Seek First

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV) – [25] “Therefore I tell you, do not WORRY about your life… [33] But SEEK FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Luke 10:38-42 (NIV) – [38] As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. [39] She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. [40] But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” [41] “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are WORRIED and upset about many things, [42] but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (AMP) – [38] Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house. [39] And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. [40] But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]! [41] But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; [42] There is need of only one or but a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away from her.

Worry (merimnao) means anxious care, troubled; to think earnestly upon, to be cumbered with many cares; to have an anxious concern based on apprehension about POSSIBLE danger or misfortune; to have a distracting care, perpetually uneasy.

THE CAUSE OF WORRY

1. Being overly occupied

Luke 10:38 (TM) – [38] As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home.

2. Being too busy

“Whenever demands exceed abilities, stress is bound to follow. Multitasking is especially stressful when the tasks are important, as they often are on the job. The brain responds to impossible demands by pumping out adrenaline and other stress hormones that put a person ‘on edge.’ These hormones provide a quick burst of energy, but energy won't make multitasking easier… Over time, the stress of multitasking may even become dangerous. A steady flow of stress hormones can strain the body and threaten health.” (David Meyer, PhD, professor of psychology, cognition and perception, University of Michigan)

“Our work ethic demands that we always be busy doing something. Doing nothing has a bad rap… So we are caught, then, between the body’s need for rest and society’s need to keep us busy.” (Hart, The Anxiety Cure)

3. Becoming distracted

Distracted (perispao) means to drag all around; to draw different ways at the same time, hence, to distract with cares and responsibilities.

4. Feeling overwhelmed by overcommitments

Matthew 5:33-37 (NIV) – [33] “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ [34] But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; [35] or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. [36] And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. [37] Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

“In other words, if we say yes to God or anyone else when we really mean no, we move into a position of compliance. And that is the same as lying. Our lips say yes, but our hearts (and often our half-hearted actions) say no... Say yes to the best, and sometimes you may need to say no to the good. (Cloud & Townsend, Boundaries)

5. Thinking God doesn’t care

Mark 4:37-38 (NIV) – [37] A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. [38] Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

The Book of Job

The Question of the Ages—Why?

“Most, if not all of us, have a contractual agreement with God. The fact that he hasn’t signed it doesn’t keep us from believing it. I pledge to be a good, decent person, and in return God will… save my child, …heal my wife, …protect my job, or… (fill in the blank). Only fair, right? Yet when God fails to meet our bottom-line expectations, we are left spinning in a tornado of questions. Is he good at all? Is God angry at me? Stumped? Overworked? Is his power limited? His authority restricted? Did the devil outwit him? When life isn’t good, what are we to think about God? Where is he in all this?” (Lucado, Max. You’ll Get Through This)

When Tragedy Strikes, How Should We Respond?

Job 1:20-22 (NIV) – [20] At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship [21] and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” [22] In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

1. Job grieves.

2. Job worships.

3. Job surrenders.

a. Job believes God caused his loss.

b. And yet he worships the very one he believes took everything away. Wow!

c. Job’s falling down in worship is a sign of surrender and acceptance to the sovereign will of God.

d. Job acknowledged that he came into this world empty-handed and will leave it the same way.

e. It is true that the Lord gives, for ALL the good in our lives come from Him.

f. God even shows kindness to the wicked.

g. While Job’s acceptance of the will of God is commendable, he is mistaken as to the identity of the one who has taken away these things from him.

h. In this case, God is the one who gave, but Satan is the one who took away.

i. Satan is a liar and a thief.

John 8:44 (NIV) – [44] “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

John 10:10 (NIV) – [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV) – [10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

j. God did not cause Job’s loss, but He did allow it.

k. God has the right to give, and God has the right to take away.

4. Job blesses.

a. Though Job’s life seemed CURSED by the LORD, he still chose to BLESS the LORD.

Job 1:21 (AMP) – [21] And said, Naked (without possessions) came I [into this world] from my mother's womb, and naked (without possessions) shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed (praised and magnified in worship) be the name of the Lord!

b. Blessed (barak) means to kneel, salute, or greet; the verb derives from the noun knee and perhaps suggests the bending of the knee in blessing. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary)

c. Blessing signifies not only the act of a superior to an inferior, but also the expression of grateful praise proceeding from the inferior and ascending to the superior. (Synonyms of the Old Testament)

d. One of the greatest weapons we have against Satan is to praise, and to worship, and to bless God.

e. The best way we can turn the tables on the enemy is to bless God instead of doubt Him.

f. Through his confession of faith, Job recognizes that God’s sovereign hand is at work; that is why he can bless God.

g. We are not at the mercy of evil men, for even if they should do us harm, our God will use it for our good.

5. Job doesn’t sin.

a. God never does wrong.

Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV) – [4] He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Job 34:10 (NIV) – [10] “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.

Psalms 92:15 (NIV) – [15] “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

b. Therefore, it is a sin to charge God with wrongdoing.

Seek First 2

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) – [14] if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and SEEK MY FACE and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:11-22 (NIV) – [11] When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, [12] the LORD appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. [13] When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, [14] if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and SEEK MY FACE and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [15] Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. [16] I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. [17] As for you, if you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, [18] I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a man to rule over Israel.’ [19] But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, [20] then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. [21] And though this temple is now so imposing, all Who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ [22] People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”

Psalms 33:10-12 (NIV) – [10] The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. [11] But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. [12] Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Seek (baqash) means to search out by any method, specifically in worship or prayer, to strive after. (Strong’s Concordance)

2 Chronicles 7:14 (AMP) – [14] If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, SEEK, CRAVE, AND REQUIRE OF NECESSITY MY FACE and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Face (paniym) means person or presence; most of the time this word occurs in a figurative, idiomatic phrase. Face can be a substitute for the entire person or it can be a reflection of the person’s mood or attitude. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary)

“Seek His Face” means to search out and strive after the person and presence and favor of God in worship and prayer.

1 Chronicles 16:10-11 (NIV) – [10] Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. [11] Look to the LORD and his STRENGTH; SEEK HIS FACE always.

1. Seek His face for strength.

Psalms 24:3-6 (NIV) – [3] Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? [4] He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. [5] He will receive BLESSING from the LORD and VINDICATION from God his Savior. [6] Such is the generation of those who seek him, who SEEK YOUR FACE, O God of Jacob.

2. Seek His face for blessing.

3. Seek His face for vindication.

Psalms 17:1-2 (NIV) – [1] Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer—it does not rise from deceitful lips. [2] May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right.

Psalms 105:3-5 (NIV) – [3] Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. [4] Look to the LORD and his strength; SEEK HIS FACE always. [5] Remember the wonders he has done, his MIRACLES, and the judgments he pronounced,

4. Seek His face for miracles.

Psalms 27:7 (NIV) – [7] Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be MERCIFUL to me and answer me. [8] My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.

5. Seek His face for mercy.

The Book of Job:

“The Question of the Ages—Why?”

Lesson 4c: When Tragedy Strikes, How Should We Respond?

Job 1:20-22 (NIV) – [20] At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship [21] and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” [22] In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

1. Job grieves.

2. Job worships.

3. Job surrenders.

a. Job believes God caused his loss.

b. And yet he worships the very one he believes took everything away. Wow!

c. Job’s falling down in worship is a sign of surrender and acceptance to the sovereign will of God.

d. Job acknowledged that he came into this world empty-handed and will leave it the same way.

1 Timothy 6:7 (NIV) – [7] For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

e. It is true that the Lord gives, for ALL the good in our lives come from Him.

James 1:17 (NIV) – [17] Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

f. God even shows kindness to the wicked.

Matthew 5:45 (NIV) – [45] He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

g. While Job’s acceptance of the will of God is commendable, he is mistaken as to the identity of the one who has taken away these things from him.

Romans 11:29 (AMP) – [29] For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]

Hosea 6:1 (NIV) – [1] “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.”

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NIV) – [5] And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, [6] because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

h. In this case, God is the one who gave, but Satan is the one who took away.

i. Satan is a liar and a thief.

John 8:44 (NIV) – [44] “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

John 10:10 (NIV) – [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV) – [10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

j. God did not cause Job’s loss, but He did allow it.

k. God has the right to give, and God has the right to take away.

Seek First

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV) – [25] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life... [33] But SEEK FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

1. Believers are to be seekers.

Seek (zeteo) means to strive after, to desire, to look for, to strive to find, to try to gain, to aim for; to inquire, to ask; to investigate, to study, to consider; to seek in order to find out by thinking, meditating, and reasoning.

Acts 17:27 (NIV) [27] God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

2. We are to seek with the proper priority.

Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) – [6] Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

“The text says you are to seek God’s kingdom first, that is, ‘above all else.’ In other words, God’s kingdom should be ‘your primary concern’ or ‘the thing you should be concerned with before anything else.’” (UBS NT Handbook)

3. What we seek determines how much we worry.

Worry (merimnao) means anxious care, troubled; to think earnestly upon, to be cumbered with many cares; to have an anxious concern based on apprehension about possible danger or misfortune; to have a distracting care, perpetually uneasy.

“Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries about tomorrow.” (Weirsbe Commentary)

Mark 4:18-19 (NIV) – [18] “Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; [19] but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

4. We must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

“In summary it may be recalled that ‘the kingdom of God’ refers primarily to God’s kingly rule, while ‘righteousness’ is the doing of what God requires and of what pleases him.” (UBS NT Handbook)

Luke 17:20-21 (NIV) – [20] Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, [21] nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

5. If we don’t seek our wants, God will meet our needs.

“The Lord, therefore, makes a covenant with His followers. He says, in effect, ‘If you will put God's interests first in your life, I will guarantee your future needs. If you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then I will see that you never lack the necessities of life.’” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

Matthew 6:24 (NIV) – [24] “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

“This is God’s ‘social security’ program. The believer’s responsibility is to live for the Lord, trusting God for the future with unshakable confidence that He will provide. One’s job is simply a means of providing for current needs; everything above this is invested in the work of the Lord. We are called to live one day at a time: tomorrow can worry about its own things.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

The Book of Job:

“The Question of the Ages—Why?”

Lesson 4b: When Tragedy Strikes, How Should We Respond?

Job 1:20-22 (NIV) – [20] At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship [21] and said: “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” [22] In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

1. Job grieves.

2. Job worships.

a. Job falls down and worships God.

b. Worship (shachah) means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

Exodus 4:29-31 (NIV) – [29] Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, [30] and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, [31] and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

c. Worship may seem like the most unnatural, insincere and unrealistic response to tragedy, but it is the best response.

d. Job could worship God after these tragedies because worshipping God was Job’s custom.

Psalms 95:6-7 (NIV) – [6] Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; [7] for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

e. Worship during crisis is the greatest expression of faith.

Hebrews 11:36-39 (NIV) – [36] Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. [37] They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—[38] the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. [39] These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.

f. Worship isn’t about a PLACE of worship; it is all about an ATTITUDE of worship.

John 4:21-24 (NIV) – [21] Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] For a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

g. God is not just seeking WORSHIP; He is seeking WORSHIPERS.

Send. Me.

Isaiah 6:1-8 (NIV) – [1] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. [2] Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. [3] And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” [4] At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. [5] “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” [6] Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. [7] With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” [8] Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

1. Calling

“The nation needed the Lord, and the Lord wanted a servant to minister to the people. Isaiah volunteered to be that servant. He did not discuss his call with the Lord, as did Moses and Jeremiah but accepted the appointment and made himself available to his Master.” (Wiersbe)

Ephesians 4:1 (NLT) – [1] Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

2. Confession

1 John 1:9 (NKJV) – [9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 10:9-11 (NIV) – [9] That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

James 5:14 (NIV) – [16] Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

“A seraph peels off from his flight path around the throne, diving straight for Isaiah. He’s holding a burning coal that he took from the altar with tongs, but not because it is hot. After all, a seraph himself is a burning one. He took this coal with tongs because it is a holy thing. It belongs to the place of sacrifice and atonement and forgiveness. But this holy thing touches Isaiah’s dirty mouth, and it does not hurt him, it heals him. What we must see, in the context of the whole Bible, is that this burning coal symbolizes the finished work of Christ on the cross.” (Ortlund)

“Isaiah only acknowledged his hopeless condition—he did not plead with God or make vows to God—and God then went into action. Confession must precede cleansing.” (Constable)

3. Cleansing

Leviticus 16:11-12 (NIV) – [11] Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. [12] He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain.

“When Isaiah’s lips were touched with a live burning coal, however, he was told that his sins were forgiven. It wasn’t the coal that cleansed him, but God. In response, Isaiah submitted himself entirely to God’s service. No matter how difficult his task would be, he said, ‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.’ The painful cleansing process was necessary before Isaiah could fulfill the task to which God was calling him. Before we accept God's call to speak for him to those around us, we must be cleansed as Isaiah was, confessing our sins and submitting to God’s control. Letting God purify us may be painful, but we must be purified so that we can truly represent God, who is pure and holy.” (Life Application Bible)

“Fire, in its symbolic use, is also spoken of as purifying—the emblem of a healing process effected upon the spiritual natures of persons in covenant with God.” (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary)

Leviticus 6:12-13 (NIV) – [12] The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. [13] The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

4. Conversion

“God’s purging agent touched Isaiah’s mouth, and the angelic messenger assured the prophet that he had been completely cleansed of his uncleanness. We might call this Isaiah’s conversion experience.” (Constable)

5. Consecration

“Consecration refers to persons or things being separated to or belonging to God. They are holy or sacred. They are set apart for the service of God.” (Holman Bible Dictionary)

Leviticus 20:7-8 (NIV) – [7] “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. [8] Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.”

6. Commissioning

“The vision produced deep conviction of sin in the prophet, then brought him to the place of confession. This was immediately followed by cleansing. Only then did Isaiah hear the call of the LORD. He quickly consecrated himself to the Lord and was given his commission.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

Numbers 27:18-20 (NIV) – [18] So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. [19] Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. [20] Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.

he Book of Job:

The Question of the Ages—Why?

When Tragedy Strikes, How Should We Respond?

Job 1:20-22 (NIV) – [20] At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship [21] and said: “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” [22] In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

1. Job grieves.

a. Job tears his robe and shaves his head.

b. This is the customary sign of intense mourning and grief for people of that day.

Genesis 37:29, 34 (NIV) – [29] When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes… [34] Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days.

Micah 1:16 (NIV) – [16] Shave your heads in mourning for the children in whom you delight; make yourselves as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile.

c. The process of grief is God’s gift of healing through tragedy.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 (NIV) – [3] Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 (NLT) – [3] Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 (MSG) – [3] Crying is better than laughing. It blotches the face, but it scours the heart.

d. We grieve without losing hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV) – [13] Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

Lamentations 3:19-23 (NIV) – [19] I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. [20] I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. [21] Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: [22] Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

e. We are comforted to comfort others.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) – [3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

2. Job worships.

a. Job falls down and worships God.

b. Worship (shachah) means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

c. Worship may seem like the most unnatural, insincere and unrealistic response to tragedy, but it is the best response.

d. Job could worship God after these tragedies because worshipping God was Job’s custom.

e. Worship during crisis is the greatest expression of faith.

John 4:21-24 (NIV) – [21] Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] For a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

f. Worship isn’t about a place of worship; it is all about an attitude of worship.

Send. Me.

Isaiah 6:1-8 (NIV) – [1] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. [2] Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. [3] And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” [4] At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. [5] “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

1. His holiness reveals the high places in our hearts.

2. His holiness exposes our unholiness.

3. His holiness provokes a response of woe.

4. His holiness uncovers our uncleanness.

“The teaching about uncleanness springs from the concept of God’s holiness. Freedom from uncleanness and guilt is possible through God’s gracious work. Holiness within, purity of heart, is possible through the exercise of faith in Christ’s redemption and obedience to His word of truth.” (Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

Isaiah 35:8 (NIV) – [8] And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.

“Before we can minister to others, we must permit God to minister to us. Before we pronounce ‘woe’ upon others, we must sincerely say, ‘Woe is me!’ Isaiah's conviction led to confession, and confession led to cleansing.” (Wiersbe Commentary)

5. His holiness inspires personal repentance.

“The sight of a holy God and the sound of the holy hymn of worship brought great conviction to Isaiah’s heart, and he confessed that he was a sinner. Unclean lips are caused by an unclean heart (Mt 12:34-35). Isaiah cried out to be cleansed inwardly (Ps 51:10), and God met his need.” (Weirsbe Commentary)

6. His holiness inspires corporate repentance.

Daniel 9:20 (NIV) – [20] While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill—

Jonah 3:4-5 (NIV) – [4] On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” [5] The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

7. His holiness enables us to see the LORD.

Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) – [14] Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

“In a time when moral and spiritual decay had peaked, it was important for Isaiah to see God in his holiness. Holiness means ‘morally perfect, pure, and set apart from all sin.’ We also need to discover God’s holiness.” (Life Application Bible)

The Book of Job:

“The Question of the Ages—Why?”

When Tragedy Strikes

Job 1:13-19 (NIV) – [13] One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, [14] a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, [15] and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” [16] While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” [17] While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” [18] While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, [19] when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

1. Financial Loss #1 – the loss of oxen, donkeys, and servants (vv. 13-15)

a. This is an attack by man – the Sabeans.

1) The Sabeans were nomadic marauders descended from Sheba, a grandson of Abraham. (Genesis 25:3)

2) They eventually settled in the southernmost part of the Arabian Peninsula and became a wealthy nation.

3) During Solomon’s reign, he was visited by the Queen of Sheba.

b. This is a crime of robbery and murder.

c. KEY POINT – Satan uses people to cause evil and accomplish his sinister plans.

2. Financial Loss #2 – the loss of sheep and servants (v. 16)

a. This is a disaster of nature – fire from the sky.

b. “The fire of God” is inaccurately named, for we know that this disaster is not from God, but from Satan.

c. KEY POINT – Satan does have the ability to use nature to cause harm and accomplish his sinister plans.

d. However, God has greater power:

Mark 4:35-41 (NIV) – [35] That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” [36] Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. [37] A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. [38] Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” [39] He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. [40] He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” [41] They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

3. Financial Loss #3 – the loss of camels and servants (v. 17)

a. This is another attack by man – the Chaldeans.

b. They were a nomadic people from the northeast and were Mesopotamians.

c. They later became the Babylonian Empire.

d. KEY POINT – Financial loss will expose our hearts and reveal to us where our treasure is.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) – [19] Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

4. Personal Loss – the loss of children (vv. 18-19)

a. This is another disaster of nature.

b. Up to now, all of Job’s losses have been financial in nature; now his loss will be personal on the largest scale imaginable.

c. Job’s kids were partying again and it’s during one of these parties that disaster strikes.

Deuteronomy 24:16 (NIV) – [16] Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

Ezekiel 18:20 (NIV) – [20] The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

Matthew 18:5-6 (NIV) – [5] “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. [6] But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

d. KEY POINT – God is not to blame for our tragedies, but He will use them for our good and for His glory.