Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: Last Week Connection & review

Now the text for tonight is a long one.

We will tackle it section by section as Job gives his final plea to God.

We will read each section as we come to it, because no matter the words I say it is essential that we read and see the words of scripture and let them penetrate our minds, as we see God reveled in the life and groaning of this long gone saint, whom God has used to teach us much about suffering.

So Here we are at the end of Job’s long day or series of days with his friends, they’ve argued back in forth about Job’s apparent sin after seeing his current state and hearing his cry of lamentation.

We’ve journeyed along way with Job from words that God said about him in chapter 1 & 2 and God’s challenge to Satan that no matter what happens to Job he will not Curse God or turn away.

In that time we have seen much transpire the loss of All Job had, and even his own health failing, he has been tormented by the “false comfort of His friends” and now he will make one final plea to God.

Once more with Feeling he will plead to God, and what is so important about this final plea and lament is that it followed the wisdom hymn of Chapter 28 that concluded with the the reality that Job is a man of Wisdom and Understanding.

Job is not a sinner seeking to be ride of His consequences.

He is not a wretched man seeking God to dismiss the case against him.

No he is a man who has been by all accounts and the word of God himself seeking God with His whole heart and now has lost it all, and in that loss we now see his final plea develop over 3 chapters with 3 distinct movements, each revealing the attitude of Job in His misery:

First: He Ponders the Past

Second: He Laments the Present

Finally: He Pleads for a Future

I. Job Ponders the Past (29)

As Job begins is final lament by looking back at everything he believes he has lost through this ordeal.

What is clear though is that the things he is going to list are not material possessions: It his His friendship with God, His love and help of the broken, and the position he held which granted him room to speak and assist others.

He doesn’t yearn for the wealth and possession he once knew, but the more intangible things based on his character.

His yearning points to the things that flow from a life in service to God and love for Him.

This is evident right from the start for he will ponder over the apparent lose of friendship with God.

A. His former Friendship with God (1-11)

-The very first thing that strikes his heart when looking back is what appear to be a separation with God.

In the midst of his suffering he can’t see past the cloud:

For most believers we are encouraged in these seasons by brothers and sisters who point us back to the truth of Christ His suffering his abandonment on the cross where he two feels forsaken, we are reminded in the Darkness the Son of God was Forsaken for us, far more than earthly suffering.

But Job does not have the scriptures to remind him of the truth, and his friends have pushed him further from the truth through their own vain attempts at showing Job comfort with words of fear and falsehood.

We wish Job knew the truth that Sam talked about a few weeks ago in the life of William Cowper.

The final Hymn he wrote before being commit for the final time “God moves in Mysterious Ways”features a wonder line that reflects this idea plainly:

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

We wish Job was singing this Song (and to be sure in a little while he will be when the smiling face breaks forth from a whirlwind and responds)

-However when we look at the song he is singing we still see that glimmer of Hope has not left Job, he is still clinging to God.

He is still crying out to God, He is still pondering the work of God.

He does not understand it He cannot fathom how he got to this place in life by Gods hands, but he does understanding tit is God at work, and that he needs God.

So He he yearns to have the smiling face of God shine once more.

He again yearsn for the words of Aaron in numbers

Before the face of God is comfort and peace the very things Job has looked for through out.

He has defended his state before God becuase it doesn’t match what he has been told, but he has stated more than once that its by Gods hand Good and evil come, but now he wishes it would pass sooner.

Like p[aul and the torn he wishes God would give him relief, but as we see God’s face is upon Job, but the blessing she has yet to be hold.

But

So from His longing for God he turns to the effects that his friendship with God had on His life.

The first thing we see is his love for God was displayed in a love for People:

B. His care for the defenseless (12-17)

Job was a man of character:

Eccl.

1 John 5:2

Job lays before God how he has walked in His ways.

How he was honored not for his wealth, but for his love of neighbor.

His character was impeachable.

He was a righteous Leader who executed Justice fairly and without favoritism.

“He was Friendly neighborhood Job who persecuted the unrighteous and helped the needy”

Job lays out his case that He is not what Eliphaz has accused him of, his life is quiet the opposite.

Job is a man who went above and beyond for the good of the defenseless.

His character and love for the broken made him a men well spoken of by the people.

C. His Place among the People (18-25)

Main Part of 1: In His description of his pas life we see a glimpse of a man who should be honored and loved in a perfect world where these things are loved and honored.

So too we see these characteristics echoed in the life of Christ.

(here is where the story of Job and Christ shows the divide: Christ knew why he was to suffer.

He knew that as the Son of God his righteousness would shock the world and be despised by certain evil men.

Christ Knew what was to befall him, but it didn’ make the pain less real the pain of the suffering, the pain of betrayal, the pain of loss, the pain of the Father's hidden face.

were real and painful, and yet for us he endured with knowledge the pain set before him so that we may have life.

He suffered and died so that the veil would be ripped and mankind would now have access to the smiling face of God on the other side of the veil.

He suffered died and rose that we could be assured that it was a true reality that he suffered for us and gained victory over the evil that still seeks to destroy us. the same adversary who unleashed these things upon Job,

And He now reins as proof that all that cam to be would be for our good and for our true and eternal prosperity where we will sit with him before the smiling face of God, for all time.

TR: These are true realities that came to Christ despite his righteous life and in Job we see he foreshadowing of this truth, this is even more evident as he transition sin chapter 30 to speak of the outcome of his downfall.

The righteous suffer

I. Job Laments the Present (30)

A. He Is despised by men and Criminals (1-15)

There very first part of his lamentation of his current circumstance is in regard to those who have now made him their joke and mockery.

-The visual here is f men who are the worst of society: Not the downcast, but criminals and thieves

-The world around him has turned on him, and now even the sinner mocks his way of life and righteousness.

(Sound familiar)

(Talk a bit more about this)

TR: The fact that his character has lead to disrespect of the world around him leads to an inner turmoil

B. He is in inner Turmoil (16-23)

Job 30:

Job takes stock of all that has transpired looks around and once again asks God why?

He loved God he kept his commandment everything in the book points to how great a man Job was.

He is not self-righteous, but truly God-righteous.

And so in the midst of it all one last time he cry’s out why, Job is a real person with real emotions that in the text shows us how the most righteous of humans responds to suffering: why? (again Job doesn’t have the scriptures on his memory and love for God, which after talking to his three friends has become hazy.

He can’t see as clearly now as he once did, but his plain is not to forsake God or curse him, but rather to push further on with his lament, hoping through it all it will become clear.

App: There is some great wisdom when we stop and linger here a moment.

Job has no knowledge of the courtroom of God.

He has no apostles, He has no Knowledge of the Christ who suffered and died to grant life, he has no knowledge of the Torah.

And here he doesn’t forsake his God.

How many people when God doesn’t act like they think he should with all this knowledge turn and reject him, How often is the slightest bump in the road lead some into a spiritual train wreck because “this isn’t what I signed up for.”

He has clung to God through a storm none in this room has fully experienced , all while being the most godly and righteous man on the earth.

So while Job doesn’t have all the answers he goes to the one who does so ch 30 concludes with a final plea for comfort and answers

C.

He is in Need of Comfort & Answers (24-31)

Job

As we have worked out Job is lost in the situation.

1 sam 12:24-25

He helped the needy and now in his suffering where is his comfort.

Everything he touches turns to ashes in his hands and now he is left with nothing.

His soul is now as downcast as his body.

He can no longer see by the lamp in the darkness

jpob 29:3

His question here his a plea: “God where are you?”