Underground mining is not a new thing. Job understands the wealth of the earth is given by the Lord, but so is life and death.
Job 28: Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?
1 "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.
3 Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
4 He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives; they are forgotten by travellers; they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 "That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it.
9 "Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots.
10 He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing.
11 He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 "But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, 'It is not in me,' and the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
15 It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20 "From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air.
22 Abaddon and Death say, 'We have heard a rumour of it with our ears.'
23 "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure,
26 when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out.
28 And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
Job 29: Job's Summary Defense
1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
2 "Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
3 when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me,
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood;
9 the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 Then I thought, 'I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand,
19 my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches,
20 my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
21 "Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down.
25 I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners
Things to think about…
Look at what Job is describing in Job 28:1-4. Underground mining via shafts and men swinging from cables and chipping away at the rock face. This book is probably dated around 1500-1800BC. There is truly nothing new under the sun…or the ground, as in this case.
Is Job 28:5 a verse on the fact that the earth’s land masses move on a molten mantle. I believe it is. Those of the ancient near east certainly were not unlearned primitive sheep herders or cave dwellers. They also built dams, vs 11 and mined precious gems and gold, vss 6, 15, 16. But Job says where can wisdom be found. “Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living”, vs13. This is the age old problem and is the difference between the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. As Ezekiel says – choose life!
Job’s friends should have known that Job understood where wisdom and understanding come from, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'" Job 28:28. Any counsel we give to others should not insult their intelligence or ignore their understanding of the Lord. Pray for wisdom before you give any advice to fellow believers. We might be the ones who are instructed at the end of the day.
‘The good ol’ days’. What are the ‘good ol’ days’ anyway? Job thinks that they were in the past, Job 29. We can never dwell in the past. We know that in Christ our best days are yet to come.
Job’s suffering seems to have been for a few months, Job 29:2, yet his previous life of blessing went for many years. Our suffering has the unfortunate effect of changing our focus and becoming an all-consuming distraction. Where does my help come from? It comes from the Lord, Ps 121:1,2. Remember even in the valley of the shadow of death, the shadow means there is a light. Let’s walk in the light of Christ even when our days seem to be at their darkest.
Job has at least moved from the point of cursing the day that he was born and wishing it had never comes. Job 29 is Job longing for what he remembers were the days of his prime, vs 4, washed in butter (abundant blessing), vs 6, where young men withdrew in respect and older men rose in his presence, vs 8 etc. Job of course does not have the whole picture of his life at this point. He does not know the double portion of blessing that yet awaits him. But as those who are children of the Lord and part of Christ’s family a far more abundant blessing awaits us in a sinless eternity with all the riches of God’s right hand. We know it, but sometimes we act as though it were not the case. May the Lord give us grace and strength to trust that all is well in Christ, both now and for eternity. Simply because we are His children.
Vision Point for Cell groups
CBC's Vision "To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission".
Cell group questions from Sunday morning’s sermon “God’s got this” Job 19.
1. Jay shared about the 8yo boy who had a serious illness and almost died, but he knew that he was getting better in his body. Have you ever been in a desperate situation outwardly but knew that things were going to be ok. Discuss.
2. Job said he knew his Redeemer lived and that one day he would see him in the flesh on the earth, Job 19:25. Discuss what this means. Where and when was this to/will this happen?
3. God often calls us into tough situations. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, Is 53:3. We are being conformed into the image of Christ, Rom 8:29 and not our fallen image. Discuss Rom 8:29 and how this happens.
4. Prayer and praise points below.
Prayer Points
1. New Qld government and our premier.
2. US elections still being decided. Pray for peace, grace and truth.
3. Those affected by storm damage last week.
4. Zac’s dad, Mark Torrington continues to improve .
5. People who have visited the church that they settle in.
6. Sunday’s messages. The message this week – “God’s on a vacation” Job 23, Jay.
7. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
8. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times.
Praise Points.
1. More visitors on Sunday.
2. Our worship team on Sunday – thanks Josh, Sam, Ben. Sounded amazing.
3. Molly and Katelyn did a great job with visuals and streaming.
4. Young Life will be using our facilities on Friday afternoons. Zach Lipp heading this up. Contact Zac for more details. Starts after school on Fridays 3:30pm.
5. Unity, peace and grace at CBC.
6. Praise God for all those who serve at CBC. Thanks again to Helen, Angelo, Catherine, Yuki, Doug, Maddison and many others who go about making CBC an amazing place to worship.
Announcements
1. Carols Sun 20thDec 6pm. Start with a meal. Carols to start after the meal around 7pm.
2. AGM – Sunday 15thNovember after the morning service. Open for all.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church activity sheets provided – either in the house or church.
