Job 42: Silencing the Armchair Theologians

Job's long journey of suffering culminates not in an explanation from 
God regarding his pain, but in a revelation of God's supreme majesty and 
righteousness. Throughout his trial, God's character was put on trial by 
Satan, questioned by Job's friends, and wrestled with by Job himself. 
Yet, the resolution of the book of Job shows us that God is completely 
righteous in all His ways. As His creatures, we are called not to judge 
Almighty God, but to vindicate His holy character through our 
submission, speech, service, faith, and forgiveness.

Proposition: You should vindicate God

By humbling yourself (42:1-6)

We may be tempted to think of some injustice we've suffered, and imagine 
we're going to call God to account, wag our finger and tell Him off in 
court. However, when you finally see God and stand before Him, it is a 
humbling experience. When Job saw Himself in light of God, he realized 
he was dust, and repented in dust and ashes. In the end, we must all 
appear before the judgment seat of God (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 
20:11ff.). Vindicate God by humbling yourself before Him now.

By speaking well about God (42:7)

Jesus said those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and truth 
(John 4:24). Although Job's friends thought they were defending God, 
they didn't do it according to the truth. They admitted God's wisdom and 
ways exceed our understanding, yet all spoke as if they had Him figured 
out. Their narrow theology concluded it must be that Job had sinned. 
They also fabricated sins for Job, or blamed his hidden inner sin. God's 
anger burns against those who misrepresent Him, even if they do it with 
good intentions. If you're going to vindicate God, it must be by 
speaking the truth about Him.

By serving God (42:7b)

Four times in this passage, God refers to Job as "my servant". The 
highest honor you can have as a human, is to be called a servant of God. 
Paul referred to Himself and others as a servant (doulos/slave) of 
Christ (Romans 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6; Colossians 4:12). Everyone is either 
a servant of God, or a servant of the flesh and the devil. If you're 
going to vindicate God, you must serve Him in the way you live.

By accepting Christ's atonement (42:8-9)

God told Job's friends to offer seven bulls and rams for their sins. Job 
prayed for them on the basis of that atonement. Because of our sins, we 
cannot come before God or vindicate Him, without accepting Christ's 
atonement for our sins. Romans 3 says that by His death on a cross, 
Christ demonstrated the righteousness of God. The atonement shows that 
God does not tolerate sin. He does not let it go unpunished. He does not 
forgive people out of big-heartedness. He can only be just in forgiving 
our sins, if the full price is paid for every one of them. By being 
condemned and dying on a cross, Christ's death met God's righteous 
demands against our sin. It shows the world that God condemns our sins 
required the death penalty for them. Christ's death met God's righteous 
demands against our sins, and God raised Him from the dead. This was a 
public demonstration of God's righteousness, and allows Him to justly 
forgive and cleanse us of our sins, when we trust in Christ for salvation.

You cannot vindicate God without accepting Christ's atonement for your 
sin. Admit you're a sinner. Admit you're the one who deserved to be 
separated from God and pay the death penalty. Accept Christ's death as 
the only just payment for your sins. For believers, if we confess our 
sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse 
us from all unrighteousness. This is because Christ's death is the 
propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ 
the righteous, is now seated at the right hand of God to make 
intercession for us, on the basis of His atonement.

By forgiving others (42:10)

It wasn't until Job prayed for his friends that God restored His 
fortunes. Are you experiencing ongoing loss? Does it seem like God is 
not restoring you to a place of blessing? Are you harboring a grudge 
against those who have offended you? One of the reasons we may be 
experiencing things like this, is because of harbored grudges. On the 
basis of Christ's death for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2), 
God has provided us with a just basis for forgiving others, without 
compromising justice.

Jesus used the illustration of someone who owed an infinite debt to his 
Lord (Matthew 18:23-35). The master forgave him of that infinite debt 
that he never would have been able to repay. Then, when someone owed 
that servant a comparatively small debt, he clutched him by the throat, 
threw him in prison, and demanded that he repay everything. When the 
master found out about this, his anger burned against him, and he 
delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt. I don't 
believe you can lose your salvation. However, if you harbor grudges, you 
demonstrating a lack of faith in Christ's atonement. If His death pays 
for your sins, it also pays for other people's offenses against you. If 
you don't believe it pays for the offenses of others in you, then how 
can you claim to believe His death paid for your infinite offenses 
against God. If you're going to vindicate God, you should forgive others.

God is holy, just, and righteous, and every one of us stands guilty of 
sinning against Him. We cannot save ourselves, nor can we balance the 
scales of God's justice by our own works. Our sin demands the full, 
infinite penalty of death and eternal separation from a holy God. But in 
His great love and mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a 
sinless life and to bear the judgment for our sins on the cross. Jesus 
suffered the penalty we deserved, dying in our place, and was raised 
from the dead on the third day to demonstrate that God's righteous 
demands against sin have been completely satisfied. Turn from your 
self-righteousness today. Place your complete faith and trust in Jesus 
Christ alone as the only sufficient sacrifice for your sins. Call upon 
the name of the Lord today, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord 
shall be saved.


-- 
Good News †

Jesus fully satisfied our sin debt to God through His crucifixion 
(Colossians 2:14), a truth confirmed by His resurrection (Romans 1:4). 
Consequently, God maintains His perfect justice while pardoning 
believers (Romans 3:26) and rescuing them from imminent judgment (1 
Thessalonians 1:10). This salvation is an unearned gift received through 
faith (Romans 6:23). Trust in Christ and call upon Him for your 
salvation (Romans 10:9-13):

How to be saved: christrose.news/salvation