\00:55:02.93 And early Christians were even fed to lions. 00:55:02.96\00:55:06.03 But amazingly, as the Bible mentions, 00:55:06.07\00:55:08.14 not all lions are to be feared. 00:55:08.17\00:55:10.24 There have been a few friendly lions in history. 00:55:10.27\00:55:12.41 For example, in the 1950s, a couple, 00:55:12.44\00:55:16.48 George and Margaret Westborough, who lived up at a ranch near 00:55:16.51\00:55:19.78 Seattle, Washington adopted an abandoned lion cub. 00:55:19.81\00:55:24.12 They named it Little Tyke because they felt sorry for it. 00:55:24.15\00:55:26.76 But they discovered as they tried to feed her, 00:55:26.79\00:55:29.66 she refused to eat any meat at all. 00:55:29.69\00:55:32.86 They were concerned, thinking there was no hope for this 00:55:32.89\00:55:35.06 little lioness to survive, and everybody told them the same 00:55:35.10\00:55:38.33 because we know in the wild, lions survive on almost an 00:55:38.37\00:55:41.37 entirely meat diet. 00:55:41.40\00:55:43.41 Then someone showed the Westborough that verse in the 00:55:43.44\00:55:45.81 Bible that talks about in heaven, 00:55:45.84\00:55:48.08 the animals are vegetarians, and the lion will eat 00:55:48.11\00:55:51.11 straw like the ox. 00:55:51.15\00:55:52.61 That encouraged them, and so they began to feed Little Tyke 00:55:52.65\00:55:56.58 a purely vegetarian diet. 00:55:56.62\00:55:58.85 Not only did she survive, she thrived, 00:55:58.89\00:56:01.59 growing into a lion that was over 352 pounds, 00:56:01.62\00:56:05.56 and over 10 feet long. 00:56:05.59\00:56:06.96 In fact, zoologists that examined Little Tyke when she 00:56:07.00\00:56:10.27 was full grown said they have never seen such a perfect 00:56:10.30\00:56:13.27 specimen of a lioness in their life, 00:56:13.30\00:56:15.50 a pure vegetarian. 00:56:15.54\00:56:17.24 You know, when we hear incredible stories about that 00:56:17.27\00:56:20.34 of Little Tyke, it reminds us that God's original plan 00:56:20.38\00:56:23.81 was to make a world of total peace. 00:56:23.85\00:56:26.38 It describes it here in the Bible in Isaiah chapter 11, 00:56:26.41\00:56:29.05 verse 6, "The wolf also will dwell with the lamb, 00:56:29.08\00:56:32.72 the leopard will lie down with the young goat. 00:56:32.75\00:56:34.59 The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; 00:56:34.62\00:56:37.86 and a little child will lead them." 00:56:37.89\00:56:40.16 Nothing is going to hurt and destroy in the new heavens and 00:56:40.20\00:56:42.86 the new earth that God is going to create. 00:56:42.90\00:56:44.93 Wouldn't you like to live in a kingdom where there's perfect 00:56:44.97\00:56:47.07 peace, where there's no more death, 00:56:47.10\00:56:48.74 or killing, or pain? 00:56:48.77\00:56:51.01 God says that he wants you in that kingdom. 00:56:51.04\00:56:53.64 The Lamb of God made it possible for you to have an encounter 00:56:53.68\00:56:57.81 with the Lion of the tribe of Judah. 00:56:57.85\00:56:59.75 Wouldn't you like to meet him today? 00:56:59.78\00:57:01.25 [music] 00:57:01.28\00:57:09.46 male announcer: Can't get enough "Amazing Facts" Bible study? 00:57:09.49\00:57:11.89 You don't have to wait until next week 00:57:11.93\00:57:13.96 to enjoy more truth-filled programming. 00:57:14.00\00:57:16.13 Visit the "Amazing Facts" media library at aftv.org. 00:57:16.16\00:57:21.20 At aftv.org, you can enjoy video and audio presentations, 00:57:21.24\00:57:26.51 as well as printed material, all free of charge, 00:57:26.54\00:57:29.58 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, right from your computer 00:57:29.61\00:57:33.18 or mobile device. 00:57:33.21\00:57:34.85 Visit aftv.org. 00:57:34.88\00:57:38.45 announcer: In 6 days, God created the heavens 00:57:38.95\00:57:41.52 and the earth. 00:57:41.56\00:57:43.19 For thousands of years, man has worshipped God 00:57:43.22\00:57:46.06 on the seventh day of the week. 00:57:46.09\00:57:48.23 Now, each week, millions of people worship on the first day. 00:57:48.26\00:57:52.30 What happened? 00:57:52.33\00:57:53.74 Why did God create a day of rest? 00:57:53.77\00:57:56.07 Does it really matter what day we worship? 00:57:56.10\00:57:58.51 Who is behind this great shift? 00:57:58.54\00:58:00.88 Discover the truth behind God's law and how it was changed. 00:58:00.91\00:58:04.55 Visit sabbathtruth.com. 00:58:04.58\00:58:07.52 [music] 00:58:09.25\00:58:24.07