Job 40:5 "Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth highlights the most foundational and important lessons in life from the oldest book in the Bible, the Book of Job. This sermon, the fifteenth in the series on the Book of Job, Job Chapter 40:5 to 41:34 chronicles the Lord's reproof of Job and Job's response: "Job’s words and thoughts have gotten him in trouble with the Lord, and now he has gained sufficient wisdom to hold his peace and quietly humble himself to the Lord’s correction. No longer will he speak of the perceived errors of God’s ways; instead, he will confine his speech to the subject of his unworthiness. Contrite, he rejects saying anything that might tempt him to be lifted with pride again. It is in humility that men find God and learn more about Him, whereas in human pride, the Lord will not be found at all.
“Every man will have to stand and give an account of himself before God, as Job must do here. Human cowardice will not be tolerated, nor will any be able to plead weakness to escape God’s correction or judgment for their sin. Like with Adam and Eve, no matter what effort is made to hide, a full account for transgressing God’s Word will have to be given.
"For the believer, it is God’s hand and the Lord’s mighty arm, that gains victory in his life. Because without God’s strength being exhibited in the Christian’s life, there would be absolutely no chance of victory. This includes victory over death, and sin, as well as all other earthly afflictions.
"Because they lack this heavenly glory and are merely corrupted flesh, they are unworthy of entering God’s presence. A naked man is completely vulnerable; he cannot protect himself from God’s judgment nor defend himself in God’s courtroom. Because of his destitute condition, he is estranged from the Lord’s holy presence. Unless God clothes sinners in His righteousness, they will be found unfit to enter His celestial presence.
“To a proud and rebellious man, his strong internal and unchanging confidence is, that God should receive him as he is. Even if, how he is, is only fleshly and carnal. Hence, for the pretentious, they think they need not to repent for sin, simply because, they are not themselves unrighteous. Instead, when challenged by the Lord for sin, they deem God’s correction itself as sinful.
“The reason God draws such attention to this mighty beast’s strength is to further impress upon Job His own strength. All this is meant to produce humility in Job so he might consider the vastness of the power of the One he so foolishly contended against. Men would never even consider wrestling with a creature such as behemoth, so why would they imagine they could successfully strive against God and be successful?
“Pride also can so inflate a man, that he loses all real touch with reality. To then be reminded of his inability, is purposed to bring back some sensibility to his true strength. Until then Job could subdue and domesticate fierce creatures in the earth, he should not think himself as equal to the Lord. Sinners also frequently manifest characteristics of megalomania, whereby grandiose thoughts of themselves, tempt them, to foolishly believe that they are at least minimally, co-equal with God in wisdom and strength. For none will resist God’s will, unless they first think themselves strong enough, to not do God’s will in their life. Hence, whenever men buck the truth, they believe themselves sufficiently strong enough to not have to submit to it.
“There are so many creatures in this world, including the hippo, the elephant, the crocodile, the lion, the tiger, and even the North American grizzly, that men have the natural sense not to stir up and disturb, lest the creature’s great power and strength be exerted towards them. Yet, it is astounding how seldom this same fear is attributed to God. So that where men are rightly afraid of the fierceness of so many of the earth’s creatures, stunningly, most share not the same fear of the Lord. This is evidenced by the casualness in which they break God’s laws, and lightly esteem His commands. Divine wisdom should also teach us, that just as it is foolish to stir up the anger of creatures like the crocodile, how much more foolish is it to stir up God’s anger?”
This sermon was preached live at Castle Grace in the At the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses Series. Other sections of Scriptures highlighted in this sermon: Job 40:5-41:34.
Broadcast live from Castle Grace 11/14/2021
