Job's Constant Sanctifying of His Children

Job’s basic concern was the holiness of the children God gave to him.
1. “Sanctified” means that Job worked to make them holy.
  1. Job’s fear of God (1) was the basic, ruling principle of his life, and so he was concerned about his children’s holiness.
  2. To be holy is to be separated from sin and to be dedicated to God.
2. This concern for his children’s holiness manifested itself concerning concrete situations.
  1. Job’s children attended daily feasts (good fellowship of all ten children, taking turns in the sons’ homes).
  2. 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.
1. He did something about his concern – not just worry.
  1. He rose up early indicating urgency (Gen. 22:3; Jer. 7:13).
  2. He brought offerings for each of them.
  3. He did this regularly (“when the days of their feasting were gone”), i.e., every 8 th day which is on the Sabbath.
2. 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.
1. Note that Job did sanctify His children – not just try to do so.
2. It is not that Job made them holy, but that God did by His Spirit (we cannot touch their hearts).