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Text: Job 11-14
Zophar the pharisee (chapter 11)
- 11:2 shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered? No, you don’t have to have an answer to Job’s complaint
- 11:2 should a man full of talk be justified? Job isn’t trying to justify himself
- 11:3 should thy lies make men hold their peace? Job hasn’t lied about anything.
- 11:7-12 Zophar gives a stupid theology lesson about how God is bigger than Job. DUH! Job doesn’t need theology, he needs compassion. In fact, there isn’t a man qualified on the earth to give Job a theology lesson and explain what is going on in Job’s life.
- 11:13-20 tells Job to repent
- Zophar makes the mistake that every faithless soul makes. Zophar cannot trust a God beyond this life. To Zophar:
- All of God’s promises are for here and now.
- All of God’s blessings are for here and now.
- All of God’s abundant living is defined by how much he has in this life right now.
- Zophar is not in a position to ever say he would trust God beyond the grave.
Job describes the present evil world (Job 12)
- 12:2-3 Job is sarcastic to Zophar. DUH! What you said, Zophar, is common sense! Who doesn’t know God is bigger than they are?
- Job 12:6 upside down world.
- Proverbs 11:7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
- Zophar, like many others, believed this present evil world is where God’s reward is located. So if someone has trouble like Job it’s because they are getting what they deserve, HERE. Except this present evil world is NOT God’s reward for anyone.
- Fruit of the SPIRIT, not fruit of the flesh.
- Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost – that’s what the kingdom is right now anyway.
- The reward is in and with Jesus Christ. (Now, Job isn’t talking about Jesus Christ, but he knows enough to know this present evil world is not God’s reward for the faithful.)
Job describes trusting God even in death (chapter 13)
- Proverbs 14:32 … the righteous hath hope in his death.
- One of the characteristics of a righteous soul is that it looks to the Lord for glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life.
- Job 13:15 describes one of the greatest acts of trusting God in all the Bible.
- Faith is not getting what you want out of God, but accepting what God gives.
- Do I trust him when I don’t understand? Does God get the benefit of the doubt?
- How about trusting him when I don’t like what he’s doing?
- How about trusting him when it’s caused pain in my family?
- How about trusting him when it’s caused physical pain to me?
- What’s the limit of your trust in God?
- Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
- Where did you stop trusting God and start leaning on your own understanding?
- Was it a relationship with a boy or girl?
- Was it in your marriage where clear instructions from the Lord were subjected to your own understanding?
- Was it in your parenting where God laid out the structure to order your home, but you “knew better”?
- Was it in business? Was it in your job?
- Maybe you don’t even trust the Lord enough to tell someone else about him?
- Maybe it’s not a matter of when you stopped trusting him, but when did you ever start trusting him? What part of your life has been given over to the Lord? What part of your life have you given God the authority over? And you said Lord I’m going to do this your way and TRUST that you know what you’re talking about. Is there any part of your life that way?
- Why doesn’t God get the benefit of your doubt?
Job earnestly desires his change to come (chapter 14)
- 14:1-2 man born of woman is short lived, but man born of God is forever
- 14:3-6 no man can be clean by himself; only God can clean. And he cleans by changing man.
- 14:7-15 nature teaches life after death. Job describes the resurrection and change from mortal to immortal in 1 Corinthians 15.
