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READ: Job 42:2
CHALLENGE: PREPARE TO MEET GOD
God, in His speech, references nature and His power over all of it. We cannot tame all the animals, can’t outrun all the animals, can’t whistle for all the animals and expect them to come running to us. Most wild animals would run in the opposite direction.
We are weaker than stronger creatures and God is stronger than the strongest creatures. He is the one in control, not us. When we went to Yellowstone Park they implored you to please stay away from the Buffalo. You can run 10 mph and they run 30 mph – do the math.
The point that God has clearly made in prior chapters is that He is far greater than nature and far beyond us. Job had no answer to God’s question. We don’t understand all of God’s ways. We certainly shouldn’t blame God, if anything we should trust God.
How is it that man can stand before God?
- STAND BEFORE GOD WITH THE BELIEF THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN
V2 – “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
He’s heard God speak to him. That in and of itself was stellar beyond description. Extraordinary. Incredible. Life Changing. God has reminded him that He, the Almighty, is in control of all creation. And along with all that power is a whole lot of wisdom. The right person is in control and God knows what He’s doing whether we understand it or not.
What’s Job’s response? I know that you can do all things. ALL things. Let’s not gloss this statement because right after hearing God speak, he makes this important declaration of faith. I know that you can DO ALL THINGS! Meaning, there is nothing God is too weak to handle. There’s nothing too big for Him. Is this our profession? It’s an important anchor point when your world is crumbling and you’re encountering impossibly difficult circumstances.
Is this something that God clearly wants us to know? He said it to his faithful servant, Abraham, who was 99 and Sarah 89. Wasn’t that WAY too late for having a child? Not when God intervenes.
Genesis 18:13-14 – Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Nothing is too hard for the Lord and they accepted that truth. Then Jeremiah talks about God’s ability to bring the children of Israel back from a terrible period of exile.
Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
When Jesus stilled the storm, it showed that God makes decisions about the weather any time he so chooses. Jesus pitched out demons, healed people, fed people, and raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus forgave people. This all shows the sheer sovereign power of God. God can do all things!
So, we stand gazing at the marvelous might of God. And that’s what Job has to be making a reference to. You may have major issues and problems so it’s a great reminder that God can do all things. God can pull Job out of the mire and misery!
Mark 9:21-24 – Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
I love that verse! I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief! Everything is possible for one who believes! God can do things that I cannot and this is one of the most germane reasons to trust in God.
And this mighty power is at work within you! “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20)”. It seems to me that God is ultimately working for our good.
God’s power is also within us. When Paul was weak, he found that God was strong. He said that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened Him. There was a power that was available to him and also available to us. I can be patient and love through Jesus Christ. I can resist temptation through the power of God. His power impacts us at all points.
- God Will Do All Things in Accordance with His Holy Nature
God can do all things. Will God do all things? No. He only does what is consistent with his holy, righteous, honest, and wise nature. I’ve heard this asked before. Can God make a rock so big that He cannot lift it. God is infinitely intelligent and therefore would not make a rock so big He couldn’t lift it. It would not be possible for him to misjudge that badly. He can do all things consistent with His nature.
God always acts within his character. So, He’s not sinning and not duping you into sinning. James 1:13 – When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
Since He’s only going to purpose to do things that are consistent with his nature, God is not going to lie to you because it’s impossible for God to lie. Go into the social media world and ask yourself – is there anyone on Facebook or TikTok or X or YouTube or Instagram who would lie to me? I don’t think you need to wait very long for that answer. There are dishonest statements made all the time and it’s unfortunate. AI will only compound the problem as you’ll see stories and videos that aren’t even real! I’m hunting a used truck … my goodness. The deceit!! Wow!!
I appreciate the fact that the Bible can be a source of truth for life as opposed to a well of manicured lies. And this world is contrarian and ideas are bouncing all over the place. What grounds me and centers me? The Bible! God is a God of truth. He can only tell the truth and will only tell the truth.
- God Acts in Accordance with His Own Will
No purpose of God can be foiled or thwarted. We don’t understand it all but God does, so we keep trusting! May God’s will be done as Jesus prayed! May we pray in the will of God and for the will of God.
1 John 5:14-15 – This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Prayer is not a blank check! I remember a young person in youth group giving this prayer request. I’d like to pray that 5 people I work with at McDonald’s die! I said no. He raises his hand again. I have an unspoken! No to that too!
He can do all things assuming that it’s according to His will and that He purposes to do them. We know that God has permissive will such as in the case of Job. He permitted the calamity. God explains how to live and that’s prescribed will. What should I do? The answer is found in what the Bible says.
However, a part of life is also pre-determined. And those predetermined things will not change. Once God has decided to do something, it’s going to happen. God decided before the world began that Jesus would die for our sins. Jesus is the payment for sin and that is never going to change. No purpose of God can be stopped by humans. Let’s thank God for that. God incorporated prayer into the fabric of the universe and that’s not going to change!
Does God ever change His mind? When you look at his plans for Nineveh, it might seem so. Yes. He was going to bring calamity and then he didn’t because the people of the city repented of their evil deeds. God changed based on the response of the people to his words. I will say that if you get it together after God has determined to hammer you for some terrible lifestyle choices, your amended ways will save your life. This has always been true! There is always a chance when it comes to change. But it’s also in accordance with the purpose of God to save people and to call people to repentance. That’s His purpose too.
We used to sing a hymn and I loved it. It was called the “Wonderful Grace of Jesus”. “Wonderful grace of Jesus, Greater than all my sin; How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, Setting my spirit free; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. Refrain: Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus, Deeper than the mighty rolling sea; Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain, All-sufficient grace for even me! Broader than the scope of my transgressions, Greater far than all my sin and shame; Oh, magnify the precious Name of Jesus, Praise His Name!”
God’s grace is God’s purpose. God is sovereign! He can do all things and no one can stop him from accomplishing his plan. Even with Job, God can take this tragedy and make good come out of it.
B. STAND BEFORE GOD WITH CONFESSION THAT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND IT ALL
V3 – You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
He admits, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand”. Things too wonderful for me.
That’s a good admission. I didn’t know what I was talking about. I would love some people to admit that. Sorry I was talking when I didn’t know what I was talking about.
The first step to truly changing is to admit when you’re wrong. It’s just about impossible to change if you don’t see the target and confession acknowledges where you went off course. When you say, “I’m sorry you’re upset” you may not actually have it down. Oh yeah, “What are you sorry for”. I’m sorry you’re upset. That’s a repeat offender waiting to happen. Be specific!
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Forgiveness comes with confession. I’m not perfect. And the more in His presence we are, the more imperfections we will see. Job erred in talking about things He didn’t understand. Job had walked that line of accusing God of injustice and that was not the case. He now admits that He should have just trusted God. You have to see where you’re making the wrong turn so you can correct it.
He spoke of things too beyond him. One confession could be this. You’re God and I am not. You understand what the entire puzzle looks like, while I do not understand it.
Believing that God will work it out has to be better than yelling at God or complaining about how terrible God is. We have to accept that God’s knowledge is better than our knowledge.
C. STAND BEFORE GOD WITH REPENTANCE
Vv 4-6 – “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
I don’t know that there is a more powerful revelation than this right here. I had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. It’s one thing to hear that God provides and another to see that God provides. I’ve heard that you do and now I’ve seen it. I’ve heard that you answer prayer and now I’ve seen the answer to those prayers. I’ve heard that you change lives and now I’ve seen it. That’s such an amazing thing when you see the reality of God showing up. It’s also very humbling.
And what’s his response to seeing God? He goes from an entire book of defending himself to complete humility and repentance. What do you think our response will be some day when we meet Jesus? In the book of Revelation – John fell down at his feet as if dead! That’s the response. You realize how unworthy you are.
I think to Peter and the miraculous catch of fish which was so stunning. He sees Jesus for who Jesus is. Luke 5:4-10 – When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
The natural response to being humbled by the love and generosity of God is what? I’m a sinful man! It’s to repent and to repent is to change direction.
Included is a godly sorrow. How did he put it? I despise myself. Literally. He’s self-loathing because he realizes the immense gulf between sinful man and a holy God. Despise yourself for the things that you have done that are wrong. If we do not despise the evil aspects of our nature, where is the true hope of change and being dedicated to God?
When you’ve been in the wrong and God points it out, it might be sheer horror because of how far away you have been. That’s what it should be. My response to sin and the conviction of the Holy Spirit is that I’m not proud of myself and feel crummy, that leads to change.
One young person wrote me a letter confessing their sins and it was because they felt so guilty about it. I wrote them back and encouraged them to allow pain to be their teacher and never go back to it again. But at least when we despise ourselves for things there’s much less chance that we’re going to repeat the issue. We remember the pain and how it feels and we never want to feel THAT lousy again.
Who is it that opens his eyes? The remarkable thing here is that God so powerfully opens his eyes that he changes his position entirely. The fact that he could is a work of God. We cannot make someone repent. I wish I could. All the talking of Job’s friends didn’t do a lot of good. They did a terrible job but it was God who made the difference.
Have you ever loathed yourself? I have!
D. STAND BEFORE GOD BELIEVING IN RESTORATION
God said that Job had spoken rightly about God and his friends spoke nonsense. That helps to sort the book. The friends had to have Job pray for them.
Then came the restoration.
Vv12-17 – The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
God restored to him what he had lost. This is stunning! Remarkable. God took a complete disaster and made something beautiful of it. What Job had later was better than what Job had before.
God can make beauty out of ashes and He can restore fortunes. Joseph is a good one to look at. Jesus coming back from the dead is a good one to look at as well.
As you ponder the people who followed Jesus – Some came out of terrible backgrounds but they were put back on a good path. Job is a story of redemption. A story of hope and everyone of needs some hope. Restoration after train wrecks is a gift of God.