Chapter 25. POWER OF GOD
Job's hymn of Praise celebrates God's omnipotence 26:5-14
a. God sees all things and controls all things 26:7-14
b. God who sees everything-even the place of the dead v 5, 6
c. God has all power in the heavens, controlling the clouds and the rain v 7-9
Commentaries marvel at the scientific accuracy in the book of Job especially including Job's understanding in these verses. I discovered that in 64 Scripture passages, Job and his friends name 21 categories of nature and God describes 18. With some overlap there are 33 categories in total. Each category can and often represents many sub-categories or species so the scope is quite large! It reminded me of Pastor's Davey's messages  and writings on nature that he shared with us last year lN LIVING COLOR.  All of nature, created by God is remarkably complex.
d. God controls all the earth, v10-11
1. Sun rise, sun set, day, night
2. Land and water
3. Poetic phrase, "pillars of heaven" implies the mountains resting on earth and holding up heaven.
4. God's power in the waters including his power over sea creatures.
Chapter 26 ends with Job's correct wisdom in reminding his friends that despite their knowledge of God in nature this knowledge is only "fringes" or a "whisper' of what is known about God.
The British fourteenth-century writer, Richard Rolle said, "He truly knows God perfectly that finds him incomprehensible and unable to be known."
Another commentator wrote "The more we know about God, the more we discover how much more there is to know. Beware of people who claim to know all about God, for their claim is proof they know neither God nor themselves."
Chapter 27, THE JUSTICE OF GOD
a. 27: 1-6 Job continues to be firm in his belief that his integrity is intact. He stated this in the following verses; 10;1-7;13 :13- 19; 19 :23-27 ; 23:2-7
1. vs.6 I hold last my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.
b. Job utters an oath, w. 1-6. ln this period of history uttering an oath was such a serious matter that if you broke the oath, you were expecting God to kill you. He would not lie or bribe God even though he believed God was not treating him fairly.
c. v. 7-10 lt wasn't enough to take this oath to defend one's integrity but, in those days, they believed that they must call down God's wrath on those who were accusing them.
This is similar to the imprecatory Psalms that are extremely harsh calling down dramatic acts of judgments against God's enemies.
7. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary reminds us to remember this period is well before the Mosaic Law and the Sermon on the Mount and the spirit that was in Jesus.
2. Job was right regarding his integrity. Twice God had affirmed that-Job 1:8;2:3
d. Job teaches his friends what can happen to those who had made so many "judgment
speeches" against him.27:11-23.
CHAPTER 28, THE WISDOM OF GOD
a. Job asks at the conclusion of this chapter a critical question for his life and ours and he gives a profound statement.
1. He begins by asking... But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding? Job,28:12. Job concludes these questions with these words...
2. And he said to man, "Behold, the fear of the Lord, thot is wisdom, and to turn away from evil that is understanding."
b. As Job ends his discourse with this truth, he uses many examples of man's journey to find wisdom.
1.Have you heard the statement, "A picture is worth a thousand words?" Job uses a beautiful "picture in words" of the amazing ingenuity of man in mining efforts that discover beautiful jewels. Take a look at some of the samples of 350,000 mineral specimens and 10,000 gems in the *Smithsonian Museum.
2. Despite man's ingenuity in mining Job recognizes that the heart of man's life is not in things he discovers in.... For the rest of the notes email [email protected]

IS GOD REALLY IN CONTROL?  
TRUSTING GOD EVEN WHEN LIFE HURTS

A. INTRODUCTION: God is always on Plan A. He doesn’t need a back-up plan.

B. TRUSTING GOD’S PURPOSE                                                                      

• Trusting Our God-- Proverbs 3:5-6
• Displaying God’s Glory -- Romans 8:28-29
• Testing Our Faith -- 1 Peter 1:6-7, 1 Peter 4:12-13
• Achieving Eternal Perspective -- 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

Principle: God uses suffering in our lives for our good so that we will be strong in faith and will bring Him glory. 

Application: Are you ready to “bow your heart” to God’s purposes of trials? What fiery trial is blazing all around you? Write a prayer to God about it.

C. TRUSTING GOD’S HEART

• We are God’s Children -- 1 John 3:1 
• God is our Father -- Hebrews 12:5-11

Principle: God’s heart with His steadfast, fatherly love always has the perfect plan to bring us closer to Him and His purpose.

Application: How often do you rebel against the trials in your life instead of bending your heart to God’s love and plan? Think of a trial and choose to submit to God’s discipline and Father’s love. It takes 21 days to start a new habit. Write a commitment to trusting God during your trial for 21 days. 

D. TRUSTING IN GOD ALONE

• John 11:1-15 -- Glorifying God
• Isaiah 55:8-9 -- Bowing the Knee
• Genesis 45:5-8, 50:18-20 – Looking for God’s Plan
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Being Thankful “IN”

Principle: God’s plans and God’s purposes may not be evident during our trials but we trust Him because as our Father, He knows best.

Application: What steps can you take to rest in Your Father’s loving care during your times of suffering?

E. Conclusion: Will we TRUST in God completely?

• Trials are part of God’s work. Romans 8:28-29  
• Trials, even daily frustrations are meant to test my faith. Romans 5:3-5                                     
• Trials are for my discipline and sanctification. Hebrews 12:5-6                                             
• Trials are a testimony to others. Matthew 5:16

TRUST IS PLACING ALL OUR CONFIDENCE COMPLETELY IN GOD AND TRUSTING WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS ABOUT GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.

T -- TURN OUR FOCUS UPON JESUS   Hebrews 12:2

R -- REMEMBER OUR GREAT GOD HAS A GREAT PLAN   Romans 8:28-29

U -- UNDERSTAND GOD IS ALWAYS LOVING US IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS  Romans 8:38-39

S -- STAND FIRM ON THE TRUTH IN GOD’S WORD  Ephesians 6:13, Philippians 4:7

T – TRUST IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY, LOVE, AND WISDOM  1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Psalms 103:11, Romans 11:33

 Revelation 21:1-5 Behold the dwelling place of God is with man … no more tears, no more death, no more mourning…for the former things have passed away. Amen and Amen!
RESOURCES: Trusting God Even When Life Hurts, Jerry Bridges
When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty, Joni Eareckson Tada
Why? Anne Graham Lotz
Beside Still Waters: Words of Comfort for the  Soul, Spurgeon (a one year devotion book)
Surprised by Suffering, R.C. Sproul
Why Does God Allow Suffering? Martin Lloyd Jones
Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, Paul David Tripp

Recognizing the Sovereignty of God; The need of a Mediator; and Pointing to The Redeemer.
JOB Chapter 18 –Listen to us; you are among the wicked; you have brought this on yourself.
Bildad: “Builds and Adds” to Job’s suffering as he describes the worst of mankind – the wicked.

• How long will you ignore our words and regarded us as stupid (beasts)?
• The light of the wicked goes out; the flame of his fire does not shine; It’s dark in his tent and his lamp (light) is put out.
• You’re frightened; you are weak; you’ve got horrible skin problems; this is the result of your wickedness.
• You’re dried up and withered, paraded before the doors of death.

Job, this is your wake-up call!

• When the wicked dies and he’s forgotten like he’s chased out of the world.
• This is the place of the one that doesn’t know God.

JOB Chapter 19:1-23 –Job’s Horizontal Thoughts: Why do you persecute me as God does?

What Job Feels – What Job Knows:

• There is no justice.
• God has hemmed me in.
• God has stripped me of my glory and honor.
• God has destroyed me and taken my hope from me.
• God counts me as one of His enemies.
• God has removed everyone from me – even my wife’s tenderness.
• I’m repulsive to everyone, though I beg for mercy. 

JOB Chapter 19:23-29: Job Turns from Horizontal Thoughts (dwelling on the problem) To Vertical Proclamation of Faith:

When we get our eyes off of the problem and onto the One who holds the solution we find strength to make it through the trials. In the midst of trouble – turn your eyes upon God’s Word (The Truth) and the eternal things!

• Job looks for a redeemer (go’el).  God is a living God.

We know from scripture that this redeemer is the vindicator; the blood avenger; had the responsibility to “buy back”, “restore”, and “redeem” the lost inheritance of a deceased relative.  Read about the “go-el” in the book of Ruth.  

''If a man dies, shall he live again?'' (Job 14:14)

Job’s understanding about the go’el may be dim, but he looks for the One that can help him.  He is not a stranger.

''How shall man be just before God?'' [Job 9:2]

The Redeemer in this passage points to our Savior, Jesus Christ, who justifies us through His blood sacrifice on the cross and presents us blameless before the throne of Heaven if we are covered by His blood – if we have believed Him (by faith) and by His grace are saved from our sins.  Job did not know the Redeemer – the Redeemer was not yet born, but from scripture we understand that Job knew about a Redeemer.

• Job knew that he would see God for himself.  “After I shall awake, though this body be destroyed, yet out of my flesh shall I see God” (v26) … Where soul and body come together after death and in the presence of the Lord.

JOB Chapter 20: Zophar’s retaliation!

LET ME WARN YOU! The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is temporary.

• Their pride and arrogance are excessive even to the point of thinking that they are God.

Note: this makes me think about the Tower of Babel – “come let us build ourselves a city and make a tower with its top to the sky.  Let us make a name for ourselves”

• They’re going to die and people will ask, “Where is he”?
• They love evil, and their appetites are never satisfied.
• God’s judgment waits for the wicked man.

JOB Chapter 21: The wicked.

Job responds -

• This is the crisis – the deep struggle – between Job and God, “Where is God”?

email for the rest of the document it would not fit

Job Chapters 15-17

The Second cycle of debate

I.  Eliphaz’s lecture intensifies 15:1-35

1. Job’s mouth condemns him 15:1-13
   • Job’s speech described as a sirocco wind vs 1-3
   • Job’s speech viewed as irreverent to God vs 4-6
   • Job’s speech is disrespectful to his elders vs 7-13
2. The Wicked get what they deserve 15:14-35
   • Man’s condition is explained vs 14-16
   • Wicked men’s plight is expounded vs 17-35

• Vs 11, 12, 13 Are the consolations of God too small for you, and the words spoken gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away and what do your eyes wink at that you turn your spirit against God and let such words go out of your mouth?

II.  Job’s retort 16:1-17:6

• Job’s friends are Miserable comforters 16:1-5
  • Friends’ comforts not useful vs 1-5 
  • Friends instructed on comfort vs 4-5
• Job Laments his situation 16:6-14
  • His view of God dealing with him vs 6 -14
  • His response to God’s dealings vs 15-22
  • 18 O earth do not cover my blood and let my cry have no resting place (Job pleaded with the earth that it not cover his blood, that is, that his injustice be vindicated (cf. Gen 4:10) and that his cry for justice not be buried and forgotten. (Walvoord and Zuck pp.38, 39)
  • 20…My eyes pour out tears to God. 21 oh, that one might plead for a man with God as a man pleads for his neighbor.
  • He resorts to the heavenly 21-22
• Job’s spirit is broken 17:1-16
  • Job credits God for his friends’ behavior
  • Job credits God for his reputation before men vs 6- 9
  • Job chides his friends again vs 10 -11
  •  Job credits  death for future hope vs 12-16

III. Conclusion

Don’t be a Zophar

November 2, 2022

Zophar critiques - Job 11

 (Job 2:11; Rom 12:15; Prov 26:4; Matt 7:3-5; Isa 55:8-9; Acts 17:27; Ecc 3:11; Heb 4:16)

• Diatribe 11:1-9 
  • You can’t judge a Christian by their circumstances.
  • “As followers of Christ we should share ministry, not create misery.” ~ Warren Wiersbe 
• Day in court & donkeys 11:10-12
• Dutiful righteousness 11:13-20 
  • God is not a genie in a bottle granting wishes.

Is there an opportunity in your life now to share ministry when others seem to be creating misery?  How can you recognize a Zophar and be the hands, feet, & heart of Jesus in another person’s life?

Job criticizes his friends – Job 12:1 – 13:17

 (Psalm 94:11; Job 19:25; Psalm 94:11)

• Compassion over contempt is our goal. 
  • We need to give others the benefit of the doubt we strongly desire for others to give us.  
• Control belongs to the Creator. 
  • The words of true wisdom are often silence. 
• Confidence in God should never be contingent on circumstances.

God didn’t assign you Job’s walk.  He uniquely designed the one you’re on.  Seek Him in that path all along the way.

Job calls on God – Job 13:18 – 14:22

 (1 Peter 1:3-4; Eph 1:13-14; 2 Tim 2:10) 

• Hope for Job was to be heard by God.
• Hope for us as New Testament believers is Jesus and eternal life.

God is our source of hope and he is sovereign over everything.  Even on our best and worst days, these two things are true.  Do you believe this? 

Job life lessons

 (Ephesians 3:16-19 Rom 14:13; Rom 15:13; Gal 5:22-23; 1 Cor 15:58; Rom 15:13)

• How to love a friend = show up for them, love on them, walk through it with them!

**Jesus will always show up for you, love on you, and walk through it with you!**

God Is My Deliverer

Adoration:

Psalm 40:17 (ESV)“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!”

Psalm 34:17-19 (ESV) “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Colossians 1:13, 14 (ESV) “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Confession:

1 Samuel 12:20,21 (ESV) “. . . Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.”

Thanksgiving:

Psalm 40:9, 10a (ESV) “I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips . . . I have not hidden your deliverancewithin my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;”

Intercession for Prayer Group:

God, deliverand protect __________ because he/she knows Your name. When __________ calls out to You, answer him/her and be with__________ in trouble. Rescue and honor __________.  (From Psalm 91:14,15)

Prayer for those who have not yet believed: 

Deliver __________ from the domain of darkness and transfer __________ to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (From Colossians 1:13,14)

Intercession for The Shepherd’s Church:

October is Pastor Appreciation month. Pray that all the pastors at The Shepherd’s Church will continue to bear good fruit as they:

• Abide in Christ (John 15:4,5)
• Abide in God’s Word (John 15:7)
• Abide in God’s love (John 15:9)
• Keep God’s commands (John 15:10)
• Experience the fullness of God’s joy (John 15:11)   

Where Are We at in the Narrative
 Dialogues (3-27)

• Job’s Opening Lament (3)
• Cycle 1: Consolation (4-14) 
  • Eliphaz the Historian - 1st speech, we reap what we sow, so repent and it will work out in the end (4:1-5:27) 
  • Job’s Response - that doesn’t resolve the current problem (6:1-7:21) 
• Cycle 2: The Fate of the Wicked (15-21)
• Cycle 3: Specific Accusations (22-27)

Job’s Friends Who Speak

Eliphaz - historian, observing what has happened in the past and assuming it will happen again

Bildad - Scientist

Zophar -  Philosopher

Elihu - youngest friend, only one speech

Key Point of Dialogue

• human wisdom is finite and cannot discern the righteousness of God
• While history, science and philosophy are not bad, they can not fully understand the depths of God. 
• What is needed to fully understand the depths of God is special revelation. 

“Job and his friend wanted to analyze the suffering and look for clues and solutions. Using all of their sound theology and insight into the situation, they searched for answers, but found only useless and wrong ideas, for which God eventually rebuked them (42:7) They couldn’t know why Job suffered because what happened in heaven between God and satan was unknown to them. They thought they knew all the answers, but they only intensified the dilemma by their insistent ignorance.”

Eliphaz Speaks - Chapters 4-5

Job Speaks - Chapter 6-7

Final Food for Thought

Job EE’yōv(possibly from ōyeev enemy, foe; thus = hated, persecuted // hostility, enmity)

Prologue (1–2); Dialogue (3:1–42:6); Epilogue (42:7–17)

3:1-11:20 First dialogue (Job with Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar)

Job’s Opening Lamentation (chap 3)

1. He wished he hadn’t been born (3:1-10)
2. He wished he had died at birth (3:11-19)
3. He wished he could die (3:20-26)
____________
3:1 opened his mouth and cursed. In 2:9 Job’s wife advises him to “curse God and die.” Instead, Job curses the day of his birth. In 2:9 the word “curse” is the ambiguous brk (also trans. “bless”); here qll instead of the stronger ‘rr is used. Job wishes he had never been born, an idea repeated in 10:18. The prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 20:14-18) does the same: “Cursed [‘rr] be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed [brk]!”         —Izak Cornelius, ZIBBCOT, 5:254-5
____________
3:2 Job spoke up and said: According to b. Mo’ed Kat. 28b, this clause inspires Judaism’s guidelines concerning the comforting of mourners (see Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh Deah 376:1), according to which, “The persons paying a condolence call should not open their mouths until the mourner first opens his or her mouth.”      —Jewish Study Bible
____________
3:3 “Let” or “May” translates the Hebrew jussive verbal form which can be used to express a wish, desire, or indirect command. Notice the repetition of the words “Let” and “Why” throughout the lament. Together they not only express Job’s wishes and questions but also his demands. Here the demand is for a reversal of the creation order (day/night, light/ darkness; birth/stillborn; life/death; creation/chaos).
____________
Note the parallels with Jeremiah’s lament (Jer 20:14).
____________
3:8 those who curse [kavav] = make incantations.
____________
3:21 hidden treasures. Job replaces wisdom for death as that for which one should longingly desire (Pr 2:4).
__________
Knowing God through Job’s Lament:

1. Biblical laments remind us that God can handle all our ________  _______________. 
2. It is natural to want ___________ to tragedies, but they are _____  _____________ in this lifetime.
3. God’s ___________ calls us to _________ Him with our deepest questions.

The Wrong Way Out or Growing in Adversity

Job Chapters 1 and 2

I.  Job 

1. His Description (Job 1:1-5, 8; 2:3)

1. His Devastation (Job 1:13-19; 2:4-8)

1. His Declaration (Job 1:20-22; 2:10)

II.  Mrs. Job

1. Her Dedication (Job 2:9a)

1. Her Dependence (Job 2:9a)

1. Her Desperation (Job 2:9b)

1. Her Deception (Job 2:9b)

III. Job’s Friends

Conclusion: Guard Against the Deception and Grow

1. Make sure your dedication is to God

1. Make sure your dependence is on God

1. Make sure your desperation is surrendered to God