THE PATHFINDER

#45.90

THOSE LIKE JOB

"Satan, have you noticed my servant, Job?"

            To more than a few, those words echo through the recesses of their souls, and send tremors deep within. They can feel the moving of the disquieted hills, and the rumblings of their unsure foundations roll on. It proceeds down to the extremity of their very being. They wonder if they will have any life remaining by the time the stroke of this dark hour has run its fateful course.

            "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them" (Job 1:6).

            There are many different realms of maturity in Christ, and this particular publication will not speak to all of them. It will, however, reach down and shake the life out of some, while others are lifted from the very depths of hell, wherein they have lately found themselves to be, and set upon the seat of the heavens.

            The ones to whom these words speak have been much like Job in that long-ago day when the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord (Job 1:6). They also had their entire lives set on righteousness, hating evil, and their one desire was to present themselves before our wonderful Lord and to become absolutely one with Him. This has been their goal and deepest aspiration, but what they found instead was something else; namely, the flood gates of hell were opened!

            This time it was not the name of Job that the Lord made reference to when conferring with Satan, it was their own. If their ears were listening closely, they would have heard the voice of the Spirit saying:

            "Satan, where've you been? Have you noticed my servants `John,' `Jack,' `Joe,' `Charlotte,' `Doris,' `Dorothy'...? Just look at them, aren't they something? There is none like them in all the earth. They are perfect and upright. They fear God and hate evil. You won't find another bunch like them anywhere. Have you taken a good look at them?"

            "Sure, I've noticed them," Satan, replies, "for I have been walking to and fro throughout their earth, I have walked as far as the east is from the west in the earthy planes of their carnal souls, not to mention in every realm of their bodies of dusty clay. I have also traveled up and down in them, from the heights of their heavens to the depths of their hells. There hasn't been a day that I have left them. Have I noticed them, You ask? Oh, yes, I have noticed them, all right; but You have had a hedge about them, and You've blessed them beyond measure. But I'll tell you what, put forth Your hand, and turn me loose on them, and they will curse You to Your face."

            Ah, now we know why those seven introductory words, "Satan, have you noticed my servant, Job," shook down to the core. It rang a bell, didn't it? It echoed how all this got started. We also knew the fateful words that followed: "Go ahead, Satan, except for their lives, they are in your hand to do with as you please" (Job 2:6, free translation). We shudder to think about it, but it was then that the dragon compassed the unguarded regions of our souls, and with his far-reaching talons of death, he seemed to tear the very life from our being. No, this is not at all what we had expected when we presented ourselves unto the Lord, was it?

            Many have not experienced this, but they will, in due time. In due time it will come, dear sons, for it is the destiny of every son; and furthermore, it is good for us. You see, before the Lord laid His hand upon Job, he had only heard about Him, but the fires of hell improved his vision tremendously. At the end of his testing, he had this to say about it: "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but NOW MINE EYE SEETH THEE" (Job 42:5).

            The book of Job predates any other book in the Bible, including the ones Moses wrote (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). No one knows who wrote it, when it was written, or where it came from. It just came on the scene and has always been with us. It is believed by some Bible scholars that a man by the name of Job, of whom this book speaks, never existed -- that the book was written as an allegory, that it represents all those who reach a certain place in God; and that it speaks of the final step that forever changes and ushers them into His everlasting presence. Today, we hear the words of this book trumpeting the clear and audible notes to the sons of God while heralding their manifestation to those in the earth -- the manifestation that the whole creation has anxiously been waiting for (Rom 8:18-22).

            It looks as if those to whom it was initially written are finally getting to read it; that is, it is being read as it is engraved by experience in their lives. No doubt, the words of this book were written to all the saints of past ages to one degree or another, and untold blessings have been gleaned from those ancient pages; but it appears that this book of antiquity has come down through the annals of time to find its mark today in the lives of countless thousands of the corporate body of Jesus Christ. Therefore, get yourselves ready, all you sons of God, to spend some time in the ash heaps of hell, for this is the only place that can prepare us to have our eyes opened that we may clearly see the one we so dearly love.

            These awesome dealings of God have been going on for some time now; and for most, there has never been anything like it. At times it is terrifying. Their very lives are seemingly hanging by a thread, and they feel that if God does not intervene they will plummet endlessly into the throes of death's beckoning jaws -- never to rise again. The balance is so delicately set, that the slightest movement in the wrong direction tilts the scales ever so greatly in the direction of the void of darkness. It seems as if they will never again enjoy the sweet presence of Christ or flow in the rich fellowship of His saints. Their pain is so intense at times that they wonder if it will ever cease. With this deluge, it is virtually impossible to see themselves ever again sharing another word to anyone at any time. While in these flames of torment, the future has no promise -- it is black as pitch, as dark as midnight on a moonless, cloud-covered night. In this awesome state of being, they are totally void of anything to say, and when they do converse with people, the weight of darkness is so great at times that they question if they are making any sense at all. As for the anointing, it is merely a memory of the past, and seems to be lost forever. For the first time in their lives, the stark reality has hit them square in the face: that without the presence and command of the Lord THEY CAN DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! They are left totally helpless and at the mercy of Satan. Yet even then, they sin not, nor do they curse God and die.

            In times past it was possible to get something going without a direct word from the throne. We could just jump in there and get the job done with our good ole' saintly know-how and believing that God would honor our dedication and hard work, and at times it seemed as if He did -- but that train has now come to a sudden halt. If there is any movement of God today, it is taking a sharp turn to the contrary of what we had once known -- and it is devastating to the natural man! Many had come to the place where they were hopefully beyond the point of having their heavens shaken; and rightly so, for so many traumatic and humbling things had transpired in the past that did much refining in their lives. However, their hope has been deferred, for more than a few of these once strong men and women of God have now become frail and helpless. They have been, and are still being, tested to the very limits. Indeed, everything that can be shaken is being shaken in this great and momentous day of the Lord.

            This is the day when the floodgates have been released from within and without; and although the afflicted Jobs of today could use a gentle word of encouragement, their dearest friends sometimes add to the weight. With good intentions, but ignorant of what is happening, they pull imaginations out of the heavens of their influenced minds and beat the helpless ones with what is assumed to be from God. From the depths of suffering, from the ash-laden pit of hurt and despair comes not a resounding command of rebuke or retaliation to those who are "doing God a service," but only a quiet cry to their Lord and Saviour. They cry, "Help me, God! O Lord, help me, lest I perish under the burden of this crushing weight! How much longer must I be wounded in the house of my friends?"

            Some of the younger, unlearned and foolish "judges" of the Lord's servants draw their shiny swords, slicing the air, challenging those who are hurting, hoping for a response in order to carve their first notch on the handle of their spiritual weapon of war. But to no avail, for the pain of those being refined is much too great to desire any hurt to anyone, not to their challengers nor to their comforters. When there is no retaliation, the proud fools strut away, mocking the peacemakers and boasting great victory. Yet they know not that they are the losers, and neither do they know that if the ones they have attempted to slay do not pray for them, they will remain undelivered of their folly and rejected of God.

              In the midst of the onslaught, some of the sons will attempt to reason with God, with men, with themselves; and they will try to justify why it is that they are left helpless and void in the hands of Satan. However, in the end, the truth becomes more clear as the Lord reveals Himself, even as He did to Job, and they hear the sobering words:

            "...Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

            "Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

            "Then answered the LORD out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me. Wilt thou also disannul My judgment? wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like Him? Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee" (Job 40:1-15).

            Brethren, I don't know if those words reverberate as peals of rolling thunder through the heavens of your soul or not, but if they do, then read on -- and if they don't, read on anyway.

            For countless years we have been running hither and yon, doing what seemed right in our own minds; whether it was in ministering the word of God, or perhaps living a life that was not quite as holy as it ought to be. Everything seemed right in our own eyes. We have done everything from sipping a little too much wine to bringing God down to the lowly level of a base man like Adam. We have justified our every deed and action, assuming II Cor. 5:18 is saying that all things (good or evil) are of God. If we had known that the "all things" were speaking of all the Holy things, then we would not have justified our transgressions by looking to an imaginative god who would wink at our "innocent" rebellion and presumably say, "Go ahead and preach what you think is best and enjoy life a little. And if you go out of bounds with your liberty, don't worry, for you know I am an all-forgiving God and can't hold a grudge for very long."

            ABSURD THOUGHTS! ABSOLUTELY ABSURD! For do we not remember? If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but only a fearful judgment and the fiery indignation of God, which shall devour the adverse transgressions. And has it been forgotten? Once we have been enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift (Jesus our gracious Redeemer), and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come -- if we then fall (turn) away, that it is impossible to be renewed unto that wonderful relationship of Christ through mere repentance. For that, dear saints of God, would be crucifying the Holy Lamb of God afresh and would be disrobing Him of His Kingly garments, striping Him naked before all the unholy, prying eyes of the world and putting Him once again to an open shame upon the cross (Heb. 6:4-6 and 10:26-27, free translation). How dare we to be so calloused, brazen and selfish to do such a thing to the Lamb of God and then expect His Father to count it as nothing? How can anyone be so deceived to believe that God would accommodate their misguided delusions and send His Son to die over and over again every time they want to have a fling in the flesh.

            Be it far from us, Brethren, to get off so lightly. No, it is not done so easily as that; but rather, what awaits all those who defy the grace of God and the precious shed blood of Jesus are the CHASTISING  FLAMES of FIRE! (Heb. 6:7-8). It is not repentance but fire, and even at that, it is not the transforming fire of glory. It is the fire that stops the rebellion and sets one on the narrowing path to begin his journey to that glory. Let us with lifted hands and with an unreproachable life praise His Holy Name. Let it be far from us to ever defame and shame it to any degree. Let us daily seek to bring honor to our Father and His household. Let us be ready to die if need be to preserve the Family name and not be one of those who are destroying it. Oh, would to God, that we could all behold His face for only a moment, I believe it would change our attitudes tremendously.

            In the beginning, when we first heard the calling of our Lord to come out of the dark world of pig sties, thorn patches and brambles, nothing was necessary for a complete cleansing and total refreshing except a genuine repentance. And we merely had to say, "LORD Jesus, save me!" With those simple, but profound words, the slate was wiped clean, and we were justified, acquitted, found not guilty, and our relationship with Him began. However, once we go back to the flesh-tearing briar patches, back to the pigs' wallow, and with some, even back to the vomit of dogs, the gracious anger of God will send His unquenchable, age-abiding fire to those transgressing souls. Those people will no doubt eventually be renewed, but oh the price! It is through much torment and anguish, and suffering of great loss that their souls will be restored.

            You see, it is not like it was in the beginning, gaining a relationship with Christ through repentance; for when we sin willfully our union can only be reinstated through fire. And don't ever think the fires won't be hot, and never assume it will be worth the joy of doing your own thing for a short season, for  I-T  I-S  N-O-T! I very seriously doubt if my warnings will cause many of those who are bent on doing their own thing to change courses; even so, there are a few who will hear. The others, the lovers of the world, shall go on to inherit the handy work of the flesh-consuming flames of God's inferno which is reserved for the transgressors.

            When things are going great and God is blessing us at every turn, it is virtually impossible to imagine that our heavenly ascension will ever end. But what a great surprise! One moment we are on top of the world and almost without warning the bottom falls out. It is hard to understand. Years have gone by, and we have repeatedly done the same things with it effecting our relationship with Christ; but suddenly, these seemingly insignificant things are required of us. And then, we very often have a tendency to not let go. This holding on can lead to transgressions.

            Therefore, dear ones of God, when we hear His still, quiet, gentle voice coming from the depths of our spirit, it is advisable to listen and obey. For if we do not, we will someday hear Him thundering from the fierce winds of the devastating tornado. It will not be like the cooing of the gentle, soft-spoken dove from heaven, but as the flaming chariots of war to consume and rend us void and desolate of everything we have ever held dear.

            When we find ourselves in the roaring flames let us be quick to know whether they are those of judgment due of willful sin and rebellion, or they are the transforming flames of those like Job. We are all destined to one or the other, or even both. Nevertheless, whichever it may be, once the fire comes, without a shadow of doubt we shall know how utterly helpless we really are. We shall also know that all things of the past, present and future have less value than that of a gnat; that is, if it is not a product of Jesus Christ. In the face of the transforming fire we will for the first time know that we will never again be able to accomplish one iota of anything unless He does it. We will then understand a few things concerning Job, for we will be sitting in the same ashes of God's burning -- in the residue of what was formerly some sort of substance in our lives. Let us listen again to the solemn words of God to the man of our example, and then see how much power we might have to make something happen or deliver ourselves from the hand of the Living God:

            "Then answered the LORD out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me. Wilt thou also disannul My Judgment ?" (Job 40:8a). Many have done just that. We have discarded God's decisions when they didn't conform to our plans. "Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like Him?" (Job 40:8b). We have privately interpreted the scriptures to our own scheme of things, which would justify ourselves, while condemning God as a result. And, from the pulpits across the land today, many are still thundering what sounds like great edicts of God; but all too often they are mere words compiled by their own imaginations and cunning devices of men.

            "Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty." (Job 40:10). In the days of glory, when the wine of the Spirit flowed freely, and the gifts sparkled around us like the precious stones of Sheba, it was as though we would be arrayed in this manner forever. Sometimes we would even take the glory to ourselves, believing we were something special; else, such grand things would not have befallen us. But alas, in the midst of the roaring fires of God, and squatting in our ash-heaps of hell, we began to see just how naked we have become. For what used to be a glorious silken robe of prestige, and had cloaked the nakedness of our delicate flesh, has now been replaced with the course rags of sackcloth with which to cover our throbbing, boil infested souls of humility. Some may attempt to cover themselves with self-made majesty by strutting and parading before the world in Babylon's goodly garments of dead rituals; but that won't last, for of the elect, all that they are and everything they possess is being required.

            In the midst of this, people will usually try everything in their power to deliver themselves from such demanding requirements. It is only natural. Most people have lived the entirety of their lives working out their own problems to somewhat of a satisfactory end. When they are then inundated with the fires of the inferno, they use the same time-proven method of deliverance -- their own power. Nevertheless, it no longer works! If they are able to do all the things God challenged Job in, it might then work, but we believe they will also fail, like he did. The Lord said to him, "Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee" (Job 40:11-14). The greatest man of his day was unable to save himself, and likewise, those like Job of this day will utterly fail as well.

            There is a people, however, who will rise up from the ashes and excel -- those of understanding. They have sincere hearts and a genuine desire to know the truth. In the midst of God's transforming fires, there is no rage of wrath to be found, not even against those who come to "comfort" them, for the Spirit of meekness is replacing the spirit of war. And they are coming to know that there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- within themselves that can do anything outside the authority of their King. They are coming to know that even if they had a mind to, they are not able to dethrone the proud ones and bring them down low to the ground, as the Lord challenged Job. For they know from the experience of the unquenchable fire, that there is no power that overrules God. Furthermore, with the awesome pain of such fires, they have no desire to see even their bitterest enemy suffer as they have suffered. As a matter of fact, the pain is so intense that there are no enemies to be had. Most differences and oppositions become so trivial that it leaves no room for enemies. I do not say this because I have had a revelation of it, nor do I know this from searching it out in the scriptures. Beloved, I know this to be true, because I have experienced it. Some may want to argue this point, but remember, a man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument, as it has been said.

            One thing I have found to be true as a result of these fires of God -- they will reveal a man's true worth. They will also show where his heart really is. Let me tell you, Brethren, if there is not the Gold of God (the substance of Jesus Christ, however mixed with carnality) in one's life prior to the fire, and if he does not have a genuine desire for a relationship with God, and if he does not have a passion to know the truth at all cost -- he will not come out of the fire with his life worth a plug nickel. He will be totally consumed of anything that he ever was, and nothing will be left but a tormented man. Go ahead, friends, if you so choose to ignore the promptings of God, and see for yourselves what I am talking about, but I would very seriously advise against it.

            Let me be truthful with you -- while in the midst of that fire, I had never known such anguish; hopelessness was overpowering, and in my mind there was no guarantee that it would ever be any different. And let me tell you this, the thing that brought this on was not any act of sin, but because it was time for some changes in my life -- as it is with many of you. It was then that the Lord began to take me through the valley of DECISION, or more accurately, the valley of DEATH. At every turn I had to make a decision whether to alleviate the pain by natural means or by the Spirit; and as I chose the Spirit I died to whatever it was that had seemed to be so valuable before. If I had chosen the natural, I know I would have died to that which is without price -- the Spirit and relationship of my Lord. God forbid.

            There will be times when God will require things of everyone, and if they are reluctant in turning them loose and persist to justify it in their own minds, they can count on facing the flames. After a period of time of holding onto whatever God is asking for, their holding will eventually become a revolt, an insurrection, i.e., a transgression, as mentioned earlier. This is when it gets serious; for you see, the word says that The way of the transgressor is hard. However, once a person steps into the arena of Life, the chastisement of their rebellion is no longer mandated to be measured out, for the punishment has already been accounted to another man's back -- Jesus Christ by name. This is why He was stricken, smitten, and afflicted of God; for that is the punishment of revolters. Yet it was not because of His transgressions that His flesh was laid open, for He had none, it was for ours. He took our chastisement upon Himself to spare us from the scourgings.

            The wages of sin (missing the mark of Life) regardless of the reason, even if it is in ignorance, is death (which He also bore for us); but the reward of transgression/rebellion is chastisement. Jesus received our whipping when the stripes where laid upon his back. He took the charge of our former transgressions, when we were void of His gracious indwelling Spirit. Bruised and bleeding He bore them all the way to the cross. Since He had already suffered the penalty, we did not have to be beaten for our prior transgressions; however, after receiving the pardon from that guilt, and having partaken of that heavenly gift of God, and having received of the Holy Spirit, and having tasted of the powers of the age to come -- IF WE TRANSGRESS (rebel against) THE COMMAND OF GOD, THEN WE RECEIVE THE WAGES OF SCOURGING BY FIRE. It is as simple as that. Do the crime, you do the time, as we have often heard.

            While in the ashes of despair, and in the face of supreme Power and Judgment, "...Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice, but I will proceed no further."

            Those, dear sons of God, will be the only words that can proceed from our once over-flowing lips of ignorance, or of rebellion. Where there were great words of eloquence, there will be silence. Although our rhetoric had been that of the noble statesmen, it will become humble mutterings. When God is ready to prove our worth, or when He responds to our transgressions, our mouths will be shut, to be heard no more. We will not be heard, that is, until He loosens the bands of Orion from our tormented minds -- and that blessed release, Brethren, will come as we cry out to Him in grief and godly sorrow. Of course, the time for loosening will be contingent on the degree of submission to the processings.

            However, when one's heart is to know and to serve the Living God, and the fire has finished its course, and his or her deep cry is truly unto their mighty Lord -- their will resound these words in humble victory: "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6). It is then no longer "I" but only HIM. When such a repentance echoes through the heavens of their very being, God in His great mercy will reach down from those heights and lift them graciously unto Himself. And whether the fire lasts long or not, one thing we can count on -- as He brushes off the smoldering ashes, He will encourage us with words akin to:

            "SING, O BARREN, thou that didst not bear; BREAK FORTH INTO SINGING, and cry aloud...for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD" (Is. 54:1). Therefore, Sons, let us receive the fiery saltings of the Lord, and sing with me, and cry aloud of the mercies and goodness of our Great God! "Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited" (Is. 54:2-3). This is what is in store for all who will stand in the fire and not curse God (or the devil) -- a tremendous increase in the fruit of our love and an enormous strength and expansion of the horizons of our conquests. Victory and Life will be seen where before there were only distant dreams -- dreams that were vaguely visible in the dim light of fading hope.

            "Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. FOR A SMALL MOMENT HAVE I FORSAKEN THEE; but WITH GREAT MERCIES WILL I GATHER THEE. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer" (Is. 54:4-8).

            Although our ignorance, or perhaps our transgressions, may have caused us to be, as it were, fruitless widows; let us not draw back nor be ashamed -- for this is the day of our Lord, our mighty King. It is the day of our Master, our Husband, and He is redeeming and joining us unto Himself. Even though "His anger endureth but a moment; in His favour is Life: WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT, BUT JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING" (Ps 30:5). Praise Him, all ye sons of God, for He will then be the God of our whole earth, we will be totally possessed and swallowed up of Him. Not only that, when it is all over, creation will manifestly declare that He is the God of all the earth! Even so, let us be quick to remember that judgment first begins in His own house (I Pt. 4:17) -- which happens to consist of  THOSE LIKE JOB!

Elwin R. Roach

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