Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
July 23, 2003
Introduction
Job is being tested. He has lived a wonderful, righteous life. Satan
challenged God by saying that Job only loved God because of God’s protection
and goodness toward Job. So God is allowing Satan to bring difficulty to Job in
order to prove to Satan and the audience in heaven that Job is better than
that.
As Job’s friends show up to comfort him, they end up feeling like they have
to fix Job. After all, it seems obvious to them that Job’s problems are a
result of some sort of sin in his life, and these troubles are just the result
of his sin. Three friends each take a turn at hurling their accusations at Job,
and one by one, Job responds to his friends. Job is now done with his defense
and there’s silence.
God doesn’t speak. God doesn’t
answer.
In the silence, a fifth person is introduced, a young man named Elihu.
He was not trying to prove that Job was a sinner, but that Job’s view of
God was wrong.
While Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar felt that Job’s troubles were some sort
of punishment for something that Job had done, Elihu suggests that Job’s
troubles were more corrective in nature, keeping Job from going down a wrong
path.
Job 35
35:1-8 Don’t overestimate yourself
:2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is
more than God's?
(Job 35:2 NLT) "Do you think it is right for you to claim, 'I
am righteous before God'?
:5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher
than thou.
I have this suspicion that as Elihu and Job are talking, there are some
tall storm clouds gathering. We’ll see more glimpses of this through the next
couple of chapters.
Elihu encourages Job to look up and grasp the greatness and majesty of God.
Lesson
Look up
Jesus said that when we began to see the signs of the Second Coming
occurring, we ought to “look up”.
(Luke 21:25-28 KJV) And
there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon
the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
{26} Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. {27}
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory. {28} And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift
up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Refresh your mind with the greatness of God. God spoke through Isaiah to encourage the
people. God reminded the people of His
great power in creating the heavens and the earth, then He said,
(Isa 40:26-31 KJV) Lift
up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that
bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness
of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. {27} Why sayest
thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my
judgment is passed over from my God? {28} Hast thou not known? hast thou not
heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the
earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his
understanding. {29} He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no
might he increaseth strength. {30} Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
and the young men shall utterly fall: {31} But they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Sometimes we need to get our eyes off of our problems and
simply look up for awhile.
:6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions
be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
Lesson
Sin hurts you, not God
I think there is a sense in which our sin breaks God’s heart.
Yet on the other hand, God is not any less or any weaker because we sin.
Some people have this idea that God was responsible for some tragedy in
their life, and now to get even they’re going to go out and break every
commandment in the Bible.
When we do this, we’re not hurting God, we’re hurting ourselves.
God’s commandments aren’t so He’ll feel better, they’re for our sake – so
we’ll live longer and better. For
example:
(Exo 20:12
KJV) Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which
the LORD thy God giveth thee.
:7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of
thine hand?
(Job 35:7 NLT) If you are good, is this some great gift to him?
What could you possibly give him?
Lesson
Don’t overestimate yourself
Our value doesn’t come from what we have to offer God.
Our value comes from God placing value in us.
God isn’t impressed with the gifts we give trying to impress Him.
(Psa 50:7-15 KJV) Hear, O my
people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God,
even thy God. {8} I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt
offerings, to have been continually before me. {9} I will take no bullock out
of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. {10} For every beast of the forest
is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. {11} I know all the fowls of the
mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. {12} If I were hungry, I
would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. {13} Will
I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? {14} Offer unto God
thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: {15} And call upon me in the
day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
He doesn’t need our money or our sacrifices. He isn’t impressed by us.
What He wants most of all is for us to be right with
Him. He wants us to trust Him.
(Heb 11:6 KJV)
But without faith it is
impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he
is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
He wants a heart that is broken of its pride
(Psa 51:16-17 KJV) For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I
give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. {17} The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Does this mean that we don’t give anything to the Lord?
No, we give out of a response of gratitude and love, but not out of a sense
of trying to “bribe” God.
:8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may
profit the son of man.
Your sin doesn’t hurt God. It hurts
other people. It hurts you.
Lesson
Get right with people
Sometimes a person has this notion that if they’ve done some sort of sin
that all they need to do is to confess their sin to God and that’s it.
But the problem comes when my sin has affected another person. If I’m really sincere about making things
right with God, I need to make things right first with the person I’ve
offended.
Jesus said,
(Mat 5:23-24 KJV) Therefore
if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother
hath ought against thee; {24} Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy
way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
35:9-13 Some only pray when they’re hurting
:9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to
cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
Oppressed people cry out when bullies hurt them.
:10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
(Job 35:10 The Message) {10} But never give God a thought when
things go well, when God puts spontaneous songs in their hearts,
Lesson
Don’t wait for trouble
Some people wait to call on God until they get into deep trouble.
Why wait?
Some people think that God is only out to ruin your “fun”.
Yet Jesus is the one who provides what true “life” is all about.
(John 10:9-10 KJV) I am the
door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out,
and find pasture. {10} The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly.
:11 maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
God does so much for us, He gives us wisdom.
:13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
God does not answer people because of their pride.
35:14-16 Why would God answer you?
:14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before
him; therefore trust thou in him.
(Job 35:14 NLT) {14} And it is even more false to say he doesn’t
see what is going on. He will bring about justice if you will only wait.
Just wait – God will make things right.
:15 But now, because it is not so …
(Job 35:14-15 The Message) {14} So why would he notice you just
because you say you’re tired of waiting to be heard, {15} Or waiting for him to
get good and angry and do something about the world’s problems?
:16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without
knowledge.
God will say this same thing to Job,
(Job 38:2 KJV) Who is this
that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Job is talking about stuff that he doesn’t know about. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Job 36
36:1-4 Elihu will speak for God
:2 Suffer me a little, and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on
God's behalf.
Elihu is going to claim to be speaking for God.
Chuck Smith writes,
“Pretty powerful words. I’ve had people tell me that! They believed that they had a word of God for
me, and some have, and it’s glorious. Some haven’t. Be careful when a person
says, “Now I have a word of the Lord for you”, and they start laying on a heavy
condemnation. Whenever anybody comes to me with a, “word from the Lord”, that
deals with heavy condemnation, I will just tell them flatly, “I do not believe
that, that is God’s word. I think that’s something out of your own mind. That
doesn’t come from God”.
“Because the word of God says, “There is therefore now, no condemnation to
those that are in Christ Jesus”, and if you’re coming to me with a heavy
message of judgment and condemnation, supposedly from God, I can’t receive it,
because it’s opposing what God has told me in His word. He’s not going to tell
me something contrary through you, than what He’s already told me in His word.
Jesus said, “He did not come to condemn, but to save”.
“I get letters of condemnation, and more often I get letters, than people
coming to me personally. They’re too chicken to come personally, so they write
a letter and they don’t sign it. That’s alright, I get even with them, I don’t
read them. I don’t read unsigned
letters. So, if you feel the burning of the Spirit in your heart to write me a
scathing letter, if you want me to read it, you better sign it. Because, as
soon as I get to that part that, you know, it always starts out, “Dear Chuck, I
have enjoyed so much your ministry”, and all, “But”, as soon as I get to that,
“But”, I turn over to see if they’ve signed the letter. If they haven’t, my
secretary always will tell you I’m a great shot. “So, I’m going to speak to you”, he said, “on
God’s behalf.””
We do need to be careful when someone is claiming to have a word from
God. It might be true, but it might not
be.
I agree with much that Elihu says, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable with
all of it.
:4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge
is with thee.
perfect – tamiym –
complete, whole, entire, sound
knowledge – de‘ah –
knowledge (of God)
(Job 36:4 NLT) {4} I am telling you the honest truth, for I am a
man of well-rounded knowledge.
Sounds a little proud to me.
36:5-14 God corrects the righteous
:5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength
and wisdom.
mighty – kabbiyr – mighty,
great, powerful, many, much
despiseth – ma’ac – to
reject, despise, refuse
strength – koach –
strength, power, might
wisdom – leb – inner man,
mind, will, heart, understanding
Lesson
Powerful but Good
God is indeed powerful, but He is also fair.
Illustration
C.S. Lewis wrote a wonderful series of children’s books called The Chronicles of Narnia. The first book
of the series is called The Lion, The
Witch, and the Wardrobe. The story is about four children who enter into a
mythical land by pushing past the coats hanging in a “wardrobe”, a closet. It’s
a story that’s filled with symbolism about God and His love for us. The main
hero of the books is Aslan the lion, the great king of all Narnia. Aslan is a
picture of Jesus Christ. When the children meet up with a friendly family of
beavers, they hear about the great King Aslan for the first time. They hear
that Aslan is coming to take care of the wicked White Witch. They are told that
they must go and meet Aslan. But when they are told that Aslan is a lion, one
of the girls, Lucy, asks, “Is He safe?” Mr. Beaver replies, “Oh He’s not safe. But
He’s good.”
God is powerful. He can do whatever He wants. And He will come one day and
deal with His enemies. He isn’t safe. But He is also good. He will never do
something that would be wrong or evil.
:6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked …
True.
:7 but with kings are they on the throne
with kings – the righteous find themselves hanging out with kings.
:9 Then he showeth them their work, and their transgressions that they have
exceeded.
This is true.
Lesson
God disciplines those He loves
(Heb 12:5-11 KJV) And ye
have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My
son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art
rebuked of him: {6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every
son whom he receiveth. {7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as
with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? {8} But if ye be
without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not
sons. {9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and
we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the
Father of spirits, and live? {10} For they verily for a few days chastened us
after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of
his holiness. {11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
:10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they
return from iniquity.
(Job 36:10 NLT) {10} He gets their attention and says they must
turn away from evil.
:11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity
Spiritual prosperity, yes, but not always physical prosperity.
Paul wrote,
(Phil 4:11-13 KJV) Not that
I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content. {12} I know both how to be abased, and I know how to
abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be
hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. {13} I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me.
:13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth
them.
hypocrites – chaneph –
hypocritical, godless, profane, hypocrite, irreligious; from chaneph – to be profaned, be defiled, be
polluted, be corrupt
(Job 36:13 The Message) {13} Angry people without God pile
grievance upon grievance, always blaming others for their troubles.
Do you blame others for your troubles?
:14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
unclean – qadesh – male
temple prostitute. The word is found 6 times in the Old Testament, every other
place (except here) it is translated “sodomite”.
(Job 36:14 NLT) They die young after wasting their lives in immoral
living.
(Job 36:14 The Message) {14} Living it up in sexual excesses,
virility wasted, they die young.
36:15-23 Repent and be restored
:15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in
oppression.
(Job 36:15 NLT) {15} But by means of their suffering, he rescues
those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.
:16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad
place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table
should be full of fatness.
strait = peh “mouth” + tsar “narrow, tight”
straitness – muwtsaq –
constraint, distress
Elihu’s message is, “If you would only repent Job, then God would restore
you”
I think Elihu has gone a bit too far.
He’s falling back into the same idea that the other friends had, that
Job was a hypocrite and needed to repent.
Yes Job seems to have developed a little bit of a pride problem, but his difficulties
came because God was testing Job, not because Job had sinned.
:19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of
strength.
Lesson
Money doesn’t fix everything
I think that sometimes I get to thinking that if I just had a little more
money, that my problems would be over.
I wonder how many of us think that?
Some people think that with enough money, they can fix anything. You can’t
buy God off.
Illustration
I recall a story where a mobster named Freddie died. He was famous all around town as a
gangster. Freddie’s brother, Gino, went
to a local church and asked the pastor if he would perform Freddie’s
funeral. He said to the pastor, “Pastor,
I will donate a million dollars to the local orphanage if you perform my
brother’s funeral. I only have one
request, that during the funeral you tell everyone what a saint my brother was.” The pastor didn’t know what to do. He knew the church could sure use the money
for their building fund, but he also knew that the whole town knew what a crook
Freddie was. On the day of the funeral,
there was Gino sitting in the front row of pews, holding a large briefcase full
of money. The pastor struggled, but got
up and began to preach about the consequences of sin and the need to
repent. He went on to tell about what a
crook Freddie was, and that he was the perfect example of a wretched
sinner. Gino was beginning to get very
upset. The pastor went on, “We all know
what a horrible person Freddie was. He
was drunk all the time, he cheated on his wife, he stole from his friends, but
compared to his brother, Freddie was a saint!”
:20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
cut off – ‘alah – to go
up, ascend, climb
He may not be saying that people are destroyed in the night. Another idea
is:
(Job 36:20 The Message) {20} And don’t think that night, when
people sleep off their troubles, will bring you any relief.
:21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than
affliction.
Job in his complaining and accusations against God has been choosing
iniquity.
:23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought
iniquity?
Lesson
God doesn’t make mistakes
Sometimes we have a hard time accepting how things are. Sometimes we might even venture into thinking
that perhaps God made a mistake or didn’t catch something.
After Moses had fled Egypt
as a murderer and then spent 40 years in the wilderness as a shepherd, God
decided it was time to deliver the children of Israel
from slavery in Egypt. God called Moses and told Moses that he would
be the one to deliver Israel. Moses spent quite a bit of time trying to get
out of this “calling”.
One of Moses’ excuses was that he was not a good speaker:
(Exo 4:10-12 KJV)
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither
heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of
speech, and of a slow tongue. {11} And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made
man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have
not I the LORD? {12} Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach
thee what thou shalt say.
God was saying to Moses, “Hey pal, I don’t make
mistakes. I didn’t make a mistake when I
made you. You’re the one I’ve chosen,
just the way you are.”
We may think that our “flaws” should keep us from serving the Lord, yet I
wonder if somehow God doesn’t want to use us as we are, cracked vessels, so
that He can be the one to get the credit.
36:24-33 God’s power in the storm
:26 neither can the number of his years be searched out.
Have you ever tried to think about eternity?
Think about eternity past – we can look back in our own lives and think
about how long it’s been since we’ve been kids.
We can think about history – whether it’s things we’ve learned in
history classes or watching the History Channel. Some of us can be fascinated by trying to
understand life 200 hundred years ago.
Maybe even thinking about life 2,000 years ago. But millions of years ago? Billions of years ago? Eternity past? Wow.
:27 For he maketh small the drops of water…
(Job 36:27 The Message) {27} “He pulls water up out of the sea,
distills it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.
I wonder if an actual storm is beginning to build around Job and his
friends.
:30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the
sea.
(Job 36:30 The Message) {30} Just look at that lightning, his
sky-filling light show illumining the dark depths of the sea!
:33 The noise thereof showeth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the
vapour.
This is unclear in the Hebrew –
(Job 36:33 NLT) {33} The thunder announces his presence; the storm
announces his indignant anger.
(Job 36:33 The Message) {33} The High God roars in the thunder,
angry against evil.
Job 37
37:1-5 God’s voice of thunder
:2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of
his mouth.
I wonder if a storm was beginning to break.
It’s beginning to thunder.
:4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency
(Job 37:4 The Message) {4} In their wake, the thunder echoes his
voice, powerful and majestic. He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back.
No one can mistake that voice—
Illustration
“Thunder Storms”
When a mother saw a thunderstorm forming in mid-afternoon, she worried
about her seven-year-old daughter who would be walking the three blocks from
school to home. Deciding to meet her, the mother saw her walking nonchalantly
along, stopping to put a big smile on her face whenever lightning flashed.
Spotting her mother, the little girl ran up to her. When the mother asked about
the big smile every time the lightening flashed, the daughter explained
enthusiastically, “All the way home, God’s been taking my picture!”
:5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice
(Job 37:5 The Message) {5}
His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our
understanding.
Lesson
A Powerful Word
(Psa 29 KJV) A Psalm of
David. Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
{2} Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the
beauty of holiness. {3} The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of
glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. {4} The voice of the LORD is
powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. {5} The voice of the LORD
breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. {6} He
maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon
and Sirion like a young unicorn. {7} The voice of the LORD divideth the flames
of fire. {8} The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the
wilderness of Kadesh. {9} The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and
discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
{10} The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. {11}
The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people
with peace.
We think of this as the power of God shown in a storm – with thunder.
Yet I wonder if God’s Word itself isn’t a little bit in mind?
(Heb 4:12
NLT) For the word of God is full of
living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our
innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.
(2 Tim 3:16-17 NLT) All
Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make
us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to
do what is right. {17} It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully
equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
37:6-13 Snow storm
:6 For he saith to the snow
The temperature is dropping.
:7 He sealeth up the hand of every man
(Job 37:7 NLT) {7} Everyone stops working at such a time so they
can recognize his power.
:13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for
mercy.
(Job 37:13 NLT) {13} He causes things to happen on earth, either as
a punishment or as a sign of his unfailing love.
Sometimes rain is good, sometimes it’s bad.
If rain comes at harvest time, it’s bad because it can destroy the crop before
it can be harvested. Then the farmer
stops and thinks about whether he’s got his life together or not.
If rain comes in the springtime, when the seed has been planted, it’s seen
as mercy. God waters the seeds and a
crop grows.
I wonder if we could see trials like rain.
Sometimes the trial comes as a correction, as a way of getting our
attention.
Sometimes a trial could come as mercy - God could be rescuing us from
something.
37:14-20 Do you understand God?
:16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds
God Himself will challenge Job like this, asking Job just how much he
understands about the universe around him.
:18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten
looking glass?
(Job 37:17-18 NLT) {17} When you are sweltering in your clothes and
the south wind dies down and everything is still, {18} he makes the skies
reflect the heat like a giant mirror. Can you do that?
:19 Teach us what we shall say unto him
I think Elihu is being a little sarcastic here – “Job, if you know so much,
tell us how to speak to God.”
37:21-24 We cannot approach God
:21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the
wind passeth, and cleanseth them.
(Job 37:21 The Message) {21} No one in his right mind stares
straight at the sun on a clear and cloudless day.
Elihu is talking about how God is so bright we can’t approach Him.
:22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
fair weather – zahab –
gold; as precious metal; of brilliance, splendour (fig.)
(Job 37:22 NLT) {22} Golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed
in dazzling splendor.
:24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of
heart.
(Job 37:23-24 The Message) {23} “Mighty God! Far beyond our reach!
Unsurpassable in power and justice! It’s unthinkable that he’d treat anyone
unfairly. {24} So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all! If you’re wise,
you’ll most certainly worship him.”
Lesson
Fear God
I think sometimes we need to be careful about losing our sense of awe and
reverence for God.