In this episode we continue our look at Bildad’s first speech in the book of Job.
Job 9:1-13 starts and ends like this: “How can a man be vindicated before God; God does not relent in his anger.” This of course is not a direct quote, but it encapsulates the idea we are given in this portion of scripture by Job. This raises questions in our minds:
• Why do we want to be vindicated?
• Why would God do that?
• Is God really always angry?
We will be diving into the mental exercise that Job is doing in this chapter. Namely, thinking about what would happen if he brought a case before God. The 3 large and general divisions that we can make in Job 9:1-13 are as follows:
• Can man be made right before God?
• How about if we took God to court?
• God will not turn away his anger.
How this idea fits into the larger context of Job is fascinating. Because Job’s point here is to bring a lawsuit before God, which in his time meant to bring your case before your adversary and allow them to cross examine you. Later in the book of Job we find that Job himself makes an official declaration of dispute against God, and in time, God does cross examine Job, and Job of course has nothing to say in return.
You might ask: Where is the encouragement in this story? And I would start by reminding you, that there is nothing that you can do to change God. You might say: That is not encouraging. But it is. You don’t want a God that you can change to be more like you. That would not be a God at all, and honestly, not much of an idol either. We must be content with struggling with God until our blessing comes, in whichever way that is. We must realize, that even if we have our day in court with God, he will always win.
Mankind, I posit here, has a kind of internal drive to be justified. To be made whole again. Job understood this, which is why he asked the question he does at the start of chapter 9. But he also realizes that only God can make us righteous, if only his anger relents. The hope for this, is ultimately and with finality and at the exclusion of all other possibilities, only found in Christ, the Son of God.
That is the good news, the Gospel. And the Gospel is, in a nutshell this: God is an angry God, who is coming for evil, to destroy it, to do away with it. And you are amongst that. Unless you accept Christ. And even in Christ, you might suffer, but you are saved and assured of it. Through the darkness, through the pain, through the suffering, God, through Christ will save you. And that is wonderful news.
For your convenience we have provided chapters for you.
00:00 – 15:03 Introduction
15:04 – 20:45 Overview
20:53 – 41:12 God’s Perfect Righteousness
41:12 – 51:28 A Theological Truth
51:29 – 57:15 Theology Leads to Doxology
57:17 – 01:15:37 God on Display
59:48 – 1:12:58 The Gift of Faith
Thank you for listening, enjoy!
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At The Mind of Miz Podcast, our first goal is to engage people of faith in a deeper understanding of scripture while reaching out to the unbeliever so that they may hear the Gospel taught in a way consistent with the Bible which we believe can change their lives and bring them to salvation. Our second goal is to create an awareness of how culture disintegrates without a proper understanding of the Bible and the valuable truth found in it. Our third goal is to use technology to create awareness of Biblical teachings online and increase the overall footprint of Biblical Truth online.