Sermon Tone Analysis

Job 40 Verses 6 to 9, 15 to 19, Job 41 Verses 1 to 7, 10-11, Job 42 Verses 1 to 6 When Answers are Not Enough September 18, 2022

Class Presentation Notes AAAA

Background Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Isaiah 6:5

Study Aim: To understand that by humbling ourselves we can get back on the path to restoration in our right relationship with God.

Create Interest: The Ministry of Suffering; excerpt from George W. Truett

1897-1944.

· For one thing, trouble, if rightly used, enables us to honor God.

Trouble, then, is a trust, and we are so to receive it.

We understand about other things being trusts.

There is the man of education; he must answer for those superior attainments.

There is the one who can sing so that hearts are enchanted by the music; that singer must answer for that gift.

There is the man of money, and the man of money must answer for it.

The men who make money must answer for that capacity.

Whatever our gifts or capacities, all of them are to be received as trusts from God, to be used in His name, to help humanity.

Now, along with other trusts comes trouble.

Trouble is to be received, however it comes, as a trust, and we are to bear it, we are to meet it, we are to go through it, we are to face it like we ought, as a trust from God, to be used for the glory of His great name.

· ….

No matter what the trouble is, mind how you behave.

Many a man has dishonored God when trouble came.

No matter what the trouble is, no matter what brought it, no matter who brought it, no matter how it came about, God is dishonored if a Christian does not bear his fiery trial like he ought to bear it.

You are being tested for God, and you will dishonor Him egregiously, or you will honor Him gloriously, according to your behavior when trouble is on.

Remember that.

· Soak on that wisdom, Pilgrims, and join in Job’s revelation after his encounter with God in this, our next to last lesson in Job😊

Lesson in Historical Context:

· When people read Job 40, they are usually drawn to the latter half of the chapter which talks about a creature called “behemoth.”

They wonder what is this creature?

The Hebrew word is translated “hippopotamus.”

This seems to be the main consensus of Bible scholars as its meaning and its description in this passage.

Some, however, feel it might be some kind of dinosaur.

· What caught my attention in this chapter, however, was the conversation that took place at its beginning.

Let me ask, “Have you ever heard or made statements like these?”

* I should not have said that.

* I’ve already said too much!

* I think I better keep my mouth shut from here on out.

* Uh oh, why did I say that?

· This is where we find Job.

God has been speaking to Job.

The Lord acknowledged the fact that Job had been arguing or finding fault with Him.

So the Lord asked Job if he was going to give instructions to Him and teach Him a few things.

He asked, “What pointers do you have for me Job?”

· The next part is funny to me.

I think Job realizes he has put his foot in his mouth big time!

Somebody said, “An open mouth has a tendency to invite a foot.

Keep your mouth shut and you will never put your foot in it.

Breathe through your nose, for it keeps the mouth shut.”

o Mark Twain said, “It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it and remove all doubt.”

· Job confesses his vileness or insignificance to the Lord.

This is an important turning point in Job’s attitude.

He realized his own puniness and smallness.

By humbling himself, he would get back on the path of restoration and victory in his life.

The same holds true for you.

When you realize how little you are and how big God is, it will turn your life around for the better.

It will create an attitude of dependence upon the Lord that will replace an attitude of independence from Him.

We are nothing without the Lord.

o John 15:5—I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

· Job said, “What am I going to tell you Lord?

I am going to put my hand over my mouth and keep it shut!

I am not going to say anything else!” Job knew he had put his foot in his mouth.

Can you relate to him?

I can and believe me shoe leather doesn’t taste very good.

It is no fun to put your foot in your mouth, yet, we continue to do it all the time when we are resolved to never do it again.

Thoughts to soak on before getting into the verse study.

· So how does this keep happening to us?

What causes a person to put his foot in his mouth?

That’s what we are going to deal with in this important message.

· It is important because when we put our feet in our mouths, the consequences tend to be very destructive and lasting.

o We hurt people deeply.

o We may create conflicts that may last for years or may never be resolved.

o We may damage our marriage or a close friendship.

o We might lose our job or our influence and credibility with others, especially our family.

o We might break a trust that can never be regained.

· As you can see, this is an important matter.

Perhaps, this is why we are urged repeatedly to be careful about what we say.[1]

· Let’s move on with our lesson through this chopped up collection of verses and find the love and wisdom God desires for us to find today.😊

Bible Study:

Job 40:6-9 (NASB)

6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said,

7 "Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

8 "Will you really annul My judgment?

Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

9 "Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?

· Vs. 6: Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the storm; This speech is addressed particularly to Job, not only because he is the principal personage referred to in the book, but particularly because he had indulged in language of murmuring and complaint.

o It is the purpose of God, in his dealings with his people, to bring them to a proper state of mind before he appears as their vindicator and friend, and hence their trials are often prolonged, and when He appears, He seems at first to come only to rebuke them.

Job had indulged in very improper feelings, and it was needful that those feelings should be subdued before God would manifest Himself as his friend and address him in words of consolation.

o The storm—probably that which Elihu had seen approaching, Chap.

37:21–24.

God is often represented as speaking to men in this manner.

He spoke amidst lightnings and tempests on Mount Sinai (Ex.

19:16–19), and he is frequently represented as appearing amidst the thunders and lightnings of a tempest, as a symbol of his majesty; comp.

Ps. 18:9–13; Hab.

3:3–6.

The word here rendered whirlwind means rather a storm, a tempest.

The LXX. render this verse, “After Elihu had ceased speaking, the Lord spoke to Job from a tempest and clouds.”

· Vs. 7: Gird up thy loins now like a man.

An expression taken from the ancient mode of dress.

That was a loose, flowing robe, which was secured by a girdle when travelling, or when one entered upon anything requiring energy.

The meaning here is, “Prepare thyself for the highest effort that can be made.

Put forth all your strength and explain to me what will now be said;” comp.

Isa.

41:21.

o I will demand of thee.

Heb.

“I will ask of thee.”

That is, I will submit some questions to you to be answered.

o And you instruct me.