I'd like to invite us to turn to the Book of Job and to Chapter 31. The Book of Job and Chapter 31. We'll read the whole chapter, fairly lengthy, but it is necessary that we do so. Job says, I have made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman? For what is the allotment of God from above and the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is it not destruction for the wicked and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood, or if my foot has hastened to deceit, let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity. If my step has turned from the way, or my heart walked after my eyes, or if any sport adheres to my hands, then let me sow and another eat. Yes, let my harvest be rooted out. If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down over her, for that would be wickedness. Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment, for that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my inquiries. If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant when they complained against me, what then shall I do when God rises up? When he punishes, how shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one fashion us in the womb? If I have kept the poor from their desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or eaten my morsel by myself, so that the fatherless could not eat of it. But from my youth I reared him as a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow. If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without covering, if his heart has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, If I have raised my hand against the fatherless when I saw I had help in the gate, then let my arm fall from my shoulder. Let my arm be torn from the socket, for destruction from God is a terror to me, and because of His magnificence I cannot endure. If I have made gold my hope or said to find gold, you are my confidence. If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gained much, if I have observed the sun when it shines or the moon moving in brightness so that my heart has been secretly enticed and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, for I would have denied God who is above. If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted myself up when evil found him, indeed, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for a curse on his soul. If the men of my tent have not said, who is there who has not been satisfied with his meat? But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, for I have opened my doors to the traveler. If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom because I feared the great multitude and dreaded the contempt of families so that I kept silent and did not go out of the door. Oh, that had one to hear me. Here is my mark. Oh, that God, the almighty rather, would answer me that my prosecutor had written a book. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder. and bind it on me like a crown, I would declare to him the number of my steps, like a prince I would approach him. If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep, if I've eaten its fruit without money, or caused its owners to lose their lives, then let thistles grow instead of wheat. and weeds instead of barley. Well, we end our reading there. This evening, I would like to speak to us about the character of Job. He is an Old Testament saint whose life shines like a star in the midst of darkness. Job's life and character is worthy of our consideration. Job is the only one about whom we have heard God boast to certain about. And God says there is no one like him on earth. This alone should compel us to look at this man's character. What does living a life like that of Job consist of? What does it look like? And my motivation for drawing your attention to this man's character is simply to bring an exhortation to us. We live in dark times, and we need to continue to meet the high standards to which God has called us in Christ. If we see a man like Job, with flesh and blood like us, living such a high standard of life, that should encourage us to seek to be like him. I'm keenly aware of the pitfalls of doing this, but I'm persuaded that this should not deprive us of the wonderful lessons that the character of Job brings to us. and indeed the great inspiration that his life should continue to be. So then, let's plunge into chapter 31. And I trust that we are all familiar with the basic story of the life of Job. This is a very wealthy man, a very religious man who is living in the land of Uz. God, in his wisdom, decides to allow Satan to tempt Job through very peculiar and intense suffering in a very short period of time. As a result, he loses all his possessions and his children. But Job has friends. And when they hear about his calamity, they come to him. They come to console him. At least that is the impression we are given as we read the beginning of this book. But as is often the case, they begin to want to answer the question, why is our friend suffering like this? And in the beginning of a book, The basic thesis, which arises out of suspicion actually, is that Job must have done something wrong. Although they don't know it, or at least they don't speak about it clearly in the beginning, they think that there's something that Job must have done for God to have done this to him. Of course, Job protests. He insists he's an innocent person. As the discourse between Job's friends and himself develops, the friends take a very giant but very dishonest step by moving from, you may have done something for God to do this to you, to we can name the sins which you committed for which God is punishing you. who speaks much in this book is the most brazen, the most callous of the friends of Job. His statement in chapter 22 is so untrue that it is difficult, almost impossible to believe that this man was even a friend of Job after all. I'd like to turn your attention to chapter 22, and we'll just read verse 4 to 11. This is the declaration of Eliphaz. Verse four, is it because of your fear of him that he corrects you and enters into judgment with you? Is not your wickedness great and your iniquity without end? For you have taken plages from your brother for no reason and stripped the naked of their clothing. You have not given the weary water to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry. But the mighty man possessed the land, and the honorable man dwelt in it. You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Therefore, snares are all over you, and sudden fear troubles you. Oh, darkness. so that you cannot see, and an abundance of water covers you. This is a friend making blatantly false declarations about his friend. So these friends of Job turned from being miserable comforters, as Job calls them, to actually being accusers and tormentors of their friend. And this is truly unbelievable. But it happens. It happened and will probably continue to happen. Now, throughout the book, Job, of course, defends his innocence. But in chapter 31, this is where he gives the most articulate and most passionate defense of his integrity. It is almost a defiant statement, but it is very solemn. And when you read it in the context of the discourse, it is one of the most moving accounts in the scriptures. It is very sobering. In fact, one would not be surprised if it reduces you to tears as you read. This is a man pinned against the wall. He's feeling abandoned by his wife, abandoned by his friends, and at this time he's feeling that he's abandoned by God himself. And so the defense that Job lays out here is a defense covered in a great sense of weakness and vulnerability. He feels alone. He feels that even if he spoke, nobody would believe him. But nonetheless, he goes out and says, OK, let me speak out my mind. And he does this by upping the ante, if one might call it that. He starts pronouncing curses upon himself. He says, if I have done as you allege I have done, then let the most despicable, the most cruel, the most unimaginable things happen to me then. And we as Africans, I think, perhaps more than other cultures, can relate to this. I think, although we use it carelessly, I'm sure most of us know the term kalesa. If I have done this, let something happen to me. Now, in Job chapter 31, Job says at least eight things about his character. about in the course of defending himself, he says at least eight things that he was not guilty of. And those eight things tell us a lot of things about him. The first thing that Job tells us is in verse one itself. I have made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a woman, a young woman for that matter? Job says to his friends, I've done nothing. And let me tell you, I am not guilty of lust. In case you think there's something that has been happening inside me that I've been hiding, I am not guilty of lust. Job had vowed or resolved not to lust. He had made a covenant with his eyes. Now, we know that the last of the flesh, the last of the eyes, these are some of the fatal sins that break many decent people. Job insists that he has always been careful to guard against lust. And a man who would not admit as much as having had a look of lust shows that his character is deep. Job watched against the very suggestion of sin and made sure that the very step The very first step that would take him to commit sin did not take place. I have made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman? As you know, sin entered the world through the eyes. Eve looked and she saw that the fruit was good to eat. And so we are here. the first Adam sinned and led us to where we are. So he is a wise person who takes into account this and does not give himself foolish liberty that may snatch him away into uncharted waters from which he may never emerge. Job is a wise man. If Job lived today, he would not be watching and live streaming pornography on his PC. Job would have despised questionable magazines with barely clad women. He would not have entered, rather he would not have entertained TV advertisements whose message is about the women rather than the product. Job would not have allowed his wife to wear miniskirts in the name of fashion. You can be sure that if Job lived today, he would not be watching most of our dances. I made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman, he says. The second thing that Job tells us he is not guilty of is falsehood and dishonest dealings. And we find that in verse 5. If I have walked with falsehood, or if my foot has ascended to deceit, let me be weighed on a scale. Now Job is telling us that he kept away from falsehood. But as we read what he says, we find that this deceit has perhaps special application to his business dealings. Let me just read what he says. Let me beware on all scales that God may know my integrity. if my step has turned from the way, or my heart walked after my eyes, or if any sport adheres to my hands, let me sow and another eat. Yes, let my harvest be rooted out. There seems to be a connection here when he says, my heart walked after my eyes. In other words, if I saw things and wanted to possess them, or if the harvest that I have in my field is something that I got fraudulently, then it's better those things are taken away from me. What he is telling us is this. that in his business dealings, he kept the straight and narrow road of plying his trade honestly. Nothing of what came into his possession was acquired by fraudulent means. If Job had found anything about goods in his house which were not his, he would have returned those goods to the rightful owner. Job is telling us that he did not entertain covetousness. Job did not allow his eyes to lead him into looking at another man's belongings and wishing that they were his, unlike Achan, who saw and took forbidden things and brought upon the people of God a curse. If Job lived today, he would not have been involved in the get-rich-quick schemes which even men of the color are now involved in. And so passionate is he about this issue of fair and honest dealings that he comes back to it in verse 38 and 39. And he says, if my land cries, out against me, and its furrows weep together. If I have eaten its fruit without money, or caused its owners to lose their lives, then let thisos grow instead of wheat." Job did not defraud anybody. He respected the property rights of others, and like Abraham, who would not take something for nothing. If Job lived today, he would not be sinning against his own country. He says in verse 38, if my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together, if I've eaten its food without money, he would not be sinning against his own country. If Job were a politician, he would not be falsifying votes. He would not be buying candidates to get his way. He would consider that as something worthy of the country itself, the land crying out against him. The third thing that Job tells us he was not guilty of is adultery. and moral uncleanness generally. In verse 9 he says, if my heart has been enticed by a woman, and if I have looked at my neighbor's door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down over her. Job kept himself away from defiling his neighbor's wife. In other words, he did not commit adultery. He would not be lurking in the dark looking for weak women to seduce. In fact, he tells us down there that the beauty of another man's wife did not excite him at all. He distanced himself from moral filth. He would not take advantage of his position to attract women of low morals into his den. It is worth remembering that Job was a great man in his time. And he could easily have abused his status. He could easily have given free reign to his desires. as so many people do today. One would dare to say, in this, Job could have had much to teach David. Job, by extension, kept his marriage vows by sticking to one woman. We know that Job did not even have a concubine. And this is in a culture in which it was not unusual to even have 500 wives. And he's doing this in the face of a woman who did not deserve that loyalty. The faith of the wife of Job was at the very best suspect. She was the first one to persuade him to curse God so that Job would die and his troubles come to an end. If Job lived today, you would not have heard of marital scandals emanating from his home. You would not have heard that his wife was always checking on what phone calls he was making, from whom he was receiving phone calls. Job would have kept a healthy distance from all women, not to raise even a hint of inordinate conduct. The fourth thing that Job cries out he is not guilty of is the mistreatment of his workers. And we find that in verse 13. If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant when they complained against me, what then shall I do when God rises up? When he punishes, how shall I answer him? Job was very mindful of those who worked with him. He did not despise them in any way. He was a good employer, a considerate employer. And he tells us that even when he was the subject of his workers' complaints, he heard them. It's very possible that some of them even took him to court. These complaints that he's talking about here perhaps are in the context of a court session. These employees are probably claiming what did not even belong to them. But Job says he did not beat his workers with his tongue. Even when some of them did these things, when some of them may have been unruly, some of them may be undutiful, he listened to their stories and made an effort to address their grievances. Now, it's not easy to be contradicted by those whose livelihood depends on you and who you can fire with ease. If you've ever dealt with this, you know what a struggle it is to keep your temper down. But in this, Job shows his humility. He was not a proud man. We can extend Job's argument to this, that Job is telling us that he did not make himself wealthy by exploiting his workers. Now, we need to be mindful that the word exploitation today is used very loosely. It seems to be the preserve of communists, socialists, and the lazy. People who think that they're entitled to a good wage even when their boss's business is making losses. But we can say that he never, Job, did not make himself wealthy at the expense of his workers. Now, Job tells us why he did not mistreat his workers. And it's in verse 14. What then shall I do when God rises up? When he punishes, how shall I answer him? Did not he who made them in the womb make me? Did not the same one fashion us in the womb? Job viewed himself as no better than those who worked with him. So whenever he may have been tempted to be harsh, to be cruel and merciful, he would remember that God made Job. And the God who made Job is the same one who made his servants. This is a great source of moderation. It's a great source of self-control when someone is tempted to mistreat those below him. In fact, a condescending attitude is a mark of ungodliness. The fifth thing that Job tells us about himself that he was not guilty of is insensitivity to the poor. And we find that in verse 16, if I've kept the poor from their desire or caused the eyes of the widow to fail. Now, Eliphaz, as we read earlier, had insisted in his assault on the character of Job, that he was unmerciful to the poor. And Job here is telling us it is not true. It is not only untrue, but it is totally groundless, because Job, in these short verses, actually says things that totally contradict what Elipha Zardelia said. If I have kept the poor from their desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or eaten my morsel by myself so that the fatherless could not eat of it, then if you have the New King James Version, it says now in parentheses, but from my youth, I reared him as a father. And from my mother's womb, I guided the widow. If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or any poor man without covering, if his heart was not blessed to me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, when I saw I had help in the gate, let my arm from my father's shoulder." Job, in defending himself, says he was not selfish, but shared what he had. In fact, he insinuates in in verse 17, so that the fatherless could not eat of it, he insinuates that, in fact, some of these poor people actually ate with him, like the way David treated Mephibosheth. Job states he was compassionate. He looked for opportunities to bless the poor. Job not only gave maintenance to those that needed it, but also what was necessary to empower them. He specifically mentions the widows. He says for the widows, he would take it upon himself to guide them on how to run their affairs in the absence of a husband so that they could stand on their own. He says he clothed the poor. He would not have clothing and then sees a person in the street without something and is keeping that. Job would not keep stacks of clothing in his wardrobe, which he could not use just for its own sake. He says he kept himself from jeopardizing their interests. He neither frightened them, nor threatened them, nor threatens to strike the poor. He did not use his power to crush them. Job tells us that he did these things from his mother's womb. That is to say that he lived this type of a life in relation to the poor from his youth. We can conclude that Job had a kind nature woven in his personality. And as he grew up, it just blossomed. The sixth thing which Job tells us he was not guilty of his idolatry, and we find that in verse 24. If I have made gold my hope, or said to find gold, you are my confidence. If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gained much. If I have observed the sun when it shines, or the moon moving in brightness, so that my heart had been secretly enticed, and my mouth had kissed my hand. In this regard, Job tells us that he never set his heart upon the wealth of this world, nor considered what he owned as the source of his happiness. Yes, Job had wealth, great wealth, which very few people will ever possess. But he was not controlled. nor ruined by it. In fact, he tells us in verse 24 that he had no confidence in what he owned. He never rejoiced that he had a lot of wealth. This is a great man and a person we should all seek to emulate. This is because this is truly contrary to our experience today. People worship money. And some of them, because they cannot advance to make money, because the religion of Christ cannot permit them to own his name and still be fraudulent, they make a shipwreck of their faith, like the rich fool of the New Testament. who said to himself, you've gathered much. Take it easy and enjoy yourself. Job, to the contrary, says he had no confidence in what he possessed. That foolish man was taken away that very night. But Job endures forever. Job was alert. to the corrupting influences of wealth. And so he says he had no confidence in it. But not only that, he distanced himself from the worship of creatures. He never saw the sun and ascribed to it deity. And he says, Even the moon, in all its brightness, never enticed him. The seventh thing that Job tells us he was not guilty of is failure to love his enemies. And we find that in verse 29. If I have rejoiced in the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him, indeed, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for a curse on his soul. Job was not vengeful. If his enemies got into trouble, he did not rejoice, he says. He would not be secretly laughing at his enemies and thinking they deserved what had befallen them. Or he would not do what we often do, thinking that another person is suffering because God's judgment is upon them. He never cursed even those who hated him. It is baffling that a man so good as Job still had enemies. He had those who hated him. It takes a man with a deep sense of piety to consider loving his enemies as his obligation under God. The eighth thing that Job tells us he was not guilty of is concealing sin and living generally in hypocrisy. And we find that in verse 33 and verse 34. If I have covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosom because I feared the great multitude and dreaded the contempt of families so that I kept silent and did not go out of the door. Job is telling us he did not conceal his sins. He let them bear before his conscience, scrutinized them, and dealt with them as he was required to do. Unlike Adam, he did not give excuses for his sins, but made it a habit to confess them, not just his own sins, but the sins of his children as we read. Job hated hypocrisy. He did not engage in double speak. acquiring a different language depending on who was looking at him. Why? Well, he tells us that he never feared men. He was content to lose his name if only he could do what was right. He says the contempt of families never bothered him. He was not persuaded by the scorn of the majority. He cared little about their insults. Job would have made an excellent judge, a man who cared only about what was true and not wanting to create a reputation based on false considerations. He would not let justice fall out of the window for a bribe or pander to the powerful as many are doing today. Now, having said this, Let's go on and state this, that this is the life to which Christ has called us. The life of Job is the standard to which God has called us in Christ Jesus, that we can say this unashamedly without having to blush, that we can tick the eight boxes and say, this is the life I've lived. Now, why should we say that? Well, I would like us to consider three things that the scriptures tell us. They are not exhaustive. I've just chosen them because they are easy to apply in this particular case. Consider first of all the Sermon on the Mount. When the Lord is delivering the Sermon on the Mount, it's as if he is describing the life of Job. Let me just read. This is something that our pastor has taken us through before, Matthew chapter 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. As the Lord is delivering this sermon, he was fully aware that there once lived at least one man before him who lived a morally wholesome well-rounded and complete life. And so he could say to his listeners, be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. But consider also the injunction of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 5. And I'd like you to turn to it. Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians 5 and verse 3. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for the saints, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather give thanks. be giving of thanks rather. For this you know that no fornicator, unclean person, no covetous man who is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one therefore deceive you with empty words. We can therefore say, if any person claims to have the spirit of Christ, or if any church claims to be sound but does not exhibit the marks found in Matthew 5 or does not follow the injunction of the apostle Paul, which are the marks of the character of Job, that person or that church is not a spiritual church. In fact, we are told by the Apostle Paul that the fruit of the Spirit is exactly what we have read. You can read Galatians 5, verse 22 and 24, and you find that the marks that are there, most of them are relational, the sort of things that Job has been talking about. Job scored high marks on the fruit of the Spirit. But also consider, lastly, James's book, which we have been going through. And you can walk through that book and come to the conclusion that actually that is the description of the life of Job. Job lay aside all filthiness, James chapter 1. He was a doer of the word by keeping a pure and undefiled religion. which James describes as, to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unsupported from the world, James 1.27. James, rather Job, was impartial. He was unprejudiced against those lower than him, as James tells us we should be in James chapter 2. And as taught by James, John had a faith which showed itself by works. He controlled his tongue by not insulting God in the face of much affliction. Though later on, of course, he confessed that some of the things he said were not based on knowledge, and he called himself vile. Job did not promote strife, but rather peace. He was humble. He did not judge others unfairly, as we're being reminded again this morning. Even when his friends were railing against him with force foods, he still maintained a beautiful decorum. Job never accused his friends of hidden motives. Though he was rich, he did not oppress others, and he was patient in suffering. That is the iber to which God has called us in Christ Jesus. Now, when we ask, what are the motivations for Job living this life? Well, he leaves us in no doubt. And let me just mention the motivations he gives us. In verse 2 to 4, let me just speak out a few. Verse 4, does he not see my ways and count all my steps? Verse 14, what then shall I do when God rises up? When he punishes, how shall I answer him? Verse 23, for destruction from God is a terror to me. because of his magnificence I cannot endure." Verse 28. This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment for I would have denied God who is above. There are at least three motivations Job had. One is the fear of judgment. Job was deeply conscious that God saw whatever he did and would bring him to judgment. Secondly, he abhorred sin. He hated sin. You see it from his language here. Calling those things which he said he was not guilty of as iniquity deserving punishment, as sin, as an abhorrent thing, he abhorred sin. Like Joseph, he hated sin. But most importantly, Job had a deep sense of the worth of God. This is obviously in verse 28, but you can find it hidden in other verses before. And this, one would like to think, is the pinnacle of godliness. What fear of judgment and hatred of sin cannot do a great sense of the worth of God can achieve. This reverence is what makes a person called a man or woman of God. And Job here shows that he is such a one. His sense that if he sinned, he would be denying God who is above. constrained him, tied boundaries around his conduct so that whether he was alone on his bed or he was among the multitude, it did not matter. He revered God and that helped his conduct. Well, let me end with this. How can we live such a life? Two things. I think, first of all, it's a remembrance, a recollection, an awareness. We live in the gospel age, where the scriptures tell us we have received every spiritual blessing in Christ, indeed, as we are being reminded this morning. The Holy Spirit lives in us. We are indwelt by the Godhead. by his spirit. And in line with the promises of God through Jeremiah, the law of God is written on our hearts. Our calling, therefore, is to live by the spirit. Live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. So it's a remembrance, a recollection of who we are. that assists us to soldier on against all odds in order to maintain our integrity for the sake of God. And the second thing that we would really be at a great loss if we did not take notice is the importance of resolutions. Today, we look down on resolutions and people make fun of them because at the beginning of the year, we make resolutions and by the first day, but maybe the second day of the year, we have dropped them, but resolutions are important. Job says, I have made a covenant with my eyes. Resolutions are important in keeping us straight and conformed to the will of God. In the New Testament, there are a number of passages in which the word, make every effort to do this. Make every effort. Our time is running very fast, but if you have time, look at 2 Peter 1, verse 5 to 8, 2 Peter 2, verse 14, and Hebrews 12, verse 14. There we are being told that we must make every effort. Now, making every effort implies that you are determined to live in a certain way. You resolve to live in a way, in a certain way. And once you have resolved, you make sure that everything that is required to make that to happen is brought onto that problem so that you conquer it. One of our politicians recently said that he had lost weight and was calling another person. He says, even that man must stop drinking. Look at me, what I've done. I began last August, look at what I'm looking like. He had resolved, I'm going to lose weight. We must resolve not to sin. We must resolve not to cheapen the name of God and consistently live like that, day by day. If we should fall, we rise and follow our resolution. What have you resolved to do for Christ? What are you resolving to live by? That matters. And you can be setting a higher bar for yourself. And as you do this consistently, the Bible tells us you'll be adding things to your character, maturity, faithfulness, and so forth and so forth, as Peter tells us. Let us, therefore, remember our calling in Christ and use the resources that God has granted us in him to resolve to live above the world and honor God with our lives. Here is a good picture of Job living before the grace of the New Testament, challenging us. May we emulate him. And may God bless us as his people. And may he magnify his name through us. Amen.