THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Job: Submitting To God

C. Responding To Today's Alarming Lack Of Good Leaders

(Job 3:1-42:17)

Introduction: (To show the need . . .)

In recent weeks, several believers have expressed an anxious lack of confidence in many leaders in various realms. Their unease is certainly reasonable, for we can easily illustrate issues that cause such concern (as follows):

(1) On the international level, "Europe struggles with multiple problems on the energy front . . . a self-inflicted wound brought about by the continent's commitment to 'green' energy," while "in the United States . . . a ransomware attack . . . disrupted fuel distribution in 10 states . . . There are many ways to interpret these problems, but one stands out: government incompetence." ("It can happen in America, too," Republican-American, October 1, 2021, p. 8A)

(2) In the federal government, "(o)ur massive federal government is demonstrating massive incompetence on a host of issues -- the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the southern border, gigantic proposed spending bills . . ." (Tom Purcell, "Is this autumn in America?" Republican-American, Sept. 29, 2021, p. 9A)

(3) In the state government, (a) at the House session that voted "Yes" to extend Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont's sweeping powers to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, "Rep. Jay M. Case, R-Winsted, said . . . 'I have not had one call, one email, one text for me to vote 'yes.' Every one I get is, 'Please help us, vote no, start doing your job,' and I agree with that.'" (Paul Hughes, "House OKs extension," Ibid., September 28, 2021, p. 1A)

(b) The governor then spoke on religious exemptions for Covid vaccinations, saying, "'Is this something that is being exploited or is this a very small group of Mother Teresas who come forward and feel deeply?" (Christopher Keating, "Gov. Lamont's comments on Mother Teresa and COVID-19 vaccinations blasted by Republican leader," September 29, 2021; courant.com) Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly criticized this statement and Chris Healy, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Connecticut said, "'It is . . . very disappointing that the governor chose to make Mother Teresa . . . some kind of eccentric character to demean people of legitimate faith.'" (Ibid.)

(4) In the Roman Catholic Church, one of our members has reported that Pope Francis' sanction of Covid vaccines that were developed by use of aborted fetal cell lines deeply troubles conservative Catholics he knows, for the Church officially opposes abortion, and even some cardinals have refused the vaccines! (Nicole Winfield, "Pope questions vaccine skeptics, including cardinals," September 15, 2021; abcnews.com)

(5) Many Protestants face the same problem: An article by "Pastor Keith Marshall" titled, "What does your faith exempt you from?" has the pastor asserting, " . . . I receive the COVID vaccination to safeguard life, and wear a mask to care for my neighbor. Claiming the Christian faith is no justification to refuse these measures." Pastor Marshall's view, akin to that of Pope Francis, produces a similar lack of confidence for the same reason! However, I have heard reports that a lot of pastors avoid addressing this sensitive issue for fear of facing trouble either from the government or from their congregations, what only works to foment more of a lack of confidence in such leaders!

Need: So, we ask, "If many people are anxiously losing confidence in many leaders, what should we do?!"

I. When Job and his three friends could not explain his trials, a younger, inferior man Elihu who had listened to their conversation became angry at the errant statements each of them had made, Job 32:1-5:

A. Elihu was angry that Job had justified himself rather than justifying God, Job 32:1-2.

B. However, Elihu was also angry at Job's three friends for charging Job with sin when they had not been able to refute Job's defense of his uprightness that he claimed did not deserve his great trials, Job 32:3-5.

II. Thus, Elihu correctly critiqued Job and his three friends for their errant statements, Job 33:1-37:24.

III. However, since Elihu was ignorant of God's reasons for allowing Job's trials, he could not elicit the needed repentance from the other men, so God graciously spoke to rectify the situation, Job 38:1-42:16:

A. God gave Job evidences of His vast knowledge in nature (Job 38:1-40:2; Ryrie S. Bib., KJV, 1978, p. 791), causing Job to see how deficient was his knowledge for critiquing God, so he stopped doing so, Job 40:3-5.

B. The Lord then gave Job evidences of His vast power in nature (Job 40:6-41:34; Ibid., p. 794), leading Job to realize he was foolishly insubordinate to Almighty God, so Job repented of that insubordination, Job 42:1-6.

C. Consequently, God accepted Job's repentance and reversed his whole negative state of affairs, Job 42:7-17:

1. The Lord charged Job's three friends with sin for saying what was wrong to Job, and He told Job's friends to bring costly sacrifices to Job so that he could pray that God might forgive them, Job 42:7-8.

2. These men heeded God, bringing the sacrifices, and the Lord heeded Job's intercession for them, Job 42:9.

3. God then restored Job's health and family and gave him twice as many possessions he once had, v. 10-12.

4. Job was given seven more sons and three more daughters, the same as his initial number, but since his deceased children would yet be resurrected, God had doubled the number of Job's children, Job 1:2; 42:13.

5. Job's last three daughters were the most beautiful women in the land, and he gave them an inheritance with their brothers. Job lived another 140 years after his trials, a full and long life, Job 42:14-17.

Lesson: When Job and his three friends under duress exercised poor judgment so that the younger, inferior man Elihu angrily critiqued them, God still had to communicate what was necessary to rectify the whole situation.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ Who died as our Atoning Sacrifice for sin that we might receive God's gift of eternal life, John 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-11. (2) To handle a worrisome loss of confidence in many leaders, may we look beyond mere critiques of the leaders to heed GOD, applying what HE says for the necessary solutions.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . .)

We apply this sermon lesson to what we face today (as follows):

(1) Since Elihu's critiques, though correct, could not solve the spiritual stalemate of Job and his three friends, we today must also must go beyond mere critiques of the wrongs in today's leaders that are often given by talk show hosts and columnists to obtain God's words on the needed solutions to today's leadership problems!

(2) God's words for us today are not audibly spoken as in Job's era, but they do exist in Scripture, and Scripture's revelation is so sufficient, it equips us for every good work, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. We must study Scripture.

(3) In studying Scripture, we find it predicts today's unsettling lack of confidence in many leaders, revealing why it would occur and what we believers must do about it (as follows): (a) As we have often noted, in Revelation 3:21 in God's Revelation 3:14-22 prophetic message to believers in our era of Church History, Christ promised that he who overcomes the world like He did in not loving it would sit with Christ "in" His earthly Davidic throne just as He sat down with His Father "in" the Father's heavenly throne. Christ's only ministry in relation to a throne that is like any believer's ministry today as seen elsewhere in the book of Revelation exists only at Revelation 7:17. There, Christ is predicted to nurture believers who come out of the still future Great Tribulation, what occurs after God takes the Church to heaven in the rapture. Thus, we believers today are predicted in Revelation 3:21 to face a mini-Great Tribulation that is somewhat like the future Great Tribulation, a mini-Great Tribulation with oppressive leaders whose subordinates become disillusioned with their oppressive leaders. (b) God thus LETS such leaders expose themselves as the oppressive leaders they are to create a thirst in their subordinates for nurturing leaders, and they will find nurturing leaders in churches whose leaders are saved, indwelt and controlled by the Holy Spirit and who teach Scripture! (c) The ministry of these nurturing leaders is explained in Revelation 7:15-17 (as follows): (i) The causal conjunction hoti that starts Rev. 7:17 (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 855) indicates that the ministry described in Rev. 7:17 produces the effects on those discipled that are explained back in Rev. 7:15-16. (ii) Thus, the nurturing leaders in Biblical churches will poimaino, "herd, tend, (lead to) pasture" God's people by teaching Scripture and applying it to life, Rev. 7:17a (Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 690). (iii) In doing so, such nurturing leaders will figuratively guide their hearers to "springs of living water," what were "natural springs" of persistently flowing water that was "dependable; and its clear, cool consistency was satisfying," (B. K. C., O. T., p. 1132). So, God's nurturing, spiritually gifted teachers in Biblical churches will give dependable, consistent, satisfying Bible exposition as they persistently STUDY Scripture so that God Himself will persistently MINISTER through their teaching (Rev. 7:17b) (iv) to "wipe away all tears from their eyes," giving afflicted hearers balm. (Rev. 7:17c) Then, (v) the effects of such a ministry are described in Rev. 7:15-16 as follows: (1) Hearers will serve the Lord in the local church as a way of life, "day and night," v. 15a and (2) God will "spread His tent over them" (skenosei ep' autous, Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 762), figurative for "shelter them" (Rev. 7:15b), what is explained in Rev. 7:16 (as follows): God will provide for their livelihood needs of food, drink and protection from the elements, i. e., housing! In overall summary then, as people become disillusioned with oppressive leaders in the world and look elsewhere for answers, they will find spiritually nurturing leaders in Biblical churches that God will use by their ongoing study and exposition of Scripture to disciple the afflicted to the restoring of their inner man and providing them balm from oppression. Then, as these people are discipled, they will serve God in Biblical churches and God will guarantee the meeting of their livelihood needs, for they will come under His care.

May we trust in Christ Who died as our Atoning Sacrifice for sin that we might receive God's gift of eternal life. May we realize that God is letting oppressive leaders in the world lose the confidence of their subordinates to drive such people into Bible teaching churches for God's Word, so may we teach God's Word!