Lesson 40: Get out up out of the ashes

Chapters 3-37 Job and the four men focused upon themselves. It seemed they only mentioned God to support what they said, giving an air of authority to what they said.

Job’s three friends and Elihu wanted Job to believe they were speaking for God

Out of the whirlwind  Job 38:1-40:14

Whirlwind is seen in 27 verses, all in the Old Testement.

·       First seen in 2Kings 2:1-12 when the LORD took Elijah up into heaven.

·       A whirlwind often seems to come out of no where. They are swift and often chaotic. Often used to show how God is going to act.

·       The LORD got Job’s attention through the whirlwind .

Job 38:2 Job answered this question in 42:3 – I have

“Wicked” is seen in 37 verses in Job. God only mentions the wicked in 3 verses (38:13, 38:15, 40:12). In Chs 38-42 the LORD asked Job over 70 questions; most about His creation.

God does not challenge Job’s knowledge of the wicked or the hypocrite. He challenged Job’s knowledge of His creation.

·       In Ch 38: 4,7, 31-33 Sea, Clouds, Snow, Rain, Ice, stars, angels. The LORD began with Gen 1:1,16 (9:5-10)

·       In Ch 39 with Gen 1:20-25 Job knew these 10 undomesticated animals that lived in the wild.

·       Job knew the what of theses animals, but only God knows the how and why. They survived without Job’s help

·       V26:14 Job needed to know just how true this statement is.

These questions were to point Job back to Job 28:28 (Job had to be brought back to being awestruck at who God is; knowing that He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent!

With these questions the LORD was going to break Job spiritually so He could restore him fully.

Job had become so spiritually hardened against his friends that he had become spiritually hardened toward the LORD

David was broken spiritually Psalm 51:3-4, 7-11. Why? V12

Hosea 13:3 The LORD broke Israel down spiritually so He could restore them fully

·       Israel must be broken spiritually before Christ can restore them fully in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Can one be saved today if they are not broken spiritually?

Job 40:2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

·       Vs 3:20-22, 6:8-9 Job desire was for God to allow him to die. -  -  God’s judgment was for Job to not die.

V40:4-5 Contains Job’s first answer to the LORD. Job’s spirit began to crack.

But: This answer did not satisfy the LORD.

In V6-7 the Lord again told Job to gird up his loins out of the whirlwind.

This was the second time (38:3)

Job 40:8a Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? God had a purpose for Job to continue to live (in the ashes). In these chapters (38-42) it was the judgment of the LORD that Job get up out of the ashes and stand as a man before Him.

·       Job must of ignored the LORD’s words in 38:3 and chose to remain in the ashes the LORD had to demand this again of Job. Could it be Job had become content to live sit in the ashes and relish in self- pity?

Job 40:9-10-14 If Job could do what the LORD can do . .  .    then the LORD would confess that his own right hand can himself.

Remember Job’s bragging in Ch 29: Job needed to remember it was God who blessed him above every other man on the earth.

In chapters 38-42 the LORD never addressed Job’s loss and his suffering. He never mentioned the false accusations made by the four men.

It’s not Job’s suffering. It was not about the wicked. Job had to put aside all he had lost, all that the four men falsely accused him of being and focus upon the LORD.