Well, let's take our Bibles and look together in Job chapter 18, as we continue our trek through this inspired word of Job. Again, our goal is to see Christ in all of scripture and particularly in the life of Job and his sufferings as a type of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, no man could ever suffer as Christ suffered, nor for the same reason, but we do see a lot of parallels. I struggled a little bit with the title for this message. I've entitled it judgment without mercy, which emphasizes the negative side of what it is to be without Christ. And yet, On the other hand, I want us to see how even in judgment, there is mercy all the way through scripture, where you see God pronouncing judgment upon people, yet there is that remnant according to the election of grace. And certainly Job would have been one of those objects of God's grace, but it gives us a picture Just like with the children of Israel in the Old Testament, when they came out of Egypt, there was light on their side through the Shekinah glory, but on the Egyptian side, it was dark. And so it is with the work of salvation, those that are God's elect are called children of light. And he has brought them into that light, he himself being the light. and all others in darkness. And we're here, we see that unless somebody is an object of God's grace, they will perish. A lot of people have a problem with that, but God is God and he's just, and he's Holy. And so we see in this, what it is to have judgment without mercy. That's a fearful thing. And what it means for the light of the wicked to be put out, whatever light They have, it's a light that is failing. And as Christ told the Pharisees, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? So here in Job 18, we have a most somber and I believe severe speeches in all the book of Job. This is given by Bildad the Shuite, one of Job's friends that came to see him and whatever light he thought he had, he couldn't point Job to Christ. All he could do was speak of Job's demise, looking at his suffering. And I imagine Job was quite a portrait of suffering. Sitting there on a garbage heap, scraping himself with pot sherds, broken out in boils. What comfort could he even give to Job? Especially since at this point he had no truth. Later, it appears that God would work in his heart as we're going to see, but at this point, all he can do is spew out vindication. We've had people in your trials or difficulties, try to exhort you and tell you, well, if you'd have just done this, or you'd have just done that, you wouldn't be in the situation that you're in. Thankfully, those that are the Lord's, the spirit of Christ is their comfort in them and directs them to Him. But nonetheless, just as in all things, God is sovereign. He'll use the words, even the most wicked person that you could think of to communicate to others. And here, Bildad giving this very vivid description of the judgment of the wicked does say some true things. He sets forth the doom of the ungodly in a very poetic, and yet terrifying manner. Even in this mistaken, and I would say misapplied, rebuke to Job, yet the Spirit of God has preserved in this chapter a testimony to the righteousness of God. The scriptures say that God will cause even the wrath of man to glorify Him. And here is Bildad testifying to the righteousness of God, even though he himself was clueless, the certainty of judgment, but through it, those of us that are the Lords and have the spirit, the necessity of Christ, the only refuge from wrath. So as we read down through here, let that be our thought. that thank God, if we're His, He did not leave us to suffer wrath under His hand, but purpose that that should be put upon the Lord Jesus Christ. So even though Bildad aims his words at Job unjustly, yet he unwittingly paints a portrait of what it is to be a sinner without Christ. And by contrast, we think about the gospel that shows us the mercy and righteousness of God fulfilled in Christ who bore the curse of his people in the place of their condemnation. And so all the more reason for us to preach Christ and him crucified even against the backdrop here of build ads, dark speech. So let's come down through here and see the contrasts. This would be a good way to look at this. When you think of a portrait that has different colors and contrasts and use in it. So here's a portrait of what it is to have judgment without mercy, but just like in any portrait, there's going to be light. And that's what I want to bring out. So verses one through seven, let's begin there. Then answered Bildad the Shuite and said, how long will it be ere ye make an end of words? He's accusing Job of defending himself too much. Mark, and afterwards we will speak. Wherefore are we counted as beasts? and reputed vile in your sight." They could tell by looking at Job that he wasn't liking too much their speeches. He tears himself in his anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? And shall the rock be removed out of his place? Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out. Here we come to the heart of the matter here. and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle and his candle shall be put out with him. The steps of his strength shall be straightened and his own counsel shall cast him down." So here we see this contrast, yes, the wicked shall be cut off. He was stating a truth there. But when you think about what it took for the Lord Jesus Christ to pay the sin debt of his people, it was necessary that Christ himself be cut off. Not for any wickedness in himself, but for that wickedness for which he went to the cross to bear the curse and the sin of his people. He was cut off in the place of his people. So that verse five is pivotal. Bildad declares the utter ruin of the wicked described it there as their light being distinguished. When it says their steps narrowed, that means more and more they're restrained. The more time goes on. I liken it to somebody that has handcuffs on and is now facing prison. The more they wiggle and try to undo the handcuffs, the tighter they become. That's what build dad speaking here of Job, seeing him as a wicked one where God has put restraints on him and his steps being narrowed and. his counsel bringing him down. Bildad didn't know that Job was one of the Lords. And it may be that even Job in this suffering may have wondered whether or not he was the Lords or not. I know some that are constantly asking that question under the heavy hand of the Lord. But if any are the Lords, the Lord will uphold them, the Lord will keep them. Any affliction they face is not out of wrath because God has purposed that that wrath be on his son, but only for chasing him. But as far as any sinner outside of Christ, what Bildad is declaring here is true. The light of the wicked shall be put out. Whatever the dimmest candle in the candle shop may be, or the brightest, sooner or later that candle is going to burn out. And this goes all the way back to the fall. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, they were plunged into darkness, spiritual darkness. And all that are born of Adam's race, which is anybody born in this world are born in that darkness and walk in that darkness. And unless they are the Lord's by his electing grace and one for whom the Lord Jesus Christ came and paid their sin debt. And the spirit has called from darkness to light. Then they will die in that darkness. They shall be cut off. It will be judgment without mercy. Yes, anything this side of hell we can say is mercy, but oh, how great a judgment and any wisdom that somebody outside of Christ thinks that they have, it's nothing but folly. In fact, Paul describes it in an ironic way where he says even the The foolishness of God is wiser than that of men. Not that God has any foolishness, but it puts man in his place. His wisdom is folly. His path will lead to death and his life, it says, his light is but a spark soon quenched. You've seen these shows where they have to light fire to survive. And as soon as there's a little spark, they think, ah, we've got fire now. And then all of a sudden it goes out. That's how those are described who are outside of Christ. You can see it there in verse five. The spark of his fire shall not shine, whatever spark there may have been. And the light shall be dark in his tabernacle. That's referring to his body. These bodies are but tabernacles or tents. that are soon to be folded up and put away. And it says his candle shall be put out with him. Any wisdom that he had will die with him. Now there are many very smart people, intellectually in the world, wise people, business wise, more so perhaps than many of God's elect children. And yet without Christ, all of that knowledge and light will perish with them. But oh, behold the grace of God. We're not to envy the wicked who are without Christ. The grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ coming and standing in the place of his elect as their substitute. I can't think of a greater blessing than that. in life's trials and afflictions and anything that the Lord may bring us. Christ, who is the light of the world. Yes, for us, we did not see him for a time because we were blinded. And the scriptures say he came into the world. He came unto his own, his own received him not. And even for a time. was cut off. In other words, it seemed to many that his light was extinguished, just like we read here in verses five through seven of my text. And that was necessary to identify with those sinners for whom he came, but his was not extinguished You can't put out the light of the world. It was hidden for a time. That's why they're on the cross, the three hours of darkness that were over the earth. It was because Christ, the true light at that moment was bearing the full judgment of sin, not his own, but that of his people. And therefore he was, Isaiah said in Isaiah 53, numbered among the transgressors. He was not himself a transgressor, but he was numbered with them there on the cross. And when those two thieves on either side of him died, expired, their light was cut off. But not with Christ, his was, but for a time, and then he would rise again. It's like the sun being hidden behind a dark cloud. It's but for a season. They treated him as a wicked man when they put him on the cross. And yet it was through that particular suffering that he endured. that God was pleased to declare righteous those for whom he paid the debt. This is the language used in Isaiah chapter 53 in verse eight. I told you I was going to do some contrast. We see the darkness in this portrait of those that die without mercy. And yet in contrast, we see the Lord Jesus Christ himself because of sin being cut off, not sin of his own, but that of his people. But that's exactly the language that's used here. Look in Isaiah 53, seven and eight, he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth. He's brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shears is dumb. So he openeth not his mouth. He silently submitted to God's hand, heavy hand upon him as the substitute. And verse eight says he was taken from prison and from judgment. And who shall declare his generation for he was, there it is, cut off out of the land of the living, but not for his own transgression. It says for the transgression of my people was he stricken and he made his grave with a wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done no violence. Neither was any deceit in his mouth. He was treated as a wicked person and yet. there was no wickedness in him, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him." That's the sense of crushing the seed like wheat in a mill to produce the flour that would make the bread. He hath put him to grief. Here it is. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. God the Father would see Christ, his seed. And he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands. So just as Bildad here speaks of the wicked being cut off, and that is their just end. So Christ was cut off in the place of that people that the father gave him. Now, secondly, looking at this portrait of contrasts, it speaks here in verses eight through 10 of a net and a trap. Let's look at this together, beginning with verse eight. For he is cast into a net by his own feet and he walketh upon a snare. Describing again, a wicked person outside of Christ. The djinn shall take him by the heel and the robber shall prevail against him. the snare is laid for him in the ground and a trap for him in the way." Yes, it is describing here wicked men who think that they're free and yet in the way there is a net cast that will entangle their feet eventually and bring them down. And they're described as one who walks upon a snare in verse eight. Say, well, how does this compare to our Lord Jesus Christ? Because if he's a substitute, he would have of necessity been tempted or tested in all things like as we are yet without sin. Here, Bildad is speaking of the traps and snares awaiting the wicked, and there are many. You'll hear of somebody that seemingly is being very successful and growing their business and seems to be in good health, and then all of a sudden, they hit a wall and they're gone. And rightly so, because sin and snares and Satan deceives and the scriptures always describe judgment as falling swiftly. When no man is thinking of it, no man gets up, for example, today and thinks this is going to be the day that God is going to execute judgment in my life and take me out of here. But how glorious, here's the contrast, is the gospel here in reverse because Christ The righteous one willingly walked into the snare of judgment that men set for him. He knew exactly what they would do to him, the snares being set to put him to death, but they couldn't do one thing more than what he himself had determined. And even though what they laid for him, as far as a snare and wickedness would have ultimately been the extinction of any wicked man for Christ. It was a passage through which he was to go, even with the snares of men and everything they threw at him in order to come out on the other side, glorious, victorious. In Gethsemane, you can see in John chapter 18 and verse eight, when they came to arrest Our Lord, he knew they were coming to arrest him. He knew what Judas was up to in betraying him. In fact, he said that I've chosen all of you, but one of you is a son of perdition. And so when they came to get Christ, some might think, well, if only Christ had not gone there at that particular time, then he wouldn't have been arrested. It was purpose that he go. It was purpose that he should be arrested and taken. And so while they set the snare for Christ, he was all the while directing everything that was being done to him. And that's why I love reading here in John chapter 18 and verse eight, it says, when they came to find him, let's go up a little base here. Jesus. Notice notice in verse four, knowing all things that should come upon him. Normally, when you think of somebody setting the trap for somebody, they're not aware that Christ was, he went forth and said unto them, what's whom seek ye. He knew the one they were seeking. And they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. And Jesus saith unto him, I am now he is an italic. So. The translators did well and not putting that in normal script there, because it's not in the original. Just read it for what it is. I am. When he's saying that, that's the name for Jehovah. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with him. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am, what happened? They went backward and fell to the ground. Then ask ye them again. It's like knocking them down and picking them up and getting ready to knock them down again. Whom seek ye? Notice they said Jesus of Nazareth. That was a name of derision. And Jesus answered, I have told you that I am, I've told you that I am, I am Jehovah God. If therefore ye seek me, what does he say? Let these go their way. That's substitution. That's satisfaction. And so even as men laid the trap and through the net to bring him down and he was taken, but it was the purpose that they be spared. That's what's happened. He was taken and he bore the contradiction of centers against himself. And by the way, if he paid for our debt, that was our contradiction. And the net that should have ensnared us is what took him instead. He bore the wrath and guess what broke the snare that couldn't bind him three days, three nights in the grave. And he rose again, victorious. That shows that his redemption was accomplished and justification fulfilled and that he, by his shed blood had redeemed his people. Again, coming back to Isaiah 53, if you've left that spot in Isaiah 53 in verse four, it says, surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Such are the, the contradictions of sinners against himself and the net and the trap Christ was taken so that his people might go free. And then coming back here to Job 18, beginning with verse 11, down to verse 14. Here, Bildad rightly speaks of terrors, disease, and death that await those that are outside of Christ. And in that, he speaks true. It says, verse 11, terrors shall make him afraid on every side and shall drive him to his feet. These people that walk around with these t-shirts that say, no fear, they don't have a clue what they're saying. I'm sure at any moment, if God were to change even a thought within them, they would tremble and fear, would not even be able to stand. His strength shall be hunger bitten and destruction shall be ready at his side. It shall devour the strength of his skin. Even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle." And again, that's speaking of his body. Whatever confidence that sinner thinks to have, if God shakes him, It will be rooted out of his mind and body and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. What a dreadful place that we have here. What a dreadful picture that we see, Bildad not even recognizing that he himself is just as guilty. Yet we find that he is nonetheless describing the truth. Fear surrounding a wicked person left to themselves, disease eating them away. Aren't these all things that we find common among people that we have observed and watched who maybe for a while had been successful and then now faded away? And finally, Notice how it's described there. It shall bring him to the king of terrors. Who is the king of terrors? That's where the Lord said, don't fear man and what man can do unto you, but fear rather him that is able to cast you body and soul into hell. I have. stood by the bedside throughout the years of certain ones who for a while seemed pretty cocky, facing death, thinking nothing of it. And yet, as the moment came for them to be taken from this world, I have observed terror and fear, fear and crying out. On the part of these that were dying. It's almost as if the curtain had been pulled back and now they had seen not some comforting Jesus that they had trusted in, but the King of terror, a God of wrath for whom satisfaction had not been made. And they were. bumping along, going along on some profession, and yet now the moment they face the king of terror. I'll tell you, that'll swallow a sinner up in judgment. I was at the hospital, this was several years ago, and a family called me, and the person in the bed, a brother, who all his lifetime had mocked God now, He was just crying out as if he was seeing something. And his brother came out to me in the hallway and says, can't you go in there and do anything? And I said, no, he'll die as he's lived unless the Lord has been pleased to pay his sin debt in Christ. That moment comes and will come for everyone outside of Christ. But thank God, if Christ has paid our debt, he has already faced the king of terrors. In other words, the wrath of his father, that wrath was swallowed up in his death completely. And that is the reason why for those that are his, there is therefore now no condemnation. Oh, what grace to consider that this is what the Lord Jesus Christ endured. because he did come under the very terrors of the curse of sin in Gethsemane. In fact, if you look in Mark chapter 14 and verse 33, you see he was a substitute, but his suffering was real. He was not preserved from the effects of sin that he bore. He did not become a sinner, And yet, as he bore the wrath of God in the place of sinners, you can see here his response, even as the child of God, a son of God. Mark chapter 14 and verse 33, in verse 32 says, they came to a place which was named Gethsemane, and he saith to his disciples, sit here while I shall pray. They couldn't even enter in with him there as he addressed his father. But look in verse 33, he taketh with him, Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy and saith unto them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful unto death, tarry ye here and watch. What amazement. that even in the garden, we see our Lord taking on the terror, the disease, the death, the wrath that was due his people and bearing it himself all the way to the cross. When he cried from the cross, quoting Psalm 22, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? It wasn't that he was abandoned by God, but forsaken to die as he was dying. Even the centurion said no man died as Christ died. Truly. This must be the son of God, but what was going on? He was meeting the King of terrors at that point. Yes. God, the father, and yet God, the Holy God with whom he had to do. And nothing would spare him just because he was the son of God. Scripture says he spared not his son, but delivered him up that he might freely give us all things. And yet in so doing, he swallowed up death. He swallowed up that terror. He swallowed up God's wrath in his person that we might never have to know it over in Hebrews chapter two. In verse 14, Oh, I don't know how we can even consider this and not, not weep knowing it was for our sin that he went to that cross. Hebrews two 14 says for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he's talking about his elect. He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death, what he might destroy him. that had the power of death, that is the devil and deliver them who, through what fear of death, having to face the King of terrors, God and his holiness were all their lifetime subject to bondage. But verily, he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation, that's what this is all about, reconciling his people to a holy God, that they might never have to face this king of terrors, but only know him as the king of peace and of righteousness and justice satisfied, but that for the sins of his people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them tempted. Oh how the scriptures tell us that he swallowed up death in victory and that the Lord God thereby has wiped away the tears from our faces because of his death. Now coming back here to my text I want us to see a fourth comparison and that is not only do the wicked perish but their name perishes and But in contrast, when Christ bore the wrath of his father, his name did not perish, but rather was exalted forever. Look at verses 16 to 19. His roots shall be dried up beneath and above, shall his branch be cut off. His remembrance shall perish from the earth and he shall have no name in the street. That's speaking of the wicked. He shall be driven from light into darkness and chased out of the world. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people nor any remaining in his dwellings. I should go up to verse 15. where, verse 14, his confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle. That's where I stopped. And then in verse 15, it shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. That's how his name would perish from the earth. And as it says there in verse 17, he shall have no name in the street. Many a popular person in life, but wicked, having perished. People don't remember them anymore. They don't know them. They're gone. And the final condemnation of Bildad here describing is this, no posterity, no legacy. Everybody's talking about leaving a legacy. No future. The wicked are cut off without hope, of remembrance, but contrast that to Christ, the Redeemer, where in his death and taking on the sin of his people, his name is exalted. If you look over in Philippians chapter two and verse nine, it says there, because of Christ's work and because of his suffering unto death, It says, wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord. I'm thankful that's the case. When Christ died, his name did not perish with him, but just the opposite. It's that name that we remember now and that we as God's people worship. His name is from everlasting to everlasting. Yes, he was made of no reputation, and certainly the wicked, when they enter into death, their name is of no reputation. Their goods are split up and given away to people that are going to squander them and he'll be remembered no more. But how different our Lord Jesus Christ, though made of no reputation, now what reigns as Lord of all and all who are caused to trust in him are given a name and a place in the house of God forever. That's what wrote about there in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 12. Yeah, it was a difficult time there in the first century. Many were dying as martyrs for the name of Christ and yet their name did not perish with them. The way John writes it here in Revelation 3 and verse 12, Him that overcometh, well who overcomes us but those in Christ. Will I make a pillar in the temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God which is New Jerusalem. We're not looking for some old rebuilt Jerusalem. No, the new Jerusalem, that's God's elect in Christ, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. That is, they were chosen by God and redeemed by Christ. And therefore their name is sure. And he says, I will write upon him my new name. That's the name I want to be remembered by, don't you? that when this flesh perishes and is put into the ground, that name of Christ lives on forever. Well, let's finish this in verses 20 and 21. It says, they that come after him shall be astonished at his day as they that went before were affrighted. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked. And this is the place of him that knoweth not God. Oh, Bill, dad, he could wax eloquent, couldn't he, on death and judgment because he didn't know Christ at this point. But where he erred here is in applying these judgments to Job. He presumed that Job must be wicked and of that number and under God's curse, else how could he suffer in the way he did? And yet Job was one of God's elected Sinners all along, one who would be justified when Christ would come and pay his sin debt. And even in his suffering served as a picture of that Christ, that righteous one who would suffer not for sins of his own, but for his people. We need to be careful not to misjudge just because someone is still in darkness. So long as they're alive, there may be hope that they are the Lord's, but we don't give any false hope. If they are the Lord's, he will draw them in his time. And yet what matters is the suffering that Christ endured, that though he had no sin, yet through his suffering, He was all the while accomplishing the will of his father. He was despised, he was rejected, he was falsely accused and yet upheld by God. So Christ is our refuge. Even though Bildad's words are full of doom, they do serve as a backdrop for the glory of Christ. Every judgment pronounced upon the wicked Bill dad here was endured by Christ for his elect on the cross. Every curse, every terror, every snare, he bored all away and triumphed. But for those outside of Christ, the warning still stands, doesn't it? Without Christ, there is no light. There's no hope. There's no future. There's nothing but eternal condemnation. But, oh, in Christ, think about it, we're redeemed, we're justified, we're safe. We're not under wrath, but under grace. And that's why Paul said there in Romans 8, one, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Praise him who has judged us in our substitute the Lord Jesus Christ that we might live forever in his sight. Amen.