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Not that long, but certainly as I said in the beginning last week, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14 is really in one sense the heart of Job's defense against his three so-called friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophaz as they have each of them now have taken a turn at Job.
And as we've been discussing and considering in each of their speeches or in each of their words to Job they've made accusations against Job and that their accusations in their mind is absolutely spot-on, but the reality is they're really pretty far off and we've been considering that.
And so again in these three chapters now before us Job pretty much has had it. He's had enough of their ridicule, enough of their accusations, enough of their their words against him and basically they have said Job you deserve what you're getting and you ought to be thankful that you don't get more because there must be some secret sin in your life and God is judging you for it and if you would only repent things would get better.
And that's one of the major themes right in the book is that the misunderstanding or the misapprehension of the affairs of life and that it's easy it's easy for many people to look at the things that are seen and try to make judgments from those things that are seen rather than from the Word of God or from the reality of that things don't always turn out as they should in this life and ultimately the only time when things will be right is when?
When we're with the Lord, right? When God comes in that day every knee shall bow, every tongue will confess and so Job's kind of been fighting this back and forth but in these three chapters as I said you'll see Job begins to give back to them what they've been given to him.
So let's just read the chapter. Then Job answered and said no doubt you are the people and wisdom will die with you but I have understanding as well as you. I'm not inferior to you. Indeed who does not know such things as these and he's referring to what has been said by Zophar but also what the other two friends have said.
Verse four, I am one mocked by his friends who called on God and he answered him the just and the blameless who is left to scorn. A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease. It is made ready for those whose feet slip.
The tent of robbers prosper and those who provoke God are secure in what God provides by his hand. But now ask the beasts and they will teach you and the birds of the air and they will tell you or speak to the earth and it will teach you and the fish of the sea will explain to you who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this.
In whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Does not the ear test words and the mouth taste its food? Wisdom is with aged men and with length of days understanding. And now he goes into this if you will praise of God for who he is and what he does.
So he says in verse 13 with him being God with him or wisdom and strength he has counsel and understanding. If he breaks a thing down it can't be rebuilt. If he imprisons a man there could be no release.
If he withholds the waters they dry up. If he sends them out they overwhelm the earth. With him or strength and prudence the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away plundered. Makes fools of the judges.
He loosens the bonds of kings and binds their waist with a belt. He leads princes away plundered. He overthrows the mighty. He deprives the trusted ones of speech and takes away the sermon of the elders.
He pours contempt on princes and disarms the mighty. He uncovers deep things of out of darkness and brings the shadow of death to light. He makes nations great and destroys them. He enlarges nations and guides them.
He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless wilderness. They grope in the dark without light and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
So as we look began to look at it last week we kind of worked through the first couple of verses and so I don't want to go back too far but I want to just kind of pick it up in basically in verse 10 and work through it because as I said again there's a bunch of things that Job addresses in this chapter.
He addresses the thoughts of his friends for sure right and you could almost sense a little bit of sarcasm as he says in in the very first verse the second verse where Job answers said no doubt you're the people basically saying to them you think you're the tip of the spear wisdom will die with you and he says but I have understanding so Job is refuting the words of his friends and the thoughts of his friends and really what he's really saying is you guys are not helping me one bit but he also talks about God's rule we'll spend a few minutes on that and he talks about the mysteries of Providence and I think that's something that you and I it's repeated in the book over and over again with good reason and what good reason the good reason I think it is is because it's such a hard thing for us to understand the affairs of life especially when they come either in great waves at us or when it seems to be in our thinking unfair or misguided or beyond our comprehension and so again that's one of the arguments in the book right is that God does what he pleases to do and that God answers to no one and that you and I in the affairs of life if we keep our eyes focused only on the here and now what it's going to lead to is what what do you think it's going to lead to if all we do is try to figure out the things that pertain to to God and truth and all we use as a if you will as a visual is the things that are what could come out of that we had listed a couple of things we talked about this a little bit.
Would you agree that that's a possibility that as you look at the affairs of life and you look at the if you will the things that seem to be unfair or the things that seem to be out of whack that it's definitely possible to lead us into depression.
And we talked about this and again I it is possible to be a Christian and be depressed. And for anyone it says that it's not hang on you'll you'll you'll find it. That's true. And certainly this is one of the things with job right.
He's he's basically beside himself and I don't know about you. But that's one of the things that can easily cause us to stumble and fall. And you know one of the things about that is to me that's whole idea of depression and miss appropriating and misunderstanding.
It's like a spiral staircase and once you start down a staircase sometimes it's really hard to turn around and come back up because it just seems to continue on and on and on it's like a sinkhole it just goes further and further and further.
So that's one of the things that can come out of not understanding the actions of Providence. What what else could come out of that. What else could be a side effect of looking at the things that are seen rather than the things that are unseen.
Yeah disappointment. And certainly that would be part of this right. But that there is also there is also that reality that disappointment comes in to us. And sister I got you. Hey I like I said I can't spell I can't I can't.
It's just a you're right. Look at that I can erase that that's the teacher. Right there. Yeah man disappointment. Or if you will a perception of anything else that you how about this wrong actions that if we if we're not if we're not focused where we ought to be that that many times that I don't lead us down again to live our lives in a wrong way.
So all these things are playing into what's going on in if you will in the conversation back and forth between these three friends and Job and so like I said Job's pretty much had it and so he says to them you guys think you're so wise but I have understanding.
And then he we talked about this last week and then we'll pick it up in verse 10 that he basically says listen I am one who calls on God and you're not listening to me. That's what. Really what he's saying to them in these chapters is well at least one of the you're not listening to the words that I speak you've had a presupposition or you will have already made a judgment on me because of the things that appear outwardly and yet I'm telling you that that's not the case.
Remember they're telling Job that he has secretly sinned. Right. How many times have they said that so far you're getting what you deserve because you've sinned against God and nobody found out. But now that God has judged you for it it's evident.
And again that's one of the things that could happen to us is that we have a wrong perception of things. And a wrong perception will lead to wrong words. And wrong words will lead to wrong actions. And so again like a spiral staircase just goes down down down down.
So Job is making his defense. And then again as I pick it up in verse 10 because this is where he starts to if you will come after them because they have said that they are smarter than him. And so he says in verse 10 concerning God in whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
Now you and I would say that's absolutely true. Right. And insert. Certainly Paul says that in Acts doesn't he say in him we live and move and have our being right. But I think at this point what he's trying to stress to them is that he understands the providence of God because everything comes from God.
Remember what Paul says at the end of Romans 11 he says for of him through him and to him are all things. So when he says this in whose hands are is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
It's basically coming after them telling them listen. I understand. Maybe I understand even better than you because I understand that you can't always know what's going on in the world. Just I was reading again this morning on the news that earthquake in Morocco you hear about that.
Right. So first it was a thousand people. Now I read this morning this 2 ,000 people had died and there's still many many missing. So you know when you start to look at those kinds of things I guess you could say well there's probably a couple ways you can you would you be willing to say everyone that died there was an evil sinner under the judgment of God.
No we couldn't say that. We could we could make that assertion. But would that be. Would we be valid in doing such a thing. No would be be valid as we talked about last week and saying everybody that got hit by the hurricane God spared the righteous and he sent the hurricane.
No we can't make those kinds of. And so Job's saying listen it's all in God's hands. Not just what you perceive but but the reality is everything comes from God. And then he says in verse 11 does not ear test words in the mouth taste its food.
And I think what he's saying to them is do you not see this Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar. You do you not understand what I'm trying to get across to you that that things are not always as they appear. And listen if if you're smart enough you'll you'll taste your food and and kind of discern what it is.
You'll be a little bit discerning but but you guys are just coming after me double-barrel. And and then he says in verse 12 and wisdom is with aged men and with length of days understanding. I think he's still trying to say to them listen to me.
And remember we have we have no indication of the status of the hearts of the three friends. Do we there's. Is there anywhere in the book where it says that Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar were right with God.
Is there anywhere in the book where it says that they weren't right with God. So so we're kind of we have to kind of work through that part of it right. The one that we know of is who Job. It says he was just and right before God.
And again so as he as he says these things to them and he says do not the ear test word in the mouth taste its food. And and wisdom is with aged men. Because that's what they had accused him of. Good morning.
That's what they had accused him of too they said to him you you got to think you got to live and think about these things that we've known and everybody else has known. And now he goes into this if you will as I said X exaltation of of who God is.
And to me this is these words are so good and so full of understanding. And I think he's basically saying listen only God knows and God does. And again God doesn't have to give an account of himself right.
And how many people there are who want God to explain if you will like why did this happen. Why did that happen. And couldn't you have done it this way. Lord couldn't you have done it that way. And we could look at outside in the world and say well God if you did this then that would be right.
Or we make all kinds of perceptions. And so when he says this think about that. And he says in verse 13 we're in Job 12. Verse 13 and he says with him are wisdom and strength. They have said that also they've made that same proclamation.
Only they've made it in a sense of God found you out Job. I don't believe. That's what Job saying he's saying with him is wisdom and strength. He has counsel and understanding to me. That is such a that is such a comforting thought.
Isn't it that God has and holds the counsel that God has and holds understanding. And that whether or not we understand things friends God does whether or not we can comprehend the outworking of it God does.
And should that not be enough for us. Thank you somebody. Yeah it should be enough for us. Is it enough for us. Well yeah that we all start doing this. Right. Because is that enough for us to know that God understands what he does.
I think at times we want we almost want God to explain it to us break it down for me. Lord I give me the bullet points at least of what you're doing. And Job says that that's not the way it works. And then he goes into these if you will.
I don't say contradictions but but just the way things work. So in verse 14 if he breaks the thing down it can't be rebuilt. If he imprisons a man there can be no release. Again. Counsel wisdom belong to God.
And that it's not always up to hey morning not always up to us to try to figure it out. Verse 15 if he withholds the waters they dry up. You remember last week when we ended I read to you Psalm 148. And in Psalm 148 it talked about the fact that fire and wind and smoke and vapor fulfill God's purposes.
And you begin to think about that. And when you read something like this if he withholds the waters they dry up. And if he sends them out they overwhelm the earth. Isn't it amazing if you think about it how as God says to the seas you can only come so far and no farther.
And then when God takes it even a little bit past the boundaries that we perceive that God has set everything breaks loose. Right. Just like now. So they're anticipating this hurricane. Hopefully it's gonna turn go to the Northeast this big one that's out there.
But what are they already warned that the surge and everything along the whole East Coast is gonna be bad. And and people become all of a sudden. And I'm not saying you shouldn't but rightfully excited about the fact that the boundary might no longer be the boundary.
Right. And again when you when you read this this should settle us. And yet it should give us a sense of not being so settled. I'll put it to you this way and ask you to think about this. If everything about God leaves you with a settled feeling or settled mind I think there's something not right in that God is.
God is at times unsettling in in the affairs of life. Isn't he. I mean God interferes in life. Doesn't he. I know I know people will will present that whole truth that you know God is the perfect gentleman.
And God wouldn't do anything that that would be harmful. And God wouldn't do anything that's detrimental to God does things that unsettle us. Doesn't he sister. Yeah. Because the salvation. And again I'm gonna just do this one more time.
But it's all that. And salvation. Really what salvation is. It is the salvation only take place here. Okay. It's the promise salvation does take place here. Right. We're saved in this life. Great. However maybe you could do something like this.
Because this is this is where things become unsettling. There's no one settling down when we're with him in a new evidence of the new earth. We're not gonna be worried about hurricanes and tornadoes and evil people.
And remember who's not allowed in heaven. Who's not allowed in the new heavens in the new earth. What does Revelation say. All the unbelievers are kept out all the liars are kept out all the the the hatred is not allowed in that place in that day.
So as he says this and we think about it if if we are too focused on the here not only will we lose sight of our salvation but we'll be unnerved. And again Job is a job is troubled at this point. But he's still able to say this.
This is the amazing thing about Job. Remember what we have said in the beginning and what God said. Job retains his what his integrity. And I said to you a number of times you will not find Job in Hebrews 11 which is the great chapter of the the characters of faith.
Right. Abraham and Sarah. And and all those. And it's interesting that he's not mentioned there. But where do we find Job mentioned in the New Testament in James. Right. Because it says consider what the perseverance of Job.
And to me that's a great part of the integrity of Job is that he continued on in the worst of times. And and certainly the Lord Jesus Christ would support that. Wouldn't he. Because he says it he says in your patience you possess your souls.
And he says he that perseveres what Jesus said he that perseveres to the end will be saved. Right. And so again it is not where you start. Only Paul says we should run the race. Paul says we should run the race lawfully.
But Paul also says what. Yeah endurance. Because he says if you don't finish the race what happens. You don't get the crown. You don't get to cross that you don't cross the finish line. Well guess what.
You're disqualified. And again everybody doesn't have to come in first place. The point is that you and I have to persevere to the end. And it has to be in faith too. Right. And again all the other things in between we vacillate.
Don't we who wants to be so proud and lie in front of all of us to say that every day that you live is a victorious day in Christ. No takers. No. How many days do you think. At times I really failed today I really was a mess today.
I really didn't I really didn't press on today. And yet God in his mercy does what this is when I awake still in your hands. And God's mercies are new every day and every day is a new if you will opportunity for us to press on.
So as Job says these things that you can expand them in your mind. And but anyway he says he withholds the waters and they dry up. If he sends them out they overwhelm the earth. Verse 16 he says with him our strength and prudence.
And then this verse. This verse 16 is always been one of my. I don't want to say favorites. But it's just something that's always been in my mind ever since I first read it with him. A strength and prudence.
The deceived and the deceiver are in his hands. The deceived and the deceiver are in his hands. What is that. Teaching us teaching us that God's rule has no boundary. And that God never. If I could say it this way God never wastes anything.
Both the deceived and the deceiver. Both the good and the evil both the wise and the unwise both do the wise. And as the book of Proverbs says. And also the fool. That means that the fool who said in his heart that there is no God in Proverbs is still used by God to fulfill God's purpose.
There if if your definition of God is so narrow that you cannot comprehend that and you have a wrong definition of God because he does. And again I could use we can come up with a lot of examples of that.
Right. Just just for a minute. Who was who was a deceiver in the Bible. Well absolutely right. And that's even in the book of Job. That's certainly that. Plus what's it. Who else can we look at him through biblical history and find that they were used by God even though that they had evil intent and evil hearts.
Absolutely right. Pharaoh falls into this picture in that one. That isn't that one that Paul picks up on in Romans. He goes through that whole thing about. And what is he saying. Pharaoh meant it for evil.
God meant it for good. Just like Joseph and his brothers. Right. Well Judas certainly was a deceiver. Wasn't he. He was such a good deceiver that the other apostles didn't even know he was a deceiver.
Right. Is it I Lord they said as they're sitting there after Jesus said the one who I give the sock to is the one who betrayed me. And they still couldn't comprehend it. But God has used say. And that's a glorious thought.
Right. Satan agree creature not creator. And how many people will say that the Bible even the Bible or life is all about this this great clash between God and the devil. And that sometimes God wins and sometimes the devil wins.
Listen the devil never wins. He couldn't. He's just a creature. As the Puritans would like to say that that Satan was an ape on God's leash. It's just the way they framed it. So when you think about this and when he says that deceived and deceiver of both his just quickly and probably have known it.
But go to just leave your finger there. Go to Proverbs chapter 16 real quick. Let's just look at it in in in this verse Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 4 look what it says. So I'll begin it in first verse.
Chapter 16 says. The preparations of the heart belong to man. But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. And we could spend a lot of time on that one because that's another one that talks about God's sovereign rule.
Right. And all the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes. But the Lord weighs the spirits. Verse 3. Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established. Look at verse 4. The Lord has made all things for himself.
Yes even the wicked for the day of doom. What is that saying to us. Is that not what Job is saying in Job chapter 12 that both the deceived and the deceiver are his. That God uses everything God's taught us that.
And Job's has teaches us God uses the creation. Does he not. God uses the creatures. God uses the birds. God uses the fish. Was not the whale ordained by God. For Jonah absolutely was not the the flies and the frogs and the lice and all this.
Were they not prepared by God for Pharaoh and the locusts and all those things is not famine used by God absolutely. And even as we said fire and wind and smoke and favor and vapor fulfilling his purpose.
And there's a verse and I can't remember where it is right now. But maybe it'll come to me where it says that God sends the rain on the land either for one of three things either for the land itself for judgment or for mercy.
Now when there's a thunderstorm can we always tell whether it's for the land for judgment or for mercy. Nope. But do we are we able to rest in the truth that that God certainly knows why he sent that thunderstorm.
Right. God knows why he rips roofs off of houses. God knows all these things. And so as as Job makes these assertions and and he says that in verse 16. And I wonder if he's taking a little bit of a jab at three friends when he says that the deceived and the deceivers are both his.
Because remember they're blasting away a job. And I think he's in one sense he's basically saying to them you you know you're deceived not it ever. You're a deceiver. And so he says verse 17 he leads counselors away plundered.
And he makes fools of the judges. And he loosens he loosens the bonds of Kings and blinds and binds their waist with a belt. That's that's a real comforting scripture that one kind of goes along with the heart of the king is in the Lord's hand.
And like a river of water he turns it wherever he wills. And you and I we look out in our world and we see things that cause us to be frustrated. We see things that cause us to be angry. We see things that cause us to be depressed.
We see things that cause us to want to pull our hair out of our head at just the outworking of the rulers and authorities of this world. And yet it says he leads princes away plundered and he overthrows the mighty.
And he's the one that loosens the Kings. Verse 20. He deprives the trusted ones of speech. He takes away the discernment of the elders. Listen. We take we take opportunities at time to think that those that have powerful positions should be removed because they're not very smart at least in our minds.
But always remember God has raised them up. So like it is in Romans 13. Right. The rulers and the authorities are what they're raised up by God. And and there's a purpose in it. And even if they're deceived or if they're a deceiver right.
They're both his. So God is. God is always in control. And to me this is what's given Job his integrity. Because his integrity certainly can't be viewed by his life. He's a mess. Many times we're a mess.
Don't view your life solely by the situation you're in view your life in the light of God's truth. And that's basically what we talked about before. Right. If we only have hope in this life what does Paul say.
We are mo we of all men are the most miserable because you cannot unwind some of the perplexities and confusions and disappointments and failures and different things of this life to make decisions. So just to finish the chapter as he continues and he says he pours the contempt on princes and disarms the mighty.
Interesting that many times those that think that all they could do is continue up the ladder and all of a sudden someone something comes and cuts their feet out from underneath them. And they're all of a sudden we look at it and people will say wow he was just can't understand how could this happen.
He was. He was on a good pathway. You know it's God. Listen. When God pulls the carpet out you're gonna fall. There's no doubt about it. God doesn't miss. You know what he says when God says when I shoot my arrows they don't fail.
They don't miss. Did God did not God use the arrow that that soldier shot. Remember with Ahab. Remember what Ahab tried to do. He tried to get Jehoshaphat to what. Dress up as the king. And Ahab put on the soldiers uniform.
And he thought he was. He thought he was pretty. He thought he was a good deceiver. You go out there and you wear the king's clothes. I'm gonna go out there and fight. And remember what it says. The guy drew his arrow back.
Perchance shot it in the air. And where did it hit Ahab into one place that he didn't have armor. And like I said God's arrow doesn't miss. Just like Goliath that rock that was shot by David was prepared by God.
Wasn't it. And many times we will attribute and I'm not saying we should. We'll attribute it to the skill of David. Well listen there is no skill apart from what God gives. Right. So again just something to think about.
And yeah let the let the words. Especially when when we're exalting God and let just let them go and spread out in your mind. They're like they're like the roots of trees that'll spread out. You start to think of all these things.
And so he he makes the nation's great and he destroys them. Verse 23. He enlarges nations and guides them. Now verse 24 he takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth. And he makes them wander in a pathless wilderness again.
How many times have we seen that that all of a sudden great tragedy comes into people's lives and we have held them up as the special people. And yet all of a sudden everything that we thought about them is just collapsing everything that you you.
That's why I struggle a little bit with the way some people are set up as such role models and celebrities and all. And whether it be you know I don't. You can wear it. You could put that in any category.
Then all of a sudden they come crashing down and people are like huh how could this be. Well I'll tell you how it could be. God takes away the understanding of the chiefs and he makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
You can go from from nothing to something and back to nothing in a blink of an eye. Can't you. Right. I mean and God's not subject to the rules that that he's put in place for us. Listen hard work does not always turn out.
You know that's the saying right. Hard work always gets you places. No it don't. Sometimes all it gets you is hard work. I mean honestly some. And doesn't the word of God teach that there are some kids that grow up with daddy's money and they've never worked a day.
And then they squander it. And you know I mean the Bible's full of that. So it's not always as it appears. And as Job continues to come back at his friends they've made some indication of these things.
But they they know they're no wiser than Job. I think they're a little duller than Job in their understanding. And he says this in verse 25 he says they grope in the dark without light. And he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
And that in and of itself is an interesting thought. The wisdom that people possess is a gift of God. And it's not just wisdom in the spiritual realm. It's wisdom in every realm. Right. We had time we could look at it.
You remember what it talks about when it talks about the ostrich. And it talks about the ostrich and it says that the ostrich is so dumb that'll step on its own eggs. And do you remember why it'll step on its own eggs.
God deprived it of the wisdom to not step on its own eggs. And yet you you and I think about that and we would just say well it's awesome just a stupid animal. And that might very well be true. But the reason why the ostrich does those things is because God held back from the ostrich.
Right. And again when you think about this God makes many people stagger like a drunken man. Isaiah uses that analogy many times and he says they grope in the darkness like a drunken. And they go back and forth and we're back so again the thing that the thing that we could take away from this as we close the chapter and Job's gonna pick it up again in chapter 13.
By the way I'll just give just taste it. Look at what he says in the first verse of chapter 13. My eyes have seen all this my ears understand and hear it. He says the same thing in verse 2 of chapter 13 that he said in chapter 12 he says what you know I know I'm not inferior than you.
So as we pick this up next week he's gonna continue on and and then we're gonna get into a little bit more of what's in his heart about trusting God. And makes that great statement in chapter in verse 15 though he slay me yet I will trust him so more to come.
And then after that guess what happens. The three friends come back and they take a second shot at Job and it goes back and forth. And then ultimately as we get through the book we'll meet Elihu who's the fourth friend who has a better understanding of things.
But it's not really till God comes at the end of the book and he says to Job remember what he says to Job. Stand up. I'm gonna question you and you're gonna answer me. And Job basically says what bro in a sanctified way our father in God.
Thank you for who you are. Thank you for your truth Lord. Thank you that we can look at things and and Lord in so many ways help us to not only read not only to understand but to rest. Rest in your truth rest in your sovereignty rest in your almighty counsel Lord.
And and just give us a time now to worship you in spirit and truth. We pray in Jesus name.