Job - a man tested in the crucible of suffering

[0:00] Please be seated. The book of Job.

[0:13] The man Job. Job tells a real life story.! God, you may have your own story like this.

[0:34] You might say, I'm feeling a bit like Job this morning. I'm not meaning to discount that. It can be so. I know it's true.

[0:44] It is true. Some people are not well here. Some people, they look like they're well, but they're not well. They're having some testing things going on.

[0:55] Testing things in the family. Testing things in your health. Whatever it be. We all grapple with God. Job was doing that. He had a story to tell. In fact, there's some of God's most precious saints.

[1:09] The people that know him the most and the closest can suffer the most. It can happen. And I pray this will be an encouragement to you as we look at the book.

[1:22] The book of Job begins with human suffering and it finishes really with God's sovereignty. Human suffering was the starting point. But the main point, the end point, God's sovereignty.

[1:35] God's in control. Right at the end we see that. Well, right through we see that. But especially Job saw it at the end. You know, we all face trials and tests and pressures through life. Sometimes we don't have a thought to actually God is in control.

[1:48] He's not taking his hand off the steering wheel. In life's storms, Job was tested. He was tested. And he passed the test. We meet Job at the start of the book.

[2:01] Chapter 1, verse 1. We see there was a man in the land of us. We don't know where the land is, but that's where Job was. And he was a man, it says, he was perfect.

[2:13] He was upright. One who feared God. And he eschewed evil. In other words, he kept away from it. He feared God. He kept away from evil. Job was blameless.

[2:24] A man of God. He was a man who got things right with God. He kept close to God. He was a God-fearing man. Job was a father of ten children.

[2:38] He had much livestock. And he was a wealthy man. He was well known. The Bible calls him great. Job 1, verse 2. It says, and they were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

[2:52] Ten children. What a blessing. Verse 3. His substance also was 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels and 500 yoke of oxen.

[3:04] 500 she-asses and a very great household. So that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. Verse 4. Verse 5.

[3:15] And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his day, and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. Verse 5. And it was so.

[3:27] When the days of their feasting were gone about, the Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all.

[3:41] For Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

[3:53] See how Job loved and cared for his children? He prayed for his children. Shouldn't we do that? Parents? Fathers? Mothers? Job cared for his children.

[4:04] He loved them so. He consecrated them every morning. He prayed for them. Every morning. Consecrated them with burnt offerings. Job was godly.

[4:15] He was a godly man. A spiritual man. A prayerful man. A man of God. Job was recognised on earth as such. As a man of faith. As a man with a strong testimony.

[4:27] A good testimony. And even in heaven, they were talking about Job. As we read on, verse 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord.

[4:40] And Satan came also among them. There's this heavenly kind of conference about Job. Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?

[4:50] And Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. What have you been up to, Satan? I've been going around. Walking around.

[5:02] The Bible talks about him walking around, doesn't it? Roaming the earth. He's walking to and fro like a roaring lion. Seeking whom he may devour. Verse 8. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job?

[5:16] Have a look at him. That there is none like him in the earth. A perfect and an upright man. One that feareth God. And a showeth evil. He fears God.

[5:27] He turns from evil. Well, this is a man of God. A perfect man. A godly man. A righteous man. God himself recognised Job as especially this. My servant. Wow.

[5:38] That's something special, isn't it? For you to be called the servant of God. My servant David. My servant Margaret. My servant Pat.

[5:50] My servant Ben. Wow. That's a blessing, isn't it? Wow. Couldn't get better than that. That's something special, isn't it? Verse 8. Then verse 9. It goes on.

[6:01] What a joy and privilege to be called the servant of God. To belong to God.

[6:13] Then Job says this. He says, Satan answered the Lord and he said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Yeah. Sure he fears you.

[6:23] Sure he serves you. Look at what you've got and done for him. Verse 10. Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side? Look at what you've given to him.

[6:35] No wonder he serves you. Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and the substance has increased in the land, but put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

[6:48] Verse 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

[6:59] Satan makes the claim that Job serves God only because of God's blessings and care over him.

[7:10] God gives Satan permission to attack Job, and he does so first through his family and possessions, and then later we see through sickness. We'll move on to verse 13.

[7:22] It says, And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. Verse 14. There came a messenger unto Job and said, The oxen were ploughing and the asses feeding beside them, and the civilians fell upon them and took them away.

[7:39] Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Job was kind of, Oh, this is shocking.

[7:52] It got worse. Verse 16. While he was yet speaking, another servant came. And this one, he says, The fire of God has fallen upon heaven and has burnt up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

[8:08] You know, his cattle, his flock, stolen, now his sheep burnt, and the servants. Verse 17. While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, The Chaldeans made out of three bands and fell upon the camels and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

[8:33] The camel's gone now. Servants with the camels. Verse 18. While he was yet speaking, there came also another. You know, one servant after another servant after another servant.

[8:44] Here's this other servant now. Verse 18. While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, Thy servants, sorry, thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house.

[8:57] And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon the young man and they are dead. And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

[9:12] This was shocking. His own family now, his sons and his daughters, wiped down. You know, Job had been quite wealthy. He was a man blessed with a beloved family. Then in one day, everything changed for Job.

[9:25] One calamity after another. The herd of animals stolen, the crops destroyed, his servants slaughtered, now his ten sons and daughters killed.

[9:37] Job's life was unravelling. This is disaster. What was Job's response? What does this man of God do? Verse 20.

[9:47] Then Job arose and rent his mantle. He shaved his head. He fell down upon the ground and worshipped. And he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return there.

[10:06] The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. You know, as he tore his mantle, his clothes, his cloak, tore it and he shaved his head. This was a sign of grief, of sorrow, of mourning.

[10:21] But he acknowledges I came into this world naked out of my mother's womb and I'm going out the same way. Ultimately. And Job still praised.

[10:35] Job still praised God. What a testimony to us. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

[10:46] Bless him. He had a heavenly dimension. It makes me think of 1 Timothy 6 where it says likewise, but godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

[11:00] Now like it's been said, there's no kind of removal trailer behind the hearse. You know, you can't take it with you. It's certain we can carry nothing out. We brought nothing in, we can take nothing out.

[11:14] You know, but godliness, godliness, that's great gain. That's true wealth. What was Job's reaction to his hardships? Job did not sin. It says he did not sin.

[11:26] I'll find that one, but it does say he did not sin. He did not charge God foolishly.

[11:36] Sorry, I'll get there. verse 22. Sorry about that.

[11:47] And all he Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly. So he did not sin. He didn't blame God. He didn't get angry here at least. He did not fall into pieces.

[11:58] He did not fall to pieces. What does he do? He fell down. He fell down, it says. He fell down and he worshipped. He worshipped. He fell down and he worshipped.

[12:08] It shows the amazing faith of Job, doesn't it? That he trusted in God. Trusted in God. Then the scene changes here back to heaven, chapter 2.

[12:19] The scene changes back to the setting of heaven. It says, And again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

[12:32] And the Lord asked the same question. For whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down in it.

[12:43] And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and a show of evil.

[12:58] And still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou moveest against him to destroy him without cause. God looked down from heaven in this conversation with the angels there that Satan it says that God saw Job's faithfulness despite this time of suffering.

[13:16] Now you might say well things are tough right now. God sees. He sees. He knows. Despite this time of suffering Job praised. He blessed God.

[13:27] Blessed be the name of the Lord. He said I'm going to hold fast. I'm going to be steady and strong. What a testimony. Job's testimony. Then Satan ratchets it up another notch.

[13:39] You see that in verse 4. Job 2 verse 4. And Satan answered the Lord and said skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life.

[13:49] talking about health here. He says but put forth thine hand now. Touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face. The Lord said unto Satan behold he is in thine hand but save his life.

[14:05] Verse 7 so Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Top of his head to the tip of his toes covered in boils it says.

[14:21] Verse 8 and he took him a pot shirt to scrape himself with all and he sat down among the ashes. Here he is he's got a shard of pottery a shard of broken pottery a pot shirt and he's scraping himself with this broken piece of pottery.

[14:34] Oh so itchy. Oh you're starting to feel a bit itchy. It's contagious isn't it? Oh you ever had those mozzy bites or just you rub it and rub it until it's bleeding sore.

[14:49] This is Job. It's awful isn't it? Job's testing was even worse here. He broke out in these painful sores. They covered his whole body. He was sore and itchy and he took this broken pottery from this ash pile he's sitting in and started to scratch himself.

[15:04] It's just a matter of hours. Job was here and then he lost everything. Just really moments whether hours later he had lost everything that was important to him except his own life.

[15:21] He sexed his wife. Except his wife and his own life. You know Spurgeon says this he says Job was a true servant of the Most High yet he sat down among the ashes and he scraped himself with a pot shirt because he was covered with sore boils and at the same time he was reduced to absolute poverty.

[15:40] What a change for circumstances here. But through Job's trials he even though it seemed like he lost all including his health God was still with Job.

[15:58] Amen. God never left Job. Amen. Amen. God was there with him on the ash pile and your God is still with you servant of God.

[16:11] Amen. No matter what the outward situation you might say preacher things are hard right now it's tough going it seems heavy it seems hopeless I feel like Job well maybe not quite that bad but it's getting there you know you've got the same God of course you're his servant next up it's almost like it gets worse now his own wife chips in verse nine Job two verse nine then said his wife unto him dost thou still retain thine integrity it's almost like she's having a laugh at him oh come on Job you're still going to keep strong all this disaster going on look at you you're hopeless this is you know give it up curse God and die verse 10 but he said unto thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh what shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil in all this Job did not sin with his lips you know

[17:12] Job's wife here telling him give it up give it up life can be can't it be if it's not bad enough they make it worse Job's wife told him curse God commit suicide but Job remained strong and faithful didn't he Job accepted what we must under the hand of God no matter what we must take from his hand he says here we must receive shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil whatever his hand gives us we going to get we going to take it whatever he allows we going to accept it from his hand next up his friends arrived friends they tried to convince him he was being punished for his sins don't you just love friends like that your mates now they are going to make it even harder for

[18:12] Job and Job friends they give him plenty of bad advice woeful advice through the we can't cover all of that today it's just too big but we just know that there was a lot of bad advice in there there was some truth some falsehood alley-hoo at the close he started to get some things right to set some things right but here was Job his friends giving all his confusing advice he's trying to unravel the mystery of life why a man so upright who had done his utmost would be treated so woefully and if he was a sinner deserving divine punishment he demanded his friends tell me what I've done wrong but they could not and he asked the same of God but he got really just silenced there and Job and his friends they just wanted to analyse the sufferings going on to find some causes and solutions they used all their theology all their human wisdom answers and they found really only useless and wrong ideas ultimately

[19:23] Job's friends got rebuked in 42 verse 7 he started to rebuke the friends but they couldn't know why Job suffered they hadn't seen what had happened in heaven between God and Satan this was all unknown to them the truth is Job never got an answer as to why he suffered but Job did get a greater understanding of who God is that's what he found Job's friends thought they knew all the answers really they were just making matters worse with all their talk they mistakenly blamed Job's sufferings on his personal sins rather than that God was testing Job God was growing Job one of them was half correct in that he saw God wanted to humble Job but that was only part of it and so in the end God proved the point with Satan that saving faith cannot be destroyed no matter how much trouble a saint of God is in no matter how much trouble you suffer how hard it can be to understand how unfair things may seem your faith cannot be destroyed in chapters 38 through 42

[20:36] God speaks to Job God enters into the conversation chapter 38 and God restores Job God knows that Job friends had given him wrong advice we pick it up here in Job 38 verse 1 then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind boom God starts to talk verse 2 who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge God calls Job to listen to him God declares that humans do not know everything friends we don't have all the answers this side of the curtain one the mysteries will be made known one day we'll see him face to face we'll know as we are known but for the meantime receive it from his hand God humbles Job here he asks him a series of questions that only really the almighty could answer he challenges Job for example verse 4 where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth declare if they understand

[21:38] God shows Job that God is doing in their lives people of God here this morning our understanding is limited isn't it we don't know we only know in part it says the mysteries of life but Job held fast his integrity he stayed there he stayed the course he had some shaky bits but he stayed the course he stayed the course here are some key points about the book of Job he held fast his integrity what do we learn from Job we learn we learn of God's character we learn that the book of Job defends the character of our loving and righteous God even though we see earth's injustices we see evil we're in a fallen planet it's man's sin God is God God is just God is good and Job came to that conclusion God is good God's character is true and then we learn of faith you know

[22:42] Job was learning to walk by faith not by sight and we see his perspective in Job 13 verse 15 it says though he slay me yet will I trust him but I will maintain mine own ways before him Job continued to plead his innocence before God but he was prepared to die trusting!

[23:06] him fellow believer this morning here and now in this place in this time in this season in this community in this city you might know what's happening you might not understand you might not fathom what's going on trust him that's it trust him though he slay me yet will I trust him we learn of faith we learn of sovereignty in that Satan wreaked havoc on Job's life on earth but his activity was limited God set the limitations Satan can only touch you so far Satan is not some free agent but he's under the deciding determining hand of God Job through his tears he saw the one who would come he saw the one who would come he saw Jesus he saw the Lord Jesus he saw him as redeemer he saw him as mediator he saw him as advocate as guide as perfecter of faith and it's in the book of

[24:15] Job Job turned to God turned to him even in his name of the Lord he praised he fell on his face he worshipped he came into the presence of God and friends even in dire circumstance we are called to trust in the Lord aren't we we called to trust in the Lord with most of our heart no our whole heart our whole heart our whole heart and not lean not onto our own understanding it's not always up here in the understanding we don't always get it I can say for myself I'm a bit dumb sometimes God's got to hit me a few times to penetrate between the ears you know lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him though he slay me yet will

[25:18] I trust in him it's as we walk through those valleys of life like Joe that we can truly know how to trust in him don't you pray more when things are harder you see on the news lately don't you these self confessed atheists praying save me when things are hard we call on him don't we like the atheist in the fox hole you know through the valleys of life maybe God's wanting to get a hold of our attention and if we fully would just trust in him he will uphold you 1 Peter 1 7 likens the testing of our faith to like gold being purified the quality of it the purity of it of 1 Peter 1 7 it tells of the trial of your faith being found unto praise and glory at the appearing of

[26:28] Jesus Christ friends Peter was talking here about times of distress this was not theoretical this is Nero's Rome you know this is life and death if you're a Christian in Peter's time as he wrote this he says gold is being made wow now Julie and I used to live in Mount Isa and they were pouring out some gold you know that Trevor don't you as they poured out the gold and beautiful glowing gleaming glistening bright shining they had to be in the fire first didn't they you see them pouring it into these little ingot moulds and it's just the gold gets made by the fire and it's like that with you and me isn't it isn't it brother isn't it sister god is making gold isn't he and the gold that will shine the brightest is the one that's gone through the fire that'll be the most golden and

[27:36] Job knew that he knew that gracious work of God he committed his ways in worship humility to his all knowing wise saviour and creator and in the end God flooded Job with blessings more than he'd ever known friends you know it's been sort of wrapped up here by someone who's kind of put it in a nutshell why suffering why is it happening we don't always understand we can't always fathom here's how someone's kind of summed it up there's many other ways of reckoning it but this is something I picked up sometimes God ordains sorrow and pain for his children because of sin numbers 12 talks about Miriam God struck her with something bad it was sin sometimes it's for chastening we're not illegitimate we are the sons and daughters of God and God loves his sons and daughters so much that he lovingly chastens them not harshly beating the life out of them but a loving discipline from our loving father and that is chastening sometimes it's for strengthening

[28:51] Paul was given a thorn in the flesh see there's that sense where he gives us strength 1 Peter 5 10 talks about strength and then there's an opportunity to reveal his comfort and grace he's the God of all comfort he comforts us in all our tribulations such that we can comfort those he's revealing his comfort and his grace and using it for you through you for others sometimes yet still there's that unknowable reason that reason why we don't fathom some heavenly purpose that here on earth we can't discern that God is doing something yet we can't know it there's a man he had some affliction that it would be for the glory of God ultimately it was revealed but sometimes it's unknowable for us so friends just to as much we could say this is such a massive subject and I'm only just scratching the surface but the experiences of Job we can learn from these things that what's going on in heaven we don't know we can't fully explain the matters of life why do

[29:57] God's people suffer these things we can't always explain we can't judge a person's spirituality if they might be in difficulties it's no reflection on their faith in fact it might be the ones who are doing it harder that are more rich in faith or in this world rich in faith it's mind blowing isn't it kind of opposite to what some preachers are saying isn't it poor in this world rich in faith say rich in this world maybe poor in faith you wonder don't you so God seems far away but keep on believing trust him draw near to him and know that Satan is subordinate to God God calls the shots not Satan God sets a limit on what he can do but friends pain afflicts every one of us you might say I'm okay at the moment well maybe it's tomorrow I hope not but you know pain is there isn't it trials will come what are you going to do trust him trust him through it all and as

[31:04] Job may we draw closer to God to know him as at the close of the book it's like Job started to really he cranked it up another notch like David says his prayer life kicked!

[31:19] And that's true isn't it we need to kick it up as it were we need to kick in the prayer life Job did that and we go through Job Thursday night we had 14 there last Thursday night Job's a blessed book isn't it there's just so much here and pray for that right perspective in your pain trust God anyway whatever's happening seek him in your pain you might say he knows what pain feels like doesn't he your father knows what it feels like to lose to give his own beloved only begotten the Lord Jesus knows Job's friends didn't understand they tried to blame Job did more harm than good if we got to be a helper if we got to be a friend let's be a friend be a friend when someone is going through hard things don't make it harder faith in

[32:25] God does not prevent trials but you will know trials but you'll know a refuge in your trials amen but God is in control and Job learnt!

[32:36] to trust in him though he slay me yet I will yet will I trust in him don't lose your hope in God Job wrestled but he held fast it's better to know God than to know all the answers you might think well what I've been through in my life what I'm going through that you don't know the troubles I've seen yeah God knows God knows and he was there right through it all your steadfast saviour has not left you he never will leave you nor forsake you and Job reckons this he says I know I know Job says there's lots of things I don't know but this one thing I know this I know I know that I know I know that my redeemer liveth I know Jesus my saviour my redeemer he's a living saviour and at the end he's going to stand on this earth and though my skin after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall

[33:50] I see God even when you're there in that coffin with the worms eating you I shall see God amen doesn't matter about this old carcass you don't have to worry about the perfume and the makeup anymore don't have to worry about the hair gel it's going to be in the ground eaten by worms but I shall see God glory amen isn't that a joy isn't that a blessing hallelujah and I shall see him for myself and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me I shall see him I shall see him face to face we shall see Jesus it tells us that in the book it tells you that we shall see him and in all of life's mysteries they'll be explained one day Job didn't need to know why he was suffering he needed to know who was in control and sometimes

[34:53] God's actions are beyond our understanding yet Job could still declare he knoweth the way that I take I know him and he knows the way that I take and when he has tried me I shall come forth as gold you can declare it you can believe it you can confess!

[35:14] that God knows God understands God knows the way that you take! God knows what you have need of I shall see him and I shall come forth as gold you can say that let's say that together I shall come forth as gold I shall come forth as gold it won't be long sister brother God knows what's happening for you and he's right there as he was as the fourth man in the fire and he says I shall never leave you nor forsake you his presence is with you right now in the midst of your pain you might say I haven't got pain yet well when it is he's still going to be there amen and when you're in pain when you're out of pain when you're in pain again he is with you he says I will never leave thee nor forsake thee he is for you his!

[36:02] presence is with you even in your pain he is the great bishop the overseer of our souls he's watching and his eyes they can't be blinded they can't be clouded his eyes will never fail his eyes see you and he knows your present trial and he knows the future glory glory doesn't he as David cried search me oh God and know my heart try me that's a big prayer to pray isn't it search me and try me wow David had some gumption there didn't he sometimes it takes that doesn't it try me Lord know my thoughts see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting God gives us his presence he gives us his word he gives us his people sometimes he gives us our trials but here's enough here's with you search me oh God know me try me leave it all in his hands surrender to his leading

[37:02] Job 28 28 in part it says behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom we don't always have the understanding the fear of the Lord that is wisdom to depart from evil is understanding we don't always have the wisdom the understanding why have I had this affliction why have I got this pain in my body why have I lost my loved one why are these things happening in my family trust in him the fear of the Lord trust in him fear God wisdom comes from fearing God and humility is the key Job had to be broad on his knees on his face that his pride was dealt with our pride can hinder brother sister I'm talking about me I've got the biggest problem with this man in these shoes pride isn't it got to be dealt with humility is what we need suffering sometimes it can strengthen our faith sometimes it can shatter our faith it's up to you will you handle it like

[38:05] Job will we all have the same choice to make will we be like Job that suffering will drive us into the arms of our God surrender in trust to his will his direction his wisdom we can seek his presence in our pain and trust him there's a brighter day coming amen there's going to be some gold wow you might not feel like gold you might not feel like your gold right now but one day amen one day he's doing a work you shall come forth as gold you shall and God is in the midst of your storms he's the good shepherd he never leaves our side he walks you through the valleys he restores your soul when you're weary he leads you in the path of righteousness he gives you courage when you're frightened he comforts you when you're hurting and he is with you and like Spurgeon puts it like this no gold is ever injured in the fire isn't that good news no gold is going to get hurt so it's like the end of a movie they say no animals got hurt in this film or whatever it be no gold is going to get hurt in this life amen if you're gold it's going to still be gold it's going to be brighter blessed glowing gold no gold is ever injured in the fire so know that brother sister your faith isn't going to fail it's going to get stronger

[39:31] God helping you it will and you're going to make it you're going to get through this through the fire yes through the fire if it be his will you shall come forth as gold now Job we saw him as this outstanding leader of his community then he's sitting on an ash heap at the city dump effectively and there he is he's alienated from his family his friends those who come to console him just turn on him and Job questions God we have those times don't we he questions God but he does not reject him Job was Job had his humanity here but in the end he never gave up on his God his faith and he's an inspiration the book of Job it's for us isn't it it's for our learning it's for our comfort God is in control he's the master of the universe he's the creator of it he's the sustainer of it and of you and he is mighty he's powerful he's all powerful and you can trust him you can trust him with your soul you can trust him with your life we see in

[40:38] Job chapter one nothing came into the life of Job that did not first go through the loving hands the hands of his loving God isn't that true how to go through the hands of God and we see this from creation until Christ returning God is in complete control from alpha to omega from woe to go from beginning to end he's there at the A and he's there at the Z he's there at Genesis and he's there at Revelation God is in complete control put your faith in him we're still in the middle there aren't we and Job falls to his knees chapter 42 we're coming to a close Job answered the Lord and said I know that thou canst do everything and that no thought can be withholden from thee okay Lord I know you're in charge you can do everything you can do anything you're in charge you are all powerful I yield to you what a prayer can me be like Job you're in control everything's in your hands you can do whatever you want he talked about

[41:46] Job acknowledges that he talked about things he did not really understand he says I've heard thee by the hearing of the year I've heard what others have told me but now mine eyes have seen you he's heard what static what they call it noise in life isn't there different voices but you can trust this voice but he said he's heard a lot but now his eyes have seen God's doing something here he says I'm ashamed of what I've said and done he came to his knees he came in repentance as it says and just finally we see that there in verse 6 42 verse 6 he says I abhor myself I just come to the end of myself I repent in dust and ashes repentance is a good place to get to isn't it isn't it when we think in our own self will in our own imagination in our own best intentions we can argue with

[42:53] God and strive and and and and go to pieces but it starts with coming to the end of ourselves as as Job came to this place of repentance it was the best place for him because God is doing a deep work sometimes in hard times God's doing a deep work a heart work and he was doing that in Job Job got right with God it says here in the chapter that he prayed for his friends really you could say they were his accusers weren't they wow you know if they're my friends who needs enemies the sort of things they were saying there was a bit of that I think in Job's life that his friends became his accusers and what did Job do he prayed for his friends oh Lord help these people he prayed for them with a loving forgiveness he prayed for them Lord they said some silly things I'm praying for them he didn't turn on them he prayed for them he showed love he showed forgiveness sometimes we've got to pray for people that are hard to pray for don't we pray for your enemies that can be hard can't it it's where we need to get to don't we

[44:12] I need to Job God rewarded Job for his faithfulness he healed him he restored him he doubled had before and we see to close verse 12 or 42 so the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning the latter end was blessed more than his beginning God is sovereign I'm not meaning to sound getting into heresy here but there's a sense God is totally in control we're at his mercy we need to just come and fall on our faces don't we we just need me try me in the end he will make it good we can know the true riches of relationship with him and in the end he will make it good either in this life or in the life to come some might say well they served God and they died in such a circumstance but you don't know what happens beyond the curtain beyond the curtain treasures in heaven it's not it's no poor reflection on a

[45:28] Christian if they are in a tough situation because it's about eternal things let's pray Lord we thank you for Job we can't always fathom these things as he could not and really did not fully yet Lord there's heavenly things happening there's heavenly forces at work and contrary to us against us Lord we know that you are our overseer our ultimate pastor Lord you are the great shepherd Lord you are the one that watches over us and Lord we thank you that even in those trying times of Job you never left him and likewise for us Lord we pray if there's any here present it's a tough time here and now for these loved ones here today in the hearing of this this tough situation Lord give us grace give us grace that we might see that beyond the curtain it's all going to be clear and Lord for the meantime we just have to trust you that you're doing something good you're doing something that we need you're doing something that will bless us

[46:45] Lord and it will be revealed pray if any here going through hurting that you'll be their healer Lord that if there's any that are suffering you'll be their strength pray if there's any that are wounded that you'll soothe their hearts Lord that you are the one the healer of the broken hearted Lord pray for your comfort for your care help us Lord to be mindful that we can be friends to others not like Job's friends that really let him down Lord but let us be good friends that we can share your love and care in Jesus precious name Amen let's come to the close with our final song and it's number 284 be encouraged you've heard this I trust it's encouraged you I've been preaching really largely to Christians you might think I'm not a Christian yet I urge you today trust in him it's still the same message trust in him there's only one who can take you to heaven and his name is

[47:51] Jesus he's the only one he's the only saviour and you need him today we need him today I trust you call on him trust in him if you need prayer if you like counsel if you say preacher I want to know how do I become a Christian turn to a Christian you know here today or to me I'll guide you to one if need be and we'll pray with you that you'll know Christ as your Lord and saviour today you'll know his saving let's stand and sing