Gold for the heart

Job 11

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said, 2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified? 3 Should your lies make men silent? When you mock, will no man make you ashamed? 4 For you have said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in your eyes. 5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you; 6 that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

I John 3:20… God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

Psalm 103:10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins; or rewarded us according to our iniquities.

7 Can you find out God by searching? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? 8 It is as high as heaven; what can you do? Deeper than hell; what can you know? 9The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Ephesians 3:18 That you may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

None can stop Him

10 If he cuts off and shuts up, or gathers together, who can hinder him? 11 For he knows destructive men: will he see deceit and not consider it? 12 For hollow man would be wise, though man is born like a wild ass's colt. 13 If you prepare your heart, and stretch out your hands toward him; 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away. Do not let wickedness dwell in your tabernacles. 15 Then you will lift up your face without spot; yes, you will be steadfast, and will not fear: 16 Because you will forget your misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: 17 And your age will rise higher than the noonday; you will shine, you will be as the morning. 18 And you will be secure, because there is hope; yes, you will dig about you, and you will take your rest in safety. 19 Also you will lie down, and none will make you afraid; yes, many will plead your favor. 20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail; they will not escape, and their hope will be as breathing out the breath.

Man’s great wickedness is to value and trust things rather than the source of our life. Job’s friends assume that the disasters came on Job for some sin. But, when a man is righteous before God, Satan desires to test him, to try to break his faith and bring that man to ruin. God, at times allows these tests to show the power of truth inside the man.

Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith not fail: and when you are converted, strengthen your brothers.

Job 12

1 And Job answered and said, 2 No doubt but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. 3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yes, who does not know such things as these? 4 I am a joke to my friends, the one who called on God and he answered him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 5 A flaming brand despised in the thoughts of the one who is at ease is the one whose feet are ready to slip. 6 The tents of the destroyer prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly. 7 But now ask the animals and they will teach you; and the birds of the air and they will tell you: 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you: and the fishes of the sea will declare to you. 9 Who of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

The Lord holds the soul of every living thing in His hand

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath the flesh of all men. 11 Does not the ear try words as the palate tastes food? 12 With the aged is wisdom; and understanding in length of days. 13 With him is wisdom and strength; he has counsel and understanding. 14 Behold, he breaks down and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man and there can be no opening. 15 Behold, he withholds the waters and they dry up: also he sends them out and they overturn the earth.

All are His

16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17 He leads counselors away plundered, and makes the judges fools.18 He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle. 19 He leads princes away plundered, and overthrows the mighty. 20 He turns aside the speech of the faithful, and takes away the understanding of the aged. 21 He pours contempt on princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty. 22 He reveals deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death. 23 He makes the nations great, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations and then leads them away. 24 He takes away the heart of the leaders of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. 25 They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

God’s power is so great that He spoke creation into being (Genesis 1, Psalm 33:6, 9).

Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Daniel 5:21 And he (Nebuchadnezzar) was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomsoever he will.

Job 13

1 Look, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. 2 What you know, I also know the same: I am not inferior to you. 3 I would definitely speak to the Almighty; I desire to reason with God. 4 But you are forgers of lies; you are all physicians of no value. 5 O that you would stop speaking entirely! That would be wisdom. 6 Hear my reasoning; listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will you speak wickedly for God? And talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will you accept his person? Will you contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one man mocks another, do you mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly accept persons.

Acts 10:34… I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

11 Will not his excellency make you afraid? And his dread fall upon you? 12 Your remembered sayings are like ashes, your bodies like bodies of clay. 13 Be silent, let me alone, that I may speak, then let come on me what will. 14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

Is it wise not to fear One smart enough and powerful enough to make the universe?

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

God can be trusted even with our death

15 Though he kills me, I will still trust in him: but I will prove my own ways before him. 16 He also will be my salvation: for a hypocrite will not come before him. 17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I will be justified.

There is no bigger faith than to say, though He kills me I will trust Him.
God justifies those who believe.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

19 Who is he that will plead with me? For then, I would be quiet and die. 20 O, God, there are two things I beg of you, and then I will be able to face you. 21 Withdraw your hand far from me: and do not let your dread make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer me. 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.

God said Job was innocent and that Satan had incited God against Job without a cause. (Job 1, Job 2:3).
God used Job as proof that Satan does rule earth (Job 1).

24 Why do you hide your face, and count me as your enemy? 25 Will you break a leaf driven to and fro? Will you chase the dry stubble? 26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. 27 You put my feet in the stocks, and watch all my paths; you set a limit for the soles of my feet. 28 While I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth eaten.

Psalm 13:1 How long will You forget me, O LORD? Forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long will I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very compassionate, and full of tender mercy.

Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.

Job 14

1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees like a shadow, and does not remain. 3 Do you open your eyes and bring me into judgment with yourself? 4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Revelation 21:5 And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

5 Since his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his boundaries that he cannot pass; 6 Look away from him so that he may rest until he has completed his day like a hired man. 7 For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease. 8 Though its roots grow old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10 But man dies, and wastes away: yes, man gives up the ghost, and where is he?

God sets boundaries in our lives that we cannot pass. He takes His own into His presence at death.

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decays and dries up: 12 So man lies down, and does not rise: they will not awake or be raised out of their sleep until the heavens are no more. 13 O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

Remember, God wasn’t mad at Job. Something much bigger was happening. When Jesus spoke to the thief dying beside Him on a cross He revealed the truth about death for believers.

Luke 23:43 Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you will be with me in paradise.

14 If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my appointed time I will wait, until my change comes. 15 You will call, and I will answer you: you will desire the work of your hands. 16 For now you number my steps: do you not watch over my sin? 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you sew up my iniquity.

God numbers our steps. Job doesn’t know of a sin in his life that would cause him to deserve what has happened to him. He challenged the one who numbers our steps to show him what he has done.

John 10:28 And I give to them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

18 But now a falling mountain crumbles away, and the rock is moved out of its place. 19 The waters wear the stones: you wash away the things that grow out of the dust of the earth; and you destroy the hope of man. 20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes: you change his countenance, and send him away. 21 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they fail but he does not mark it, 22 but his flesh on him is in pain, and his soul mourns over him.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Behold, I show you a mystery; We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then will be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Job 15

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 Should a wise man utter empty knowledge and fill his belly with the east wind? 3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? with speeches by which he can do no good? 4 Yes, you cast off fear, and restrain prayer before God. 5 Your mouth utters your iniquity, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. 6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I: yes, your own lips testify against you. 7 Are you the first man that was born? Or were you made before the hills? 8 Have you heard the secret of God? Are you the only one with wisdom? 9 What do you know, that we do not? What do you understand that is not in us? 10 With us are both the gray-headed and very aged men, much older than your father.

Job’s three friends brought suffering to Job’s heart at the most difficult time in his life.
They accused Job of sin.
But God set Job as an example of righteousness.
You can see their pride because they are arguing about who knows the most.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

God’s comforts are great

11 Are the consolations of God small with you? the word spoken gently with you? 12 Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash? 13 That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.

14 What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15 Behold, he put no trust in his saints; yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight. 16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinks iniquity like water? 17 I will show you, listen to me; what I have seen I will declare; 18 What wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it: 19 To whom alone the earth was given, and no foreigner passed among them. 20 The wicked man travails with pain all his days, and a number of years is stored up for the ruthless. 21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him. 22 He does not believe that he will return from the darkness, and he is awaited by the sword. 23 He wanders seeking bread, saying, Where is it? He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. 24 Trouble and anguish will make him afraid; they will prevail against him as a king ready to the battle. 25 For he stretches out his hand against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty. 26 He runs upon him with a stiff neck, with the thick layers of his shield.

God is the one to be trusted

27 For he has covered his face with his fat, and has put fat on his loins. 28 And he dwells in ruined cities, and in houses no one would live in, that are ready to become heaps. 29 He will not be rich, his wealth will not stand, neither will he stretch out its gain on the earth. 30 He will not depart out of darkness; the flame will dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth will he go away. 31 Do not let the deceived one trust in vanity: for vanity will be his reward. 32 It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not be green. 33 He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive. 34 For the congregation of hypocrites will be desolate, and fire will consume the tabernacles of bribery. 35 They conceive toil, and bring forth nothing, and their womb prepares deceit.

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it is the way of death.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law he meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf will not wither; and whatever he does will prosper.

SUMMARY: Job 11-15

None can stop Him
The LORD holds the soul of every living thing in His hand
All are His
God can be trusted even with our death
He appoints boundries that cannot be passed
His comforts are great
He is the one to be trusted