55. Profitable Unto God

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Hymns: RHC 137 Thanks to Gog! , 246 Open My Eyes, That I May See, 325 A Shelter In the Time of Storm 

Job 22:1-11

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gainto him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? 4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment? 5Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. 8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. 9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 10Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; 11Or darkness, thatthou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee. (Job 22:1-11 KJV)

Profitable unto God

OUTLINE

  • Profitless Because of Sin (v1-5)
  • Sin Delineated (v6-9)
  • Sin’s Snare (v10-11)

INTRODUCTION

The psalmist in psalm 13 cries out to God in the midst of his affliction. He has been tormented by those who sought to derail his faith in God. He had to endure the rigours of the trial. He sought the Lord – Psalm 13:1-6 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How longwilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How longshall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how longshall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

As we reflect and contemplate the predicament of Job, we are reminded of the psalmist plea to God for relief.

The psalmist sought His God because it seemed that in his current dire predicament reaching the point of desperation, he felt that he had been forgotten by His God. 

Do we feel we are abandoned by God? This is the psalmist testimony in times of depression and desperation, the feeling is so real. Does God truly abandon His children? No! This is the lesson that God wants to teach His children. 

Due to the harshness and difficult circumstance that had confronted the psalmist, he felt that God is hiding Himself from him. Have you experienced how things seem to go wrong one after another and there seemed to be no let up? God seemed to be so far away in terms of giving favourable circumstances for him! Should we equate ‘good circumstance’ to God’s favour? 

The psalmist seemed to have a tenacity, an inner strength, in his heart not to give up although he could not understand the situations that had confronted him. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. 

What a beautiful picture of the abiding presence of our LORD dwelling with His people even when we are at the bottom of our lives. It is a picture of great comfort. Remember in Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian arrived at a fire place in a house where he saw a man pouring water constantly on the fire but it does not extinguish? He was brought to the back of the fire place in another room. There he saw a man pouring oil to keep the flickering fire aflame. The interpreter explained to Christian that the man pouring oil is Jesus Christ. He is the one that pours the oil of grace to keep the heart of faith aflame always even though Satan, the man in front of the fire place keeps pouring water. Jesus is at the back of the fire place, He is apparently not visible to us in our affliction, but He is there sustaining us by His grace!

God does not hide from His people.

His care and love for His children is constant and consistent. He that keeps Israel does neither slumber nor sleep. It does happen when we allow faithless thoughts and doubts to assail our soul.

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, havingsorrow in my heart daily? (v 2a)

Due to the severity of his trial, his heart was filled with sorrow daily. The sorrow seemed not to leave his heart and it is weigh him down heavily. And he asked himself, as he searched his own heart, what has gone wrong? Is there something that I have done that has put in this predicament? He seemed not for he would have repented of them if it was pointed out to him.

How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? (v 2b)

He felt that his enemies are so powerful and they seemed to have overwhelmed him. He is up against a high wall and there is no way out. As we look at the dark side of things, they seemed to weigh us down. And there is the hope within him that dies not as he wrestled with His God for deliverance.

The psalmist reaffirms his faith in the LORD. He said I have trusted in Thy mercy. The mercy of God is the loving kindness and goodness of God. 

It describes the compassion of God on His people. The root verb is “love” (raham). It is the outworking of God’s love for His people. It is derived from the noun “womb”. The picture of God’s love for His people is likened to the unborn baby nourished in the mother’s womb. The umbilical cord supplies the oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to nourish the unborn baby. The unborn baby is fully dependent on the life-line of the mother. This is how much we are dependent on our Creator, who is also our Sustainer and most importantly, our Saviour. We are lost and helpless, estranged from God, when we choose to walk our own way.

He put his faith in God first. This is what is needed in a trial. It is the critical point and test. May we not falter but triumph by faith. And because he put his faith in God first, he believed therefore he is blessed. He said ‘my heart shall rejoice to see Thy salvation.’ Has he saw God salvation already? No physically but by faith he saw and he shall receive. Remember when Abraham was asked to kill Issac his own son, this is the same test.

Because the psalmist believed therefore he saw the glory of God in his salvation. He rejoiced to see the bountiful hand of God upon him.

  • Profitless Because of Sin (v1-4)

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? 4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

This is the third round of charge upon Job. Eliphaz begins his third round of attack that spans from chapter 3 to chapter 37. What a marathon of mental torment Job has to endure. With five questions, Eliphaz sought to force a sinful verdict upon Job. In the back of our mind, we recount the psalmist plea to God.

The arrogance and pride of this man Eliphaz against God’s servant is likened to Lucifer’s five thoughts that cast him to hell.

Isaiah 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Job, are you any good in the sight of God? Indeed, on our own we are thoroughly unprofitable, our justification is of God. Job found justification with God and that is enough for a man. He is not answerable to Satan’s accusation!

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it isthe gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

A wise man by his wisdom benefits himself. What profit do you have to God? A whole lot! In fact, God valued Job highly. 

Job 1:8-9 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? 

Certainly, we may answer the question on Job’s behalf because we have understood the mind of God concerning Job. Job will be a testimony for the glory of God for all posterity of God’s people to take heart as they walk with God.

4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

Surely God will not respect persons and not judge a sinner like you, Job! God surely will bodly judge a sinner. Surely, he will not spare. This is why you are in your present state of affliction.

5Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 

Eliphaz now puts himself as the judge of Job, pronouncing him guilty, rather pressing the issue with him, seeking a confession of guilt from him. 

  • Sin Delineated (v5-9)

6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. 8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. 9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 

These accusations were baseless and untrue. Yet Eliphaz pressed upon his friend to force Job to admit, acknowledge, confess his sin.

He listed the sins of Job – cheating someone causing the person to lose all that he possessed. Job has refused help to the thirsty and hungry! Job was a man of God. He acted righteously towards the poor.

Luke 11:5-13 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Job is being accused of being a cold friend who refused help to his friend. 

Job 1:3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

Eliphaz sought to discredit Job, a man who helped many in his prosperity.

Job 29:11-17 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that hadnone to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment wasas a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet wasI to the lame. I wasa father to the poor: and the cause whichI knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

Job is charged with not showing mercy and compassion to others.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

It was a false accusation against Job.

  • Sin’s Snare (v10-11)

10Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; 11Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee. 

This was a charge upon Job for not being a God fearer, therefore he faced the wrath of God.

Proverbs 1:22-33 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

As such, Job is faced with these afflictions which he rightly admitted has come upon him. 

CONCLUSION

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Amen.