The Lord finishes His discourse with Job and gives Job what he doesn’t deserve – immense blessing.
Job 40:
1 And the LORD said to Job:
2 "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."
Job Promises Silence
3 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
4 "Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further."
The LORD Challenges Job
6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
7 "Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
10 "Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendour.
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below.
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you that your own right hand can save you.
15 "Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron.
19 "He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword!
20 For the mountains yield food for him where all the wild beasts play.
21 Under the lotus plants he lies, in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh.
22 For his shade the lotus trees cover him; the willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened; he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth.
24 Can one take him by his eyes, or pierce his nose with a snare?
Job 41:
1 "Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words?
4 Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls?
6 Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hands on him; remember the battle---you will not do it again!
9 Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 "I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
15 His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable.
24 His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee; for him sling stones are turned to stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30 His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be white-haired.
33 On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride."
Job 42: Job's Confession and Repentance
1 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.'
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
The LORD Rebukes Job's Friends
7 After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them, and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
The LORD Restores Job's Fortunes
10 And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.
12 And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch.
15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations.
17 And Job died, an old man, and full of days.
Things to think about…
1. In Job 40:1-4 Job is clearly put in his place. He lays his hand over his mouth. Who will be able to answer back in the Lord’s presence? All creation is silent before the Lord, Hab 2:20, Zech 2:13. May we have more of His presence as we gather in His name and allow Him to speak to us.
2. The Lord speaks a second time out of the whirlwind and mentions his witness through creation. He speaks of the Behemoth, Job 40:15-24. Clearly a large land animal like a Sauropod which are believed to have been over 80 feet in length and weigh over 75 tons. http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/herbivorousdinosaurs/p/argentinosaurus.htm. Note that in the above article it espouses a blatant evolutionary framework which we do not accept, but an interesting read regarding this dinosaur nonetheless. The vertebrae of the Argentinosaur measured over 4 feet wide, Job 40:18.
3. The Lord devotes an entire chapter to a fire breathing monster called the Leviathan Job 41. It seems he is described as a large sea creature from the crocodilian family. Crocs don’t breath fire but it is closest, albeit an inadequate description of all we have. This animal is different. The Chinese have in their past the understanding that there were fire breathing dragons. I believe these stories are based originally on fact. Remember Job here is recording historical narrative, it is not allegorical writing like some parts of the book of Revelation.
4. Finally, Job sees the truth about himself and his position before the Lord. He repents, Job 42:6. This is where the Lord requires us to be so he can truly work. The Lord shows his love to Job’s three older friends – they are required to repent and offer sacrifices to be restored because they misrepresented the Lord. May we never, as Christ’s ambassadors, misrepresent him before others. As His ambassadors we carry His message, not our own.
5. Note that young Elihu did not have to be restored, why? Elihu seemed less harsh on Job than the older gents, but he still had some condemning words for Job. At the end of the day, those who are older and have known the Lord for years are more accountable. Job ended up praying for these older friends and being their arbiter. Very interesting, the Lord hears Job’s prayer and they are restored, Job 42:9. Forgiveness of our ‘debtors’ is part of God’s grace as those who have also had their ‘debts’ forgiven. Job here is a type of Christ, mediating between the Lord and his friends. The Lord hears Job’s prayer and they are restored. A wonderful truth for all those who are forgiven in Christ as our heavenly mediator. Jesus the restorer between God and man.
6. What a glorious end for Job. He is blessed with double of all his previous wealth, also with children, grand-children, great grand-children – Job 42:12-16. We know this is just a type of the glory that awaits us for those in Christ – Job’s redeemer and ours – an eternal weight of glory, 2Cor 4:17. Praise His name!
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups off over the school holidays.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for the new year that 2024 may be when the Lord visits his people. May He begin with me.
2. Pray for the families that have lost loved ones in the storms over the last 2 days. Pray for Christ’s peace.
3. Pray for the new arrives at Christmas to CBC, may they find a home with us.
4. Pray that the contacts made at carols would continue to join with Christ.
5. Please continue to pray for Glenys Zawada – out of the Wesley Hospital. Back for rehab as a day patient in early Jan.
6. The conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. Praise for the peace of Jesus to reign.
7. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Monday afternoons. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
8. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
9. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. New people coming to church over carols and Christmas – pray some would stay and join the church.
2. Praise God for Christmas Day and the carols and the new contacts made.
3. Praise God for all the work that went into carols. Special mentions – Dan Horne – stayed till late packing and unpacking sound equipment, Rosie Dunn – face painting, Nafisah and Krystal Beatty – Sherbet Stall, Band members Jeromy, Mark, Ric, Zac, Josh, Ben, Suzy, Ashley as well as Bec on computer. Great effort everyone. Doug Horne with sound – big effort. Finally to everyone who cooked – Che, Ric, Dan and who packed up – thankyou.
4. Praise God Doug has known some relief to his headaches.
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
2. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for December...
Q. 15. Who wrote the Bible? A. Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit.
