Transcription
So, the message this morning is God is God and Job is man. And while this lesson this week was specifically chapter 41 and 42, it is a long book, as you're well aware. Um, it behooves us to go back to the beginning of the book as we look at God and look at Job. Who is God? What is revealed about him in this book? And what do we learn about the man Job?
So, we begin in chapter 1 and 2 where we get a glimpse into heaven as Satan presents himself before God. Several things stand out about God. First, he knows man and his character, as he describes Job to Satan. In fact, we see God bragging to Satan about Job. So, I have two thoughts about this. One is, what would God be able to brag about me to Satan or the angels? And the other is, please don't brag about me because I don't want to go through what Job went through. >> [laughter] >> Right? So, we also see that based on his own comment, God's comment, and one by Satan, that God is to be feared. We learn that even Satan has to have permission from God to do his dirty work. And from these two chapters, we are able to know that God is omniscient, he is sovereign, and he's a personal God.
As it concerns Job, chapters 1 and 2 begin by introducing us to Job from God's perspective. We find out what he thinks about Job. He describes Job as a man of integrity, one who fears God, who is upright, blameless, who shunned evil. That means he turned away from evil. And this is the one that stood out to me. God says there is no one like him in all the earth. And then he also refers to Job several times as "my servant." And servant here means a worshiper of God. Wow. If just one of these things could be said about you or I, we would consider ourselves very blessed and grateful. But God says all of this about one man. Not only that, he tells this to Satan, who of course would not be content to hear such things, but would desire to bring him down and cause him to curse God if he was, that is, Satan was allowed to bring attacks against him. What Satan doesn't realize is that God knows Job so well that he allows Satan permission to attack him, and that Job would endure through it all despite Satan's best efforts.
And just a reminder, ladies, because this did happen back in the first couple of chapters of what Satan was allowed to do to Job. He struck down all of his children in one day. He killed nearly all of his servants, except the couple that escaped to give news to Job about what had happened. He caused all of his property to be stolen or destroyed. And then he inflicts him with painful boils from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head. We learn that Job's response to all of this is incredible. And it helps confirm what God had said about him. Chapter 1, verse 20 says, "He fell to the ground and worshiped God." Would that be our first response with all of those things that had just happened? He also goes on in verse 21 to say, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." In verse 22, it says that he did not sin or charge God with wrong. So, he's not blaming God for what happened. His next response is found in chapter 2, verse 10. After hearing his wife tell him to curse God and die, he says, "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" And again, in all of this, he did not sin with his lips. In these statements that are made by Job, we see that he does recognize God as sovereign, that God had the right to rule over his life.
Chapter 3 finds Job lamenting his life, even cursing the day of his birth. He feels the weight of his suffering. He groans and he sighs, and he asks six times, "Why?" in this chapter alone. He expresses his life is full of sorrow. And one commentator wrote that this shows Job had a misunderstanding about the basic meaning of human life, as many people do today as well, which seems to be that we think it's happiness, that that's the meaning of life, which we know that is not true. And instead, it is to the praise and glorify God. But can we, should we find fault with him in his expressions in this chapter? Realistically, what would you or I's response have been?
Then we move into the bulk of the book, which is chapters 4 through 37. We're not going chapter by chapter, um, thankfully. Uh, we're privy to some long discussions by Job's so-called friends with him about why this is happening to him. None of them bring any type of comfort to him. None of them pray for him. Job calls them miserable comforters. They all basically conclude that Job is suffering because he has sinned and this is God's chastisement upon him. But throughout these chapters, we do get some insight into Job's faith and his knowledge of God by certain things that he says. So, listen to some of these profound statements that he makes, 'cause remember, he did not have God's word like we do. He did not even have God's commandments that had been given yet to him. So, it's might be a little tedious to you guys, but a number of verses from Job.
Job chapter 9, verse 4: "God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened, that is defied or challenged himself against God against him and prospered?" These are all things that Job said. Job chapter 9, verse 10: "He does great things past finding out. Yes, wonders without number." So, he understands the greatness of God. Job 10, verse 8: "Your hands have made me and fashioned me in intricate unity." He understands God as his creator. And as I read the words "intricate unity," I was reminded of Psalm 139, that great Psalm which speaks of our creation at God's hands, where he, where it says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Then we move to Job chapter 12, verse 10, 13, and 16. Job says, "In whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind? With him are wisdom and strength. He has counsel and understanding. With him are strength and prudence." He knows that life and the preservation of life are in God's hands. And I love how Paul says this in Acts 17:28. He says, "For in him we live and move and have our being." And of course, it's not just the fact that our life and being belong to him. He lists other attributes here that he knows that God has. So, to me, this speaks of a personal relationship with God for him to have revealed these things about himself to Job.
Job 13:15 says, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." What a bold statement of faith. Even if God did take his life, he, that is Job, would still trust in God. Job 19, verse 25 to 26 says, "For I know that my redeemer lives, >> [clears throat] >> and he shall stand at the last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know that in my flesh I shall see God." Again, such confidence in the living, it says here, the living redeemer. He believes also that his soul is eternal. And he goes on in verse 27 to say that he yearns to see God.
Job 23, verse 10 to 14: "But he knows the way that I take. When he has tested me, that means to prove or to try by fire. When he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." Remember, gold is purified by fire. And so, Job is understanding here that his life is going to be tested, and it's going to be under the fire, so to speak, which would be suffering. But he's going to come out pure. In verse 11 and 12 here, he says he speaks of keeping God's ways and his commandments and not departing from them. And this he says really in rebuttal to what the friends were saying about him. And in fact, I love in his statement in verse 12, he which reveals his heart. He says, "I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." We all need food for our physical existence, right? But we need God's word for our spiritual existence. It is vital. We should think of it as a treasure and we should want to store it up.
Then he goes on to say, "But he is unique." This means one only of his kind. So, there's no other God. He is unique and who can make him change? And whatever his soul desires, that he does. For he performs or completes what is appointed for me. So, the prescribed portion or due for Job.
Then in Job 26:14, "Indeed, these are the mere edges of his ways." Which is the minute part of what he is doing. Just a teeny little part of what he's doing. The amplified says, "the mere samples of his power, the fringes of his ways, and how small a whisper we hear of him. But the thunder of his power, who can understand?" So, as God, just in his creation, we see just an itty little bit of who God is. Amazing.
Job 28:27 and 28 says, "Then he saw wisdom and declared it. He prepared it, indeed he searched it out. And to man he said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'" Job knew that God had said to man that he needed to fear him. That is to have that reverential awe for God and to keep yourself from evil. For this was how you were going to gain wisdom and understanding. Remember, the friends seem to think that they knew what the cause of Job's suffering was and what he needed to hear from them, which was their own wisdom. In some of their discussions with Job, there is, is there a lack of the fear of God in them? They could talk about God, sometimes correctly, but other times misrepresenting him. And we never read about them seeking God's wisdom or counsel or praying.
Job 31:1 says, "I have made a covenant with my eyes." Job understands that the eye is a source of temptation and he sees the need then to make an agreement to not sin with his eyes. And this aligns with what Jesus speaks about in Matthew 5:28, where he says, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has committed adultery in his heart." In other words, Job is going to be proactive to try not to sin with his eyes. And once again, this speaks to the character of Job being blameless, upright, and of integrity. He was not sinless, but he was blameless and upright and he was ethically and morally straight. He had his priorities in the right place due to his relationship, that of fearing God.
All of these statements that Job made were during the tremendous suffering that he was experiencing. Were there times of despair on his part? I'm sure there were. Were there times of emotions maybe getting the better of him? I think we saw that. He was kind of up and down like this sometimes in the chapters. Were there times of frustration and wanting all of this suffering to end? Yes. After all, he is human. Which I believe should give us great comfort to know that we have someone who knows what suffering is like and as we learn from our passage in James 5:11, "Indeed, we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord." That the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
Chapters 38 to 40, we find God's response to all of this discourse or so-called wisdom by the friends as well as Job. However, God answers out of the whirlwind. And the whirlwind can mean literally a storm, a windstorm, or a tempest, but it also means, I love this and I believe this is what I would use for the definition of this word to be is theophany. It's a manife- a theophany is a manifestation of God that is tangible to the human senses. So, God answers out of the whirlwind, so he somehow presents himself to Job, so Job knows this is God who is speaking to me. But he only answers to Job. He's not answering to the friends. These three chapters are insightful as God reveals his omni- omnipotence, his omniscience, and as he reveals his majesty. It begins with these words in Job 38:2-3, "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man. I will question you and you shall answer me." I don't know what God's tone of voice was. I feel like he might have gotten a little harsh there, but maybe not. But rather than responding directly to Job's questions, he responds to the mystery of suffering that the friends and Job were trying to figure out. He responds with the mystery of himself as he speaks of his creation. Repeatedly, we hear God's words throughout these chapters, "Can you? Have you? Do you know?" And of course, speaking to the things that Job didn't know and couldn't do.
Once again in chapter 40:2, God challenges Job with these words, "Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it." And I'd like to include chapter 41:10 and 11, which says, "Who then is able to stand against me? Who has preceded me that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is mine." Again, speaking of God's authority over everything.
It's noteworthy that God spends half of chapter 40 speaking about the behemoth and a whole chapter, chapter 41, speaking about the leviathan. The behemoth was the greatest of the land animals and the leviathan was the greatest of the sea creatures. Now, scientists and commentators both debate on what these creatures actually could possibly be and some say that they are extinct. But it doesn't really matter because both creatures were created by God. They're mighty in their own strength and ability and were given such intricate details about them. But for what purpose? To show God and us the impossibility of him or us being able to subdue these creatures, to show God's great power, the perfectness of his creation, and the marvels of his creation.
We find in Job chapter 40:4, his initial response to God, where he says, "Behold, I am vile. What shall I answer you? I lay my hand over my mouth." Vile means to lightly esteem. To means to be insignificant or to be despised. So, that's how he saw himself now. He's come to understand that he is insignificant as he sees himself in a new perspective in comparison to God.
So, as we continue this theme of Job and his character, let's look at some important things that he said in chapter 42 in his final response to God, as well as what God says in this chapter. Job 42:2, "I know that you can do everything and that no purpose of yours can be withheld from you." Job now understands that God has purpose in his suffering. He goes on in verse three to say, "Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." Our thoughts of God are often too human. Paul tells us in Romans 11:33, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out." Job comes to understand that human words and human wisdom are inadequate compared to God and that he lacks understanding. That he cannot explain the whys of his situation. Job admits that his words were wrong and that he did not understand what he was talking about.
Then in verse five, he says, "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye He you." And sees means to behold with intention and purpose. Arthur Pink, a commentator, said, "Something more than a theoretical knowledge of God is needed by us. God is only truly known in the soul as we yield to him, submit to his authority, and regulate all the details of our lives by his holy precepts and commandments." And I was reminded of Job, or excuse me, Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 23 and 24. "Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these I delight, says the Lord."
We From these verses, this verse here in chapter 42, we understand Job now has first-hand knowledge of God, personal experience, so to speak, rather than second-hand knowledge. This verse in the Amplified speaks of him now having spiritual eyes or spiritual insight. He understands God in a new and better way. And when we have a revelation of God's great creation, of his loving care for his creation, which also includes us, and his glory, we, like Job, should no longer be thinking or focused on our own problems.
One of the cross-references for this verse is also found in Job chapter 26, verse 14, which I read earlier, but I'm going to read again. "Indeed, these are the mere edges of his ways, and how small a whisper we hear of him. But the thunder of his power, who can understand?" So, through his creation, what we can observe are like a whisper. It's a whisper of what we can, what he can do and who he is, right? Imagine, ladies, if he spoke in a thunder. He truly has power that we do not understand, and it's that same power that is available to help us in our life, especially when we endure suffering and adversity. So, why do we need to worry and fret and be anxious with a God like this?
Job in chapter 42:6 says, "Therefore, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." To abhor means to reject as useless or troublesome. It means to despise. So, this is how he views himself now. He despises himself. He considers himself useless after hearing from God in such a way. He again has a clearer view of himself. He's humbled, and he's now submitted to God's sovereign will.
There's several instances in scripture that we see similar responses to God manifesting himself to man. This one, you're probably familiar with it. Actually, probably familiar with all of them, but Isaiah chapter 6:1-5. Isaiah the prophet has a vision of the Lord on his throne, surrounded by seraphim, who are crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts." This caused him to declare, "Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of an unclean people." People with unclean lips, excuse me. "For my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts." Daniel has a vision in chapter 10:8 of the glory of God, and he says, "Therefore, I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me, for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength." And the Apostle John in Revelation chapter 1:17, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead." The power of God truly revealing himself to us, and what our response should be.
So, what do we learn about Job from God in this chapter, chapter 42? Four times in this chapter, we find God calling Job "my servant." Again, and again, that means a worshiper. He's God's worshiper. And he acknowledges that Job spoke of him what was right, in contrast to the three friends. The friends' error was in that they thought all suffering was due to sin, the result of sin, and the degree of suffering was related or in proportion to the depth of the sin. We see the goodness and mercy of God in his restoration of all of Job's losses as he ends up having twice as much as he had before.
As God confronts Job in these last chapters of the book, Job is humbled, again seeing himself for who he really is and who God is. That's important to see who God is. Job had wanted to speak with the Almighty and to reason with him. We read that in chapter 13:3. But I doubt that he expected this to be the way that God would speak to him. And yet, it is the way that God knew he needed to speak with Job. While Job does not get an explanation or a reason for his suffering, he is transformed by his personal experience with God, so that it does not matter that God did not answer his questions or explain why. Job's answers from God came as a vision of God far above man's wisdom and might. Because of God's sovereignty and providence, he has come to realize that God could be trusted with whatever happened in his life. We, too, must come to that place. No matter what we may suffer, God knows what is happening. He's in control. He is big enough to handle it, and we can trust him. God had unveiled just a bit of his glory to Job, prompting that humility and leading to his repentance.
We also learn of Job's obedience to God in these final verses of chapter 42. God told Job to pray for the three friends. This came, of course, after his repentance was expressed in verse 6. Without this repentance, it would be unlikely that he would have been able to pray for them, as his attitude probably would not have been right. Obedience is to be a byproduct of our repentance and our submission to the Lord. And again, this gives further evidence of his godly character, Job's godly character. The willingness to forgive and his praying for others. Our suffering does not take God by surprise. Nor does God abandon us in our suffering. >> [snorts] >> Now, while God did restore Job's losses, this is not a hard fast rule or principle that he will do this in our lives. It's important, though, for us to look for the blessings in our suffering as well as when we come out of that suffering or adversity to look for them.
Warren Wiersbe says this, that the last chapter of Job assures us that no matter what happens, God always writes the last chapter. Therefore, we don't have to be afraid, and we can trust God to do what is right, no matter how painful the situation might be. I think most of us came into this book, this study, thinking that it was about suffering. And it is, but [snorts] as we've studied it, I think there's much more for us to learn from this book.
So, what is the spiritual manna? Remember, manna was that special food that God gave the Israelites in the wilderness. So, it's like it's food. What is our spiritual manna that we need to take with us? So, there's five things we're just going to briefly look at.
Number one is how to comfort those in suffering or adversity. And let's just start with looking at um 2 Corinthians chapter 1:3 and 4. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." So, comfort means exhortation, encouragement, and cheer. It can mean giving consolation and strength in time of need. Our own experience in suffering gives us the ability to comfort others from what we've learned, right? Especially if it's the same kind of suffering that they're experiencing, but no matter what, we've If we've experienced suffering, we have learned something, and we can help others in it. And we also can share what God has done in our lives through it. One of the more important things we learned from these friends of Job was what not to do. It is not usually necessary for us, in the beginning at least, to give a lot of advice or to say a lot of words. >> [snorts] >> So, be a person of few words, if possible. Have discernment on what to say and when to say it. Just be, be, be there physically for someone. Give them a physical touch, that hug, hold their hand. Pray for them. If needed, we do give them aid, you know, maybe they need food or maybe they need errands run, whatever that aid might be. Give them your support. Be sympathetic. Be loving and kind. I'm not sure the friends were always kind in how they responded to Job. Don't be insensitive and don't be labeled a miserable comforter. >> [laughter] >> A miserable comforter meant wearisome or troublesome. Who wants those kind of friends when you're suffering, right?
2 Corinthians 4:17 says, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." That's how we need to view our suffering and adversity. Job's suffering was huge, right? None of us want to go through that much at one time. And yet, it would be considered a light affliction. Why? Because we compare it to the exceeding and um eternal weight of glory. What we have waiting for us is so huge in comparison to what we experience here.
Number two is God's character with the most prominent thing that we see in God's character being his sovereignty throughout this book. God's sovereignty is the exercise of his supremacy. He is subject to none. He is influenced by none. He's elevated above all. He's unrivaled in majesty and he is limitless in power. Isaiah 46:9-10 says, "For I am God, there is no other. I am God, there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning." Can we do that? Nope. "From ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure.'" That's the sovereignty of God. Daniel 4:34-35 "For his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'" And yet, sometimes we want to say that, don't we? We are small. We are frail. We cannot create from nothing. We have no power within ourselves to do what God does. We don't think like he does. So, who do we think we are? We also see God's power and authority over creation. 2 Chronicles 20:6 says, "O Lord God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? And do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? And in your hand is there not power and might so that no one is able to withstand you?" So, again, that power, that authority over everything. Interesting that in this book we've seen Satan, man, and creation are all under God's control and authority.
Number three lesson is the need for humility and repentance. In our study of Job, we've seen some pride on the part of the friends in their discussions with Job in thinking that they had the answer and that their own lives were in a better state than Job's. And I think there's been just a little hint of pride in Job as well sometimes in some of his remarks. And of course, we know there is pride on Satan's part who thought he would be able to cause Job to curse God. We must remember God hates pride. Proverbs 6:17. And we all have a propensity to be prideful in some way and because God knows this, he teaches us in so many places in the scriptures of our need for humility. I'm not going to give you all the verses. You could do your own little word search for that, humility and pride, which maybe you should do. But Psalm 51:17 says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. These, O God, you will not despise." And also Psalm 34:18 that he is near to the one with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
Number four, to fear God and trust him. What do you think of God? Do you think differently about him when things are good versus when you are experiencing difficulty or suffering? He is still the same God and he calls us to fear him as well as trust him. After reading what God says to Job in chapters 38 to 41, how can we not fear him and trust that he is in control of our lives? We have no right to protest his ways or his will. He's the potter. We are the clay. When we fear him, we recognize that he is the Lord. Joshua 24:14 says, "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve him in sincerity and in truth." Fearing God should keep us from sinning. It should lead us to worship and praise him and live a life that is surrendered to him and pleasing to him. Psalm 37:5 says, "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in him." When we remember and we meditate on who he is, his character, we conclude we can trust him.
Last, number five, just and upright living, which is what was evidenced in this book by Job. The only way to live such a life is to fear God. Fearing him leads to you and I following God's ways and his lead in our lives. Not only is this how we are to live, but we're to keep ourselves from evil. We must purpose in our hearts then to live rightly before God as Job did. I believe that just and upright living looks like Colossians chapter 3:12-16. I'm just going to give you bullet points here. It looks like tender mercies, kindness, humility, >> [snorts] >> meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, forgiving others, putting on a love, letting God's peace rule our hearts, being thankful, and letting God's word dwell in our hearts. Our actions and our words match up when we live rightly. Everything we say or do is done in the name of the Lord, which is Colossians 3:17.
So, these are just a few of the lessons that we could have learned from this book of Job. You may have others, which is great. God loves to speak to each one of us individually. There are lessons throughout the book, but I have been more awestruck with chapters 38 to 42. So, I'm going to encourage you ladies that maybe this summer you take some time to go back and read those chapters. Meditate on those chapters. Really study them. We looked at them, but not in depth. You could do a more in-depth study. Go slower than we were able to go because we had to, you know, move along in our lessons. Take the time then as you read those chapters to enjoy his creation and how he would speak to you through this.
God has the whole world and every human life in his hands. God does not make mistakes and he doesn't need to explain himself to us. Are you okay with that, no matter what situation that you may face? Every detail of our lives was ordained by God from all eternity and is now ordered by the living and reigning God. So, this should bring peace, assurance, and strength for whatever we may face in our lives. So, let's be encouraged, ladies, to be like Job. Let's pray, shall we?
Father God in heaven, we're so grateful that you care enough to give us your word. Lord, that you gave us this specific book of Job, which I think sometimes people avoid because they're afraid of it. And yet, there's you have so much to tell us through it, so much we need to learn and apply to our lives. So, Lord, I just ask that as we move forward over the next few months off from official Bible study, that we would unofficially get back into this book and that you would continue to show yourself and reveal yourself to us. Um, Lord, that we might stand in awe of who you are and what you want to do in our lives. Lord, we surrender ourselves to you. Help us, Lord, to live that right life before you, that just and upright life as Job did. Father, I thank you for these ladies and how faithful they've been to come to study each week. Lord, would you please bless the rest of this day as they go forth to small groups or home. And Lord, just give them a tremendous time off this summer, but not off from your word. May they be reminded of how important it is to continue to read and study and put the treasure of your word in them to store it up in them. So, Father, just bless us now, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.