The Word of God - A Discussion: Job/Psalms
5/29/22 Sunday Evening Study
Job 32 - Psalm 12

Job 33:8-12

8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
    and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;
    I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
    he counts me as his enemy,
11 he puts my feet in the stocks
    and watches all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
    for God is greater than man.

Last week we talked about the problem of Job. It is a hard book to read because it can often violate our sense of justice and fairness. Yet in this passage in the truth. After everything that has happened, Elihu comes to Job and hears him justifying himself and not God. What is the danger we see in this?

• Religious extremism
• Justified sinful behavior

What about our discussion last week? I think Elihu’s speech brought some rebuke down on us as well - at least on me.

Job 34:16-19

16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I say.
17 Shall one who hates justice govern?
    Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
    and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who shows no partiality to princes,
    nor regards the rich more than the poor,
    for they are all the work of his hands?

I have to ask myself how I can condemn He who is righteous and mighty because I do not understand what He does with the people and creation that He Himself made? I continue to struggle with the fairness of Job, but herein I learn of the arrogance that comes with my disquiet about God’s Justice. Why do I believe that I or anyone else deserves better than what God does?

Then the man gives Job the truth that I believe is the mic-drop moment - the finishing blow”

Job 35:5-8 - 

5 Look at the heavens, and see;
    and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
    And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
    Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
    and your righteousness a son of man.

Basically, he is telling Job not to flatter himself. His actions have no bearing on God’s glory, whether righteous or sinful. Basically, you only matter because God recognizes you. He then goes not to extol the wonder and power of God and leaves Job with 2 sentences that sum up his entire ordeal.

Job 37:23-24

23 The Almighty—we cannot find him;
    he is great in power;
    justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24 Therefore men fear him;
    he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.

Then God comes around, and things get real. It says that He came out of the whirlwind - I imagine this was an incredibly dramatic and terrifying entrance. God answers Job at length, but we can get the gist from the first couple verses.

Job 38:2-4

2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Dress for action like a man; (gird your loins; prepare yourself for this) footnote
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.

God then lays out a pattern of all the mighty things He has done and created without Job;s involvement, including behemoth and leviathan, then he basically tells Job to begin acting like the man that He is. Job repents, with all of His heart - as I imagine anyone would. He then turns on the three friends and demand sacrifices from them to atone for their foolishness. 

Curiously there is no mention of Elihu here - the one who seemingly did as he should.

Job is then restored, more money, bigger family, long life. Is it fair? God says it is, and I am not arguing it, because it is more than any of us deserves.

AS we enter into the Psalms, I have wondered how we approach these discussions, given that the Psalms tend to evoke different things in different people. So, I am going to ask you all, as we read, when a Psalm or a part of a Psalm impacts you, make a note of it, and why. We will spend the time discussing the Psalms that have an impact on us and what we can do to maximize that impact.

For me this week, it was Psalm 5, especially the beginning. The first three verses I know because of a song I sang as a teenager, and it applies to what we are discussing in the morning sermons.

Psalm 5:1-3

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[a] and watch.

Talk about the song and the way of beginning the day with God. Ask about others and how they were impacted.