Job Chapter 23
1. What did Job believe his complaining to be? vs.1,2 -He complains of his calamitous condition, and especially of God’s withdrawings from him, so that he could not get his appeal heard. We wrong God if our groaning be heavier than our stroke, like froward children, who, when they cry for nothing, have justly something given them to cry for; but we do not wrong ourselves though our stroke be heavier than our groaning, for little said is soon amende.
2. He believed God's hand was still heavy upon him. He wished that he knew how to find God to come to His seat and present his case before Him. What did Job want to learn from God there? vs. 5"I would know the words which he would answer me," that is, "I would gladly hear what God will say to this matter in dispute between you and me, and will entirely acquiesce in his judgment." This becomes us, in all controversies; let the word of God determine them; let us know what he answers, and understand what he says. Job knew well enough what his friends would answer him; they would condemn him, and run him down. "But" (says he) "I would fain know what God would answer me; for I am sure his judgment is according to truth, which theirs is not. I cannot understand them; they talk so little to the purpose. But what he says I should understand and therefore be fully satisfied in."
3. Job believed is he appeared before God's seat, God would not contend with him by His great power but would pay attention to him. (vs.6). What did Job say the upright could do there at His seat and what would the result be? vs. 7 That, on the contrary, he would empower him to plead his own cause before God: "He would put strength in me, to support me and bear me up, in maintaining my integrity." Note, The same power that is engaged against proud sinners is engaged for humble saints, who prevail with God by strength derived from him, as Jacob did, Hos. 12:3. See below for these verses Ps. 68:35. 3. That the issue would certainly be comfortable
4. No matter which way Job looked for God, he could not find him. (vs.8,9) ... Even if he could not see God, what did he know to be true in regard to God seeing him? vs. 10Though I know not the way that he takes (for his way is in the sea and his path in the great waters, his thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours and it would be presumption in us to pretend to judge of them), yet he knows the way that I take,
He is acquainted with it. His friends judged of that which they did not know, and therefore charged him with that which he was never guilty of; but God, who knew every step he had taken, would not do so.
.5 What did Job say he would come forth as once God had tried him? vs. 10 he knows the way that I take,
6. Had Job continued to walk with God during these difficult days he was in? Write out verse 11 - My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
7. Job had not departed from God's Word. How much did he still treasure the Word of God? vs. 12 He governed himself by the commandment of God’s lips, and would not go back from that, but go forward according to it. Whatever difficulties we may meet with in the way of God’s commandments, though they lead us through a wilderness, yet we must never think of going back, but must press on towards the mark. Job kept closely to the law of God in his conversation, for both his judgment and his affection led him to it: I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food; that is, he looked upon it as his necessary food; he could as well have lived without his daily bread as without the word of God.
8. Job recognized that God is Sovereign. He does whatever His soul desires. (vs.13) .. What did Job recognize God had performed in his own life? vs. 14He performs the thing that is appointed for me. Whatever happens to us, it is God that performs it (Ps. 57:2), and an admirable performance the whole will appear to be when the mystery of God shall be finished. He performs all that, and that only, which was appointed, and in the appointed time and method. This may silence us, for what is appointed cannot be altered. But to consider that, when God was appointing us to eternal life and glory as our end, he was appointing to this condition, this affliction, whatever it is, in our way, this may do more than silence us, it may satisfy us that it is all for the best; though what he does we know not now, yet we shall know hereafter.
9. How does Job think he would react in the presence of God? vs.15 Those are indeed of troubled spirits who are troubled at the presence of God, as the psalmist, who remembered God and was troubled, Ps. 77:3. See what confusion poor Job was now in, for he contradicted himself: just now he was troubled for God’s absence (v. 8, 9); now he is troubled at his presence. When I consider, I am afraid of him. What he now felt made him fear worse. There is indeed that which, if we consider it, will show that we have cause to be afraid of God—his infinite justice and purity, compared with our own sinfulness and vileness; but if, withal, we consider his grace in a Redeemer, and our compliance with that grace, our fears will vanish and we shall see cause to hope in him. See what impressions were made upon him by the wounds of his spirit
10. Even though Job felt his heart was faint and the Almighty had dismayed him, what would the darkness and gloom not be able to accomplish in his life? vs. 16,17The Almighty troubled him, and so made his heart soft, that is, utterly unable to bear any thing, and afraid of every thing that stirred. There is a gracious softness, like that of Josiah, whose heart was tender, and trembled at the word of God; but this is meant of a grievous softness which apprehends every thing that is present to be pressing and every thing future to be threatening. 2. He was very fretful, peevish indeed, for he quarrels with God, (1.) Because he did not die before his troubles, that he might never have seen them (Because I was not cut off before the darkness, v. 17), and yet if, in the height of his prosperity, he had received a summons to the grave, he would have thought it hard. This may help to reconcile us to death, whenever it comes, that we do not know what evil we may be taken away from. But when trouble comes it is folly to wish we had not lived to see it and it is better to make the best of it. (2.) Because he was left to live so long in his troubles, and the darkness was not covered from his face by his being hidden in the grave. We should bear the darkness better than thus if we would but remember that to the upright there sometimes arises a marvellous light in the darkness; however, there is reserved for them a more marvellous light after it.
Hos. 12:33He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;5Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.
Ps. 68:3535O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
Applications:
1. Job longed to come to God's seat. We come to His Mercy Seat. In the Old Testament, the Mercy Seat was over the Ark of the Covenant behind the veil where the High Priest would enter once a year to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat indicating that our sins were propitiated for. In the New Testament, we are told that Jesus Christ is our propitiation for our sins. Comment on the following verses on how we come to God's Mercy Seat through our faith in Jesus Christ.
- Romans 3:21-25 -'Being justified freely by his grace.' Rom 3:34.: WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION? A: It is an act of God's free grace, whereby he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine …
- Romans 3:26-30 -God hath set him forth to be so. God, the party offended, makes the first overtures towards a reconciliation, appoints the days-man; proetheto—fore-ordained him to this, in the counsels of his love from eternity, appointed, anointed him to it, qualified him for it, and has exhibited him to a guilty world as their propitiation. See Mt. 3:17, and 17:5. [3.] That by faith in his blood we become interested in this propitiation. Christ is the propitiation; there is the healing plaster provided. Faith is the applying of this plaster to the wounded soul. And this faith in the business of justification hath a special regard to the blood of Christ, as that which made the atonement; for such was the divine appointment that without blood there should be no remission, and no blood but his would do it effectually. Here may be an allusion to the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifices under the law, as Ex. 24:8. Faith is the bunch of hyssop, and the blood of Christ is the blood of sprinkling. [4.] That all who by faith are interested in this propitiation have the remission of their sins that are past. It was for this that Christ was set forth to be a propitiation, in order to remission, to which the reprieves of his patience and forbearance were a very encouraging preface. Through the forbearance of God. Divine patience has kept us out of hell, that we might have space to repent, and get to heaven. Some refer the sins that are past to the sins of the Old-Testament saints, which were pardoned for the sake of the atonement which Christ in the fulness of time was to make, which looked backward as well as forward. Past through the forbearance of God. It is owing to the divine forbearance that we were not taken in the very act of sin. Several Greek copies make en teµanocheµ tou Theou—through the forbearance of God, to begin v. 26, and they denote two precious fruits of Christ’s merit and God’s grace:—Remission: dia teµn paresin—for the remission; and reprieves: the forbearance of God. It is owing to the master’s goodness and the dresser’s mediation that barren trees are let alone in the vineyard; and in both God’s righteousness is declared, in that without a mediator and a propitiation he would not only not pardon, but not so much as forbear, not spare a moment; it is owning to Christ that there is ever a sinner on this side hell. [5.] That God does in all this declare his righteousness. This he insists upon with a great deal of emphasis: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness. It is repeated, as that which has in it something surprising. He declares his righteousness, First, In the propitiation itself. Never was there such a demonstration of the justice and holiness of God as there was in the death of Christ. It appears that he hates sin, when nothing less than the blood of Christ would satisfy for it. Finding sin, though but imputed, upon his own Son, he did not spare him, because he had made himself sin for us, 2 Co. 5:21. The iniquities of us all being laid upon him, though he was the Son of his love, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, Isa. 53:10. Secondly, In the pardon upon that propitiation; so it follows, by way of explication: That he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth. Mercy and truth are so met together, righteousness and peace have so kissed each other, that it is now become not only an act of grace and mercy, but an act of righteousness, in God, to pardon the sins of penitent believers, having accepted the satisfaction that Christ by dying made to his justice for them. It would not comport with his justice to demand the debt of the principal when the surety has paid it and he has accepted that payment in full satisfaction. See 1 Jn. 1:9. He is just, that is, faithful to his word.
- Hebrews 4:14-16 -
- 1 John 2:1,2 -
- 1 John 4:10 -
2. Job wanted to be at the seat of God where the upright could "reason" with the Father there. We are able to approach God's throne through Jesus Who is our advocate and mediator. We are able to discuss things with God there through prayer. Comment on the following Scriptures:
- Isaiah 1:18,19 -
- John 14:6 -
- John 14:16 -
- John 14:26 -
- John 15:26 -
- John 16:7 -
- Romans 5:1 -
- Romans 8:27 -
- 1 Timothy 2:5 -
- Hebrews 7:25 -
- Hebrews 8:6 -
- Hebrews 8:27 -
- Hebrews 9:12-15 -
- Hebrews 12:24 -
- James 4:4 -
- 1 John 2:1 -
3. Job looked for God on every side, but could not see Him. Yet, he knew that God saw him and knew the way that he took. It is the same for us for we wak by faith and not by sight. Comment on the following Scriptures:
- 2 Corinthians 5:6,7 -
- Hebrews 11:1 -
- Hebrews 11:3 -
- Hebrews 11:6 -
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -
- 1 Peter 1:6-8 -
4. In verse 10, Job said that after God had "tried" him, he would come forth as "gold". Gold and silver are tried in the furnace to remove impurities and bring about purity. Our trials are compared to this throughout the Scriptures. Comment on these given ones:
- Zechariah 13:9 -
- Psalm 66:10 -
- 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 -
- 1 Peter 1:7 -
- Revelation 3:17,18 -
5. Job said that he had "treasured" God's Words more than his "necessary food". Jesus spoke of living off of God's will rather than eating food to live. He offered people Himself as the way they would be fully nurtured - for He is the Bread of Life and the Living Water. Comment on the verses below to show that God's Word is to be more treasured than our necessary food. Jesus said "Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
- Psalm 19:7-11 -
- Psalm 119:9-11 -
- Psalm 119:162 -
- Proverbs 2:1-5 -
- Matthew 4:4 -
- John 4:31-35 -
- John 4:10-14 -
- John 6:35 -
- John 7:37,38 -
6. Job knows that God knows the way he takes and that God will perform what is appointed for him. This is trusting in the Sovereignty of God. Comment on the following Scriptures which show that He has a path for us that we can discover and delight in. Job's future will be very bright in God's plan!
- Isaiah 30:21 -
- Isaiah 42:5-9 -
- Isaiah 43:18-21 -
- Jeremiah 29:11 -
- Psalm 32:8 -
- Psalm 37:23,24 -
- Psalm 119:105 -
- Proverbs 3:5,6 -
- Proverbs 16:9 -
- John 10:27 -
- Romans 8:28 -
- Romans 12:1,2 -
- Philippians 1:6 -
7. Summarize this lesson and post a prayer if you would like
