Breastplate of righteousness: Job stands firm in the battle
Last week, we began getting Battle Ready with the armor of God. First, we examined the Belt of Truth – knowing God’s Word, or the truth, so that we can discern the lies of the enemy. We were challenged to dig into God’s Word so that we can stand firm in the Battle.
Psalm 119:11 | I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
This week, we’ll build on the armor with the second piece found in Ephesians 6:15-
Ephesians 6:14 | Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
We can see the pairing of truth and righteousness in Psalm 119, so it’s fitting that the armor of God also pairs them together! Notably, the truth, according to Psalm 119, is stored in our heart, the very part of the soldier that is guarded by his breastplate. It is storing God’s word in our heart that allows us to live righteously.
Righteous means being morally pure or justifiable (blameless, sinless, right in God’s sight).
The Bible is clear that no one is righteous apart from Christ [THE Truth] (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21). But we are declared righteous (justified) when we put our faith in Christ and our record of sin is forgiven (Colossians 2:13-14). Then, as God’s children, we are commissioned to live righteously or to wear the Breastplate of Righteousness.
1st John 2:29 | Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.
While the Belt of Truth was about knowing God’s Word so that we’re able to discern the lies in Satan’s twisted truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness is all about obeying God’s Word or living it out.
Psalm 119:9 | How can a young person stay pure [or righteous]? By obeying your word.
Last week, we saw Jesus stand firm against temptation because He was wearing the Belt of Truth. This week, we’ll see another man stand firm in the battle against temptation because he’s wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness. But remember, these two pieces of armor truly are worn together. Because Job knows the truth and has stored it in his heart, we’ll see he’s fully committed to living righteously- his heart has been surrendered to the Lord.
In the Book of Job, we are given a behind-the-scenes look at the Battle. If you missed our study on who Satan answers to and the limits of his power, we see these two things in action this week.
Job is introduced at the beginning of the book as a righteous man - blameless and full of integrity (Job 1:1). His life is full of blessings. He had 10 kids and he was the richest man in the land. Then, we get a glimpse at an interaction between Satan and God-
Job 1:6-11 | One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
God asks Satan if he noticed Job, God’s righteous follower. Satan says yes, but then claims that the only reason Job lives righteously is because He is so blessed. Satan claims that if God lets him wage spiritual war against Job, Job will sin by turning his heart away from God.
Job 1:12 | “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
Job is then met by three messengers, one after another. The first tells Job that he was raided and enemies stole all his oxen and donkeys and killed all his servants (1:13-15). The second tells Job that fire has burned up all his sheep and shepherds (1:17). And the third tells Job a powerful wind has caused a house to collapse on all 10 of his children, and now, they are all gone too. Can you imagine? In a matter of seconds, Job’s life is in a heap of ruins.
If this was you - attacked by the enemy, in the middle of a battle where it seems like there is nothing left to live for, what would be your response? Would you crumble in depression and hopelessness? Would you turn to whatever could numb, distract, or provide temporary pleasure? Would you become angry and cruel? These things seem like understandable responses to the world, but God’s followers are called to be different. And remember, it's part of the Battle!! Satan wants Job to curse God - to turn away from Him in sin. But Job has been living armed with the breastplate of righteousness. So when his world shatters, what is his response?
Job 1:20-22 | Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
If things stopped there, we’d have enough to be blown away by the righteousness of Job and his steadfastness in spiritual battle. But the book of Job has 42 chapters!
His affliction continues when Satan goes back to God and now asks permission to harm Job physically. He’s given permission, but God tells him to spare Job’s life (2:1-6). When Satan afflicts Job with terrible, painful boils (2:7), even His wife tells him to turn away from God! Friend, imagine you’re in this situation… in immense, constant, unbearable pain without any relief and a woman nagging you… would you be able to hold your tongue?
Job’s response?
Job 2:10 | But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
Job stands firm in the battle, defending against the attacks of Satan with the breastplate of righteousness– a heart fully surrendered to honoring the Lord through righteous living.
Again, Job’s situation grows more wearisome as his three friends berate him for chapters because surely Job must have done something awful to deserve this punishment. While Job insists he’s innocent, his friends insist he’s lying!
In Job 31, Job explains he has lived committed to righteousness. He guarded his eyes and heart from lust, his mouth from deceit, his business from corruption, his wealth from selfishness, pride, or a false sense of security. He lived generously, with integrity, without grudges, and didn’t try to please people instead of God.
Job suffers and struggles in the battle for a long time, but he stands firm throughout it, defending against Satan’s attacks with the Breastplate of Righteousness. At the end of the book, God restores and blesses Job, reminding us that while He permits time of struggles, every Good thing is a gift from our Good Father above (James 1:7).
Job 42:12-13, 16-17 | So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters… Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.
Truly,
John 10:10 | The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My [Jesus’] purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
What can we learn from Job? Job didn’t wait until he was in the battle to figure out how to stand firm. He lived each day faithfully, putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness (Job 31), committing to God’s way instead of sin. When Satan came tempting him to sin, Job had a ton of practice fleeing sin and pursuing righteousness instead (2nd Timothy 2:22).
As you arm yourself with God’s Word and the Belt of Truth, commit to wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness with it (Psalm 119:9-11). After all, Jesus offered Salvation so that we’d be dead to sin and live for what is right-
1st Peter 2:24 | He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
Live as His people, totally committed to doing what is right (Titus 2:14).
What battles did Job face?
How would you have felt if you were Job? At what point might you have given into the temptation to turn away from God?
How did Job prepare before the battle?
What is righteousness? Where does it come from?
Learning from Job’s example, how can you put on the breastplate of righteousness each day? Why is this important to practice daily?