Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Job 12-21
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: All right, it's good to see you today. Welcome to our journey through scripture. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin. So we're going to continue in the book of Job today. ⁓ we're going to be ⁓ looking at chapters twelve through twenty-one. So a pretty good stretch of of Job ⁓ twelve through twenty-one. Encourage you to read that and then ⁓ come come join us as we talk hit the high points. Remember, ⁓ we've going through the book of Job, ⁓ his friends are kind of Continuing to to share this traditional wisdom. That traditional wisdom was that ⁓ the ⁓ the wicked would be punished and the godly or those who did right would be rewarded. And Job clearly is not being rewarded. So his friends were just kind of holding on to this traditional wisdom saying, Job, you must be doing something wrong. ⁓ you you must have done something wicked, and therefore you are being punished. Job still holds on to this traditional wisdom, right? He he at this point, he hasn't been revealed anything new. He just knows that's not right. He said, I I haven't done anything wrong. And so he's really struggling with this. He's basically kind of going through all of the the grief and and ⁓ frustration. He's just wanting God just to end it. He's starting to question ⁓ God's goodness, right? Because again, if he's holding on to this traditional wisdom ⁓ that says the guilty are punished and the the good are rewarded. He's like, Well, if if that's the case, just just take me, 'cause I I don't understand it, but and I don't I don't know what I've done wrong, ⁓ but I'm I'm done with this, right? So so Job is not doesn't really have a full understanding either. Now his friends are t sitting here telling him all this stuff. ⁓ we left off in chapter eleven. ⁓ with ⁓ the the last of Job's ⁓ friends kind of having his first ⁓ talk ⁓ Zophar. Yeah, and ⁓ Zophar basically encouraged him to repent. And ⁓ you know, that, hey, you know, we don't understand, you know, everything about God, but we do know, you know, that if if you haven't repented that you're going to be punished. ⁓ that's that's his view of things. And so Job ⁓ by this time na is getting increasingly frustrated. and so chapter twelve, ⁓ we see Job responding to ⁓ the critics again. He says, No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you, but I have understanding as well as you. I am not inferior to you, indeed, who does not know such things as these? I am one mocked by his friends who called on God and he answered him, the the just and the blameless who is ridiculed, a lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease. It is made ready for those whose feet slip. The tents of the ro robber prosper. And those who provoke God are secure in what God provides by his hand. So he's he's basically ⁓ kind of pushing back against ⁓ his friends. ⁓ he's saying ⁓ you know y I'm I'm not inferior to you. I understand this old way of thinking and I'm telling you it doesn't apply in this case. and and he's struggling with that. He's struggling with what to think about God. you know, whenever he's believing something that is not true. He's believing a wisdom that is not accurate. And ⁓ and so then he he just keeps going about how how d difficult ⁓ his life is, about what is what has been going on, about his frustrations, ⁓ about how God ⁓ punishes the the wicked. Job's acknowledging all of that. He's acknowledging that God does all of this, but he's saying that I'm not wicked. And ⁓ then verse ⁓ chapter thirteen he says, Behold, my eye has seen all of this, my ear has heard and understood it. So the old wisdom. He says, What you know I also know. I am not inferior to you, but I would speak to the Almighty and I desire to reason with God. But you foragers of lies, you are worthless physicians. ⁓ that you would be silent and it would be your wisdom. Now hear my reasoning and heed the pleading of my lips. Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him? Will you show partiality for him? Will you contend for God? Will it be well when he searches you out? Or can you mock him as one mocks a man? He will surely rebuke you if you sheep secretly show partiality. Will not his excellence make you afraid and the dread of him fall upon you? Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay. So he's saying, Y'all are just throwing this stuff out that we've believed to be true, but in this case it is not true. And I want to call on God, I want to reason with God, I want to ask God about this. ⁓ And then verse fifteen says, Though he slay me, yet I will trust him. Even so I will defend my own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before him. Listen carefully to my speech and to my declarations with your ears. See now I have prepared my case. I know that I shall be vindicated. Who is he who will contend with me? I now hold my tongue. I if I hold now my tongue, I perish. And so he's basically he he wants an audience with God. ⁓ and he says, I'm not going to rebuke God. He is not i i it's not a disdain for God. He's not wanting to turn his back on God. He doesn't understand God and he's frustrated and he's angry with what he's going through and that it doesn't match the traditional wisdom. ⁓ but but it Job is not turning his back on God in any way. ⁓ then in verse twenty he ⁓ he says this says, Only two things do not do to me, talking to God. Then I will not hide myself from you. Withdraw your hand far from me. He's like, Enough. I I've I I've had enough. I'm I'm I'm tired of all this. And then he says, And let not the dread of you make me afraid. Right. So he even in in all of this, he still is desiring to have a relationship with God. ⁓ but it is is it is so difficult right now, and he is so frustrated, he's confused because everything that he thought was true is is not playing out that way. And and ⁓ his friends are of no help, to say the least. ⁓ chapter fourteen, ⁓ he continues to to talk about ⁓ how it says man who is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble, right? So he he kinda continues ⁓ the the the days are are bad and and ⁓ his days are bad, that there there's starting to be no hope. ⁓ so so Job is he's still at a at a low place. Then chapter fifteen, we have ⁓ Eliphaz again ⁓ speaking to Job. He says, Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge and fill himself with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk or by speeches with which he can do no good? Yes, you cast off fear and restrain prayer before God, for your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you. So basically saying, No, Job, your sinfulness is causing you to say such things. ⁓ so they are not listening to Job, or they certainly don't agree with Job in any way, shape, or form. ⁓ verse ten says, Both the grey haired and the aged are among us, much older than your father. Are the consolations of God too small for you? And are the words spoken gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away? And what does your eye wink at? That you turn your spirit against God and let such words go out of your mouth. So he's basically saying, This is this is what our fathers and the fathers before them, this is what they believed about God. That traditional wisdom. ⁓ that that is what we hold to, and how dare you question that wisdom? And what's interesting is he says that you turn your spirit against God. Job has made it very clear he's not turning his spirit against God. But what Eliphaz, and and this is something that I think is a ⁓ applies to us today, is well, if you don't agree it with me in the way that I view God, then you must be against God. Right? So so that that is a ⁓ not a healthy way ⁓ to ⁓ to approach things. And so Eliphaz is just assuming that Job is turning his back on God because he's not holding Eliphaz's belief about God. And he he's he's not holding on to this traditional understanding ⁓ of how God punishes the wicked and rewards the good, and we're or rewards the righteous. So then ⁓ Job chapter sixteen, he says, I have heard many such things. Miserable comforters are you all. So Job is really getting pretty tired of his friend. ⁓ shall words of wind have an end, or what provokes you that you answer, I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul's place I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you, but I would strengthen you with my mouth and comfort and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief. If you were in my shoes you'd be saying the same thing, and I I would be trying to comfort you and help you in your grief. Yeah, y'all are miserable friends. so Job continues to go on. He talks about his grief, how it's not ⁓ relieved. ⁓ he said things are not ⁓ easy. Then we get to chapter 17, and this is the first time Job before has been kind of praying for God just to just to end it all. Just take me take me out of the world, right? That's what Job's prayer has been. Now he actually prays for relief. ⁓ not for it all to end, but he actually prays. For relief, he says my verse chapter seventeen. My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, the grave is ready for me. Are not mockers with me, and does not my eye dwell on their provocation? Now put down a pledge for me with yourself. Who is he who will shake hands with me? For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will exalt them. He who speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children will fail. ⁓ and he he just he continues to go, verse fifteen. Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it? Will they go down to the gates of Sheol? Shall we have rest together in the dust? So he's he's acknowledging I I don't want this to happen. I want to have hope. But God, you need to give it to me. Right. And so then we have ⁓ Job chapter eighteen and Bildad just again reinforces that the wicked are punished. He says, How long till you put an end to words? He's like, Job, just shut up. Gain understanding and afterwards we will speak. Why are we counted as beast and regarded ⁓ and regarded as stupid in your sight? You who tear yourself in anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or shall the rock be removed from its place? So again he's saying, Who who are you to think that you ⁓ are have a different understanding? And then we have chapter nineteen. It's a powerful chapter when Job is responding again to to Bildad, he says, how long will you torment my soul and break me in pieces with words? These ten times you have reproached me. You are not ashamed that you have wronged me, and if indeed I have erred, my error remains with me. If indeed you exalt yourselves against me and plead my disgrace against me, know then that God has wronged me, and he has surrounded me with his net. so he's again saying, You guys are just reproaching me, you're calling me out, but but I am I am not ⁓ I've I've not erred, I do not see the error of my ways. I I am willing for God to correct me, but I I have not seen the errors. Now verse thirteen he says, He has removed my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me, my relatives have failed, my close friends have forgotten me. Those who dwell in my house, my maidservants count me as a stranger, I am an alien in their side, I call my servant, but he gives no answer. I beg with my mouth. My breath is offensive to my wife, I am repulsive to the children of even of my own body. Even young children despise me. So Job is saying I man every no one is for me. I am completely alone. But then he says verse starting in verse twenty three, he says, ⁓ that my words were written, that they were inscribed in a book, they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead forever, for I know that my redeemer is. lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold and not another, how my heart yearns within me. Right? He so I I love the faith of Job, even in his frustration. He's ex expressed a lot of frustration towards God, but he says, I know that my Redeemer lives, I know that I will be redeemed. and ⁓ he says and he shall stand as last on the earth, right? And that I know I will see God. Then Zophar responds in chapter twenty, says, Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer. See, he's getting nervous because it's like Job is just he's he's confused. He doesn't get it, he's not holding on to traditional wisdom. So it's making Zophar anxious, and so my anxious thought make me answer because of the turmoil within me. I've heard the rebuke that reproaches me, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer. And then he just basically says, Don't you know that the wicked do not prosper, that God punishes the wicked and he rewards the righteous? He says that ⁓ over and over. And then Job chapter twenty-one. ⁓ this is Job is basically responding to that again, and he says, Listen carefully to my speech, and let this be your s consolation. Bear with me. That I may speak, and after I have spoken, keep mocking. So Job was like, ⁓ just shut up, I'm gonna talk again, and then you can get back to your mocking. ⁓ He says, Even when I remember I am terrified and trembling takes hold of my flesh. ⁓ verse seven, Why do the wicked live and become old? Yes, become mighty in power, their descendants are established with ⁓ with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes, their houses are safe from afar. Neither is the rod of God upon them. So he's saying, We all know wicked people who have prospered. So we have this wisdom, but then when we actually look at the world, it it doesn't always fit that wisdom. ⁓ he says, ⁓ verse thirteen, They spend their days in wealth and in the moment go down to the grave, yet they say to God, Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of your ways. Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit do we have if we pray to him? Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand, the counsel of the wicked is far from me. How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them? So he's saying there are those who are prospering here on earth, but yet have no desire to follow God, and in fact, just I openly question why should we follow God? ⁓ So Job is responding back to them with with what he sees to be true around him. and and so he is refuting this earthly ⁓ traditional wisdom. ⁓ but Job hasn't come up with the answer yet. He he ha isn't grasping a proper wisdom or proper understanding, but he is ⁓ questioning because he's recognizing as he looks around. There are people that are that are not godly, that are very well blessed, right? And so Job is actually struggling with this. where his friends are set in their ways and they they are not willing to to even consider ⁓ anything else, and they are certainly not being helpful to Job. All right, so we will continue as due ⁓ twenty two through Probably twenty two through about thirty. ⁓ maybe thirty one. ⁓ twenty two through thirty one. We're gonna take some some big, big chunks here. So twenty two through thirty one all right, we'll see you then.