Job Chapters 38-41. The Sovereignty of God.

Is God enough?

Job 38:1-4; 12-13 – God is God!

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?

3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.

“Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,

13 that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?

Job 40:1-5 – God is God and I am not!

The Lord said to Job:
2 “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!”
3 Then Job answered the Lord:

4 “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.

5 I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more.”

Is God enough? The book of Job say, yes. God is enough, Job recognises that God is God, and he recognises that he is not God (Job 40:4),, “I am unworthy…”.

What a great place to finish the book of Job in awe of God and in repentance towards God

• Ask God to teach you his truth about himself that will leave you in awe of Him.
• Live today, tomorrow and the next day repenting and turning from yourself to the one who is enough.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24

Job Chapters 32-37. Elihu

But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. Job36:15

Ultimately Elihu is convinced that there is truth about God that will help his friend!

1. For all those who are suffering, God in all his power is present to deliver them in their suffering.
2. For all those who are afflicted, God promises to speak to them in their affliction.

Take some time to pray today.

-   For your own growth. Asking God to help you listen to what he is saying to you in and through his Word the Bible, about his ever present delivering power!

-   For others, especially those who are suffering. Asking God to help them listen to what he is saying to them in and through his Word the Bible, about his ever present delivering power!

An interview David Nixon. Job chapter 28-31: The Search For Wisdom

DA. I was preaching elsewhere on Sunday morning so missed your message live! What was the big theme sentence of the message?

DN. This passage humbly reminds us that we cannot know and understand everything yet.  But we can have a relationship with God as our Heavenly Father and trust Him with the things that we cannot know.  God doesn't give Job or us all the answers but gives us Himself, the Answerer - most fully in Jesus, to show us He truly loves us and He can be trusted with the mysteries.

DA. What do I need to pay attention to in the passage on the big theme?

DN.“God understands the way to wisdom, and he alone knows where wisdom dwells.” (v.23).  Wisdom belongs to God, because it is a part of His own being and character.  He used His wisdom to create this world and continues to use it in ruling over affairs of this world (v.25-27).  The only way we can benefit from God’s wisdom is if we are in RELATIONSHIP with Him. That’s what v.28 means: “Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding”.

DA. And Finally what should I be applying to my life now that I am mid- way through the week?

DN. The take-away from Job 28 is summed up in Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD [Jesus] with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”.  

Job Chapters 4-27

From Job chapters 4-27 we learn:

1. How devastating our lack of understanding can be when we apply it categorically to the problem of suffering in the world!
2. How desperately we need somebody to do something about the brokenness that causes our suffering!
3. That our Redeemer lives!
4. That no matter how tough life might get on this side of heaven... BECAUSE we have a redeemer-mediator who lives... though He slay us, yet we can hope in Him! 

As I have mused these points this week and especially point one, I started by reading the words of Eliphaz to Job.“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking?” Job 4:2

I recall someone giving me this advice, about how and when to speak to the Jobs of this world. “Be slow to speak to people and quick to listen but quick to speak to God about people before speaking to them about God.”

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

As far as points two, three and four are concerned, I just can’t get away from the nuggets of truths contained in some of the words Job himself speaks.

Can I suggest these words could form the basis for your need for an accurate (at least foundational) biblical theology: about God, mankind and sin, Christ, the Gospel and the inner transforming work of the Word and Spirit, which results in our justification, our sanctification and one day our glorification. Until then what about reciting these truths for living through the toughest of times.

I know that my redeemer lives!Job 19v25. I will see God! Job 19v26. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19v27. I will yet [hope in] praise him! Job 13v15

The Companionship of Brokenness. Job 2:1-13

"When Job’s three friends…heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathise with him and comfort him. ¹² When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognise him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. ¹³ Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was" Job2:11-13

When was the last time you sat with someone in need? This week, in fact every week, why not find someone in your world who is hurting and help them? Venture out of your comfort zone, move towards someone and into their world [v11]. Anybody can do this! If you are going to do this, because not everyone will, it is going to cost you! It will cost you in your time and in your tears. It will be inconvenient and it will be emotionally draining [v12-13].  Jesus did it, condescending by coming into your world [Philippians 2:5-7]. Jesus does it by the companionship of His Spirit indwelling you now. [John14:16].

Give thanks, for Jesus, who came into your world!

…although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8.

Give thanks, because Jesus offers you the companionship of His Spirit now!

 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever… John14:16

Pray, Lord by your help, may I be a help to someone in need.

Job1:13-22; 2:7-10

Here are the three points from the message this week.

1. We don't have to have all the answers to be blessed.
2. We do need to know that our suffering is not in vain.
3. We do need to consider praying in a different way.

Here are three questions to consider, one for each point.

1. Why do we want to know everything?
   (Consider Genesis3)
2. Why is is good to know that our suffering is not in vain?
   (Consider Romans8)
3. What difference could it make to life today if we change the way we pray?
   (Consider praying deliver me through rather than deliver me from)

The Purposes Of The Almighty. Job1:20-22.

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Imagine praising God (v20) at all this! see (1:13-19). Then even more remarkably, in all this (v22). Imagine making a choice not to sin, as you choose not to charge God with wrongdoing.

Pray for all those ( yourself included), who are now experiencing life that is falling apart at the seams. (v20)
Pray as a sinner for sinners, using the truths found in these verses from 1 Peter1:3-9.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The Adversary of God. Job1:6-12;2:1-6.

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” Job1:7b; 2:2b

Satan is not only the adversary of God he is our enemy too as he roams throughout the earth, going back and forth. 1 Peter5: 8-1. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Two questions to muse on.

1. Why are you to be alert and of sober mind?

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

2. What are you to do in response to this?

Resist him, standing firm in the faith…

Two actions to act on.

1. Remember to pray for your brothers and sisters across the world who are undergoing the same kind of suffering.
2. Remember to read the Bible today and look for a truth to grasp about the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ.