The Case For Hope: “The Case For God’s Love”
By David E. Owen
Pastor – Piney Grove Baptist Church, Acworth
Job 40:1–9; Romans 8:18–21,28–30, 35–39
Family Bible Study Lesson for September 19
Lee Strobel said that when he commissioned George Barna to ask a cross-section of Americans what one question they would ask God if they knew He would answer, seventeen percent said they would ask why there is so much pain and suffering in our world. The world wonders if God does exist and if He is the all-knowing, all-powerful, completely good, and loving God that Christians believe Him to be, then how do you explain such suffering?
Strobel goes on to say…
Human suffering came about because people abused their free will, not because God wanted to hurt us. God decided to give free will to men and women because this is the only way we can enjoy the highest value in the universe, which is love. Jesus said, “The first and greatest commandment” is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and the second is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (see Matt. 22:37–39). Without free will, we could never love, because in order to love we must have the choice not to love.
… When Adam and Eve exercised their free will to disobey God, this opened the door for moral and natural evil to plague humankind. Moral evil is when we make the choice to be hateful, abusive, and selfish, thus bringing suffering to ourselves and others.
Again, we make this decision. People starve in some parts of the world, but the problem isn’t a shortage of food. Cliffe Knechtle points out that the world produces enough food for each person to consume 3,000 calories a day. The problem is that corrupt governments and selfish individuals don’t care enough to feed the hungry. “It is a cop-out to blame God for human irresponsibility,” he says.
Knechtle, who cut his apologetic teeth sparring with skeptical college students, observed that our hands can hold a gun that can inflict suffering or they can extend food to a hungry person. We make the choice; that is, we exercise our free will.
Natural evil consists of earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts, and other disasters of nature that cause human suffering. Paul said, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Rom. 8:22).
How is this connected to the first decision to rebel against God? Knechtle explains, “When we human beings told God to shove off, he partially honored our request.” Nature was adversely affected. Genetic breakdown, disease, pain, and death became part of the human experience. “We are born into a world made chaotic and unfair by a humanity in revolt against its Creator,” Knechtle says.
Though suffering isn’t good, God can use it to accomplish good. God certainly would have been justified in scrapping the world once we abused our free will by rebelling against Him and harming each other. But in His mercy, God uses the pain of this world to bring about beneficial results for us.
For example, God can use suffering to pull people toward salvation in Christ. “For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation,” Paul said. “We will never regret that kind of sorrow” (2 Cor. 7:10). C. S. Lewis observed, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Certainly, any suffering is worth it if it succeeds in bringing us to Christ and the eternal life He offers.
Though we often cannot navigate through the darkness of mankind’s pain in this world, nor can we plumb the depths of human suffering, these egregious elements are not irreconcilableobjections to the fact of God’s love. Instead, they are opportunitiesin which God’s love can be experienced. The philosopher Peter Kreeft said of this divine love, “When we feel the hammers of life beating on our heads or on our hearts, we can know—we must know—that He is here with us, taking our blows. Every tear we shed becomes His tear.” As the writer of Hebrews told us, our high priest can “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15).
The scripture teaches me that in spite of the suffering that I may experience in this world, I can be assured of God’s love knowing that He has…
I. A Genuine Perception About Matters
(Job 40:1–9)
In his epistle, James said, “Ye have heard of the patience of Job” (James 5:11). And that is true. We have indeed heard, not only of the patience of Job, but more particularly of his pain. His is a story that is very familiar to us. And it is a story, says James, that ultimately reveals the Lord’s compassion and tender mercy. In the verses before us now, Job is confronted as much by the logic of God’s mind as by the love of God’s heart. After a brief exchange of dialogue, the divine monologue quickly resumes as God Himself testifies. Job swiftly learns that…
A.In Any Dispute With God, You Will Never Win (vs. 1–5).It Will Be His Victory
(Job 40:1-5) Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, {2} Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. {3} Then Job answered the LORD, and said, {4} Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. {5} Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
contendeth – Hebrew 7378. riyb, reeb; or ` ruwb, roob; a prim. root; prop. to toss, i.e. grapple; mostly fig. to wrangle, i.e. hold a controversy; (by impl.) to defend:--adversary, chide, complain, contend, debate, X ever, X lay wait, plead, rebuke, strive, X thoroughly.
instruct – Hebrew 3250. yiccowr, yis-sore'; from H3256; a reprove:--instruct. (To criticize, reprimand, rebuke, accuse)
reproveth – Hebrew 3198. yakach, yaw-kahh'; a prim. root; to be right (i.e. correct); recip. to argue; causat. to decide, justify or convict:--appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct (-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove (-r), surely, in any wise.
answer – Hebrew 6030. 'anah, aw-naw'; a prim. root; prop. to eye or (gen.) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by impl. to respond; by extens. to begin to speak; spec. to sing, shout, testify, announce:--give account…
The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament said of verse 1…
The question means, will Job persist in this contending with God? He who sets God right, as though he knew everything better than He, shall answer the questions put before him.
Albert Barnes said…
The meaning seems to be this: “Will he who would enter into a controversy with the Almighty now presume to instruct him? He that was so desirous of arguing his cause with God, will he now answer?” All the language used here is taken from courts, and is such as I have had frequent occasion to explain in these notes. The reference is to the fact that Job had so often expressed a wish to carry his cause, as before a judicial tribunal, directly up to God. He had felt that if he could get it there, he could so argue it as to secure a verdict in his favor; that he could set arguments before the Almighty which would secure a reversal of the fearful sentence which had gone out against him, and which had caused him to be held as a guilty man.
For example, Job said…
(Job 19:7) Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
(Job 23:1-5) Then Job answered and said, {2} Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
(my open hand is heavier than my strength to life it up in moaning)
{3} Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! {4} I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. {5} I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
Barnes continues…
God now asks whether he who had been so anxious to have a legal argument and to carry his cause himself before God-a man disposed to litigation before God was still of the same mind, and felt himself qualified to take upon himself the office of an instructor, a corrector, an admonisher of God? He had the opportunity now, and God here paused, after the sublime exhibition of his majesty and power in the previous chapters, to give him an opportunity, as he wished, to carry his cause directly before him. The result is stated in Job 40:3-4. Job had now nothing to say.
The Pulpit Commentary said…
Verses 3, 4. - Then Job answered, the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile; literally, I am light; i.e. I am of small account. It would be absurd for one so weak and contemptible to attempt to argue with the Almighty. What shall I answer thee? Or, What should I answer thee! What should I say, if I were to attempt a reply? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Verse 5. - Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but l will proceed no further. The meaning is, “I have already spoken, not once, but more than once. Now I will be silent; I will say no more.’ There is a sort of recognition that the arguments used were futile.
Barnes wrote…
[But I will proceed no further] Job felt doubtless that if he should allow himself to speak again, or to attempt now to vindicate himself, he would be in danger of committing the same error again. He now saw that God was right; that he had himself repeatedly indulged in an improper spirit, and that all that became him was a penitent confession in the fewest words possible. We may learn here:
(1) That a view of God is fitted to produce in us a deep sense of our own sins. No one can feel himself to be in the presence of God, or regard the Almighty as speaking to him, without saying, “Lo I am vile? There is nothing so much fitted to produce a sense of sinfulness and nothingness as a view of God.
(2) The world will be mute at the Day of Judgment. They who have been most loud and bold in vindicating themselves will then be silent, and will confess that they are vile, and the whole world “will become guilty before God.” If the presence and the voice of God produced such an effect on so good a man as Job, what will it not do on a wicked world?
B.In Any DecisionFrom God, He Is Never Wrong (vs. 6–9).It Will Be His Verdict
(Job 40:6-9) Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, {7} Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. {8} Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn (judge me to be guilty) me, that thou mayest be righteous? {9} Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
disannul – Hebrew 6565. parar, paw-rar'; a prim. root; to break up (usually fig., i.e. to violate, frustrate):-- X any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, X clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, X utterly, make void.
judgment – Hebrew 4941. mishpat, mish-pawt'; from H8199; prop. a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, espec. a sentence or formal decree (human or [partic.] divine law, individual or collect.), includ. the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstr. justice, includ. a partic. right, or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style:-- + adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just (-ice, -ly), (manner of) law (-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.
Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? What about God; are you smarter than God?
One of my favorite statements in the Word of God is found in Isaiah 55 where God said…
(Isaiah 55:8-9) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. {9} For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Pulpit Commentary says…
God calls upon Job to make good his charges (verses 1, 2). Job declines, acknowledges himself to be of no account, and promises silence and submission for the future (verses 3-5). But something more is needed; and therefore the discourse is further prolonged.
Barnes said…
God is often represented as speaking to people in this manner (in the whirlwind). He spake amidst lightnings and tempests on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19), and he is frequently represented as appearing amidst the thunders and lightnings of a tempest, as a symbol of his majesty; compare Psalms 18:9-13; Habakkuk 3:3-6. The word here rendered “whirlwind” means rather “a storm, a tempest.”
Verse 7 [Gird up thy loins now like a man] An expression taken from the ancient mode of dress. That was a loose, flowing robe, which was secured by a girdle when traveling, or when one entered upon anything requiring energy; see the notes at Matt 5:38-41. The meaning here is, “Prepare thyself for the highest effort that can be made. Put forth all your strength, and explain to me what will now be said;” compare the notes at Isa 41:21.
[I will demand of thee] Hebrew “I will ask of thee.” That is, I will submit some questions to you to be answered.
[And declare thou unto me] Hebrew “Cause me to know.” That is, furnish a satisfactory answer to these inquiries, so as to show that you understand the subject. The object is to appeal to the proofs of divine wisdom, and to show that the whole subject was far above human comprehension.
Verse 8 [Wilt thou disannul my judgment?] Wilt thou “reverse” the judgment which I have formed, and show that it should have been different from what it is? This was implied in what Job had undertaken. He had complained of the dealings of God, and this was the same as saying that he could show that those dealings should have been different from what they were. When a man complains against God, it is always implied that he supposes he could show why his dealings should be different from what they are, and that they should be reversed.
Verse 9 [Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?] Or, rather, probably, “Wilt thou show that I am wrong because thou art superior in justice?” Job had allowed himself to use language which strongly implied that God was improperly severe. He had regarded himself as punished far beyond what he deserved, and as suffering in a manner which justice did not demand. All this implied that “he” was more righteous in the case than God, for when a man allows himself to vent such complaints, it indicates that he esteems himself to be more just than his Maker. God now calls upon Job to maintain this proposition, since he had advanced it, and to urge the arguments which would prove that “he” was more righteous in the case than God. It was proper to demand this. It was a charge of such a nature that it could not be passed over in silence, and God asks, therefore, with emphasis, whether Job now supposed that he could institute such an argument as to show that he was right and his Maker wrong.
In spite of the suffering that I may experience in this world, I can be assured of God’s love knowing that He has…
II. A Glorious Prospect To Be Manifested
(Romans 8:18–21)
(Romans 8:18-21) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {19} For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. {20} For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, {21} Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
A.There Is Coming A Day That Is Better (vs. 18–19).
(Romans 8:18-19) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {19} For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary says…
For I reckon, [logizomai] - as in Romans 3:28, expressive not of doubt (as Jowett), but of reflection-q.d., ‘For when I speak of our present sufferings and our future glory, I consider that there is no comparison between them:’
That the sufferings of this present time, [tou nun kairou] - ‘of the present season’ or ‘period;’ this word being chosen, rather than the more indefinite ‘time’ [chronou], to remind the Christian reader of its definite and transitory character, in contrast with the eternity of the future glory;
Are not worthy to be compared with, [ouk axia pros - of this construction, see examples in Wetstein.]