Job 6: The Living Judge
Notes
Transcript
1-3: How much longer?
4-5: Job’s sin is his own, not theirs.
7: No one is listening! (Vs. 23-24)
8-22: Job appears to be bitter, but only if you don’t read the rest of the chapter.
v.8:
It's interesting that Satan had complained that God had “walled in” Job and his family so that they were protected from trouble (1:9–12).
Now Job is complaining because God has blocked his path, and he cannot move.
What Job didn't know, was that this was God's protection of him.
Job's path was shrouded in darkness. When God shrouds your path in darkness (when you can’t see) wait for the Lord to give you light… in His own time.
Job is at the point where he wants His story to be told, the real story, not his friends version of it.
Job wants his story to be told
Job wants his story to be told
Job 19:23-24
Job 19:23-24
“Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
All of a sudden, we see that Job is not so bitter after all. We see that he still has faith and hope in God.
25: A living savior!
Job somehow knew of the resurrection
Job somehow knew of the resurrection
26: Resurrection theology.
It would appear from the Bible that at the time that Job was written, resurrection was unheard of.
Job’s understanding of it speaks to his extraordinarily close relationship to God.
The fact that Job would have any notion of a resurrection is remarkable, but it was a source of great hope to Job, and should be for us too.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This passage directly challenges death and hell with the fact of the resurrected Christ and the promise of our own resurrection when He returns.
There is no "sting" left in death and there is no law or force that overrides our salvation because our Lord Jesus has gained the victory.
The prophet Hosea, in the middle of difficult demands on his life and during a time of awful apostasy, heard the Lord make a promise those who were faithful
Hosea also knew of a coming redemption and defeat of death (i.e. resurrection)
Hosea also knew of a coming redemption and defeat of death (i.e. resurrection)
Hosea 13:14
Hosea 13:14
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues!
O Grave, I will be your destruction!
Pity is hidden from My eyes.
Long ago, Job faced his detractors with the confidence that "in my flesh shall I see God"
Job knew he would see God
Job knew he would see God
Job 19:26
Job 19:26
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Previously, Job had talked about his need for a mediator and an Advocate in heaven.
Job knew that his heavenly advocate would vindicate him, and he would be there to see it
Job knew that his heavenly advocate would vindicate him, and he would be there to see it
Job 9:33-34
Job 9:33-34
Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
Job 16:19
Job 16:19
Surely even now my witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high.
Now he takes it a step further: his Redeemer will one day vindicate him, and Job will be there to witness it!
The good news of God's eternal plan brought "life and immortality to light."
All during the Old Testament, fulfillment of God's actions were hinted at, through the sacrifices of the altar, and often promised in the words of the prophets.
But when the Messiah became flesh, "we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father"
John 1:14
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John was able to say
1 John 1:2
1 John 1:2
the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
Jesus promised:
John 11:25
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 5:24
John 5:24
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Jesus brings a message of eternal hope.
29:
Job closed his speech with a word of warning to his three (critical) friends (19:28–29):
They too will stand at God’s judgment throne, so they had better be ready.
They accused Job of being a sinner, but were they not also sinners?
They said that God was judging Job for his sins, but will He not judge them as well?
One day they will have to answer to God for the way they have spoken to and about Job, so they had better beware.
Judge not, Lest ye be judged
We need to be careful of how we “counsel” people
We need to be careful of how we “counsel” people
Matthew 7:1-2
Matthew 7:1-2
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Romans 14:10-13
Romans 14:10-13
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
This judgement refers to condemnation. It is a determination of right and wrong based on your own authority.
We do not determine right and wrong, only God does.
Judgment based on anything but the Word of God is wrong, and invites judgment on ourselves based on those same standards.
It is okay and expected to point out sin, if there is a legitimate reason.
We can and should point out sin, be we are not to condemn people
We can and should point out sin, be we are not to condemn people
Ezekiel 33:8-9
Ezekiel 33:8-9
When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
It is quite another thing to condemn and tear someone down because of that sin.
The purpose and motive should always be to strengthen and restore, not to tear down and condemn. (Job 16:1-5)
Job 16:1-5
Job 16:1-5
Then Job answered and said:
“I have heard many such things;
Miserable comforters are you all!
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 the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
Abraham Lincoln once said:
“He has a right to criticize who has a heart to help.”
Do you qualify?
Are your words constructive or destructive?
Are your words constructive or destructive?