WEBVTT

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 So these three men ceased to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.

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 Then Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite of the family of Ram, burned with anger.

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 He burned with anger at Job because he justifies himself rather than God.

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 He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer,

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 although they had declared Job to be in the wrong.

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 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he.

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 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

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 And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said,

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 I am young in years, and you are aged.

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 Therefore, I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you.

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 But now hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words.

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 You say, I am pure without transgression.

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 I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.

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 Behold, he finds occasions against me.

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 He counts me as his enemy.

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 He puts my feet in the stalks and watches all my paths.

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 Behold, in this you are not right.

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 I will answer you, for God is greater than men.

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 Why do you contend against him, saying,

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 He will answer none of man's words?

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 For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.

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 Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times with a man,

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 to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.

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 Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding.

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 Far be it from God that he should do wickedness,

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 and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.

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 For according to the work of a man, he will repay him,

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 and according to his ways, he will make it befall him.

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 Of a truth God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

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 Shall one who hates justice govern?

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 Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

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 who saith to a king, worthless one, and to nobles, wicked men,

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 who shows no partiality to princes,

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 nor regards the rich more than the poor,

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 for they are all the work of his hands?

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 When he is quiet, who can condemn?

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 When he hides his face, who can behold him,

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 whether it be a nation or a man?

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 For has anyone said to God,

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 I have borne punishment, I will not offend anymore.

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 Teach me what I do not see.

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 If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.

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 Will he then make repayment to suit you because you rejected?

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 And Elihu answered and said,

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 Do you think this to be just?

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 Do you say,

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 It is my right before God that you ask,

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 What advantage have I?

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 How am I better off than if I had sinned?

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 Surely God does not hear an empty cry,

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 nor does the Almighty regard it.

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 How much less when you say that you do not see him,

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 that the case is before him,

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 and you are waiting for him.

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 And now, because his anger does not punish,

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 and he does not take much note of transgression,

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 Job opens his mouth in empty talk.

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 He multiplies words without knowledge.

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 God thunders wondrously with his voice.

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 He does great things that we cannot comprehend,

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 whether for correction or for his land,

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 or for love.

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 He causes it to happen.

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 Hear this, O Job.

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 Stop and consider the wondrous works of God.

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 Out of the north comes golden splendor.

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 God is clothed with awesome majesty.

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 The Almighty, we cannot find him.

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 He is great in power.

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 Justice and abundant righteousness,

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 he will not violate.

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 Therefore, men fear him.

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 He does not regard any who are wise

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 in their own conceit.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Let's try this and see if this works.

00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:21.360
 Thank you, Anastasia.

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 That was a long and difficult reading,

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 and if you feel like I don't have a clue

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 what is going on, that's okay.

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 A couple of reasons for that.

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 One, Job is a difficult book

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 to understand and comprehend.

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 The second reason is

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 these chapters are very difficult,

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 and so on Wednesday,

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 when I needed to give the scripture reading

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 to the office to print the bulletins,

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 I was still trying to work out

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 what on earth was going on,

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 and so there's a whole lot there,

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 and subsequently,

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 between Wednesday and Saturday,

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 I found out a whole lot more,

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 and so that was a long, difficult passage.

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 Anastasia, thanks for reading it for us.

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 Guys, let's see if we can make sense of this,

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 but maybe before we do that,

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 why don't you join me in prayer?

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 Let's pray together,

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 and just ask God to speak to us.

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 So, Heavenly Fathers,

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 we come before you this morning.

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 We pray that you will speak to us.

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 We pray, God,

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 that we will understand more of who you are.

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 We will see you, behold you,

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 and it will result in us adoring you.

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 Jesus, come and have your way, I pray,

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 in your powerful name.

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 Amen.

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 Friends, let me start asking you a question.

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 Have you ever suffered terribly?

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 Maybe lost a loved one?

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 Been unfairly treated at work?

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 Been the victim of some traumatic experience?

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 And when you went through that,

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 where was God?

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 How did God speak to you at that time?

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 Was He silent?

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 Did He explain Himself?

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 Did He answer your questions

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 or explain His actions?

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 Did He help you to see the bigger picture

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 of what He's doing?

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 Friends, have you ever found yourself

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 in a place of desperation,

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 only to feel like,

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 not only has God removed His hand from you,

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 but He's turned His face away

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 and is now silent?

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 I ask you these questions

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 because that's the place

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 that Job finds himself once again.

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 And if you're new to church

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 or new to Watermark,

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 we're working through this

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 very difficult book of the Old Testament

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 called Job.

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 For seven weeks,

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 we're in week five,

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 I think it is,

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 and so we're almost coming to the end.

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 It's an exceedingly different book,

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 a difficult book of the Bible.

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 And in it,

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 this righteous and good man

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 called Job,

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 He's described as God-fearing

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 and righteous man,

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 blameless in all His conduct.

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 He suffers terribly.

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 In one day,

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 everything that He has

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 is taken from Him.

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 His possessions,

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 His wealth,

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 His status in the community,

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 but most painfully,

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 even His children,

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 in one day,

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 everything is taken away from Him.

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 And to make matters even worse,

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 He is inflicted

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 with a terrible skin disease,

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 and He is really brought

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 to the end of Himself.

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 And Job doesn't know

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 why any of this is happening.

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 We know,

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 the Bible tells us,

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 but Job doesn't know.

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 It's because God and Satan

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 have had a conversation.

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 And God has allowed Satan

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 to do this to Him.

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 And Job then gets

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 these three lousy friends

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 that come to Him.

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 They come to comfort and console Him,

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 but they do the very opposite.

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 They don't comfort Him,

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 they just condemn Him.

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 And they say to Him,

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 Job,

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 this is divine retribution.

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 We know that you seem

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 to be an honest,

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 a good man,

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 but there must be

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 some wickedness

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 that you've done.

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 God is punishing you

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 for something

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 that you've done wrong.

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 And Job goes back

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 and says,

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 it's not true.

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 I haven't done anything.

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 And so for 24 long chapters,

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 there's this back and forth

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 between Job and his friends.

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 They say,

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 you're guilty.

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 He says,

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 I'm not.

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 And they debate Job's goodness

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 versus God's goodness,

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 Job's righteousness

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 versus God's justice.

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 And Job's friends say,

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 God is just.

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 You must be a wicked sinner.

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 And Job says,

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 I'm innocent of what you say.

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 God is the one

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 who's being unjust.

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 And then finally,

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 in chapters 29 to 30,

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 Job gives his final speech

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 and he pours out his heart to God.

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 And he says,

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 I haven't done anything wrong.

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 I'm not perfect,

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 but I haven't defrauded anyone.

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 I haven't cheated on my wife.

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 I haven't stolen anything.

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 I haven't treated the poor unfairly.

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 I haven't worshipped a foreign God.

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 And then ultimately he says,

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 all I want is the friendship of God.

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 He says,

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 oh,

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 that I were as the days of old

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 when the friendship of the Lord

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 was upon my tent.

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 Oh,

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 that God would hear me

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 and answer me.

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 And so he pours out his heart

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 and he lifts his eyes to heaven

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 and he says,

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 God,

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 what are you going to say?

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 God,

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 are you going to answer me?

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 Or are you just going to stay silent?

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 Friends,

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 have you ever felt like that?

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 Well,

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 what happens next in the book of Job

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 is that God doesn't answer him.

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 Not immediately.

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 He sends a messenger

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 and he sends a rather difficult messenger

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 because he sends a rather brash,

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 self-confident young man

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 called Elihu.

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 And that's what Anastasia read to us this morning.

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 In many ways,

00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:29.460
 it's disappointing.

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 Job pours out his heart

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 and he says,

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 God,

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 where are you?

00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:33.319
 What are you going to say?

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 And God,

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 rather than answering him,

00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:38.459
 sends him Elihu.

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 Friends,

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 I wonder if you can relate to that.

00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:43.240
 Have you ever felt desperate for God?

00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:45.500
 Desperate for a sign from above?

00:10:45.839 --> 00:10:46.079
 God,

00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:47.339
 are you hearing my cries?

00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:49.079
 Are you paying attention to me?

00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:51.299
 And all God does is

00:10:51.299 --> 00:10:52.240
 give you a Bible.

00:10:52.959 --> 00:10:55.000
 Or maybe an awkward CG member.

00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:58.299
 Or a difficult church member.

00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:01.600
 Or maybe a brash pastor.

00:11:02.179 --> 00:11:04.000
 The kind of person you don't want to speak to

00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:04.840
 at that point of time.

00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:06.360
 Can you relate to that?

00:11:06.899 --> 00:11:08.259
 Well, that's what Job gets here.

00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:09.559
 And so having called upon God,

00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:11.399
 God instead sends him Elihu.

00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.059
 And so look at what happens in chapter 32.

00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:15.080
 If you've got your bulletin,

00:11:15.159 --> 00:11:16.480
 you're going to need to follow on.

00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:17.919
 And maybe if you've got a Bible,

00:11:18.059 --> 00:11:18.460
 open up.

00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:19.820
 We're going to be jumping around quite a bit.

00:11:19.820 --> 00:11:20.720
 But it says,

00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:21.140
 Elihu,

00:11:21.280 --> 00:11:22.379
 the son of this guy,

00:11:23.040 --> 00:11:24.160
 he burned with anger.

00:11:24.420 --> 00:11:25.900
 He burned with anger at Job

00:11:25.900 --> 00:11:28.300
 because Job justified himself

00:11:28.300 --> 00:11:29.480
 rather than God.

00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:31.480
 He burned with anger also

00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:32.780
 at Job's three friends

00:11:32.780 --> 00:11:34.220
 because they found no answer,

00:11:34.660 --> 00:11:35.740
 although they declared Job

00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:36.400
 to be in the wrong.

00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.260
 Now Elihu waited to speak to Job

00:11:39.260 --> 00:11:41.420
 because they were all older than him.

00:11:41.900 --> 00:11:42.640
 And so he says,

00:11:42.740 --> 00:11:44.480
 I am young and you are aged.

00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:45.360
 Therefore,

00:11:45.460 --> 00:11:46.780
 I was timid and afraid.

00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:47.580
 You see,

00:11:47.680 --> 00:11:48.660
 he's a good Asian, right?

00:11:48.659 --> 00:11:50.519
 He lets the older people speak first

00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:51.539
 and he knows his place.

00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:52.379
 He says,

00:11:52.439 --> 00:11:53.379
 I was a timid and afraid

00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:54.379
 to declare my opinion,

00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:56.279
 but now hear my speech,

00:11:56.339 --> 00:11:56.799
 oh Job.

00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:58.679
 Listen to my words.

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:00.659
 And so this is Elihu

00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:02.879
 and he comes to speak

00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:04.819
 and he has a message for Job.

00:12:05.439 --> 00:12:06.620
 Now commentators,

00:12:06.779 --> 00:12:08.159
 scholars go back and forth

00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:10.279
 whether Elihu is somebody

00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:11.899
 that we should pay attention to

00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:12.740
 and listen to

00:12:12.740 --> 00:12:14.399
 or whether he's just like

00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.039
 the other friends

00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:16.079
 and we should write him off.

00:12:16.699 --> 00:12:18.059
 And I went back and forth

00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:18.759
 on this this week.

00:12:18.839 --> 00:12:19.759
 At the beginning of the week,

00:12:19.819 --> 00:12:20.099
 I thought,

00:12:20.199 --> 00:12:20.699
 no, Elihu,

00:12:20.859 --> 00:12:22.179
 he's just like the other guys.

00:12:22.219 --> 00:12:23.399
 He's got nothing good to say.

00:12:24.079 --> 00:12:25.339
 But as I studied it,

00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:25.579
 actually,

00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:25.899
 I thought,

00:12:26.179 --> 00:12:26.299
 no,

00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:26.619
 actually,

00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:28.039
 Elihu's got a lot to say

00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:30.819
 and maybe we should listen to him.

00:12:31.379 --> 00:12:33.079
 And so this is what Elihu says.

00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:33.779
 Essentially,

00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:35.199
 he answers Job

00:12:35.199 --> 00:12:37.039
 by challenging Job's thinking

00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:38.199
 about God

00:12:38.199 --> 00:12:40.779
 and challenging Job's hard attitude

00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:42.059
 towards God.

00:12:42.539 --> 00:12:42.799
 Okay?

00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:44.719
 So Job says this,

00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:45.919
 God is silent.

00:12:46.359 --> 00:12:47.500
 He doesn't answer me.

00:12:48.459 --> 00:12:49.439
 And Elihu says,

00:12:49.699 --> 00:12:49.819
 no,

00:12:49.899 --> 00:12:51.839
 God's speaking in a thousand ways,

00:12:52.419 --> 00:12:53.839
 but your hard heart

00:12:53.839 --> 00:12:54.959
 is making you deaf

00:12:54.959 --> 00:12:55.879
 to his voice.

00:12:56.839 --> 00:12:57.079
 Okay?

00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:58.439
 Job says,

00:12:58.659 --> 00:12:59.639
 God is unjust.

00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:00.979
 He allows bad things

00:13:00.979 --> 00:13:02.039
 to happen to good people.

00:13:02.839 --> 00:13:03.500
 And Elihu says,

00:13:03.579 --> 00:13:03.699
 no,

00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:04.699
 God is not unjust,

00:13:04.859 --> 00:13:05.779
 but his justice

00:13:05.779 --> 00:13:06.859
 doesn't operate

00:13:06.859 --> 00:13:07.719
 in the timing

00:13:07.719 --> 00:13:08.419
 or the manner

00:13:08.419 --> 00:13:09.219
 that you want.

00:13:10.180 --> 00:13:11.759
 And Job shakes his fist

00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:12.279
 at the heavens

00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:12.820
 and he says,

00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:13.860
 what's the point

00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:14.500
 in being good

00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:16.180
 when God abandons me anyway?

00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:18.399
 And Elihu says,

00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:19.720
 God doesn't answer

00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:20.860
 those who demand

00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:21.920
 an answer from God

00:13:21.920 --> 00:13:23.420
 or try and manipulate him

00:13:23.420 --> 00:13:24.720
 with their good behavior.

00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:26.440
 He answers those

00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.340
 who come to him

00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:28.120
 humbly

00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:30.540
 in humility.

00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:32.540
 And the point

00:13:32.540 --> 00:13:33.340
 of Elihu's speech

00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:33.759
 is this,

00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:34.220
 Job,

00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:35.360
 it's true that maybe

00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:36.160
 your suffering

00:13:36.160 --> 00:13:37.720
 is not a direct result

00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:38.800
 of some sin

00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:39.319
 that you did

00:13:39.319 --> 00:13:39.979
 in your life.

00:13:40.179 --> 00:13:40.919
 That's what Job's

00:13:40.919 --> 00:13:41.599
 friends are saying.

00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:43.599
 But are you possibly

00:13:43.599 --> 00:13:44.479
 sinning now

00:13:44.479 --> 00:13:45.039
 in the way

00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:45.659
 that you are

00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:46.839
 handling your suffering?

00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:48.279
 That's the point.

00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:48.959
 That's why

00:13:48.959 --> 00:13:49.819
 the narrators

00:13:49.819 --> 00:13:50.719
 left these speeches

00:13:50.719 --> 00:13:51.159
 in here.

00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:52.120
 Rather than just

00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:52.939
 jumping from Job

00:13:52.939 --> 00:13:54.039
 to 38

00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:54.939
 where God speaks,

00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.079
 Elihu is saying,

00:13:58.500 --> 00:13:58.740
 Job,

00:13:58.899 --> 00:14:00.139
 you may not have sinned

00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:00.459
 in a way

00:14:00.459 --> 00:14:01.659
 that causes your suffering,

00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:02.819
 but are you sinning

00:14:02.819 --> 00:14:03.120
 in the way

00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:03.659
 you're handling

00:14:03.659 --> 00:14:04.279
 your suffering?

00:14:05.299 --> 00:14:05.439
 So,

00:14:05.579 --> 00:14:06.359
 Huell Jones,

00:14:06.419 --> 00:14:06.919
 the commentator,

00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:07.199
 says,

00:14:07.319 --> 00:14:08.000
 Job's friends

00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:08.579
 said that Job

00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:09.080
 was suffering

00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:10.280
 because he had sinned,

00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:11.000
 they were wrong.

00:14:11.660 --> 00:14:12.960
 Elihu challenges Job

00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:13.759
 whether he has sinned

00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:14.180
 in the way

00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:14.740
 he's handling

00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:15.259
 his suffering.

00:14:16.220 --> 00:14:17.020
 And that's the reason

00:14:17.020 --> 00:14:17.780
 why these chapters

00:14:17.780 --> 00:14:18.420
 are in here.

00:14:19.040 --> 00:14:19.980
 In other words,

00:14:20.800 --> 00:14:21.639
 here's the question

00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:22.360
 that these chapters

00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:23.160
 want to ask of us,

00:14:23.180 --> 00:14:24.700
 and this is a profound question.

00:14:25.680 --> 00:14:26.500
 Do you know

00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:27.400
 how to suffer

00:14:27.400 --> 00:14:29.139
 wisely and well?

00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:32.080
 If you live long enough,

00:14:32.160 --> 00:14:32.440
 friends,

00:14:32.540 --> 00:14:33.320
 you will suffer.

00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:35.120
 Hardship will come

00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:35.980
 to all of us.

00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:37.100
 It's just a matter

00:14:37.100 --> 00:14:38.200
 of a question

00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:38.720
 of timing.

00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:40.019
 But do you know

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:41.080
 how to suffer well?

00:14:41.779 --> 00:14:42.360
 Do you know

00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:43.480
 how to suffer wisely?

00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:44.779
 You see,

00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:45.360
 the friends,

00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:46.060
 they come,

00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:47.000
 and ultimately

00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:48.159
 they're rebuked by God,

00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:49.100
 but they have this

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:49.800
 very simplistic

00:14:49.800 --> 00:14:50.860
 understanding of the world.

00:14:50.940 --> 00:14:51.180
 They say,

00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:51.460
 Job,

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:51.960
 you're going through

00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:52.580
 a hard time,

00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.240
 you must have done

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:53.800
 something wrong,

00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:54.100
 right?

00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:55.240
 It's very karmic.

00:14:55.800 --> 00:14:56.500
 Very karmic,

00:14:56.560 --> 00:14:57.340
 not very Christian.

00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:58.519
 And there's this

00:14:58.519 --> 00:14:59.139
 back and forth,

00:14:59.220 --> 00:14:59.659
 and Job says,

00:14:59.740 --> 00:15:00.360
 no, I haven't,

00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:00.779
 and they said,

00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:01.480
 yes, you have,

00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:02.639
 et cetera, et cetera.

00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:04.460
 But Elihu comes along

00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:04.699
 and says,

00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:05.019
 Job,

00:15:05.100 --> 00:15:05.860
 even though you may

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:06.600
 not have done anything

00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:07.799
 to deserve the suffering

00:15:07.799 --> 00:15:08.740
 in the first place,

00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:10.059
 how are you handling

00:15:10.059 --> 00:15:10.699
 your suffering?

00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:12.019
 In other words,

00:15:12.439 --> 00:15:13.480
 is your suffering

00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:14.720
 making you hard

00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:15.539
 and angry

00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:16.220
 and bitter

00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:17.299
 and resentful,

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:19.740
 or is it making you

00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:20.139
 humble,

00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:21.059
 gentle,

00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:22.199
 and wise?

00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:23.860
 As Henry said

00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:24.360
 to me earlier,

00:15:24.819 --> 00:15:25.379
 is suffering

00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:26.259
 making you bitter,

00:15:26.439 --> 00:15:26.980
 or is it going

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:27.439
 to make you

00:15:27.439 --> 00:15:28.439
 a better person?

00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:30.860
 And that's the question

00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:31.640
 that these chapters

00:15:31.640 --> 00:15:33.260
 are asking us.

00:15:34.040 --> 00:15:35.200
 As a result of our suffering,

00:15:35.280 --> 00:15:35.860
 are we hard

00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:36.380
 and angry

00:15:36.380 --> 00:15:36.820
 and bitter,

00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.320
 or are we gentle,

00:15:38.580 --> 00:15:38.900
 wise,

00:15:38.980 --> 00:15:39.400
 and humble?

00:15:40.980 --> 00:15:41.460
 Now,

00:15:41.660 --> 00:15:42.640
 David Paulson

00:15:42.640 --> 00:15:43.740
 and Timothy Lane

00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:44.740
 wrote a book

00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:45.400
 many years ago

00:15:45.400 --> 00:15:47.000
 called How People Change.

00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:48.400
 And one of the premises

00:15:48.400 --> 00:15:49.020
 of their book

00:15:49.020 --> 00:15:51.400
 is that one of the main ways

00:15:51.400 --> 00:15:52.260
 that God uses,

00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:53.940
 or methods that God uses

00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:54.700
 to grow us

00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:55.860
 and change us as people

00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:57.160
 is to bring hardship

00:15:57.160 --> 00:15:57.740
 and suffering

00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:58.200
 into our life.

00:15:58.200 --> 00:15:59.840
 What David Paulson

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.780
 calls the heat.

00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:01.360
 Okay?

00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:02.740
 So God turns up

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:03.759
 the heat in our lives,

00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:05.020
 and it's uncomfortable

00:16:05.020 --> 00:16:05.900
 and it's difficult,

00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:07.500
 and God uses that

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:08.560
 to grow us

00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:09.379
 and mature us.

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:11.040
 But the key question

00:16:11.040 --> 00:16:11.420
 is this,

00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:12.360
 when the heat

00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:13.460
 comes your way,

00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:16.100
 who is God

00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:16.780
 to you

00:16:16.780 --> 00:16:18.000
 in that point of time?

00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:19.920
 Who is God

00:16:19.920 --> 00:16:21.000
 and how do you

00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:21.860
 turn to God?

00:16:22.400 --> 00:16:22.960
 In other words,

00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:23.620
 let me give you an example.

00:16:23.780 --> 00:16:24.280
 Let's say

00:16:24.280 --> 00:16:25.480
 your marriage

00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:26.259
 is really difficult.

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.640
 Marriage is hard.

00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:29.920
 And you're feeling

00:16:29.920 --> 00:16:30.940
 the heat at home.

00:16:31.560 --> 00:16:31.700
 Well,

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:32.300
 who is God

00:16:32.300 --> 00:16:32.520
 to you

00:16:32.520 --> 00:16:33.500
 at that point of time?

00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:34.540
 Well,

00:16:34.560 --> 00:16:34.920
 one of the things

00:16:34.920 --> 00:16:35.680
 that the Bible says

00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:36.720
 is that God

00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:37.500
 is the one

00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:38.259
 who teaches us

00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:39.100
 how to lovingly

00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:39.840
 and sacrificially

00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:41.280
 lay down our lives

00:16:41.280 --> 00:16:42.100
 for our spouses

00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:43.720
 and to treasure them

00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:44.580
 and cherish them.

00:16:44.780 --> 00:16:45.720
 Not serve ourselves,

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.600
 but to serve them.

00:16:47.020 --> 00:16:47.840
 We see that example

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.340
 in Christ.

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.080
 Well,

00:16:49.100 --> 00:16:49.600
 let's say maybe

00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:51.220
 money is really tight.

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:52.759
 And so life is difficult

00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:53.360
 because you've got to

00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.320
 watch every cent.

00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:55.060
 Well,

00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:55.680
 who is God?

00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:56.960
 God is a provider.

00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:57.940
 He's promised

00:16:57.940 --> 00:16:58.900
 to take care of you.

00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:00.040
 In other words,

00:17:00.180 --> 00:17:01.379
 is that hardship

00:17:01.379 --> 00:17:02.320
 going to make you bitter

00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:03.540
 and angry and hard?

00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:04.779
 Or are you going to come

00:17:04.779 --> 00:17:06.120
 and see who God is

00:17:06.120 --> 00:17:07.059
 and relate to God

00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:08.039
 on the basis of that

00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:09.539
 and let that change you

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.559
 and soften your hearts

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.440
 that you become wise

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.039
 and gentle

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:12.900
 and humble?

00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:14.500
 Well,

00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:15.660
 friends,

00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:16.360
 in this passage,

00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:16.940
 Elihu

00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:18.799
 wants to show Job

00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:19.900
 who God is

00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:20.799
 and by doing so

00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.400
 bring Job

00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.700
 back from the brink

00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:23.759
 of bitterness

00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.640
 and resentment

00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.460
 and hardship

00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:26.559
 and bring him

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.019
 to a place

00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:27.720
 of humility.

00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:29.920
 And he wants Job

00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.580
 to repent,

00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:31.740
 but more than that,

00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:32.840
 he wants to build

00:17:32.840 --> 00:17:33.819
 faith in Job

00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:34.319
 so that Job

00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:35.380
 trusts God

00:17:35.380 --> 00:17:36.700
 and relies on him.

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:37.420
 Okay,

00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:38.100
 does that make sense?

00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:38.980
 Do you follow the logic?

00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:39.680
 What's happening?

00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:41.440
 Yes,

00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:41.759
 okay.

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:42.480
 Okay,

00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:43.180
 do you follow the logic?

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:44.880
 Okay,

00:17:45.059 --> 00:17:45.299
 okay,

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:47.299
 let's see if we can

00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:48.319
 do this.

00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:48.539
 So,

00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:49.880
 who is God?

00:17:50.180 --> 00:17:50.920
 That's the question

00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:51.840
 that Elihu's asking.

00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:52.240
 Job,

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:53.700
 you say that God

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.540
 has abandoned you,

00:17:54.620 --> 00:17:55.380
 you say he's unjust,

00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.040
 he's silent,

00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.700
 he's wrong,

00:17:57.140 --> 00:17:58.140
 he's unfair,

00:17:58.620 --> 00:17:59.300
 who is he?

00:18:00.060 --> 00:18:00.260
 Well,

00:18:00.280 --> 00:18:01.440
 Elihu's going to give us

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.060
 three things

00:18:02.060 --> 00:18:03.460
 about who God is

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:04.020
 and the first thing

00:18:04.020 --> 00:18:04.720
 he says is this,

00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:06.100
 God is the God

00:18:06.100 --> 00:18:07.240
 who is not silent.

00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:09.220
 He is not silent.

00:18:10.760 --> 00:18:11.640
 Chapter 33,

00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:12.940
 verse 13,

00:18:13.280 --> 00:18:13.920
 Elihu says,

00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:15.240
 why do you contend

00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:15.960
 against him,

00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:16.460
 Job,

00:18:16.560 --> 00:18:16.860
 saying,

00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:17.960
 he answers none

00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:18.860
 of my words.

00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:19.640
 Okay,

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:20.080
 so that's been

00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:20.860
 Job's complaint.

00:18:21.340 --> 00:18:21.960
 All this time,

00:18:22.040 --> 00:18:22.520
 Job has been

00:18:22.520 --> 00:18:23.000
 complaining.

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.580
 God is silent to me.

00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:26.140
 Chapter 13,

00:18:26.340 --> 00:18:27.120
 I would speak

00:18:27.120 --> 00:18:27.759
 to the Almighty.

00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.759
 I want to argue

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:29.900
 my case against him,

00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:30.880
 but he's walked

00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.460
 out the room.

00:18:31.820 --> 00:18:32.259
 God is nowhere

00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:33.000
 to be found.

00:18:33.520 --> 00:18:34.380
 Or chapter 31,

00:18:34.840 --> 00:18:35.060
 oh,

00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:35.880
 that I had want

00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:36.640
 to hear me,

00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:37.980
 but when I call

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.520
 out to God,

00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:39.100
 he just turns

00:18:39.100 --> 00:18:39.820
 his back on me.

00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:41.180
 God is silent.

00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:44.020
 And Elihu says,

00:18:44.560 --> 00:18:45.680
 that's not true.

00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:47.220
 Look at what he says,

00:18:47.300 --> 00:18:47.880
 verse 13,

00:18:48.120 --> 00:18:49.060
 why do you contend

00:18:49.060 --> 00:18:49.580
 against him?

00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:49.899
 Saying,

00:18:50.199 --> 00:18:50.899
 he answers none

00:18:50.899 --> 00:18:51.779
 of man's words.

00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:53.339
 For God speaks

00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:54.240
 in one way,

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.179
 in two,

00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:56.220
 though man does

00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:57.179
 not understand it.

00:18:57.699 --> 00:18:58.059
 Behold,

00:18:58.179 --> 00:18:58.879
 God does all

00:18:58.879 --> 00:18:59.539
 these things,

00:18:59.939 --> 00:19:00.279
 twice,

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:01.119
 three times

00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:01.659
 with a man,

00:19:01.819 --> 00:19:02.740
 to bring back

00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.240
 his soul

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:03.819
 from the pit,

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:04.799
 that he may be

00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:05.399
 lighted with

00:19:05.399 --> 00:19:06.240
 the light of life.

00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:07.559
 Elihu says,

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:09.000
 God is not silent,

00:19:09.439 --> 00:19:10.279
 but just because

00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:11.299
 you don't understand

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.179
 what he's doing,

00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:12.859
 or don't see

00:19:12.859 --> 00:19:13.480
 what he's doing,

00:19:13.679 --> 00:19:14.460
 doesn't mean

00:19:14.460 --> 00:19:14.839
 that God

00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:15.819
 has abandoned you.

00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:18.439
 friends,

00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:19.159
 throughout scripture,

00:19:19.659 --> 00:19:20.439
 one of the things

00:19:20.439 --> 00:19:21.179
 that God says,

00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:21.700
 one of the things

00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:22.779
 that differentiates

00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:23.939
 the one true God

00:19:23.939 --> 00:19:25.259
 from false gods

00:19:25.259 --> 00:19:25.779
 and idols,

00:19:25.939 --> 00:19:26.720
 is that God

00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:27.159
 is a God

00:19:27.159 --> 00:19:28.079
 who speaks.

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:30.179
 So Psalm 115

00:19:30.179 --> 00:19:30.819
 says,

00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:32.460
 the idols of the nations

00:19:32.460 --> 00:19:33.079
 around us,

00:19:33.299 --> 00:19:34.299
 their gods are

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:36.279
 the work of human hands.

00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:36.980
 They have eyes,

00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:37.919
 but they do not see,

00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:38.819
 ears,

00:19:38.919 --> 00:19:39.879
 but they do not hear,

00:19:40.460 --> 00:19:40.779
 mouths,

00:19:40.879 --> 00:19:41.799
 but they cannot speak,

00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:42.819
 and they make no sound

00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:43.559
 in their throat.

00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:46.960
 The idols that we trust in,

00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:48.720
 they promise so much,

00:19:48.779 --> 00:19:49.500
 but they can't hear

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:50.119
 our prayers,

00:19:50.659 --> 00:19:51.240
 and ultimately,

00:19:51.399 --> 00:19:52.599
 they cannot promise us

00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:53.119
 anything.

00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:55.399
 But God,

00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:56.720
 the one true God

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:57.859
 is God who speaks,

00:19:58.599 --> 00:19:59.539
 and Elihu reminds us,

00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:00.919
 he speaks in a thousand ways,

00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:02.240
 but sometimes,

00:20:02.419 --> 00:20:03.439
 we can't perceive

00:20:03.439 --> 00:20:04.059
 his voice.

00:20:04.819 --> 00:20:05.159
 Sometimes,

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:06.099
 God speaks through

00:20:06.099 --> 00:20:07.179
 his written word,

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:07.779
 probably the most

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.559
 comprehensive way

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.139
 that he speaks.

00:20:09.700 --> 00:20:10.559
 God speaks through

00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.759
 his spirit in our hearts.

00:20:11.879 --> 00:20:12.460
 God speaks through

00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:13.000
 creation.

00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:14.160
 But here,

00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:14.900
 Elihu says,

00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:16.180
 sometimes God speaks

00:20:16.180 --> 00:20:16.759
 through visions

00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:18.000
 and dreams of the night.

00:20:18.600 --> 00:20:19.220
 I don't know if you've

00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:19.799
 ever had this.

00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:21.059
 I haven't had it very often,

00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:21.720
 but I have had it

00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:22.559
 from time to time.

00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:23.759
 There have been times

00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:24.799
 when I've had a dream

00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.220
 in the night

00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:26.500
 that's been so vivid,

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:28.140
 so crystal clear,

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:29.220
 I woke up in the morning

00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:30.340
 and I knew exactly

00:20:30.340 --> 00:20:30.940
 what it meant

00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:31.700
 and what God was trying

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:32.180
 to say to me.

00:20:32.840 --> 00:20:33.559
 I'll tell you one

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:34.140
 such instance.

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:36.319
 I was 20 years old,

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:38.140
 a university student

00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:38.980
 in Cape Town,

00:20:39.100 --> 00:20:39.660
 South Africa,

00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:41.200
 studying politics

00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:41.980
 and economics,

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:42.900
 and I can still

00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:44.319
 picture it absolutely

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:45.740
 to this day,

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:47.480
 almost 20 years ago.

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:48.839
 I was studying

00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:49.759
 politics and economics

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.420
 in South Africa.

00:20:50.579 --> 00:20:51.640
 I had a dream one night

00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:52.980
 and in my dream,

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:55.120
 I was in a train

00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:56.140
 railway carriage

00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:58.039
 and the carriage

00:20:58.039 --> 00:20:59.620
 was full of Chinese people

00:20:59.620 --> 00:21:01.200
 that were locked up

00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:01.839
 and imprisoned

00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:03.360
 unfairly and unjustly.

00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.839
 And in this dream,

00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:06.940
 somehow I had a role

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:08.620
 to freeing these people

00:21:08.620 --> 00:21:09.480
 and letting them out

00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:10.420
 of this carriageway.

00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:12.339
 And when I woke up,

00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.500
 I knew absolutely

00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:14.220
 that one day

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:15.099
 I was going to be a pastor

00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:16.220
 in Asia

00:21:16.220 --> 00:21:17.079
 to a city full

00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:17.839
 of Chinese people.

00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:19.460
 I just knew absolutely

00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:19.940
 with clarity

00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:20.660
 that that's what God

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.079
 was saying.

00:21:21.940 --> 00:21:22.680
 That's what Job says.

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.279
 Sometimes God,

00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:24.279
 he speaks in a thousand

00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:24.940
 different ways

00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:26.279
 and sometimes we don't

00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:26.819
 perceive them

00:21:26.819 --> 00:21:27.680
 and understand them.

00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:29.599
 Look at what Elihu

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:30.059
 says here.

00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:31.240
 God speaks through

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:32.380
 our guilty conscience.

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:33.099
 Verse 16,

00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:40.859
 One of the roles

00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:41.719
 of God's Spirit

00:21:41.719 --> 00:21:42.779
 is to bring conviction

00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:43.480
 of sin,

00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.319
 to make us aware

00:21:45.319 --> 00:21:46.439
 of the fact

00:21:46.439 --> 00:21:46.919
 that we're on

00:21:46.919 --> 00:21:47.839
 the wrong path.

00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:49.039
 One of the ways

00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:51.379
 that God helps us

00:21:51.379 --> 00:21:52.399
 to see our own hearts.

00:21:53.099 --> 00:21:54.099
 Now one of the challenges

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:54.599
 with this

00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:55.319
 is that we live

00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:56.000
 in a culture

00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:58.079
 that tells us

00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.859
 that no one can question

00:21:59.859 --> 00:22:01.199
 your version of truth

00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:02.960
 and that what feels good

00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.539
 must be good, right?

00:22:05.120 --> 00:22:06.080
 And so what that means

00:22:06.080 --> 00:22:07.640
 is we live in a day and age

00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:08.860
 where we suppress

00:22:08.860 --> 00:22:09.559
 our conscience

00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:10.480
 because our conscience

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.279
 often tells us

00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.799
 this is not a good path

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:13.980
 and yet our culture

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:14.460
 tells us

00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:15.200
 if it feels good

00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:15.840
 it must be good.

00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:17.000
 Who's your conscience

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:18.120
 to tell you not to do it?

00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:18.880
 No, no,

00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:20.059
 what's good for you

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.620
 must be right and true.

00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:23.480
 But here our conscience

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:24.120
 is one of the ways

00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:25.160
 that God speaks to us.

00:22:25.259 --> 00:22:26.660
 God opens the ears of men.

00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:27.940
 He warns us

00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:29.600
 by speaking to us.

00:22:30.340 --> 00:22:30.900
 Elihu says

00:22:30.900 --> 00:22:32.259
 sometimes God speaks to us

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.200
 in our pain.

00:22:33.620 --> 00:22:34.200
 Verse 19

00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:35.519
 Man is rebuked

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.660
 with pain on his bed

00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:38.360
 with continual strife

00:22:38.360 --> 00:22:39.280
 in his bones.

00:22:40.120 --> 00:22:40.540
 Elihu says

00:22:40.540 --> 00:22:41.500
 sometimes God allows

00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:42.560
 difficulty and hardship

00:22:42.560 --> 00:22:43.519
 to come to us

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.780
 not as punishment

00:22:44.780 --> 00:22:45.640
 but as waking

00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:46.840
 as a warning

00:22:46.840 --> 00:22:47.860
 to wake us up.

00:22:48.360 --> 00:22:49.460
 God speaks in our pain

00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:49.940
 and there's a

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:51.060
 very famous quote

00:22:51.060 --> 00:22:51.800
 by C.S. Lewis

00:22:51.800 --> 00:22:52.560
 you might know it.

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:53.780
 Listen to what he says.

00:22:53.840 --> 00:22:54.140
 He says

00:22:54.140 --> 00:22:55.960
 I hope you can see this

00:22:55.960 --> 00:22:57.460
 The human spirit

00:22:57.460 --> 00:22:59.280
 will not even begin

00:22:59.280 --> 00:23:00.580
 to try to surrender

00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:01.359
 self-will

00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:02.519
 as long as all

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.460
 seems to be well.

00:23:04.419 --> 00:23:05.339
 Error and sin

00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:06.159
 both have this

00:23:06.159 --> 00:23:07.119
 deceptive property

00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:08.419
 that the deeper

00:23:08.419 --> 00:23:09.119
 they are

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:10.579
 the less we suspect

00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:11.259
 their existence.

00:23:12.179 --> 00:23:14.079
 They are a masked evil

00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.199
 but pain

00:23:15.199 --> 00:23:16.539
 is an unmasked evil

00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:17.839
 unmistakable evil.

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:19.759
 We can rest contentedly

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:20.439
 in our sins

00:23:20.439 --> 00:23:21.919
 but pain insists

00:23:21.919 --> 00:23:22.939
 on being attended to.

00:23:23.399 --> 00:23:24.679
 God whispers to us

00:23:24.679 --> 00:23:25.359
 in our pleasures

00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.359
 speaks to our consciences

00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.559
 but he shouts

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.440
 in our pains.

00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:31.079
 It is his megaphone

00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:32.000
 to arouse

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.519
 a deaf world.

00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:35.399
 And Job is struggling

00:23:35.399 --> 00:23:36.500
 because not only

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.299
 is he suffering

00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:38.379
 but in his pain

00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:40.179
 he has become deaf

00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:40.899
 to God's voice.

00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:41.579
 He's unable

00:23:41.579 --> 00:23:42.299
 to hear God

00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:43.279
 speaking to him

00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:44.359
 unable to sense

00:23:44.359 --> 00:23:45.059
 God's leading

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:46.599
 and so now he feels

00:23:46.599 --> 00:23:47.679
 the double agony

00:23:47.679 --> 00:23:48.500
 of suffering

00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:49.559
 and that God

00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.319
 has turned his face

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.000
 away from him.

00:23:51.899 --> 00:23:53.200
 But Elihu's point is

00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:55.259
 God is not silence.

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:57.819
 Our God is a God

00:23:57.819 --> 00:23:59.140
 who speaks

00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:00.940
 and he may not speak

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:01.740
 in the way that you

00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.900
 want to hear him

00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:04.259
 or you think he ought

00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:04.759
 to speak

00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:06.400
 but God is speaking.

00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:08.420
 He has not left you.

00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:09.720
 Friends,

00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:10.640
 the most powerful way

00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:12.079
 that God spoke to us

00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:14.119
 about his commitment

00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:15.259
 and his love

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:16.779
 is actually through

00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:17.940
 the silence of Jesus.

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:20.819
 As Jesus was silent

00:24:20.819 --> 00:24:22.039
 before Pontius Pilate,

00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:23.859
 as Jesus was silent

00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:24.879
 before Caiaphas,

00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:27.099
 as Jesus was silently

00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:28.500
 led like a lamb

00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:29.159
 to the slaughter,

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:31.240
 as Jesus silently

00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:32.639
 hung on the cross.

00:24:33.479 --> 00:24:35.039
 In the silence of Jesus,

00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:36.219
 God was speaking

00:24:36.219 --> 00:24:37.699
 powerfully and profoundly

00:24:37.699 --> 00:24:39.019
 of his commitment

00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:40.219
 and his love.

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.899
 That though you and I

00:24:41.899 --> 00:24:42.399
 are sinners,

00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:44.839
 God has not abandoned us

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.379
 and he has not

00:24:45.379 --> 00:24:46.379
 turned his face away.

00:24:47.179 --> 00:24:47.519
 Friends,

00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:48.279
 when life is hard

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:49.000
 and it may be hard

00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:49.619
 for you this week,

00:24:50.179 --> 00:24:50.699
 when suffering

00:24:50.699 --> 00:24:51.439
 comes your way,

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:53.379
 when you lose your job,

00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:55.199
 when a relationship

00:24:55.199 --> 00:24:56.199
 comes to an end,

00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:57.799
 when a loved one

00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.599
 passes away,

00:24:59.439 --> 00:25:00.379
 when a child

00:25:00.379 --> 00:25:00.879
 is diagnosed

00:25:00.879 --> 00:25:02.059
 with a rare disease,

00:25:02.699 --> 00:25:03.559
 when the doctor

00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:04.079
 phones you

00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:04.579
 and says,

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:06.779
 the report says cancer.

00:25:07.959 --> 00:25:08.259
 Friends,

00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:08.839
 when you suffer

00:25:08.839 --> 00:25:09.500
 a miscarriage,

00:25:09.579 --> 00:25:10.000
 how are you going

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:10.539
 to respond?

00:25:12.159 --> 00:25:13.039
 Elihu reminds us

00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:14.259
 that God is not silent

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:15.539
 even in our pain

00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:17.000
 and sometimes

00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:17.559
 the pain

00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:18.240
 and the anger

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.179
 and the disappointment

00:25:19.179 --> 00:25:21.039
 can crowd out

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.839
 God's voice

00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:23.199
 and yet his voice

00:25:23.199 --> 00:25:23.819
 is the one thing

00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:24.319
 we need.

00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:26.019
 God is not silent.

00:25:27.919 --> 00:25:28.359
 Secondly,

00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:29.559
 Elihu reminds us

00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:30.839
 that God is not unjust.

00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:31.939
 Now,

00:25:32.179 --> 00:25:33.459
 in chapter 34,

00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:35.179
 Elihu addresses

00:25:35.179 --> 00:25:36.519
 Job's biggest concern

00:25:36.519 --> 00:25:37.259
 and that is that

00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:38.500
 God is simply unjust.

00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:40.659
 Job has been a God-fearing

00:25:40.659 --> 00:25:41.659
 and a blameless man.

00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:43.279
 He has loved God

00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:44.179
 and loved people

00:25:44.179 --> 00:25:46.419
 and where has it gotten him?

00:25:46.659 --> 00:25:47.299
 At a ruin.

00:25:47.859 --> 00:25:48.199
 Sorrow.

00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:49.199
 Anguish

00:25:49.199 --> 00:25:50.399
 of the severest kind.

00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:51.480
 He's lost everything

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.259
 that was precious

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.300
 and valuable to him.

00:25:53.540 --> 00:25:54.480
 It's been taken away

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:55.920
 and this leaves Job

00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:56.980
 with one conclusion.

00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:59.140
 God is unjust

00:25:59.140 --> 00:26:00.500
 and not trustworthy.

00:26:02.280 --> 00:26:03.800
 The one thing Job concludes

00:26:03.800 --> 00:26:05.000
 is whoever God is

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:06.060
 or whatever he's up to,

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.720
 he's certainly not trustworthy,

00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:08.480
 not good.

00:26:09.060 --> 00:26:10.400
 And so look at how Job says this.

00:26:10.460 --> 00:26:10.980
 Earlier on,

00:26:11.040 --> 00:26:11.360
 he says,

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:12.340
 chapter 27,

00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:14.220
 God has taken away my rights.

00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:15.940
 The Almighty has made me

00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:16.860
 bitter in soul.

00:26:17.620 --> 00:26:18.200
 Chapter 9,

00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:19.799
 Though I am in the right,

00:26:19.940 --> 00:26:21.100
 I cannot answer him.

00:26:21.380 --> 00:26:23.080
 He crushes me with a tempest.

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:24.559
 He multiplies my wounds

00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.460
 without cause.

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.580
 To God,

00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:27.580
 it's all the same.

00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:29.819
 He destroys both the blameless

00:26:29.819 --> 00:26:30.539
 and the wicked.

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:32.299
 He mocks the calamity

00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:32.880
 of the innocent.

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:34.220
 The earth is given

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:35.420
 into the hands of the wicked

00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:36.500
 and God,

00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:38.100
 he covers the faces

00:26:38.100 --> 00:26:38.940
 of the judges.

00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:41.559
 It's a common feeling, right?

00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:42.860
 I wonder if you felt like this.

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:44.440
 How can God allow suffering

00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:44.960
 and hardship

00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:45.880
 to come our way?

00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:47.420
 If God is good,

00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:48.900
 if God is powerful,

00:26:49.160 --> 00:26:50.540
 why does he allow evil

00:26:50.540 --> 00:26:51.720
 to happen in our world?

00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:53.460
 Why does he allow difficulty

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.120
 to come our way?

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:55.300
 Sometimes it seems

00:26:55.300 --> 00:26:57.560
 that God allows disaster

00:26:57.560 --> 00:26:58.880
 to mock the misfortune

00:26:58.880 --> 00:26:59.500
 of the innocent,

00:27:00.100 --> 00:27:01.460
 that the earth is given

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.500
 into the hands of the wicked.

00:27:03.600 --> 00:27:04.600
 And Job considers that

00:27:04.600 --> 00:27:05.900
 maybe God is blind

00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:07.200
 to what's really going on.

00:27:07.780 --> 00:27:09.220
 And maybe God just can't see.

00:27:09.620 --> 00:27:11.040
 Or maybe God is influenced

00:27:11.040 --> 00:27:12.360
 by the rich and the powerful

00:27:12.360 --> 00:27:13.820
 and so he's turned a blind eye

00:27:13.820 --> 00:27:14.780
 to the poor

00:27:14.780 --> 00:27:15.620
 and the suffering.

00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:16.720
 Or maybe,

00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:17.340
 thinks Job,

00:27:17.540 --> 00:27:19.000
 God has struck a deal

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.960
 with the wicked.

00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:20.980
 That he said,

00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:21.400
 listen,

00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:22.260
 if you don't cause

00:27:22.260 --> 00:27:23.220
 too much trouble for me,

00:27:23.320 --> 00:27:24.080
 I won't cause

00:27:24.080 --> 00:27:25.240
 too much trouble for you.

00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:27.900
 But look at what Elihu says.

00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:30.080
 God will not do wickedly.

00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:31.100
 The Almighty

00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:32.320
 will not pervert justice.

00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:34.200
 And then he gives

00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:35.420
 a profound argument.

00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:36.040
 He says,

00:27:36.580 --> 00:27:37.960
 who gave God charge

00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:38.720
 over the earth?

00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:39.980
 Who laid on him

00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:40.960
 the whole world?

00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:42.660
 Now,

00:27:43.340 --> 00:27:44.560
 Elihu's argument is this.

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.039
 He says,

00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:47.299
 the reason you can trust God

00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:49.099
 is because God

00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:50.240
 is God.

00:27:51.099 --> 00:27:51.399
 Now,

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.679
 that sounds circular.

00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:53.339
 Okay?

00:27:53.879 --> 00:27:55.839
 But listen to his argument here.

00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:57.039
 In other words,

00:27:57.139 --> 00:27:57.799
 Elihu's saying,

00:27:58.339 --> 00:27:59.379
 God's authority

00:27:59.379 --> 00:28:00.839
 of running the world

00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:02.059
 was not delegated

00:28:02.059 --> 00:28:02.559
 to him

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:04.259
 by some higher deity.

00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:05.099
 So,

00:28:05.179 --> 00:28:05.779
 it's not that,

00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:06.279
 you know,

00:28:06.339 --> 00:28:07.200
 there's all these deities

00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:07.859
 in the sky

00:28:07.859 --> 00:28:09.479
 and the supreme deity

00:28:09.479 --> 00:28:10.679
 is dishing out

00:28:10.679 --> 00:28:11.539
 job descriptions.

00:28:12.139 --> 00:28:12.839
 And he says,

00:28:12.959 --> 00:28:13.899
 who's going to take

00:28:13.899 --> 00:28:15.099
 planet earth this month

00:28:15.099 --> 00:28:15.939
 or this millennium?

00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.659
 And all the gods

00:28:16.659 --> 00:28:16.919
 come say,

00:28:16.979 --> 00:28:17.099
 no,

00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:17.559
 not me.

00:28:17.899 --> 00:28:18.399
 And he says,

00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:19.139
 okay,

00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:19.579
 Yahweh,

00:28:19.679 --> 00:28:20.279
 it's your turn

00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:21.479
 to take planet earth

00:28:21.479 --> 00:28:22.179
 this millennium.

00:28:22.579 --> 00:28:23.159
 And God says,

00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:23.559
 really?

00:28:23.899 --> 00:28:24.939
 I had planet earth

00:28:24.939 --> 00:28:25.699
 last millennium.

00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.939
 Do I have to get them again?

00:28:27.439 --> 00:28:27.779
 Okay,

00:28:27.899 --> 00:28:28.240
 fine,

00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:29.479
 I'll take planet earth.

00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:30.579
 And he says,

00:28:30.639 --> 00:28:31.799
 if that were the case,

00:28:32.179 --> 00:28:33.359
 we can imagine

00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:34.799
 that God grumbling,

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:35.980
 selfishly,

00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:37.159
 unjustly,

00:28:37.419 --> 00:28:38.220
 deals with us

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:40.019
 as we don't deserve,

00:28:40.099 --> 00:28:40.299
 right?

00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:41.579
 Kind of like

00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:42.619
 some middle manager

00:28:42.619 --> 00:28:43.740
 in the company

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.980
 that's given a portfolio

00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:46.220
 they don't really care about

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:47.399
 and all they care about

00:28:47.399 --> 00:28:48.099
 is their career

00:28:48.099 --> 00:28:49.099
 and so they don't care

00:28:49.099 --> 00:28:49.659
 about treating

00:28:49.659 --> 00:28:51.220
 the people underneath

00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.480
 them fairly or justly.

00:28:52.639 --> 00:28:53.539
 All they're thinking about

00:28:53.539 --> 00:28:54.460
 is their own interests.

00:28:55.199 --> 00:28:55.460
 And I says,

00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.539
 but that's not God.

00:28:57.139 --> 00:28:58.659
 God is the designer

00:28:58.659 --> 00:28:59.500
 and the architect

00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:00.419
 and the creator

00:29:00.420 --> 00:29:00.900
 of the world.

00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:02.640
 This world is his world.

00:29:03.060 --> 00:29:04.580
 He is the supreme being.

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:05.900
 And he's not looking

00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:06.820
 after the world

00:29:06.820 --> 00:29:08.160
 begrudgingly

00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:08.800
 because somebody

00:29:08.800 --> 00:29:10.600
 gave him this portfolio

00:29:10.600 --> 00:29:11.539
 that he doesn't want.

00:29:11.820 --> 00:29:13.560
 This is his delight,

00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:14.460
 his creation.

00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:16.019
 He loves it.

00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:17.400
 And the fact, Job,

00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:19.000
 that you long for justice

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:20.080
 is proof

00:29:20.080 --> 00:29:21.100
 that this God

00:29:21.100 --> 00:29:22.120
 has put justice

00:29:22.120 --> 00:29:23.000
 into the heart

00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:23.660
 of creation.

00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:25.980
 The fact that you want justice

00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:27.820
 is because God is just

00:29:27.820 --> 00:29:29.240
 and this is how he has

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:30.920
 organized the world.

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:33.599
 God is the one true God,

00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:34.640
 the supreme architect

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.279
 and governor

00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:36.599
 and owner of the world

00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:37.279
 and his world,

00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:38.319
 he loves it.

00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:40.559
 And so look at what he says.

00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:42.019
 God is just

00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:42.920
 because it's the way

00:29:42.920 --> 00:29:44.640
 he has designed our world.

00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:45.759
 Furthermore,

00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:46.220
 he says,

00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:46.779
 Job,

00:29:46.839 --> 00:29:47.279
 you've misunderstood

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:48.299
 God completely.

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:50.220
 He shows no partiality.

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:52.160
 God isn't influenced

00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:53.019
 by the powerful

00:29:53.019 --> 00:29:53.799
 and the rich.

00:29:54.859 --> 00:29:55.019
 Me,

00:29:55.099 --> 00:29:55.480
 immortals,

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.220
 we're persuaded.

00:29:56.620 --> 00:29:57.019
 We influence

00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:58.139
 some powerful person

00:29:58.139 --> 00:29:58.599
 comes in

00:29:58.599 --> 00:29:59.019
 and we all say,

00:29:59.119 --> 00:29:59.240
 yes,

00:29:59.460 --> 00:29:59.660
 okay,

00:29:59.740 --> 00:29:59.940
 yes,

00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.099
 sir,

00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:00.940
 I'll do what you want.

00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:02.220
 But some other person

00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:02.639
 comes in

00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:03.799
 and we turn our back

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.019
 at them.

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:05.220
 But God is not like that.

00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.400
 Look at verse 18.

00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.900
 God says to the kings,

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:08.940
 worthless one,

00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:10.559
 to a noble or a prince,

00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:11.519
 wicked man,

00:30:11.900 --> 00:30:13.480
 he shows no partiality

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.059
 to princes.

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:15.619
 He regards the rich

00:30:15.619 --> 00:30:17.440
 no more than the poor

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.359
 for they are all

00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:19.359
 the work of his hands.

00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:22.700
 God is not partial

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.980
 towards the rich

00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.559
 and the powerful

00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:25.279
 like you suppose.

00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:27.879
 Job says,

00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:28.279
 well,

00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:28.960
 maybe God,

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:29.500
 you know,

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:30.399
 maybe he doesn't know

00:30:30.399 --> 00:30:31.059
 all that much stuff.

00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:32.579
 Maybe he's busy

00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:33.859
 investigating my case.

00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:35.539
 So he's like a detective

00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:36.399
 in the police force

00:30:36.399 --> 00:30:37.240
 and there's some crime

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:38.519
 and he takes a year

00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:39.500
 or two years

00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:40.299
 or three years

00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:41.139
 to kind of find out

00:30:41.139 --> 00:30:41.879
 what's going on

00:30:41.879 --> 00:30:42.680
 and Elie says,

00:30:43.139 --> 00:30:43.339
 no,

00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:44.279
 his eyes are on

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:45.200
 all the ways of man.

00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:46.700
 He sees everything.

00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.279
 There is no gloom

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:48.839
 or darkness

00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:49.859
 where evil deers

00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:50.680
 may hide.

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:52.099
 God has no need

00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:53.500
 to consider a man further.

00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:55.119
 God knows everything

00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:55.939
 that's going on.

00:30:57.000 --> 00:30:58.159
 You see what Elie is saying?

00:30:58.579 --> 00:30:58.899
 He's saying,

00:30:58.959 --> 00:30:59.799
 God is just.

00:31:00.459 --> 00:31:01.359
 There is no darkness

00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:02.839
 that hides things from God.

00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:04.139
 He is not in the dark

00:31:04.139 --> 00:31:04.759
 wondering about

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.500
 what's going on.

00:31:06.179 --> 00:31:07.459
 Maybe there's a court case

00:31:07.459 --> 00:31:08.759
 and some piece of evidence

00:31:08.759 --> 00:31:10.239
 is buried or hidden

00:31:10.239 --> 00:31:13.259
 or the defense lawyers

00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:14.000
 do a great job

00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:14.979
 of keeping it out of

00:31:14.979 --> 00:31:16.399
 not admissible into court.

00:31:16.979 --> 00:31:17.299
 But God says,

00:31:17.479 --> 00:31:18.319
 Elie says,

00:31:18.439 --> 00:31:19.719
 everything is before God.

00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.079
 He sees it.

00:31:21.879 --> 00:31:22.979
 But his final point here

00:31:22.979 --> 00:31:24.579
 is when bad things happen

00:31:24.579 --> 00:31:25.720
 and the righteous suffer

00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:26.679
 and we cannot tell

00:31:26.679 --> 00:31:27.579
 what God is doing,

00:31:28.159 --> 00:31:29.139
 that's not because

00:31:29.139 --> 00:31:30.859
 God is doing nothing.

00:31:32.159 --> 00:31:32.859
 In other words,

00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:34.460
 God's apparent inaction

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:36.039
 does not contradict

00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:36.720
 his justice.

00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:39.000
 God's slowness of act

00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:39.859
 as we would like it

00:31:39.859 --> 00:31:40.559
 does not mean

00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:41.819
 he is unable to act

00:31:41.819 --> 00:31:43.000
 or unwilling to act.

00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:44.359
 It simply means

00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:45.240
 that his justice

00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:45.980
 doesn't run

00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:47.139
 on our time scale.

00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:50.099
 Friends,

00:31:50.139 --> 00:31:50.699
 have you ever felt

00:31:50.699 --> 00:31:51.960
 that God is doing nothing?

00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:54.880
 Maybe God's justice

00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.600
 doesn't run

00:31:55.600 --> 00:31:56.559
 on our time scale.

00:31:57.640 --> 00:31:58.759
 And so in the final summation,

00:31:58.920 --> 00:31:59.900
 Elihu reminds Job

00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:01.140
 that he is not God.

00:32:01.779 --> 00:32:02.880
 There is a God

00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:03.779
 who is omniscient

00:32:03.779 --> 00:32:04.559
 and sovereign

00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:05.600
 and on the throne

00:32:05.600 --> 00:32:06.340
 and that throne

00:32:06.340 --> 00:32:07.180
 is not occupied

00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:08.380
 by you, Job.

00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:09.640
 It's occupied

00:32:09.640 --> 00:32:11.019
 by God.

00:32:12.380 --> 00:32:12.880
 Friends,

00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:13.480
 what about you?

00:32:13.579 --> 00:32:14.539
 How are you going to respond

00:32:14.539 --> 00:32:15.340
 when things go,

00:32:15.860 --> 00:32:16.700
 don't go your way

00:32:16.700 --> 00:32:17.200
 this week?

00:32:17.900 --> 00:32:19.019
 When injustice

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:19.799
 and unfairness

00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:20.480
 come your way?

00:32:21.819 --> 00:32:22.539
 Will you throw

00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.420
 your hands in the air?

00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:24.339
 Will you shake

00:32:24.339 --> 00:32:25.240
 your fist at God?

00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:26.900
 Will you tell him

00:32:26.900 --> 00:32:27.539
 that he doesn't know

00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:28.379
 how to run the world?

00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:31.119
 Elihu calls Job

00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:32.299
 and indeed calls us

00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:34.799
 to the most counter-cultural

00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:35.980
 and the most counter-intrutive

00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:36.779
 thing in the world.

00:32:37.379 --> 00:32:38.960
 Rather than pacifying Job

00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:40.039
 and patting him on the back

00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:40.339
 and says,

00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:41.099
 oh shame Job,

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:42.539
 I'm so sorry for you.

00:32:42.879 --> 00:32:43.440
 I understand

00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:44.240
 how it must feel.

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.480
 Rather than coddling Job

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.180
 in his self-pity,

00:32:47.299 --> 00:32:48.079
 he calls Job

00:32:48.079 --> 00:32:48.579
 to repent

00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:48.980
 and he says,

00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:49.240
 Job,

00:32:49.339 --> 00:32:50.259
 you are not God.

00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:52.199
 You are not God.

00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:53.379
 There is a God in heaven

00:32:53.379 --> 00:32:54.419
 and it is not you

00:32:54.419 --> 00:32:55.799
 and maybe

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.919
 you should trust him.

00:32:58.179 --> 00:32:58.720
 Now friends,

00:32:58.779 --> 00:33:00.279
 why do we find this so hard?

00:33:00.439 --> 00:33:01.439
 Maybe you're here this morning

00:33:01.439 --> 00:33:02.539
 and you find this offensive.

00:33:03.399 --> 00:33:03.659
 You find,

00:33:03.859 --> 00:33:04.179
 you say,

00:33:04.419 --> 00:33:04.639
 Kevin,

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.579
 you're just like Elihu.

00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:07.159
 You're this brash young man

00:33:07.159 --> 00:33:08.159
 and you've got no compassion

00:33:08.159 --> 00:33:08.659
 in your heart.

00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:09.579
 Okay,

00:33:09.679 --> 00:33:10.460
 maybe that's true.

00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:11.259
 But still,

00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:13.359
 why do we find this so hard?

00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:15.740
 Why is Elihu's word so hard?

00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:15.919
 Well,

00:33:15.939 --> 00:33:17.019
 let me give us a couple of reasons.

00:33:17.980 --> 00:33:18.319
 Firstly,

00:33:18.980 --> 00:33:20.379
 I think self-justification

00:33:20.379 --> 00:33:21.799
 runs really deep

00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:22.700
 in the human heart.

00:33:23.379 --> 00:33:24.279
 Remember his words

00:33:24.279 --> 00:33:25.740
 at the beginning of chapter 32.

00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:26.139
 It says,

00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:27.740
 Elihu burnt with anger

00:33:27.740 --> 00:33:28.220
 at Job

00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:30.240
 because he justified himself.

00:33:31.660 --> 00:33:32.680
 Self-justification

00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:33.900
 runs very deep.

00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:35.660
 I find it in my own life.

00:33:36.539 --> 00:33:36.900
 Secondly,

00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:38.779
 as I mentioned earlier,

00:33:38.859 --> 00:33:40.079
 we are increasingly told

00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:42.180
 that no one can disagree

00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:43.200
 with your version

00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:43.920
 of the truth,

00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:44.319
 right?

00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:45.200
 And so,

00:33:45.419 --> 00:33:46.179
 who is Elihu?

00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:47.059
 In fact,

00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:48.179
 who is God for that matter

00:33:48.179 --> 00:33:49.579
 to tell Job

00:33:49.579 --> 00:33:51.039
 that he's wrong?

00:33:51.500 --> 00:33:51.819
 I mean,

00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:53.500
 if Job feels right,

00:33:53.659 --> 00:33:54.720
 it must be right.

00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:56.799
 And don't we feel the same?

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:58.379
 Who is God

00:33:58.379 --> 00:33:58.939
 to call me

00:33:58.939 --> 00:33:59.559
 to repentance?

00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:01.500
 But then thirdly,

00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:01.939
 as I said,

00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:02.740
 we live in a time

00:34:02.740 --> 00:34:03.079
 in which

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:04.919
 what feels to be true

00:34:04.919 --> 00:34:06.359
 is often deemed

00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:08.880
 or given more significance

00:34:08.880 --> 00:34:09.619
 than what may

00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:10.840
 actually be true.

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.860
 And so,

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.600
 we live in a time

00:34:12.600 --> 00:34:13.740
 that what feels

00:34:13.740 --> 00:34:15.200
 to be your truth

00:34:15.200 --> 00:34:16.360
 must be true.

00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:17.900
 And therefore,

00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:18.960
 if I feel God

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.960
 is unjust or wrong,

00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:21.720
 that I'm right

00:34:21.720 --> 00:34:22.300
 and justified

00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:23.300
 to think like this,

00:34:23.820 --> 00:34:24.820
 then we live in a culture

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.300
 that says

00:34:25.300 --> 00:34:26.539
 that must be the case.

00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:28.220
 But friends,

00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:28.539
 you see,

00:34:28.620 --> 00:34:29.519
 that's why we need

00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.000
 Elihu.

00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:31.700
 That's why we need

00:34:31.700 --> 00:34:32.160
 the Bible.

00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:33.880
 That's why we need

00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:34.760
 a church community

00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:35.780
 that can sometimes

00:34:35.780 --> 00:34:36.380
 tell us

00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:37.559
 what we feel

00:34:37.559 --> 00:34:38.120
 to be true

00:34:38.120 --> 00:34:39.180
 is not always

00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:40.339
 the whole truth.

00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:42.139
 That there is a God

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.159
 and we can trust Him.

00:34:43.739 --> 00:34:43.980
 Friends,

00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:44.699
 God is God

00:34:44.699 --> 00:34:45.419
 and He is good.

00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:46.679
 God is God

00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:47.619
 and He is just.

00:34:48.319 --> 00:34:49.059
 God is God

00:34:49.059 --> 00:34:50.039
 and He is trustworthy.

00:34:50.759 --> 00:34:51.539
 And even when we

00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:52.899
 can't see and understand it,

00:34:53.219 --> 00:34:54.679
 He is still good.

00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:55.819
 Friends,

00:34:55.879 --> 00:34:56.440
 the only time

00:34:56.440 --> 00:34:57.259
 in the history of the world

00:34:57.259 --> 00:34:59.219
 when God really was unjust

00:34:59.219 --> 00:35:00.779
 was when He allowed

00:35:00.779 --> 00:35:01.419
 the perfect,

00:35:01.619 --> 00:35:03.199
 innocent Son of God,

00:35:03.359 --> 00:35:04.519
 Jesus Christ Himself,

00:35:05.219 --> 00:35:06.239
 the innocent man

00:35:06.239 --> 00:35:07.440
 to take upon Himself

00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:08.379
 the sins of the world

00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:09.180
 so that we who

00:35:09.180 --> 00:35:10.380
 really are guilty

00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:11.700
 can go free.

00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:13.980
 Friends,

00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:14.980
 when life looks unfair

00:35:14.980 --> 00:35:15.860
 and seems unjust,

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:16.900
 God has not forgotten

00:35:16.900 --> 00:35:17.720
 or abandoned you.

00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:19.200
 Look to Jesus

00:35:19.200 --> 00:35:20.360
 and see what He did

00:35:20.360 --> 00:35:21.180
 and what He went through.

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:22.320
 And so,

00:35:22.680 --> 00:35:23.200
 Elihu says,

00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:24.059
 God is not silent.

00:35:24.220 --> 00:35:24.480
 Secondly,

00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:25.000
 He is not just.

00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:25.760
 Thirdly and finally,

00:35:25.820 --> 00:35:26.420
 this will be quick,

00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:28.099
 God is not small.

00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:29.260
 Now,

00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:30.400
 it's a bit hard

00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:30.980
 to summarize

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.260
 the last three chapters

00:35:32.260 --> 00:35:32.980
 very quickly,

00:35:33.380 --> 00:35:34.140
 but I encourage you

00:35:34.140 --> 00:35:34.579
 to read them.

00:35:34.660 --> 00:35:36.099
 Chapters 36 and 37,

00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:37.579
 Elihu essentially

00:35:37.579 --> 00:35:38.340
 comes to Job

00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:38.719
 and He says,

00:35:38.819 --> 00:35:39.079
 Job,

00:35:39.179 --> 00:35:40.039
 your view of God

00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:41.500
 is way too small.

00:35:42.519 --> 00:35:44.819
 And look at what He says here.

00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.900
 In verse 35,

00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:46.940
 chapter 35,

00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:47.440
 verse 9,

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:49.500
 Elihu says this,

00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:50.719
 because of the multitude

00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:51.940
 of the oppressions

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:52.440
 of people,

00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.440
 people cry out.

00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:55.179
 They call out for help

00:35:55.179 --> 00:35:56.119
 because of the arm

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:56.739
 of the Almighty

00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:57.679
 that is against them.

00:35:58.079 --> 00:35:59.079
 But none says,

00:35:59.460 --> 00:36:00.980
 where is my God,

00:36:01.179 --> 00:36:02.000
 my Maker?

00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.360
 In other words,

00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:04.000
 Elihu says,

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:05.099
 people often

00:36:05.099 --> 00:36:05.619
 when they come

00:36:05.619 --> 00:36:06.179
 to hardship,

00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:08.059
 they call out to God

00:36:08.059 --> 00:36:09.579
 like superstitious people

00:36:09.579 --> 00:36:10.940
 call out to their charms.

00:36:11.559 --> 00:36:12.019
 They say,

00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:12.280
 God,

00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:13.119
 I don't know who you are,

00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:14.539
 but you must be good.

00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:15.840
 You must be powerful.

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:16.860
 Come and deliver me.

00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:18.719
 But they don't call out

00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:19.280
 in faith.

00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:20.920
 They say,

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:22.099
 they cry out to God,

00:36:22.179 --> 00:36:23.059
 but none says,

00:36:23.619 --> 00:36:24.659
 oh my God,

00:36:24.739 --> 00:36:25.380
 my Maker,

00:36:26.139 --> 00:36:27.380
 the one that I've trusted.

00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:28.219
 Oh Lord,

00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:29.239
 I need you.

00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:31.099
 They cry out in anguish,

00:36:31.099 --> 00:36:32.500
 they cry out in pain,

00:36:32.619 --> 00:36:33.579
 but they do not cry out

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:34.059
 in faith.

00:36:34.900 --> 00:36:35.839
 And so what does God think

00:36:35.839 --> 00:36:36.980
 of these empty cries

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:37.719
 into the heavens?

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:39.639
 Verse 12,

00:36:39.719 --> 00:36:40.380
 they cry out,

00:36:40.460 --> 00:36:41.639
 but he does not answer them

00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:43.119
 because of the pride

00:36:43.119 --> 00:36:43.839
 of evil men.

00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:45.940
 Surely God does not hear

00:36:45.940 --> 00:36:47.639
 an empty or deceitful cry.

00:36:48.219 --> 00:36:49.920
 The Almighty does not regard it.

00:36:50.819 --> 00:36:52.799
 In the rest of chapter 36 and 37,

00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:54.480
 Elihu reminds Job

00:36:54.480 --> 00:36:55.759
 that God is both great

00:36:55.759 --> 00:36:56.519
 and majestic

00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:57.460
 and all-knowing

00:36:57.460 --> 00:36:58.299
 and all-powerful,

00:36:58.739 --> 00:36:59.900
 but he's also gracious

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:01.000
 and merciful.

00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.839
 And utterly fair

00:37:02.839 --> 00:37:03.799
 and kind.

00:37:04.619 --> 00:37:05.860
 Look at verse 5.

00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:06.299
 He says,

00:37:06.679 --> 00:37:06.960
 behold,

00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:07.819
 God is mighty,

00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:09.279
 he does not despise any.

00:37:09.759 --> 00:37:11.219
 He is mighty in strength,

00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:13.360
 but also mighty in understanding.

00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:16.079
 And so Job,

00:37:16.259 --> 00:37:17.519
 beware lest wrath

00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:18.880
 entice you into scoffing.

00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:19.799
 Don't become arrogant

00:37:19.799 --> 00:37:20.539
 and conceited

00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:21.639
 in your pain.

00:37:22.179 --> 00:37:22.759
 Verse 21,

00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:23.940
 take care, Job,

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:25.219
 not to turn to iniquity.

00:37:25.619 --> 00:37:25.799
 Job,

00:37:25.860 --> 00:37:27.019
 don't let your suffering

00:37:27.019 --> 00:37:28.259
 lead you into sin.

00:37:29.179 --> 00:37:29.559
 Finally,

00:37:29.739 --> 00:37:30.239
 at the end,

00:37:30.339 --> 00:37:30.960
 Elihu says,

00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:31.819
 behold,

00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:33.299
 God is exalted in power.

00:37:33.900 --> 00:37:35.159
 Who will be his teacher?

00:37:35.799 --> 00:37:37.000
 Who has prescribed

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.659
 his way away for him?

00:37:38.819 --> 00:37:40.059
 Or who can say to him,

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:41.559
 you have done wrong?

00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:43.900
 Elihu says,

00:37:43.980 --> 00:37:44.219
 Job,

00:37:44.219 --> 00:37:45.219
 your view of God

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:46.379
 is way too small

00:37:46.379 --> 00:37:48.179
 and you don't know

00:37:48.179 --> 00:37:48.819
 who he is.

00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:50.179
 And so Elihu

00:37:50.179 --> 00:37:51.599
 brings imagery

00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:52.159
 after imagery.

00:37:52.279 --> 00:37:52.579
 He says,

00:37:52.899 --> 00:37:53.119
 Job,

00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:54.059
 consider the weather.

00:37:54.779 --> 00:37:55.899
 How is snow created?

00:37:56.559 --> 00:37:57.559
 How are the weather patterns

00:37:57.559 --> 00:37:57.879
 formed?

00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:58.539
 Do you know?

00:37:58.959 --> 00:37:59.959
 Will you teach God?

00:38:00.379 --> 00:38:01.199
 Will you teach God

00:38:01.199 --> 00:38:02.079
 when it should rain

00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:02.859
 and when it should not?

00:38:03.819 --> 00:38:04.159
 Job,

00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:05.259
 you are not God.

00:38:05.959 --> 00:38:07.379
 Let God be God.

00:38:08.459 --> 00:38:09.059
 And so friends,

00:38:09.059 --> 00:38:10.279
 have you ever suffered terribly?

00:38:11.200 --> 00:38:11.920
 Have you ever lost

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.680
 a loved one,

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:14.100
 been unfairly treated,

00:38:14.860 --> 00:38:15.360
 been the victim

00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:16.940
 of some traumatic experience?

00:38:17.540 --> 00:38:18.620
 And where was God

00:38:18.620 --> 00:38:19.340
 in all of that?

00:38:20.140 --> 00:38:20.960
 Was he silent?

00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:23.400
 Did he allow the unjust

00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:24.300
 to get away with it?

00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:26.740
 Did he explain himself to you

00:38:26.740 --> 00:38:27.740
 or answer your questions?

00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:29.400
 Friends,

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:30.460
 if you haven't experienced

00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:31.900
 suffering or a hardship yet,

00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:34.100
 it's unlikely that you won't.

00:38:35.019 --> 00:38:35.800
 There will come a time

00:38:35.800 --> 00:38:36.820
 when you experience it.

00:38:37.300 --> 00:38:38.660
 And when such tragedy

00:38:38.660 --> 00:38:39.460
 comes your way,

00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:40.380
 how will you respond?

00:38:41.240 --> 00:38:42.180
 Will you grow bitter

00:38:42.180 --> 00:38:43.560
 and angry

00:38:43.560 --> 00:38:44.920
 and hard?

00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:47.700
 Will you grow resentful

00:38:47.700 --> 00:38:48.620
 towards God?

00:38:49.640 --> 00:38:50.660
 Or will you become

00:38:50.660 --> 00:38:52.060
 withdrawn and isolated,

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:54.060
 away from community,

00:38:54.300 --> 00:38:55.560
 will you withdraw

00:38:55.560 --> 00:38:56.160
 into yourself?

00:38:57.100 --> 00:38:57.840
 Will you become

00:38:57.840 --> 00:38:58.860
 conceited and angry

00:38:58.860 --> 00:38:59.600
 to those that are

00:38:59.600 --> 00:39:00.380
 enjoying life

00:39:00.380 --> 00:39:02.280
 and enjoying

00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:03.260
 the blessings of God?

00:39:04.140 --> 00:39:04.640
 Or friends,

00:39:04.780 --> 00:39:05.460
 will you allow,

00:39:05.880 --> 00:39:06.780
 will you open yourself

00:39:06.780 --> 00:39:07.420
 up to God?

00:39:08.280 --> 00:39:09.420
 Will you cry out to him

00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:10.460
 not in superstition

00:39:10.460 --> 00:39:11.600
 but in faith?

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.920
 Will you trust him?

00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:15.539
 Will you allow

00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:16.180
 the suffering

00:39:16.180 --> 00:39:16.820
 and the sorrow

00:39:16.820 --> 00:39:17.860
 to soften you,

00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:19.580
 to humble you,

00:39:20.060 --> 00:39:21.380
 to make you a wiser,

00:39:21.640 --> 00:39:22.700
 more gentle person,

00:39:23.300 --> 00:39:24.200
 more full of faith?

00:39:25.160 --> 00:39:25.440
 Friends,

00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:26.200
 you can only do that

00:39:26.200 --> 00:39:26.600
 if you know

00:39:26.600 --> 00:39:27.620
 who God is.

00:39:28.680 --> 00:39:29.640
 He is not silent.

00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:31.580
 He is not unjust.

00:39:32.360 --> 00:39:33.420
 He is not small

00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:34.460
 and he does not respond

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.060
 to manipulation.

00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:37.140
 He is the sovereign God

00:39:37.140 --> 00:39:37.420
 of all,

00:39:37.580 --> 00:39:38.580
 mighty and majestic,

00:39:39.200 --> 00:39:40.000
 but merciful

00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:41.080
 and gracious

00:39:41.080 --> 00:39:42.380
 and kind.

00:39:43.180 --> 00:39:44.080
 Let's come to him

00:39:44.080 --> 00:39:44.820
 now in prayer.

00:39:46.480 --> 00:39:47.380
 Let's pray together.

00:39:47.380 --> 00:39:51.440
 Father God,

00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:52.640
 this passage

00:39:52.640 --> 00:39:53.800
 is so challenging.

00:39:54.320 --> 00:39:55.440
 It's so provocative

00:39:55.440 --> 00:39:56.840
 and God,

00:39:56.920 --> 00:39:58.240
 it's somewhat easy

00:39:58.240 --> 00:39:59.079
 to maybe sit

00:39:59.079 --> 00:39:59.640
 through a sermon,

00:40:00.579 --> 00:40:01.240
 put up with me

00:40:01.240 --> 00:40:02.200
 for 35 minutes,

00:40:02.340 --> 00:40:02.700
 but God,

00:40:02.760 --> 00:40:03.780
 to actually live this

00:40:03.780 --> 00:40:04.519
 in the day-to-day

00:40:04.519 --> 00:40:05.940
 experience of life

00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:06.940
 on a Tuesday afternoon,

00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:08.039
 on a Wednesday morning,

00:40:08.559 --> 00:40:09.840
 on a Thursday night,

00:40:09.960 --> 00:40:10.180
 God,

00:40:10.260 --> 00:40:11.740
 when children are sick,

00:40:11.820 --> 00:40:12.660
 when marriage is hard,

00:40:12.659 --> 00:40:13.659
 when money is tight,

00:40:14.460 --> 00:40:15.480
 when things go wrong

00:40:15.480 --> 00:40:15.839
 at work,

00:40:15.940 --> 00:40:16.239
 God,

00:40:16.319 --> 00:40:16.899
 it's hard.

00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:17.819
 Won't you help us

00:40:17.819 --> 00:40:18.379
 in those times

00:40:18.379 --> 00:40:19.839
 to turn to you?

00:40:21.099 --> 00:40:21.759
 Won't you help us

00:40:21.759 --> 00:40:22.480
 to trust you?

00:40:23.279 --> 00:40:23.980
 Won't you help us

00:40:23.980 --> 00:40:25.000
 to love you?

00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:25.960
 God,

00:40:26.019 --> 00:40:26.279
 I pray,

00:40:26.359 --> 00:40:27.279
 won't you give us faith

00:40:27.279 --> 00:40:28.839
 to do that this week,

00:40:28.879 --> 00:40:29.239
 I pray,

00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:30.440
 in your good

00:40:30.440 --> 00:40:31.219
 and gracious name.