87. Hearkening to God
Hymns: RHC 353 God Will Take Care of You, 354 God Leads Us Along, 319 It Is Well With My Soul
Job 33:19-28
19He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: 20So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. 21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. 22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. 23If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: 24Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. 25His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: 26He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. 27He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
Hearkening to God
OUTLINE
(1) God’s Speaks through Suffering (v19-22)
(2) Man’s Yielding to God and Finding Deliverance (v23-28)
INTRODUCTION
Matthew Henry observed well, “God has spoken once to sinners by their own consciences, to keep them from the paths of the destroyer, but they perceive it not; … therefore God speaks twice; he speaks a second time, and tries another way to convince and reclaim sinners, and that is by providences, afflictive and merciful (in which he speaks twice). Job complained much of his diseases and judged by them that God was angry with him; his friends did so too: but Elihu shows that they were all mistaken, for God often afflicts the body in love, and with gracious designs of good to the soul, as appears in the issue. This part of Elihu’s discourse will be of great use to us for the due improvement of sickness, in and by which God speaks to men.”
Psalm 107:29-31. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31 Oh that menwould praise the LORD forhis goodness, and forhis wonderful works to the children of men!
We are given here by the psalmist a picture of a storm and its rage. And the Actor, the Lord, given here in the third person “He”, It is “He” Who made the calm the storm. What a relief for the passengers in the boat.
It is as it were speaking to the people of God biding them to “fear not” in the time of storm. For our God is able to calm every storm so that the waves thereof are still.
This is the assurance God gives to His people.They are to look to Him at the sign of any trouble. He is able to protect them through the vicissitudes of life.
Before the calming of the storm, before the people of God cry unto their Lord, they reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. (Psalm 107:27-28).
No solution in sight. No means by which to calm the brewing and raging storm. Such is often the circumstances of life. But we are reminded of God’s presence with us.
We are also told that the Lord sent the storm in verse 25 “For He commandeth and raisth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.”
It was like any other day in the psalmist tells us of the day of the storm as verse 23-24. But they are going to experience His powerful presence with them in the storm that will arise.
Psalm 107:23-24 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
Psalm 107:26-28 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He did so to try their hearts to know their Lord is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. If they have Him as their Lord, they are assured of His help as they lean upon Him in their troubles.
(1) God Speaks Through Suffering (v19-22)
19He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: 20So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. 21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. 22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
The patient described in his extremity. See what work sickness makes (v19-21). The sick man is full of pain all over him (v19): He is chastened with pain upon his bed,such pain as confines him to his bed, or so extreme the pain is that he can get no ease, no, not on his bed, where he would repose himself. [Matthew Henry]
Pain and sickness will turn a bed of down into a bed of thorns, on which he that used to sleep now tosses to and fro till the dawning of the day. The case, as here put, is very bad. Pain is borne with more difficulty than sickness, and with that the patient here is chastened, not a dull heavy pain, but strong and acute; and frequently the stronger the patient the stronger the pain, for the more sanguine the complexion is the more violent, commonly, the disease is. It is not the smarting of the flesh that is complained of, but the aching of the bones. It is an inward rooted pain; and not only the bones of one limb, but the multitude of the bones,are thus chastened. See what frail, what vile bodies we have, which, though receiving no external hurt, may be thus pained from causes within themselves. See what work sin makes, what mischief it does. Pain is the fruit of sin; yet, by the grace of God, the pain of the body is often made a means of good to the soul. [Matthew Henry]
We are instructed to meditate upon the marvellous power of God to act on behalf of His people to help them. We are instructed to meditate upon the mercy of God that endureth forever (Psalm 107:1).
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he isgood: for his mercy endurethfor ever.
The word “mercy”, the Hebrew word “hesed” means “goodness, kindness”. “Good” means “a good thing, benefit, welfare”. How do we understand this? The psalmist illustrates for us.
When the people of God were staggering in their helpless estate, when they were at the end of their own wisdom. When all seemed hopeless and the ship is sinking, overwhelmed by the beating waves, the storm became a calm. They could only trace their deliverance to Him, their Lord, who responded to their call for help at that moment of their distress. Marvellous is He. What a relief!
Psalm 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He was their very present help when they called out to Him. And our text in verse 28 alluded to the many instances of their deliverance.In fact, our text alluded to their deliverance out of all their distresses. He was not a moment late to come to their rescue. His hand is not short that He cannot save.
What assurance! What a marvellous record of His consistency in caring for His people. The Bible provides ample assurance of God being there for His people, we are bidden to trust Him and appropriate His care.
Repeatedly, God assures His people of His presence with them to protect them and defend them.
Isaiah 41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee,I have called theeby thy name; thou art mine.
Our knowledge of Him is indeed practical. In that life and death threat, it reveals the heart of His people, that they knew Him, the regarded Him, they knew who He is, His plan and purpose.
As the song writer with gladness sings, “How marvellous His love, … How bountiful His grace, … O What a blessed hope. For me He’s coming again someday, O what a blessed hope.”
All who come to God through His Son Jesus Christ by faith, in contrition of heart, repenting of their sins and waywardness, finds salvation, peace and joy, solace and comfort. Marvellous is He, our Lord Jesus, the Word made flesh, God with us. He is able to succour us. The storms of life that come as a result of sin’s fearsome consequence is calmed at the mercy seat, where the blood of Christ was shed to wash us every whit clean.
He has quite lost his appetite, the common effect of sickness (v20): His life abhorreth bread,the most necessary food, and dainty meat,which he most delighted in, and formerly relished with a great deal of pleasure. This is a good reason why we should notbe desirous of dainties, because they are deceitful meat.
Proverbs 23:3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they aredeceitful meat.
We may be soon made as sick of them as we are now fond of them; and those who live in luxury when they are well, if ever they come, by reason of sickness, to loathe dainty meat, may, with grief and shame, read their sin in their punishment. Let us not inordinately love the taste of meat, for the time may come when we may even loathe the sight of meat. [Matthew Henry]
Psalm 107:18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
He has become a perfect skeleton, nothing but skin and bones (v21). By sickness, perhaps a few days’ sickness, his flesh,which was fat, and fair, is consumed away,that it cannot be seen; it is strangely wasted and gone: and his bones,which were buried in flesh, now stick out;you may count his ribs, may tell all his bones. The soul that is well nourished with the bread of life sickness will not make lean, but it soon makes a change in the body. [Matthew Henry]
He is given up for gone, and his life despaired of (v22): His soul draws near to the grave,that is, he has all the symptoms of death upon him, and in the apprehension of all about him, as well as in his own, he is a dying man. The pangs of death, here called the destroyers,are just ready to seize him; they compass him about.
Psalm 116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
Perhaps it intimates the very dreadful apprehensions which those have of death as a destroying thing, when it stares them in the face, who, when it was at a distance, made light of it. All agree when it comes to the point, whatever they thought of it before, that it is a serious thing to die.
(2) Man’s Yielding to God and Finding Deliverance (v23-28)
23If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: 24Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. 25His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: 26He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. 27He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
The provision made for his instruction, in order to a sanctified use of his affliction, that, when God in that way speaks to man, he may be heard and understood, and not speak in vain (v23). He is happy if there be a messenger with himto attend him in his sickness, to convince, counsel, and comfort him, an interpreterto expound the providence and give him to understand the meaning of it, a man of wisdomthat knows the voice of the rod and its interpretation; for, when God speaks by afflictions, we are frequently so unversed in the language, that we have need of an interpreter, and it is well if we have such a one. [Matthew Henry]
The storms of life that comes as a trial of faith will find God’s people having their faith strengthened when they experienced the marvellous hand of God’s deliverance.
Psalm 107:43 Whoso iswise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
What a caring and personal Lord He is to His people. He is worthy of their obedience and worthy of their allegiance, worthy of their adoration and praise, and thanksgiving.
He Maketh the Storm a Calm – the word “maketh” means “arise, stand up, stand”. An action verb, He does not sit there unresponsive, unmoved, indifferent to our cry for help. But He riseth up and He cause the waves to be still, He maketh the storm a calm.
The word “still” literally means “to be silent”. The raging waves of the storm reduced to a harmless calm. This is the result of His intervening in our lives.
The disciples of Jesus experienced two terrible storms in the Sea of Galilee. In the first storm recorded in Matthew 8:24-27, Jesus was with them in the boat but in the second storm recorded in Matthew 14:24-33, Jesus was not with them in the boat. Yet both times, He was their present help.
CH Spurgeon insightfully quoted Trench in this passage, “Trench beautifully said: “In the first storm (Matthew 8:24) He was present with them in the ship with them; and thus they must have felt all along that, if it came to the worst, they might rouse Him, while the mere sense of His presence must have given them the sense of a comparative security. But He will not have them to be clinging only to the sense of His bodily presence; they must not be as ivy, needing always an outward support, but as hardy forest trees, which can brave a blast; and this time He puts them forth into danger alone (Matthew 14:24-33), even as some loving mother-bird thrusts her fledglings from the nest, that they may find their own wings and learn to use them.
He awakened them in a confidence in His ever-ready help; for as His walking on the sea must have been altogether unimagined by them, they may have easily despaired of that help reaching them, and yet it does not fail them.
When He has tried them to the uttermost, “in the fourth watch of the night,”He appears beside them, thus teaching them for all their after life, in all coming storms of temptation, that He is near them; that however He may not be seen by their bodily eyes, and however they may seem cut off from His assistance, yet is He indeed a very present help in time of trouble.”
Peter was able to come upon the waters and walk but when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and began to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save me”. And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught Him, and said to Him, O thou of little, faith, wherefore, didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:30-31)
Let us believe Jesus is able and call to Him in our every trial that we may receive needful help to overcome every temptation for His glory.
When Stephen was about to be stoned for proclaiming the gospel, He saw our Lord in a heavenly vision standing, as it were to assure Him of His presence with Him, interceding for Him in the critical moment of his mortal life.
Acts 7:55-56 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Acts 7:59-60 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
It is at this time that they pray to Him for restoration … in repentance and contrition of heart and He may make the storm a calm.
God’s gracious acceptance of him, upon his repentance (v24). When he sees that the sick person is indeed convinced that sincere repentance, and that uprightness which is gospel perfection, are his interest as well as his duty, then he that waits to be gracious, and shows mercy upon the first indication of true repentance, is gracious unto him,and takes him into his favour and thoughts for good. Wherever God finds a gracious heart he will be found a gracious God. [Matthew Henry]
The recovery of the sick man hereupon. Take away the cause and the effect will cease. When the patient becomes a penitent see what a blessed change follows. His body recovers its health (v25). This is not always the consequence of a sick man’s repentance and return to God, but sometimes it is; and recovery from sickness is a mercy indeed when it arises from the remission of sin; then it is in love to the soul that the body is delivered from the pit of corruptionwhen God casts our sins behind his back.
That is the method of a blessed recovery. Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee;and then, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
Matthew 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
Psalm 107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
The word “quiet” means “calm”. It speaks of restfulness, assurance and righteousness. God purifies His people, purges them of every faithless dross in their lives, so that they will be holy, righteousness in His sight.
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
The ship finally reaches the safety of the harbour and the passengers in the ship disembarked in safety upon the land. What a relief! Surely, there is cause for our continual praise and thanksgiving. It is cause for thanksgiving and worship.
It is through the portals this hall that we enter to open our Bibles day in day out, week in and week out, month in and month out and year in and year out to learn of the God who calm the storm for our sake so that we may proclaim Him after experiencing Him personally with us to calm our storms of life.
Psalm 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
The world is reeling to and fro, staggering as a drunken man and are at their wit’s end. Our current virus storm is indeed staggering. Yet, for the people of God, we know that He is with us. We have the assurance of His care and protection upon us we endeavour our utmost to let the world know their Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
As we yield ourselves to God, we find His peace and strength coming upon our hearts to undergird through the afflictions that He allows us to undergo. We are exhorted to give thanks continually to our marvellous God for His care in our lives as we renew our commitment to His care for us. There is gladness in the hearts of God’s people after He calmed our hearts to ride the storms of life.