Miserable Comforters

One of Job's friends accused him of wrongdoing that the Job was reaping what he had sown in Jamaica that it's partly true. You report yourself to the Bible simulation six and verse seven do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one sows that we also reap the consequences for your actions is always why we experience pain and difficulty today and Renewing Your Mind, Dr. Derek Thomas takes a look at some of the bad advice that Job receive the turned out to be cruel counsel from well-meaning friends and in the they were opinions that would've been better left unsaid. We can learn a great deal about kindness in the midst of trial as we continue Dr. Thomas, a series from the book of Job. Well, this is lesson number four in the book of Job and working to look at chapters 4, five, six and seven, four and five consists of a contribution by the first of Job's friends Eliphaz and then chapters 6 and seven.

Job's response to what Eliphaz has to say is a Peanuts cartoon.

Lucy says to Charlie Brown. There's one thing you're going to have to learn, you reap what you sow you get out of life, what you put into it.

No more and no less then Snoopy says like to see a little margin for error while Eliphaz belongs to that group of people that understand the universe operates according to a certain law you reap what you sow is picking him up. She begins with if invention is a word with you. Will you be patient if you can keep from speaking these three friends have already arrived they been silent for a week now it is time for them to speak. Chapter 4 x 7. Remember who that was innocent ever perished over with the upright cutoff as I've seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

This right is a preamble, but he gets right to the point that in verses seven and eight. The reason for suffering is very simple.

You reap what you sow you get out of life, what you put into it.

You are responsible for your actions. This is a consequence of your actions as a consequence of your lifestyle.

The implication is that Joe has sent it may be a little sin, it may be a medium-size send it may be a big soon it may be a sin in the present and maybe ascending the pasta may be a sin is forgotten about one way or another. The answer to this predicament from philosophical, theological point of view is that Job is reaping what he has so, you get whatever it is that's owing to you and it comes back to bite you notice in chapter 5 verses six and seven affliction doesn't come from the dust notice. Trouble sprout from the ground. But man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards another a lot of text in the book of Job that you can take out of context you pretrade Orthodox sermons on these texts, but in the context in which they said they often mean something very different and this is an example of that. What is Eliphaz saying affliction doesn't come out of the dust fiction doesn't come from nowhere as a reason for it as an explanation for it and the explanation is simple.

You report you so you get out of life exactly what it is that you put in to trouble doesn't just happen. Well, what we make of that principle of philosophy is a theological way of understanding.

Job's predicament.

And remember, Job has lost all 10 of his children is lost all his wealth and that he's losing his house and he has a disease this threatening his life. What would you make of that. The first thing to say is that it's partly correct. It's partly true. You reap what you sow to the Bible simulation six and verse seven do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one shows that we also reap all we teach our children that there are consequences for your actions.

Don't be surprised if such and such is an outcome because look at what it is that you've done that.

There's a certain law of cause and effect but generally operates in the universe and and we expect that when we teach our children that the Roth of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their unrighteousness suppress the truth processing Romans chapter 1 what is the what is the reason for the presence the existence the manifestation of the Roth of God in the universe as a consequence of sin.

God's coming judgment.

These manifestations of his real are an expression of God's reflex reflex of his holiness toward sin, but we can pick out some specific examples in the Bible. Think for example of second Samuel chapter 6 and the story of loser and the ark of the covenant. Remember the sun never been absorbed in whose house the man know for curious gathering place the creditors brought back from the land of the Philistines send with his brother. Here he drove the car through the put this article to cover the death of the covenant represents the presence of God to contain some valuable religious objects to all intents and purposes it was symbolic of the very presence of God belongs in the tabernacle and the Philistines had just stolen to connect and now it's on its way back to Jerusalem and on the back of the carton lies will grow to like hearing in Florida but in South Carolina there are lots of potholes and one of these potholes hits a bottle marble submitted threatens to fall on the ground and loser stretches out his hand to steady the God strikes him dead.

And how do we explain outside of the biblical framework of person outside of biblical worldview and outside of an assumption regarding the holiness of God. That's inexplicable, but within that sphere of thought. How do we explain it was a received what he deserved. It wasn't supposed to touch the ark. No one was supposed to touch the ark of the government thing about the story is from the ark of the government wasn't supposed to be on a on an ox cart and no one was supposed to touch it has. While he has read what he assumed. I think your firm was go to the New Testament.

You might say that's an Old Testament story. This philosophy that Eliphaz is propounding here who that was innocent ever perished a web of the upright cutoff chapter 4 of the seven Mr. the New Testament. This might be a principal in the Old Testament, but poor in the new covenant to new go to acts chapter 5 and Ananias and Sapphire and in this period of the early history of the New Testament church when they have all of the goods and, and sell their belongings for the benefit of the wider community of the church. This is not something that seems to continue in the life of the Chattanooga belongs to that early period in the life of the church in Jerusalem. They tell him a white lie about the value of a piece of real estate is not such a serious sin. You might think God strikes one and then another debt. This is the New Testament church.

This is the church within within living memory of Pentecost. This is the church with the apostolic gifts in manifestation in the church back to the early church people say well it's about to accept a five God strikes people dead for not filling in the forms correctly about the value of the of the real estate it's a principal. They report their heads so there is such a thing as instant retribution towards Eliphaz who sent suffering is punishment. It is instant retribution which the judgment of God. God is angry is visiting and he visits in punishment, he visits by sending suffering visits by inflicting trial I'm saying is partly right non-Christian world who doesn't accept this but within a Christian worldview with the biblical worldview. We actually believe this, but there are consequences to our actions. Paul writes to the Corinthians passage we read together.

For example, at the Lord's supper encouraging folk to examine themselves, and so on so that they come to partake in the Lord's supper and manner that is Christ centered and gospel centered reminds us in that passage in first Corinthians 10 and then in chapter 11, Paul reminds us that there are some in Corinth who are sick. Some died as a punishment to its insert visitation of God. God did this God came in this holiness and his righteousness of the world doesn't believe this but this is what the Bible teaches. There are times when this happens it is partly right. Why did Jesus die is probably the most important question you can never ask why did Jesus die.

He was without sin. He was sinless he never transgressed any law wasn't right that Jesus should die. Death is the wages of sin is the principal report you so you sin and what you reap. Reap death. Death is the wages of sin. Sin pays its wages. It gives out its wages and its death. So what did Jesus die. There are only two answers to that question. One is that there is no justice in the universe.

You can't expect justice. You can be an innocent man who can perfectly remove impeccably, and death still gets you bad things still get you because there's no justice in the world is our answer is of course the evangelical answer gospel answer is the answer.

Second Corinthians 521.

The reason why Jesus died was because he deserved it at the point at which he died. He was reckoned to be sin while in Luther's words. He was the greatest sin of the world is ever seen by the imputed our sins to him and at that moment he deserved – as when death came upon the principle of justice saying this principle of Eliphaz's pocket right but of course it's also partly wrong is also partly incorrect. Take the example of John chapter 9 the incident where we read of the man that has been born blind.

The disciples asked Jesus who sin was it him or was it his parents when he noticed the inference of the question what lies behind that question somebody has sent the only explanation for this blindness is that somebody has sent either the man himself is sin or his parents have sinned in some way and this is this is a direct judgment of God upon you. Remember Jesus's answer but it was neither Jesus is saying that the manner never send is Jesus saying that his parents were sinless supper .20 saying is there is no means you connection between the sin of this manner, the sin of this man's parents and the melody that he is experiencing.

The explanation lies somewhere else and was neither him nor his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest into and Jesus heals him and he becomes only becomes a wonderful story that we still remember we were number talking about it right here.

God used it in order to teach others. God used it in order that he might be an instrument in the hands of God to teach and educate others to Paul in second Corinthians 12 the thorn in the flesh, whatever that was 3×3 times. Paul prays that this malady be taken away if there is no indication in the passage that this malady this thorn in the flesh.

Whatever it was that was a punishment from God is nothing in the text that suggests that some people think it might've been his eyesight and saw whatever it was, there's no indication in the text that it was a specific visitation of the judgment of God. Take Hebrews 12 in verse six for the Lord disciplines the one he loved us and chastises every son whom he receives the Lord disciplines the one that he loves chastises them here in this passage in John chapter 4 in verse seven. Remember who that was in the center of a perished implication of Eliphaz is, Job isn't innocent. All these protestations on the part of Job that he is innocent while he's beginning to suspect it. What is Job's response. Chapter 6 and seven. Let's go back to verse 14 he withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

My brothers are treacherous is a tolerant bear does torrential screens that pass by which a dock with ice and with the snow hides itself when they melt they disappear when it is hot, they banish from their place.

The caravans turn aside from the course they go up into the waste and perished the caravans of Timo look, the travelers of Sheba hope they are ashamed because they were confident they come there and are disappointed for you now become nothing. You see my calamity and are afraid and that he saying Eliphaz's policing Eliphaz is like a storm comes in the dose of comes in the disappearance.

Eliphaz is a bit of a win back.

He talks a lot is a lot to say is very confident about himself and Job says in response that is of no help is of no help whatsoever there's a parody here in the it's a parody of the eight Psalm what is man that you make so much of him and give so much attention… Or the circuit. Chapter 7 verse 21, right at the end of Job's response was about to verse 19.

How long will you not look away from me nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit if I sin what do I do to you. You walk care of mankind wife you made me your mama as though though got a set a target on his back while I become a burden to you, why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity for now, I shall lie in the office and you will seek me, I shall not be. It's almost as though Job is saying something a child that saying you know you miss me when I'm gone. I remember when I was little, you know every child's course of this moment and they want to run away from home. Things are difficult. Life is hard things happen in families and so on.

I remember packing a little bag of some cookies and some them something to drink and I walked down the road as far as that is the band were talking hundred yards, and I remember saying remember looking back and saying to my mother to be sorry when I'm gone and she's looking pitifully and of course I turned the arena went around the corner just sat there 20 minutes later my sister comes and says sent to the home school and it's almost as if Job is saying at the end here and are you will miss me when I'm gone, but is still saying here is so taking Eliphaz's contribution. Eliphaz is a man with a very simplistic view of life is very black and white. It's very easy to understand is very easy to comprehend. There are no terminal?'s no gray areas.

There's nothing that this man can fit into his into his worldview and his box suffering is punishment always, invariably, without exception, I'm saying partly right. Sometimes it is if you sin willfully. There's no point in complaining about the consequences develop from that there are consequences. You will report to so few contractors the disease say from a lifestyle that was contrary to the word of God gave yourself to a certain lifestyle you contracted the sexually transmitted disease. While we've only got yourself to blame when we we feel sympathy this this compassion this Christian love. This forgiveness is all that but you can come and say I don't understand this. Was this happened to me why this is life so unfair.

You've lived a life of debauchery and you contracted the disease. You have yourself to insurrections you need to own up to what if what if you contracted the disease through a blood transfusion. It's nothing to do with you. It's not a consequence of anything that you did. You still have the disease.

The disease is the same in both cases. One is innocent and the other is not. Life is more complicated than what Eliphaz is saying here. Well, one of the lessons that we can learn from this introductory comment by Eliphaz won't two things. One is well-intentioned counselors can be wrong or that reported more simply, Christians can be wrong, well-meaning, well-intentioned Christians can be wrong.

They can come and analyze the situation give some analysis of it and they can be found to be seriously astray. Eliphaz is seriously astray.

And we know that because God says so were told that in the prologue that was the function of the prologue Job was a godly man and the reason for suffering was not his sin is another lesson here and it's a lesson for going to have to unpack chemistry study through the book of Job, God's ways are not always as thoughts are not our thoughts. Does Job have an answer to the question why no, he doesn't and Eliphaz hasn't provided nor is Job himself come to a full realization of it and is walking now in that pathway of discovering once again God's ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts ends this little section will be sorry when I'm gone talking to the Lord do you stop listening to Eliphaz is taking his troubles. Beautiful as they are now dismayed Almighty God, and that is where all of us need to place our troubles at the feet of Almighty God. Listening to Renewing Your Mind on this Wednesday. Thank you for joining us I'm Lee Webb been there. We have been devoting this week to studying this wonderful Old Testament book of Job. It really is a retreat for Christians of all generations.

It provides incredible insight into God's purposes through suffering.

Look in your teaching fellow Dr. Derek Thomas is guiding us through Job and if you missed any of the programs this week.

Welcome to contact us and request the two DVD set.

There are 12 messages in this series because with your gift at 800-435-4343. You can also find us online@renewingyourmind.org that phone number again is 800-435-4343. We are grateful for your financial gifts are they fuel all of our efforts. Regular ministries to produce teaching series like this one, and distribute them around the world along with the hundreds of other resources we provide, including the Reformation study Bible in multiple languages, podcasts, Bible commentaries and books. We have heard from many of you who've appreciated this teaching during these uncertain and challenging days and were encouraged by that and were committed as ever to continue this vital work. So again, thank you. Would you also consider becoming a ministry parked or just go to our website Renewing Your Mind.org in the upper right you'll see a partnership tab tomorrow. Dr. Thomas will show some of the errors Job made as he dealt with his pain and loss. The title of the messages contending with God. We hope you'll join us Thursday for Renewing Your Mind