Job: God is Sovereign Over and Hope During Suffering (Part 3)

Introduction

Open your Bibles this evening to Job Chapter 19 and we will begin in verse 23. Job 19:23

Last Time

God’s sovereignty in suffering was highlighted.

If Jesus’ suffering is according to God’s definite plan, as scripture says, and he is our archetype then suffering is to be expected.

Don’t forget, there are two kinds of suffering

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Pe 3:18, ESV)

“For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure?” (1 Pe 2:20, ESV)

I want to highlight a few test about suffering.

The apostles “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” (Ac 5:41–42, ESV)

Ananias was sent to Paul with this words, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Ac 9:15–16 ESV)

The saints have responded to the call to suffer for the name of Christ throughout the ages.

Martin Luther preaching on ON CROSS AND SUFFERING said “First, we must note that Christ’s suffering did not just deliver us from the devil, death, and sins; his suffering is also an example for us that we should follow in our own suffering.” [1]

Calvin Commenting Romans 8 said “since they have first affirmed their innocence, and show that they are burdened by so many evils, we can fittingly argue from this that there is nothing new in the Lord permitting his saints to be exposed to the cruelty of the ungodly.” [2]

We have lived in a time and a country where we are relatively sheltered from suffering for Christ, however, I believe that time is drawing to a close and there are many places where our brothers and sisters do not have the protections we have.

Tonight we will look at the central hope we have in that inevitable suffering.

Let’s read Job 19:23-29

Job 19:23–29 ESV

23 “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! 28 If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’ 29 be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.”

May God Bless the Reading of His Holy and Infallible Word

Let’s Pray

Transition

Job says in verse 23 “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book”

Job got his request and his story not only exonerated him from the accusation of his so called friends, but has been a bolster to many believers in suffering.

Lets read verses 23-24

Body

What Words Should be Written?

Job 19:23–24 ESV

23 “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!

When Job says, “Oh that my words were written!”

He is saying that anyone who remembers this conversation will see him exonerated.

Think about the believers that were killed in Rome for being enemy’s of the state.

Or in communist china.

RC Comments here that Job “desires that his cause will be vindicated by a permanent memorial.” [3]

Every believer has this hope because as the Apostle Paul says, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Ac 17:30–31, ESV)

We are going to return to the point of repentance but the hope for every believer is that there is a day when all will be made right.

I once knew a man that was a christian named Mark. He had been sentence to prison but he maintained his innocence. I could only offer him the comfort that all would be made right.

Transition

We can be sure all will be made right for the same reason Job was, Job had a redeemer. Look to verse 25-27.

Job’s Redeemer

Job 19:25–27 ESV

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

This is one of those passage you will find in debate. Some say that Job could not be talking about a Resurrection because in Job’s time there was no concept of a Resurrection.

I think RC nails the reply to that here.

Some have “argue[d] that Job does not anticipate bodily resurrection but instead yearns for no more than to see God before he dies so that God will vindicate him. Such a conclusion is often based on the perception that belief in an afterlife did not arise until much later in the OT. This view is improbable. Even though in the earliest times not much information was disclosed about life after death, an awareness of it existed, albeit dimly. (e.g., Gen. 5:24).[4]

RC cites Gen 5:24 and Enoch

But we can also, see the Abraham believed in God to raise Isaac from the dead.

I think it clear Job believe in a eschatological vindication is inevitable.

Moreover, Job see his vindication by that of a redeemer, that will say Job says “stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25, ESV)

Some will disagree but I place this text firmly as a direct reference to Jesus. Especially his second coming.

Job knew he needed a redeemer because though Job suffered righteously he was not sinless.

Augustine to Pelagius "It is, however, one thing not to have sin, and another to refuse obedience to its desires. It is one thing to fulfil the command, “Thou shalt not covet;” and another thing, by an endeavour at any rate after abstinence, to do that which is also written, “Thou shalt not go after thy lusts.” And yet one is quite aware that he can do nothing of all this without the Saviour’s grace. It is to work righteousness, therefore, to fight in an internal struggle with the internal evil of concupiscence in the true worship of God; whilst to perfect it means to have no adversary at all. Now he who has to fight is still in danger, and is sometimes shaken, even if he is not overthrown; whereas he who has no enemy at all rejoices in perfect peace.” [1]

What is sin, any want of conformity to or breaking of the law of God.

I have met many that believe simply because they do not do sin they have stopped sinning, but biblically speaking desiring to sin is, you guessed it, sin.

Just to be clear, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength. Any moment we hold a desire to sin, even if we don't act on it, we cannot say we loved the Lord with all of our Heart while we hold a desire to sin that God hates.

You cannot love God and love what God hates.

This bring us back to Paul statement, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Ac 17:30, ESV)

Repent, turn way from sin and place your hope and trust in the redeemer. because just like Job you need one.

Transition

This is what Job means in verse 29 about being “afraid of the sword” Lets read verse 28 and 29.

Ultimate Justice

Job 19:28–29 ESV

28 If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’ 29 be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.”

“If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’ “

Job is speaking to his Friend’s, keep finding fault where their is none and the redeemer will come with his sword.

God vindicated Job and said this to his Friends, “After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. “ (Job 42:7–8, ESV)

God wont accept our prayer but if Christ prays for you as he prayed for Peter God will here his prayer.

”afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.”

Paul said repent because God “has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed.” (Ac 17:31, ESV)

This judgment is a double edge sword that proceeds out of his mouth. He will say to his well done, and the the rest he will say, I never knew you and that sword will be the second death, the bottem-less pit where there is torment forever.

There are a lot of beach boy hippy Jesus’s on TV today, but make no mistake Jesus is king, his is the one that will judge the world and the day of the wrath of the lamb is coming,

Xi Jinping and the Chinese communist party that would bring as Calvin said, the “cruelty of the ungodly.” against God’s people should understand they have a redeemer and he has a sword.

Those that

advocate for murder

Normalize pornography for second graders

Dress in drag and read to children in a library

The man of righteousness is coming to judge the world.

Those that

Live there lives and are called good people by all around them

They are fiscally conservative

Small government

Traditional Family supporting Americans

The man of righteousness is coming to judge the world and you are sinner.

All must repent all must fear the sword

No one is righteous not even one.

Be warned to flee the wrath, because the wrath comes with a sword.

Conclusion

Job’s hope, is in God believer, if your faith is in Jesus Christ you will not be let down.

As we conclude our time Job, we see God is sovereign over suffering and he is the hope int he middle of it because he is the redeemer that will save the righteous and slay the wicked.

Benediction

Jude 24–25 ESV

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

References

[1] Martin Luther, “Sermon at Coburg on Cross and Suffering,” in Luther’s Spirituality, ed. Philip D. W. Krey, Bernard McGinn, and Peter D. S. Krey, trans. Peter D. S. Krey and Philip D. W. Krey, The Classics of Western Spirituality (New York; Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2007), 152.

[2] David Starling, “‘For Your Sake We Are Being Killed All Day Long’: Romans 8:36 and the Hermeneutics of Unexplained Suffering,” Themelios 42, no. 1 (2017): 117.

[3] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 787.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Augustine of Hippo, “A Treatise on Nature and Grace,” in Saint Augustin: Anti-Pelagian Writings, ed. Philip Schaff, trans. Peter Holmes, vol. 5, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1887), 146–147.

Bibliography

Luther, Martin. Luther’s Spirituality. Edited by Philip D. W. Krey, Bernard McGinn, and Peter D. S. Krey. Translated by Peter D. S. Krey and Philip D. W. Krey. The Classics of Western Spirituality. New York; Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2007.

Schaff, Philip, ed. Saint Augustin: Anti-Pelagian Writings. Vol. 5. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series. New York: Christian Literature Company, 1887.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.

Themelios 42, no. 1 (2017).