How Long Will You Say These Things?

Review

We have been studying the book of Job for the last couple of weeks and have come to some keen understanding about the book itself. Though most Christians feel very uncomfortable with the themes in Job. It is difficult to reconcile in our minds that someone who was righteous like Job would endure so much, just because God wanted to prove a point to ha satan. But is this really what the story is about?

We’ve come to learn that nobody is above suffering. Suffering comes in this world because it is a fallen and sinful world and no one is righteous in the sight of God. We’ve come to appreciate the wisdom of the ancients in acknowledging the absolute supremacy of God. Who are we to judge the way God handles hi affairs?

Moreover, Job shows us the epitome of emunah, which as you will recall means faith, but so much more than the simple way we regard faith. It is an active faith, it implies firmness, steadfastness a trust that is exemplified. We can take the emunah of Avraham when he answered the call of God to sacrifice Isaac his son. Do you remember, what his reasoning was according to Hebrews?

Hebrews 11:17–19 TLV

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son— the one about whom it was said, “Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there.

That is the essence of emunah. You have no reason to believe other than trusting in the character, and especially in Abraham's case, the promises of God.

Then last week we saw Job put on a clinic on how to minister to someone who is facing a difficult trial. We concluded, based on Job’s response to Eliphaz, that preaching at them or even trying to cheer them with platitudes - no matter how true - would be the wrong thing to do. Somebody that is going through a trial only wants to be loved, and understood and heard. They don’t need you to fix it for them, they just need your to be there for them.

Bildad Responds

Today we pick up with the response of Bildad, to Job’s words entreating his friends for mercy and compassion, and it doesn’t seem like Bildad was really listening. Because while Eliphaz never comes right out and accuses Job of having sinned and therefore deserving the punishment of God, he does imply it. Bildad goes a bit further. Let’s look.

Job 8:1–7 TLV

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: “How long will you say these things? The words of your mouth are like a mighty wind. Does God pervert justice? Does Shaddai pervert justice? If your children sinned against Him, He handed them over to their rebellion. If you would seek God and plead with Shaddai, if you are pure and upright, even now He will awaken for you and restore your righteous abode. And though your beginning was small, your future would flourish.

Do you see that? now Bildad is saying the quiet part out loud, his friends believe that something must have happened that caused God to do this. And Bildad, knowing his friend Job comes to the conclusion that it wasn’t Job who sinned, but perhaps it was his children.

What an awful thing to say Pastor! Well it is kind of a rude conclusion to come to, but we at least have a clue that perhaps Job’s children weren’t as upright as their father. Let’s go back to Job 1:4-5.

Job 1:4–5 TLV

Now it was customary for his sons to hold a banquet, each on his own day in his own house. They would send to invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When the round of banquet days was completed, Job would send for them and consecrate them. He would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings, according to the number of them all. For Job said, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did everyday.

This phrase here “perhaps my children have sinned” in Hebrew denotes that Job believed not maybe they have sinned rather, I’m pretty sure they have sinned. Did he have any proof of this? No. At least not from the context we have in the passage, but the language seems to imply this. So maybe it was known by the people amongst whom Job and his family lived, that these kids loved to party, and so jumping to that conclusion wasn’t too far fetched. So it’s with this in mind that we continue reading what Bildad is saying. Again, the wisdom of the ancients is invoked.

The Wisdom of the Ancients

Job 8:8–10 TLV

Now ask the previous generation; consider the findings of their fathers; for we were born yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their hearts?

Considering when Job lived, you could speculate that whom Bildad considered “the previous generation” might well have consisted of people who would have known somebody who knew Adam and Eve, and remember, we don’t know how long Adam and Eve walked with God on earth before succumbing to the lies of the serpent. For all we know they lived decades and walked with God daily as he instructed them. Can you imagine the wisdom they had acquired during that time? This makes the fall that much more tragic. And it is to this same wisdom from whom Bildad is asking Job to inquire.

Job 8:11–22 TLV

“Can papyrus grow tall without a marsh? Can reeds flourish without water? When still in bloom and uncut, it withers more quickly than other grass. Such are the ways of all who forget God; the hope of the godless perishes— whose confidence is snapped off, his trust is a spider’s web. He leans against his house but it does not stand, He holds fast to it, but it does not hold up. He is a well-watered plant in the sun, spreading his shoots over his garden; he entwines his roots around a heap of stones, and looks for a place between the rocks. If he is uprooted from his place, it denies him saying, ‘I never saw you.’ Such is his joyous course, and from the earth others spring up. Surely God does not spurn the blameless or strengthen the hand of evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more!”

The wisdom of the ancients is similar to what the psalmist would write over a millenium later!

Psalm 1:1–6 TLV

Happy is the one who has not walked in the advice of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the Torah of Adonai, and on His Torah he meditates day and night. He will be like a planted tree over streams of water, producing its fruit during its season. Its leaf never droops— but in all he does, he succeeds. The wicked are not so. For they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand during the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For Adonai knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Cursing and Blessing

Or how about what Moses commanded the Children of Israel at Mount Ebal?

Deuteronomy 11:26–28 NKJV

“Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.

The sad thing is church, that there are pastors out there who are teaching a false Gospel of a God who doesn’t care if you go on sinning and living your life whatever old way you want. Because He is so loving and tolerant and non judgmental. And the sad truth is that they are leading an entire generation down a road to ruin and perdition. Yet they tell their followers that don’t pay attention to the Psalms, don’t pay attention to the prophets that’s all Old Testament. God is not like that anymore. But what does Yeshua himself have to say about that?

Luke 13:23–27 TLV

And someone said to Him, “Master, are only a few being saved?” Then Yeshua said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. Once the Master of the household gets up and shuts the door, and you’re standing outside and begin knocking on the door, saying, ‘Master, open up for us,’ then He will say to you, ‘I don’t know where you come from.’ Then you will start to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your company, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Get away from Me, all of you evildoers!’ ”

Those are some pretty harsh words aren’t they? But what about a loving and tolerant God? Well these folks knew something. The ancients knew something about the character and nature of God. Yet we are losing our way and preaching a false Gospel of grace that isn’t supported by scripture nor the words of Yeshua himself.

Job Answers

Job 9:1–2 TLV

Job responded and said: “Truly I know it is so, but how can one be righteous before God?

Job Agrees with Bildad

Apparently Bildad has struck the truth. Job agrees with all the Bildad says. Apparently this is something Job had already considered concerning his children. But he is left with the dilemma of his own suffering.

He asks, “how can one be righteous before God?” It’s not a question of what must I do to be righteous? Rather it’s a desperate question that says, who then can ever be righteous before God? It is an impossibility. And he was speaking a truth, for as we know, it is impossible for man to be righteous enough. Job understands that he is not able to appeal to God, since his words are insignificant.

Job 9:14–16 NKJV

“How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him? For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge. If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.

Job Needs a Savior

In the midst of this realization that he is without excuse before God, and that no matter what Job could say to him, God would not hear him because he has no case to present, he blurts out something prophetic without even knowing it. Let’s read it together.

Job 9:29–35 TLV

If I am condemned— why should I struggle in vain? If I wash myself with melted snow and cleanse my hands with lye, then You would plunge me into a pit and my own clothes would detest me. For He is not a human being, like I am, that I could answer Him, that we could go to court together. There is no arbitrator between us, who could lay his hand on us both; who could remove His rod from me, so that His terror would not frighten me. Then I would speak and not fear Him —except it is not so with me.”

Job realizes that he needs a savior. He stumbles upon the futility of man trying to justify himself before God. He has come to the conclusion that no matter what we try in our own strength, we are in a no win situation from which it is impossible to free ourselves. Unbeknownst to Job, unbeknownst to his friends, and unbeknownst to most Jews and Christians alike, Job has just declared in the completely logical and sober way possible the ultimate conundrum of humanity, and that is that without a savior we are completely undone.

Job Entreats God

This revelation of the need for a savior who is not present has finally brought Job to a point of humility where he is able to call out to God for an answer. And while God considered Job innocent, God did not consider him perfectly holy. And to this point, Job is crying out to God.

Job 10:1–3 NKJV

“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me. Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, That You should despise the work of Your hands, And smile on the counsel of the wicked?

God vs Humanity

Job then stumbles upon another prophetic nugget of truth when e cries out to God.

Job 10:4–7 TLV

Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as a human being sees? Are Your days like those of a mortal, or Your years like those of a strong man, that You should seek out my iniquity and search out my sin, though You know that I am not guilty, yet there is no one to deliver from Your hand?

He is basically telling God that he doesn’t know what it’s like to be a human. He says, you don’t know what it’s like to be mortal, so how can you judge us?

But God addressed that didn’t he?

Hebrews 4:15 TLV

For we do not have a kohen gadol who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all the same ways—yet without sin.

The Purpose of the Trial

Was he deserving of the trial he faced? No, but saints here’s the thing. Trials are meant to test us. Not to prove to God that we are worthy. Remember, God was fully confident in Job and allowed the satan to test him. But God sometimes allows the enemy to take a crack at us to build something in us. God allows the suffering to come because this gives us an opportunity to offer up a sacrifice of praise. When is praise a sacrifice? Is it a sacrifice when everything is going well? No it isn’t! It is a sacrifice when things are going down hill.

Hebrews 13:11–15 TLV

For the bodies of those animals—whose blood is brought into the Holies by the kohen gadol as an offering for sin—are burned outside the camp. Therefore, to make the people holy through His own blood, Yeshua also suffered outside the gate. So let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come. Through Yeshua then, let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips giving thanks to His name.

Putting it all Together

Job couldn’t figure it out. He was an accidental prophet. He prophesied out of wisdom, but it did him no good because he couldn’t see what he was saying. We have the benefit of hind sight. We know that we do have a kohen gadol (or high priest) who is perfectly able to empathize with us.

The next time you find yourself questioning God in the midst of your trial, remember that he became one of us so that he could experience the human condition, so that he could show us that he could indeed sympathize with our plight. And know too that he made the ultimate sacrifice for us, so that we could be reconciled to him. So that we could have that advocate that Job so desperately wanted.

Let’s pray