Who can Bring Us to God?

No Big Deal?

Have you ever had someone give you a task, or invite you to do something that was prefaced with the qualifier, “It’s no big deal!”

It’s as simple as that!

Today we examine the speech of Job’s second friend, Bildad, and Job’s response to Him.

Bildad essentially follows the same theme of Eliphaz that we saw last week, only his speech is much shorter and he gives another “easy” answer.

As we read it, it is almost as if Bildad’s attitude is just that - “it’s no big deal! It’s as simple as that!”

If we could simplify, again, the speech of Bildad and the response of Job, it would look something like this.

“Job, just repent! If you’re upright and blameless, God will restore you! It’s as simple as that!”

“Bildad, that might be true - but how can someone be truly righteous before the Lord? No matter how good I am, he can always find something against me! It’s not as simple as you’re making it.”

Job 8:5–6 ESV

If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy, if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore your rightful habitation.

Job 9:2 ESV

“Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

Bildad accused Job of complicating the issue, but Job, in his wisdom and integrity, knew it was more complicated than Bildad was making it out to be.

Bildad makes God simple, easy to approach. Job knows God as awesome, immense, powerful, right, and unquestionable.

So if it’s not as simple as that, who will bring us to God? How can man be right before God?

There is no doubt that all have sinned, so how can a man be right before God? We need someone to stand for us.

Bildad - You need to repent!

Job, does God do anything wrong? - 8:1-10

Job, you’re hopeless because you’re Godless! - 8:11-19

Job, there could be hope - 8:20-22

Job - I need an Arbiter!

a person who goes between to settle disputes

How can someone stand before God? - 9:1-12

If I speak with God, I will mess up! - 9:13-24

God is not like us, and there is nobody to help! - 9:25-35

Who will bring us to God?

A Mediator.

More than an arbiter to settle a dispute, Job needed a mediator to bring him to God.

This was beyond his imagination - that someone could actually make God approachable. Job is absolutely right about all God’s immense and awesome attributes, but he was wrong about there being no way to be made right, and no way to approach Him.

Moses?

Exodus 19:10–12 ESV

the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

Exodus 19:16–18 ESV

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.

Exodus 19:19–21 ESV

And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish.

Jesus!

Hebrews 12:18–20 ESV

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”

Hebrews 12:22–24 ESV

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

God is not like us, and there is nobody to help.

John 1:14–18 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Even if I speak to God, I will mess up!

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

More than just forgiveness, grace and help in time of need.

The right mediator bridges the gap not just between us and God, but between our shortsighted experience and God’s infinite wisdom.

How can I be right?

Hebrews 10:12–14 ESV

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.