Let me just pause and pray.
Father, as we open your word,
!
Lord, the hope of eternal life.
And we look forward, as we were singing,
of spending eternity with our treasure,
our Savior, Jesus.
Thank you for leaving us your word.
It is full.
It is rich.
It is your thought on how we should live.
It's your desire.
It expresses your very character.
As we look at this text this morning,
help us to not only have a deeper knowledge,
but a commitment to obey you and to love you.
There are those among us who are suffering.
Those who are challenged by physical challenge,
financial challenges, relationship challenges.
God, would your word today meet them where they're at.
I pray that your spirit would bring comfort
and bring direction into their lives.
We want to do this for the praise and sake
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Amen.
Well, at this point in our study,
in Job chapter 12 now,
we are at the end of the first of three rounds
of, I guess, so-called encouragement
that the friends of Job are going to be bringing to him.
We've heard from the theologian Eliphaz,
who based his counsel on a vision of God's greatness.
He argued that suffering is a consequence of sin.
And therefore, in his human wisdom,
Eliphaz concluded that Job must have sinned
and he needed to confess and repent.
And then we've heard from the traditionalist, Bildad.
He based his counsel on time-honored concepts of justice,
arguing that God is just and he does not pervert justice.
And therefore, in his human wisdom,
Bildad concluded that because Job was suffering
and experienced great loss,
it must be because of the consequence of great sin.
And therefore, Job must repent to be restored to prosperity.
And the third friend, Zophar,
he was the moralist who based his counsel
on a consensus of human wisdom,
arguing that God is infinitely transcendent.
He is above our thoughts.
God is also righteous in his judgments.
And in his human wisdom,
Zophar concluded that Job absolutely deserved
everything that he got.
And not only that, he deserved more.
Job, therefore, must confess and repent.
Well, Zophar was the most direct.
He was the harshest with his accusations.
He lacked any empathy for Job's distress.
I guess you could say he was the worst counselor, Zophar.
Sorry.
That didn't go over very well in the first group.
Well, we come to Job chapter 12.
It's the longest reply of Job to his three friends.
And I'm going to start with his direct defense to his friends.
First of all, Job's stinging criticism of his friends.
There in chapter 12, verse 1.
And again, I don't mean to make light,
but as I thought about this text a lot,
I kept hearing in my mind the voice of Inigo Montoya
from The Princess Bride.
And he kept saying,
I can hear Job saying,
you keep using that word, the word wisdom.
You keep using that word.
I do not think it means what you think it means.
And so we see A,
to his friends,
you are not what you think.
There in chapter 12, verse 1.
With no little sarcasm,
Job replied,
doubtless,
you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you.
He's saying,
oh, you're the experts.
And when you die,
I guess wisdom's going to be gone.
This wisdom that Job refers to
is what Pastor Andrew introduced several weeks ago
called retributive justice.
It just means that good deeds are rewarded always,
and bad deeds are punished always.
We'll see next week that that's not true.
And Job says to them,
this is the world's best wisdom that you're offering me.
And guys, I already know it.
It's wrong.
You are not what you think.
You believe you are a comforter.
Look at verse 5.
But your words are cruel and contemptuous.
Those who are at ease, Job says,
have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
You know, when you compare their responses to Job
with what James says is true wisdom
in James chapter 3,
you read this.
But the wisdom from above
is first pure,
then peaceable,
gentle,
open to reason,
full of mercy
and good fruits.
It's impartial
and sincere.
This was not
the spirit of his friends to Job.
This was not
wisdom
from on high.
In fact,
you might make an argument
that this was wisdom from below.
You are not
what you think.
Look at verse 2 of chapter 13.
You believe you're superior to me.
I am not inferior to you.
You believe
you are not what you think.
You believe you speak truth
that will heal my suffering.
But you are heartless liars
and worthless quacks.
13 verse 4.
He says,
you, however,
smear me with lies.
You are worthless physicians,
all of you.
You are not what you think.
In chapter 13 verse 7.
You believe you're arguing
for God's,
on his behalf,
but you are false
and deceitful counselors.
You are not what you think.
In chapter 13 verse 8.
You believe that you can
get in tight with God somehow
and show him partiality,
but his majesty
would terrify you
and his dread would drown you.
In verse 8,
it says,
will you show him partiality?
Will you agree
or will you argue
the case for God?
And then in verse 10.
He will surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.
And 11,
would not his splendor
terrify you?
Would not the dread of him
fall on you?
You are not what you think,
Job says to his friends.
Look at verse 12 of chapter 13.
You believe you have
all the perfect answers
and solid defenses,
but your maxims
are proverbs of ashes
and your defenses
are defenses of clay.
They are nothing.
You are not what you think.
And then go back up
a little bit to verse 9.
Job says to them,
would it turn out well
if he examined you?
Could you deceive him
as you might deceive a mortal?
In other words,
how will it go with you
if when he searches you out,
just as he has searched me out,
you measure your own circumstances
by these same faulty standards?
Sounds a little bit like Jesus saying,
whoever is without sin
may cast the first stone.
And then chapter 13,
verse 5,
Job is just fed up.
And he says this,
guys,
just shut up your mouths.
Be quiet.
Be silent.
Your silence
would be your wisdom.
It reminds me of Proverbs
chapter 17,
verse 28.
In Proverbs 7,
28,
even a fool
who keeps silent
is considered wise.
And when he closes his lips,
he's deemed intelligent.
And so we see Job
in his defense
has discredited
his accusers.
Their accusations
are invalid.
You are not
what you think.
And then he says,
I am not what you think.
Go back to chapter 12,
verses 3 and 4.
I am a man
of understanding
and wisdom.
There in verse 3.
But I have a mind
as well as you.
I'm not inferior to you.
Who does not know
all these things?
I am not what you think.
I am no fool
as you say.
I'm not what you think.
Verse 4,
the very first part of this.
I am one
who routinely
called on God
and God answered me.
I have become
a laughing stock
to my friends.
This is 12, 4a.
Though I called on God
and he answered me.
This phrase,
this verb called on,
this participle
points to Job's
regular practice
of calling on God
and having God
answer him.
Job's saying to his friends,
you think you know
what God is thinking?
I regularly talked
with him.
We were challenged
in the very first message
on Job
to get Christopher Ash's
commentary
on the book of Job.
And frequently,
Ash shines the light
on how Jesus
comes into view
through Job's life
and circumstances.
as we sang,
and thank you,
John,
and worship team
for pointing us
to the Lord Jesus.
Because as we sang,
the Lord Jesus,
the innocent one,
he was blameless
and yet he was mocked
by his brethren too.
They said things like,
remember,
he trusted in God.
Let him deliver him now
if he will save him.
I am not what you think,
Job says to his friends.
The second part
of that,
verse four,
a mere laughingstock,
though righteous
and blameless,
Job says,
I am blameless.
I am righteous.
Interestingly,
isn't it,
that this is
the exact wording
of what God said
about Job
in chapter one.
And Job didn't
even know that.
Job knew
that his life
was blameless.
He even said so
back in Job chapter nine,
verses 15 and 20,
where he says,
I am in the right.
I am innocent.
I'm not what you think.
Chapter 13,
verse three.
I am suffering, guys,
but not for the reasons
that you suppose.
And I will plead
my case before God.
Verse three says,
I desire to speak
to the Almighty
and argue my case
before God.
You drop down
to 13,
verses 15 through 19.
Though he slay me,
yet I will hope in him.
I will surely defend
my ways to his face.
Indeed,
this will turn out
for my deliverance,
for no godless person
would dare come before him.
Job understood
God is holy.
Coming before him,
it means something.
And only an innocent man
could come before him.
And Job
supposed he was innocent
and that he would be able
to argue his case
before God.
And then he says
in verse 17,
listen carefully
to what I say.
Let my words
ring in your ears.
Now that I've prepared
my case,
I know
I will be vindicated.
You are not
what you think.
I am not what you think.
And then he says,
God is not what you think.
In chapter 12,
going back to chapter 12,
verses 6 through 10,
God mocks
your worldly wisdom,
this retributive justice,
by allowing robbers
to be at peace
and provokers of God
to rest securely.
I won't spend
a lot of time on this.
Again,
I think we're covering
that next week.
But listen,
aren't you glad
that God doesn't judge
sin immediately
and as harshly
as he justly should?
He is patient with us.
He is long-suffering.
God is not what you think.
In verses 7 through 10,
just as the beasts
and birds
and bushes of the earth
and the fish of the sea
they will teach you.
They will tell you.
They will teach you.
The sea will declare to you.
And then in verse 9,
Who among all these
does not know
that the hand of the Lord
has done this?
In his hand
is the life
of every living thing
and the breath
of all mankind.
They'll teach you
that he is the creator.
He is the sovereign one
over all creation.
And he has allowed
this suffering
though I am innocent.
God is not what you think.
God will not fit neatly
into your tiny little
domestic box of thinking.
He will not be tamed
by your faulty view of him.
He is terrifyingly sovereign
and often acts
in ways opposite
what we imagine.
In chapter 12
verses 14 and 15,
if he tears down,
none can rebuild.
If he shuts a man in,
none can open.
If he withholds the waters,
they dry up.
If he sends them out,
they overwhelm the land.
And then you have
this section
from verses 17 through 25
where God
almost intentionally,
it's as if he delights
in doing the opposite
of what you would expect.
Like in verse 17,
judges,
we count judges
as wise, right?
Well, what does God do?
He makes them fools.
In verse 18,
or verse,
yeah,
verse 18,
kings are the ones
who command prisoners
to be bound.
What does God do?
He looses
those bonds of kings.
Verse 19,
the mighty,
God overthrows.
Verse 20,
elders,
you expect elders
to have discernment
and wisdom.
What does God do?
He takes it away.
Verse 21,
princes,
which are noble,
God pours contempt
on them.
Verse 22,
God uncovers
the deeps
out of darkness,
the things
that are hidden.
God uncovers.
He brings deep darkness
to light.
And you could read
the rest of those verses.
God,
he's doing the opposite.
He does not fit
into our little mold.
It reminds me
of what the Lord said
through the prophet Isaiah
in chapter 55,
verses 8 and 9.
For my thoughts
are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways
my ways,
declares the Lord.
For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
so are my ways
higher than your ways,
and my thoughts
higher than your thoughts.
In The Lion,
the Witch,
and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis,
there's a scene
in the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver,
and Lucy asks a question
regarding Aslan,
the lion,
the king of the beasts.
When hearing about him
for the very first time,
she asks,
is he safe?
Mr. Beaver replies,
who said anything
about safe?
Of course he isn't safe,
but he is good.
He's the king,
I tell you.
Well,
after discrediting
his accusers,
we begin to see
a glimpse
of Job
stirring faith
and his steadfast hope,
but it's just a glimpse,
mind you.
In chapter 12,
verses 13,
starting at verse 13,
Job's confronting
his friends.
I want you to note
his affirmation
of who God is
and his desire
to plead his innocence
before him.
12, 13,
and there's three different
wisdom words here
and one power word.
With God,
our wisdom
and might,
he has counsel
and understanding.
And what Job
is declaring is,
this is the God
that I believe in.
He is a God
that is all-wise.
He is a God
who is powerful.
If you drop down
to verse 16,
with him
our strength
and sound wisdom.
The deceived
and the deceiver
are his.
All are under
his authority
and no one
is pulling anything
over his eyes.
And then move over
to chapter 13,
look at verse 3.
Job says,
but I would speak
to the Almighty.
Note this term
for God,
this Hebrew word
Shaddai
describes God's position
and power
and sovereignty
over all his creation.
It's used 31 times
in the book of Job.
And interestingly,
this is how God
introduced himself
to Abraham
in Genesis 17, 1.
We read here,
if I could,
there it is.
When Abraham
was 99 years old,
the Lord appeared
to him and said,
I am God Almighty.
I am El Shaddai.
Walk before me
and be blameless.
What does the Lord
require of Abraham?
To walk before him
and be what?
Blameless.
Does that sound familiar?
Job uses this term
for God again
in chapter 37,
verse 23.
The Almighty,
we cannot find him.
He is great in power,
justice,
and abundant righteousness
he will not violate.
And guys,
this is the very crux
of the book of Job.
God's integrity,
not Job's,
is at stake.
Under intense,
unbearable suffering,
in the midst
of confusion
and chaos,
Job anchors
his faith
on the Almighty.
He declares,
he is omnipotent.
He is just.
He is righteous.
And he is my hope.
As the clouds
of despair
just briefly part,
we see such
stirring faith
and steadfast hope.
Well,
we move from
Job's direct defense
to his friends
to Job's desired defense
to his God.
In chapter 13,
verse 20,
as we read earlier,
Job desired to take
his case before God,
to argue his case.
And he starts
to do that here
in verse 20
of chapter 13.
However,
Job understands
that coming to God
is not a light thing.
And he asked God
for two favors.
In verse 20,
only grant me two things,
and then I will not
hide myself
from your face.
Verse 21,
withdraw your hand
far from me,
and let not dread
of you terrify me.
Job's saying,
God,
give me some space.
You overwhelm me.
Verse 22,
then call,
and I will answer,
or let me speak,
and you reply to me.
See,
Job recognized
that the root
of all his suffering,
the root of all the pain,
was sin.
And so we're going
to talk about
sin addressed.
In verse 23 there
of chapter 13,
Job's going to use
four words for sin,
one of them twice.
And then he's going
to ask God,
why are you turning
your face away from me?
Why are you counting
me as your enemy?
Verse 23,
how many are my iniquities
and my sins?
Make me to know
my transgression
and my sin.
Why do you hide
your face
and count me
as your enemy?
does that not sound
like our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ?
Quoting Psalm 22,
my God,
why have you
forsaken me?
Verse 25,
will you frighten
a driven leaf
and pursue dry chaff?
For you write
bitter things against me
and make me inherit
the iniquities
of my youth.
You put my feet
in the stocks
and watch my paths.
You set a limit
on the soles
of my feet.
Well, Job mistakes
God's treatment
against him
as judgment
against the sins
of his youth.
He doesn't understand
why God is treating him
as a guilty sinner
when he carefully,
when he lovingly,
when he worshipfully
sacrificed to God
there as we read
in chapter 1
for himself
but also for the sins
of his family.
And this is what's
so hard,
I believe,
for Job.
Lord,
I love you.
I have obeyed you.
I trust you.
So why am I still suffering?
Sometimes,
the innocent suffer too.
Aren't you grateful
for Jesus?
The innocent one
who suffered
the judgment
for our sin?
He experienced
the full wrath
of God
against all
of our sin?
He experienced
the abandonment
of his heavenly Father
for you
and for me.
Paul,
under the direction
of the Holy Spirit,
overwhelmed by grace,
says this
in 2 Corinthians 5,
verse 21.
For our sake,
he made him,
Jesus,
to be sin
who knew no sin
so that in him
we might become
the righteousness
of God.
Well,
the weight of sin
for Job was heavy
and so was the fact
that sin
leads to mortality.
And that's our next point,
mortality addressed.
There in verse 28,
Job says this,
Man wastes away
like a rotten thing,
like a garment
that is moth-eaten.
Chapter 14,
verse 1,
Man who is born of woman
is few of days
and full of trouble.
He comes out
like a flower
and withers.
He flees like a shadow
and continues not.
And do you open
your eyes on such a one
and bring me
into judgment with you?
Who can bring
a clean thing
out of an unclean?
There is not one.
And since his days
are determined
and the number
of his months
is with you
and you have appointed
his limits
that he cannot pass,
look away from him.
Leave him alone
that he may enjoy
like a hired hand
his day.
What Job is describing
here is the frailty
of man
as one whose life
wastes away
and is full of trouble.
Life is fleeting
like a withering flower.
Man who hasn't
a few of us
bought flowers
for our wives
and a week later
we're going like
well that was fast.
Life flees
like a shadow.
I came to Maranatha
when I was 23 years old guys.
Look at me.
It just happens
just like that.
And sin
is causing
this decay.
Matthew Henry
in connecting
verse 4
with verse 1
comments on the inherent
sinfulness of humanity
stating that
clean children
cannot come
from unclean parents
any more than
pure streams
come from
an impure spring
or grapes
from thorns.
This is the teaching
of total depravity.
There is none
righteous,
no,
not one.
and no one
has any
inherent ability
to save themselves.
And Job is saying
God
you who are
eternal
you're pure
you're great
you see that
I am the rotting one
I am the
moth eaten garment
the fading flower
and the fleeing shadow
look away from me
withdraw your hand
of judgment
Lord have mercy
on me.
And then we see
death addressed
there in chapter
14 verses 7
through 12
we read this
for there's hope
for a tree
if it be cut down
that it will
sprout again
and that its
shoots
will not cease
though its root
grows old
in the earth
and its stump
die in the soil
yet at the scent
of water
it will bud
and put out
its branches
like a young plant
but a man dies
and is laid low
man breathes
his last
and where is he
as waters
fail from a lake
and a river
wastes away
and dries up
so a man
lies down
and rises
not again
till the heavens
are no more
he will not awake
or be roused
out of his sleep.
In the Bible
knowledge commentary
John Wolvard
and Roy Zuck
state that
this does not teach
annihilation
it simply means
that a man
cannot relive
his entire life
in the same
physical body
death
is final
the question
at the end
of verse 10
if a man dies
where is he
is a rhetorical one
the answer being
he's in Sheol
he's dead
I believe
as Job
thought about it
it just seems
so unfair
why should a tree
have a better hope
of resurrection
than a man
his conclusion
in verse 12
which says
so a man lies
down and rises
not again
it reflects
his uncertain
and his incomplete
understanding
of the afterlife
it reminds us
of a principle
in the New Testament
from 2nd Timothy
chapter 2
verse 10
listen to this
and which now
has been
manifested
through the
appearing
of our
Savior
Christ Jesus
who abolished
death
and he brought
life and
immortality
to light
through the
gospel
Job did not
know this
verse
his view
was incomplete
street
it appears
that actually
his view
of the
afterlife
was cloudy
and dark
clouds
at best
note that
later God
challenged him
and corrected
Job's
assertations
regarding the
afterlife
reminding Job
that he did
not in fact
know what
life after death
was like
in Job
chapter 38
verse 2
we read this
who is this
that darkens
counsel by words
without knowledge
Job
you just
don't know
you're speaking
about things
that you're
ignorant of
verse 17
have the gates
of death
been revealed
to you
or have you
seen the gates
of deep
darkness
verse 19
where is the
way
to the dwelling
of light
and where is
the place
of darkness
that you may
take it
to its territory
and that you
may discern
the paths
to its home
we continue
to see this
cloudiness
back in
chapter 14
verses 13
through 17
where Job
asked for
some relief
longing
for the grave
to end
his suffering
and hoping
for something
beyond
and that
brings us
to our
fourth point
relief
addressed
there in
chapter 14
verse 13
oh that you
would hide
me in
shield
that you
would conceal
me until
your wrath
be passed
that you
would point
me a set
time
and remember
me
if a man
dies
shall he
live again
all the days
of my service
I would wait
till my renewal
should come
you would call
and I would
answer you
you would long
for the work
of your hands
for then you
would number
my steps
you would not
keep watch
over my sin
my transgression
would be sealed
up in a bag
and you would
cover over
my iniquity
Job thought
perhaps even
hoped
that death
was better
than his current
misery
and then he
asks a tremendous
question
in verse 14
if a man
dies
shall he
live again
G. Campbell
Morgan says
the question
of Job
was answered
by Jesus
amen
Jesus says
this in
John chapter
11
verses 25
to 26
I am the
resurrection
and the
life
whoever
believes in
me
though he
were dead
yet shall
he live
and everyone
who lives
and believes
in me
shall never
die
do you
believe this
and I ask
you
do you
believe this
coming back
to Job
14
Job says
that he
would wait
till his
renewal
should come
the word
renewal
here
it's a
military
term
it just
means
changing
of the
guard
or relief
from duty
it was also
used to
describe
after when
a servant
had worked
all day
that the
next shift
came in
to replace
him
Job
hoped
death
would be
that next
shift
bringing
some kind
of relief
from his
present
agony
and then
we come
to verse
15
I would
have loved
to heard
what the
connect group
said about
this this
morning
because
I could
use some
help here
twice last
week Daniel
said he
wrestled with
the text
I don't know
where you're
at Daniel
but I know
what it means
to wrestle
with the text
I really
wrestled
with this
verse
it appears
that Job
is backpedaling
and hoping
for a
restoration
of relationship
with God
after death
since he
is no longer
really hoping
for any
restoration
of life
during his
time on
earth
we see
again the
tension
and this
confusion
in Job
regarding
the afterlife
look at
verse 15
to say
you would
call
and I
would answer
you
you would
long
for the
work of
your hands
is much
more hopeful
and positive
than his
previous
statements
there is
this glimpse
of the
former
personal
relationship
that he
had with
God
19th
century
Bible
scholar
Adam
Clark
commenting
on this
phrase
you would
long
for the
work of
your
hands
says
this
man
is one
of the
noblest
works
of God
he has
exhibited
him
as a
masterpiece
of his
creative
skill
power
and
goodness
nothing
less
than the
strongest
call
upon
his
justice
could
have
induced
him
thus
to
destroy
the
work
of
his
hands
no wonder
he has
an
earnest
desire
towards
it
even
God
is
represented
as
earnestly
longing
for the
ultimate
revivescence
it's just
the ability
to revive
of the
sleeping
dust
he cannot
he will
not
forget
the work
of his
hands
Job
seems to
believe
God
desires
that
relationship
as well
it's worth
noting
that at
this point
in his
reply
to his
friends
Job
is actually
praying
out loud
he's
talking
to the
almighty
and he's
saying this
in the
ears
of his
friends
at least
Zophers
hearing
and he
says
verses
16
and 17
look at
16
and 17
for then
you would
number
my steps
you would
not keep
watch
over my
sin
my
transgression
would be
sealed up
in a bag
and you
would
cover
over
my
iniquity
Job
prayed
these
words
not only
because
he desperately
wanted
God
not to
judge
him
according
to the
full
measure
of
his
sins
but
because
he
also
wanted
Zophers
and the
others
to hear
that Job
did in
fact
know
that
he
was
a
sinner
and
not
perfect
as
Zophers
accused
in
chapter
11
verse
4
Zophers
says
oh
for
you
say
my
doctrine
is
pure
and
I
am
clean
in
God's
eyes
well
we
move
on
to
point
five
here
destruction
and
pain
addressed
destruction
and
pain
addressed
verses
18
through
22
we
see
Job
swirling
back
into
misery
concluding
his
poem
in
despair
we
read
this
but
the
mountain
falls
and
crumbles
away
and
the
rock
is
removed
from
its
place
the
waters
wear
away
the
stones
the
torrents
wash
away
the
soil
of
the
earth
so
you
destroy
the
hope
of
man
you
prevail
against
him
and
he
passes
you
change
his
countenance
and
send
him
away
his
sons
come
to
honor
and
he
does
not
know
it
they
are
brought
low
and
he
perceives
it
not
he
only
feels
the
pain
of
his
own
body
and
he
mourns
only
for
himself
in
his
poetic
outpouring
we see
Job
crying
out
to
God
that
God
sweeps
away
the
hopes
of
man
just
like
the
torrents
sweep
away
the
soil
of
the
earth
Job
believes
when
God
sets
himself
against
a
man
there
is
nothing
that
the
man
can
do
God
will
prevail
against
him
and
I'll
just
confess
this
is
also
where
I
struggled
you
see
in
chapter
14
verses
7
through
12
we
get
this
glimpse
of
Job
not a
glimpse
it's
there
Job's
despair
and
then
in
chapter
14
verses
13
through
17
just
a
glimpse
of
Job's
hope
and
then
at
the
end
of
this
chapter
verses
18
through
22
we're
back
at
Job's
despair
and
I'm
thinking
to
myself
how
can
Job
leave
this
conversation
so
hopeless
!
There are
godly men
on both
sides
of this
I've
read
them
both
I want
you to
consider
the words
of an
Australian
biblical
Hebrew
scholar
his name
is
Francis
Ian
Anderson
he just
passed
away
at the
beginning
of
COVID
but
here's
what
he
says
we
should
not
be
those
expecting
Job
to
use
western
logic
in
constructing
his
discourse
so
that
an
argument
is
followed
through
step
by
step
until
the
result
is
reached
at
the
end
what
he's
saying
is
guys
Job
was
not
a
western
man
here
in
the
west
we
typically
think
our
logic
is
often
linear
it
just
boom
and
then
boom
but
not
necessarily
so
in
eastern
and
middle
eastern
cultures
and
so
he
continues
!
the
author
to
author
to
the
author
to
author
may
be
stated
in
the
middle
of
a
poem
flanked
before
and
after
by
contrasting
opinions
which
he
rejects
verses
14
through
17
then
constitute
the
high
point
of
the
speech
and
reaffirm
the
faith
already
expressed
in
chapter
13
especially
in
verse
15
where
he
says
though
he
slay
me
I
will
hope
in
him
Anderson
is
suggesting
then
that
Job
is
not
leaving
this
conversation
in
deep
dark
despair
and
that
misery
is
not
the
final
word
for
this
reply
to
his
friends
Job
was
in
misery
Job
was
in
despair
but
the
focus
on
this
glimmer
of
hope
that
shines
through
the
gloomy
clouds
this
hope
is
his
God
this
is
his
faith
this
is
one
who
is
innocent
before
his
God
trusting
that
his
God
is
going
to
do
what's
just
and
right
even
if
it
kills
him
I
want
to
conclude
with
some
thoughts
that
are
not
part
of
this
Job
12
13
14
section
and
try
to
answer
this
question
how
is
the
Job
suffering
so
badly
broken
and crushed
was able
to move
forward
in this
struggle
and so
we
come
to
letter
C
Job's
determined
defense
to
his
God
and
there
in
chapter
17
verse
9
this
first
point
the
righteous
holds
fast
to
his
way
and
is
strengthened
listen
to
verse
9
yet
the
righteous
holds
to
his
way
and
he
who
has
clean
hands
grows
stronger
and
stronger
Job
speaking
in the
singular
and
referencing
himself
holds
fast
to
his
convictions
note
the
focus
of
care
on
character
here
righteous
and
clean
hands
how
will
you
make
it
through
brokenness
and
heartache
just
as we
sang
you
look
to
the
righteous
one
you
look
to
Jesus
and
his
word
you
believe
and hold
his
conviction
that
this
is
the
way
worth
following
grasp
whole
of
it
you
will
be
strengthened
you
will
know
endurance
doesn't
this
sound
like
psalm
one
the
life
rooted
in
the
word
and
is
nourished
and
strengthened
like
the
tree
by
the
waters
and
then
secondly
the
righteous
holds
fast
to
his
way
his
way
God's
way
and
is
purified
there
in
chapter
23
verses
4
7
and
10
and
11
just
listen
Job
again
says
I
would
lay
my
case
before
him
and
fill
my
mouth
with
arguments
there
an
upright
man
could
argue
with
him
and
I
would
be
acquitted
forever
by
my
judge
Job
says
I
am
that
innocent
man
I
am
the
upright
man
I
could
come
before
him
and
then
he
says
this
but
he
knows
the
way
that
I
take
when
he
has
tried
me
I
shall
come
out
as
gold
my
foot
has
held
fast
to
his
steps
I
have
kept
his
way
and
have
not
turned
aside
I
have
not
departed
from
the
commandments
of
his
lips
I
have
treasured
the
words
of
his
mouth
more
than
my
portion
of
food
here
we
see
Job
aligning
his
own
way
to
God's
way
and
trusting
and
treasuring
God's
words
only
in
this
way
only
in
this
way
can
one
continue
forward
this
is
the
way
of
faith
the
way
of
dependency
the
way
of
purity
listen
to
Spurgeon's
comments
on
this
verse
about
coming
forth
as
gold
he
says
stoke
the
furnace
as
much
as
you
may
let
the
blast
be
as
strong
as
you
will
thrust
the
ingot
into
the
very
center
of
the
white
heat
let
it
lie
in
the
very
heart
of
the
flame
pile
on
more
fuel
let
another
blast
torment
the
coals
until
they
become
most
vehement
with
heat
yet
the
gold
is
losing
nothing
it
may
even
be
gaining
!
What
Satan
meant
for
evil
God
meant
for
good
the
father
loves
you
nothing
that
comes
your
way
passes
without
his
careful
scrutiny
and
love
and
purpose
trust
in
and
treasure
in
his
word
hold
fast
to
his
way
and
I'll
leave
you
with
this
third
point
the
righteous
holds
fast
to
his
faith
and
is
obedient
and
I've
referenced
chapter
31
we do
not
have
time
to
look
at
this
passage
it's
in
your
July
study
guide
with
the
highlighted
emphases
on where
Job
was
committed
to
the
Lord
where
he
said
I
will
obey
and
this
is
how
I'm
conforming
my
life
to
him
it
reminds
me
of
what
Jesus
said
if
you
love
me
you
will
keep
!
what?
my
commandments
some
of
you
brothers
and
sisters
know
what
this
uprooted
and
crushed
hope
feels
like
how
do
you
respond
in
the
middle
of
suffering
at
the
risk
of
sounding
like
Job's
friends
I
appeal
to
you
on
the
authority
of
God's
word
look
to
Jesus
he
is
our
good
and
he
is
our
loving
shepherd
commit
your
way
to
him
trust
also
in
him
obey
out
of
love
for
your
Lord
and
then
you'll
find
strength
purity
and
demonstrate
love
for
your
savior
he
will
give
you
hope
and
strengthen
your
faith
if
you'd
allow
me
I
want
to
close
with
these
scripture
verses
from
1st
Peter
chapter
2
they'll
be
up
here
on
the
screen
would
you
stand
please
and
let's
read
these
together
1st
Peter
2
19
through
25
for
this
is a
gracious
thing
when
mindful
of
God
one
endures
sorrows
while
suffering
unjustly
but
if
when
you
do
good
and
suffer
for
it
you
endure
this
is a
gracious
thing
in
the
sight
of
God
for
to
this
you
have
been
called
because
Christ
also
suffered
for
you
leaving
you
an
example
so
that
you
might
follow
in
his
steps
he
committed
no
sin
neither
was
deceit
found
in
his
mouth
when
he
was
reviled
he
did
not
revile
in
return
when
he
suffered
he
did
not
threaten
he
continued
trusting
himself
to
him
who
judges
justly
he
himself
bore
our
sins
in
his
body
on
the
tree
that
we
might
lie
to
sin
and
live
to
righteousness
by
his
wounds
you
have
been
healed
for
you
were
straying
like
sheep
but
have
now
returned
to
the
shepherd
and
overseer
of
your
souls
thank
you
may
the
Lord
bless
you
this
week
you're
dismissed
you
Thank you.