well we've got a short series on Job, we're calling it the perfect storm, we come to message number four and if you remember Job has lost everything even his children there's nothing left and so the inevitable question is why, why does this happen to Job? and Job's three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar know the answer each is confident he can explain Job's suffering, each is confident he can explain how God rules the world so we'll call this morning's message how wrong can you be and in Job from chapter four to chapter twenty-eight we have three rounds of heated arguments so Eliphaz speaks, Job replies, Bildad speaks, Job replies Zophar speaks, Job replies, that's just round one then we go through all again in round two and then there's a round three and by the third round Job and his three friends have moved further and further apart and there is no middle ground so this morning we just have two points and point number one we'll call Job's friends okay Job is suffering why is he suffering? well say Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar listen to us we can explain why you're going through all this Job and each appeals to a different sort of authority so chapter 4 Eliphaz speaks of a mystical experience and chapter 8 Bildad points to tradition, the sort of hoarded wisdom of the past and so for chapter 20 he believes in observable facts but whether it's mysticism, tradition or the scientific method each is sure that he can explain why Job is suffering as he is so what's their argument? well it's simply this Job, God is in control and God is just so he punishes the wicked and he rewards the righteous so Job if you suffer more than others it can mean only one thing that you are a greater sinner than others but of course they're wrong Job is suffering not because he's guilty he's suffering because he's innocent says who? says God remember chapter 2 verse 3 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 shuns evil and still he holds fast his integrity although you incited me against him to destroy him without cause God himself says this is innocent suffering Job is suffering to prove that the devil is a liar that there is such a thing as childlike trust and loving obedience that he doesn't obey God because God rewards him because God pays the best wages he obeys God because God is the light of his life so Job resists the charges the false charges of his three friends he's convinced that this is innocent suffering and you read what Job says, he says essentially this, he says yes Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar I am a sinner but not in a way that explains this, not in a way that explains why I have been singled out and anyway he goes on for example in chapter 21 he says when I look around me it seems that the wicked do get away with it in this world so his three friends say Job you're guilty says Job no I'm not, I'm not guilty well that's just a very brief overview let's sample some of these speeches we're going to move through them so if you have your Bible in front of you we're going to look at little samples of various speeches don't worry if you can just listen to as we read things out so let's look at these speeches of Job's friends, now last week we looked at Eliphaz's first speech and it's the kindest of all the speeches and Eliphaz has got it all worked out, he says in chapter 5 verse 27, he says we have searched this out it is true hear it and know for yourself and he says essentially this is Job he says Job you're a good man and God doesn't condemn good men but even Job good men are sinners and so God disciplines them for their own good so Job seek the Lord and after this time of chastening all will be well well maybe at that point Job had said thank you my friend I now see oh yes you're right you're right you're right I now see 5 chapter 5 verse 17 behold happy is the man whom the law whom God corrects maybe if Job agreed with Eliphaz it all would have stopped there but of course Job bats it back hard chapter 6 verse 4 he says for the arrows of the Almighty are within me my spirit drinks in their poison the terrors of God are arrayed against me he said God is not correcting me as a friend God is killing me as an enemy well thanks very much Eliphaz in fact thanks all of you chapter 6 verse 14 to him who is afflicted kindness should be shown by his friend you're not showing me any kindness even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty my brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook like the streams of the brooks that pass away I thought you'd come to help me I thought you'd come to revive me but you're like deceitful brooks when you look to them to give you refreshment and help they're not there so Job goes on for another chapter and a half it's wonderful words wonderful poetry it's gripping read it well chapter 8, Bill that is listening to all this now it's his turn to speak and so he says chapter 8 verse 2 how long will you speak these things and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind does God subvert judgment or does the Almighty pervert justice? Job you windbag are you seriously suggesting that God is unjust in the way he's dealing with you verse 4 if your sons have sinned against him he has cast them away for their transgression this is a friend talking to me says if your children died it was because they were great sinners ouch but God hasn't killed you Job so maybe there's hope for you and if you repent Job all will be well chapter 8 verse 21 he will yet fill your mouth with laughing and your lips with rejoicing he just told him that God has killed his children because they were great sinners but you repent Job and you'll be laughing and once again Job bats it back this is innocent suffering so now in Wade's Zophar chapter 11 and verse 2 should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated? Should your empty talk make men hold their peace? And when you mock, should no one rebuke you? Job, I'm not going to put up with you talking like that. I'm not going to sit in silence and listen to you. Verse 4, For you have said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in your eyes. I'm an innocent man, but all that God would speak and open his lips against you that he would show you the secrets of wisdom for they would double your prudence know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves oh Job you are a great sinner but you're not getting half of what you deserve God is not unjust it's just Job that you're too stupid to see it, look at verse 12 of chapter 11 for an empty-headed man will be wise when a wild donkey's colt is born a man a fool can no more be wise Job than a wild donkey's colt can be born to a man these are his friends it's getting more aggressive isn't it? more hostile you feel that the temperature is rising So what's Zophar's remedy? Well, of course, if all this has come upon Job, because Job is a great sinner and God has actually been merciful with him, dealing with him like that, he's not getting half of what he deserves what's the answer? Repent, Job! Repent! If you would, verse 13, if you would prepare your heart and stretch out your hands toward him if iniquity were in your hand and you put it far away I would not let wickedness dwell in your tents, then surely you could lift up your face without spot, yes you could be steadfast and not fear but again Job bats it back yes I'm a sinner but not in a way that explains this not in a way that explains why God has singled me out and he says in chapter 12 verse 2 he says no doubt you are the people and wisdom will die with you, you have all the answers you're the people and you're so wise and when you die there'll be no more wisdom in this world verse three but I have understanding as well as you and I'm not inferior to you indeed who does not know such things as these? I know what you're telling me, I've heard it all before, don't you think I've got a brain as well? Don't you think I've worked it out? By chapter 13 Job says I'm through talking with you lot verse 30, chapter 13, behold my eye has seen all this my ear has heard and understood what you know I also know I'm not inferior to you but I would speak to the Almighty and I desire to reason with God I'm getting nowhere with you lot I need to speak to God well chapter 15 back comes Eliphaz and if his first speech was the kindest and if as now puts the boot in first time around Job I gave you the benefit of the doubts I tried to reason with you but there's no reasoning with you Job you're just a wicked sinner living in denial chapter 15 verse 6 your own mouth condemns you and not I yes your own lips testify against you verse 14 what is man that he could be pure and he was born of a woman that he could be righteous if God puts no trust in his saints and the heavens are not pure in his sight how much less man who is abominable and filthy who drinks iniquity like water oh Job don't start saying you're innocent how can you say that you're abominable you're filthy Job the wicked get their comeuppance so if you carry on like this it's only going to go one way but if you read Eliphaz's speech it's interesting there's no grappling with the issues Job's raised serious issues, each time he backs it back he says that's not true but there's no there's no grappling with the issues that Job has raised and there's no humility certainly there's no sympathy and if these are his friends there doesn't appear to be much love on show Eliphaz just asserts things he says, Job this is the way that things are this is the way that God works I know what I'm talking about Job so it goes on, chapter 18, Bildad wades in again verse 2, how long till you put an end to words you're just an old windbag Job, you're going on and on and on, gain understanding, listen to what we're saying think about it, meditate on it, and afterward we will speak why are we counted as beasts and regarded as stupid in your sight? do you think we're brainless dumb animals? but by now it's clear that Job's friends have stopped listening chapter 18 verse 4 they say, Bill that says You who tear yourself in anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you or shall the rock be removed from its place? Shall we turn the universe on its head, Job, just to prove that you're right? Hmm? Job the great innocent and God unjust? Is that the way the universe works? Do you want us to do that? Turn the world on its head? You're innocent, God is unjust? Shall we rearrange the moral fabric of the universe, move this immovable rock over here just to prove that you're innocent? Come on! But again, we read, didn't we? Chapter 18. But did you notice Spildad's speech? There's no argument, is there? There's no reasoning? There are no examples to back up what he's saying? there's no evidence to support his case, there's no application basically he says to Job, shut up do you think we're stupid? will you turn everything on its head just to justify yourself? don't you get it Job, God punishes the wicked and if you've lost everything do the arithmetic it's because you're wicked and by this stage it's almost pantomimed we've got Job over here saying this is innocent suffering and his friends say oh no it's not oh yes it is oh no it's not oh yes it is and they get louder and louder oh no it's not well chapter 20 Zophar wades in again and by now it's just a blazing row He says this, he says, oh, chapter 20 verse 2, therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer because of the turmoil within me. Oh, I'm so upset by what you're saying, Job. I've heard the rebuke that reproaches me and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer. Job, I'm so upset, how dare you talk to me like that? You'd think they're the ones who are suffering, wouldn't you? And then he goes on this whole thing again, verse 4, don't you know there they go again what does he say? He says the same old thing there's no escape for the wicked in this world God punishes bad people and if you're suffering Job it's because you're a bad person and he really warms to his themes though if you just look at chapter 20 verse 23 he's talking about what happens to the wicked when he is about to fill his stomach God will cast on him the fury of his wrath and he will rain on him what he is eating he will flee from the iron weapon, a bronze bow will pierce through it is drawn and comes out of his body, yes the glittering point comes out of his gall terrors come upon him, total darkness is reserved for his treasures an unfanned 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 this is the portion from God for a wicked man the heritage is appointed to him by God it's just loud isn't it? it's just heated it's dogmatic Job you just need to be told and again Job tries to reason with them and by the time we come to Eliphaz's third speech chapter 22 his tone is sneering chapter 22 verse 4 is it because of your fear of him that he corrects you and enters into judgment with you or is it because you're so holy Job that God is dealing with you like this and if he's sneering he's just plain nasty verse 5 is not your wickedness great and your iniquity without end. Job you are a wicked man your iniquities without end and because there's no evidence to back up what he says Eliphaz to justify what he says starts to point to secret sins or things that Job is supposed not to have done so chapter 22 verse 6 he says for you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason and stripped the naked of their clothing, he's got no evidence for that you have not given the weary water to drink and you have withheld bread from the hungry, there's no evidence for that it's not true the aliphaz has just gotten nasty, he's determined to pin something on Job so in the absence of any obvious sins that he can see, he starts thinking there must be things that Job hasn't done. You can always nail someone for something they haven't done, can't you? Because it's the lack of evidence that's the evidence of their guilt isn't it? If you start nailing people for sins they haven't done sorry, things they haven't done well it's the the fact there is no evidence is the evidence yes? Have you ever done that? Take an offense at someone and because you haven't got anything on them you start thinking, oh yeah, some secret sin some hidden motive something they were supposed to have said something actually they didn't do which they should have done because if it's something they didn't do you don't need any evidence for that, do you? a motive you're sure they have because you can't see motives so your lack of evidence becomes the evidence that's what Eliphaz is doing to Job so often we can do it to our brothers and sisters but it's the devil's work isn't it, he's the accuser he's the one who finds fault when there is no fault so let's not do the accuser's work for him Job's friends, you can read it other times no wonder Job says in chapter sixteen verse two he says uh... miserable comforters are you all who needs friends, these are his friends who needs friends like you so by the end Job's friends have stopped listening they haven't answered any of Job's points and the more he resists the more he asserts that this is innocent suffering the more they see a hardened sinner the fact you're not listening to us Job must mean you're a hardened sinner and you just need to be told and they become increasingly hostile aggressive suspicious they start pointing the finger they're accusing him of things without any evidence at all it gets more and more heated and in the end without a shred of evidence they say Job you are a wicked, wicked, wicked man how wrong can you be? So point number two, what are the lessons for us? Now Christian friends, this might be uncomfortable Why? Well, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, they worship the true God. They're believers. They believe that God is holy and wise and just and sovereign. They believe He's rich in mercy. That's why they make these appeals to Job to repent. They believe that He's the God of wonders. Eliphaz's first speech speaking of God he says he does great things unsearchable marvelous things without number what's more these men have a zeal for God and for his glory as they see it in the face of Job's refusal to acknowledge his sin as they see it God must be vindicated the more Job resists the more they feel they have to vindicate God when they're when they're speaking they feel they're standing up for God they're jealous for his glory even at the cost of their friendship with Job and these men love holiness they love holy living, holy words as Eliphaz says the counsel of the wicked is far from me and they're earnest and they're tender in their appeals to sinners to repent chapter 22 says receive please instruction from from his mouth from God's mouth and lay up his words in your heart If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, you will remove iniquity far from your tent. Then you will lay your gold in the dust, and the gold off your among the stones of the brooks. Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver." Tender words they're using, pleading with Job to repent. So, they're tender in their appeals to a sinner as they see it. And they're thoroughly orthodox. Chapter 22, verse 16, they believe in the flood. and when you listen to their speeches you would say that these are Bible men and they preach some great gospel sermons in so many ways they're theologically correct and yet for all that they are so wrong and Christian men that's uncomfortable isn't it? because we worship God and we're zealous for his glory we stand up for God we too love holiness we too long for sinners to repent we too are theologically correct and yet for all that we can get it wrong so wrong so where do they go wrong? number one they're wrong about Job aren't they? Edifaz, Bildad, Zophar say Job suffers because he's a sinner but of course the opposite is true Job is suffering because he's innocent he's suffering to prove that the devil is a liar he's suffering to prove that in this world there is such a thing as childlike trust and willing obedience that he fears God not because God blesses him he fears God because God is worthy of his worship that's why he does it so Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, they say many things which are true and biblical and right but all those true things are built on a falsehood that Job is guilty so Christian friends we can say all the right things and be totally wrong we can use God's truth to advance a lie we can use all the right verses, it's all true but actually the premise is completely false and who's working on this premise that obedience equals blessing? Well it's Satan isn't it? That's his argument Does Job fear God for nothing? So not only are our three friends wrong about Job, but they're unwittingly advancing Satan's premise and they're unwittingly doing his work by tearing to shreds a holy godly innocent man. How wrong can you be? And number two, they're wrong about suffering in their minds all their equations have got to balance in this world it's all going to be sorted out now which means that a just God must punish the wicked in this world and a just God must reward the righteous in this world which means if you suffer more than others it must be because you're a bigger sinner than others but that's not true they have no theology of godly suffering what would they make of the cross where he who never sinned received the wages of sin where the one true perfect innocent in the universe became the greatest sufferer they have no room for the cross because in seeing Jesus suffer they say it's because he's a greater sinner than everyone else that's the way their equation works. Now Christian friend, do you believe the godly should suffer? You're clear about the cross Jesus was innocent but he was dying for my sins but what about the godly suffering surely Christians can expect happy marriages surely they can expect obedient children who will all believe and good health and surely as Christians we can expect wonderful churches where we can serve the Lord full-on without any difficulties heartaches, discouragements, frustrations, problems if there are problems in a church, well must be somebody's fault someone's not walking with the law, there must be some sin somewhere that's causing all of this and then after a full, healthy fruitful active life we say I'm gonna die a wonderful comfortable death in Jesus and when it doesn't work out we're shocked and we think what's gone wrong? what have I done wrong? what have they done wrong? and Christian friends, that's sound of music theology you know, some of you are better acquainted with the sound of music than I am, but you know Maria and the captain, they fall in love and she sings and he joins in, they duet together, what does she sing? She says nothing comes from nothing nothing ever could so somewhere in my youth or childhood I must have done something good what she's singing, she's saying something good is happening to me so I must have done something good because good things happen to good people the other side of that means that bad things must happen to bad people and actually we have that theology very often don't we? I mean we wouldn't say it but actually that's nursing quite deep in our hearts because when things go wrong what do you do? You start thinking what have I done wrong? What have I done wrong? and like Job's friends it's because we have no theology, no underpinning that in this world actually the innocent, the godly will suffer and actually in this world frequently the innocent, the godly suffer more than the ungodly and the third thing is they're wrong about God they're wrong about Job, they're wrong about suffering and they're wrong about God they misrepresent God because right at the end of the book this is what God says, He says this to Eliphaz so it was after the Lord had spoken these words to Job that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my wrath is aroused against you and your two friends for you have not spoken of me what is right as my servant Job has says God I'm angry with you Eliphaz, and your two friends because you've misrepresented me when you've spoken and said in God's name it's like this well don't use my name you're wrong about me but don't they say wonderful things about God? Yes they do but as you follow the arguments you realize that Job is much further along than his friends he really is coming to terms with the greatness of God he's coming to terms with a God who really is sovereign and incomprehensible he's beginning to understand that only God can explain God only God understands God Job's God is not a tame God but when you look at his three friends, their God is tame, their God is small, their God you can put him in a box their God fits all the equations Job worships the God he cannot understand that he cannot explain they worship a God they can explain which is why they misrepresent God and have no idea just how great God really is very challenging isn't it you can know your Bible you can say God is wonderful there's no one like Him you can think that you have the answers and yet you can still get it utterly wrong about God and the greater is the damage that you can do because you've got a Bible in your hand if you've got the Beano in your hand no one will take you seriously but I've got the Bible in my hand and I quote verses the greater the damage I can do and we can just simply be godly fools how wrong can you be? And finally, number four, they're wrong about themselves. Job, we know. You find it a lot in what they say, we know, we know, we know, but they don't know, do they? They teach when they should be silent and the more Job challenges their assertions the angrier they get and they don't address his arguments they just raise their voices they just think Job needs to be told and the louder I said as it were the more backbone it puts in my argument and there's all this venom and nastiness and accusations towards who? towards the one man in all the world who is blameless he's the godliest man in the world and yet they're accusing him of all of these things no wonder at the end of it they have to repent now Christian friends when you think about that I find all this very uncomfortable when I start working through the implications of all of this Bildad's speech chapter eighteen verse four he says this shall the earth be forsaken for you or shall the rock be removed from its place okay it's all poetry, it's beautiful poetry what's he saying? he's saying Job to prove your right shall we turn the universe on its head to fit in with your contention that you are innocent do we have to move the unmovable that's what they're saying but you see when Job asserts that this is innocent suffering it's not God's universe that's being turned on its head, is it? the only universe being turned on its head is their universe these immovable rocks on which they've built their position are only immovable because they refuse to see any other viewpoint they refuse to have their mindset, their theology, their understanding challenged Now Christian friend, is that you? Is that me? You're so sure, so certain, so fixed, you're so right, which is why you always feel you've got to have the last word Job's experience fitted their equation, they see a man suffering and in their equation that must mean he's therefore a sinner but they never ever questioned whether their equation was right that's the way they saw the world they were all agreed that's the way the world was but it never crossed their mind to question whether what they said was true Christian friend is that you? what happens when fellow Christians challenge your beliefs and convictions what happens when fellow Christians start moving rocks upon which you've built your position? Do you immediately assume that if they move that rock that they're wrong and you're right? Do you go on to the attack? Because as far as you're concerned you're standing up for God, you're standing up for the truth and if they don't back down do you get angry? maybe you start finding fault maybe you start looking at them and thinking aha! there must be some hidden agenda some sinful motive do you actually try to understand what they're saying? or do you simply restate your position with ever greater emphasis are you a them and us Christian? So when someone moves the rock upon which you built your position immediately you're over here and they must be over there because you have no desire to really understand and of course if it's a them and us with other Christians it can become a me and the church when was the last time you changed your mind on one of these rocks that shouldn't be removed from its place, some Christian said, I don't think that's true, I think it's like this when was the last time you said, you know actually that's right I see it now, when was the last time you changed your mind and when was the last time in Paul's words you submitted to your brothers and sisters in the fear of God, you didn't feel I have to get my own way I said, well if that's what the church is and that's what the church wants to do and I'm part of this church, they're my brothers and sisters, I will submit myself to my brothers and sisters that's why I said this is very uncomfortable stuff you see because when we think so much we're standing up for God sometimes all we're doing is just simply standing up for ourselves when we feel we've nailed our colors to God's truth actually what it can sometimes simply be is a stubborn heart and an unwillingness to yield and I want things my way and we can turn our preferences into principles, immovable principles you see our greatest sins hide in the holiest of places because it's the last place we'd look our greatest sins can be when we feel we're standing up for God and defending his truth and doing what's right because of course that must be a holy thing to do it's the last place I'd expect there to be a stubborn heart who would have thought with Job's three friends that their tender appeal to Job to repent that actually underneath it was simply the sin of pride and self-righteousness but the strength of their appeal is actually because they want to be proved right in the end they were wrong about themselves weren't they? Christian friend maybe it's time to ask the Lord if you have been wrong about yourself perhaps for many years you've been immovable on many things all those things Bible things many years ago a brother came to see me he's no longer here to make a lot longer it was a good couldn't just the reason he was not moved away I'm brother can see about a sermon I preached the 20 years ago so that's a long time ago and he disagreed with my exposition, he disagreed with my application and the more we discussed that disagreement the angrier he became I said okay we disagree but why are you so angry? and what he did next made me want to hug him because this is what he said he said to me, he said, you're right You're right! Why am I so angry? Why am I so angry about this sermon that was preached? Why? He said, forget about the sermon the sermon is not the issue that's not the important thing, the real issue is why am I so angry? and Christian friends so often the real issue is that we want to have the last word Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we think of Job's three friends and we can stand apart at the things that they said and say, isn't that terrible the way they're speaking to Job? And yet, Lord, so often we find their shoes quite comfortable to stand in. And Lord, we find ourselves we find ourselves raising our voices, we find ourselves becoming assertive, we find ourselves becoming angry Lord God, we pray that you would shine a light into our hearts search us, oh God, search us cast the searchlight, that laser beam into those dark places, those places which have become calloused those places which we've left undisturbed for many years and change us changes that we might be like Christ. We thank Him that He wasn't someone who raised His voice in the streets. He wasn't a bully. He wasn't assertive. We thank Him that a bruised reed and a smoking flax He didn't break, and a smoking flax He didn't quench. We thank Him that He loved the people who were before Him. We pray, O God, grant us more of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. and grant us all, Lord, this day repentance. We thank you, Lord, repentance is simply coming back to you, and in that path is light and joy and all that we need. So, Father, help us to work these things through in our own lives and in the life of the church. For your glory, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.