Over the past few days we have been made aware of a Chinese spy balloon that was sent over the U.S. and parts of Canada. The U.S. government decided to acknowledge this balloon was up in the sky. It sat over a military site in Montana for some time before moving further east. Eventually, after the Chinese had a good week to observe many different sites, the U.S. shot it down. Of course they made it seem as though they were the heroes and there was no real threat here.
Canada and the U.S. have airspace that is supposed to belong to them. A foreign object invading that space should be cause for concern, especially when it involves China. However, both our governments are heavily involved with the Chinese and China has the upper hand and so there is not much our countries can do about it. We are no longer sovereign nations. We are living in very interesting times. It is certainly not wise to be asleep and to listen to what the propaganda machines in our countries have to say.
In our text, Job spoke further of the greatness of God. God can do things that man is not aware of. Certainly Job was not aware of the discussions that God had with Satan. He did not know that the devil was seeking to destroy him and by doing that, he was also hoping to knock God out of His place as God. No one will ever do that. Satan is deceived due to his pride. There are many people who are also deceived due to their pride.
Job did not see God, nor did he perceive what God was doing. Man will never know all about God. Those who walk in the fear of the Lord need to trust Him even when we do not know what He is doing. We do not need to think that God has some evil ulterior motive as we know the Chinese have. We have also come to learn that even our own governments are no longer trustworthy. There is a very good docuseries that has been released, dealing with what has been happening over the past couple of years. There are Jews who have very good knowledge of the holocaust and how it came to be. There are others who have been watching what is happening now. From what I can see, none of them are born again Christians and thus they could not draw the proper conclusion to what they are observing. Some of them have already died. Born again Christians need to be able to see what is going on and they need to look at God’s Word and see what God says about these things.
Job acknowledged that God takes things away. He also takes people away. He knows our time on this earth. We cannot always understand His ways, but if we know Him as God and Saviour, we can trust Him to do what is right.
In verse 12 Job admitted that no one has the right to question what God is doing. Even though Job knew this, he would question God regarding his life and circumstances.
In verse 13 Job understood that the proud cannot stand up to God’s anger. When God judges man, the right thing to do is to bow before Him in repentance and seek His forgiveness. God is always ready to forgive those who come to Him in humility, seeking His forgiveness and truth.
In verse 14 Job knew he was in no place to contend with God. He could not answer God. Job would not know how to respond to God. Job had a humility that his three friends did not have. He acknowledged that God was much greater than he was.
In verse 15 Job acknowledged that even if he were righteous, he still would have no right to defend himself before God. God is so much greater than man. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Thus Job concluded here that the right response for him would be to make supplication to God as judge. The word translated as “supplication” means “to bend or to stoop in kindness to an inferior”. Job knew he was inferior to God. He could not pretend to be equal to Him. He needed to remember that he was at God’s mercy. This is where the Charismatics get it all wrong. They demand things of God. They are deceived. God does not owe us anything and we have no right to demand anything of Him.
The repentant sinner comes to God seeking His salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. God is gracious and He will forgive and save the repentant sinner. The saint comes to God and makes his requests known unto God and seeks God’s mercy and grace to meet his needs. He cannot demand that God do anything.
Today is the Lord’s Day. It is the day to attend a good local church that will honour God’s Word and teach you the truth. Be one of the few that find the narrow way and walk in it. God desires to bless His children with good gifts. Are you prepared to receive His gift for you today?
Pastor Bartel