“Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.” Joel 1:2-5
This prophecy that the prophet Joel relates to us gives a stark warning to God’s people. It gives us a picture of blessings of God being removed from His people because of cherished sin and unbelief. “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.”
Nothing worthy is left. In each successive stage, more blessings are removed from His people. Each thing is degraded and broken down further and further until there is nothing left.
Is this something that God wants to do? No. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
God’s thoughts towards us are to give us an expected end. The end that He expects of us is clearly shown in John 3:17, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”
God expects you to be saved. He wants to “save His people from their sins.” This is God’s motive; it is His never-ending love that He has towards us. He loves you so much that He gave the best that He had to you. He gave you His son to take your place, to pay the price for your sins and to give you an example of how to be saved.
God has “thoughts of peace and not of evil” towards you. God felt it necessary to tell us of this fact because He knew there would be times in our lives when we might not think that it was so; times when we might think that God maybe did not have our best interests at heart or when we have to go through a terrible experience and it seems that we are all alone and without hope.
It is a strange thing to be in the middle of what we may think at the time is a hopeless situation. Have you ever experienced hopelessness or helplessness? When it seems nothing that we can do will change our circumstance or make it better? Imagine not being able to see how an extremely negative situation might become a positive one.
Why would it be necessary for a person to go through such a situation? But what happens sometimes in this relationship between God and His people?
Some are unwilling to be saved. They do not trust God, as they should. They are not obedient to what He knows is best for them. They think that God has somehow let them down.
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” Job 1:1. Job was a good person; yet, why did he have to go through such affliction? Why did God allow Satan to destroy his life?
“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” Job 1:20–22
Even after Satan was allowed to destroy his wealth, his family, and everything that he had, the Scriptures say that “Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” I wonder, if you had gone through such a circumstance would you have the same opinion of God. Would you have a difficult time believing that God has “thoughts of peace and not of evil” towards you?
The Scriptures say that when this happened that “Job sinned not.” This means that not only did Job not blame God but he also did not blame anyone else.
Four times a lone survivor came to tell Job the news of each loss. First his oxen and servants were slain, then his sheep and his servants. Next his camels were stolen and his servants slain and then a whirlwind came up and destroyed Job’s eldest son’s house with his children inside.
Despite receiving news of each destruction, Job held no malice to those who survived and brought him the news. “In all this Job sinned not.” Rather we see that Job fell down and worshipped God. He did this publicly. He did not blame God but instead realized that everything is a blessing from God. God only had thoughts of peace towards him and, strangely enough, what Job was going through was part of that peace.
It is an odd thing to think that losing everything that a person has could be part of that peace which God says He has towards us.
Next God allowed Satan to take away his health.
“So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.” Job 2:7–9
Job’s wife here is saying, dost thou still retain thy integrity? She is asking, why he is retaining his integrity.
God allowed Satan to cause Job to have boils covering all of his body. What a painful experience that must have been. It was so bad that Job took a broken piece of pottery and scraped his skin with it. Still Job did not curse God.
His wife even went so far as to tell Job to curse God and then die. After all Job was in a hopeless situation.
“But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.” Job 2:10
Even through this accusation, at the lowest point of his life, the Scriptures say “In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”
I wonder how many could go through this experience that Job did? Do you have a connection with God strong enough to withstand this?
But, God was not finished with Job and neither was Satan.
“Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.” Job 2:11–13
When his friends came to comfort him, Job was so disfigured that it says that when looking at him from a distance they could not recognize him. They made such an outward show of their grief that they wept loudly, ripped their clothes and threw dust toward heaven. They then sat with Job for seven days not speaking a word.
It was Job who broke the silence with recriminations about the situation that he found himself in. Job was in such a state that he wondered if it would have been better if he had never been born.
His three friends could see from his troubles the depth of his despair. Then Eliphaz spoke to Job and instead of giving support he mocked Job. “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.” Job 4:7–8
Was this a fair assessment of this situation? It is easy to answer that we would not be like Eliphaz as we can read the whole account of Job. What if this happened to someone that we knew? What would you have said in a similar situation? Is it a nice experience to have lost everything and your friends come to comfort you but instead heap accusations upon you?
Next his friend Bildad spoke. “If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.” Job 8:6. Bildad also thought that Job’s life was ruined because of his own fault. He reasoned that God would definitely bless him if he were a good person and had a pure heart. Would you be like Bildad and speak for God’s motivation and judgment?
Then his friend Zophar spoke. “Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But oh that God would speak, and open His lips against thee; And that He would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.” Job 11: 2–6
Zophar said that Job was always speaking well but there was really a different person inside—God knew the real Job and that he was evil inside. Zophar here is having the arrogance to claim to speak for God. He said God was just punishing Job for who he really was. Zophar went even further to say that Job really deserved worse than what had happened to him.
Is it possible that you could be like his friend Zophar? What would you feel like to have your friends speak to you like this in a time of sorrow?
But what was the real truth? Remember Job 1:1, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”
Yet even though in God’s eyes Job was a perfect man and a person that kept away from evil, even in the midst of severe trials, his friends falsely accused him of being evil and that he really deserved worse.
Was this something that was supported by God?
What did Job think?
“And Job answered and said, No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and He answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.” Job 12:1–4
Job knew that his friends were laughing him to scorn despite the state of his life at that moment. He knew what the truth was but nothing that he could have done or said would change their opinion.
Many times, we think that we know what is going on in someone’s life. It is very easy to judge others through our own eyes when we can see neither the motive, background and experience of the other person. Only God can see the inner thoughts and heart of a person. Only He is omnipresent and omniscient to be able to judge. Yet even God the Father gives the judgment to His Son Jesus Christ who has the experience of life and persecution as a man; a man that lived a perfect life, yet without sin. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” John 5:22
Jesus is the only one that has experienced everything that we may go through in our life. He was falsely accused, even by His own people and betrayed by His own friends. Yet Jesus bares no malice against them.
As Peter betrayed Jesus by denying Him three times on the night He was taken captive, what was Jesus’ reaction? “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:61–62. Jesus had no malice towards His friend Peter but only a look of love that pierced Peter’s heart and he went from the scene and wept bitterly.
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.” Luke 23:34. On the cross, His hands and feet were pierced through with rough nails, yet Jesus’ dying words were of forgiveness for the very ones who accused Him falsely, betrayed Him, tortured Him and put Him there. By the way, we put Him there also.
Job also knew that many times it is the wicked in this world that prosper. “The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.” Job 12:6
God wants everyone to be saved so He lets His grace rain down on the just and the unjust, even when we think that this is unfair. Often it is hard to understand why God allows evil people to persecute good people and why God allows His good people to be misrepresented.
“These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself. If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach: Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with His net. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and He hath set darkness in my paths.” Job 19:3–8
Even Job felt helpless at this point in his life. Even the person whom God said “In all this Job sinned not” felt helpless. He felt that he was enclosed in a net from which there was no escape. He felt the negativity of the persecution of his friends. Job cried out of wrong, but he felt that he was not heard.
This is quite a picture of a despondent and helpless person. “Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?” Job 19:21–22. Job felt the persecution of his friends. Where was their compassion? He asked why they tried to take the place of God and be his judge and executioner.
Would you like to be on the receiving end of this? Have you ever felt that circumstances enclosed you in a net from which there seemed no escape? Or have you been as Job’s three friends claiming to be the ones standing in for God?
But even in his helpless despair Job still had a hope. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25–27. Job had a precious hope even in the middle of his despair at losing everything in his life, his material assets, his health, his family and persecution from his friends. Job said that he knew that he had a redeemer—Jesus Christ, and that one day he would see God face to face. He knew that despite the trouble that he was in, even if it meant his death, one day he would live with God on a new earth. Job had this hope in God because he had built a relationship with God. He knew who God was. He knew who his Saviour was. God could call Job perfect because he knew who Job was. They had a relationship.
When these trials come upon your life, and they will, we need to know that we can trust God. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6. Be confident in God because He does not work with half measures. When He makes a commitment to you, He will follow through right until the end. His promise to you is to save you from your sin, both by paying the penalty of your sin and by removing it from your life. That is what salvation is all about and that is what God is focused on in your life. Everything that happens to a child of God is for a purpose.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. If you love God then all things that happen in your life will work for good and not just how man sees good but how God sees good.
Even if you are in the middle of what seems a helpless situation, we must trust that God has our best interests at heart, that everything that He allows in our life is for a reason and it is a good reason. He wants to save you from your sin.
But there is one condition shown here in verse 28, “to them that are the called according to his purpose.” Another way of putting it, to those who are doing the will of God.
“That He may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.” Job 33:17. In our own purpose is pride. That is what God wants to remove from us. Pride is killing us, so God needs to remove it. Everything will work for good in our lives; we just need to remove our purpose and replace it with God’s purpose.
But, how is this done? How do we get through an experience like Job had? How did Job have such an intimate relationship with God? “Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.” Jeremiah 29:12. How often do you call upon God? Do you find it difficult to have a regular morning and evening prayer? Are you struggling with this? What could be stopping you? Maybe you are too tired or indifferent? Is it pride? “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” Acts 7:51
If we neglect the exercise of prayer we will lose our hold on God. Job’s friends thought they had a hold on God because they each claimed to be speaking for God. We need to learn to “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Remember this verse in Joel 1:5, “Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.”
Are we drunk with the attractions of the world, or have a cherished sin of judging others?
“And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath.” Job 42:7. God sees through the hearts and minds of men to their motives. God knows the truth where often it is elusive to us. Job’s friends did not treat him right, but it was Job who was in the right. Through all of his troubles Job trusted God and he built that trust through a relationship with God connected through prayer. Job lived in prayer so when the trials of life came, Job knew God and trusted Him.
Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar were not ready and instead of being helpers became persecutors and misrepresented God. They could not understand the importance of loving their fellow man and therefore they lost the love of God. They were not connected with their heavenly Father. They did not follow God’s purpose but their own. They were drunk in their own righteousness, in their own pride and jealousy with the old wine of their evil human nature.
Job was given the “new wine” of salvation. God blessed him in this life: “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10. Even though Job was persecuted he prayed for those that persecuted him and he was blessed all the more because of it.
“When trials arise that seem unexplainable, we should not allow our peace to be spoiled. However unjustly we may be treated, let not passion arise. By indulging a spirit of retaliation we injure ourselves. We destroy our own confidence in God, and grieve the Holy Spirit. There is by our side a witness, a heavenly messenger, who will lift up for us a standard against the enemy. He will shut us in with the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. Beyond this Satan cannot penetrate. He cannot pass this shield of holy light.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p.171
“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee.” Job 42:5
For the life Job led in prayer, and his resulting faithfulness, he was given the “new wine” of salvation and God blessed him spiritually to know God on an even deeper level. No longer did Job just hear God and His word but now He could truly see God and His loving character. It is interesting that such a deep, helpless experience could result in such a deep understanding of God.
“And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:17–20
The new wine of God’s covenant is available to each one of us. But unless we make that deep connection and experience each day with Jesus we will lose access to this covenant. If you have not made that covenant with Jesus it is not too late. He offers His new testament in His blood, but will you accept it? Let us learn each day to love one another, to be like Job and not like his friends. No matter what the perceived hurt may be will it be too great to keep you or another out of heaven? Jesus can heal all wounds between us and all of the wounds of your life, no matter what the experience. Do not be happy with the old wine of a sin sick human nature but choose the new wine of the nature of Jesus. That is the end that God expects for you. Amen.
John Formosa