Find out more about Compass Bible Church.

Learn more about our Bible Reading Plan.

Questions or Comments? Email us podcast@compassntx.org

PR's front yard view.

00:00 We've Got SNOW!

01:05 Job's Discourse on Justice

05:07 Bildad's Final Speech

05:47 Job's Response and Search for Wisdom

08:31 Conclusion and Reflections

10:12 Pray

Happy Friday and welcome to another

edition of the Daily Bible Podcast.

2

Today is January 10th, 2025 in

the year of our Lord and boy.

3

It's been a really cool, day or so,

day and a half, we've gotten snow in

4

Texas and not just a little bit of snow.

5

I'm actually at my home office right

now and I'm looking out my window and

6

I see, I don't know, four inches maybe.

7

It's a lot of snow.

8

It's no small thing.

9

In fact, I'll post it in the show notes.

10

If you care to see what my view

looks like, I'll take a picture

11

for you and I'll let you see it,

but we've gotten a lot of snow.

12

So this is a really cool experience.

13

I don't think I've ever been in

this much snow in my life period.

14

I can think of times going to

big bear and we'd show up and

15

there'd already be snow there.

16

But to live in it and to see the

snow fall, with such, thickness.

17

In fact, the snow that's coming

down, it looks a lot like the

18

snow that you'd see in the movies.

19

It's fluffy and, and kind of thick.

20

In fact, one of my neighbors

called it mashed potato like snow.

21

So I guess, there's different kinds.

22

And this kind is mashed potato like.

23

So if that helps you imagine what we're

dealing with here in Texas, there you go.

24

But if not, if you're somewhere else

and you're not enjoying the snow right

25

now, I'm sure this is really cool,

but I'm sure the cleanup process and

26

the time it takes for us to get over

this, it's going to be a minute.

27

Nevertheless, we still want to

make it through our scriptures.

28

So if you will, please join me.

29

Job chapters 24 through 28.

30

We're looking at five chapters today.

31

Thankfully, not all of these are really

long, but there's a lot to cover.

32

Let's start Job chapter 24.

33

He's continuing his discourse

which was in response to Eliphaz.

34

And so in chapter 24, Job is now

picking up a concept that's really

35

important that you and I get.

36

He starts off this way, in Job

chapter 24 verse 1, Why are not times

37

of judgment kept by the Almighty?

38

And why do those who know

Him never see His days?

39

He's asking an important question.

40

In fact, through this whole

section, through verse 12, He's

41

going to say it seems like God

doesn't do justice immediately.

42

He doesn't affect justice

when you would expect it.

43

His last phrase in verse 12 is this,

From out of the city the dying groan.

44

And the soul of the wounded

cries for help, and yet God

45

charges no one with wrong.

46

Now, we want to handle this

carefully here, because we want to

47

give Job the benefit of the doubt.

48

The benefit of the doubt, but it certainly

seems like he's accusing God with wrong.

49

If he's not over the line again,

he's really skating close to it, but

50

he's going to say something in a few

paragraphs that seemed to contradict

51

himself, or at least to show that

he's wrestling with the ideas here.

52

So let's just lay this out.

53

Does God affect justice immediately?

54

And of course you and I

should be able to answer.

55

No, he doesn't.

56

That's the only reason that you and

I are Christians because he didn't

57

deal with us according to our sin.

58

As soon as we had sinned.

59

If he did, if God dealt with all human

evil, the moment that it happens, there

60

would no, there would be nobody to live.

61

There'd be nobody for God to save.

62

Everybody would be justly punished.

63

Nobody wants God's fairness

until it serves their purposes.

64

And in this case, we want

to say that God is fair.

65

He is righteous.

66

But he doesn't always

do it on our timeframe.

67

There's a popular phrase, justice

delayed is justice denied.

68

Is that true?

69

Well, I guess from a

human standpoint, sure.

70

But even then, there are

limitations to the understanding.

71

There's limitations to the

application of that idea.

72

There are times when human justice

systems have to move more slowly

73

in order to be sure that we're

working with the right information.

74

It's easy to make assumptions.

75

It's easy to assume that we're

doing something the right way.

76

But we want to let the evidence speak.

77

We want to let the witnesses come to the

stand, as it were, and be cross examined.

78

This is right and good.

79

So justice delayed is not

always justice tonight.

80

We have to confess that.

81

When Job complains here, in his

discourse, that God delays justice or

82

that he seems not to affect justice, we

have to take him with a grain of salt.

83

We're gonna say that part

of him feels this way.

84

This is true to his feeling, although

not true to all that he's thinking.

85

We'll carry on with that thought in a few

moments in verses 13 through 17 He talks

86

about the fact that there are people that

sin secretly and that they they think that

87

they're getting away with it They think

that God's not paying attention and yet

88

in verses 18 all the way through verse 25

He makes a different statement It seems

89

like Job is well aware that even though

people think they're getting away with it.

90

God is going to deal with them

The words you say in verse

91

18 are in your English text.

92

If you're looking at a physical Bible, but

in the Hebrew, those words aren't there.

93

So the translators are trying to help us

come to grips with what Job's statement

94

is intending for us to understand.

95

So maybe in verses 18 through 20,

Job is quoting his friends, or he's

96

trying to summarize or encapsulate

the thoughts that they offer to him.

97

Or maybe Job is actually saying this

and he's working through his theology,

98

as it were, in real time saying, I do

recognize God is just, I do recognize that

99

God deals with him when it's his time.

100

You'd have to make a decision

there exegetically, and

101

it's a hard decision to make.

102

I understand why the translators chose to

translate it this way, but just know the

103

words you say in verse 18 are not there.

104

And they're the translator trying

to help us understand the text.

105

In verses 21 through 25, Job contends

in verse 22, yet God prolongs the

106

life of the mighty by his power.

107

They rise up when they despair of life.

108

He gives them security and they are

supported and his eyes are on their ways.

109

So it seems like job has hope here.

110

He recognizes that God is the one

who can prolong his life and he's the

111

one who will ultimately lift him up.

112

God is his support.

113

So you have a few kind of,

uh, different streams of ideas

114

working through this chapter.

115

It's hard to put it all

together, but job is suffering.

116

Job is struggling.

117

So I'm not surprised that some

of his thoughts feel like they're

118

in tension with one another.

119

In chapter 25, Bill dad for

the last time speaks up.

120

It doesn't have much to say.

121

In fact, what he says is something

he said before and something

122

that Eliphaz has said before.

123

He asserts that God is

sovereign, that God is powerful.

124

He does what he wants . And

that no one can stand before

125

him and be perfectly righteous.

126

And so he's saying, Job, no one

can stand before God, not even

127

the angels, that no one can stand

before him and be pure in his sight.

128

And it is essentially trying to

make the point that Job, as good

129

as you think you are, you're

not going to be good before God.

130

So stop trying to justify yourself

is really what his point is.

131

He says, behold, even the moon

is not bright and the stars

132

are not pure in his eyes.

133

How much less man who is a maggot

and the son of man who is a worm.

134

Now, some of this sounds really familiar.

135

It should sound familiar to you

because you've read this before and

136

that's why in Job chapter 26, he

says in verse four, with whose help

137

Bill Dad have you uttered words and

whose breath has come out from you?

138

He says this because Eliphaz

has said almost the same exact

139

thing, just a few chapters before.

140

Eliphaz has repeated this in chapters

4, 17, and chapter 9, verse 2.

141

The idea is there, and Bildad is

using it for his own purposes, and

142

Job is challenging him on that.

143

He's saying, dude, come

with something original.

144

You're only saying what

Eliphaz has already said.

145

In the second half of chapter 26,

Job espouses the goodness of God, the

146

greatness of God, and the power of God.

147

He says, I recognize and

understand that God is powerful.

148

None can withstand him, and I can tell

you that as good as anyone else can.

149

In chapter 27, Job says something

that ought to strike you as

150

different, because this is different.

151

In verse 2, he says, As God

lives, which is a formula of oath.

152

He's taking a note to say, look, I can

stand before God, I'm lifting up my hand,

153

I'm putting my hand on the Bible as it

were, and I'm taking an oath of innocence.

154

And therefore, in verse 4, he says,

My lips will not speak falsehood,

155

and my tongue will not utter deceit.

156

I can't agree with you guys

that I'm guilty of sin that

157

needs to be repented of.

158

And verses 7 through about 12, it

seems like he's cursing his enemies,

159

and I wonder who he has in mind here.

160

He's either talking about enemies in

general, the wicked, or maybe he has

161

in mind his three friends who have

thus far spoken falsely about him.

162

He recognizes in verse 13 through

23 that the wicked gather only

163

to lose it, the wicked gather,

but the righteous will ultimately

164

enjoy the things that they gather

because , they will not stay for long.

165

They don't have permanence.

166

They don't have security.

167

I think of Psalm chapter one is the

righteous man who has deep roots and

168

is sustained through all seasons.

169

The wicked are like chaff

that the wind drives away.

170

And that's what job is saying here

171

in job.

172

Chapter 28, you have

the search for wisdom.

173

Job identifies that man is so incredible.

174

He can search out things

all over creation.

175

There's a mine for silver.

176

There's a place for gold

that they can refine.

177

Man can dig and search

for things successfully.

178

But then he turns the page and

he says, but what about wisdom?

179

Where can wisdom be found?

180

Man can search all over

creation, but can he find wisdom?

181

And, of course, the punchline

of this whole thing is that

182

God alone knows the way to it.

183

Verse 23.

184

And, verse 28.

185

The climax of this section is,

He has said to man, Behold the

186

fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.

187

And to turn away from evil,

that is understanding.

188

It doesn't sound too different

from some of the Proverbs that we

189

have studied and memorized before.

190

, the fear of the Lord is

the beginning of wisdom.

191

Fools despise knowledge and instruction.

192

We see this in Proverbs 1 and Proverbs 9.

193

And here we have it in Job early, way

before those Proverbs were ever written.

194

You have a confession that the

fear of the Lord, that's wisdom.

195

That's the beginning of wisdom.

196

That's the place of insight.

197

And so here we have five chapters

where we're about to transition

198

Into Job's summary and defense.

199

Tomorrow we're gonna look at Job's final

concluding thoughts before Ellie, who

200

steps in, and then the Lord steps in,

which is the true climax of the book.

201

You find out the resolution, but before

you get there, feel the weight of

202

these final, concluding arguments.

203

Job is frustrated.

204

He's confused.

205

Bill Dad offers one more pot shot

unsuccessfully, and . Job ends the

206

conversation by saying Wisdom is with God.

207

In other words, it's not with

you guys, it's with the Lord.

208

I could not help but be thankful

for the fact that even though

209

what Job is saying is true, I

can know the wisdom of the Lord.

210

I can know the fear of God

through these 2, 000 pages that

211

are sitting in front of me.

212

I so often take the Bible for granted.

213

I so often just, I put my Bible in my bag.

214

I'm not really thinking about it.

215

I have, multiple versions of Bibles

on my Logos Bible study software.

216

I have different apps on my phone

that give me access into this.

217

And I think, man, Job didn't have that.

218

If Job is living about the same time

as Abraham, the patriarch, well,

219

who knows what he had access to?

220

I'm not even sure what Job is referring to

when he talks about the fear of the Lord.

221

I don't know what he knows.

222

But I know, based on the Word of God,

what I should know now, I know, based

223

on what I have here in my hands as

I'm looking at it, that this is the

224

Word of God, revealed to me, in my

language, on high quality paper, with two

225

awesome covers and multiple bookmarks.

226

I just, I want you to be as

thankful for this as I am right now.

227

I want to keep this feeling.

228

I know I'm not always going to feel this

way, but it's good for us to be thankful,

229

to have immense gratitude for the fact

that we have God's Word in our hands.

230

Because we have His wisdom.

231

We don't have to trust our friends,

good, bad, or otherwise to come

232

and tell us what we need to know.

233

We can go to the word of God and

our best friends are going to tell

234

us what's in the word of God and

help us make right application.

235

Okay.

236

That's all I have.

237

I really want to get back to this.

238

No.

239

Now, at least looking at it.

240

,

so let's pray together and let's close off our conversation for today.

241

Lord, thank you so much

for the book of Job.

242

We've really enjoyed going through it.

243

I know that's a strange word, but

we've enjoyed learning from this.

244

And it's so good for us, God,

because we want to be prepared

245

for whatever you bring our way.

246

We've said this multiple times,

but it's a good thing for us to

247

reflect on the fact that our lives

have been so good for most of us.

248

We don't have to complain or be sorrowful

because you brought on anything like this.

249

But Lord, if you were to do

that, we want to be ready.

250

We want to be strong, resilient,

and robust in our love for you,

251

which means it's a kind of love

that will endure through seasons

252

of highs and seasons of lows.

253

Or as David says in Psalm 23, to walk

through the valley of the shadow of death

254

and fear no evil because you are with us.

255

And we know that you're with us because

your word tells us Lord, help us to

256

know your word and to treasure it as

something valuable because it is so

257

often Lord, we just look at it as another

thing to do, but we don't treasure

258

it the way that we should help us.

259

Lord, give us a heart that loves you and

runs steadfast, steadfastly after you.

260

We thank you also for our weather Lord

for those of us in Texas who are enjoying

261

the snow or maybe not so much enjoying

it because of the complication that it

262

adds to our commutes and other things.

263

Please Lord help us to be

grateful for your good gifts,

264

whatever packages they come in.

265

We ask all these things in Jesus name.

266

Amen.

267

Thank you again for joining

me another day, another Bible

268

reading task done, although I

hope it's not just a task for you.

269

Hopefully it's a discipline of delight,

but thank you for joining me nonetheless.

270

And I will look forward to seeing

you again tomorrow for another

271

edition of the daily Bible podcast.

272

Speaker: Hey, thanks for

joining us for another episode

273

of the daily Bible podcast.

274

We hope and pray this has been a blessing

to you and your time in the word.

275

If it has, if you would subscribe to this

podcast, leave a like, leave a comment

276

and share it with some friends and family.

277

That would be awesome.

278

If you need more information about

Compass Bible Church here in North

279

Texas, you can go to compassntx.

280

org.

281

Again, that's compassntx.

282

org.

283

And we'll be back with you

tomorrow for another episode

284

of the daily Bible podcast.