Class 2 from this series was used in GCT Episode 284.
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In 81 Texas Christian Duggan
Bible School.
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This is the second of a series
of classes by Brother Warren
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Thug.
Subject.
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Has Thou Considered My Servant
Joe?
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Morning everyone.
Just by a brave way of a very
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brief review, we started out
yesterday by considering the
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background of the Book of Job
and the setting, not only of the
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writing of the book, but
particularly of the action,
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recognizing that it took place
sometime between the life of
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Joseph and the life of Moses.
And we went on to consider how
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the Job was a very rich man, the
richest of all the East.
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And because of this there was
some man, even though the word
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is in the in the scriptures, is
Satan, we realized the word
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means an enemy.
Yesterday we reviewed the fact
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that this must have been some
individual that had come within
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the Ecclesia and was not
thoroughly convinced that a
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person could be righteous for
righteousness sake, felt there
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was no real reason to be
righteous, and certainly had no
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real reason to water and
establish his life before God as
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a righteous individual.
And because of that, we find
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that the Lord draws his
attention to his servant Job,
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one who is perfect and upright,
one that fears God and his
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trueth evil and said there’s
none like him in all the earth
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recommending that this enemy
should emulate the life of Job.
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And the enemy did not feel that
Job was really righteous for
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righteousness sake, but merely
because he’d entered into a good
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business deal with God.
God had given him a lot of
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blessings in this life, a
wonderful wife, 10 wonderful
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children, wealth above anyone
else on earth in good health.
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And he recommended that if God
was to remove those blessings
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that Job would curse God to his
face, and therefore God
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permitted Job to be put to the
test.
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It wasn’t a case of saying see
how good Job is and boasting
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about it.
But the real purpose was to
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coach this unrighteous
individual to a way of
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righteousness to emulate the
life of Job.
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And therefore Job was put to the
test and we learn how that many
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of his blessings were removed.
We find that his wealth was
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removed and his ten children,
and at this low condition of
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emotions I am sure that many of
us would not have been able to
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give the answer that Job gave,
which said, the Lord giveth and
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the Lord taketh away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
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And it said in all this Job
maintained his integrity, he did
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not curse God with his lips.
And when we start the second
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chapter, which is really where
we are this morning, we find
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that the enemy is not quite
satisfied.
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Again, the sons of God come
before the Lord.
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It seems as though there’s
another weekly meeting of the
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the Ecclesia there at in ancient
times.
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And we read in the first verse
again, there was a day when the
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sons of God came to present
themselves before the Lord and
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Satan, or if I might say, the
enemy, came also among them to
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present himself before the Lord.
And the Lord said unto the
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enemy, From whence comest thou?
And Satan danced of the Lord,
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and said, from going to and for
forth in the earth, and from
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walking up and down in it.
In other words, he said, I’ve
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been around, which is
essentially what he said, if
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I’ll be allowed to paraphrase it
a bit.
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And again the Lord draws this
enemy’s attention to Job in
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verse three.
And the Lord said unto the
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enemy, Hast thou considered my
servant Job, that there is none
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like him in all the earth, a
perfect and upright man, one
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that feareth God, and this
chueth evil.
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And still hold as.
Fast as integrity, although thou
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movest me against him, to
destroy him without a cause.
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And again, we have the
commendation of the Lord in
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regard to Job’s character, that
first it was the law that was
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moved against him to destroy him
without a ’cause it wasn’t
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really the enemy that had done
it.
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Even though God had given the
enemy the power necessary to do
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that which was done, it was
still.
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From the Lord and therefore the
Lord.
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Acknowledged that it was his
doing, and he asked if he had
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really considered him.
And then the answer that this
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enemy gives is a further insult
both to God and to Job.
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Verse four And the enemy
answered the Lord and said.
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Skin for skin, Yeah, All that a
man hath will he give for his
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skin.
But put forth thy hand now and
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touch his bone and his flesh,
and he will curse thee to thy
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face.
In other words, what he’s saying
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is, look, Job is a lot more
sinful man than I really
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suspected.
At first I suggested that all
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you need to do is remove his
wealth and his children and he’s
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going to curse you to his face.
I didn’t really realize what.
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About what terrible man Job
really was.
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Because he doesn’t even care
about his wealth, and much worse
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than that, he doesn’t even care
for the lives of his ten
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children.
All he cares for is his own
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skin, skin for skin, all will a
man give for his life.
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And So what the enemy is
accusing Job of is being so
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self-centered that he doesn’t
even care for the well-being of
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his own family, for his own
flesh and blood.
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He’s only interested in himself,
and as long as he gets out of
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things all right, he doesn’t
really care what happens to
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anybody else.
And so the recommendation was
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that the Lord put forth his hand
and touch his flesh and his
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bone.
And he said, then Job is going
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to curse you to his face.
And so the Lord is willing to
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carry this test.
One step further.
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Verse 6.
And the Lord said unto the
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enemy, Behold, he is in thine
hand, but save his life.
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The life was the one thing that
he was not to take.
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And of course we know the
account.
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We know how that Satan went
forth from the presence of the
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Lord and smote Job with sore
boils from the sole of his foot
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unto his crown.
Job was placed in a position of
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agony.
And this position of agony was
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not something that was very
temporary.
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Instead, we find it lasted for
quite some period of time.
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As we go on, we’re going to see
that this is the case.
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Is this my car now?
It is.
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Job was in this position of
agony for quite a period of
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time.
And what we have here, of
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course, that you’ve been looking
at for the last two days and I
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haven’t said anything about it,
is a chart to try to draw our
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attention to the events that
take place from this point
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onward.
Through the speeches of Eli, who
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even to the introduction of the
voice of the Almighty.
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We have Job sitting without the
city, sitting with a pot shirt
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in his hand that he can scrape
himself with in a very miserable
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condition.
We try not to make it too
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gruesome.
I have here to thank Sister
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Louis Johnson of the Moorestown,
NJ Ecclesia for making this for
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me.
We have Job seated in the
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middle.
We have his three friends Zofar,
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Bildad and excuse me, Aliphaz,
Bildad and Zophar sitting off at
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the at your right.
And we have the young man Eli
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who which we’re going to talk
about a little later in the
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week, coming into the scene
later On, way off to your
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extreme right, we find a woman
which we would suggest
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represents his wife and we’re
going to get to her comments
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very shortly.
Our purpose in this chart is to
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try to draw our attention in the
picture form, to put all of
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these things together.
And it also helps me because my
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notes are right up in front of
me.
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So here we find that Joe, Joe
was smitten with boils.
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Now, exactly what type of a
disease that was has been
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debated back and forth by many
individuals.
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Many suggestions have been made.
I’m not a doctor.
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I certainly don’t expect that I
can tell you exactly what it is.
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It would only be mimicking the
suggestions of many others.
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Some have suggested that it was
a form of elephantiasis where
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that the person not only would
have these boils, but it would
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get to such a an acute position
where that his flesh would
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actually be rotting on him,
where it’s one type of leprosy
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so that eventually his bones
would actually show through.
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And if we really wanted to
barter on the bluesome, we could
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go through the Book of Job and
pick out passage after passage
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within the debate, which
describes the wretched condition
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that this man was in.
Where did it?
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Does get to the place where his
bones are actually showing
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through and he comes to the
position.
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Where that he?
Felt that he certainly was going
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to die.
Hadn’t quite reached that
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position, but had been in this
position of agony for a long,
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long period of time.
And so this is a position we
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find that Job is placed in
because of the unwillingness for
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the enemy to recognize that a
man could be righteous for
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righteousness sake.
He is suffering tremendously
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because of it.
And yet we find that throughout
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of all of this, Job maintains
his integrity.
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He doesn’t sin with his lips.
He does maintain his integrity.
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Now his wife comes on the scene.
Not much is said about his wife
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in the book of Job except for
this very brief statement, but
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his wife comes on the scene and
makes a very remarkable
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suggestion.
She suggests to Job that he
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cursed.
God and die.
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And right away, when we hear
this statement, we say, boy, she
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must have been a rather wicked
woman.
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What a thing for a person’s, for
a man’s wife to suggest that he
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cursed God and die.
We find that the words of Job,
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perhaps.
Give us a.
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Suggestion that she wasn’t
really quite as bad as we might
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think she is by our first
reading, he tells her not to be
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as the silly women.
Did you notice?
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He didn’t say you’re a silly
woman to make a statement such
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as that?
He said don’t be as the silly
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woman.
She hadn’t quite gotten there,
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but her statements now seem to
border on that.
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She certainly hadn’t quite been
with the women who did not give
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any thought to the things of
God, who were not interested in
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God.
Or his great.
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Plan of salvation.
But she was just now beginning
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to talk that way when she made
the suggestion that he ought to
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curse God and die.
What was the reason behind her
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suggestion?
Is the question that we ought to
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ask, and I think that it’s this
his wife.
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Loved it.
She didn’t like the idea of
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seeing Job in the agony in which
he’d been brought.
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She didn’t like to see him
suffering.
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And I know that there have been
many of us who may have seen a
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loved one suffering from some
dread disease and slowly wasting
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away.
And perhaps that wasting period
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has lasted for weeks or months
or sometimes even years.
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And we realize that there’s no
pleasure in life whatsoever for
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the individual that’s undergoing
it.
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And we know that it’s going to
end in death anyway, and
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therefore perhaps we voucher
actually felt that it might be
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better if they can merely fall
asleep in death instead of
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continuing in that condition of
agony.
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And therefore we’ve actually
hoped that they might die.
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Well, the statement of Job’s
wife would seem to indicate that
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they had a rather strange idea
at that time.
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And the idea was that if a
person could get God angry
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enough at him, God would kill
him.
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And here she saw her husband in
tremendous agony.
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And she felt that if Job would
only curse God to his face, God
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would then be so angry that he’d
kill him on the spot, and then
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he wouldn’t be suffering any
longer.
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I think that her real attitude
behind that statement wasn’t to
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encourage Job to be a wicked
individual, but she would much
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rather see him sleeping
peacefully in death than living
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in the agony in which he was
living then.
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And therefore she made the
suggestion that he ought to
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curse God and die with the idea
that God would get angry enough
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that he would kill him and Job,
instead of saying you’re one of
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the silly woman, you’re an
unrighteous woman.
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Realize that her statement was
very similar to the type of
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statement that they would make,
and recommended that she turn
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00:12:26,480 –> 00:12:29,600
from that way immediately before
she indulged in it any further
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00:12:30,320 –> 00:12:35,000
and not be as the silly woman,
but continue the righteousness
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00:12:35,000 –> 00:12:38,600
that she had had during the time
that they had been living
223
00:12:38,600 –> 00:12:41,480
together.
I think this is a possible
224
00:12:41,480 –> 00:12:44,120
explanation and I’d like to
leave it for your consideration.
225
00:12:44,520 –> 00:12:47,000
Perhaps it might be something
that we might have an
226
00:12:47,000 –> 00:12:51,440
interesting discussion on later
on, but then we find that Job
227
00:12:51,440 –> 00:12:56,600
had three friends, Alifaz,
Bildad, and Zofar, and these
228
00:12:56,600 –> 00:13:00,840
friends are quite interesting.
We find, if we wish to do a
229
00:13:00,840 –> 00:13:03,320
reasonable amount of research,
that they didn’t really live too
230
00:13:03,320 –> 00:13:06,240
close to each other.
They were separated by many
231
00:13:06,240 –> 00:13:07,920
miles, perhaps hundreds of
miles.
232
00:13:07,920 –> 00:13:11,640
We can’t quite be sure.
But here they had heard of the
233
00:13:11,640 –> 00:13:15,880
problem that Joe Job had had.
They’ve been friends with Job
234
00:13:15,880 –> 00:13:19,280
for a long.
Period of time, and this to me
235
00:13:19,720 –> 00:13:22,640
would suggest that job had been
in this condition of agony for
236
00:13:22,640 –> 00:13:25,920
at least a number of weeks.
First of all, he had to get into
237
00:13:25,920 –> 00:13:30,240
this condition and then messages
had to be sent to each of the
238
00:13:30,240 –> 00:13:32,880
three friends.
They had to be informed of the
239
00:13:32,880 –> 00:13:36,320
condition of their friend job.
And then we find that they
240
00:13:36,320 –> 00:13:38,760
communicated one with another so
that they would all come
241
00:13:38,760 –> 00:13:42,200
together to a common point and
then go as a delegation to visit
242
00:13:42,200 –> 00:13:44,280
Job.
Which means they would have to
243
00:13:44,280 –> 00:13:47,080
send messages back and forth to
one another and make that
244
00:13:47,080 –> 00:13:49,440
arrangement which would take
further time.
245
00:13:49,720 –> 00:13:52,880
Then they themselves would have
to make the trip and get
246
00:13:52,880 –> 00:13:55,880
together and finally they would
come to Job.
247
00:13:56,880 –> 00:13:59,600
And even after they come to
them, we find it’s a period of
248
00:13:59,600 –> 00:14:01,920
of of seven days before they say
anything.
249
00:14:02,240 –> 00:14:05,200
So that’s at least a week that
we can be absolutely sure of.
250
00:14:06,000 –> 00:14:08,240
So to suggest that it may have
been a number of weeks, so
251
00:14:08,240 –> 00:14:12,000
possibly even months that Job
was in this condition, I don’t
252
00:14:12,000 –> 00:14:15,120
think is at all unreasonable.
But we come to the place where
253
00:14:15,120 –> 00:14:19,040
we find that Job’s three friends
come together and they see Job
254
00:14:19,040 –> 00:14:21,240
afar off even before they’ve
reached him.
255
00:14:22,120 –> 00:14:25,440
And then, seeing Job afar off,
they find that he’s in a very
256
00:14:25,440 –> 00:14:28,400
miserable condition, such a
condition that they could hardly
257
00:14:28,400 –> 00:14:31,240
recognize him.
But then we find that they did
258
00:14:31,240 –> 00:14:35,080
something very strange.
Not strange to them, but strange
259
00:14:35,080 –> 00:14:37,200
to us.
They reach down to the ground,
260
00:14:37,200 –> 00:14:39,440
they pick up sand, and they
throw it up in the air over
261
00:14:39,440 –> 00:14:41,920
their heads.
And we might say, I wonder what
262
00:14:41,920 –> 00:14:44,040
that means.
Well, it had a.
263
00:14:44,040 –> 00:14:47,240
Very significant meaning in
ancient times and in the East.
264
00:14:47,920 –> 00:14:54,360
What it signified was that they
were hurt because of the hurt
265
00:14:54,360 –> 00:14:57,800
that job was undergoing.
And when that sand was thrown up
266
00:14:57,800 –> 00:15:00,720
into the air and came back down
over their head, what they were
267
00:15:00,720 –> 00:15:04,120
actually saying is whatever has
befallen Job has fallen,
268
00:15:04,120 –> 00:15:06,520
befallen us, even though we
don’t.
269
00:15:06,520 –> 00:15:09,200
Actually undergo the suffering
that he’s suffering.
270
00:15:09,560 –> 00:15:12,880
It still hurts us that he’s in
that condition, and I know that
271
00:15:12,880 –> 00:15:15,680
we’ve all felt that way on one
time or another when our loved
272
00:15:15,680 –> 00:15:19,760
ones have been suffering, even
though we may not undergo the
273
00:15:19,760 –> 00:15:22,200
exact pain that they’re
undergoing.
274
00:15:22,960 –> 00:15:27,680
Nevertheless, it hurts us
because they’re hurt and they
275
00:15:27,680 –> 00:15:30,720
were saying that what has
befallen Job has befallen us.
276
00:15:30,960 –> 00:15:34,760
It bothers us because our friend
is suffering the way it is.
277
00:15:34,920 –> 00:15:39,640
We share to a great degree in
his suffering, even though they
278
00:15:39,640 –> 00:15:42,000
don’t actually feel the physical
pain that he had.
279
00:15:42,280 –> 00:15:45,440
They certainly felt mental pain
because of the suffering of
280
00:15:45,440 –> 00:15:48,400
their friend Job.
And then they do another rather
281
00:15:48,400 –> 00:15:52,280
surprising thing.
They come to job and they sit
282
00:15:52,280 –> 00:15:55,320
down and they sit there for
seven days and don’t say
283
00:15:55,320 –> 00:15:57,520
anything.
And they referred to as Job’s
284
00:15:57,520 –> 00:16:00,840
comforters.
I wonder how many of us would
285
00:16:00,840 –> 00:16:03,760
consider someone that came down
and sat down beside us and never
286
00:16:03,760 –> 00:16:06,600
even said anything and just sat
there and didn’t say a word for
287
00:16:06,600 –> 00:16:09,120
seven days as being very
comforting to us.
288
00:16:09,840 –> 00:16:12,200
And you know, at first it might
almost seem to be a little bit
289
00:16:12,200 –> 00:16:15,760
amusing if it wasn’t that the
circumstances were so serious.
290
00:16:16,720 –> 00:16:21,720
But, you know, sometimes when a
friend or a loved one is
291
00:16:21,720 –> 00:16:25,600
extremely sick and we go and
visit them at their hospital
292
00:16:25,600 –> 00:16:28,840
bed, there really isn’t very
much we can say.
293
00:16:29,760 –> 00:16:32,840
There’s not really too much we
can say to actually comfort the
294
00:16:32,840 –> 00:16:36,960
individual, but just being
there, being near them, being
295
00:16:36,960 –> 00:16:39,080
by.
Their side can be a comfort.
296
00:16:39,600 –> 00:16:41,400
They know that they’re not left
alone.
297
00:16:41,400 –> 00:16:43,880
They know that there’s the
people just don’t care.
298
00:16:44,520 –> 00:16:47,800
When someone comes and stays
with them, I wonder how often it
299
00:16:47,800 –> 00:16:51,760
is when we have a loved one or a
friend that’s in the hospital
300
00:16:51,760 –> 00:16:55,360
and we go to visit them and we
check our watch and say, now
301
00:16:55,360 –> 00:16:58,320
let’s see, visiting hours end at
8:00.
302
00:16:58,320 –> 00:17:01,800
If I show up at 10 minutes of, I
won’t have to waste too much
303
00:17:01,800 –> 00:17:04,480
time there.
Or perhaps we don’t actually say
304
00:17:04,480 –> 00:17:05,960
that.
I don’t really think we would,
305
00:17:06,480 –> 00:17:09,800
but perhaps sometimes our
actions would seem to indicate
306
00:17:09,800 –> 00:17:13,480
that that’s the idea behind it.
And so we’ll show up for a few
307
00:17:13,480 –> 00:17:15,400
minutes and then in comes the
nurse and said, I’m sorry, the
308
00:17:15,400 –> 00:17:18,040
visiting hours are over and off
we go to, oh, isn’t that too
309
00:17:18,040 –> 00:17:20,319
bad?
And away we go.
310
00:17:20,800 –> 00:17:24,319
You know, sometimes just being
with an individual can be a
311
00:17:24,319 –> 00:17:28,319
tremendous comfort to them.
And I think this was the purpose
312
00:17:28,560 –> 00:17:31,800
of Job’s three friends.
It wasn’t that they were being
313
00:17:31,800 –> 00:17:34,320
rude or thoughtless by coming
and sitting down and saying
314
00:17:34,320 –> 00:17:36,800
nothing for three days.
In fact, we find that they
315
00:17:36,800 –> 00:17:38,680
weren’t really fair with the
Friends.
316
00:17:39,240 –> 00:17:43,320
I think it’s necessary to give
one further description of Job’s
317
00:17:43,320 –> 00:17:45,920
condition.
First of all, we’ve already
318
00:17:45,920 –> 00:17:49,640
mentioned that he was in
tremendous agony and that it was
319
00:17:49,640 –> 00:17:52,960
visible agony.
It was not a nice thing to be
320
00:17:52,960 –> 00:17:56,440
able to behold that he was in
that condition.
321
00:17:56,880 –> 00:18:01,000
It wasn’t someone that a person
would like to be around because
322
00:18:01,000 –> 00:18:04,800
of their physical countenance.
There was another awkward
323
00:18:04,800 –> 00:18:08,240
problem because of it.
With this particular ailment,
324
00:18:08,280 –> 00:18:13,640
they would have been a very
obnoxious stench, and still they
325
00:18:13,640 –> 00:18:17,120
were willing to sit down and be
with him throughout that seven
326
00:18:17,120 –> 00:18:19,120
day period.
Not fair were the friends at
327
00:18:19,120 –> 00:18:23,400
all, but very close friends
willing to associate with him
328
00:18:23,880 –> 00:18:26,840
Even in this very, very
difficult time in his life, it
329
00:18:26,840 –> 00:18:29,480
would have been difficult for
them just to be there.
330
00:18:29,680 –> 00:18:33,240
And yet they were.
And so I think it could indeed
331
00:18:33,240 –> 00:18:37,160
be said that they were
confidence of Job, even though
332
00:18:37,160 –> 00:18:39,200
they said nothing for seven
days.
333
00:18:39,880 –> 00:18:44,480
But then we find that after this
seven day period is over, Job
334
00:18:44,520 –> 00:18:47,840
begins to speak up.
And this is in the third chapter
335
00:18:47,840 –> 00:18:49,440
of Job.
We’re not going to read every
336
00:18:49,440 –> 00:18:54,120
word, but we find that in the
third chapter of Job, Job breaks
337
00:18:54,120 –> 00:18:58,000
the silence and this gives an
opportunity for his three
338
00:18:58,000 –> 00:19:02,240
friends to speak up.
It’s Job that first speaks, and
339
00:19:02,240 –> 00:19:07,800
Job begins to curse his day.
And in that third chapter of of
340
00:19:07,800 –> 00:19:12,800
Job, we find that Job curses a
number of different parts of his
341
00:19:13,120 –> 00:19:17,040
day.
Get my notes.
342
00:19:20,520 –> 00:19:24,400
First of all, we find that Job
curses the time in which he was
343
00:19:24,400 –> 00:19:28,120
conceived.
He curses the night in which his
344
00:19:28,120 –> 00:19:31,640
mother conceived him.
I think his reasoning is this,
345
00:19:32,320 –> 00:19:38,440
that if indeed he had never even
been conceived, obviously he
346
00:19:38,440 –> 00:19:41,320
never would have been born.
And he said if he’d never been
347
00:19:41,320 –> 00:19:44,200
born, he never would have grown
up, and if he’d never grown up,
348
00:19:44,200 –> 00:19:47,640
he never would have come to this
condition of agony that he is
349
00:19:47,640 –> 00:19:51,200
now in.
He was in tremendous agony.
350
00:19:52,240 –> 00:19:55,640
He was suffering terrifically,
and if he had never come into
351
00:19:55,640 –> 00:19:57,920
existence, he wouldn’t have had
to suffer.
352
00:19:58,400 –> 00:20:01,320
And so he cursed the very night
in which he was conceived, and
353
00:20:01,320 –> 00:20:03,240
yet he had nothing to do with
that whatsoever.
354
00:20:04,400 –> 00:20:07,000
And so he goes on to curse the
next thing.
355
00:20:07,680 –> 00:20:11,720
He wished that he could have
been stillborn.
356
00:20:12,640 –> 00:20:17,640
If indeed he had died, or died
before birth and been born dead,
357
00:20:18,120 –> 00:20:19,600
then he never would have grown
up.
358
00:20:19,960 –> 00:20:21,560
He never.
Would have come to this position
359
00:20:21,560 –> 00:20:25,800
of agony and therefore he
wouldn’t have to undergo this
360
00:20:25,960 –> 00:20:28,200
excruciating pain that he’s now
undergoing.
361
00:20:29,360 –> 00:20:32,640
Then he wishes that, well, if he
couldn’t have had not been
362
00:20:32,640 –> 00:20:37,400
conceived, or he couldn’t have
been stillborn, perhaps he could
363
00:20:37,400 –> 00:20:40,560
have died in his infancy.
And if he died in his infancy
364
00:20:40,560 –> 00:20:42,880
again, he would not have grown
up and come to the condition of
365
00:20:42,880 –> 00:20:46,280
agony that he’s now in.
But of course that wasn’t
366
00:20:46,280 –> 00:20:49,640
possible.
Here he is in that agony,
367
00:20:49,880 –> 00:20:54,840
looking for a way out, and the
last thing that he curses is or
368
00:20:54,840 –> 00:20:57,480
wishes that he could actually
die at that moment.
369
00:20:57,920 –> 00:21:01,920
For he feels that if indeed he
would die at that moment, he
370
00:21:01,920 –> 00:21:03,680
wouldn’t have to go on
suffering.
371
00:21:04,480 –> 00:21:07,080
And we know that there have been
a lot of people that have been
372
00:21:07,080 –> 00:21:11,320
in the condition of tremendous
agony and they realize there’s.
373
00:21:11,320 –> 00:21:13,440
No way out.
They realize that it’s
374
00:21:13,440 –> 00:21:16,400
eventually going to end in death
anyway, and therefore they
375
00:21:16,400 –> 00:21:18,440
figure if they could die a
little sooner instead of a
376
00:21:18,440 –> 00:21:21,400
little later, they could
eliminate some of the agony that
377
00:21:21,400 –> 00:21:23,080
they might otherwise have to go
through.
378
00:21:24,160 –> 00:21:25,520
And that was the position of
Job.
379
00:21:26,360 –> 00:21:29,320
He cursed his day.
He wished that either he had not
380
00:21:29,320 –> 00:21:33,520
been conceived, or that he had
been stillborn, or that he had
381
00:21:33,520 –> 00:21:37,680
died in infancy, and if not, he
wishes that he could die now and
382
00:21:37,680 –> 00:21:41,160
avoid any further agony that he
would have to go through by
383
00:21:41,160 –> 00:21:45,120
continuing to live.
And by saying this, he opens the
384
00:21:45,120 –> 00:21:47,800
door.
He opens the door to his three
385
00:21:47,800 –> 00:21:52,200
friends to be able to speak up
and to speak their mind and
386
00:21:52,200 –> 00:21:56,080
point out to him why it is that
they think that he’s suffering
387
00:21:56,480 –> 00:21:59,800
so that.
He might perhaps come to a
388
00:21:59,800 –> 00:22:01,680
condition of ending that
suffering.
389
00:22:02,480 –> 00:22:06,200
That’s the desire.
And so we find that they begin
390
00:22:06,200 –> 00:22:09,440
to speak up.
Now in Job’s description of the
391
00:22:09,440 –> 00:22:13,040
death state in the third
chapter, we find some very
392
00:22:13,040 –> 00:22:16,600
interesting verses before his
three friends speak up.
393
00:22:16,600 –> 00:22:19,240
We find that Job gives a
description of what it would be
394
00:22:19,240 –> 00:22:24,120
like if he died, and I know that
as Christadelphians, we’ve made
395
00:22:24,120 –> 00:22:28,000
use of these statements very,
very often in our debates and
396
00:22:28,000 –> 00:22:31,840
discussions with people who
believe in an immortal soul and
397
00:22:31,840 –> 00:22:35,440
they’re very good verses.
A word of caution, however, in
398
00:22:35,440 –> 00:22:39,280
regard to quoting things from
the book of Job, we are now on
399
00:22:39,280 –> 00:22:42,560
the threshold of Job’s debate
with his three friends.
400
00:22:43,280 –> 00:22:48,240
Now, in a debate you’ve got one
right and one wrong.
401
00:22:48,240 –> 00:22:51,800
If either one of them are right,
certainly one is wrong.
402
00:22:52,360 –> 00:22:56,320
And it would be unfortunate just
to lift a verse out of context,
403
00:22:56,880 –> 00:22:59,480
where later in the book we find
individuals are condemned for
404
00:22:59,480 –> 00:23:02,120
what they say.
And we find that this is the
405
00:23:02,120 –> 00:23:05,520
case with Job’s three friends,
and even partly with Job when it
406
00:23:05,520 –> 00:23:08,720
comes to the speeches of Elihu
and the voice of the Almighty.
407
00:23:09,960 –> 00:23:14,200
But in this particular statement
of Job, there is no one that
408
00:23:14,200 –> 00:23:18,800
refutes.
Job Aliphas Bildad.
409
00:23:19,400 –> 00:23:22,120
So far, not one of them say that
he’s wrong in his description of
410
00:23:22,120 –> 00:23:24,720
the death state.
When the young man alive who
411
00:23:24,720 –> 00:23:28,320
stands up to speak, he doesn’t
challenge Job’s position in
412
00:23:28,320 –> 00:23:30,240
regard to his view of the death
state.
413
00:23:30,720 –> 00:23:35,040
When the Almighty speaks, He
does not contradict Job and His
414
00:23:35,560 –> 00:23:39,360
view of the death state, and
therefore we can feel quite
415
00:23:39,360 –> 00:23:42,760
certain that we can make use of
these very interesting.
416
00:23:42,760 –> 00:23:45,720
Verses here in the third chapter
of Job.
417
00:23:47,040 –> 00:23:50,480
To point out exactly what it’s
like when a person dies.
418
00:23:50,480 –> 00:23:54,120
And of course we do.
We turn to the 11th verse and
419
00:23:54,120 –> 00:23:58,240
read on down for a few verses.
Why died I not from the womb?
420
00:23:58,240 –> 00:24:01,040
Why did I not give up the spirit
when I came out of the belly?
421
00:24:01,560 –> 00:24:06,000
Why did the knees prevent me?
Or why the breast that I should
422
00:24:06,000 –> 00:24:08,000
suck?
Well, now I should have lain
423
00:24:08,000 –> 00:24:12,640
still and been quiet.
I should have slept then.
424
00:24:12,640 –> 00:24:16,680
I had been at rest, and on it
goes, speaking about resting
425
00:24:16,680 –> 00:24:20,160
with the kings of the earth once
they’re dead, pointing out that
426
00:24:20,160 –> 00:24:22,680
the death state is a state of
rest.
427
00:24:24,120 –> 00:24:26,880
Verse 17.
There the wicked cease from
428
00:24:26,880 –> 00:24:29,880
troubling there the weary be at
rest.
429
00:24:30,240 –> 00:24:34,320
And so he goes on down
describing the death state and
430
00:24:34,320 –> 00:24:37,640
how often it is that we’ve made
use of these passages, and
431
00:24:37,640 –> 00:24:40,400
rightly so.
But we should be cautious when
432
00:24:40,400 –> 00:24:43,200
it comes to getting over into
the debate, especially in
433
00:24:43,200 –> 00:24:45,520
considering the words of Job’s
three friends.
434
00:24:45,800 –> 00:24:49,080
We can say, well, here’s a
passage of in the Bible, why
435
00:24:49,080 –> 00:24:51,600
can’t we use it?
But we’ve got to remember to
436
00:24:51,600 –> 00:24:56,040
keep it in context, remembering
that later on in the book Job
437
00:24:56,640 –> 00:25:00,560
three friends are addressed by
the Almighty and condemned,
438
00:25:00,560 –> 00:25:04,040
saying thou did not speak that
which is correct concerning me
439
00:25:04,360 –> 00:25:06,200
as my servant.
Job paths.
440
00:25:07,080 –> 00:25:10,760
So we have to be careful in the
verses that we use, making sure
441
00:25:10,760 –> 00:25:15,800
that we do keep them in context.
But now we find Job’s three
442
00:25:15,800 –> 00:25:18,320
friends are going to have the
opportunity to speak up.
443
00:25:19,240 –> 00:25:21,600
We’ve already mentioned that
they’re not fair with the
444
00:25:21,600 –> 00:25:23,960
friends.
I think that perhaps their
445
00:25:23,960 –> 00:25:27,800
attitude toward Job is something
like that of his wife.
446
00:25:28,520 –> 00:25:31,960
Remember how his wife said curse
God and die with the idea that
447
00:25:31,960 –> 00:25:34,240
if indeed he was dead, he
wouldn’t be suffering any
448
00:25:34,240 –> 00:25:37,160
longer?
She didn’t really want the idea
449
00:25:37,160 –> 00:25:40,080
of having her husband dead, but
she’d rather see him dead than
450
00:25:40,080 –> 00:25:42,560
suffer.
When it comes to Job’s three
451
00:25:42,560 –> 00:25:44,480
friends, they’re not fair with
the friends.
452
00:25:44,880 –> 00:25:47,400
They felt that there was a
problem in Job’s life.
453
00:25:47,880 –> 00:25:51,520
They felt that Job was suffering
for some particular sin that he
454
00:25:51,520 –> 00:25:57,840
had committed, and they wanted
to encourage Job to repent and
455
00:25:58,120 –> 00:26:01,400
therefore have God forgive him
and heal him, which we’re going
456
00:26:01,400 –> 00:26:04,800
to see in just a few moments.
You know, a lot of times when we
457
00:26:04,800 –> 00:26:08,680
see someone in the Ecclesia, or
perhaps a friend of ours doing
458
00:26:08,680 –> 00:26:12,400
something that isn’t quite
right, we don’t want to offend
459
00:26:12,400 –> 00:26:15,640
them and perhaps we don’t bring
it to their attention.
460
00:26:16,680 –> 00:26:19,680
And then the question is, are we
really a good friend of theirs
461
00:26:19,680 –> 00:26:21,360
or not?
We say.
462
00:26:21,360 –> 00:26:23,400
Well, I don’t.
Want them to be angry with me.
463
00:26:23,400 –> 00:26:28,080
I don’t want to hurt their
feelings, but which is better if
464
00:26:28,080 –> 00:26:31,360
we’re really interested in the
well-being of a person?
465
00:26:32,000 –> 00:26:33,760
Perhaps it may be our own
children.
466
00:26:34,480 –> 00:26:36,320
We don’t want them angry.
With us either.
467
00:26:36,320 –> 00:26:38,560
But boy, we showing up.
She’ll point out things that
468
00:26:38,560 –> 00:26:42,080
they’ve done wrong right away,
and likewise with other members
469
00:26:42,080 –> 00:26:43,880
of the Ecclesia.
And I don’t mean to be a busy
470
00:26:43,880 –> 00:26:46,920
body running around trying to
find fault with everyone we can
471
00:26:46,920 –> 00:26:49,240
in the meeting, that’s certainly
not going to help either.
472
00:26:49,760 –> 00:26:54,280
But if we see something that the
individual may not be aware of,
473
00:26:54,560 –> 00:26:58,720
or perhaps might be, and we can
point out a better way that
474
00:26:58,720 –> 00:26:59,560
might.
Save.
475
00:26:59,560 –> 00:27:03,440
Them from eternal death and help
them to a position of eternal
476
00:27:03,440 –> 00:27:06,360
life in the Kingdom of God.
Are we going to be a better
477
00:27:06,360 –> 00:27:09,360
friend to keep quiet about it?
Or are we going to be a better
478
00:27:09,360 –> 00:27:11,800
friend to bring it up to their
attention so that eventually
479
00:27:12,000 –> 00:27:14,520
they might receive the gift of
eternal life in the Kingdom of
480
00:27:14,520 –> 00:27:16,120
God?
Which?
481
00:27:16,120 –> 00:27:17,760
Way would we be a better friend
to them?
482
00:27:18,680 –> 00:27:20,560
These weren’t fair were the
friends.
483
00:27:20,920 –> 00:27:24,960
They really were friends of Job,
although sometimes the way in
484
00:27:24,960 –> 00:27:28,240
which they present their
arguments do not seem very
485
00:27:28,240 –> 00:27:31,280
polite and courteous to Joe.
But I do think that the purpose
486
00:27:31,280 –> 00:27:36,120
behind it all was that they
wanted to see Joe redeemed from
487
00:27:36,120 –> 00:27:41,400
this position of agony, and they
believed at that time in a very
488
00:27:41,400 –> 00:27:45,840
interesting doctrine.
And they arrived at this
489
00:27:45,840 –> 00:27:51,320
doctrine by what we might refer
to as a syllogism.
490
00:27:51,960 –> 00:27:54,120
And I’d like to give you a
little demonstration of it.
491
00:27:59,840 –> 00:28:03,800
We find that a syllogism is 3
prepositions.
492
00:28:04,680 –> 00:28:08,120
We find it’s two premises
followed by a conclusion.
493
00:28:09,040 –> 00:28:12,240
Now we’ve seen people reason
this way a lot today, and we
494
00:28:12,240 –> 00:28:14,880
realize that sometimes it can be
problems with the reasoning.
495
00:28:14,880 –> 00:28:19,400
I hope you can all see this.
The first premise is that all
496
00:28:19,400 –> 00:28:22,120
suffering is a punishment for
sin.
497
00:28:23,320 –> 00:28:24,640
Now think about that for a
moment.
498
00:28:24,640 –> 00:28:29,960
Do you agree with that or not?
Is all suffering the punishment
499
00:28:29,960 –> 00:28:35,080
for sin?
Well, you know, if we are
500
00:28:35,400 –> 00:28:38,760
perfectly correct in regard.
To this If we want to go right
501
00:28:38,760 –> 00:28:41,920
back to the beginning, we’re
going to have to say, well,
502
00:28:42,520 –> 00:28:47,040
because our first parents
sinned, we have become.
503
00:28:47,040 –> 00:28:50,920
Subject to good and evil.
Evil is calamity.
504
00:28:50,920 –> 00:28:55,160
Are things that are not nice.
Amongst which, of course is pain
505
00:28:55,160 –> 00:28:58,360
and suffering.
And therefore, technically we
506
00:28:58,360 –> 00:29:02,200
could say that all suffering is
the punishment of sin, or at
507
00:29:02,200 –> 00:29:06,400
least the result of sin.
In that respect we would have to
508
00:29:06,400 –> 00:29:11,200
say yes, but they had carried
this to the ultimate and just.
509
00:29:11,200 –> 00:29:15,000
Left it at that and said that if
anybody suffers, it must be
510
00:29:15,000 –> 00:29:18,720
because they’ve committed a sin.
They believed in the doctrine of
511
00:29:18,720 –> 00:29:24,400
exact retribution.
Then believing in this, they
512
00:29:24,400 –> 00:29:28,480
looked at another premise.
And that next premise is this.
513
00:29:29,400 –> 00:29:33,520
They looked at Job and they said
now Job is a great sufferer.
514
00:29:34,480 –> 00:29:35,680
Well, are they?
Right in that.
515
00:29:36,240 –> 00:29:38,000
Well, I don’t think we can argue
about that one.
516
00:29:38,640 –> 00:29:41,240
I think every one of us would
take one look at Job and say
517
00:29:41,400 –> 00:29:45,160
there’s no question whatsoever
but what Job was indeed a very
518
00:29:45,160 –> 00:29:49,920
great sufferer now.
With these two premises before
519
00:29:49,920 –> 00:29:52,840
them, there was only one
conclusion that could appeal to
520
00:29:52,840 –> 00:29:58,760
their mind, and that is this
that job must indeed.
521
00:29:58,760 –> 00:30:01,560
Be a great Sinner and were they
right in this?
522
00:30:02,600 –> 00:30:03,880
I know there are some that have
said.
523
00:30:03,880 –> 00:30:05,520
Oh yeah, they were.
And that’s why Job was
524
00:30:05,520 –> 00:30:08,520
suffering.
I don’t think this is the case.
525
00:30:09,160 –> 00:30:13,320
In fact, we find that we’ve got
an insight into the suffering of
526
00:30:13,320 –> 00:30:18,480
Job that Job himself didn’t
have, that Job’s wife didn’t
527
00:30:18,480 –> 00:30:21,600
have, and that Job’s three
friends didn’t have.
528
00:30:22,280 –> 00:30:24,280
And as far as I know, Eli, who
didn’t either.
529
00:30:24,280 –> 00:30:27,320
In fact, the only character that
presents himself and might be so
530
00:30:27,360 –> 00:30:29,240
prude as to make.
Use that word.
531
00:30:29,680 –> 00:30:32,840
In the entire narrative of Job
is the Almighty, he certainly
532
00:30:32,840 –> 00:30:35,880
knew about it.
And of course the enemy himself
533
00:30:36,000 –> 00:30:39,440
knew as well.
We know that Job was suffering
534
00:30:39,440 –> 00:30:41,000
for the benefit of somebody
else.
535
00:30:41,520 –> 00:30:45,120
Job was suffering to bring the
enemy from his ways of
536
00:30:45,120 –> 00:30:48,280
wickedness, to live a righteous
life as Job was living.
537
00:30:49,160 –> 00:30:53,080
Job didn’t realize that he was
being put to death for the
538
00:30:53,080 –> 00:30:55,280
benefit.
Of bringing another man to
539
00:30:55,280 –> 00:30:59,160
righteousness.
Therefore, when Job’s wife came
540
00:30:59,200 –> 00:31:02,600
comes along, she doesn’t know it
either and she suggests that he
541
00:31:02,600 –> 00:31:05,680
curse God and die.
When Job’s three friends come
542
00:31:05,680 –> 00:31:09,200
along, they are not aware that
the reason that Job is suffering
543
00:31:09,400 –> 00:31:11,160
is for the benefit of someone
else.
544
00:31:11,520 –> 00:31:14,720
To bring that other individual
to a life of righteousness.
545
00:31:14,920 –> 00:31:18,880
And so they look at Job,
believing that all suffering is
546
00:31:18,920 –> 00:31:21,080
the result of sin, the
punishment of sin.
547
00:31:21,240 –> 00:31:22,720
And they say now there’s a
great.
548
00:31:22,720 –> 00:31:26,600
Sufferer and therefore they
looked at Job as a great Sinner
549
00:31:27,440 –> 00:31:33,280
and I think it’s very, very
important that God has inspired.
550
00:31:33,280 –> 00:31:37,880
The book of Job to be written in
such ancient times to put this
551
00:31:37,880 –> 00:31:40,400
doctrine of exact retribution to
rest.
552
00:31:40,760 –> 00:31:42,320
And I think there’s a good
reason for it.
553
00:31:43,240 –> 00:31:48,440
If we were to believe that when
a person sinned a little bit,
554
00:31:49,080 –> 00:31:53,920
they would suffer a little bit
right now, or if they sinned a
555
00:31:53,920 –> 00:31:58,960
lot, they would suffer a lot
right now, we would have a
556
00:31:58,960 –> 00:32:01,160
terrific problem.
We find that that problem
557
00:32:01,160 –> 00:32:04,760
continues to rear its head
throughout history, even down to
558
00:32:04,760 –> 00:32:08,760
the time in which we Live Today.
The biggest problem is this.
559
00:32:09,400 –> 00:32:11,920
If we were to believe that
because a person was suffering,
560
00:32:11,920 –> 00:32:15,120
they’d committed some particular
sin and were suffering in
561
00:32:15,120 –> 00:32:18,760
proportion to that sin, we would
turn around and look at our Lord
562
00:32:18,760 –> 00:32:22,680
and Savior Jesus cross Christ
affixed to the cross and we
563
00:32:22,680 –> 00:32:24,880
would say there’s a great
sufferer.
564
00:32:25,840 –> 00:32:29,880
There must be a great Sinner if
we didn’t realize.
565
00:32:29,880 –> 00:32:34,440
That he was suffering not for
his own sins, which he had not,
566
00:32:35,200 –> 00:32:38,000
but he was suffering for the
benefit of all mankind.
567
00:32:38,720 –> 00:32:42,200
That’s why he was there.
And if it wasn’t that we had
568
00:32:42,200 –> 00:32:48,760
this type, and indeed Job is a
type of God’s suffering innocent
569
00:32:48,880 –> 00:32:52,480
servant, if we didn’t have that
type snuggled.
570
00:32:52,480 –> 00:32:54,840
Away way back near the beginning
of our Bibles.
571
00:32:54,840 –> 00:32:57,640
And we’ve already pointed out
that the book of Job is probably
572
00:32:57,640 –> 00:32:59,400
the second oldest book of the
Bible.
573
00:33:00,360 –> 00:33:03,840
We would not have been able to
look upon the Lord Jesus Christ
574
00:33:03,840 –> 00:33:07,400
in quite the right way.
We find that the idea of exact
575
00:33:07,400 –> 00:33:10,720
retribution was still in
existence at the time of Christ.
576
00:33:11,000 –> 00:33:14,640
If you remember how, And Jesus
was talking to his apostles and
577
00:33:14,640 –> 00:33:17,720
he said, Do you suppose those
men upon whom the Tower of
578
00:33:17,720 –> 00:33:21,520
Siloam fell were sinners above
anyone else in Judea?
579
00:33:21,680 –> 00:33:25,440
He says, I tell you no, But he
used the opportunity to say, you
580
00:33:25,440 –> 00:33:27,600
better watch out what you do.
You might have a worse faith
581
00:33:27,600 –> 00:33:30,520
befall you.
But still, he pointed out that
582
00:33:30,520 –> 00:33:35,840
they were not suffering in any
particular exact retribution
583
00:33:36,080 –> 00:33:38,920
arrangement.
It wasn’t because they’d sinned
584
00:33:39,080 –> 00:33:41,880
terribly that that terrible
thing had befallen.
585
00:33:42,920 –> 00:33:46,040
And you know, today there’s
still a lot of people in the
586
00:33:46,040 –> 00:33:50,280
world that still have this idea
of exact retribution, the idea
587
00:33:50,280 –> 00:33:53,320
that if you do something bad,
God is going to punish you in
588
00:33:53,320 –> 00:33:56,440
proportion to it right now,
immediately in this light.
589
00:33:57,400 –> 00:34:00,880
You know, it wasn’t very many
years ago when there was a
590
00:34:00,880 –> 00:34:04,600
popular country and Western song
that came out by two very
591
00:34:04,600 –> 00:34:07,560
prominent singers in this
country, George Jones and Tammy
592
00:34:07,560 –> 00:34:08,920
Wynette.
And it was.
593
00:34:08,920 –> 00:34:11,320
Entitled God’s going to get you
for that.
594
00:34:12,000 –> 00:34:14,880
I think perhaps some of you may
remember it, and it nearly
595
00:34:14,880 –> 00:34:17,679
reflected the general idea
that’s still prevalent in the
596
00:34:17,679 –> 00:34:21,679
world of exact retribution, that
if a person sins a little bit,
597
00:34:21,800 –> 00:34:23,679
they’re going to be punished a
little bit right away.
598
00:34:24,560 –> 00:34:27,040
And if they sin a lot.
They’re going to be punished a
599
00:34:27,040 –> 00:34:30,400
lot right away.
And this debate that now is
600
00:34:30,400 –> 00:34:34,679
going to ensue between Job and
his three friends is based upon
601
00:34:34,679 –> 00:34:38,760
that particular doctrine, the
doctrine of exact retribution.
602
00:34:39,040 –> 00:34:43,840
Job’s three friends speak up and
they begin to condemn Job, and
603
00:34:43,840 –> 00:34:48,880
we find that in this debate
there are three cycles of
604
00:34:48,880 –> 00:34:53,560
speeches.
First of all, Eliphaz speaks and
605
00:34:53,560 –> 00:34:57,280
Job replies.
Then Bildad speaks and Job
606
00:34:57,280 –> 00:35:01,720
replies, and then Zophah speaks
and Job replies and then we have
607
00:35:01,720 –> 00:35:05,360
a second round just like that,
followed by a third round with a
608
00:35:05,360 –> 00:35:09,240
slight deviation.
In the third round we find that
609
00:35:09,240 –> 00:35:14,080
yes, Eliphaz speaks and Job
replies, Bildad speaks and Job
610
00:35:14,080 –> 00:35:19,320
replies that when Bildad speaks,
he has a very very short speech,
611
00:35:19,760 –> 00:35:26,040
a speech of only 5 verses.
And we find that so far doesn’t
612
00:35:26,040 –> 00:35:27,880
even come forward to give a
speech at all.
613
00:35:28,280 –> 00:35:31,920
Now I know that there are some
that would say, well after this
614
00:35:31,920 –> 00:35:36,000
we have two long monologues by
Job, and they would like to
615
00:35:36,000 –> 00:35:39,320
attribute one of those
monologues to Zofar to keep a
616
00:35:39,320 –> 00:35:42,320
balance in the book, claiming
that, well, that was really his
617
00:35:42,320 –> 00:35:46,120
speech and not Job’s after all.
There doesn’t seem to be any
618
00:35:46,120 –> 00:35:49,000
real countenance for this,
certainly not in the way the
619
00:35:49,000 –> 00:35:52,520
book is worded, and in the way
the debate is gone.
620
00:35:52,520 –> 00:35:54,600
There doesn’t seem to be any
countenance for it either.
621
00:35:55,040 –> 00:35:57,960
Job’s three friends are resting
their debate, and we’re not
622
00:35:57,960 –> 00:36:01,640
going to have a chance to go
over 28 chapters verse by verse.
623
00:36:02,400 –> 00:36:04,240
I don’t think the other two
teachers would be willing to
624
00:36:04,240 –> 00:36:06,800
give up their time anyway.
We have to be here all afternoon
625
00:36:06,800 –> 00:36:07,880
anyway.
I’m not going to ask them
626
00:36:07,880 –> 00:36:10,680
because they might say
something, but we’re not going
627
00:36:10,680 –> 00:36:12,640
to have the chance for that.
But what we’ll try to do is give
628
00:36:12,640 –> 00:36:15,680
a very brief outline of the
arguments that are presented in
629
00:36:15,680 –> 00:36:17,160
the way in which they are
presented.
630
00:36:17,800 –> 00:36:22,040
We find that Job is winning the
argument as he goes along.
631
00:36:23,240 –> 00:36:28,760
Now the argument starts out this
way, first of all, with the
632
00:36:28,760 –> 00:36:32,440
older of the three making a very
interesting claim.
633
00:36:32,480 –> 00:36:35,720
And it’s quite appropriate that
the older speak first.
634
00:36:36,120 –> 00:36:38,920
That’s the way they did it then.
We don’t always do it that way
635
00:36:38,920 –> 00:36:44,120
today, but it certainly showed a
very excellent mark of respect
636
00:36:44,120 –> 00:36:47,400
for the elders.
We find that this Eliphaz who
637
00:36:47,400 –> 00:36:50,440
speaks of himself as we
mentioned earlier yesterday.
638
00:36:50,960 –> 00:36:55,160
As being older than Job’s
father, Grey headed, Speaking in
639
00:36:55,160 –> 00:36:59,160
the first person suggests that
he may have been comparable with
640
00:36:59,160 –> 00:37:02,600
the Job’s grandfather, and
therefore it was quite
641
00:37:02,600 –> 00:37:07,080
appropriate that Job sit and
listen to the instruction of his
642
00:37:07,080 –> 00:37:10,600
elder.
And he makes a very remarkable
643
00:37:10,600 –> 00:37:13,160
claim that’s extremely difficult
to refute.
644
00:37:13,840 –> 00:37:16,200
He claims that he has a heavenly
vision.
645
00:37:17,280 –> 00:37:22,120
He claims that God is revealed
to him that exact retribution is
646
00:37:22,120 –> 00:37:26,480
correct, and therefore, since he
can see with his own eyes that
647
00:37:26,480 –> 00:37:30,120
Job is indeed a great sufferer,
he knows that Job must indeed
648
00:37:30,120 –> 00:37:33,040
have been a great Sinner.
And therefore he encourages Job
649
00:37:33,040 –> 00:37:39,320
to confess his sin, to seek
forgiveness from God, to repent
650
00:37:39,320 –> 00:37:41,000
of that sin and live
differently.
651
00:37:41,360 –> 00:37:44,760
And then he suggests that God
would heal him and he long no
652
00:37:44,760 –> 00:37:48,840
longer would have to suffer.
This is his claim and you know.
653
00:37:49,400 –> 00:37:53,240
It’s very difficult when we have
to debate with someone who
654
00:37:53,240 –> 00:37:55,160
claims to have a heavenly
vision.
655
00:37:56,280 –> 00:37:59,160
Ever tried to talk the truth
with someone who claims to have
656
00:37:59,160 –> 00:38:02,200
the power of the Spirit?
Who claims that they’re a
657
00:38:02,200 –> 00:38:04,920
Pentecostal and that God has
told them there’s a little
658
00:38:04,920 –> 00:38:07,600
something inside of them that
tells them they’re right?
659
00:38:07,760 –> 00:38:10,000
They know they’re right.
They don’t feel they have to go
660
00:38:10,000 –> 00:38:12,080
to the word of God.
They don’t feel that they have
661
00:38:12,080 –> 00:38:14,520
to prove what they think is true
or not.
662
00:38:14,640 –> 00:38:18,280
They know inside, and there’s
virtually no way of convincing
663
00:38:18,280 –> 00:38:22,000
an individual like that, even
though they may or may not
664
00:38:22,000 –> 00:38:24,160
persuade us.
And there are certainly many
665
00:38:24,160 –> 00:38:27,520
passage in the scriptures that
can show that that is not a
666
00:38:27,520 –> 00:38:30,200
correct line of reasoning.
Nevertheless, to that
667
00:38:30,200 –> 00:38:33,360
individual, we’re not going to
make much of A beachhead.
668
00:38:34,200 –> 00:38:37,520
It’s very difficult to convince
someone who claims they’ve
669
00:38:37,520 –> 00:38:41,880
received a heavenly vision that
they’re wrong because they say
670
00:38:41,880 –> 00:38:44,400
there’s something inside that
tells them that they’re right.
671
00:38:45,040 –> 00:38:49,080
And likewise with this Eliphaz,
he claimed A heavenly vision.
672
00:38:49,280 –> 00:38:53,640
Job does refute what he says,
because Job is in one
673
00:38:53,640 –> 00:38:56,320
interesting position.
Even though he didn’t know
674
00:38:56,320 –> 00:39:01,160
exactly why he was suffering.
He knew because he knew his own
675
00:39:01,160 –> 00:39:05,720
life that he hadn’t committed
any particular hideous sin.
676
00:39:06,520 –> 00:39:09,920
He knew that he wasn’t suffering
from some particular thing that
677
00:39:09,920 –> 00:39:13,760
he had done wrong, and even
though he himself had believed
678
00:39:13,760 –> 00:39:16,680
in the doctrine of exact
retribution, at least up until
679
00:39:16,680 –> 00:39:20,600
now, he knows that in his case
it doesn’t apply.
680
00:39:21,000 –> 00:39:23,680
He knows that he hasn’t
committed anything wrong, and
681
00:39:23,680 –> 00:39:27,240
therefore he does something
that’s absolutely proper.
682
00:39:27,920 –> 00:39:28,560
He said.
Look.
683
00:39:29,080 –> 00:39:31,520
If I’ve committed a particular
sin, you.
684
00:39:31,520 –> 00:39:34,640
Name it and then I’ll repent of
it.
685
00:39:35,040 –> 00:39:37,400
What is it?
And you know that’s not
686
00:39:37,400 –> 00:39:40,600
improper.
You know the Lord Jesus Christ
687
00:39:40,600 –> 00:39:44,040
was confronted by his opponents
and he said, Which of you
688
00:39:44,040 –> 00:39:47,400
convinceth me of sin?
The actual translation would be
689
00:39:47,400 –> 00:39:49,760
convicted me of sin, in other
words, he said, look, if I’ve
690
00:39:49,760 –> 00:39:52,520
sinned, name it and there’s
nothing wrong with that.
691
00:39:53,320 –> 00:39:56,720
And you know if somebody accuses
us of doing something wrong and
692
00:39:56,720 –> 00:40:00,240
we didn’t do it.
We’d say, hey, I’m innocent and
693
00:40:00,240 –> 00:40:01,680
there isn’t anything wrong with
that.
694
00:40:02,280 –> 00:40:04,680
The problem, of course, is when
we try to even kid ourselves
695
00:40:04,680 –> 00:40:06,880
into thinking that we’re
perfectly righteous individuals
696
00:40:07,040 –> 00:40:09,640
and haven’t done anything wrong,
and we know that we’ve all
697
00:40:09,640 –> 00:40:11,480
sinned and come chart of the
glory of God.
698
00:40:11,760 –> 00:40:14,240
But when we’re accused of a
particular sin, if we haven’t
699
00:40:14,240 –> 00:40:17,080
done it, there’s nothing wrong
with pleading our innocence and
700
00:40:17,080 –> 00:40:18,800
that’s exactly what Job was
doing.
701
00:40:19,040 –> 00:40:21,360
So let’s remember that his fault
was not.
702
00:40:21,360 –> 00:40:25,240
Saying I haven’t committed this
particular hideous sin that you
703
00:40:25,240 –> 00:40:28,320
accused me of.
If I have name it, it was a
704
00:40:28,320 –> 00:40:30,160
perfectly proper.
Thing that he should do.
705
00:40:31,120 –> 00:40:34,760
When Bildad comes on the scene,
we find that when he speaks up,
706
00:40:35,280 –> 00:40:39,960
he follows the same line of
reasoning, feeling that Job must
707
00:40:39,960 –> 00:40:42,600
have committed some particularly
hideous sin.
708
00:40:43,200 –> 00:40:45,800
But he comes at it from a
different direction.
709
00:40:46,560 –> 00:40:51,520
He relies on the wisdom of
antiquity, or in other words,
710
00:40:51,520 –> 00:40:55,880
tradition, he says now.
Look, Job, we’ve always believed
711
00:40:55,880 –> 00:40:59,000
this.
We have believed in exact
712
00:40:59,000 –> 00:41:02,240
retribution for many, many
centuries.
713
00:41:03,360 –> 00:41:06,000
And you know, we can’t be wrong
if people have believed it all
714
00:41:06,000 –> 00:41:09,600
that time.
How often have we talked with
715
00:41:09,600 –> 00:41:13,840
individuals that belong to a
church or denomination that has
716
00:41:13,840 –> 00:41:17,520
held to a particular view of?
Doctrines for hundreds of years.
717
00:41:18,320 –> 00:41:20,720
It’s pretty difficult to discuss
with them because that’s what
718
00:41:20,720 –> 00:41:22,800
they’ll bring up as tradition,
they’ll say.
719
00:41:22,800 –> 00:41:25,920
Do you really think?
That man could have been wrong
720
00:41:25,920 –> 00:41:29,720
for 100 or 1000 or more years in
this particular doctrine.
721
00:41:29,840 –> 00:41:31,240
Why?
This is what we’ve always
722
00:41:31,240 –> 00:41:32,880
believed.
It’s got to be right.
723
00:41:33,920 –> 00:41:36,440
And I know we’ve all talked to
individuals who have held this
724
00:41:36,440 –> 00:41:39,160
position.
I hope you’ll forgive me for a
725
00:41:39,160 –> 00:41:42,480
moment, but there are.
Sometimes problems that may come
726
00:41:42,480 –> 00:41:47,200
up in our cliches and I’ve even
heard some brethren stand up and
727
00:41:47,200 –> 00:41:50,840
say, well, this is our
Christadelphian heritage.
728
00:41:51,960 –> 00:41:54,880
We believe this for a long time.
It must be right.
729
00:41:56,080 –> 00:41:58,880
And how often it is when we have
a problem in the Ecclesia that
730
00:41:58,880 –> 00:42:02,360
might even involve a vote on
disfellowship, That instead of
731
00:42:02,360 –> 00:42:06,760
sitting down and examining that
problem anew from every single
732
00:42:06,760 –> 00:42:09,800
angle to see what we should do,
we’ll say, well, you know, I was
733
00:42:09,800 –> 00:42:11,720
brought up to say this is wrong
and.
734
00:42:12,000 –> 00:42:14,520
They don’t even show up to
special classes on a given
735
00:42:14,520 –> 00:42:16,960
subject.
But they sure show up for the
736
00:42:16,960 –> 00:42:19,800
vote.
They say, well, we’ve always
737
00:42:19,800 –> 00:42:21,960
believed it this way, and that’s
the way it’s going to be.
738
00:42:22,320 –> 00:42:25,440
Instead of sitting down and say,
you know, let’s look at this
739
00:42:25,440 –> 00:42:28,120
afresh and see what the
scripture really does have to
740
00:42:28,120 –> 00:42:31,040
say.
We can be guilty of this
741
00:42:31,280 –> 00:42:36,280
traditional, this wisdom of the
antiquities just as much as
742
00:42:36,280 –> 00:42:40,120
Bildad could.
And he brings up this idea to
743
00:42:40,120 –> 00:42:43,360
Job and says, you know, Job,
we’ve always believed this.
744
00:42:43,520 –> 00:42:45,640
It must be right.
You believed it yourself.
745
00:42:46,560 –> 00:42:49,920
The problem is, you’re just not
willing to apply it to yourself.
746
00:42:50,040 –> 00:42:51,760
You’ve done something pretty
bad.
747
00:42:51,880 –> 00:42:57,080
Why don’t you admit it, confess
it, repent of it, seek God’s
748
00:42:57,080 –> 00:43:02,560
forgiveness, and he’ll heal you.
But of course, Job knew that he
749
00:43:02,560 –> 00:43:05,080
hadn’t.
And again, we’re in a very
750
00:43:05,080 –> 00:43:08,440
unique position.
We’re in the position of having
751
00:43:08,440 –> 00:43:11,880
the testimony of the Almighty
back in that first and second
752
00:43:11,880 –> 00:43:14,880
chapter.
Which spoke up and told us that
753
00:43:14,880 –> 00:43:19,160
it wasn’t anything terrible that
Job had done, but instead he was
754
00:43:19,160 –> 00:43:21,760
suffering for the benefit of
somebody else.
755
00:43:22,520 –> 00:43:24,920
We’re in that remarkably unique
position.
756
00:43:25,720 –> 00:43:28,960
And so then comes along the
third individual, here Job’s
757
00:43:28,960 –> 00:43:33,400
third friend by the name of
Zophar, and he takes another
758
00:43:33,400 –> 00:43:37,120
position.
He suggests that perhaps Job is
759
00:43:37,120 –> 00:43:42,000
guilty of some unknown sin, That
perhaps Job has done something
760
00:43:42,000 –> 00:43:45,400
that he didn’t even realize was
wrong in the 1st place, or may
761
00:43:45,400 –> 00:43:49,040
have even forgotten about it,
and that’s why God is punishing
762
00:43:49,040 –> 00:43:51,120
him.
He’s almost conceding the
763
00:43:51,160 –> 00:43:53,880
argument.
Could you imagine God punishing
764
00:43:53,880 –> 00:43:56,000
something?
Punishing someone for something
765
00:43:56,000 –> 00:43:58,680
they didn’t even know about?
An unknown sin?
766
00:43:59,480 –> 00:44:01,960
According to the scripture,
individuals be punished for the
767
00:44:01,960 –> 00:44:05,320
things that they know.
Of course we have the benefit of
768
00:44:05,320 –> 00:44:07,200
added scripture since the time
of so far.
769
00:44:07,600 –> 00:44:10,160
But we know the Scripture says
that he that knoweth to do good
770
00:44:10,680 –> 00:44:13,240
and do with it, not to him it is
sin.
771
00:44:13,920 –> 00:44:16,720
And so we find that knowledge of
sin is necessary before there’s
772
00:44:16,720 –> 00:44:19,840
going to be retribution for it.
We learn that the man that’s in
773
00:44:19,840 –> 00:44:22,440
honor and understandeth not is
like the beast that perish.
774
00:44:22,600 –> 00:44:25,680
He isn’t going to be rewarded
for doing good, but he isn’t
775
00:44:25,680 –> 00:44:27,200
going to be punished for doing
evil.
776
00:44:27,520 –> 00:44:32,840
He has this life and that’s it.
And so to consider Zofar’s
777
00:44:32,840 –> 00:44:37,040
argument that Job may very well
have been guilty of some unknown
778
00:44:37,040 –> 00:44:40,440
sin is virtually conceding the
case to Job.
779
00:44:40,800 –> 00:44:43,560
And we find that these
individuals go on in their
780
00:44:43,560 –> 00:44:45,640
debate throughout these three
cycles.
781
00:44:45,960 –> 00:44:50,560
And within those cycles, finally
the idea is brought up that,
782
00:44:50,560 –> 00:44:53,480
well perhaps Job.
Wasn’t guilty of a sin of
783
00:44:53,480 –> 00:44:57,680
Commission.
It may have been that Job was
784
00:44:57,680 –> 00:45:02,120
guilty of a sin of omission.
That he had an opportunity to do
785
00:45:02,120 –> 00:45:06,080
good and he neglected to do it.
The suggestion is made that
786
00:45:06,080 –> 00:45:10,240
perhaps a widow or an orphan had
come to Job and Job could have
787
00:45:10,240 –> 00:45:12,200
helped, or maybe even come to
the to him.
788
00:45:12,400 –> 00:45:15,880
But he was aware of their plight
and he hadn’t given them the the
789
00:45:15,880 –> 00:45:18,280
welfare, the relief that they
could have used.
790
00:45:19,360 –> 00:45:22,920
And therefore he may be
suffering for some sin of
791
00:45:22,920 –> 00:45:25,960
omission, something he could
have done that he neglected to
792
00:45:25,960 –> 00:45:27,200
do.
And it’s interesting.
793
00:45:27,200 –> 00:45:30,120
As we go through the debate
between Job and his three
794
00:45:30,120 –> 00:45:34,080
friends, we find that there is a
section where Job categorically
795
00:45:34,080 –> 00:45:38,120
denies having committed any of
these sins of omission and
796
00:45:38,120 –> 00:45:43,080
points out that he had very
often helped orphans and widows
797
00:45:43,080 –> 00:45:46,320
in their plight, that he had not
turned their back upon them.
798
00:45:46,920 –> 00:45:49,400
He makes this claim.
But perhaps.
799
00:45:49,400 –> 00:45:53,160
One of the most.
Important parts of Job’s defense
800
00:45:53,200 –> 00:45:57,600
is this in the 21st chapter.
And I’m not going to go through
801
00:45:57,600 –> 00:46:00,360
it, it would be rather long, but
for your own benefit.
802
00:46:01,000 –> 00:46:05,080
We find that Job points out
something very, very important
803
00:46:05,080 –> 00:46:08,920
which shows that his mind has
been changed in regard to the
804
00:46:08,920 –> 00:46:13,040
doctrine of exact retribution.
He’s come to the position where
805
00:46:13,040 –> 00:46:17,440
he realizes that the doctrine of
exact retribution is not
806
00:46:17,440 –> 00:46:20,760
correct.
Then he points out, and we find
807
00:46:20,760 –> 00:46:24,760
that David also does in the
Psalms, that there are many
808
00:46:24,760 –> 00:46:28,560
individuals that are obviously
wicked in the way in which they
809
00:46:28,560 –> 00:46:32,280
live.
They live a life of absolute
810
00:46:32,280 –> 00:46:36,360
sin.
And yet strangely enough, they
811
00:46:36,360 –> 00:46:40,280
seem to get along in this life
somewhat better than many other
812
00:46:40,280 –> 00:46:43,160
individuals that are obviously
far, far more righteous than
813
00:46:43,160 –> 00:46:45,000
they.
And you know, we’ve looked
814
00:46:45,000 –> 00:46:48,280
around at this condition
ourselves and we wonder why some
815
00:46:48,280 –> 00:46:53,360
of these very well known
criminals seem to get along
816
00:46:53,360 –> 00:46:55,600
very, very well.
They may be the head of the
817
00:46:55,600 –> 00:46:58,360
mafia or something like that.
And they seem to get along
818
00:46:58,360 –> 00:47:00,600
pretty good.
They have a fine life, They have
819
00:47:00,600 –> 00:47:03,440
a lot of money.
They have perhaps a large
820
00:47:03,440 –> 00:47:05,400
family, seem to get along quite
well in life.
821
00:47:05,840 –> 00:47:08,960
Perhaps they don’t even have too
much disease or sickness or
822
00:47:08,960 –> 00:47:11,480
pain.
And when death finally does
823
00:47:11,480 –> 00:47:14,720
come, it comes in a moment by
perhaps a sudden, sudden heart
824
00:47:14,720 –> 00:47:17,920
attack or perhaps one of the hit
men from their opposition, I
825
00:47:17,920 –> 00:47:20,520
don’t know.
But anyway, death comes very,
826
00:47:20,520 –> 00:47:23,840
very quickly.
They don’t have a problem such
827
00:47:23,840 –> 00:47:28,240
as Job is having, whether he may
have weeks or months, whether
828
00:47:28,240 –> 00:47:31,960
he’s suffering in tremendous
agony before death comes.
829
00:47:32,480 –> 00:47:37,600
And so Job brings up this
observation to his friends, and
830
00:47:37,600 –> 00:47:40,080
it’s an argument that they
cannot refute.
831
00:47:40,600 –> 00:47:44,400
And when we look around about
us, we see individuals that seem
832
00:47:44,400 –> 00:47:48,320
to get along far, far better in
their lives of sin, where they
833
00:47:48,320 –> 00:47:51,440
left God totally out of it.
Then we do.
834
00:47:52,120 –> 00:47:55,760
And when problems come up, we
may say, why is it that God
835
00:47:55,760 –> 00:47:59,280
let’s this happen to me?
And I know many of us have been
836
00:47:59,280 –> 00:48:03,240
in that position of wondering
why God would let this happen to
837
00:48:03,240 –> 00:48:05,000
me.
And we’ve often said, why me,
838
00:48:05,320 –> 00:48:09,800
Why me?
And there are reasons sometimes
839
00:48:09,800 –> 00:48:13,280
why God permits us to suffer.
And as we get on to the speeches
840
00:48:13,280 –> 00:48:16,800
of Elihu and pick particularly
the speeches of the Almighty,
841
00:48:16,960 –> 00:48:19,280
we’re going to have an
opportunity to see those.
842
00:48:19,640 –> 00:48:23,960
But Job has now come to the
position where he realizes that
843
00:48:24,200 –> 00:48:27,600
this doctrine of exact
retribution is not really
844
00:48:27,600 –> 00:48:31,440
correct.
He’s changed his mind, however,
845
00:48:32,120 –> 00:48:37,880
perhaps not completely.
He has a wish within his heart.
846
00:48:38,560 –> 00:48:42,400
First of all, he wishes that he
could have it out with God.
847
00:48:42,400 –> 00:48:44,920
I think that’s I’m looking at my
note.
848
00:48:44,920 –> 00:48:46,960
I think that’s back in the 13th
chapter.
849
00:48:47,480 –> 00:48:51,240
He wishes that he could call to
God and have God answer him,
850
00:48:51,480 –> 00:48:56,480
that they could actually talk
about it face to face and have
851
00:48:56,480 –> 00:48:59,000
it out.
Because he doesn’t really feel
852
00:48:59,280 –> 00:49:01,240
that God has been treating him
just right.
853
00:49:02,120 –> 00:49:05,960
He’s he’s lived a good life.
He’s done everything he could to
854
00:49:05,960 –> 00:49:09,560
maintain his integrity.
Even when God has removed all of
855
00:49:09,560 –> 00:49:14,240
his wealth, when God has removed
his children from life, and even
856
00:49:14,240 –> 00:49:17,800
now when God has put him in this
position of agony, he still
857
00:49:17,800 –> 00:49:20,560
maintained his integrity and he
figures that God owes him
858
00:49:20,560 –> 00:49:23,960
something because of it.
And I wonder if there’s times
859
00:49:23,960 –> 00:49:27,400
when we’ve come to the position
of saying, look, we’ve learned
860
00:49:27,400 –> 00:49:30,280
the truth.
Must be pretty smart to figure
861
00:49:30,280 –> 00:49:31,360
it out when.
There’s so many millions.
862
00:49:31,360 –> 00:49:35,400
Of people that don’t know it,
and here we’ve been baptized.
863
00:49:35,400 –> 00:49:37,400
We’ve called upon the name of
the Lord for the remission of
864
00:49:37,400 –> 00:49:39,680
our sins.
We become active in the
865
00:49:39,680 –> 00:49:42,320
Ecclesia.
We give up a great deal of our
866
00:49:42,320 –> 00:49:45,080
time and energy, and perhaps
even a little bit of our wealth,
867
00:49:45,880 –> 00:49:50,680
in our service to God.
Why is it that God doesn’t treat
868
00:49:50,680 –> 00:49:52,080
us a little bit better than we
are?
869
00:49:52,600 –> 00:49:56,120
Why does God permit the trials
and tribulations of this life to
870
00:49:56,120 –> 00:49:59,440
come upon us, perhaps far out of
proportion than what we think we
871
00:49:59,440 –> 00:50:02,960
deserve?
Job didn’t think that God had
872
00:50:02,960 –> 00:50:08,600
treated him just right, and in
so doing, he was virtually
873
00:50:08,600 –> 00:50:14,920
accusing God of being unjust and
unrighteous.
874
00:50:15,520 –> 00:50:17,560
In fact, he actually makes that
claim.
875
00:50:17,560 –> 00:50:19,320
He says God has taken away my
judgment.
876
00:50:19,560 –> 00:50:22,440
In other words, God hasn’t
treated me just.
877
00:50:23,080 –> 00:50:25,480
And we find that when Elijah
comes on the scene, we’re going
878
00:50:25,480 –> 00:50:27,200
to have some of those claims
answered.
879
00:50:27,560 –> 00:50:30,600
And when the Almighty speaks,
we’re going to have more of them
880
00:50:30,600 –> 00:50:33,320
answered.
But Job wishes that he could
881
00:50:33,320 –> 00:50:36,040
have it out with God, because he
figures that if he could sit
882
00:50:36,040 –> 00:50:38,920
down and actually have a
discussion, a debate, an
883
00:50:38,920 –> 00:50:42,960
argument, if you will, with the
Almighty, that he would be able
884
00:50:42,960 –> 00:50:46,600
to show that he was right.
And God was wrong.
885
00:50:47,640 –> 00:50:49,200
Now that’s a bit of a problem,
isn’t it?
886
00:50:49,920 –> 00:50:51,600
But that’s the attitude that he
had.
887
00:50:52,000 –> 00:50:55,960
But God didn’t say anything.
God remained absolutely silent.
888
00:50:56,560 –> 00:50:59,440
And then of course, he goes on
to accuse God of being silent
889
00:50:59,440 –> 00:51:02,520
even when called upon.
And he finally comes to the
890
00:51:02,520 –> 00:51:07,440
position where that he wishes
that he could have a daysman
891
00:51:08,440 –> 00:51:10,560
that’s not a.
Word that we use very often, is
892
00:51:10,560 –> 00:51:13,360
it?
Word Desmond actually means a
893
00:51:13,360 –> 00:51:17,680
mediator or an arbitrator.
He wishes that there could be
894
00:51:17,680 –> 00:51:21,600
some individual that would be a
go between between him and God.
895
00:51:21,600 –> 00:51:25,160
He says, look, if God won’t talk
with me directly, perhaps God
896
00:51:25,160 –> 00:51:27,920
might be willing to talk with me
through some other individual.
897
00:51:29,040 –> 00:51:32,520
And therefore, if he could have
this mediator, this arbitrator,
898
00:51:32,680 –> 00:51:36,640
as a go between between him and
God, why he felt that he was
899
00:51:36,640 –> 00:51:38,720
absolutely right in his
position.
900
00:51:39,720 –> 00:51:42,120
And therefore the arbitrator of
course, will be taking his side
901
00:51:42,120 –> 00:51:45,640
and not God’s side.
And I wonder how often we’ve had
902
00:51:45,640 –> 00:51:47,000
that.
Feeling in our.
903
00:51:47,000 –> 00:51:49,960
Own hearts where we felt that we
were right and if only we could
904
00:51:49,960 –> 00:51:52,680
have somebody speak up for us to
God.
905
00:51:53,200 –> 00:51:55,600
You know it’s interesting in
regard to this days men.
906
00:51:56,840 –> 00:52:00,120
We can’t help but realize that
this is getting us awfully close
907
00:52:00,880 –> 00:52:03,760
to the Lord Jesus Christ and
another aspect of his work.
908
00:52:04,440 –> 00:52:07,600
We realize that now Jesus sits
on the right hand of the Father.
909
00:52:08,560 –> 00:52:13,520
He’s the mediator between God
and man, the man Christ Jesus.
910
00:52:14,760 –> 00:52:18,160
But we find that when this
Daisman comes on the scene, and
911
00:52:18,160 –> 00:52:23,320
one does come on the scene for
Job, this daisman becomes a type
912
00:52:23,320 –> 00:52:26,880
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This daisman of course, is going
913
00:52:26,880 –> 00:52:29,240
to be the young man alive Who
that we’re going to talk about
914
00:52:29,240 –> 00:52:31,240
tomorrow.
We’re going to try to keep from
915
00:52:31,240 –> 00:52:36,640
going into his speeches, but
here we find that when Eli, who
916
00:52:36,640 –> 00:52:41,120
comes on the scene, instead of
taking Job’s side and
917
00:52:41,720 –> 00:52:46,920
approaching God, he takes God’s
side and presents God’s position
918
00:52:46,920 –> 00:52:50,840
to Job.
And isn’t this the exact same
919
00:52:50,840 –> 00:52:55,640
position that the Lord Jesus
took before he became the
920
00:52:55,680 –> 00:52:59,800
Advocate with the Father for
human beings making intercession
921
00:52:59,800 –> 00:53:04,320
for our sins?
He first makes God known to us,
922
00:53:05,240 –> 00:53:08,560
and consequently we come across
so many verses in the scriptures
923
00:53:08,800 –> 00:53:13,400
which the Trinitarians latch on
to very quickly, not recognizing
924
00:53:13,400 –> 00:53:16,920
the false significance of those
verses such as ye who have seen
925
00:53:16,920 –> 00:53:21,800
me have seen the Father.
God dwells in a light that’s
926
00:53:21,800 –> 00:53:24,800
unapproachable.
God can’t be put and attest to.
927
00:53:25,200 –> 00:53:28,520
There’s no way that we can
examine an invisible God that
928
00:53:28,520 –> 00:53:32,520
cannot possibly be seen, that
never has been seen, or can be
929
00:53:32,520 –> 00:53:35,920
seen by mortal man.
The only way that we can
930
00:53:35,920 –> 00:53:39,840
understand God is by his
revealing Himself to us.
931
00:53:40,120 –> 00:53:42,480
First of all.
In the pages of the Scripture,
932
00:53:43,480 –> 00:53:46,840
and finally, at the appointed
time, in the life of his only
933
00:53:46,840 –> 00:53:51,000
begotten Son.
And so here we find that God
934
00:53:51,000 –> 00:53:55,160
indeed was revealed.
In the Lord Jesus Christ.
935
00:53:55,960 –> 00:53:58,640
Now, tomorrow we’re going to
take up the speeches of Elihu.
936
00:53:58,960 –> 00:54:02,720
We’re going to recognize Elihu
as the very Daisman that Job had
937
00:54:02,720 –> 00:54:05,880
requested, and we’re going to
see how that he first
938
00:54:06,320 –> 00:54:11,360
demonstrates God to Job instead
of taking up Job’s position
939
00:54:11,720 –> 00:54:14,040
before God.
So we’ll leave that.
940
00:54:14,400 –> 00:54:15,640
And we’ll consider it tomorrow.
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