115. Hast Thou an Arm Like God (2)

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Hymns: RHC 186 Wounded for Me, 227 O Glorious Day, 281 There Is Power in the Blood

Job 40:1-14

1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. 3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. 6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 13 Hide them in the dust together; andbind their faces in secret. 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

Hast Thou an Arm Like God (2)

OUTLINE

  • Audacity/Haughtiness/Silence (v1-2)
  • Awakened/Humiliated/Sobered (v3-5)
  • Awed and Abased/Humbled/Silenced (v6-14)

INTRODUCTION

Recall we begun chapter 40 with these words, “Are we unhappy with the way God run the world? You might have your own thoughts how the world can be a better place and therefore finds fault with God and articulates it in frustration in the midst of your trial, especially how in times of pain and suffering in the course of your afflictions.

For Job, God has taken away many endeared persons (children, servants, friends) and possessions (sheep, camel, cattle, houses), position (esteemed among men, young and old), physically shattered (a ruined health with severe boils on his body). He is now childless, bankrupt, despised among men and facing a precarious death sentence of ill health that renders him in a state of paralysis not knowing what is next!

Is there a purpose for Job’s affliction? What then is the purpose? Is it possible to find out? How should Job respond in the midst of his afflictions? He has been discomforited, unhappy, complaining and uncomfortable. He was not restful, resting in God’s providence but challenging God asking him to take him away so that he will not have to suffer any more. He felt that he has reached the limit of his endurance and he was ready to capitulate.

There was a purpose to Job’s affliction. It was a spiritual conflict that began brewing in heaven when the evil one challenged God concerning Job’s loyalty toward God. For Job, he was not aware from beginning to end concerning the purpose of this conflict. Would it have been easier for him if Job had knew the purpose of his trial? At least, he was not kept in the dark and he could rightly vindicate himself in the sight of his friends. But it was not so. This is the nature of spiritual conflict. It is not disclosed to the believer. He has to exercise faith in God to trust Him even though he cannot understand why he has to suffer so much!

This was Job’s reflection in the midst of his trial. He maintained his innocence, defending his integrity before his friends in their accusations concerning his secret sins.

This we saw, how Job’s faith shone through – Job 13:15 (KJV) Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

He testified in the midst of uncertainty concerning the truth of the resurrection in the final consummation – Job 19:25-26 (KJV) For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

He saw rightly that his trial was to purify his soul – Job 23:10 (KJV) But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

As the psalmist declared in Psalm 23:4 (KJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

As the Apostle Paul puts it in the midst of his trial to still trust God in fulfilling His purpose for His glory – Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Lord expressed the purpose of Paul call to salvation and service when He said in Acts 9:15-16 (KJV) But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.  So the Apostle Paul was able to testify in Philippians 1:20 (KJV) According to my earnest expectation and myhope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. Philippians 1:21 (KJV) For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

May God’s people learn to wait and be still and silent before Him in our trial – Psalm 62:8 (KJV) Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

  •  Audacity/Haughtiness/Silence (v1-2)

1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Verse 2 To strive with the Almighty literally “as one who reproves or as a faultfinder” translted as “instruct”, to reprove God, let him answer Him.

God puts Job in his place, puts man in his place as a creature in the sight of his Almighty Creator – Isaiah 40:13-14 (KJV) Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counseller hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? As the Apostle Paul rightly puts it 1 Corinthians 2:16 (KJV) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. Also, in Romans 11:34 (KJV) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?

What was the mind of Christ? It was a mind of humble submission to the Father’s will.

Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

At Gethsemane, our Lord submitted to the Father’s will to go even to the cross – Luke 22:40-44 (KJV) And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

What was the purpose of Christ’s suffering? It was to bring to many forlorn sinners to redemption for the glory of God!

For Job, his sufferings as he thought were unbearable, he fretted:

Job 7:11 (KJV) Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Job 21:2-4 (KJV) Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations. Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

Job 10:1 (KJV) My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

  • Awakening/Humilated/Sobered (v3-5)

3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

Job’s relpy to God was a silent reply that he is not worthy at all before God. The word “vile” means “to be slight, be small, of little account, be light, be of little account”. He makes a comparsion between himself and God and realize that he is “of little account”. We notice that Job is still not completely surrendered to God. 

We may realize that Job was a great man before his affliction. He did not realize fully that his “greatness” was the auspices of God. Still, he bathe in his past glory! Man in his self-conceit not willing to admit that he owed everything to his Creator. He still defended himself. Now he realizes that he has to stop! He admits in self-abasement – I will proceed no further.

God has allowed him to suffer. Job has to learn to trust God in those unanswered questions of life. It is God who creates and sustains him. 

It was an awakening. He realized that he had no case before God. 

  • Awed and Abased/Humbled/Silenced (v6-14)

6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

Recall Elihu pointing out to Job in Job 35:1-3 (KJV) Elihu spake moreover, and said, Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more 

than God’s? For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansedfrom my sin?

God’s Perspective (Job 35:4-8)

4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. 5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. 6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? 7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? 8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man. 

Job 40:9-14 (KJV) Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

Instead of God defending Himself of His judgments and actions by going over His goverance of the world, as is expected in a human trial, God challenges Job to have a go himself at being the judge of all the earth. Job is asked if he is able to take God’s place in doing that? He does so by a beautiful rich irony in v10-14.  [Christopher Ash]

Job is asked to adorn himself with the royal robes of a judge and do the work! Job did not understand what it means to conquer and subdue evil. It necessitates God sending His only begotten Son to suffer for sin, the just for the unjust – 1 Peter 3:18 (KJV) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

Can Job solve the problem of evil in this world? He could not! Only God could and He did! What a Saviour! What great love! The infinite suffering that we could not suffer, Jesus did on our behalf. Who are we to complain about suffering having been so gloriously saved for the heaven to come? 

Can Job absolve the problem of man’s sin? He can’t. God could. He delivered Israel out of Egypt by a great deliverance. 

Exodus 6:6 (KJV) Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

10 plagues and the parting of the Red Sea took the entire congregation of God’s people out of idolatrous Egypt. What a redemption!

Exodus 3:20 (KJV) And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

Exodus 15:13 (KJV) Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

Deuteronomy 4:34 (KJV) Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Let God be God, let us submit to His rule in our lives. Amen.