We are approaching the end of a series of messages about Job, the patriarch from the Old Testament. The title of the series is “Job: Patient Endurance and Faithfulness.” In the last message we spoke of the ‘behemoth “in ch.40, and that God was explaining His permissive will, that He may allow the enemy to initiate things that we won't understand;…. but they are happening according to His purposes and will.
God has been telling Job about His power and majesty in creation. Job had been trying to justify himself to prove himself right… we want to be proved right, we want to prove ourselves innocent. Job is starting to clue in that although his conduct was righteous; now he's got a self-righteous, “holier than thou” attitude, with a lot of pride. So, Job sets out, in this final chapter, to answer God’s question which is essentially:” Who are you in comparison to Me?”
Job 42: 1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? ’Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
I want to talk about the four elements of Job’s response:
Acknowledgement of Who God is…. Job is saying two things about God; first – that He is all powerful - He is omnipotent – “I know that you can do everything” - and secondly - “No purpose can be withheld from You” - You are absolutely sovereign in all things. You do exactly as You please.
Admission - of his own sin…. This is what Job was saying: I hid Your counsel/Word without knowledge - I gave an improper interpretation of who You really are - I uttered things that I did not understand.
Answer (Job’s reply) …When Job saw the Lord in His power and majesty as He appeared and spoke to him in the whirlwind – well, that changed everything. Because now he had come face to face with the all-powerful and holy God.
Abhor(self) ….. I abhor myself, that is, I despise or reject myself…. I repent, I'm sorry and I turn from my attitude and I make it right. Having seen God in His power and majesty and awesome splendor, Job says I reject myself - when I think about who I am in comparison to You - my attitude is detestable in light of God's greatness. So, Job gives his final answer to God; it's an appropriate response. He acknowledges the power and sovereignty of God- He is the Potter- we are the clay.
Job makes an admission - I spoke about things that I had no knowledge of; I was delving into matters that were way above my pay grade. His answer is simply: “ I have heard about you, but now I have a proper perspective because You have revealed Yourself to me, and “I abhor” or I reject all self-righteousness and repent of it.”
Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “And Your Answer Is?”
Blessings,
Kevin
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