Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ August 8, 2010

“Come Forth as Gold”

“God, I don’t understand???”

• Storms come blowing in, testing/trials come along… hard situations, we cry God, I don’t understand?
• The title this morning is “Come Forth as Gold”…
• PPT – Smelting Gold at 2000 degrees F… God’s smelting pot comes in all temperatures…
• Gold is tried in the fire… burning out any impurities; imperfections comes to the top, they’re exposed and removed, leaving a purer gold… a purer life for Christ…

• In the midst of Job’s storm, we see him saying the same thing to Eliphaz one of his three friends…

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

• This morning we’ll see if Job truly “came forth as gold” as he believed he would… on the “other” side!

Review from prior week’s on Job…

• Tremendous Wealth, Honor, Family, Health, Blessings… 1:1-3
• One Day, Satan (the accuser) went before the Lord… 1:6,2:1
• God allowed His “hedge of protection” to be removed… 1:10

Job 1:10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

• Job lost it all… family, fame, fortune, health… 1-2 BUT he still had his HOPE

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.

• Job Dialogues with his three friends, no resolution… chpts 3-26
• Young Elihu confronts Job with wise counsel… chpts 32-37
• Elihu emphatically says: “Listen, listen to the roar of God’s voice”… 37:2

I. Elihu Finished Speaking and Job Remains Silent…

Job 37:2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice…

Job 37:14 "Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God's wonders.

Job 37:22-24 ²² Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. ²³ The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. ²⁴ Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?"

• Elihu finished his speaking and Job was silent… he could not refute his wise counsel… Jesus/Pharisees

II. God Himself now Speaks from “within the Storm”…

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm…

• Storms are where the Lord “gets our undivided attention”… it’s where we are most attentive to Him
• Remember God speaks through His creation, Word, prayer, circumstances, church (Christians)…
• Job’s wife spoke to him, job three friends… others mocked him, some even spit into his face (c17)…
• Job was silenced as Elihu, a mortal young man spoke… But in the middle of the difficult times, God seemed elusive to Job, when the “heavens seemed as brass”…
• At last, Job’s plea for God to answer him was granted… and God comes upon the scene…
• Speaking to Job directly from within the storm (a local storm… also in sense of in the trials we face)

God asks Job 70 questions… Job answers none!

• God rebukingly interrogates Job with a barrage of questions… Job flunks the quiz… getting a F
• God was showing Job His power and wisdom and Job’s lack of it… God’s purposes will stand… in control
• God does not report to puny sinful man… man needs to bow before His Creator in dependence & faith

Examples of God’s questions:

Job 38:2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?

Job 38:4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

Job 38:19 "What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?

Job 39:27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build his nest on high?

Chpt 40, God speaks of Behemoth – Greatest land creature

Chpt 41, God speaks of Leviathan – Greatest sea creature

III. Job in the Presence of God, Repents

Job 42:1-6 ¹ Then Job replied to the Lord: ² "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. ³ You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. ⁴ "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' ⁵ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. ⁶ Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

• Remember in 1:1… God says Job was blameless, upright, feared God, shunned evil… a righteous man
• I believe in the course of his trails… Job slowly became embittered toward God (friends conversations)
• He became more weary, hurting, broken… began blaming God for his “STORM” the tempest which seemingly out of nowhere came with a vengeance upon him… we choose to “grow bitter OR better”

• CAUTION… God says "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.... Get rid of all bitterness." Eph 4:30-31 
• Bitterness will destroy you and those around you… Search your heart for a root of bitterness (Heb 12:15)

Guard against 13 Seeds of Bitterness… What happens when we become bitter (actually turn against God…) 

• Destructive anger, Depleted energy, Drained emotions, Diminished joy, Depressed outlook
• Damaging accusations, Decreased interests, Deteriorating self-worth, Desire to escape
• Distrust of others, Doubt of God, Distracted from priorities, Deadened spiritual sensitivity

• Job’s bitterness and pride grew with his loss of wealth, family and health… why would God allow this??
• We now see Job silent, humbled, and repentant before his Lord… Job had an “attitude” adjustment…
• Having gain insight into God’s ways, character, power, wisdom, sovereignty, concern, love… Job confessed his own unworthiness and repented… verse 5

⁵ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. ⁶ Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

Job is now grieved over his sin, not his losses.

Remember Job earlier said…

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Job indeed comes forth as gold!

IV. Resulting in…

1. Intercession for his three friends vs7-9

⁸ … My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.

1. Doubling of his former wealth vs10,12

¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.

1. Restoration of relationships & honor vs11

¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

1. Birth of seven sons and three beautiful daughters vs13-15

¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters… ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters…

• Question: God gave him twice as much? 10 more beautiful children… the others who died are still alive with the Lord!

Job 19:25-27 ²⁵ I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. ²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; ²⁷ I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

1. Healthy, long and productive life vs16-17

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so he died, old and full of years.

• Jewish tradition says: job struck at 70 yrs of age… doubling is 140 = died at 210 yrs

Key Truths (God spoke to many of us, teaching us various truths…)

• All storms are “filtered” through God’s loving hands Rom 8:28 “all things work together for good…”

• God speaks through the storms… Listen, Listen Ps 46.10 “be still and know that I am God…”

• Change… Obey… Grow… Be Blessed! Rev 22.7 “Behold I am coming soon… blessed who keeps word…”

• Maintain a view of eternity as you go through the storms of life…
• Refined by fire… proven genuine/confident… glorify the Lord… waiting for His return!

1 Peter 1:7 These [trials] have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

These are the days of Elijah… the Lord’s about to return! Are you ready?

Let’s Pray!