RCCG: Place of His Presence

OH, RIGHTEOUS ME!  – Job 42:8

Introduction:

I do not know if you have noticed how interesting the book of Job is? Apart from chapters 1 -2 and 40 – 42, have you noticed how fascinating the chapters between these are? The book of Job says a lot about us –men, and the way we think about ourselves. I implore you to please find time to let yourself be blessed by reading it in your leisure time.

Today though, we will focus on the conceit of man as exemplified by the men in this portion of Job. The reason is that the discourse of these men (five of them) is from their heart, and it is quite the same as the opinion we have of ourselves, too.

Body:

 Job 32: 1 – 5 summarizes the men’s position. Job, himself, could not identify his wrong-doing or the sin for which is suffers and is therefore afflicted. He wondered why he was in such a state, and he spoke out of his limited understanding. The other men, felt Job was arrogantly ascribing righteousness unto himself –for which they condemned him. Unanimously, they judged him wicked and deserving of the affliction he suffers as the consequence for his evil ways.

We could sample the comments of each of them here:

 Job said in Job 13: 20 – 27 “²⁰Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

 ²¹Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

 ²²Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

 ²³How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

 ²⁴Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

 ²⁵Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

 ²⁶For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

 ²⁷Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.”

Bildad’s in Job 18:1 - 4, 21: “¹Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

 ²How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

 ³Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

 ⁴He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?... ²¹Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.”

Zophar’s in Job 20: 1 – 11: “¹Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

 ²Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

 ³I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

 ⁴Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

 ⁵That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

 ⁶Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

 ⁷Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

 ⁸He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

 ⁹The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

 ¹⁰His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

 ¹¹His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.”

Eliphaz’s in Job 22:1 – 11: “¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

 ²Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

 ³Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

 ⁴Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

 ⁵Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

 ⁶For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

 ⁷Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

 ⁸But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

 ⁹Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

 ¹⁰Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

 ¹¹Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.”

Then an interesting character, Elihu, emerges in Job 32 (read till verse 12); a bit more from him in Job 36:17: “But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.”

How well do we love to stand and talk, authoritatively, about other people’s lives and conducts. We love to sit in the judgment seat over other people, while it seems we are oblivious about the filth in our own lives.

What we learn from the above positions of the characters in the passages above

Ø  We often speak of what we know little or nothing about.

Ø  Often, we see only the faults of others and never ours’.

Ø  If it were possible, some of us would think we’re more righteous than Christ.

Finally:

By the Lord’s answer to Job in Job 38:2, we can see Job was not as wise as he thought he was. And to the friends, in Job 42: 7 – 9, it is clear that none of them was as righteous as they thought themselves to be. According to Proverbs 21:2: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”But, we all need to be careful what we think of others and what we think about ourselves. In 1 Corinthians 10:12, we are cautioned: ^“wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”.

I have said it before, and I say it again, if you have the opportunity to relate or have an influence in someone’s life, try and help him up rather than bringing him down. If you cannot do that, it is better for you to leave that person’s life.

Also, work on yourself to be better than whatever you are currently.