Death Valley: Life Between the Gardens, Part 2

Job 31:29–37 ESV

“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him (I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse), if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’ (the sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler), if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart, because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors— Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown; I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

Prayer

The last three chapters, we have essentially seen Job move from remembering the “old days” and long for his life to be restored.

To mourning his present suffering and misery.

But this chapter, Job turns to his final defense.

These last three chapters incapsulate a final plea from Job.

If you had last words..

What would they be?

What would you say?

“Go on, get out – last words are for fools who have not yet said enough!”

– Karl Marx

“A dying man can do nothing easy.”

– Benjamin Franklin

“I’m bored with it all.”

-Winston Churchill

What if your last words were before the biggest court of the land?

We’re invited to see Job’s last words of defense of his plea before God.

He is essentially saying…

“If I have done anything wrong, then I deserve to be punished.”

“If I have done anything wrong, I would deserve what I have received, but I haven’t!”

“But If I have NOT done anything wrong, God, You should defend me!”

The difficulty of the book of Job strikes us at a fundamental level.

We have a deep commitment that good works should merit good reward.

Which makes it difficult to read the book of Job and see a righteous man suffering.

These are the last words of a blameless man…

Job 31:1–2 ESV

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

The Covenant

“Integrity of Heart” (Job 31:1–3)

Job 31:1 ESV

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?

At first glance, it doesn’t make sense what Job is saying here.

He is talking about his commitment to be faithful.

We need to remember that Job was written prior to the covenant with Abraham and Israel.

This means that kind of covenant that Job would’ve kept with God are different than what we may think.

It is clear that there is a special promise Job has made with God to keep a clear conscience before him.

We have no idea what kind of standards Job is aware of.

But what we can say is he knows something.

And the promise is for a clear conscience.

Job alludes to a covenant or a special promise that Job made concerning an area that all men tend to struggle with.

Job—The Wisdom of the Cross A. The Nature of the Covenant: The Commitment to a Clear Conscience (vv. 1–3)

it is likely that he begins with this not because it is worse than the sins he will list later or because it is the supreme temptation in his life, but because in its heart-searching demands it can symbolize and sum up a life of inner purity. As any man can attest, the calling to inward sexual faithfulness is a searching demand.

James 3:2 ESV

For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Job is not saying he is perfect here.

But you need to remember this is Job’s final defense in the “courtroom”

Illustration - Courtroom Scene

Imagine with me a crime taking place, say a robbery, that you know you didn’t commit.

And when it came time to testify about the crime, the people who should have supported you instead blamed you.

This is what Joe has been experiencing for 30+ chapters.

He’s been experiencing false accusation from those closest to him.

And his final words to God are pleading that God would make that clear.

This is his final plea for God to give a reason for all of the evil that has come upon him.

Job 31:2–3 ESV

What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high? Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity?

Job knows that those who are unrighteous will be destroyed.

He know that those who practice evil will reap destruction.

As we have seen before...

Job will be exemplary as well as prophetic.

He will be exemplary in his action, and yet prophetic pointing beyond himself.

Notice what Job goes on to ask for...

Job 31:4–6 ESV

Does not he see my ways and number all my steps? “If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit; (Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!)

Weighed in the Balance

“Integrity Proved”

Job is calling for God to weigh him with “scales of righteousness.”

Scales which are often used in agrarian societies.

[Picture of Scales]

Job is asking him to weigh his steps.

Weigh the direction of his life and see if it is righteous.

Numbering My Steps

“Seeing My Ways”

Job is asking for God to look at his ways.

To consider his way of life.

As the Psalmist would say...

Psalm 139:1–3 ESV

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Application - Search Us & Know Us

If you call yourself a Christian here today, it is not wrong to ask God to search you and know your heart.

For those who are saved by grace through faith in Christ, we should welcome God to see our ways and know us.

We should invite him to convict, reveal, and make known shortcomings in our lives.

We can simultaneously affirm that we are saved by grace and that we are working out our salvation with fear and trembling.

What Job is asking for here is not legalism or hyper spirituality.

It’s the call of someone who knows their God is holy, and they are prone to sin.

Job now turns to examine his life.

Sin – “If _________”

Judgement – “Then…”

Reason – “Because of _________”

Innocence – “Except for….”

Job focuses a lot on his own innocence.

This does not mean he is sinless.

It means he was blameless prior to his suffering.

Listing Faithfulness

“Integrity Shown” (Job 31:7–34)

Now Job goes on like this for about 30 verses.

If this… then that…

“If I turned aside”

“If I committed adultery...”

“If I committed injustice...”

“If I was ungenerous...”

I want us to focus in on about three of these and I think we will get the thrust.

In these three examples we will see three exemplary realities I want us to consider.

Notice what Job focuses on first…

Job 31:9–12 ESV

“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down on her. For that would be a heinous crime; that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase.

Adulterous

“Allured By Another”

Job acknowledges that if he committed adultery, then Gods punishment of him would make sense.

If he committed this horrible crime, then it would make sense that others would do the same to him.

It would make sense that all his stuff burned up.

According to Matthew 5:28

Matthew 5:28 ESV

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Application - Purity

The same warning needs said to both men and women but said differently.

Men -

Women -

Matthew 5:29–30 ESV

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Since we live in death valley, between the gardens, we need a faithful covenant keeper.

How is Job not being Pharisaical?

“It sure seems that Job is trying to flaunt his righteousness before God!”

We use the word pharisaical far too often.

To describe things which really have actually nothing to do with the Pharisees.

The Pharisees big problem was hypocrisy.

They were as Jesus said “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27-28)

They appeared to be righteous on the outside, but were wicked on the inside.

As opposed to the Pharisee’s, we’re seeing here from Job a kind of moral integrity, which has it ground and source in faith.

I’m not sure if Job would be able to articulate it, but it is a righteousness, that is a result of faith.

He is doing as Jesus commended in Matthew 5:6.

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Job goes on to a second characteristic...

Job 31:29–30 ESV

“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him (I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse),

Envious

“Rejoicing in Their Ruin”

Job is saying, he never rejoiced to see others overcome by evil.

He never looked on another and asked for them to be cursed.

The logic here for Job would be that if he did ask for them to be cursed, it would make sense if God cursed him instead.

But the confusing nature of this is he never asked for another to be cursed unlike you and I who often are envious of another.

Job never acted in this way.

I’m afraid that we tend to believe that we are condemned by God’s justice and saved by gods mercy.

This is not so.

We cannot pit God’s justice, and God’s mercy against one another.

The Saints of Old do not make this contrast.

They do not contrast God’s justice and his mercy.

They don’t contrast his goodness in his truth.

They don’t contrast his favor and his faithfulness.

Rather, they see him gracious and righteous.

Psalm 112:4 ESV

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

Psalm 116:5 ESV

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.

Since we live in death valley, between the gardens, we need a faithful covenant keeper.

Notice the last one…

Job 31:33–34 ESV

if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart, because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—

Hiding

“Concealing Transgression”

Now Job seems to be alluding here to Adam in the garden.

If you remember, when God walked in the garden after Adam and Eve ate from the fruit, they hid themselves.

Genesis 3:8–10 ESV

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

And for Job, this would have been a high-handed rebellion. To hide your self when transgression occurred is a great travesty.

Since the garden of Eden, where our first parents hid themselves in their sin, humanity has plunged itself in the same direction.

Unlike Job, we often find ourselves hiding ourselves and concealing transgression.

There is none who can say they are pure from sin.

From the youngest toddler, to the elderly in the nursing home.

Illustration - The Depravity of Humanity

I’ve often found myself having conversation with people and campus.

I’ll ask him about the nature of humanity, and it is always striking to hear people say that they believe that humanity is neutral.

They believe that humanity isn’t good or bad, but is somewhere in between.

They will say something to the effect of they’re not as bad as Hitler, but they’re not as good as Mother Teresa.

We should get to the end of this and be asking with the disciples.

Matthew 19:25 (ESV)

“Who then can be saved?”

Or with the Psalmist...

Psalm 130:3 ESV

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

Christina Rossetti: Who Shall Deliver Me? (Feb. 1866)

God strengthen me to bear myself; That heaviest weight of all to bear, Inalienable weight of care.

She goes on…

Myself, arch-traitor to myself; My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe, My clog whatever road I go

-- Yet One there is can curb myself, Can roll the strangling load from me, Break off the yoke and set me free.”

It’s basically Paul’s struggle in Romans 7.

Now we should note that we are not like Job in so many ways.

Weigh My Cause!

“Written Charge” (Job 31:35–37)

Job 31:35 ESV

Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

Hear Me!

“Calling for an Intercessor”

Jobs request is the same it has been this entire book.

With his final plea it reaches a fever pitch.

He is pleading that heaven would hear his case.

How could Job be asking for this?

How can people whom are sinners stand in the presence of God?

How can Job even ask for someone to come and intercede on his behalf?

Does Job think that his good works can stand in the judgment of God?

Its at this point that we realize again that Job points beyond himself again.

He points beyond himself to one who will necessarily need to come.

Job 31:35–36 ESV

Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown;

Job is saying that if God can find any indictment against him that he would wear it on his shoulder.

You can imagine a man walking around with a ginormous sheet with all of his crimes listed.

Or the sheet of crimes being stapled to his forehead

Job 31:37 ESV

I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

Approaching the Prince

“Righteousness of Another”

Job is saying that his innocence would allow him to approach God like a prince.

He would not have to approach him as one who has committed iniquity.

Job is able to say this because he was blameless in this situation.

Illustration - Failing and Exam

Imagine with me you’re taking a test for a class that you know you’re going to fail.

Maybe you know what that feeling is like, its gut wrenching.

What Job is describing here is being able to walk up to the teacher with an A+ paper.

The problem is me and you don’t have an A+ paper, and neither did Job fully.

Psalm 130:3–4 ESV

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

Even though we have our F paper in hand.

Our paper that shows we have a record of failure.

For those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation.

For those who have believed on Jesus.

We can come forward with confidence.

We can come forward knowing that Jesus Christ has switched us papers.

He has taken our F paper and given us his A+ paper.

For those who don’t trust Christ, they will submit their failed paper and receive a failing grade.

That is exactly what the apostle Paul is saying in Romans 4.

Romans 4:4 ESV

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.

The one who wants to submit his own test, it will be counted as his due.

Romans 4:5–8 ESV

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Application - God is Never Punishing Believers for Their Harm

If you were a Christian here today, and if you’ve turned from your sin and trust in Christ.

No matter what comes your way, you can have assurance that God is never punishing you for your harm.

No matter what suffering you walk through, he is always working for your good and his glory. (Romans 8:28)

Now this last section appeals to creation...

The Covenant Confirmed

“Creation Speaks” (Job 31:38–40)

Job 31:38–40 ESV

“If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together, if I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last, let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.

Job is simply saying that his land has proved that he has done nothing wrong.

He is calling the created order around to attest to his innocence.

What does it mean for Job to point to his own righteousness as an evidence of his integrity?

Jobs innocence should not make us feel uncomfortable or strange.

For the Christian, this is your final appeal to God.

The righteousness that Christ has given to you.

This is astounding.

We can make our final appeal to God not because we righteous, but because he has made us righteous.

Revelation 19:6–8 (ESV)

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

The believers are clothed in white.

The righteous deeds are their own but done by faith.

Those righteous deeds that come about from imputed righteousness of Christ.

The bride’s clothing is NOT something she can acquire herself.

Rather, it must be given to her.

Given as a gift from God.

Then that gift is exercised and that is what is clothing them.

A Commentary on the Revelation of John (1) The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6–10)

The saints who are summoned to the Lamb’s feast are those who have exercised steadfast endurance, who have kept the commandments of God, and have persevered in their faith in Jesus (Rev. 14:12).

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 ESV

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since we live in death valley, between the gardens, we need a faithful covenant keeper.