The Experience of Job
He held fast to his integrity, although Satanic forces moved to destroy him without cause.
The Hated
The name Job means “hated”. Hated by who?
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12
From the story of Job, clearly, he was hated by Satan, the dragon but loved dearly by God, His Maker. Revelation 12 also confirms it is Satan who is angry at those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Although Job did not consider himself as righteous or perfect, God did.
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou 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
There are other true Christians that God declared righteous or perfect, yet none of them ever declared themselves as such. These characteristics of Job are not just in the past. Job represents the character of God’s people at the end of the world. The scriptures foretell that they will be hated of all nations who are united under the anti-Christ. They will become a nation not desired. However, God will look upon them lovingly and tenderly as His children who like Job will hold fast to their integrity.
1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. Zephaniah 2
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24
Job’s experience is important for our day. Now that we have introduced his character and how he was hated, we will closely look at some of his experiences in the next study.