Noah-Daniel-Job

From: Job The Man and His Character: October 2024

“Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it [the land], they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God” (Ezek. 14:14¹⁴Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 14:14)).

It was a dark day in Israel’s history when this word of the Lord came to the prophet Ezekiel. The word from the Lord said, “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezek. 22:30³⁰And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. (Ezekiel 22:30)). The ten tribes (Ephraim, or kingdom of Israel) had already gone into captivity to Assyria — removed out of Jehovah’s land, which He had given them. Assuredly they “gave not God the glory” (Acts 12:23²³And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. (Acts 12:23)), but “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:23²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:23)).

Judah had not profited by the lesson to be learned from Jehovah’s dealings with their brethren of Ephraim; no man laid it to heart. God had reserved one tribe: “Unto his son will I give one tribe, that David My servant may have a light alway before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen Me to put My name there” (1 Kings 11:36³⁶And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. (1 Kings 11:36)). There was no response to this sovereignty of mercy shown to them, and one can only weep with the weeping prophet Jeremiah, as we read the inspired record of the sins of Judah’s kings, false prophets, priests and people. “My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13¹³For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)). At last God removed them also, as Stephen said, “I will carry you away beyond Babylon” (Acts 7:43⁴³Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. (Acts 7:43)).

The Loving Heart of God

What a grief of mind all this was to the Lord God of Israel may be learned from Deuteronomy 5:29: “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” These words truly reveal the loving heart of our God concerning His earthly people; they are words, too, which were recorded before they were in possession of the promised land, words by one who declares “the end from the beginning” (Isa. 46:10¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:10)). God truly felt His people’s departure of heart from Himself. This is still true today, as of old! Let us therefore “grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)).

With such a dark background and at such a time, it evidently afforded the Lord some pleasure to think of His righteous servants: Noah, Daniel and Job. Amazing grace! What an encouragement to us also in our feeble place of service today, in the sphere where He has been pleased to place each one of us. We do well to heed the words of 1 Peter 1:17,¹⁷And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: (1 Peter 1:17) “Ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work.” And now, as “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning” (Rom. 15:4⁴For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4)), let us draw some spiritual profit, warning and encouragement from the history of God’s three worthies: Noah, Daniel and Job.

Noah

He was a courageous character, indeed, to face an ungodly, hostile world with God’s long-suffering testimony. What was the secret of his strength? “Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9⁹These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)); also, “according to all that God commanded him, so did he” (Gen. 6:22²²Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (Genesis 6:22)). “Warned of God” and “moved with fear,” he “prepared an ark” by means of which he accomplished two things: (1) “He condemned the world” (Heb. 11:7⁷By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)), and (2) “eight souls were saved by water” (1 Peter 3:20²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:20)). It is sad to think that the only result of his preaching was to “condemn the world,” but this was not his fault. “What if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid” (Rom. 3:3-4³For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? ⁴God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (Romans 3:3‑4)). But the ark he prepared was the means of “the saving of his house” (Heb. 11:7⁷By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)). Noah was a family man, and he was possessed of those qualifications necessary for a bishop in the church of God in Paul’s day, as he wrote to Timothy: “A bishop [overseer] then must be blameless ... one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity” (1 Tim. 3:2-4²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; ⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (1 Timothy 3:2‑4)). Noah’s family, at least, believed his testimony, backed up by his godly life, and as a result found themselves safely in the ark with him when the judgment fell.

Daniel

In Daniel we find a pleasing personage who had “another spirit with him,” like Caleb (Num. 14:24²⁴But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Numbers 14:24)). He sets before us a good beginning, a faithful, consistent walk throughout, and a good finish. Paul’s word in Philippians 1:20²⁰According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (Philippians 1:20) comes at once to mind: “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” The last verse of the book of Daniel is a wonderful reward for a life of faithfulness to God: “Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days” (Dan. 12:13¹³But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (Daniel 12:13)). We may be sure his lot will be a good one! The feature of his exemplary life which we desire to lay stress upon in this article is that Daniel continued—lion’s den and all, he continued. The secret of his success, you ask? “He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God” (Dan. 6:10¹⁰Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. (Daniel 6:10)). We do well to follow his example and heed the exhortation of Romans 12:12: “Continuing instant in prayer.” There is a further salutary lesson for us in 1 John 2:24: “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.”

Job