Hedge of Protection

Job 1:1-12

This famous passage is that of God and Satan discussing Job. God speaks of Job’s character in verse 1. We are shown Job’s character in verse 5. Satan claims that this comes from the “hedge” or blessing that God has put on his house verses 10-12. But as we will show in this sermon Job had a hedge of protection that Satan was overlooking.

Object Illustration:

 What Satan saw / What parents do (Do not go over the hedge)

What Satan missed / What children need (Sign)

What did Satan overlook in Job?

God gives the same description of Job’s character (1:8 and 2:3) but in 2:3 God adds something that was not given before. Note he says that Job holdeth fast his integrity. Job’s integrity is his real protection. Note it is the very thing that his wife wants him to give up (Job 2:9).

What is integrity?

Integrity – (1) Wholeness ; entireness ; unbroken state (2) Entire unimapried state of anything, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutal dealings. (3) Purity; genuine, unadulterated, unimpaired state; as the integrity of language.

Integrity in a sense can be taught by example, but it must be chosen and held on to by the student (Psalm 78:1-11)

What can integrity can do for you?

 1)  It can keep you from sin (Genesis 20:1-18)

• Even lost people can have integrity. Note fear of God verse 6.
• Note God kept him from sinning, interesting.

2)  It gets you out of sin (Psalm 7:8 ; 26:1-12 ; 41:12)

• God vouched for David’s integrity (1 Kings 9:4)

3)  Gets you through your greatest trials and temptations (Job 2:3 ; 2:9 ; 27:5 ; 31:1-6)

• Even though Job got crossed with his friends and said something he should not have not what God says about him in the end (Job 42:7)