Job's Constant Sanctifying of His Children
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
10/19/2014 AM
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Text:
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Job 1:4,5
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Psalters: |
263, 331, 360, 339 |
Sacrament of Baptism |
- Job’s basic concern was the holiness of the children God gave to him.
- “Sanctified” means that Job worked to make them holy.
- Job’s fear of God (1) was the basic, ruling principle of his life, and so he was concerned about his children’s holiness.
- To be holy is to be separated from sin and to be dedicated to God.
- This concern for his children’s holiness manifested itself concerning concrete situations.
- Job’s children attended daily feasts (good fellowship of all ten children, taking turns in the sons’ homes).
- Job also knew that temptations lurked in legitimate earthly pleasures: to sin and curse God in their hearts (5b).
- Job’s concern led to continual activity.
- He did something about his concern – not just worry.
- He rose up early indicating urgency (Gen. 22:3; Jer. 7:13).
- He brought offerings for each of them.
- He did this regularly (“when the days of their feasting were gone”), i.e., every 8 th day which is on the Sabbath.
- This has implications for us.
- The fruit which God gives to our concern and to our effort is that He blesses this work on the children.
- Note that Job did sanctify His children – not just try to do so.
- It is not that Job made them holy, but that God did by His Spirit (we cannot touch their hearts).