Good to see all of you here today that we might worship our Lord together. We turn today to the book of Job. This is our 10th sermon from Job, and we're going to get through five chapters today in what some call the most difficult chapters of the book. I'm not quite sure why they call them that, but many do. Chapters 27 through 31, and the sermon is entitled, Let the Almighty Answer Me. As we open to the 27th chapter of Job, Job continues in his final response to his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. These friends came from afar with the intent to sympathize with Job, to comfort him. But as it is, they have been a very trying part of his testing, like a barbed, three-pronged thorn in his flesh. In their flawed theological understanding, they believed in the retribution principle that God always in this life prospers the righteous and always punishes the wicked. Failing to view Job's situation outside the narrow confines of that erroneous position, they mistakenly concluded that Job faced the adversity he did on account that God was punishing him for his sin. The three friends accused Job of cheating, we studied that last week, of lying, being cruel to the thirsty, heartless toward the hungry, of taking his shirt off his brother's back, oppressing the orphans, driving widows into poverty, and being an all-around bad guy, wicked person who spoke evil of God. They surmised that what Job suffered was a matter of divine retribution. We recall in the 22nd chapter that Eliphaz mocked Job saying in verse four, is it because of your reverence that he, that God reproves you, that he enters into judgment against you? And then in the fifth verse, Eliphaz says, is not your wickedness great and your iniquities without end? But as we know, according to our study and our reading of the book, as we know, God was not reproving Job, and neither had he entered into a judgment against him. Rather than Job's wickedness being great, it was just the opposite. He was being tested because he was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil. Because he was a righteous man, he was being tested. So here is Job, God's choice servant. The scripture says there was not another one like him in all the land. Regarding himself, he knew nothing of the heavenly altercations between God and the accuser. All he knows is that for some reason, God has seen fit that he should lose his wealth, many servants, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his camels, and all 10 of his precious children, and at the last, even his health. His wife, rather than encouraging him, scolded him, disgusted really that he maintained his integrity before God. She told him to curse God and die. And then the three friends come along. One might think that they would encourage and commend Job for maintaining his integrity, but no, in an effort to explain the inexplicable, they accused Job of being an egregious sinner deserving the wrath of God. with Zophar having harshly rebuked Job twice, and with Eliphaz and Bildad each excoriating him three times over, Job responds this last time. As we will read, Job is at wit's end. Have you ever been at wit's end? Job is at wit's end. He is hurting beyond measure, and there is no encouragement to be found. God is silent. His friends are a royal pain, and Job is utterly confounded by it all. He is beside himself. So now with the Bibles open to Job chapter 27, we will read the first six verses, and then we'll turn to the 31st chapter where we will read the first few lines of the 35th verse. So please stand for the reading of the inerrant, infallible written word of God. This is God's holy word, pure and true, reading from Job chapter 27, beginning to read at verse 1. This is the word of the Lord. Then Job continued his discourse and said, As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty who has embittered my soul. For as long as life is in me and the breath of God is in my nostrils, my lips certainly will not speak unjustly, nor will my tongue mutter deceit. Far be it from me that I should declare you right. Till I die, I will not put away my integrity from me. I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go. My heart does not reproach me. any of my days. Now please turn to chapter 31, and we'll just read the first three lines of the 31st verse. Job 31, verse 35. Oh, that I had one to hear me. Behold, here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me. Would you please bow your heads with me? Our Lord, we come before you seeking your truth, the truth of who you are. And here we are in this book of Job, which many struggle with. We're in this book that you have put in your word, the first book of the wisdom section that we might learn of you, that we might learn wisdom. And here today, Lord, as Job speaks of wisdom, may we gather in what true wisdom is, and may we seek you and learn wisdom from you. Lord, in all of life, there are many trials, there are many troubles, oh, many blessings by your hand, Lord, but many trials, many troubles, this is a fallen world. We thank you, Lord, that we can rely on you through thick and thin, When things are difficult, that we can look to you and know that you will hear our prayer. Lord, sometimes it seems like you're silent, but we know ultimately you hear our prayer and you will answer and you will redeem us. So may we gather this in, Lord, how we ought to maintain our integrity through the wisdom of God and then, Lord, by faith to know that one day soon you will deliver us. We'll be in your presence. All this will be behind us. What a day that will be, Lord. We look forward to seeing you face to face. Until then, Lord, may we learn from you and glorify you. In the name of Christ, I pray. And all the church said, amen. God bless you. You may be seated. This morning we will read as Job maintains his integrity, Job commends wisdom, Job remembers when, Job laments his day, and Job defends his integrity. After suffering great adversity and being advised, accused, and attacked by his friends, Job responds by maintaining his integrity before God. Here it is proven that Job will not curse God as the accuser claimed. Though struggling, Job remained faithful to God, because God is God. And that's enough. And the church said, amen. Well, Job maintains his integrity. As we open to the 27th chapter, again, we find Job in a continuation of a final discourse. Though his friends have accused him of multiple terrible sins and of being under God's judgment, he emphatically states here his resolve to maintain his righteousness. In response, Job invokes the name of God, identifying God as the One who is Almighty who lives. He does not question if God is. or who God is, but he maintains that God is the living, active, overseeing, almighty, sovereign. Sometimes when we get in a bad place, we say, well, is God even real? Job isn't there. All Job has suffered, he still says God is. He's the living God and he's the almighty God. So this then is to identify God as the one who has Job where he is and who could deliver him if he wanted to. Think about that. If God is almighty, if he is the sovereign, then Job is where he is at the hand of God, and because God is almighty, God could deliver him from it immediately. Immediately. But God isn't delivering him from it immediately. He's taking him through it. He's gonna see through it. We will read when we get to his great redemption and restoration, but for now, it's pretty rough. So Job identifies the living God as the one who has taken away his right. That is, he says, God is the one who has denied me justice. And then he identifies God as the Almighty who has embittered his soul by visiting with such horrendous and terrifying adversities. So by the name of the living God, who has taken away my right, and by the Almighty who has embittered my soul, I make this vow. Can you imagine that? Well, this is Job's complaint. Still, we know that he doesn't blame the devil. And I've appreciated that throughout the sermon and this teaching, and you've heard me speak about it on more than one occasion. Though Job is hurting, Though Satan was truly involved, Job knows that God is over the devil. And so rather than complaining toward the devil, he goes to God. As one who truly fears God, who truly knows that God is the almighty sovereign over all, Job knows that his life is in God's hands. Job does not spend his God-given time and breath to address or denounce the devil, nor to take authority over the devil, but he looks to God as a living almighty who is over him. Church. Contrary to many who claim, even here in Albuquerque, who claim Christ, but spend much of their God-given time and breath denouncing the devil while claiming authority over him. Contrary to them, let us be of the kind that whatever comes our way, we look to God as a sovereign almighty who has us in his hands, who always and ever has us in his hands. Either the living God has the whole world in his hands or he doesn't. Why spend a moment addressing the devil when we can identify God as the Almighty who lives? So church, if you have a complaint, and oftentimes we have complaints, oftentimes we don't think that God is dealing with us like we would want Him to. If you have a complaint, don't let that complaint turn your attention to the devil, but take it to God as Job does. Like Job, take your issues to God. Well, by acknowledging God as Job does, he acts according to what he said earlier. What did he say earlier? Shall we receive good from God and not adversity? Though God slay me, yet will I trust him. So Job has a complaint. Who's he going to? He's going to his Lord and God. So invoking the name of God, whom Job says has taken away justice and dealt bitterness to him, by that same name, he says that he will not abandon his integrity. He will not do what is evil, he will not speak what is untrue. Why? Because God is God, he is the living God, he is the almighty God, and we live to worship him. My highest purpose in life, your highest purpose in life is to what? worship God, and to enjoy Him forever and ever, amen? How God deals with us does not change the fact of who God is and how we ought to live before Him. God is God, we must serve Him. Well, Job says in verses three through six, For as long as life is in me and the breath of God is in my nostrils, my lips certainly will not speak unjustly, nor will my tongue mutter deceit. Far be it from me that I should declare you right. He's talking to his three friends who have said, you're in sin, Joe. Far be it from me that I should declare you right. Till I die, I will not put away my integrity from me. I hold fast my righteousness. I will not let it go. My heart does not reproach any of my days. So Job declares his innocence. He is not guilty of the vile things his friends accuse him of, for which they are saying God is repaying him. And as Job rightly sees it, to give in and confess such things that he hasn't done is itself would be a lie, and in itself would be to abandon innocence. By confessing to what is not true, his friends might be satisfied, they might pat him on the shoulder, they might not chastise him any longer, but it would be a sinful affront to God to say, I've done what I haven't done. I'm guilty of what I'm not guilty of. Job will not do it. In a sense, Job says, okay, I'm a guilty sinner, as you say, then by doing so, what is he doing? He's sinning. He's making them right. He's guilty as charged. It would be sinful to confess to sin he hadn't committed. So Job not only declares his innocence, but he actually maintains it. At the same time, he's tired of his friends. Job begins to see them more as enemies. His friends are acting like enemies, as we might put it today, they are frenemies. Have you heard the phrase? Frenemies. Job will no longer tolerate them. So in verses 7 through 12, he expresses his wish that his enemies, speaking to his frenemies, be as the wicked and unjust who, one, have no hope of rescue when God cuts them off, whose prayers, second, whose prayers in times of distress God will not hear, and thirdly, who do not the like in the Almighty. May the wicked experience these things. May my enemies experience these things, that they're cut off from God and there's no rescue. Their prayers don't go up to God and they do not delight in the Almighty. The wicked, not knowing God is the sovereign Almighty, do not call on Him at all times. Now the wicked may call on Him, but not at all times. They call on Him only in their time of despair. They do not worship God as the sovereign over all, good and bad, but they cry out to him only when they find it self advantageous. Rather than worshiping God for who he is, they call on him in hopes of what he might give them. These wicked are guilty of what the accuser accused Job of. They worship only for what God gives them, when true worshipers like Job and God help us like us, worship God as the living Almighty, even if and when God's hand is heavy upon us. Having wished his enemies be like the wicked, and by that no doubt gathered his friends utmost attention, Job says that he will instruct them in the power of the Almighty. What's he doing here? By this he is warning them that they, in fact, are acting wickedly and speaking foolishly, that they themselves are in danger of God's judgment. Sean O'Donnell explains that they all, Job and friends, believe that God judges the wicked, but their verdict against Job has been totally off. Job is not wicked, they are. They are wicked because they are saying Job is wicked. They're speaking wrong of God. They're speaking wrong of Job. So Job has a warning in verses 13 through 23, tells the friends what they already know, that the wicked will face the wrath of God. Job recounts the inheritance the wicked will receive from the Lord. Job instructs his friends, reminding them that the wicked and their children will suffer war and famine. that they will suffer the loss of wealth, the wealth they so deceptively gathered. Their house, though they made every effort in securing it, will be torn apart as easily as a spider's web. Though for now they flourish, the day of reckoning comes. The wicked will not escape the wrath of God." David Allen comments, "'Counselors,' like Job's three friends, are full of spiritual diagnosis and prescription. But after all their help, we often feel worse instead of better. Some of the answers Job received from his friends are true to a point, at least technically so. Job's counselors methodically recite their bookish precepts to Job and then slap their conclusions onto Job's life like labels on a specimen bottle. But they horribly mislabeled Job. so much so that God would chastise them in the end for their counseling malpractice. Job warned his friends that they were acting wickedly, and if they did not repent, that they themselves would come under the wrath of God. So having reaffirmed his innocence and warned his friends of their error in God's impending judgment, Job then goes on to encourage them in what they need. And what do they need? They need wisdom. Wisdom must be added to their knowledge. Theology. Without godly wisdom, is made to be brutish, harsh, judgmental, and wounding rather than healing. Theology spouted in pride is dismissive, demanding, and oftentimes delivered in cold-hearted indifference. It makes God harsh rather than the loving God he is. So then theology ministered in wisdom is embracing, gracious, and caring. Job's friends are in great need of God's wisdom. So Job commends wisdom. We're at the 28th chapter. To make his point concerning wisdom, Job marvels at the great length and extreme effort to which men go to extract wealth from the depths of the earth. As men cherish silver, gold, iron, and copper, there is no end to their exploration, nor to the dangers they're willing to encounter in hopes of gain. Men mine into the dark recesses of the earth. They plunge into the deep depths, the unknown depths in search of their prize. In untouched and unformidable lands, they sink subterranean shafts. They risk limb and life as they hang from ropes and descend far below the surface. They break rocks in search of sapphires and gather gold from the dust. They go where neither falcon can see nor a fierce lion would walk. They dig into the base of mountains and dam up the streams, all in search of material wealth. But wisdom, what about wisdom? Not only is wisdom with this understanding and application much harder to find, but in great failure, men do not comprehend. the surpassing value of wisdom. Wisdom is infinitely more valuable than all the combined treasures of the world. Of the value of wisdom, Job says, this is chapter 28, verse 15 through 19, pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can silver be weighed as its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir and precious onyx or sapphire. Gold or glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned. And the acquisition of wisdom is above pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. Sadly, Though the most valuable things in the world cannot purchase wisdom, sadly, the value of wisdom escapes most. So what we see is one may gain all the things of the world, even all the treasures of the world, but if they do not possess wisdom, the wisdom of God, then it is all earthly, passing in for naught. To receive an education is good. I commend it. Get educated. but to not know how to apply that education and wisdom is a failure. To possess knowledge of facts is good, but to not know how to wisely apply the facts to life is wasteful. To be theologically educated is good, very good, but to not understand how that theology applies to life, producing reverent love and worship of God and love for one another, then though we might have learned something about God, we have not come to know God. The value of wisdom is beyond. But where can wisdom be gained then? We can't buy it. We can't mine for it. Where can wisdom be gained? Well, Job says, verse 20, where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? And then he answers this question, verse 23, God understands its way and he knows its place. Steve Lawson writes, the source of wisdom is found in God alone who understands the way to it. Only God knows where wisdom dwells It is by divine design that he alone has wisdom. All wisdom is with God himself. So if a person wants wisdom, they first have to go to God. Do you need proof that God is wise? Do you need proof that wisdom is with God? Well, Job explains how wisdom is with God. Here it is, God is the one who in creation imparted weight to the wind. Job talks about weight to the wind, the weight of wind. Well, how heavy is wind? It can obliterate a strong structure and moves countless tons of sand from one dune to another. Seemingly effortless. God measures out the waters. in his wisdom, this much here in that ocean and that much there in that lake and that much flowing through that river. He sets the limits on rain. He determines the course of the lightning bolt. Who can do such a thing and how does God do that? Wisdom is with God, wisdom then is from God. Now God then tells us where wisdom is found. Verse 28, and to man, God said, behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. If anybody asks you to define wisdom, tell them this, wisdom is the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is wisdom. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Oftentimes in scripture you find the word wisdom and the word understanding together. They go hand in hand, if not synonymous. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding. David Allen writes, true wisdom consists in two things, the fear of the Lord and departing from evil. And we would have to say, if you fear the Lord, you will depart from evil. If you depart from evil, it's because you fear the Lord. True wisdom consists in two things, the fear of the Lord and departing from evil. Joe's point is that true wisdom is God's gift. As in the other wisdom literature of the Bible, fearing God does not connote primarily terror, but respect, honor, and obedience. Fearing God is an attitude that leads to right living. To fear the Lord means to order our lives in accordance with his standards of holiness as outlined in scripture. Job's linking of these two things, fear of God and avoidance of sin, makes clear that a proper understanding and description of true holiness is characterized by avoidance of sin demonstrated by righteous living. Interestingly, This is how the book of Proverbs summarizes the fear of God. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, chapter eight, verse 13, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, chapter nine, verse 10. It is identical to how Solomon concludes Ecclesiastes, chapter 12, verse 13, fear God and keep his commandments because this applies to every person. The essence of all wisdom is to fear God and to do what he says, end quote. But I would have to add this. All is lost in the pursuit of wisdom. if we do not understand the motivation of our fear of God and the motivation of our love to do what he says. Love must be the motivating factor. We love him because he first loved us. The love of God must be our motivation. How can I go to God for wisdom if I do not know him to be the God of love? How can I go to the God of wisdom if I don't love him because he first loved me? The accuser's challenge to God was that Job's motivations were flawed, sinful, and impure. That Job did not worship God of pure love, but of selfish motivation only because of God's blessings upon him. That's why he serves you, God, because you have blessed him. Remove his blessings. Remove his health. Remove his wealth. then he will curse you to your face." So that's the accuser's accusation. Job's motivation is self-motivation, only because you bless him. Job does not worship you, God, because he loves. The accuser said, if you, God, remove your blessings from Job, he will no longer worship you. He will curse you to your face. Job loves you for what you give him, not for who you are. But church. Job is a man of godly wisdom. He has wisdom from above. It is of love of God, of the love of God, who seems to be slaying Job at the time that Job still maintains and will not forsake his integrity. This is wisdom to fear God. This is understanding to turn away from evil. Job is a man of godly wisdom for he was blameless, upright, Fearing God and turning away from evil the very definition of wisdom Let us learn of wisdom from Job Let us learn to fear God and turn away from evil for this is wisdom and understanding from above James chapter 1 verse 5 says what you know what? But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Let us fear God, let us turn from evil, let us look to God, let us ask of God, let us go to God because he loves us, and he will bless us with wisdom. How do you know if you have the wisdom of God? How can you realize, oh, I see God's wisdom has come to me. I see that God has blessed me with wisdom. How do you know? Because you fear God and you turn away from evil. A reason for which Job's friends accused him of sin is because they lacked wisdom. As a matter of fact, they lack a fear of God. They're going to be reproved for that. They arrogantly spoke wrongly of God while falsely accusing Job of sin. So Job was full of godly wisdom. He was right to encourage his friends to seek wisdom, to fear God, and to turn away from evil. Now, if you will, Job digresses a bit. Job remembers when, chapter 29. A lot of times we talk about the good old days, right? The good old days. I remember the good old days when I couldn't pay for my car and I couldn't. These are pretty good days. As verse one says, chapter 29, and Job again took up his discourse, it appears there that some time elapsed between the close of the 28th chapter and the opening of the 29th. And then in verse two, as he says, oh, that I were as in months gone by, we realize that this test of Job lasted for quite a long time, at least for several months. We can read it pretty quickly. but it was a long ordeal for Job. Job recalls the distant memories of days gone by when God blessed him with a very special and personal relationship. He remembers and longs again for the day when God poured blessings upon him, when, as Job says, verse five, the Almighty was with me and my children were around me. Oh, it's heartbreaking. He recalls God's blessings as all he touched prospered. Job even says the rock poured out for me streams of oil. Back in the day, people greatly respected Job as a wise ruling elder. Young men hid from him. They didn't want their foolishness to be exposed. Old men showed respect by rising and standing in his presence. Princes stopped talking and the voices of noblemen were hushed. Such respect and honor was shown him because he justly ministered to the poor and rescued the orphan. He considered it a blessing to help the perishing and was a cause for which widows rejoiced. He was a godly man whose life was adorned with righteousness and justice. He took up the cause of the blind and the lame. As an elder in the city, he thoroughly investigated each case that came to him and he investigated without bias. He ruled justly over the wicked and rescued the victim. Back then, he thought he would live a good long life. Others listened to his wisdom and they could not add to his words. He met his skeptics with grace. He chose what was best for others. He ruled well as a king over his troops and comforted those who mourned. So it was, in the good old days of God's favor. But now Job laments his day. Rather than the young men hiding from him, now they mock him openly. Those who mock him are the sons of those who are so unworthy that Job would not put them in charge of his dogs. Job goes on to describe them as, verse eight, this is chapter 30, verse eight, fools, even those without a name, they are scourged from the land. And these are the ones who now taunt him. They spit in his face. And they do so because Job says, God made me weak. Because God has made him weak, his enemies have cast off restraint, and now they freely unleash their contempt on him. He says that, verse 13, they break up my path. They profit from my destruction. No one restrains them. Feeling death is near, Job says that his soul is poured out within him, that the days of his affliction have seized him. His bones ache and pain gnaws at him so he has no rest. And he says of God, chapter 30, verse 19, he has cast me into the mire and I have become like dust and ashes. This brings Job then to address his complaint directly to God. Job says, verses 20 through 23, I cry out to thee for help, but thou does not answer me. Just a little comment here. He says, I cry out to thee for help. That is in the present continuous tense. He's constantly crying out to God for help, but he says, thou does not answer me. And we know that God has been silent, but still Job cries out to him. Church, when you're down and out, or if you're up and Adam, no matter, If you cry out to God and you're not hearing an answer from Him, keep on crying out to God. Don't give up. Don't relent. Remember the widow that Jesus talked about? She got what she wanted from the unjust judge because of why. She kept after Him. Job says, I cry out to thee for help, but thou dost not answer me. I stand up and thou dost turn thy attention away from me. Thou hast become cruel to me. With the might of thy hand, thou dost persecute me. Thou dost lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride, and thou dost dissolve me in a storm. And then he goes on to say, God, you're gonna be the death of me. This Job said to God. Having voiced his complaint against God, he laments his life. Verses 24 through 31. Yet does one not, in a heap of ruins, stretch out his hand, or in his disaster, therefore cry out for help? Job's saying, that's me. I'm in a heap of ruins and I'm stretching out my hand like a beggar. In my disaster, I'm crying out for help. And then he says, have I not helped those whose life was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy? And he's saying, how come nobody's reaching out to me? How come nobody's caring for me? And he says in verse 26, when I expected good, then evil came. I don't know if that's a reference to his friends or not, but it could be. When I expected good, then evil came. When I waited for light, then darkness came. I am seething within and cannot relax. Days of affliction confront me. I go about mourning without comfort. I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help. But I have become brother to jackals and a companion to ostriches. my skin turns black on me, and my bones burn with fever, therefore my heart is turned to mourning, and my flute to the sound of those who weep. Lastly, chapter 31, Job again defends his integrity. Job does not understand what God is doing with him, nor why God is doing what he is. He doesn't understand why God is silent. He feels it all terribly unfair and extremely unjust. He wants God to vindicate him, but God is silent. Where is God? Again, Job defends his integrity. In regard to morality, Job had made a covenant with his eyes that he would not look lustfully upon a virgin. And he presently maintains his integrity, saying, how then could I gaze at a virgin? He maintains his integrity. Job knows that it is the morally corrupt whom God brings to ruin. Ultimately, God causes calamity to come upon the unjust. So why, as a just man, am I suffering, Job wonders. He wonders, has not God seen my ways? Surely he has. Has he not noted that I have maintained my moral purity? Surely he has. Why all of this, Lord? In regard to his business dealings, Job was exemplary. He feared God, he turned away from evil. Job says that if he had cheated anyone, that God would be just to punish him severely, but he's cheated no one. Concerning marital faithfulness, Job says that he has not allowed his heart to be enticed by a woman or his neighbor's wife. He maintains that if he had allowed his heart to be enticed, then God would be right to punish him severely, but that's not the case. And Job have been upright concerning his care for his servants. He hears their complaints and respectfully treats them as a fellow being created in the image of God. In regard to those under his authority, he fears God and he turns away from evil. In verses 16 through 22, Job says that if he has mistreated the poor or the widow or the orphan, if he has sinned against them, then God has every right to judge him severely. Job says that if he has trusted in gold and been arrogant with his wealth, if he has taken credit for what God has given him, if he has been idolatrous concerning material wealth, then he admits that that would be sin worthy of such a judgment, for such a sin would be a denial of God. But Job maintains he has done none of this. Job hasn't even acted arrogantly toward his enemies. He says, verse 30, no, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for my enemy's life in a curse. Those who worked for him were well satisfied as he cared for them and fed them well. And to strangers, he was generous with hospitality. Steve Lawson comments, neither had hypocrisy or duplicity been an issue in Job's life. If I have concealed my sin as men do, covering my guilt within my heart, then by implication, Job would deserve the suffering he was experiencing. But this was not the case, nor had he attempted to hide his sin. He had not remained behind closed doors in isolation, living a double life. He lived in open view before everyone because he had no sin to hide. So Job cries out, in a challenge to God. Verse 35. Oh, that I had one to hear me. Job wants God to hear him as in a court of law. This is, I think, the third time that he speaks in such a manner. Take me to court. Let's meet in court. Oh, that I had one to hear me. He wants God to hear him in the court of law. And he says, behold, here is my signature. That is Job is saying, here is my sign statement of innocence. So let the almighty answer me. Let God put his indictment against me in writing. It is to say, God, write your charge against me. Come on, let's have it out. Wow. If God has a charge against Job, then he feels God should put it in writing. Job says he would wear God's written indictment on his shoulder so all could see it. He would place that written indictment as a crown on his head so all would know that this is what God has charged him with. Then, he says, he would defend himself by giving an account for every step he has taken. Job, knowing he is not guilty, would unashamedly approach God as a prince. And Job closes saying, in so many words, if I have not maintained my integrity before God, then let my land be cursed. And the scripture announces, the words of Job are ended. Well, all of this is very intense, isn't it? Very intense. And beloved, such is life. Intense. So very intense. What are we to make of this? And where is there any encouragement for us? I could imagine if we end here, people would say, well, that was discouraging. Where is there any encouragement for us? Job is hurting beyond expression. His friends have taken him to task. They've made matters more unbearable, his friends have. All the world has unleashed its contempt on him, and the God whom he worships, the God before whom Job maintains his integrity, is silent. Where is there any encouragement? It's very descriptive of some of our days, isn't it? Times in our life. But first, we need to remember that this is only a part of the story. It is not the whole. We can turn to the last chapters of the book of Job and find that God completely redeems Job. We know that. He restores Job and he prospers Job far beyond what he had in the beginning and even beyond that. And more importantly, at the end of it, Job says, before I had heard of God, but now I've seen Him. And that satisfies Job, to have seen God. So with us, church, What we have personally before us at this time in our own life is only a part of the story. And perhaps like Job in our text today, we are in the midst of the most difficult part of our life story, perhaps. But it is only a part, church. It is not the whole. God who has the whole world in his hands has your whole life from conception to glorification in his hands. As he had the previous part of your life in his hands, and as we know he has the future part of your life in his hands, so does he have your present life in his hands. For Job, God was silent, but God was there. just working as well, waiting for things to take place. As we can open to the end of the book of Job and see how God redeemed him, we can open to the end of this book and we can read that God will redeem us. We have a future and it's in Christ. Redemption is near. Redemption is of God and he will soon bring it to pass. So as our life is passing, so let us as Job of the love of God through faith in Christ Jesus, maintain our integrity before the Lord. Let us be people of godly wisdom. What is that? To fear God and to turn away from evil. How do we maintain our integrity before God? By the wisdom of God, by fearing God and turning away from evil. Church, let us love God, let us fear him, let us turn from evil, why? Because God is God and he is worthy. If you will believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved. Blessed be the name of the Lord, our God. And the church said, amen. Let's bow our heads in prayer. Our heavenly father, as we read this story of Job, we see reflections of what you would teach us. We see Job as the suffering servant. For no sin of his own, he suffered. And then we reflect upon your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the perfect God man, the greater Job, the perfect Job, who of no sin of his own suffered the death of the cross. And that is so he would bear our sins. As we will read at the end of the book of Job, and Job offers prayers and sacrifice for his friends, We see, Lord, a reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave the one sacrifice, the once for all sacrifice, as he laid down his life for us. So Lord, may we look to you. May we trust in you. May we follow after you. And Lord, whether these are the best days of our lives or some of us are experiencing awful times, may we, Lord, be true to you. May we, Lord, be people of wisdom who fear you and turn away from evil. May we maintain our integrity for your name's sake, because you alone are God. Be glorified, we pray in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord. And the church said, amen. Please stand to your feet and let us worship the Lord together.