61. Knowing God As His Child

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Hymns: RHC 432 How Good Is the God We Adore, 423 Follow, I Will Follow Thee, 399 I Am Thine

                                                     Job 26:1-14

1But Job answered and said, 2How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? 3How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? 4To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee. 5Dead thingsare formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. 6Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. 8He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. 9He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. 11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. 12He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. 13By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 14Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand? (Job 26:1-14 KJV)

Knowing God As His Child

OUTLINE

  • Job’s Final Defense (26-31)
    • Job affirms his righteousness (Job 26-27)
      • Poor counsellors, his friends (26:1-4)
      • He understands his Creator God (26:5-14)
      • Appeal only to God (27:1-10)
        • Maintaining his integrity (27:2-6)
        • Warning to his hypocritical friends (27:7-10)
      • Instruct Erring Oppressors (27:11-22)
        • Empty talk (27:12)
        • Plight of wicked (27:13-22)
        • Wicked cursed and his descendents judged (27:14-15)
        • Riches given to others (27:15-17)
        • Homes destroyed (27:18-19)
        • Fear overwhelms (27:20)
        • Wicked wealthy judged (27:21-22)
    • Job affirms where to find true wisdom (Job 28:1-28)
      • Man’s diligence and exploration cannot find wisdom of God (28:1-19)
      • True Wisdom comes from God alone (28:20-28 cf. Proverbs 8, 22)
    • Job’s Testimony in Prosperity (29:1-25) 
      • Respected and Honoured (29:1-11)
      • Helper for the poor and fatherless (28:12)
      • Helper to the widow (28:13)
      • Helper to the blind and lame (28:14-15)
      • Father to the poor (28:16)
      • Frustrating the Wicked (28:17)
      • Trusted and Honoured among men (28:18-25)
    • Job’s Present Calamity (30:1-31)
      • Disrespected Socially (30:1-15) 
        • Scorned (30:1-9)
        • Abhorred (30:10-15)
      • In Pain Physically (30:16-19)
      • Abandoned Spiritually (30:20-23)
      • Opposed Socially (30:24-26)
      • Exhausted Emotionally and Physically (30:27-31) 

INTRODUCTION

Bildad made his last bid effort to discredit Job. He spoke of God as Light and Job as a man filled with darkness as a result of his sin. It is the reason for his suffering. 

In Job’s response, he is no longer is he merely answering Bildad (26:1); he is addressing all, and he is getting many things “off his chest,” as we would say. Job continues to insist on his own honesty, integrity, and righteousness. He refuses to admit that his critics might conceivably be right in accusing him of suffering as a result of secret sin. [William MacDonald]

What is the theme of Job? Its not that God is trying to prove something to Satan because Satan is no longer mentioned again in the book. The theme of the book is genuine faith in God is not dependent upon the circumstances, the happy things, the promotions and the ecolades that one receives but as we saw in Job, something genuine remains in him, that true jewel of the thing called faith, the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

You recall when we had the series of message “Faith of our Fathers” in Hebrews 11:

“The Reformer John Calvin defined biblical faith said, “Faith is superior to human intelligence. It comes by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Faith, therefore, us a singular gift of God in two respects, both as the mind is enlightened to understand the truth of God, and as the heart is established in it. For the Holy Spirit not only originates faith, but increases it by degree till he conducts us by it all the way to the heavenly kingdom.”

Carl Mcintre gave well the background of Hebrews 11 when he said, “The severe trials of the Christian in the first century led to the writing of that portion of the Bible called the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Affliction, reapproaches, and imprisonment had come upon those who had named the despised name, Jesus Christ. In rapid fulfilment of His words, “They shall put you out of the synagogues,” these people had been hounded from their place of meeting, and all their earthly goods spoiled.

To encourage and comfort such a people the servant of Christ, author of Hebrews, reminded them that it was but a little while, “and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry”; but now while they wait for His glorious return they must live by faith.”

He further explained, “The just shall live by faith”. This is the inscription above the entrance to the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. In three different places in the New Testament these words are quoted from the prophet Habakkuk. In Romans the emphasis is upon the word “just,” those who because of their faith are declared by God to be just in His sight. In Galatians the emphasis is upon the word “faith”, for there the apostle Paul points out in detail “that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham,” and “ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.” But in Hebrews the emphasis, if it is placed anywhere, is upon the word “live”. Of course, all that Paul teaches in Romans and Galatians is contained in Hebrews, too.”

He encourages concerning the purpose of Hebrew 11, “Others had lived by faith in circumstances just as stringent and acute, of not more so. Their testimony should be of help to those now who were tempted to fix their eyes upon earthly loss. Thus, we have brought to our minds, real men and women, in difference circumstances and succeeding periods in the history of the race, who did actually live and triumph through faith. The definition given of faith is short, but the living illustrations of faith are the cloud of witnesses. Abstract definition has its place, and most assuredly so here, but the living embodiment of that definition is powerful beyond dispute. A living witness is the best argument. This is what Jesus wanted when He said, “Ye shall be my witnesses.”

He applied, “Today men need faith. Unbelief, indifference and apostasy have come in like a flood, and threaten to sweep all before them…Men of faith, like gold coins, have been taken out of circulation. Precious privileges for which our fathers fought for centuries are surrendered in an hour, with no resistance…Faith is seldom defined, defenced or illustrated in the pulpit. It has gone with the wind.”

That is what remains about Job – He had faith in God. Although Job began to have bad thoughts about God but he never cursed Him to His face. What did his wife suggest? Curse God and die just like Satan thought he would. 

Job, in a way, represents us too in the Bible with a potential for evil or under God’s influence the fruit of righteousness.

  • Job’s Final Defense (26-31)
    • Job affirms his righteousness (Job 26-27)
      • Poor counselors, his friends (26:1-4)
      • He understands his Creator God (26:5-11)
  • Poor Counsellors, His Friends (v1-4)

1But Job answered and said, 2How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? 3How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? 4To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee.

Bildad thought himself an eloquent counsellor, he was not. Job rightly says to him – how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? What he had said was false, mistaken and outright confusing. Job maintains his integrity before all his friends when he made this reply.

Job rightly asked his friends, “What help have you rendered to the weak? How have you save the arm that was without strength? What counsel have you given to one without wisdom. To whom are your directed? Whose spirit is expressed through you?” 

Contrast this with God’s Word rightly applied as in book of proverbs, how valuable it is when we studied that  – The book of Proverbs teaches us the life of godliness. It is a book for all seasons. What is the season in your life today? As God’s children, we seek to walk worthy of the vocation we are called, Christians first, before we are a student, a teacher, a retiree, a nurse, a doctor, an accountant … A father, a son, a daughter…

The theme throughout, the book is on obtaining “a right relationship with God as the basic principle in life.”

Job’s friends did not have the right relationship nor the right understanding of God to help his friend.

We need God’s ready wisdom at any time to choose the way of safety and blessing and to avoid the way of danger and cursing.

Admittedly, attempting to live a good Christian life can be frustrating when we are not guided and aided along. We need help. We need instruction. God gives us such instruction and we are just to seek it. Through prayer, God’s Word and aids from messages, it can making living this Christian life easier and more fulfilling.

When we have imbibed God’s wisdom and is a practitioner will God grant us His grace to speak a good word in season and out of season.

We all start out with little experience and knowledge. Then we grow in our understanding and experience. And we need to be able to learn that we may grow. 

It does so often times by contrast and comparison showing to us the ungodly ways, pointing to us the godly ways and teaching us to choose wisely the way of blessing. 

The word “proverb” means likeness or resemblance, like the parables in the New Testament they 

Proverbs is written in what we call biblical poetry. The Hebrew writers use what is called parallelisms to convey their thoughts – similar thoughts or contrasting thoughts. These are very powerful ways to convey a message. Oftentimes, a verse can stand alone by itself compactly conveying a teaching of practical living.

The writer of the Book of Proverbs is Solomon but the words are the wisdom of God. It delineates for us the philosophy of practical life, giving us the best rules for the conduct of life, that we may by imbibing the wisdom, obtain the favour of God, and a clear conscience to live life, having lived it rightly.

Here, in this text, Job directs only to Bildad. But in the next chapter, he will address all his friends gathered before him.

Job is sad that his friends have not strengthened his faith in God by their presence with him but have tormented him and accused him. How sad! 

Swindoll said well, “If others are going through an agonizing experience, they need us to be of support and strength. Bildad never learned that principle; he never prayed that prayer.”

  • God’s Greatness (v5-14)

5Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. 6Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. 8He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. 9He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. 11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. 12He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. 13By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 14Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

We will see here Job providing a true portrayal of God. But his reference to the cosmological explanation that God made, God speaks of his great God – infinite, incomprehensible who does not reveal the reasons or give answers for what He does. [Swindoll]

Job believes that God created the earth and how God stretches it out over the empty spaces and He wonderfully presents it – how the earth is hung upon nothing! (v7).

He says to his friend that God has all things under His control. Job’s rendition of God is like the psalmist David understanding of who God is and how He values His children, that they are precious in His sight. This was who Job portrayed God who loved Him though he cannot fully understand all that He does!

Psalm 8:1-9 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

He tells us God, who is vastly great, knows us and our needs. 

I Know Who Holds the Future

I know who holds the future

And I know who holds my hand

With God things don’t just happen

Everything by Him is planned.

So as I face tomorrow

With its problems large and small

I trust the God of miracles

Give to Him my all.