The Book of Job  Message 11

The preaching outline for the book of Job up to this point was –

I. The Setting  Job 1:1-12

II.  The Suffering Job 1:13 – 31:40

III.  The Sentiment of Elihu  Job 32:1-37:24

Some months had passed as Job suffered the loss of his family, his property, his reputation, his dignity and now his accusers are silent.  Elihu had been the last to speak and as he was speaking of the glory of God, that same glory began to appear to them on the horizon in the form of a terrible storm.

Picture in your imaginations these four men sitting under a canopy for shade from the sun, three men sitting together, the fourth younger man sitting near to them so he could listen to the conversations, and then Job, sitting away from them, scraping the oozing liquid as it escaped from the sores that covered his body – the stench of which would almost be overwhelming.  This is the setting –

       After suffering for months –

IV.  The Silence was Broken.  Job 38:1-41:34

  A.  Reproof of Job by God.   Job 38:1 – 40:2

    1.  The appearance of God.   The vision of God is wonderous –

Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

This is the moment that Job had prayed for, the Lord to speak to him, but Job was not prepared for the glory of God to be revealed as He was –

We should always remember the terror of His Greatness and Glory –

Exodus 19:16  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

Ezekiel 1:28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

    2.  The audience with God was granted. 

God commanded that Job stand before Him and answer for himself –

Job 38:2-3  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

   Job had said –

Job 9:34-35  Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

Job 13:3  Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

As we continue in this message, remember that each one of us will be in Job’s place one day –

Romans 14:11-12  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

1 Peter 4:5  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

Keep this in mind as we consider excerpts from the following verses –

         God spoke and –

    3.  Answers from Job were demanded.

Job 38:4-41  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

“Who hath laid the measures thereof”? Job could only bow down and answer “You did Lord”

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place…….Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

Job could only answer to “Hast thou”?  No Lord, I have not!

Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder…… Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? ……Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart………?

 Job 40:1-2  Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. 

  B.  Regret of Job.       

Job 40:3-5  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

Job knew that he was wrong and that which he had was said in desperation –

Job 31:35-37  Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.  I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

As Job stood before God, his attitude changed completely!

Remember how others reacted as they stood in the presence of God –

Isaiah 6:5  Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Ezekiel 1:28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

And what about Daniel’s statement 10:5-9  ….and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

And John’s in Revelation 1:13-17  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, …..And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

    1.  No longer – “A prince” – “I am vile”

    2.  No longer bold – “I would declare unto him…”  “Once have I spoken, but I will not answer…”

We must be careful to avoid the self-pity and persecution complexes that took him over as he tried to justify himself before his friends.  He argued day to day against their accusations.  As far as he knew, he had not committed some secret sin or sins.  In the beginning he was very sensitive to his standing before the Lord, and we see his actions were the results of the thoughts of his heart –

Job 1:20-22  Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

But over time, he became argumentative and, while not accusing God of unrighteousness, nor cursing God in any way, he did not believe he was being treated fairly He began to believe that he was better than he actually was and began making demands of God.

It is of no doubt that Job feared God, for God declared this very thing about Job, but sometime during the trials, Job began thinking that he deserved better than what he was receiving.  He began to declare his mind that –

If God did not think Job deserved better than he was getting, why did God not reveal the reason, the sin, for which he was being judged?

If God did not think Job deserved better than he was getting, why did God let him continue to live?

If God did not think Job deserved better than he was getting, why did God not meet with him and explain His reasons for the troubles?

Job had forgotten that God does not have to answer to anyone for His actions!  We should learn this very important lesson from this account of Job.  We need to pray and ask God to help us never, no matter what happens in our lives, think that God has to answer to us, to explain Himself or his purposes to us!

We should learn from Job that we must be careful not to think of ourselves more than we ought.

When we first get saved, the Lord becomes our all in all, He is magnificent in our hearts and minds because of the death He has snatched us from and the life He has moved us to.  We continue to grow in our love for Him, but in time our days with Him may become ordinary. 

The attitude changes slowly over time –

Matthew 16:15-16  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 6:67-68  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

But then we, as Peter did, might wonder if we do not deserve more – what is it, where is it, and when will we get it?

Matthew 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

It may be that the things Peter left behind grew in value the further away he was from them – his house was better, his boat was better, his business was better (he may have forgotten the nights of toil without bringing home any fish)!

Matthew 26:58  But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Look at where this attitude led him –

John 21:3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

This is reality!  The world holds nothing for the child of God

We must not let others push us into believing we are better than we are by defending ourselves from their accusations.

Will we, no matter what our circumstances are, sanctify the Lord in our hearts, setting Him above everything!

Read what Peter had learned – the same lesson Job learned so many years before –

1 Peter 3:10-17  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

Determine today that you will trust God, that He is always just, always fair, always righteous, always holy, always true, always loving, always worthy of our worship, submission and service.

Sanctify Him today in your hearts – that He is truly all in all to you.