10/26/25 - You Can’t Handle the Truth
Notes
Transcript
There is an optical illusion called chromatic adaptation
this is our brains ability to adjust to changes in lighting
in order to keep colors constant in an image
Colors are subjective to how your brain works
A white piece of paper looks white
regardless if its under warm incandescent light
or under blue fluorescent lighting
A phot editor or video editor
has to calibrate their monitor
because our brains will adapt to what proper colors should be
even if the monitor is too warm
or too cold, or if the colors are just off.
Our brains are trained to adapt to the colors we know are correct.
Here’s an example.
I’m going to show you a photo of a landscape
This is a black and white photo of Dunstanburgh Castle
I’m going to show you another photo of a colorized version
with a blue dot in the middle of it.
I want you to stare at the blue dot for about 30 seconds.
After which I am going to put the black and white picture back up.
Many of you will have the black and white picture
turn color for a moment
That’s the effect of our brains trying to adjust and adapt
to colors we know are correct.
There was an internet phenom a while ago about a dress
The dress was actually confirmed to be blue and black
but many saw the color as white and gold
The brain sees what it wants to see
regardless of what is actually in reality
The funny part about the whole dress thing is
not so much people seeing what they thought they saw
but the argument that ensued about what they thought they saw
People were adamant about the colors they were seeing
They argued because they know what they saw!
We’ve been discussing the argument in Job
that Job’s friends are adamant in saying
the wicked will be punished and have short lives.
They’ve perhaps heard this
and have seen it happen a time or two
The internet said it was true and
perhaps their preacher shared this in a sermon over and over
who knows?
Job’s friends have stated
Epliphaz in Job 15:20
20 A wicked person writhes in pain all his days, throughout the number of years reserved for the ruthless.
Bildad has said
5 Yes, the light of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.
Zophar finishes with Job 20:5
5 the joy of the wicked has been brief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?
And based on their own conclusions and beliefs
that the fate of the wicked
reflects what Job is going through right at the moment
therefore Job must be one of the wicked
Job however, is going to rebut their argument
based solely on the the facts that
first, that’s not his story
and second, not all of what they have heard and believed was true.
His argument is that you cannot conclude the spiritual state of someone
based on their current happiness or prosperity
or even their present sufferings
The bottom line is,
check your beliefs against the standard or reality
and in our case, the standard of God’s Word
Job’s Argument
Job’s Argument
Introduction
Introduction
1 Then Job answered:
2 Pay close attention to my words; let this be the consolation you offer.
3 Bear with me while I speak; then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.
A newspaper editor once said
The most important thing in an argument,
next to being right,
is to leave an escape hatch for your opponent,
so that he can gracefully swing over to your side
without too much apparent loss of face.
Job is going to do that very thing
he is going to place an argument
But he is going to lay it all on the Lord
So that if his friends decide that Job is right
They turn to the Lord instead of
Saying that he is right
Here’s Job’s opening statement back to his friends
Notice he isn’t speaking to the Lord anymore
he is going to address them directly
He says, “I’m going to share with you some things
and after I’m done, you can go ahead
and continue with your diagnosis of my situation.
4 As for me, is my complaint against a human being? Then why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Look at me and shudder; put your hand over your mouth.
6 When I think about it, I am terrified and my body trembles in horror.
Here’s the problem guys
Everything I am about to tell you
scares me to death
because what I am going through
doesn’t fit within your conclusions
and because it doesn’t
you all should be afraid as well.
I don’t know if you’ve ever been in an argument like that
Where you know what the right answer is
Based on factual evidence of experience
Versus someone else’s book knowledge of a subject
When I graduated from seminary
this was the common problem among seminary students
And recent graduates
They would come out of seminary with great book knowledge about something
But no practical experience of how to apply it
That usually leads to discussions about
This professor says this
Or my church back home did that
Without ever taking into account context
Or real life situations
Maybe a better example would be married couples
who talk about how they are going to raise their kids
That’s always somewhat funny to me.
Anyone who is a parent knows what I’m talking about
Partially because we’ve all been there
The words, “I’ll never raise my kids that way”
Has either been verbally said, or at the very least thought of
In the minds of someone without kids
After they have their babies
and they go to the doctor
And the doctor tells them what foods they should and shouldn’t eat
And grandma is sneaking, or not so subtly
Sneaking them Cheerios or Melba toast
Because that’s what they were taught
It’s funny to watch the new parents struggle through those things
That’s kind of what is going on here
Job’s friends have a view from the cheap seats
About what is going on in Job’s life
And are playing armchair quarterback to his suffering
When in fact it is apparent that they have
Never gone through it themselves
And have never had to deal with it on a personal level
Job is going to help educate his friends to the bests of his ability
and he does it without hope that they’ll ever catch on
Because they just don’t understand
And seem to be unwilling to listen to reason.
Job’s first argument is that a wicked person can be happy
A Wicked Person Can Be Happy
A Wicked Person Can Be Happy
7 Why do the wicked continue to live, growing old and becoming powerful?
8 Their children are established while they are still alive, and their descendants, before their eyes.
9 Their homes are secure and free of fear; no rod from God strikes them.
10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 They let their little ones run around like lambs; their children skip about,
12 singing to the tambourine and lyre and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.
13 They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.
14 Yet they say to God, “Leave us alone! We don’t want to know your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what will we gain by pleading with him?”
16 But their prosperity is not of their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
The Main Point
The Main Point
7 Why do the wicked continue to live, growing old and becoming powerful?
In other words
everything they have concluded
about the wicked will suffer and be punished
Because they are simply wicked isn’t reality
Tell me how many people you know that
are lost with Jesus
but absolutely fine without Him
and are doing pretty well.
Or are wealthy, happy, and unrighteously living?
I think about some of the people in Hollywood
These folks, at least have the appearance of
Living in a life of grandeur
With all the beautiful houses and clothing
Tons of money
But could care less about God
Or worse, use Him as a leveraging point
To make them be liked by people.
What about pastors who
have a huge church
Getting incredible benefits and salaries
But blow up their church because they wanted something more’
Or they desconstruct their faith
And begin to follow an unbiblical path
But seem to still come out ok
How is that possible?
doesn’t God punish the wicked
And bless the righteous?
The Description
The Description
8 Their children are established while they are still alive, and their descendants, before their eyes.
9 Their homes are secure and free of fear; no rod from God strikes them.
10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 They let their little ones run around like lambs; their children skip about,
12 singing to the tambourine and lyre and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.
13 They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.
It seems that the wicked still have a legacy to leave to their families (8)
They never get robbed, and God doesn’t strike them down (9)
Their livestock still have babies
Their businesses still prosper (10)
Their kids are doing well (11-12)
And they die in peace (13)
And yet there is evidence of their wickedness
Evidence of Their Wickedness
Evidence of Their Wickedness
14 Yet they say to God, “Leave us alone! We don’t want to know your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what will we gain by pleading with him?”
16 But their prosperity is not of their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
That line in verse 16 is haunting to Job
Their prosperity is not of their own doing
Meaning, I believe Job is implying that
The Lord is actually prospering them.
I mean, who else but the Lord can
make sure that people’s children are healthy?
Can make livestock continue to produce more livestock?
Actually cause someone’s business to be blessed?
And not put someone through a painful debilitating death?
Job continues to argue
not only can a wicked person be happy, but
A Wicked Person May Not Be Punished
A Wicked Person May Not Be Punished
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come on them? Does he apportion destruction in his anger?
18 Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away?
19 God reserves a person’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.
20 Let his own eyes see his demise; let him drink from the Almighty’s wrath!
21 For what does he care about his family once he is dead, when the number of his months has run out?
22 Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges the exalted ones?
23 One person dies in excellent health, completely secure and at ease.
24 His body is well fed, and his bones are full of marrow.
25 Yet another person dies with a bitter soul, having never tasted prosperity.
26 But they both lie in the dust, and worms cover them.
Job is going to use their own arguments against them
Bildad said in Job 18:5
5 Yes, the light of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.
Bought says in Job 20:28
The possessions in his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s anger.
And Job is like
how often does that really happen?
That’s all great in theory, but in reality
When have you seen that happen?
Jesus addresses this problem in Matthew 13:24-30
24 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.
26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.
27 The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
28 “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he told them. “ ‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him.
29 “ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”
In other words
let them all grow up together
And at the harvest they will be separated.
We live in a world of grace living right now
one day, when Jesus returns
God’s grace for those that have not accepted His gift
Of Jesus Christ’s payment on the cross
Will Come to an end
At that point, the wicked will receive their punishment
Which in reality isn’t really punishment
As it is more of their personal choice
In the parable
Jesus says the wicked and the righteous will
All grow up together
So it may appear as if the wicked are getting away with murder
No pun intended
But in the end they will face the choice of their decisions
But not yet
Maybe the biggest insult to everything
we know the wicked can be happy
And the wicked may not be punished
But lastly, a wicked person can also prosper
A Wicked Person Can Prosper
A Wicked Person Can Prosper
27 I know your thoughts very well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 For you say, “Where now is the nobleman’s house?” and “Where are the tents the wicked lived in?”
29 Have you never consulted those who travel the roads? Don’t you accept their reports?
30 Indeed, the evil person is spared from the day of disaster, rescued from the day of wrath.
31 Who would denounce his behavior to his face? Who would repay him for what he has done?
32 He is carried to the grave, and someone keeps watch over his tomb.
33 The dirt on his grave is sweet to him. Everyone follows behind him, and those who go before him are without number.
Again the argument of Job’s friends is
The wicked will come to ruin
Job has come to ruin
Therefore Job must be wicked
Job’s challenge here is
have you ever asked someone about their travels
And have they told you about the wicked that are prospering?
Don’t you all get out much?
Job says that
the wicked do not die violent deaths (30)
Nobody tells them how wicked they are
Because they are afraid to tell them (31)
So they aren’t held accountable for anything they do
So they die peacefully
They are buried in lavish graves
And their graves are guarded so that if you did think they were wicked
Their graves wouldn’t be defaced
And this happens over and over again
The Final Words
The Final Words
34 So how can you offer me such futile comfort? Your answers are deceptive.
The words, “so zip it” come to mind
That’s the NJRV New Jersey Revised Version
I’ve been in situations where I have been in a discussion
where the person I am talking to
Obviously has had no experience in what they are arguing
But also is arguing none the less.
The easy thing for me to do is to get heated and passionate
And blow my testimony up trying to defend the argument
When in reality that will both ruin my witness
And also ruin Christ’s as well
That never solves anything.
The harder thing to do is to explain the situation
in a calm and loving manner
So that the person has a choice to either believe what I’m saying
Or not to
But it isn’t because I lost my cool telling it to them.
Years ago, a large statue of Christ was erected high in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile.
It is called "Christ of the Andes,"
the statue symbolizes a pledge between the two countries
that as long as the statue stands,
there will be peace between Chile and Argentina.
Shortly after the statue was erected,
the Chileans began to protest that they had been slighted
-- the statue had its back turned to Chile.
Just when tempers were at their highest in Chile,
a Chilean newspaperman saved the day.
In an editorial that not only satisfied the people
but made them laugh, he simply said,
"The people of Argentina need more watching over than the Chileans.
I really believe Job is trying to go the high road
he’s addressing the problem with their thinking
By challenging their words and thoughts
With real life
But He’s turned from being a little snarky
To trying to help explain all the holes in their argument
The other thing to remember is
try to think how the other person is thinking
Not just to counter their thinking
But to understand where their beliefs come from
Once the Devil was walking along with one of his cohorts.
They saw a man ahead of them pick up something shiny.
"What did he find?" asked the cohort.
"A piece of the truth," the Devil replied.
"Doesn't it bother you that he found a piece of the truth?" asked the cohort.
"No," said the Devil, "I will see to it that he makes a religion out of it."
It’s so easy to be blinded by our own beliefs
because that’s what we’ve always known
I guess the better question would be
Where did those beliefs come from?
Did they come from tradition?
Did they come from another person?
Even a pastor?
Or did they come from the truth.
An author once wrote
"One of my deepest convictions is that
the terrible harms that are done in this world are not done by deliberately evil people,
who are not numerous and are soon found out.
They are done by the good--
by those who are so sure that God is with them.
Nothing can stop them,
for they are certain that they are right.
