Job 09: God is Not Your Enemy

Can God really be your enemy, even when life feels unbearably harsh? Join Pastor Brandon as we dissect Job's heart-wrenching response to his friend Bildad in Job, Chapter 9. Together, we'll uncover the profound message that 'God is not your enemy,' a revelation that many of us desperately need. You'll gain deep insights into Job's struggle to reconcile his immense suffering with his unwavering faith in God's wisdom, and perhaps, find solace in your own trials.

As we walk through the scripture, we'll see Job's poignant recognition of God's power and his overwhelming feelings of helplessness. Pastor Brandon will guide us through the themes of trust and faith in the face of adversity, reminding us that even during our darkest moments, seeking wisdom from those who've walked the path before us can provide clarity and comfort. Tune in for an episode that promises to offer not just empathy for Job, but practical reflections for our own lives when we feel like we're battling alone.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:24

Well, everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today. Job, chapter 9, and today's title is God is not your enemy. I want you to say it with me. You ready. God is not your enemy. But can we be honest, sometimes we're not so sure. Sometimes we think he's batting for the other team, but he's not. He's not your enemy, and that is the one thing I would love to be able to say to Job Today. We're going to read about his response to Bill Dadd from yesterday and it just breaks my heart because Job's struggling with this concept. We're going to get into that in just a moment and see if maybe we can see ourselves grappling with some of the same kind of things sometimes. But before that, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast and make sure you are going to the Bible Breakdown discussion on Facebook. The more we dig, the more we find, and God's Word is so very faithful and it's awesome to do life together and they're doing an amazing job of writing those devotions every single day. Thank you so much to that wonderful team. Well, if you have your Bible and want to open up with me to Job, chapter nine. Remember, yesterday, bildad was just not, he wasn't doing too well, he's saying some mean stuff, but there was some hidden gems in there about going to the previous generation and asking them. And I'm curious, let me know in the comments down below if you did that. Did you go and ask someone you know? Hey, I want to set up a coffee with you. I want to, I want to talk to you. If you did, I want to hear about what that was like. Was it awkward, Was it weird? Who was it? You know, just let me know. And today Job is going to respond. He is, he's just going to say how it is. And it's so sad because I just want to reach into the pages of scripture and just give Job a hug, man, you know, just give him the manly fist bump and just be like dude, god's not your enemy. And I wonder if some of us need to hear that today. So let's read this, see if we identify with Job a little bit and just see what God's word will say to us, because we remember the overall idea of Job is trust God and trust his wisdom, even in seasons of suffering. You ready? Job, chapter nine, verse one, says this Then Job spoke again.

Speaker 1: 2:36

Yes, I know, all this is true in principle, but how can a person be declared innocent in God's sight? If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once? In a thousand times? For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?

Speaker 1: 2:56

Without warning, he moves mountains, overturning them. In his anger, he shakes the earth in its place and its foundations tremble. If he commands it, the sun won't rise and the stars won't shine. He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea. He made all the stars, the bear and the Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky. He does great things, too marvelous to understand, and he performs countless miracles. Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go. If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him? Who dares ask what are you doing? And if God does not strain his anger, even the monsters of the sea are crushed beneath his feet.

Speaker 1: 3:44

So who am I that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I would only plead for mercy. Even if I summoned him and he responded, I'm not sure that he would listen to me, for he attacks me with a storm and he repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but he fills me instead with bitter sorrow. If it's a question of strength, he's the strong one. If it's a matter of justice, who dares summon him to court?

Speaker 1: 4:16

Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty, though I am blameless. It would prove me wicked. I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me. I despise my life, innocent or wicked, it's all the same to God. That's why I say he destroys both the blameless and the wicked. When a plague sweeps through, he laughs at the death of the innocent. The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked and God blinds the eyes of the judges. And if he's not the one who does it, well, who is? My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness. It disappears like a swift, piperous boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

Speaker 1: 5:01

If I decided to forget my complaints and to put away my sad face and be cheerful, I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, o God. Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what's the use of trying? Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye, you would plunge me into a muddy ditch and my own filthy clothing would hate me. God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together, the mediator who could make God stop beating me. I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear. But I could not do it on my own strength.

Speaker 1: 5:51

Wow, job is definitely talking about struggling with what's going on, and can I tell you, there's been times in my life when I've said God, I can't do this anymore. I don't know what you're doing. And if I'm honest with you, I don't mean this bad, I don't care, I just need relief. And I feel like even you're against me. I'm calling out to you, I'm crying out to you, I'm reading your word, I'm praying, I'm talking to you, but it feels as though there's a concrete ceiling above my head. God, where are you? That's basically what Job is saying. Have you ever been there? Well, I want to go ahead and give you a spoiler alert.

Speaker 1: 6:30

In just a few chapters, god tells Job exactly where he is and the answer is right there that God has never left Job. And can I tell you God has never left you either. I know it can feel that way, but one of the things we can never do with our feelings is trust them. They're okay to have, but they make terrible leaders when we don't know what we think and don't know how we feel. Trust what we know when we don't know how we feel, trust what we know. And that is God's word promises who never leave us, never forsake us, and even in this moment, right now, no matter how you feel, god is not your enemy. He's for you and he is with you more than you know.

Speaker 1: 7:11

Let's pray right now, god, thank you so much for today. Thank you that you're with us and you're for us. I pray you'll open our eyes today to see you in fresh and new ways. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen. And what God's word says in Job 1, verse 21,. I came naked from my mother's womb and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord, as God's word always tells us. He is with us in everything and no matter what we face, he'll be with us to the end. I love you.