WHAT DO I DO NOW?

June 30, 2013

 

·         This is Job's longest speech. 

·         It includes Chapters 26 through 31.

·         Job implies that God is wrong in punishing him.

·         Real wisdom, and the correct position, is to condemn ourselves utterly and to cast ourselves upon God’s mercy.

·         When we do that, God becomes our justifier.

·         There is nothing but wrath for the self-righteous, and there is nothing but grace for the self-judged.

·         This is very important for us to remember in our own lives.

·         The Book of Job is teaching us that when we come before God we can't put up a defense for ourselves.  Nothing is more sure than that God will break down every type of arrogance. 

·         So it is wisdom for us to take the low and broken place today, for it is the low place that gives us our best view of God and His salvation. 

Psalms 34:18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. NASB 

Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. NASB 

·         Real repentance involves taking that position.

·         The Bible teaches that before salvation we approach God through contrition.

·         After salvation we must still be careful about being proud or self-righteous. 

1.     BE HONEST AND FAITHFUL (JOB 31:5-6, 9-10)

5 "If I have walked with falsehood,

And my foot has hastened after deceit,

6 Let Him weigh me with accurate scales,

And let God know my integrity.      NASB

9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

Or I have lurked at my neighbor's doorway,

10 May my wife grind for another,

And let others kneel down over her.      NASB 

Verse 5-6:

·         These verses take on the typical style for oaths. 

·         A clause begins with "if" to define what is sworn not to be true.

·         Job is boasting of his integrity.

·         He will soon be confronted by God, and then he won't see much integrity.

Verse 9:

·         Job declares that he is innocent of adultery.

Verse 10:

·         Job says that if he has been unfaithful or untrue, let his wife be taken from him.

      ·         Some interpreters have understood "grind" literally to be a slave-girl at a mill.

·         We know that God has already declared Job to be a righteous man, so Job must have had some revelation that God would provide for him a means of achieving righteousness; and God has reckoned it to his account and sees him as righteous.

·         Job has this terrible blind spot: pride.

·         His friends have led him into a defense of himself and Job just can't let up.

·         He must boast about his goodness.

·         Pride among Christians is one of the things that causes our churches to be so cold today.  

2.     BE FAIR AND MERCIFUL (JOB 31:13-17)

13 "If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves

When they filed a complaint against me,

14 What then could I do when God arises,

And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15 "Did not He who made me in the womb make him,

And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16 "If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the orphan has not shared it      NASB 

Verse 13:

·         Job pleads innocence to any charge of mistreating his servants.

·         Job likens his responsibility to them to God's for him.

Verse 14:

·         Job says that he had been considerate of others.

Verses 15-17:

·         Job Denies That He Has Withheld From the Poor.

·         Job affirms a lifelong dedication to helping the orphan and others in need.

·         God expects from us the same things that Job claims that he has done. 

Psalms 82:3-4

3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.      NASB 

Jeremiah 22:3

3'Thus says the LORD, "Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.     NASB 

Jeremiah 22:15b-16

Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.

16 "He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; Then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?"     NASB 

Micah 6:8

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?      NASB 

3.     BE FOCUSED ON GOD (JOB 31:24-28)

24 "If I have put my confidence in gold,

And called fine gold my trust,

25 If I have gloated because my wealth was great,

And because my hand had secured so much;

26 If I have looked at the sun when it shone,

Or the moon going in splendor,

27 And my heart became secretly enticed,

And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,

For I would have denied God above.      NASB 

Verses 24-25:

·         Job denies that he had made gold his trust.

Verses 26-27:

·         Job acknowledges that worshipping the planets would have been acts of apostasy.

·         This may have been a form of adoration in pagan cults.

·         Whereas idols could be kissed, the heavenly bodies might have had a kiss thrown to them.

·         Job swears that he has had nothing to do with such pagan idolatry.

Verse 28:

·         Job acknowledges that worshipping the planets would have been acts of apostasy. 

4.     BE COMMPASSIONATE AND UNDERSTANDING (JOB 31:29-30, 33-34)

29 "Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,

Or exulted when evil befell him?

30 "No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin

By asking for his life in a curse.      NASB

33 "Have I covered my transgressions like Adam,

By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34 Because I feared the great multitude,

And the contempt of families terrified me,

And kept silent and did not go out of doors?      NASB 

            Verse 29:

Having joy over an enemy’s trouble was all too common in the Old Testament and its world. 

Luke 6:27-28

"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.     NASB

Verse 30:

·         Job is saying that he didn't rejoice when his enemy stubbed his toe and had trouble.

Verses 33-34:

·         The reference is to yielding to the pressure of the ruffians to surrender his values to them. 

·         These things Job swears that he has not done.