When God's People Suffer: God's Answer in Suffering

to follow well in your Bibles this morning.

We're going through a few chapters and looking at lots of verses together.

Job chapter 38.

Job 38 · chapter mention

Is there a page number there, Xavier? No? That's alright. Sorry?

538 if you're using the church Bible.

538 if you're using the church Bible.

Go through these together.

Thanks, Ryan.

Okay, let's pray.

Thank you.

Our Father God, our desire this morning is that we would encounter you, the true living and awesome God.

therefore we ask

that you in your generosity

would pour out

and give to us your Holy Spirit

so that we may meet

this mighty God afresh

that we would see him

that we would hear him

and we pray that not one person

in this room

would leave without encountering you afresh

that each one of us

as we meet with you

would be changed and transformed

that the God that you are

would become greater in our minds

and we would see ourselves

as who we are

so please help us

that we would encounter you

through your word this morning

in Jesus name

Amen

well Job's journey

has been long and painful

an innocent man

who loves God

and hates evil

has endured

unbearable suffering

not only has he lost his health

he has witnessed

the tragic death

of all of his children

and watched the destruction

of all his wealth

and business

naturally Job has questions

and like us

we too would have questions

why has God allowed this

why does God not intervene

Job is desperate for answers

and longs to put God on trial

as he says in Job chapter 13

Job 13 · chapter mention

I desire to speak to the Almighty

and to argue my case

with God

I would find out

what he would answer me

and consider

what he would say

well after 36 chapters

of intense grieving

anger and frustration

God gives his answer to Job

but in dramatic fashion

the tables get turned

rather than God

answering questions

we find ourselves

answering questions

I'm just going to stop there

sorry

could you maybe just adjust

it's quite echoey

at the minute

can you just

slightly adjust that

I'll keep talking

and yeah

that'll be good

thank you

so if we were the author

of Job

God would finally

make his way

into the dock

if we wrote this book

the way we would have it is

is that God

would go into the dock

we would ask God

our questions

and God would respond

to them one by one

he would not leave

until he gave us

the answer

that we wanted

but that's not

what happens

look at chapter 38

verse 1

then the Lord

answered Job

out of the storm

he said

who is this

who is this

that darkens

my counsel

with words

without knowledge

brace yourself

like a man

I will question

you

and you

shall answer me

so instead of

answers from God

what we get

are questions

from God

in fact

rather than

an explanation

we get

an encounter

you see

God's questions

are not designed

to place blame

or to find fault

no

God's questions

are designed

to take our focus

off our suffering

and onto

God's

sovereignty

to take our focus

off our suffering

and onto

God's

sovereignty

so the answer

to our suffering

is not an

intellectual

explanation

but an

experiential

encounter

and that's

what we get

in these chapters

38 to 42

we get to meet

the living

and the awesome

God

up close

and personal

the God

that we have been

questioning

for so long

now begins

to question us

first

we encounter

God

who controls

the universe

look at verse 4

he says

look at the earth

and this is

all God

speaking to us

where were you

when I laid

the earth's

foundations

tell me

if you understand

when there was

nothing

and then there

was something

where were you

verse 5

who marked off

its dimensions

surely you know

who stretched

a measuring line

across it

who said

who said

that the earth

should be

this big

should be

placed at

this angle

and be

placed at

this point

in the universe

was it you

verse 6

on what

on what

were its

footings

set

or who

laid

its

corner

stole

when the

morning

stars

sang

together

and all

the angels

shouted

for joy

where were

you

when I

spoke

and brought

all this

into existence

yet you

question

if I am

in control

or look

at the

seas

verse 8

who shut

up the

sea

behind the

doors

when it

burst forth

from the

womb

11

when I

said

this far

you shall

come

and no

farther

here is

where your

proud waves

halt

can you

alter the

tides

and control

where the

seas flow

can you

verse 16

have you

journeyed

to the

springs

of the

sea

or walked

to the

recesses

of the

deep

you know

the deepest

part of

the ocean

is almost

11

kilometres

that's

over a

mile

higher

than

Everest

have you

been there

have you

been to

the bottom

no one

knows what

exists down

there

but yet

God does

verse 18

have you

comprehended

the vast

expanses

of the

earth

tell me

if you

know

all of

this

do you

know

how it

all works

do you

know

how this

world

happens

the way

that it

does

then why

do you

question

me

as if

I don't

understand

this

world

and the

suffering

that goes

on in

it

or consider

the weather

he says

verse 22

have you

entered

the storehouses

of the

snow

or seen

the storehouses

of hail

which I

reserve

for times

of trouble

for days

of war

and battle

do you

do you

put the

snow

there

do you

say

when it

falls

and how

much

should

fall

do you

verse 24

what is

the way

to the

place

where the

lightning

is dispersed

or the

place

where the

east winds

are scattered

over the

earth

who is it

that cuts

a channel

for the

torrents

of rain

and a

path

for the

thunderstorm

to water

a land

where no

man lives

a desert

with no

one in

it

to satisfy

a desolate

wasteland

to make

it sprout

with grass

do you

command

the weather

systems

do you

verse 28

does the rain

have a father

who is it

that fathers

the drops

of dew

from whose

womb

comes the

ice

who gives

birth to

the frost

from the

heavens

when the

waters become

as hard

as stone

like hail

when the

surface of

the deep

is frozen

do you

decide

what falls

from the

sky

whether it's

snow

hail

rain

or lightning

is it you

who decides

whether the

morning it's

going to be

frost or

whether it's

going to be

dew

so why do

you question

my control

over your

life

or look

at the

planets

verse 31

can you

bind the

beautiful

ladies

can you

loose the

cords of

Orion

can you

bring forth

the

constellations

in their

seasons

or lead

out the

bear with

its cubs

that's the

planets

and the

stars

this is

talking about

our galaxy

where we

live

which is

called the

Milky Way

you know

our galaxy

that we

live in

is so

big

that it

would take

you

100,000

light years

to travel

from one

side to

the other

that means

you'd have

to be

traveling

at 186,000

miles a

second

for over

100,000

years just

to get

from one

side to

the other

and our

galaxy

is only

one galaxy

of hundreds

of galaxies

that we

know to

exist

verse 33

do you

know

the laws

of the

heavens

can you

set up

God's

dominion

over the

earth

can you

right now

suspend all

these planets

in space

and keep

them there

but yet

you presume

to know

better than

me

me and

you think

that you

can run

a world

better than

me

or look

at the

animals all

around us

chapter 39

verse 1

do you

do you know

when the

mountain goats

give birth

do you

do you

watch when

the doe

bears her

form

do you

count the

months off

till they

give birth

do you

know the

time

when they

give birth

I know

it all

says God

I see

every

living

creature

give birth

to their

young

whether it's

high up in

the Andes

mountains

or on the

plains of

the Surighetti

I know

it all

do you

verse 9

what about

the wild

animals

will the

wild ox

consent

to serve

you

verse 12

can you

trust him

to bring in

your grain

and to

gather it

to your

threshing

floor

do wild

animals

listen to

you when

you speak

to them

do they

do what

you say

you can't

even control

your dogs

your pets

yet the

animals

listen to

me and

they do

what I

say

or look

at the

ostrich

in verse

13

the wings

of the

ostrich

flap

joyfully

but they

don't

compare

with

the

pinions

those

beautiful

feathers

of the

stork

in other

words

the

ostrich

is ugly

with its

bald

head

and its

bristly

neck

but not

only are

they ugly

they're

downright

stupid

verse 14

she lays

her eggs

on the

ground

and lets

them warm

in the

sand

unmindful

that a

foot

may crush

them

that some

wild

animal

may trample

on them

ugly

and stupid

why

verse 17

because God

did not

endow her

with wisdom

or give her

a share

of good

sense

or good

looks

yet

when she

spreads

her feathers

to run

she laughs

at horse

and rider

an ostrich

can run

at 72

kilometers

an hour

faster than

a purebred

racehorse

could you

design

something

so ugly

and so

stupid

but yet

so amazingly

brilliant

God does

but you

doubt his

wisdom

over your

life

or look

at verse 26

does the

hawk take

flight by

your wisdom

and spread

his wings

towards the

south

the hawk

travels

from the

rockies

in Canada

south

to the

lowlands

of Argentina

thousands

of miles

apart

they go

to the

same nest

as either

place

every year

do you

design the

migration

of the

birds

their tiny

little heads

do you

do you

figure all

that out

verse 27

does the

eagle soar

at your

command

and build

his nest

on high

he dwells

on a

cliff

and he

stays

there at

night

a rocky

crag

is his

stronghold

from there

he seeks

out his

food

his eyes

detect it

from afar

an eagle

can spot

its prey

from a

thousand

metres up

a kilometre

up in the

air

he can see

a tiny

little mouse

and he

dives

and he

darts

and he

makes

its kill

can you

control

what I

control

says God

this

is the

awesome

mighty

powerful

God

who created

the universe

and controls

the universe

in which

we live

the earth

the weather

the planets

the animals

God

controls

it all

he made

it all

how are we

to respond

to such

an awesome

God

chapter

40

verse 1

then the

Lord

the Lord

said to

Job

will the

one who

contends

with the

almighty

correct him

are you

going to

tell God

what to

do with

his world

let him

who accuses

God

answer him

our

questions

about God's

incompetence

to run

this world

with all

its

suffering

our

presumption

that we

know better

than God

how to

run the

world

is like

a little

three year

old

telling a

pilot

of a

jumbo

jet

that he

doesn't

know how

to fly

could you

imagine

a little

kid getting

on the

plane and

saying you

don't know

what you're

doing

would you

hand the

controls of

a plane

like that

into the

hands of

a toddler

and sit

quietly and

patiently in

your seat

as he

tried to

land that

plane

would you

of course

you wouldn't

he knows

absolutely

nothing about

the plane

and we

know nothing

about the

universe that

God has

created

so in

humility

we

trust

God

who

controls

our

world

and he

controls

our

life

verse

three

then

Job

answered

the

Lord

I

am

unworthy

how

can

I

reply

to

you

I

put my

hand

over my

mouth

I

spoke

once

but I

have no

answer

twice

but I

will say

no more

God

is the

designer

the

creator

the

sustainer

of the

universe

in which

we live

and with

all of

these

questions

that we

are being

bombarded

at

God

is

saying

I

am

in

control

over

every

detail

over

every

event

over

every

day

over

every

single

second

of

your

life

I

am

in

charge

so

will

you

not

trust

me

with

your

suffering

will

you

trust

me

well

second

we

encounter

God

who

not

only

controls

the

universe

we

encounter

God

who

rules

over

all

evil

look at

chapter

40

verse

6

the

Lord

spoke

to

Job

out

of

the

storm

a

second

time

brace

yourself

like

a

man

I

will

question

you

and

you

shall

answer

me

the

questions

just

keep

on

coming

but

the

issue

here

is

not

God's

control

over

creation

but

God's

rule

over

evil

and

in

the

next

two

chapters

we

are

introduced

to

two

very

strange

creatures

which

I

think

symbolize

the

ruthless

and

destructive

power

of

evil

the

first

one

we

are

introduced

to

is

in

verse

15

of

chapter

40

he's

called

the

behemoth

he's

described

for us

verse

15

look

at

the

behemoth

which

I

made

along

with

you

and

which

feeds

on

grass

like

an

ox

what

strength

he

has

in

his

loins

what

power

in

the

muscles

of

his

belly

his

tail

sways

like

a

cedar

his

sinews

of his

thighs

are

close

knit

his

bones

are

tubes

of

bronze

his

limbs

are

rods

of

iron

some

people

say

it's

an

elephant

or

a

hippopotamus

but

whatever

it is

it is

very

strong

and

very

powerful

the

second

creature

we're

introduced

to

is

in

chapter

41

verse

1

it's

called

the

leviathan

again

this

creature

is

described

in

verse

15

chapter

41

his

back

has

rows

of

shields

tightly

sealed

together

each

is

so

close

to

the

next

that

no

air

can

pass

between

they

are

joined

fast

to

one

another

they

cling

together

and

cannot

be

parted

what

is

this

creature

verse

22

strength

resides

in

his

neck

dismay

goes

before

him

the

folds

of

his

flesh

are

tightly

joined

they

are

firm

and

immovable

his

chest

is

hard

as

rock

hard

as

a

lower

millstone

when

he

rises

up

the

mighty

are

terrified

they

retreat

before

his

thrashing

some

say

it's

a

description

of

a

crocodile

with

its

scaly

back

but

again

whatever

this

creature

is

it

is

fierce

and

it

brings

terrible

fear

we

come

across

this

creature

in

other

parts

of

the

Bible

no

need

to

look

it

up

but

in

Isaiah

Isaiah 27:1

27

verse

1

there

it's

talking

about

God

coming

to

rescue

to

redeem

and

to

restore

but

he

must

first

defeat

the

creature

his

enemy

and

it

says

this

in

that

day

the

Lord

will

punish

with

his

sword

his

fierce

great

and

powerful

sword

Leviathan

that's

the creature

the gliding

serpent

Leviathan

the coiling

serpent

he will

slay

the monster

of the

sea

you

see

in

Isaiah

it's

easier

to

see

that

this

creature

is

an

enemy

of

God

or

as

the

New

Testament

refers

to

him

as

the

great

dragon

that

ancient

serpent

the

devil

or

Satan

so

I

think

these

strong

fierce

creatures

are a

picture

of the

evil

that we

see

at work

in our

world

that causes

so much

suffering

so much

destruction

and so

much

death

now the

question is

what can

you and

I do

about

this

evil

what can

we do

about

Satan

have we

got the

power

within

ourselves

to destroy

him

and defeat

him

well this

strong

powerful

creature

chapter

40

verse

24

can

anyone

capture

him

by the

eyes

or trap

him

and pierce

his nose

God's

asking us

questions

again

are you

strong

enough

to fight

against

God's

enemy

are you

verse 1

chapter 41

can you

pull in

the

leviathan

with a

fish hook

or tie

down

his tongue

with a

rope

do you

think you

have the

power

over

Satan

like you

pull in

a mackerel

from the

sea

can you

do that

verse 5

can you

make this

creature

a pet

of him

like you

do to

a bird

or can

you put

a leash

on him

and bring

him home

to your

children

and say

look what

I brought

home

do you

have the

strength

to control

this

terrifying

creature

do you

think you

have the

weapons of

knowledge and

wisdom to

tame this

monster

can you

really

overpower

the devil

well look

what happens

if we try

verse 8

if you lay

a hand on

him

you will

remember the

struggle

and you

will never

do it

again

any hope

of subduing

him

is false

the mere

sight of

him

is overpowering

no one

is fierce

enough

to rouse

him

we are

powerless

over evil

but let me

remind you

says God

I am

more powerful

still

look at the

rest of

verse 10

who

who

then

is able

to stand

against

me

who

has a

claim

against

me

that I

must

pay

who

is it

that I

have to

answer

to

everything

under

heaven

belongs

to me

me

you

you can't

even

begin

to fight

Satan

and his

ways

but never

forget

this

he

belongs

to me

says God

and he

can do

nothing

in this

world

without

my

permission

or my

say so

nothing

well when

this fierce

creature does

unleash

his

destruction

chapter 41

verse 25

when he

rises up

the mighty

are terrified

they retreat

before his

thrashing

the sword

that reaches

him has

no effect

nor does

the spear

or the dart

or the

javelin

no matter

what you

try

you cannot

beat him

iron

verse 27

he treats

like straw

and bronze

like rotten

wood

arrows

do not

make him

flee

sling stones

are like

chaff to him

a club

seems to him

but a piece

of straw

he laughs

at the

rattling

of the

lance

do you

really think

that you

can come up

with some

defence

mechanism

against evil

do you

think

that you

can stop

all the

suffering

in this

world

can you

Satan

laughs

at our

pathetic

attempts

verse 33

nothing

on earth

is his

we equal

a creature

without fear

he looks

down on

all that

are haughty

he is king

over all

that are

proud

Satan

is real

suffering

is real

he is

destructive

and there

is nothing

that you

or I

can do

about it

but listen

to this

says God

I can

look closely

at what

verse 33

says

he says

nothing

on earth

is his

equal

a creature

without

fear

that's what

he is

a creature

he has

been made

God is

saying

he's a

creature

I control

him

I rule

over him

you can't

tackle the

problem of

evil

but I

can

some

years ago

I went

overseas

on a

team

and the

place

that we

were staying

was full

of nasty

vicious

dogs

and on

one occasion

as I was

coming back

to the

house

where I

was staying

all of

a sudden

this dog

started

running

towards me

it was

this huge

big

Alsatian

I've never

they breed

monster dogs

there

it was

huge

snarling

teeth

snapping

dribbles

flying

everywhere

it ran

at me

and I

stood

there

paralysed

in fear

as this

Alsatian

came running

towards me

and about

six feet

away

it just

lunged

straight

at me

and then

no sooner

as he

lunged

then he

fell on

the ground

what I

didn't know

he was

on a

chain

and there

was at a

point

at which

he could

not

cross

and that's

the picture

that we

have here

Satan

is a

creature

he belongs

to God

he is

fierce

he barks

and he