JOB 22-32 THE WORDS OF JOB ENDED2013 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Job 22-32 The Words Of Job Ended

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2013. The rest of us were here in Job chapter 22 and we'll be going through chapter 32 this evening as we continue on looking at the chapters that we read this week.

As we begin the book of Job once again this evening, I want to remind you about the poetic books because as I've been sharing, the most important thing about the poetic books as you are reading through them and studying them is the context that we need to keep in mind the type of book we are reading, the type of writing this is so that we interpret it and understand it correctly.

And so the poetic books are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. And so we're going to be in the poetic books for a little bit for the next couple of months. And we'll need to keep in mind the context. Now, as we look at interpreting Scripture, of course we believe what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy chapter 3, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

All scripture is inspired by God, including the poetic books. And it's useful, Paul says, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. And so we understand that the poetic books are a part of God's word. They are inspired of God and they are part of God's work in us to bring us to completion.

I believe that wholeheartedly without reservation. But as we look at the book of Job, we need to understand, and as we look at the rest of the poetic books as well, that although it's inspired of God, it's included for a particular purpose, and it plays a part in bringing us to completion.

That does not mean that every verse has the same weight as the rest of scriptures. Not every verse has what I would refer to as eternal truth. Some verses actually record things that are not true. And the example for that, the kind of the classic, the hallmark example for that, is when the scripture records what Satan spoke in the Garden of Eden.

And when Satan spoke in the Garden of Eden, what he said was a lie. But the scripture records it. So you have to understand that the scripture is not teaching that what Satan said is true. No, that's not what Genesis 3 is saying. It's simply recording accurately what the serpent said. In the same way as we are looking at the book of Job this evening, the book of Job is inspired of God and it's useful for us, for our growth, for our completion. But

But that doesn't mean that every verse is the truth that God would present. It's simply recording accurately the words that were shared between Job and those around him.

And so we need to have a good understanding of what it is that we're looking at, this conversation that is going back and forth, so that we understand appropriately what is going on and what is not going on. And so the context becomes very important for us.

Job, of course, as we look at the book of Job, we don't know the author. It was possibly Moses. It was possibly Job himself. There's also been many other suggestions throughout the years, but really no way to identify a particular author.

We also don't know when it was written, but it is believed to be the oldest book because of the style of Hebrew that it's written in. It's a very ancient style of Hebrew, even older than the books of Moses. And so it's believed to have been written even before Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The time period that these things are believed to have taken place is the time of the patriarchs. So the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's when they believe that happened. And the theme, of course, is the sufferings of Job as we've been seeing the things that he has been going through. So we saw in chapters 1 and 2 the introduction to the events that were going on in these conversations that we've been studying. In Job chapter 1...

Satan appears before the Lord and God says, hey, have you thought about Job? He's a righteous man. You know, he's a really great guy. He's blameless. And, you know, one of my best servants. And Satan says, well, that's only because you have this hedge of protection around him. And if you remove that hedge of protection, he'll curse you to your face.

And so the Lord gives Satan authority at that point and says, okay, you can touch his stuff. You can destroy his stuff. The only thing you can't do is you can't touch Job personally. And so there in chapter 1 we read about the messengers who come then. After that authority is given to Satan, then all of his kids are killed in a crazy accident. Right?

Then all of his flocks and herds, all of his wealth, everything that he has is stolen. It's lost. It's destroyed. All the messengers are coming to Job one upon another upon another. It's just all happening at once that he loses completely everything. But he does not sin against God with his lips, even though he loses everything in one day.

Well, then in chapter 2, Satan comes before God again and God says, hey, have you considered my servant Job? He's righteous and blameless and even though you incited me against him and all of these things happened to him, he's not sinned with his mouth. He hasn't cursed me to my face. And Satan then accuses Job one more time and says, skin for skin, if you touch his body, he will curse you to your face.

And so God gives him authority. Hey, you can't take his life, but you can touch his health. You can affect his health. And so then Job breaks out in boils from head to toe and he's just in incredible pain in the midst of also this incredible loss. But still it tells us there at the end of the chapter that he does not sin with his lips. He does not curse God. Even though his wife says, hey, why don't you just curse God and die? Job does not do so.

And as we've been looking at the book of Job, we've been reminded of the sovereignty of God. And this is a little bit uncomfortable for us to consider and deal with. But the reality that we see here is that God gave Satan authority to do these things to Job. That he's the one. Satan could not go beyond what God said. God set the limits. He set the parameters. And Satan had to work in those boundaries.

In the book of Esther, we saw the sovereignty of God and we celebrate it. Because the sovereignty of God there, well, it was deliverance. It was salvation. And the whole people of God were delivered by God's sovereignty of orchestrating the events of the nation and the kingdom, putting Esther there at the right place at the right time, working out all of those details. And we see and we rejoice in the sovereignty of God in that, in bringing redemption.

But as we accept the sovereignty of God in those redemptions and blessings and salvations, we also have to accept the sovereignty of God in the afflictions and the difficulties. And that's what we are looking at in the book of Job. As Job told his wife in Job 2.10, Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?

That we need to rest in the sovereignty of God in both aspects. The good in our life and the adversity in our life, both are in God's control. Both are within his realm of power. Both are in his authority. The book of Job, of course, is a book that we kind of wrestle with as a result of considering these afflictions and all of these conversations that go on.

And I find that many people skip out as we're reading through either through the Bible in a year or the Bible in three years. You hit the book of Job and it's like, well, I'll pick it up again in Psalms. You know, I like the book of Psalms, but I don't really care to read through the book of Job. But I want to encourage you as we go through these chapters and we have one more week in the book of Job, don't skip out. The book of Job is crucial.

It helps us. I know we don't like to wrestle with these concepts and these ideas, but it helps us to deepen our theology, to grow in our understanding of who God is and how he works. It's necessary for us, so don't stop reading it simply because it's hard.

Well, as we go through the chapters this evening, I do want to let you know at the end, I will give opportunity. And so if you do have a question regarding the things that we're studying this evening, we can't, of course, deal with everything or deal with everything in depth. But if there is something that you'd like to, you know, bring up at the end, I'll be happy to let you do so. And then George can answer the questions.

when we get to the end of service. So if you have a question as we're going through, you know, keep it in mind, write it down, and then I'll give you an opportunity at the end. But let's go through these chapters that we read this week, starting with Job chapter 22. Verse 5 is the key verse. It says, "...is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without end?"

So here we're jumping in to a portion where Eliphaz is speaking. And the way that this has been going on is Job had three friends come and visit him. And he began to speak to them. And then they've been responding. And then he's been responding to them. And they've been going back and forth. And so Eliphaz now speaks up again after Job has shared some things. And Eliphaz...

says basically the same thing that all the friends have been saying this whole time, that Job, this is a result of your sin. And so we see in verses 1 through 11, he says, is not your wickedness great? The reason why you're in this situation, Job, it must be that you are wicked and you have great wickedness and that's why you suffer greatly.

And Eliphaz gives some examples here in the portion. He says in verse 6, he says, For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason and stripped the naked of their clothing.

So he says, look, you've mistreated people around you. Perhaps that's why you are in this situation. Now, he's not saying that Job actually did this. He's, you know, well, maybe this is why. Maybe you've done this. This is probably what's happened and that's why you're suffering greatly. Or he throws out another idea. Maybe in verse 7, you've not given the weary water to drink and you've withheld the bread from the hungry.

And so maybe it's because, Job, you haven't considered those who are in need and weary and hungry and you haven't met their needs. Or perhaps, verse 9, you have sent widows away empty and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. And so you've been not dealing well with widows or with orphans. And because of your cruelty, because of your wickedness towards them, well, that's why you're experiencing these afflictions that you are going through.

He says in verse 10, therefore snares are all around you and sudden fear troubles you. He's saying this is the reason Job. This is why you're in the place that you're at. Your wickedness is great. He goes on in verses 12 through 20 to say, you say God or what? I'm sorry. You say, what does God know?

There in verse 13 it says, and you say, what does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness? Thick clouds cover him so that he cannot see. And he walks above the circle of heaven. Here Eliphaz is accusing Job of having the mentality, yeah, God can't see the wickedness that I'm practicing. He doesn't see what I'm doing in secret. He doesn't see these things that

Nobody else sees. And so I can get away with this wickedness. And so he's saying, Job, your wickedness is great and you're convinced that you can hide it from God. But there in verses 21 through 30, if you return to the Almighty, you will be built up. So he says, if you return to God...

Then you'll be reestablished. Then you'll be set up once again. If you return to the Almighty, what is he saying? He's saying your wickedness is great, but if you repent, God will restore you. God will heal you.

Now as we've been looking at the conversation going back and forth, we've been looking at the words of Job, and then we've been looking at the words of Job's friends, and we have to come to the conclusion as we look at the words of Job's friends and just kind of give a general, well, a general conclusion that their words are false. The things that Eliphaz is speaking here are not the truth. In Job chapter 42...

God will rebuke Job's three friends. And he says to them, you did not speak of me what is right like my servant Job has. And so God gives this general application or this general understanding of the words of Job's friends that they are not the truth. They are false.

And so as we look at these things, it's important to understand, God says at the end, these things are not true. This is not representing the Lord or his view of the situation. We know this to be true as you look at chapters 1 and 2, because God is highlighting Job and saying, he is righteous, he is blameless. And so Job was not practicing wickedness. His wickedness was not great enough.

But the mind of Eliphaz was like, well, I can't imagine any other way for this to happen unless you were wicked. It's a mentality that all of Job's friends had, and it's a mentality that exists today, even amongst the church and even amongst believers. That we begin to assume that when people are going through affliction, that it must be the result of some kind of sin.

And it's a very dangerous thing to begin to assume or to begin to make that connection. Now sometimes God does use affliction to bring correction. That is possible. He does do that. But we can't then think or conclude that every time there's affliction, there must be some type of correction as a result of sin. That is not biblical. And that is exactly what we see in the life of Job.

He did not do anything unrighteous to bring on the affliction that he is experiencing. It is not the result of sin. He also tells Job that he needs to return to the Lord, but Job never left God. He never departed from God. He was upright. He was blameless. He walked with God. God was celebrating Job's walk with him.

And that actually is the cause of this situation. Not Job turning from God. And so overall as we look at this. There might be little snippets of truth in some of the things that Eliphaz said. But generally speaking we just need to understand what he is saying is not true. Specifically it's not true of Job. Well Job responds now in chapter 23. The key verse is verse 12. He says,

Job continues to maintain that he has not turned away from the Lord. In verses 1 through 7, he says, I would present my case before him. He's expressing this desire. He says in verse 3, Oh, that I knew where I might find him. If only there was a place where I could meet with God, that I could come and stand before him, and that I would present my case, and I would

bring my arguments to the Lord and say, Lord, I'm walking with you. What's going on? What's happening in my life? I like verse five. He says, I would know the words which he would answer me and understand what he would say to me. Job says, I'm curious. I really want to find out what would God say to me if I had a place where I could stand before him and say,

Lord, what have I done? Why am I here? Why am I experiencing this situation? I've been walking with you. I've been faithful to you. Why is this happening in my life? Job says, I want to find out what he would say. I want to find out what God would share with me. In verses 8 through 12, Job says, I have kept his way. He says in verse 10, he knows the way I take.

He knows my steps. The Lord knows. Now all you guys are accusing me of wickedness and turning away from God, but God knows. You guys are speaking about things you don't know anything about, but God knows where I'm at. He knows what's going on. And he says there in verse 10, when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. This is a test and it's going to prove that, well, I've been walking with God. He says in verse 12, I've not departed from his commandments.

I've treasured his words more than my necessary food. So he's saying, look, the commands of God have been a priority in my life, even more important than feeding myself. I've been holding fast to the word of God. Then in verses 13 through 17, Job says, he performs what is appointed for me. So he's saying, what God is doing, what God is allowing in my life is what is appointed for me.

I don't understand it. I can't explain it. It doesn't make sense to me. That's why I want to sit down with him and find out what he would say. But this is what's appointed for me. And so he says in verse 15, therefore I am terrified at his presence. When I consider this, I am afraid of him. Job is wrestling with his understanding of God here. He's understanding God is allowing this. God's on the throne. He's in control. He's performing what's appointed for me. And this terrifies me.

just as I think you could relate, because as we read the book of Job, we kind of get this terrified feeling too, like, Lord, please don't do this in my life. Please don't let this happen to me. It makes us a little bit fearful, doesn't it? Well, that's how Job is feeling as he's wrestling with this, but he's recognizing that he is performing what is appointed for him. Well, Job continues on in Job chapter 24, verse 13 is the key verse.

It says, there are those who rebel against the light. They do not know its ways nor abide in its paths. Verses 1 through 12, he says, God does not charge some with wrong. Now, the thing that Job's friends have been saying is, God deals with wickedness. He brings affliction and trouble upon them. You're experiencing affliction and trouble. Therefore, you must be wicked.

Now, to counter this and to explain the folly of this conclusion that they've come to, Job is saying, look, there's some people that are wicked and they don't experience this kind of judgment from the Lord. He says in verse 2, some remove landmarks, they seize flocks violently and feed on them.

And then he goes on. He lists a bunch of other things that some people do. In verse 10 he says, They cause the poor to go naked without clothing. And they take away the sheaves from the hungry. And he's just listing some examples. There's people who live in wickedness. Who practice wickedness. Who disregard the command of God. And the result is in verse 12. The dying groan in the city and the souls of the wounded cry out. Yet God does not charge them with wrong.

And so Job is saying, look, you're saying that this must be the result of wickedness, but you can look at, just look at society and you can see people practicing wickedness and you don't see this same kind of affliction happening in their life. Your logic is messed up is what Job is saying. He continues on with this reasoning in verse 13 through 17 where he says, there are those who rebel against the light. Verse 14, he talks about the murderer who rises and

with the light. He kills the poor and needy. And in the night, he's a thief. He does things under the cover of darkness. In verse 15, he talks about the adulterer who waits for the twilight. That's not the movie. But you know, when darkness falls. Maybe both. I don't know. But they rebel against the light. They rebel against what God has revealed and what God has said. And they practice their wickedness under the cover of darkness.

He says in verses 18 through 21, their portion should be cursed. Because they're practicing wickedness, they should experience God's judgment. But they're not. Then in verses 22 through 25, he says, who will prove me a liar? So who's going to prove me otherwise? Again, he's challenging the logic that they are presenting. They are saying, God judges wickedness. You're experiencing judgment. You must be wicked.

But Job is saying, look, that can't be true. Oh, sure, it's true on the grand scheme of things, but there are people who live in wickedness for a long period of time and they don't experience the affliction that I am experiencing. Well, Bildad speaks up once again in chapter 25 and verse 4 is the key verse. He says, how then can man be righteous before God or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?

So in verses 1 through 6, he says, how can man be righteous before God? Now this is the last time that we get to hear from Job's friends, or at least these three friends. We're going to hear from another guy. We'll see that in the final chapter this evening. But the three friends that have been going back and forth with Job thus far, this is the final statement from them. And he says, here Bildad says, how can a man be righteous before God?

There in verse 4, he says, how can he be pure who is born of a woman? Now, what Bildad is saying here, again, we come to the conclusion as we look at this and we understand this is false. There is snippets of truth in what he is saying in that you and I, we cannot be righteous before God apart from God.

Apart from, for you and I today, the receiving of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. And then we stand before God as righteous. So it's not, you know, a blanket truth that is applicable to everybody. But apart from salvation, then it is true that we were not righteous before God. We've all sinned. We all fall short of the glory of God.

But the reason why this is false is not because there might be a little bit of a snippet of general truth. But the reason why this is false is because, again, Job is not being judged for sin. This isn't a judgment for rebellion. This isn't a judgment for wickedness. And so this is actually happening to him because God declares him to be righteous, not the other way around. And so we see here Job's friends from the beginning to the end, they maintain this

This premise that Job, you must have some secret hidden sin and therefore you must repent and then all of this will go away. And all of this affliction is happening to you because you are sinful, you cannot be righteous before God and so you must repent. Well, Job responds once again in chapter 26, verse 7 is the key verse. He's talking about God and he says, "...he stretches out the north over empty space, he hangs the earth on nothing."

He begins though in verses 1 through 4 saying, How have you helped? What have you guys done? What help have you brought? You've not helped me at all, Job is saying. Verse 2, he says, How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? I like this because Job is kind of speaking generally here. He's not just saying, You haven't helped me. But he's saying,

How have you ever helped anybody with these words that you've been sharing? How have you ever helped anybody if this is your mindset and this is your logic? You don't understand what's going on. Kind of, you know, pitying those who these people have tried to help in the past. How could you have helped anybody? Because you don't understand God or what is going on around you.

And so he begins to talk about God and the greatness of God. In verses 5 through 14, he talks about God hanging the earth on nothing. And here he's giving some characteristics of creation and the reality that God is the creator and how the understanding of creation, as you understand what he did, you understand how big God is.

And so he talks about stretching out the north over empty space and hanging the earth on nothing. Now this is, you know, interesting. It's significant because the mythology of the past was that, you know, there was all kinds of different things holding up the earth depending on who you ask. And so it might be a great turtle. It might be, you know, that big guy. I think his name is Atlas, right? He's holding up the earth. All of these mythologies about how the earth works

how it doesn't just fall out of whatever, you know. How does that work? What is the earth on? And so Job is calling it out. He's saying he hangs the earth on nothing. He says in verse 8, he binds up the water in his thick clouds, yet the clouds are not broken under it. He's talking about, you know, the whole system of the water evaporating and being held within the clouds and then brought back down. I mean, he's speaking about

way before his time scientifically but he's talking about creation the order of creation and the magnitude of god in that then he says in verse 14 he says 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 he's talking about the magnificence of creation how amazing it is and he says look this is just the beginning this is just the mere edge this is just a whisper

Who could understand? Who could handle the thunder of his power, the fullness of how big he is, how great he is? And so he's marveling here and calling attention to the greatness of God. Well, he goes on into chapter 27, verse 12 is the key verse. He says, "'Surely all of you have seen it. Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?'

This is another great verse of the book of Job. Why do you behave with complete nonsense? He asked them. In verses 1 through 6, Job says, I hold fast my righteousness. Again, Job is maintaining that he has not turned and rebelled against God. Now, I would point out at this point that Job is not attempting to say that he's never sinned, that he's completely perfect. He's not trying to say that he's sinless.

He's trying to say, I've been walking with God. And when I fell short, I offered the sacrifices for it. I mean, I did what God requested. I did what God asked so that I could maintain right relationship with God. And so when he talks about holding fast his righteousness, he's not saying he's perfect and sinless. He's saying, no, I've been dealing with my sin. I've been presenting it before God. I've been offering sacrifices and making sure to do my best to walk with the Lord.

And so in verse 5 he says, far be it from me that I should say that you are right. Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. I'm not going to say, okay yeah there is some secret sin because you guys tell me that I should when there's nothing there. I'm not going to admit or confess to things that I've not been doing. No, I'm maintaining my integrity. I'm telling you I've been walking with God. I've been seeking him and pursuing him. I have not turned away from him.

In verses 7 through 10, Job asked the question, what is the hope of the hypocrite? What is the hope, he says. There in verse 8, he says, though he may gain much, what is his hope if God takes away his life? Kind of like what Jesus said, right? What profit is it to you to gain the whole world and yet forfeit your soul? If I'm being hypocritical and putting on this show of righteousness, but inwardly, you know, I have all this wickedness, he says, where's my hope?

No, I'm not that way. I'm not a hypocrite, Job is saying. Again, he's maintaining his integrity or righteousness. Verses 11 through 12, he says, why do you behave with complete nonsense? He says in verse 11, I will teach you about the hand of God. What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. Surely you have seen it. Job is saying, look, you guys must have seen the ways of God. You must have seen how God works. Why are you behaving with such nonsense?

You've seen the wicked not experience affliction like I'm going through. So why do you continue to insist that I must have some kind of wickedness because I'm experiencing affliction? He said, this is nonsense. What you guys have been sharing is nonsense. And God's going to agree with him in Job chapter 42. Well, Job continues on in verse 13 through 23 to say, this is the portion of a wicked man. And he talks about

The wicked man can try really hard. He can have, you know, children multiplied. But they're going to be affected by his wickedness. And even if he heaps up silver like dust and piles up clothing, other people are going to wear it. Other people are going to enjoy it. He talks about the east wind carrying the wicked away and sweeping him out of his place.

Job here is declaring that God will deal with wickedness. He will deal with the wicked. Justice will be brought forth. And as I've been sharing many times as we look at these things, as we look for justice in regards to wickedness, we need to factor in eternity. That if you're looking for God to bring justice in this life, you're going to be very confused like Job's friends. But God brings affliction. He brings judgment.

But the final judgment, the final making of things right will be in eternity. And so a wicked person could make it to the end of their life and it seems like they've gotten away with everything. Like God, why didn't you judge them? There is a judgment that still remains after this life. The fulfillment of the promises that God has for us

We might see glimpses of them here, but the real fulfillment is in eternity. In the same way, the judgments that God promises for wickedness, we might see glimpses of them here, but the real fulfillment of them is in eternity. And so we need to factor in eternity. And what Job is talking about here is that, look, the wicked will experience the judgment that is due them,

It's going to happen. They can't run away from it. But you can't say that all affliction then is God dealing with wickedness. Well Job continues to talk in chapter 28. Verse 28 he's quoting God. He says, Job says in verses 1 through 11, There is a mine for silver.

He talks about silver and gold and iron and copper, all these valuables. He says, look, there's mines for these things. And people work hard. They can dig. They find out where to dig. And they mine these valuables. He says in verse 3, man puts an end to darkness and searches every recess. Verse 10, he cuts out channels in the rocks and his eyes see every precious thing. So

Talking about mining, digging these caverns and finding those precious valuables, those precious metals. So people mine for silver, for gold, for copper, for iron. But then in verses 12 through 19 he says, where can wisdom be found? So you can mine for these valuables but where can you find wisdom? In verse 12 he says, where can wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding? Where can you find wisdom? You can mine for silver but

What do you do to get wisdom? He says wisdom in verse 13. He says man doesn't know wisdom's value. He says it can't be purchased with gold in verse 15. He says gold or crystal cannot equal it in verse 17. It can't be exchanged for jewelry. So you can't dig for it. You can't purchase wisdom. So how do you get wisdom? Well he goes on in verse 20 through 28 to say the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

Where does wisdom come from? Where do you find understanding? Well, he says in verse 23, God understands its way. God knows about wisdom. He knows its place. In verse 27, God saw wisdom and declared it. He prepared it. He searched it out. And then verse 28, here's what he delivered to man. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And to depart from evil is understanding. So how do you get wisdom?

Not by digging. You can't purchase it. You can't find it. But the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding. It begs the question this evening. Do you have wisdom? Are you departing from iniquity? If you continue to practice sin, you're a fool. Is what Job is saying. Because wisdom is found not by reading books or learning a lot of things or studying the Bible even. Wisdom is found by

By fearing God. Departing from evil. Turning away from sin. And so you can be really smart but a fool. Because you don't fear God. Now this truth that Job is talking about is a truth that I was also shared throughout other portions of scripture. So we know this is not just Job thinking out of his own understanding. But this is confirmed throughout the Bible. That the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

And departing from iniquity, departing from evil, that is understanding. Do you have wisdom? Important question to consider. Don't continue on in sin. That is foolish. Well, now in chapter 29, verse 2, Job continues and he says, Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me.

In verses 1 through 17, he's looking back and saying, oh, that it was like in the months past. Oh, if I was only in that place once again. Well, what was that like in those months past? He gives some examples there in the verses. Here's a couple to consider. Verse 6, he says, when my steps were bathed with cream, my steps were easy, they were smooth, there was no problems, no difficulties. He says, the rock poured out rivers of oil for me.

That I was just blessed. All this oil would come forth from the rock. And I was just experiencing blessing where you wouldn't expect blessing. He says in verse 8, The young men saw me and hid. And the aged arose and stood. When I walked up to the city gates, the young men paid attention. They hid because of the honor that I had. And the older men arose. They stood in respect as I approached.

He says even in verse 9, the princes refrained from talking and put their hand on their mouth. Job's here. Let's hear what he has to say. I'm not going to talk. That would be rude and disrespectful because someone of great honor is here. I'm going to listen to what he has to say. Job's reflecting on the months past. This is how it used to be. In verses 18 through 25, he said, men listened to me and waited.

They kept silence for my counsel, Job says. And then verse 22, he says, after my words, they did not speak again. Meaning, I had the final word. What I said, there was no counter to that. There was no rebuke to that. They accepted it. There was nothing better that could be said than what I said. That's how they esteemed Job's words. Oh, that it was those days again where people respected me. They listened to me.

They heard my words and they accepted them as the truth. But he contrasts that with the present now in chapter 30. Verse 10 is the key verse. He says, They abhor me. They keep far from me. They do not hesitate to spit in my face. Before it was great because there was this great respect that was given. But here in verses 1 through 8 he says, Now they mock at me. Now they make fun of me. Younger men. Now in those days...

Maybe as it should be today, but it's not so much that way. At least not in our culture. There was great respect and reverence and awe and honor given from the younger to the older. And it was required. It was expected. It was demanded. There had to be this respect given for the elders. And so here, Job says, now these younger men are mocking me.

He says, whose fathers I disdain to put with the dogs of my flock. I was good to their dads. But now these kids, they're mocking me. They're making fun of me. In verses 9 through 15, he says, now I'm their taunting song. Not only are they mocking me, but they're making up silly songs about Job. Taunting songs. They're making up songs to poke fun at Job. He says, I'm their byword. They abhor me, he says in verse 10.

They don't hesitate to spit in my face. That's quite a contrast. There was this great honor and respect, but now even these younger guys, they don't respect Job even though he's the elder, even though he was good to their fathers. They don't hesitate to spit in his face. They just spit in his face and run away laughing and sing a song about it. This great disrespect that Job is experiencing. He says in verse 16 through 19, Now my soul is poured out. Before it was refreshed.

I was blessed, but now I'm poured out. He says, the days of affliction take hold of me. And then talking to God, he says in verse 20 through 23, you do not answer me. He says, all this while I'm crying out to God, but God's not answering. God's not responding as I'm crying out to him. And then in verse 24 through 31, he says, days of affliction confront me. He says, look, I wept for those who were in trouble before. My soul was grieved for the poor.

But when I'm looking for good, evil has come to me. I was looking for light and I received the darkness. And he says in verse 27, my heart is in turmoil. I don't have any rest because these days of affliction confront me. I don't have an opportunity to rest. I'm afflicted. Again, he's expressing the agony of what he is going through, the difficulty that he is facing. He's so uncomfortable, so miserable as a result of this affliction.

Well then Job chapter 31 he finishes up this dialogue or this monologue that he's been sharing. In verse 6 is the key verse. It says, let me be weighed on honest scales that God may know my integrity. In verses 1 through 4 he asks, what is the allotment of God? What is it that God allots for people? He says in verse 3, is it not destruction for the wicked and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Again, God's going to deal with the wicked Job is saying. He's not denying that.

But then he goes on to ask a series of questions or to say, you know, hey, if I had been this way, well, then what I'm receiving is just and right. He says, if I had walked with falsehood in verses 5 through 8. Now there in verse 6, he's saying, let me be weighed on honest scales. If I've really been behaving this way, then let me experience the judgment that is deserved. But

I haven't been behaving that way. If I've walked with falsehood, well then let me experience that judgment. If my heart has been enticed, there in verses 9 through 12. If I've been pursuing after other women and unfaithful to my wife. If I've lurked at my neighbor's door, he says, seeking to commit adultery. Well then let me experience the judgment that is due. If that is true, but he's saying that isn't true. If I despise servants,

When they complained against me, if I've not been treating them well, well then let me experience that judgment. If I kept the poor from their desire in verses 16 through 23, if I haven't been treating the poor well or rightly, if I made gold my hope in verses 24 through 28, if I put my hope in riches and in my wealth, if that's where I was trusting and I had my faith in that, well then let me experience the judgment for wickedness.

If I rejoiced at destruction in verses 29 through 37, when people who hated me were destroyed and I rejoiced over that, if I was doing that, well then I deserve judgment for wickedness. But I haven't been doing that. If my land cries out, he says in verses 38 through 40, because I haven't been doing what's right, well then let me experience the judgment that is due. And so he goes through all these different things. He's saying, look, I'm examining my ways and

I haven't been disobedient to God in these things. I haven't turned away from God. If I have, then bring it on. I deserve the judgment for those things. But again, he's maintaining that he is righteous. Not perfect, not flawless, but righteous. He has right standing before God. I like what Warren Wiersbe has to say on this chapter. He says, this chapter helps you take inventory of your spiritual life.

Do you have eyes that wander lustfully? Or feet that move deceitfully? Has lust been fulfilled in overt sin? Have you treated others as God wants them treated? Have you coveted wealth or been proud of what you possess? How do you respond to the suffering of an enemy? Or the needs of a stranger? Are you a faithful steward of the natural resources that God gives you? Have you been faithful in these areas? It's a good question.

chapter to take inventory and to consider. Because again, wisdom is the fear of God. And turning away from iniquity, repenting of these things, that is true understanding. And so if there's an area that's out of line in your life, repent. Turn from that. Stop practicing that. That's foolish. Job says, if I've been practicing any of these things...

I will receive the judgment that is due because these are wicked things. Well, that finishes up Job's words here in chapter 31. His words are ended, he says there at the end of the chapter. Now we're going to be introduced to a new guy. His name is Elihu or Elihu, depending on how you want to pronounce it. And here in chapter 32, he's going to begin to talk. He's going to begin to talk, but he's not actually going to say anything until...

The next couple of chapters. But he talks for the next few chapters. And he's this fourth person on the scene. So there was Job and his three friends came to him. What we learn from this chapter is Elihu is there observing the conversations. Listening in. He was paying attention. But he wasn't actually part of it yet.

And so now, after the conversation has been going back and forth, now he jumps in. The key verse is verse 2 of Job 32. It says,

So here in verses 1 through 5, you see that Elihu's wrath was aroused. Elihu's wrath, the idea here is that he's been real frustrated up to this point. And so now he's at the point where he can't hold it anymore. He needs to talk. He needs to let some things out because he's been listening to these guys go back and forth and he has something to say.

In verse 1 it tells us that these three men ceased answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. So the other three friends, we're not going to hear from them again. Zophar, Bildad, and Eliphaz. They're not going to be talking again. But this guy, Elihu, will fill the next few chapters with his thoughts, with his words. In verse 3...

Well, it tells us it was his wrath was aroused against Job in verse 2 and then also in verse 3, also against his three friends his wrath was aroused because they had found no answer and yet had condemned Job.

So he's going to be condemning the friends of Job for condemning Job, even though they weren't able to say, look Job, this is how you are rebelling against God. Here's the sin in your life, and here's the verse, or here's the chapter, here's the passage which shows that you are practicing wickedness. They were accusing Job of wickedness without any proof, without any substance.

And so he is condemning the friends of Job for their condemning of Job without that evidence, without that proof.

But in verse 4, it says, now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job. So again, we talked about the younger versus the older and how that was important in those days. So he waited, but it's been real frustrating for him. And so it's kind of been building up. And so he's really zealous right now. He has a lot to say. And so he's going to start talking here in the next few chapters. In verses 6 through 9, he says, I am young and you are old. Again, dealing with that age gap. And that's why he's waited.

But I think verse 9 is important for us to consider. It says, He's recognizing, hey, I'm young, you guys are old. But that doesn't mean automatically that you have the answers. Just because you're old doesn't make you wise. Just because you're a great man doesn't mean that you have the answers or have wisdom. And so maybe I have something to share. Maybe I have something from God that can answer this situation.

In verse 10 through 14, he says, I will declare my opinion. In verse 10, he says, therefore I say, listen to me. I also will declare my opinion. In verse 12, he says, I paid close attention to you and surely not one of you convinced Job or answered his words. He's agreeing with Job. You guys spoke nonsense. I listened carefully, but you guys weren't making sense. Then in verse 15 through 22, he says, the spirit within me compels me.

Now, he's not talking about the Holy Spirit at this point. Again, he's talking about this zeal. He's just, you know what that's like, right? You ever been in those conversations where it's like, when are you going to be quiet so I can tell you what I think? The more they keep talking, it kind of builds up. That's what Eliphaz is describing here. He's like, I've got this spirit within me and it's like compelling me. I got to get these words out and tell you what I think about this situation and what Job is going through. He says in verse 18, I'm full of words.

I have all these words to share. Now what's interesting about this chapter is that we're introduced here to Elihu and he's talking and he's talking and he's talking and he's talking. We get to the end of the chapter, he hasn't said anything yet. Basically all he said is, hey, I have something to say. And he spent a chapter announcing that he had something to say. Now as we've been looking at Job's friends, we've been stamping the word false on top of them.

When we come now to Elihu though, it's interesting that we cannot make such a bold statement when it comes to Elihu. The reason why we can put that stamp on the words of Job's friends is because God says so at the end, Job chapter 42. And he names those three friends. And it's those three friends specifically that God is talking about. This fourth guy, Elihu, God doesn't mention him. God doesn't rebuke him. God doesn't correct him.

Now it doesn't mean that everything Elihu says is accurate or true. So what that means for you and I then as we study the words of Elihu this week, we're going to need to be considering the context and be wrestling with is his approach the correct one?

Job doesn't get an opportunity to respond to Elihu, so we don't know what Job would say. But at the end of Elihu's speech, that's when God intervenes and God brings his conclusion to the matter. As you look at different commentators, different scholars looking at their opinion of Elihu, some hold that Elihu spoke what was right and he was right on. Others believe

Say he was just like the rest of Job's friends and had the same fallacy, same basic premise, which was incorrect. And so you can kind of look on both sides. And I think you can kind of, like most other scriptures, you can kind of read into whatever you want. So if you're already convinced...

you know, he's off, then you're going to read into it that way. But I would encourage you to consider his words. Wrestle with his words this week. You know, cross-reference and consider what does the rest of Scripture have to say? Does it line up? Is he accurate as he is addressing the situation? It's not as clear as the other friends. And so I want to challenge you to wrestle with it, to do some digging so that you, well, you come out

Having a better understanding of who God is and the way that God works. So that's chapter 32. And that's the final chapter we'll look at this evening. Before we wrap up this evening, I do want to give the opportunity. So if there was something that we looked at and maybe there's a question that you had, something I didn't address or maybe wasn't clear. Is there anybody who'd like to ask something? Robert. You know, Joe's great friend. Yeah.

They're doing a lot of talking to Job and so during this discourse, are there people around that are coming by, listening, hearing this? Because all of a sudden Job comes from a point in his life where he's like high on the totem pole and now everybody is spitting on him. So how did these people turn their backs

Yeah. Yeah.

So one of the great questions of the book of Job is how much time is passing through all of this? And that really is not answered except earlier in the book of Job we saw that Job said these months have been apportioned to me. And so it is possible that this has happened over a period of several months.

These conversations seem to be happening back to back to back very quickly. I mean, they kind of, you know, they're replying to each other. So it doesn't seem like they are happening. The conversations are probably not happening over a long period of time. But the events themselves, for example, between chapter 1 and 2, there very easily could have been a period of several months, um,

uh you know when job loses everything before he's afflicted with the boils and so you know there's there's that possibility and so it's possible during that time that's when the townspeople you know responded in that way as he described it's also possible that job is um describing the mentality and the attitude and not exact actual events

So they had the heart of spitting on him, but there wasn't actually that event happening. That's a possibility too. But probably, I would say that it's things that happened between chapter 1 and chapter 2 is what he's talking about. Harvey, you have an answer, right? Not a question? I had a comment on verse 10 of the Bible. Yeah, chapter 32.

I also will declare my opinion. And when I, in the past, have studied this, although, as you have said before, there's a lot of truth in this, but he's off. Because he's giving his opinion and not God's word. And so we all have opinions. You know, I mean, how often do we say, you know, oh, I have an opinion of this, but I just

Yeah. Good. Yeah, as I had been saying too about Job, Job is not

that he is speaking before God, on behalf of God. We know Job's friends aren't. A lot of what Job says, he says, I'm speaking out of my anguish. And so we understand that. Again, that's part of the context. And with Elihu, that's a good point. He's stating right up front, this is my opinion. This is what I think. He is not saying that, you know, he is speaking on behalf of God or he has, you know, he's God's spokesperson in this situation. So it's his ideas and his thoughts that

And again, you'll have to wrestle with those and see where they fall and line up with what God actually says. Good. Thanks, Harvey. Anybody else? Question? Jake? I guess I can. Chapter 14, going back to that, and just the Seventh-day Advent doctrine of Sosa, and that they put it from there, what grounds of truth...

Do you have a specific verse for that in Job 14? So there Job says, But man dies and is laid away. Indeed, he breathes his last. And where is he? Verse 12, So man lies down and does not rise till the heavens are no more. They will not awake nor be roused from their sleep.

And so this is what Job said. And so some people then take that into the doctrine of when a Christian dies, they sleep. It's called soul sleep. And then they don't wake up until the end, until the Lord returns. But again, as we've just been talking about just a few moments ago, Job is not speaking for God. He's not speaking.

God in this. He's speaking from his anguish and he's speaking from, in this portion, he's speaking kind of from an earthly level. He's saying, on earth, when a man dies, there are no more, they're not on the earth anymore. They won't be here on the earth until the end. And of course, we know looking at, you know, Revelation, the saints return with the Lord and then they'll be on earth again. But,

But until then, you know, they're not on earth. He's looking at it in specifically the physical realm of earth. But Job is a terrible book to build doctrine on because Job is not representing God. He's not proclaiming to speak on behalf of God. And in fact, even though he did not speak evil of God, God still corrects Job. We'll read it this week. God corrects Job. Job repents.

And it's not because of great wickedness that he's experiencing this affliction, but there is things that God's working in his heart through this, and there is correction that needs to be brought. So, you know, using this to establish doctrine is a really terrible idea. Does that help? Yes. Also, I want to bring up the other question I asked you about, which is

So the question is, who is there to record the conversation between Satan and God in chapters 1 and 2? How do we have that recorded? How do we have that documented?

And because nobody was there that, you know, could document that, does that mean that this possibly is just all made up, that it's fiction? But my response to that then is, well, if you're going to hold that position, if you're going to be convinced of that, then what do you do with the book of Genesis where in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth? And who witnessed that to be able to record it?

The point isn't that somebody had to be there to be an eyewitness. The point is that God, as we started with in the beginning of the message, He inspired, He revealed, He brought the instruction, and He wrote through different individuals these things that are recorded. And so I have no problem understanding the book of Job, that it was actual events, that it's factual. That's the way that it's presented. That's the way that it's brought forth.

And to say something different, really, there needs to be evidence from you then to say something different that this is not the way the book is meant to be. Because it's not presented in a way that this is just a story, it's just a parable. It's presented as factual, actual, you know, names are mentioned, backgrounds are mentioned. I mean, those details are given. And so these are factual events, actual events, events.

And again, it doesn't contradict the rest of the word of God. And so it's pretty clear that this is, you know, revealed of God and not something that was just made up or a story of something that never actually happened. That's my thought. Good? Anybody else? Last question before we finish up? All right. Well, let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. And although some of these things are challenging, God, we do thank you that you are sovereign.

Lord, we thank you that you are sovereign even though that may mean affliction and difficulty in our lives because we know that it also means that you are then able to work all things together for good to those who love you and are the called according to your purposes. And so, Lord, because you're sovereign, we know, we can rest that you will bring forth good even from the difficulties of our lives. Lord, I pray as we wrestle with these things and consider these things that you would help us, Lord, to obtain wisdom through this.

Lord, that we would see the foolishness of continuing on in sin. I pray, Lord, that you would bring us to repentance if there's things that are out of line, where there's that practice of sin. But I pray that you would help us to be wise, to walk with you, to trust you and rest in you, knowing that you reign on high. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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