72. A Poor Man’s Plea
Hymns: RHC 366 Tell It to Jesus, 367 There Shall Be Showers of Blessing, 368 From Every Stormy Wind that Blows
Job 30:23-31
23For I know thatthou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. 24Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction. 25Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor? 26When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 27My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. 28I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation. 29I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. 30My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. 31My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
A Poor Man’s Plea
OUTLINE
- An Approach to Death (v23-24)
- A Comforter’s Disposition (v25)
- An Agrieved Heart (v26-31)
INTRODUCTION
The stark reality of life comes especially real during the time of earthly loss and ill health. This is the time when man longs for eternity. The soul yearns for his long home. And the comfort that the believer as being a child of God. He may say as Solomon did inEccles. 3:11He hath made every thingbeautiful in his time …
The word “beautiful” literally means “beautiful” or “lovely”. When we have God in perspective of life, as one pastor puts it, “our times become “sensible” and “meaningful” When all that falls together, when the pieces of the puzzle fit into one another, beauty emerges”.
He continues to say, “Does it not remind you of a chorus of worship? Christians love to sing when they gather. It was born out of this statement in the book of Ecclesiastes.
In His time, in His time
He makes all things beautiful
In His Time.
Lord, please show me every day
As You’re teaching me Your way
That You’ll do just what You say
In Your time.”[1]
Whether it is Job’s life or Joseph’s life with hindsight, we are being reminded of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 3:11a, “He hath made every thingbeautiful in his time…” Not Joseph’s time or Job’s time but God’s time. God has a good plan and purpose for all the events in Joseph’s life. God has a good plan and purpose for your life. Time, as Stephen F. Olford said well, “a time for every purpsoe under heaven…Primarily, the word “purpose” or “pleasure” has to do with God’s design for the creatures of His hand.”[2]
Job learns to submit himself to God’s sovereign leading for his life. The reality of it is that we will understand the realness of our mortality. And yet, by faith, we understanding the entrust our lives to God understanding the immortality of the soul under God’s care (v23-24).
Job speaks the good works that he had done during the time of his strength. In lamentation, he was wondering whether they would all add up to life for him. Our Lord the Apostle Paul gave this word of encouragement to the church to be zealous unto good works in Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Also, in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. The palmist says in Psalm 126:5-6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (v25)
In the time of trial, the heart can indeed fill the sorrow and grief due to the wrenching pain that at time seemd so unbearable. Our Lord always provide a way out for the believer – 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God isfaithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- An Approach to Death (v23-24)
- A Comforter’s Disposition (v25)
- An Agrieved Heart (v26-31)
- An Approach to Death (v23-24)
23For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. 24Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
The believer’s heart needs to be strengthened by the truth of God’s promises to weather the stark reality of life cursed with the prospect of physical death.
2 Corinthians 5:1-11 For we know that if our earthly house of thistabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in thistabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing isGod, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we arealways confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things donein hisbody, according to that he hath done, whether it begood or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
The believer understands the doctrine of salvation and the reality of life with God in heaven, by faith. He is able to live in the light of God’s promises. He understands that he will have to appear before Christ’s judgment seat to be rewarded for the good works done in Jesus’ Name and for His glory.
(2) A Comforter’s Disposition (v25)
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
Matthew 25:34-40 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done itu nto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
In our generation, we can view life like the Enoch of old before God took him bodily to heaven. The Bible says, “Enoch walked wih God and he was not for God took him.” (Gen. 5:22a, 24). Twice God said, “Enoch walked with God”. He lived a life of fellowship and close communion with God. This is the kind of life we ought to live in the days leading to the rapture of the church.
When we know the prophetic clock in God’s calandar for this world, we would be as Peter said, “nevertheless, we according to His propose, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnes…Beloved, seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless…But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:13, 14, 18).
Stephen F. Olford observed well, “the Bible teaches God’s purpose in relation to this planet is threefold.
There is the creative purpose of God “He hath made every thingbeautiful in his time:… This was the divine verdict on everything that God created. He saw everything that He had made and “it was very good” (Gen 1:31). That is why Solomon says, Ecclesiastes 3:14 “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that menshould fear before him.” Into that paradise of beauty, however, Satan came and spoiled it all. The plain fact is that Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Heaven’s answer to this marring of God’s creative purpose was immediate and redemptive.
Following the call of man, therefore, there was introduced the redemptive purpose of God.”
As such, he has an eternal perspective of work on earth. He understands the meaning of heavenly reward, the work for God’s glory.
- (3) An Agrieved Heart (v26-31)
26When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 27My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. 28I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation. 29I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. 30My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. 31My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
In the thick of trial, a believer can become discouraged. God gives him a song in the night. Looking to Jesus He overcomes.Hebrews 12:1-4 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of ourfaith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
We learn to cast our care upon Jesus as the hymn “Tell It to Jesus” encourages us.
1. Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Refrain:
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known;
You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.
2. Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
3. Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
4. Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
[1]Charles Swindoll, Living on the Ragged Edge, W Publishing Group, 2004, 65.
[2]Stephen F. Olford, A Time for Truth, AMG Publishers, 1999, 5.