Job Chapter 19-20:ALL

Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee, Weekend Edition. Pastor David McGee is internationally recognized for his unique conversational verse-by-verse and chapter-by-chapter teaching through the Word of God. We have hundreds of his teachings through the many books of the Bible and encourage you to visit crossthebridge.com to study the scriptures along with Pastor David. But right now, open your Bible to the Old Testament Book of Job and follow along for today's teaching. In this series, Pastor David has been teaching practical lessons from the life of Job.

We are finding out that what needed to be learned back then still needs to be learned today. I think you'll find that to be true today and tomorrow as we take a closer look at chapters 19 and 20. Now, here's Pastor David.

We start talking about something last week. The first two chapters of Job, it's written that Job is a good man, a strong, faithful man. Now, interestingly enough, there may have been a thing with his family because one of the reasons he did these offerings is in chapter 1, verse 5, he says, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did regularly.

So it's not like there's a kind of an issue with his kids and following the Lord but his children, his buildings, his crops, his animals wiped out. And God even says that Job's a good man. And the enemy comes and says, Hey, I want to mess with Job.

And incidentally, the enemy was already walking around following Job. He's not omniscient, not omnipresent. He's not everywhere at once. Satan is not. That's God, only God. Satan's a created being. Satan is not God's opposite. The opposite of Satan would be a Michael or a Gabriel, a head angel, powerful angel.

So he's watching Job. He comes to God. And God says, It's almost like, Have you been considering my servant Job? And so the enemy is allowed by God to do these things. God didn't do them. It's recorded in the first two chapters that God didn't do them.

Okay. So when Job says the Lord gives and he says, And the Lord has taken away, he's misstating. He came to an incorrect conclusion based on the limited knowledge he had. Because we have knowledge way past our pay grade, if you will. But we have knowledge like we were sitting in heaven watching this conversation between God and the enemy. And it's the enemy that says, Hey, I want to do this. Listen to this. Job is blaming God for something the enemy did.

As we look at that tonight, I can almost promise you that everybody in here has that same issue. And the God who knows everything that sent his son here to earth to die for you. I was thinking today, Jesus wasn't just born in Bethlehem, but that's where he came forth on planet earth. He existed before that. He existed before anything else existed.

He created everything, is what the Gospel of John says. He's the son. He's up on the throne. The angels are worshiping him. And he leaves and comes here. And we're even told that when one person repents, and Jesus led many to repentance, as one person repents, we're told the angels rejoice.

Isn't that sweet? So they're in the ministry of Jesus here on earth. So they're watching him. And they're like, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, yes, he got Matthew. Praise God.

This is awesome. And they cheered. These are the angels that are on our side. These are the angels that we actually have authority with as we pray. Don't pray to angels. Pray to God about angels.

Psalm 91. And incidentally, when we think about angels, they're big buff beings, not little babies with diapers. Every time an angel comes forth in Scripture, you know, first thing he says, fear not, every single time.

Why is that? Because they're scary. I mean, they're big buff beings. And so they show up and people are like, ah, ah, ah, ah. They're like, no, no, no, fear not.

It's okay. I think we're going to be amazed at what goes on when we begin to see spiritually. So we talked last week, we talked about washing our windshield because things happen and we let them obscure our future and obscure what we can see. So the Bible study tip here from the get-go is we are invited in chapter one of Job to a strategic meeting between God and Satan that Job was not aware of. Okay, so let's get that established. And then also, life lesson before we read the chapters.

And we talked about some of these last week and I want to go back over them because they're consistent with the book of Job and I want you to kind of begin to register them. Our enemy is not omnipresent. He is not present everywhere at the same time like God is.

We see that again. Our enemy is not omnipresent. He is not present everywhere at the same time like God is.

Next life lesson, our enemy is not omniscient. He is not all-knowing like God is. Another life lesson, we see in the book of Job that it is Satan who is responsible for the message of not God. We see in the book of Job that it's Satan who is responsible for the message of not God. And it's interesting and we talked about this and it was a Bible study tip that the meaning of Satan in the Hebrew is accuser.

One of his titles is the accuser of the brethren. Let's go ahead and read Job chapter 19 and 20. The setup here is two friends of Job and then there's going to be three supposed friends. When this happens, come to Job and they are with him and they're silent for seven days. That's a Jewish tradition called Sitting Shiva when somebody dies. It's an interesting Judeo-Christian thing that you might not see in a lot of commentaries.

So they do that and then they start in on Job. Man, you're sinful. You're wicked.

You're just really wicked and that's the problem and that's why this has happened to you. Not only are they being judgmental and condemning, they're missing a glorious chance to be comforting but they're too busy being religious. And the chapters are kind of divided between who's speaking. You know, like Bill Dowd will speak and then Job will speak. In chapter 19, Job is speaking. Verse 1, Then Job answered and said, How long will you torment my soul and break me in pieces with words? These ten times you have reproached me. You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.

He's talking to God. And he says, You are not ashamed that you have wronged me. Verse 4, And if I indeed I have erred, my error remains with me. If indeed you exalt yourself against me and plead my disgrace against me, know then that God has wronged me and has surrounded me with his net. If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard.

If I cry out loud, there is no justice. He has fenced up my way so that I cannot pass and he has set darkness in my past. He has stripped me of my glory and taken the crown from my head. He breaks me down on every side and I am gone.

My hope, he has uprooted like a tree. He has also kindled his wrath against me and he counts me as one of his enemies. His troops come together and build up the roads against me.

They encamp all around my tent. Now again, from reading chapter 1 and 2, we know how wrong he is in what he's saying. God actually protected him and limited what the enemy could do. At first he said, you can't do anything to Job. And then he said, you can't take his life. So God was still... And before you start adhering this to your personal doctrine, let me point out where this book is in the Bible.

It's in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures. Why do I say that? Because things have changed. God hasn't changed. But we have a mediator. Job had a mediator, but he had not torn the veil to the Holy of Holies yet. But Job is wrong in what he's saying.

But let's keep reading. Verse 13. He has removed my brother's power from me and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My relatives have failed and my close friends have forgotten me.

What was two of them? Are they fussing at you, Job? Those who dwell in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger. I am an alien in their sight. I call my servant, but he gives no answer.

I beg him with my mouth. My breath is offensive to my wife and I am repulsive to the children of my own body. Even young children despise me. I rise and they speak against me.

All my close friends abhor me and those whom I love have turned against me. My bone cleansed my skin into my flesh and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. Incidentally, that's where we get that phrase.

The Book of Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible. Verse 21. Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me.

Because of the lack of information, he's drawing the wrong conclusion. Aren't you glad none of us has ever done that? Let me ask you. And this is a great way to minister and witness to an atheist or an agnostic, but what percentage of the world's knowledge do you think that you have in your brain? Do you think you have 1% of all the knowledge that's in the universe? Do you think you have 2%? Do you have 5%?

I would stop at 5%. Anybody that thinks they're over 5% is probably not in touch with reality, but you have 5% of the world's knowledge, so people are willing to gamble on 95% of what they don't know. See, you can't really be an atheist. You can't say there's no God, because in the 95% of what you do not know, God could exist. The only rational way that anybody could ever say that there is no God is for them to be God, which is rationally ridiculous, right?

I mean, that just doesn't work. Verse 22, why do you persecute me as God does and are not satisfied with my flesh? Now listen to this. Job is kind of whining, but he's also kind of praying. Look what he says in verse 23. All that my words were written, all that they were inscribed in a book, I think God answered that one, that they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead forever. God did better than that. And here is one of the diamonds, and we're going to read through these two chapters and come back to this, but verse 25.

In the midst of all that was going on, and his two friends just beating on him verbally, losing his crops, the animals and livestock died, buildings collapsed, and children died. And yet, verse 25, for I know that my Redeemer lives and he shall stand at last on the earth. Do you know your Redeemer lives? You know that Jesus is alive. I've been over there. I look into the tomb. I checked.

He's not there. As a matter of fact, it's interesting, when they came into the tomb, there's a Jewish tradition that we borrowed to this day, that if you put your napkin and you fold it on the table, that means you're coming back. It's interesting that when they looked at the burial cloth, it's noted in the scriptures that it was folded.

That means he's coming back. And see, that's what makes Jesus different. That's what makes Christianity different.

You can say all sorts of things. We've got all these guys in the Middle East that are fake messiahs giving a false gospel to people, that if they kill people, they'll gain entrance into heaven. To kill others, that's descending to the lowest level of what a person can do. So Muhammad takes people to the lowest level, and then Jesus says, love your enemies.

He goes to the other extreme and says, do the best you can to the enemies, even. Pastor David will be back in less than one minute as he continues teaching in the Book of Job. A great way to start out each day is with a practical email devotional every morning from Pastor David. Visit crossthebridge.com to start receiving yours for free. If you have a cell phone, you can also text the word ENCOURAGE to 94253 to receive a short encouraging text from us each day.

That's 94253. And now, back to the teaching. See, Muhammad, Confucius, Buddha. When you go to the grave of Muhammad, you know what you see? The bones of Muhammad. You go to the tomb of Buddha, you know what you see? The bones of Buddha. You go to the tomb of Confucius, you know what you see? The bones of Confucius. You go to the tomb of Jesus, what do you see?

Nothing. He's not there. He's risen. Amen. Praise God.

Hallelujah. He said he was only going to be dead three days and that's what happened. I should say he's going to be in the grave three days.

That was a busy three days if you read the Word. Setting people free and all sorts of… Let's look at verse 26. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold in not another, and how my heart yearns within me. If you should say, How shall we persecute him, since the root of the matter is found in me? Be afraid of the sword for yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment. Then so far the Namathite answered and said, Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer because of the turmoil within me.

I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer. Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on the earth that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds, yet he will perish forever like his own refuse. Those who have seen him will say, Where is he? He will fly away like a dream and not be found. Yet he will be chased away like a vision of the night. The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place behold him any more. His children shall seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will restore his wealth. His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust, though evil is sweet in his mouth, and he hides it under his tongue, though he spares it and does not forsake it, but still keeps it in his mouth. Yet his food in his stomach turns sour, it becomes cobra venom within him. He swallows down riches and vomits them up again, and God casts them out of his belly. He will suck the poison of cobras. This is his friend.

Don't ever be this kind of friend. It's interesting to every man an answer. People can call in and ask different questions, and it's very interesting the questions that come up. I'm going to come back and refer to a question that came up in just a second. Let's keep reading. He will suck the poison of cobras.

If you're taking notes, jot down this under things you don't want to hear your friend say. The viper's tongue will slay him. He will not see the streams.

The river's flowing with honey and cream. He will restore that for which he labored and will not swallow it down, and from the proceeds of business he will get no enjoyment, for he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently seized the handles which he did not build because he knows no quietness in his heart. He will not save anything he desires. Nothing is left for him to eat. Therefore, his well-being will not last. In his self-sufficiency, he will be in distress. Every hand of misery will come against him.

When he is about to fill his stomach, God will cast on him the fury of his wrath, and it will rain it on him while he is eating. He will flee from the iron weapon. A bronze bow will pierce him through. It is drawn and comes out of his body.

Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Tears come upon him. Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. An end-fanned fire will consume him. It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent. The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. The increase of his house will depart, and his goods will flow away in the day of his wrath."

Let's turn out the wrath of God. This is the portion from God for a wicked man, the heritage appointed to him by God. When these guys are talking, some of the things they say, you know, that if you're a wicked person, this will happen or that will be the end result of being wicked, they're truths, but they don't apply to Job, who is a good man, a righteous man. And in chapter 1, it not only says that, but it records for us that God said that. That's important that we understand God looks at Job and says, you're a good man.

You're a righteous man. As a matter of fact, let's go back to chapter 1, because maybe some of you are here, maybe not. Go back to chapter 1, verse 8. Then the Lord said to Satan, have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and chuds evil? Now that's part of being a believer, embracing what is good, pushing away what's bad.

God has given us the power and the ability to do that, to exercise our will in those areas. In verse 9, so Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around this household, and around all that he has on every side?

You've blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. He says, But now stretch out your hand, touch all he has, and it will surely curse you to your face. That's not what Job did. Job never cursed God. He may have had some wacky things he thought, but he didn't say, Curse you, God, even though his wife said, Curse God and die. Why don't you just curse God and die? It's interesting the devil left her alive, isn't it? Part of his plan, man.

It's not news to some of you that the enemy will use a spouse. But notice, God had a hedge around him. This is the Old Testament. It's the Hebrew Scriptures. These people, their sins were covered, gopher in the Hebrew, atonement in the English. Their sins were covered. And so through that arrangement, through that agreement, Job, as he embraced what is good and pushed away what is bad, and he gave alms, he recognized the Lord.

If you really read between lines, he helped the poor. So he was doing all these good things, and God had a hedge about him. You want to know what's good? You want to know somebody else? God has a hedge around him.

The person sitting in your seat, he has a hedge around you. And you know what's awesome? Let's go back to 1920, those chapters. Through looking at this, we're answering one of those big questions. And one of the big questions in life is, if God is such a loving God, why does he cause sin and suffering? Or why is sin and suffering in the world? Have he such a good God, a loving God?

There's different ways of asking this question, but it's not really the right question. The question would be, if God is such a loving God, why does he allow sin and suffering? And the answer is a life lesson. God allows sin and suffering on this planet because he allows us, who cause sin and suffering, to be on this planet. Or, God allows sin and suffering on this planet because he allows mankind, who causes sin and suffering, to be on the planet. The world was hunky-dory until God put Adam and Eve on there.

The whole thing went haywire. We sold God out. In that transaction, we handed the title deed of the earth to the enemy. That's how later in the New Testament, the enemy says to Jesus, I'll give you the whole world if you worship me. Jesus didn't say, the world is not yours to give.

He's called the prince of the power of the air. If you're an unbeliever, he has open access to you. Don't be mad at me.

That's just what the book says. There is a cure. If you've got Jesus, the awesome thing is he doesn't even get to ask if you're a believer. He knows the answer is no. Can I do? No. My son died for them. You don't have access anymore. Amen?

Good stuff. Let me look back. In chapter 19 of Job, verse 6, he says, know then that God has wronged me and has surrounded me with his net.

That's wrong. In the New Living Translation, let me read these first six verses to you of Job 19. It says, then Job spoke again, how long will you torture me? How long will you try to crush me with your words? You've already insulted me 10 times. You should be ashamed of treating me so badly. Even if I have sinned, that is my concern. Not yours.

You think you're better than I am. Using my humiliation is evidence of my sin, but it is God who has wronged me, capturing me and his net. Now, it's both a life lesson and a Bible study tip that Job keeps repeating bad theology. Job keeps repeating bad theology. He said the Lord gives and the Lord has taken my things away.

That's wrong. The Lord had given those things and the enemy, we plainly see, was the one that took the things from him. So here's the life lesson. The reality is that when Job was blaming God, God protected Job, and God had a hedge of protection around Job, it was the enemy who was attacking Job.

Let me say that again. The reality is that while Job was blaming God, God protected Job, and God had a hedge of protection around Job, it was the enemy who was attacking Job. You know, Lord, why did you let me be in that car crash, Lord? My legs got hurt. Maybe you were supposed to die in that crash.

An angel pushed the other car at the last instant. When things happen, it can always be worse. It could always be worse. We never know what God is protecting us from. I believe when we get in a traffic jam sometimes, I firmly believe that God is protecting us from an accident that's up in front of us.

Now let's remember, we talked about this. 2 Timothy 3.16-17, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. So the word, the Bible, helps us. It's a solid compass, if you will. It helps us for what's right, what's not right.

As a matter of fact, let me show you a neat little thing. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, that's for what's right, for reproof, that's what's not right, for correction, to get right, and the instruction in righteousness, to stay right. So it tells you what's right, what's not right, how to get right, and how to stay right. The Bible. Incidentally, earlier in those verses, Paul says, you know the Bible. You know the Bible, Timothy.

Remember the things you've been taught. And then in another place, in 2 Timothy 1.5, Paul says to Timothy, When I called a remembrance of the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded it is in you also. Isn't that interesting?

It was his grandmother and his mother that impacted Timothy. Praise God for administering. And let's understand something. The Bible talks about stuff that it doesn't condone or agree with. It may historically report murder. It's not approving of that murder.

It's instructing us. All right, so here's the Bible study. The Bible reports on many events that people did that the Bible is not condoning or approving of. One of them is David's marriages, all his wives and Solomon's wives. God doesn't approve that.

They did it, and both of them paid a price for it, too. We see from the Book of Job that in the Old Testament, the enemy had to come to God and say, God, I'd like to mess with this person. And God would either say no or he would say a little bit. He never let the enemy bear down on any believer. You've been listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge weekend edition. Tune in again tomorrow afternoon as Pastor David continues teaching on most stations. Remember that you are not alone, and you are loved. Also, don't forget to visit CrossTheBridge.com to discover more resources provided at no charge to help you learn more about the Bible. If you'd like to help us share God's word with others, click on the donate button and support this program with your regular gifts and tune into Cross the Bridge weekend editions each Saturday and Sunday on this station or on the CrossTheBridge.com website. God bless you and have a great day.