68. A Man’s Good Works (3)
Hymns: RHC 335 Keep on Believing; 314 Nearer, Still Nearer; 271 Softly and Tenderly
Job 29:18-25
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. 19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. 20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. 21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. 23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. 24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
A Man’s Good Works (3)
OUTLINE
(1) Respected and Honoured (v1-11)
(2) Helperfor the Poor and Fatherless (v12)
(3) Helper to the Widow (v13)
(4) Helper to the Blind and Lame (v14-15)
(5) Father to the Poor (v16)
(6) Frustrating the Wicked (v17)
(7) Trusted and Honoured among Men (18-25)
Continuation…
(7) Trusted and Honoured among Men (v18-25)
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. 19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. 20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. 21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. 23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. 24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
He shares that in the times of his prosperity, he was optimistic concerning the way ahead for him.
Job 1:1-4 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name wasJob … 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. And his sons went and feasted in theirhouses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
He was sharing with others the blessings that God has bestowed upon him. It did not occur to him, of course, that life will take such a drastic turn for him.
Having made himself a warm and easy nest, he hoped nothing would disturb him in it, nor remove him out of it, till death removed him.He knew he had never stolen any coal from the altar which might fire his nest; he saw no storm arising to shake down his nest; and therefore concluded, To morrow shall be as this day;as David (Psalm 30:6), My mountain stands strong, and shall not be moved.[Matthew Henry]
He contemplates death in the time of his prosperity but he also flattered himself with vain hopes. That he should live long, should multiply his days as the sand.He means as the sand on the sea-shore; whereas we should rather reckon our days by the sand in the hourglass, which will have run out in a little time. See how apt even good people are to think of death as a thing at a distance, and to put far from them that evil day, which will really be to them a good day.
Are there times in your life when you think that the way ahead is beaming bright before you? There is an optimism that simply there that the future knows no end.
Matthew Henry observed well, “That he should die in the same prosperous state in which he had lived. If such an expectation as this arise from a lively faith in the providence and promise of God, it is well, but if from a conceit of our own wisdom, and the stability of these earthly things, it is ill-grounded and turns into sin.”
We hope Job’s confidence was like David’s (Psalm 27:1, Whom shall I fear?),not like the rich fool’s (Luke 12:19), Soul, take thy ease.
Psalm 27:1 A Psalmof David. The LORD ismy light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD isthe strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Luke 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, andbe merry.
19My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
He expects there will be continual sustenance and grow without any disturbance to that peace and prosperity. Alas, life is not so as we learn from Job’s life. And it is important that God’s people must not be complacent and to expect no trouble in life’s pathway.
There is a deep, inner joy in the heart of a man at home with God in Christ.
1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see himnot, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
What is the hope that drives you along in life?
For students, is it the hope of graduating with high honours so that you may find a good job that brings good income that brings a comfortable life?
For the working adults who have been working all their lives hope may mean to have a break to enjoy the fruits of life.
For those in their old age, hope is to be alleviated of the pains and discomfort of a body breakdown. And then man is faced with the prospect of death, definite end of human life. Is there all to life? What is true hope then?
Paul uses the Greek term to describe this hope as “an assured expectation”. The Christian’s hope of heaven to come and eternal life is a sure hope as Paul would put it:
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.
It can be observed that a man who lives without hope lives an aimless, despairing and miserable life. This Christian hope drives us presently to look to life in the future. It motivates us. It invigorates us. It strengthens us.
When someone purchases an airline ticket, she holds in her hand the hope – the assured expectation – of an assigned seat on that flight.
Paul uses this term in a specific way to describe the future day when Jesus returns to take His church to heaven, a coming day when He will rule with His saints on earth.
The Apostle John in the book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of heaven when sin and the ravages of sin is no long present.
The blessed hope of the Christian is expressed in this way at the end of the book of Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
A day, imminent, is coming when our ascended Saviour will return to bring His church to receive that glory.
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal mustput on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Meanwhile, this is the state of our fallen world as Paul correctly observed in Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
This is the life we experience on earth. We experience sorrow, we experience pain, we experience sickness, we experience death, we cry when the burdens of life become unbearable, where is the source of true hope? May I submit to you that true hope is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God because He saves men from their sins!
The Apostle Paul tells us how this blessed hope is yours.
Alas, there is a spiritual reality that we must take hold of.
He was like a tree whose root is not only spread out, which fixes it and keeps it firm, so that it is in no danger of being overturned, but spread out by the waters,which feed it, and make it fruitful and flourishing, so that it is in no danger of withering. And, as he thought himself blessed with the fatness of the earth, so also with the kind influences of heaven too; for the dew lay all night upon his branch. Providence favoured him, and made all his enjoyments comfortable and all his enterprises successful. Let none think to support their prosperity with what they draw from this earth without that blessing which is derived from above. [Matthew Henry]
20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
God’s favour being continued to Job, in the virtue of that his glory was still fresh in him. Those about him had still something new to say in his praise, and needed not to repeat the old stories: and it is only by constant goodness that men’s glory is thus preserved fresh and kept from withering and growing stale.
His bow also was renewed in his hand,that is, his power to protect himself and annoy those that assailed him still increased, so that he thought he had as little reason as any man to fear the insults of the Sabeans and Chaldeans. [Matthew Henry]
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. 23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
He was sought after for his wisdom. Just as the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to hear of Solomon’s wisdom, so Job’s friends consulted him and highly regard his counsel.
24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
… because it was so rare a thing to see this grave man smile. Many seek the ruler’s favour.Job was a ruler whose favour was courted and valued at a high rate. [Matthew Henry]
Job was one that comforteth the mourners. He was in a position of being a judge having the power to convict or acquit, a general with an army to subdue, and he was one who protected other’s interest. Therefore, he was a blessing to the afflicted. The mourners found comfort in his presence and blessing upon them.
CONCLUSION
Indeed, let us learn of the Apostle Paul as we see in Job’s life – Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
… because it was so rare a thing to see this grave man smile. Many seek the ruler’s favour.Job was a ruler whose favour was courted and valued at a high rate. [Matthew Henry]
Job was one that comforteth the mourners. He was in a position of being a judge having the power to convict or acquit, a general with an army to subdue, and he was one who protected other’s interest. Therefore, he was a blessing to the afflicted. The mourners found comfort in his presence and blessing upon them.
CONCLUSION
Indeed, let us learn of the Apostle Paul as we see in Job’s life – Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
… because it was so rare a thing to see this grave man smile. Many seek the ruler’s favour.Job was a ruler whose favour was courted and valued at a high rate. [Matthew Henry]
Job was one that comforteth the mourners. He was in a position of being a judge having the power to convict or acquit, a general with an army to subdue, and he was one who protected other’s interest. Therefore, he was a blessing to the afflicted. The mourners found comfort in his presence and blessing upon them.
CONCLUSION
Indeed, let us learn of the Apostle Paul as we see in Job’s life – Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Let us maintain our ways before God in all seasons of life. Amen.