Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
July 2, 2003
Introduction
God had been bragging about Job, how Job was a mature man who always
followed God. When Satan challenged God and suggested that Job only followed
God because God was so good to him, God allowed Satan to touch Job. And so Job
lost just about everything. He lost all of his wealth. He lost all of his
children. He’s lost his health.
His friends showed up and for seven days they sat in silence with Job. When
Job finally spoke up, he began by wishing he had never been born. He poured out
his complaint, that he didn’t know why he was having such troubles. And this
seems to have bothered Job’s friends because they had apparently already
figured out why Job was having trouble. It was obvious to them that Job must
have sinned and brought all this trouble on himself.
There will be three rounds of debates. A friend will speak and Job will
answer. We’re now going to finish the final round.
Job 25
Job has continued to justify himself before his friends. They keep accusing
him of having some sort of sin in his life, and he continues to say that he
doesn’t know what he’s done wrong.
25:1-6 Man can’t be just before God
:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite
Bildad will be the last of the three friends to speak. Zophar won’t speak during this third round.
:2 Dominion and fear are with him
He’s talking about how awesome God is.
:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is
born of a woman?
justified – tsadaq – to be
just, be righteous
Bildad is responding to Job’s insistence that he is righteous and that the
problems he’s been having can’t be because of sin.
So Bildad states that no one can be just before God.
Lesson
Right with God
There is some truth to this. There are some problems.
The Truth:
Man on his own cannot be just before God.
Man is born a sinner. David wrote,
(Psa 51:5 KJV)
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
We are all sinners. Paul writes,
(Rom 3:10-11 KJV)
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: {11} There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
(Rom 3:23 KJV)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The Problems:
1. Though we are born sinners, there is a way we can be made right with
God. One way.
That’s why Jesus came, to make us right before God. Jesus is the only human to have ever been
born without sin and He lived a life without sin. This meant that He could be a perfect
sacrifice, someone who could die for us, someone who could pay the penalty for
our sins. Because He was also God in the
flesh, when He died for us He was able to pay for all our sins, not just the
sins of one person.
(2 Cor 5:17-21 NLT)
What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.
They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
{18} All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself
through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to
him. {19} For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer
counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given
us to tell others. {20} We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to
speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with
you, "Be reconciled to God!" {21} For God made Christ, who never
sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God
through Christ.
We are made right with God when we decide to trust in
Jesus, to believe that He and He alone has taken care of our sins by dying on
the cross.
2. Watch out for those “woman” comments.
Ironically, Jesus is the only person ever born who was “justified” or
“righteous” before God. And He was born
of a woman, not a man!
3. Bildad needs to realize though
that he is in the same category – as a person who is sinful and separated from
God.
If Bildad, Zophar, and Eliphaz are in the same category as
Job, and bad things happen to sinful people, then why aren’t they going through
difficult times as well?
:5 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure
in his sight.
(Job 25:5 NLT) God is so glorious that even the moon and stars
scarcely shine compared to him.
:6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?
worm (1st word) – rimmah
– maggot, worm (as cause and sign of decay)
worm (2nd word) – towla‘–
worm; the dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm “coccus ilicis”; When the female of the
scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her
body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she
would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus
protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle.
As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding
wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet
dyes of antiquity were extracted. What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on
the tree, shedding his precious blood that he might “bring many sons unto glory”
(from page 73, “Biblical Basis for Modern
Science”, 1985, Baker Book House, by Henry Morris)
It’s also interesting to note that David used the same word
(Psa 22:6 KJV) But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and
despised of the people.
This was the Psalm that Jesus quoted on the cross, in other words that
Jesus was claiming to be a “worm”.
Lesson
Truth in interesting places
We’ve mentioned it before, but here again we see that someone that God will
rebuke is speaking a nugget of truth.
Bildad says something very interesting here, especially in that he says “the son of man which is a worm”
Jesus, the Son of Man, would be that “towla” for us, dying for us, covering
us with that red stain, giving us life.
There may be people around you who are way off the mark, but be careful
that you don’t just dismiss everything they say.
Job 26
26:1-4 Job’s rebuke
:2 How hast thou helped him that is without power?
You’re not much help to a person who needs help.
:3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom?
wisdom – chokmah – wisdom;
skill (in war); wisdom (in administration); shrewdness, wisdom; wisdom,
prudence (in religious affairs); wisdom (ethical and religious)
Job is talking about how they’re trying to enlighten him.
:4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?
(Job 26:4 NLT) Where have you gotten all these wise sayings? Whose
spirit speaks through you?
Can you hear the sarcasm dripping off of Job’s tongue?
Lesson
Whose spirit?
Sometimes as Christians, we get a little confused as to what influences our
thoughts and actions.
(Luke 9:51-56 KJV) And it came to pass, when the time was come
that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
{52} And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a
village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. {53} And they did not receive
him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
This was offensive to the Samaritans because they did not worship in Jerusalem. They had their own twisted form of Judaism
that told them to worship on Mount Gerazim,
not in Jerusalem.
{54} And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said,
Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume
them, even as Elias did?
Elijah called fire down on his enemies when they tried to capture him (2Ki.
1). James and John like the idea of
getting to do this to these mean people of Samaria.
We think this might have been the incident that earned James and John their
nickname, “Boanerges” or, “Sons of Thunder”.
{55} But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what
manner of spirit ye are of. {56} For the Son of man is not come to destroy
men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
James and John were zealous for the Lord, but they were not being led by
the Holy Spirit. They were most likely
being led by their own human spirit.
They were concerned about defending Jesus, but weren’t concerned for the
people that Jesus was concerned for. In
their zeal, they wanted to destroy people.
Just like Bildad and his friends.
I think it’s pretty neat that John later would have a chance to call down
“fire” upon the Samaritans, but in another way altogether.
Philip the evangelist went north to Samaria
to preach the gospel and many Samaritans were getting saved.
(Acts
8:14-17 KJV) Now when the apostles
which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they
sent unto them Peter and John: {15} Who, when they were come down, prayed for
them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: {16} (For as yet he was fallen
upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) {17}
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
John got to pray the “fire” of the Holy Spirit upon
them. Cool!
26:5-14 God’s Greatness
:5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants
thereof.
are formed – chuwl –
(Polel) to dance; to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth; to wait
anxiously; tremble
(Job 26:5 NLT) “The dead tremble in their place beneath the waters.
(Job 26:5 The Message) “All the buried dead are in torment, and all
who’ve been drowned in the deep, deep sea.
:6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
(Job 26:6 NLT) The underworld is naked in God’s presence. There is
no cover for the place of destruction.
Hell – sh@’owl – sheol,
underworld, grave, hell, pit. In Old
Testament times, this is where everyone went who died. There were two compartments in sheol, the
place for the righteous and the place for the wicked.
David wrote,
(Psa 139:7-8 KJV) Whither
shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? {8} If I
ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou
art there.
:7 and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
Pretty accurate idea about the earth in space, considering it was written
in 2000 BC.
:8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds
God puts the rain into the rainclouds
:11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.
(Job 26:11 The Message) Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies.
Listen! It’s God raising his voice!
:12 by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.
proud – rahab – pride,
blusterer; the name of a mythical sea monster that represents chaos in ancient
literature.[1]
:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens
(Job 26:13 NASB95) {13} “By His breath the heavens are cleared; His
hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.
Contrast what Job says about Bildad in 26:4 with this.
Bildad is tearing down Job, and Job wonders by what “spirit” he is
speaking.
God’s “spirit” (or, “breath”) on the other hands clears the heavens.
:14 but how little a portion is heard of him?
(Job 26:14 The Message) And this is only the beginning, a mere
whisper of his rule. Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!”
Job 27
27:1-6 I am innocent
:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
continued – two words are used here: yacaph – to add, increase, do again; nasa’ – to lift, bear up, carry, take
parable – mashal –
proverb, parable; sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims
(Job 27:1 The Message) Having waited for Zophar, Job now resumed his
defense:
Apparently Zophar didn’t want to speak anymore.
:2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who
hath vexed my soul;
Lesson
Blaming God.
Though Job never curses God, he does have some things wrong.
He’s concluded that God is infinitely unfair. He’s concluded that God is out to destroy
him.
We do this today as well. What do
insurance companies call earthquakes and tornadoes? Acts of God.
The problem is he doesn’t see the bigger picture.
He doesn’t know that God is showing Satan that Job will follow God even
when life gets tough.
He doesn’t know that it’s Satan that has caused all these calamities, not
God.
God will one day speak up:
(Job 38:1-2 KJV) Then the
LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, {2} Who is this that
darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
God is saying to Job, “Pal, you don’t know what you’re
talking about.”
Be careful about blaming God for all your problems. It’s possible that you don’t see everything
that’s going on.
:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go
Job is not going agree with his friends because he has not done anything
wrong. Job is not going to lie and say
that he did something wrong when he didn’t.
27:7-10 My enemy is wicked
:7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked
Is Job talking about his friends? It might be. It’s also possible that a crowd has gathered
to listen to these debates and there are people cheering for Job’s friends.
27:11-23 Judgment for the wicked
:12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether
vain?
Job’s saying: “I’m not going to tell
you anything new. You know these things.”
Job is going to say much of the very things that his friends have already
been telling him.
Job doesn’t disagree that God will judge the wicked one day.
Where Job has come to disagree with his friends is about when God will
judge the wicked, and whether or not his difficult times are a result of God’s
judgment.
:18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
(Job 27:18 NLT) The houses built by the wicked are as fragile as a
spiderweb, as flimsy as a shelter made of branches.
This is very similar to what Bildad said much earlier about the wicked:
(Job 8:14
NLT) Everything they count on will collapse. They are leaning on a spiderweb.
:23 …and shall hiss him out of his place.
Lesson
Be careful of judging
We’ve said this before, we need to be careful when we, like Job’s friends,
find ourselves judging those in difficult times.
The same words we use to criticize will often come back to haunt us. We will be judged by the same principals we
judge others with.
(Mat 7:1-2 KJV) Judge not,
that ye be not judged. {2} For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged:
and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Job 28
28:1-13 The place of wisdom
:1 Surely there is a vein for the silver
Job is going to talk about how valuable things are found.
:3- 4 …The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant …
(Job 28:3-4 NLT) {3} They know how to put light into darkness and
explore the farthest, darkest regions of the earth as they search for ore. {4}
They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend
on ropes, swinging back and forth.
:8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it
Wild animals don’t know how to get these precious gems.
:9 he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
Men know how to overturn mountains to get to precious metals and stones.
:13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of
the living.
Lesson
True treasure
Sometimes we have our values all goofed up.
Illustration
CLOTHING SALE?
Suits $5.00 each; shirts $2.00 each; trousers $2.50 per pair. Bubba says to
his pal, “Clevis, Look! We could buy a whole lot of those, and when we get back
home, we could make a fortune. Now when we go into the shop, you be quiet,
okay? Just let me do all the talking cause if they hear our accent, they might
not be nice to us. I’ll speak in my best Texas
drawl.” They go in and Bubba says, “I’ll take 50 suits at $5.00 each, 100
shirts at $2.00 each, and 50 pairs of trousers at $2.50 each. I’ll back up my
pickup and .....” The owner of the shop interrupts, “You’re not from here are
you?” “Well...yes,” says a surprised Bubba. “How come you know that?” The owner
says, “This is a dry-cleaners.”
Some of us will work hard to save a few bucks here and there and get the
best price for something before we buy it.
We might visit several stores, check out the internet, and wait for a
great deal. Yet there’s something we
ought to be more concerned about than getting some kind of new “stuff” for
cheap. God is concerned that we acquire
wisdom.
28:14-19 The value of wisdom
:19 neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
Nothing can compare with the value of real wisdom.
28:20-28 Wisdom comes from fearing God
:20 Whence then cometh wisdom?
Can you dig it out of the ground like gold?
:21 kept close from the fowls of the air.
(Job 28:21 NLT) Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot
discover it.
:22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our
ears.
the fame – shema‘– report,
a hearing
(Job 28:22 NLT) But Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a
rumor of where wisdom can be found.’
:23 he knoweth the place thereof.
God knows where to find wisdom.
:27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched
it out.
After God had made decrees about how the wind was to blow and the rains
were to fall, God prepared wisdom.
see – ra’ah – to see, look
at, inspect, perceive, consider
declare – caphar – (Piel)
to recount, rehearse, declare; to count exactly or accurately
prepared – kuwn – (Hiphil)
to establish, set up, accomplish, do, make firm; to fix, make ready, prepare,
provide, provide for, furnish; to direct toward (moral sense); to arrange,
order
searched – chaqar – to
search, search for, search out, examine, investigate
:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and
to depart from evil is understanding.
fear – yir’ah – fear,
terror, fearing
Lord – ‘Adonay – my lord,
lord
Job said it first, but look at how many times this has been picked up in
Scripture:
(Psa 111:10 KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a
good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth
for ever.
We don’t know for sure, but there has been a suggestion that this was
written by David.
The Psalm itself is interesting in that it was written with the Hebrew
alphabet in mind. Each line begins with
the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Others Psalms were written this way as
well – Psa. 9, 10, 34, 37, 111, 112 (also 119).
The wisest man, Solomon, quoted this three times.
(Prov 1:7 KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(Prov 9:10
KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the
holy is understanding.
(Prov 15:33 KJV) The fear of the LORD is the
instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Lesson
Finding wisdom
These are the things that start us down the path of making the right
decisions in life.
Get right with God.
Turn from evil.