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The Bible Breakdown
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The Bible Breakdown
Job 15: Who Do You Think You Are?
Are you ready to challenge the way you think about support and suffering? In our latest podcast episode, Pastor Brandon takes us through the turbulent emotions of Job, chapter 15, as we analyze Eliphaz's aggressive shift from offering advice to harsh criticism towards Job. We discuss the dangers of misguided counsel and the importance of compassion when helping others through their trials. Drawing from personal experiences and biblical wisdom, we aim to foster a community built on empathy and understanding. Listeners are invited to share their stories and insights, creating a tapestry of collective support.
Discover how maintaining your identity and faith can transform your journey through adversity. We reflect on Job's steadfast faith and how he remains unshaken despite accusations of wickedness. Pastor Brandon emphasizes the crucial role our identity in Christ plays, especially during tough times, and how turning to God's word can redefine who we are. We also delve into the anxieties faced by those who walk alongside others in their spiritual struggles, inspired by Job's unwavering praise and trust in God even when everything seems lost. Tune in for an episode filled with heartfelt discussions and spiritual encouragement.
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The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Hello everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today, job, chapter 15, and we're just going to call this one who Do you Think you Are? Oh my, you better strap in today, because Eliphaz ain't messing around anymore and we're going to use this title who Do you Think you Are? As, on one end, this is what Eliphaz is saying to Job. He's saying dude, who do you think you are? As, on one end, this is what Eliphaz is saying to Job. He's saying dude, who do you think you are? And on the other side, I want to ask that question to O'Elly Yo Fazzy who do you think you're trying to help? Jojo, you're really not okay.
Speaker 1:And we're going to talk about the importance of remembering who we are when we're the ones going through a difficult time, but then also who are are when we're the ones going through a difficult time, but then also who are we when we're the one trying to help people. We'll get into all that in just a moment, but, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share, subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast, make sure you are letting us know how you're connecting with God's word by leaving comments and answering or clicking that button in the show notes in the podcast so you can respond to some of the things that we're doing. And I want to know down in the comments what do you think is one of the hardest parts about walking with someone through a difficult season, and it may be different for everybody. I'm going to tell you at the end what one of my biggest challenges is when I'm walking with someone. I want to know from you what's your most difficult and also make sure we're all gathering together at the Bible Breakdown discussion on Facebook. The more we dig, the more we find, and they're doing an amazing job over there just sharing God's Word with us and helping us, one day at a time, get closer to the Lord. And that's one of the things I love about the Bible Breakdown is. The goal of all of this is to break down God's Word and to read it together and to understand it. And as you're opening up your Bibles with me to Job, chapter 15, that is one of the things I love about going through the book of Job.
Speaker 1:So many people don't read the book of Job because it's just it's written in that Hebrew poetry that when you take it over to English. It's a little odd sometimes and you know it's a sad book, but in my mind it's not sad as much as it's real. I mean, you update the language a little bit and this conversation happens all the time where you have somebody who's struggling, you have other people who are trying to help and God love them. They're doing more harm than good and you're just trying to figure it out. It's like God. I don't know why I'm going through this, but everybody else wants to tell you exactly why you're going through this. Right. It can be so very difficult. Well, the overall theme of the book of Job is trusting God's wisdom in suffering, and so we trust God, even though we don't always understand or can I even say it like this, we don't always even appreciate what God's doing at the time. It's like God. I just don't agree, which is why I'm so glad that you're God and I'm not, because you obviously know what you're doing. But today we're going to grapple with the question of who do you think you are? Job is going to get asked this question by his quote friend, eliphaz, and then we're going to figure out at the end who exactly are we when it comes to knowing God for ourselves, and I'm curious. I want to know about this in the comments below. I wonder if, at this point, eliphaz is no longer trying to give sound advice and wisdom. I think he's just mad at this point. At this point, eliphaz is just trying to be hurtful and hateful, and when we read this we're going to see. I get a little snarkiness from Eliphaz when I read this, and so, if you're ready, I want to know what you think. Let's read it together.
Speaker 1:Job, chapter 15, verse 1, says this. Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied a wise man wouldn't answer with such empty talk. You are nothing but a windbag. Now pause. Oh, thank you for your friendship, eliphaz. I mean, you imagine who even says windbag anymore? Maybe we should bring that back again as an insult. But he's like you're just, you're just a windbag. So I was like we're not friends anymore. I'm making fun of you at this point.
Speaker 1:Verse three the wise don't engage in empty chatter. What good are such words? Have you no fear of God and no reverence for him? Your sins are telling your mouth what to say. Lord, help us. Your words are based on clever deception. Your own mouth condemns you, not I. Your own lips, now pause.
Speaker 1:Now what he's saying is Job keeps talking about God. I don't know why this is going on and I want to talk to you about it and I just would rather not be alive. And all these things are so bad. And what Eliphaz is saying is you're admitting that this is bad. Well, eliphaz is saying the reason why it's bad is because you've done something bad to deserve this. And that's why, eliphaz, he just cannot let go of the fact that Job could possibly be innocent.
Speaker 1:Right here we go, verse 7. Were you the first person ever born? Were you born before the hills were made? Were you listening at God's secret counsel? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom? What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we do not? On our side are the aged, gray-haired men much older than your father. Is God's comfort too little for you? Is his gentle word not enough? What has taken away your reason? What has weakened your vision that you turn against God and say all these evil things? Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be? Just Look, god does not even trust the angels. Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight. How much less pure is the corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness. Now pause. What Eliphaz is saying is is he's saying God is so perfect, god is so holy and God is so just that compared to him, not even heaven is pure. So he's not saying that heaven is a horrible place. He's saying, compared to God, it's not as awesome because God is that awesome. Okay, make sure we understand that, verse 17. If you listen, I will show you. I will answer you from my own experience it is.
Speaker 1:It is confirmed by the reports of wise men who have heard the same thing from their fathers and from those whom the land was given long before any foreigners arrived. The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives. Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless. The sound of terror rings in their ears and even on good days they fear the attack of the destroyer. They dare not go out into the darkness for fear they will be murdered. They wander around saying where can I find bread? They know their day of destruction is near. That dark day terrifies them. They live in distress and in anguish, like a king preparing for battle, for they shake their fists at God, defying the Almighty Holding their strong shields. They defiantly charge against him.
Speaker 1:These wicked people are heavy and prosperous and their waste bulge with fat, but their cities will be ruined. They will live in abandoned houses and they will tumble down. Their riches will not last and their wealth will not endure. Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon. They will escape the darkness, and the burning sun will rither their shoots and the breath of God will destroy them. Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches, for emptiness will be their own reward. They will be cut down in the prime of their life and their branches will never again be green. They will be like a vine whose grapes are harvested. Wow, wow. Thank you, eliphaz, for being so kind and so generous with your words. Oh, he's just going scorched earth on poor Job.
Speaker 1:But what can we learn from this? First of all, he's really accusing Job and he's saying Job, you don't realize who you are, and what he's saying is Job is actually a really bad person. The reality is, that's not who Job is, and what he's saying is is Job is actually a really bad person? The reality is is that's not who Job is? Job is innocent, job hasn't done anything wrong, and it's the fact that throughout the book of Job, job. He stays certain about who he is, and that is that, god. I know I haven't, I know that I haven't done anything and I know that you're holy. So I'm not going to quit until I can find a way to reconcile these two, because I know who I am and can I tell you, if you're going through a difficult season, if you're the one having to learn to trust God's wisdom in suffering, I want to encourage you never forget who you are in Christ.
Speaker 1:Never forget that you're more loved than you can imagine. You've never been more loved than you are right now that God is for you more than you can imagine. You've never been more loved than you are right now that God is for you more than you can imagine. He is with you more than you can imagine. Never forget who you are in Christ. Don't let the circumstances around you determine what God says about you. That's why you have to always go back to God's word, because all around us in life there are circumstances and things and stuff and people and culture that will always try to tell you who you are, and so if you don't know who you are, they're happy to define you, and so we have to go back to our owner's manual, go back to the one who made us and say okay, the creator gets to decide who we are and learn who we are from him.
Speaker 1:On the other side, as I told you at the very beginning, one of the things I struggle with the most and I don't know if you can identify with this when I'm walking with someone who is suffering, I struggle to try to not be God for them, and what I mean by that is is when they're hurting. They need something, they need to know what's going on, and they'll say you know, pastor, I just don't understand. Can you tell me why I'm going through this? Can you tell me why my child is suffering? Can you tell me why I lost this job, why my health is failing, why, why, why all this stuff I carry sometimes so much weight, because I know what that feels like and I want to be able to give them the answer.
Speaker 1:The reality is, I don't have the answer. I don't know because I don't have God's complete wisdom and and complete bird's-eye view to see all the situations and all the things, and and I have a feeling, when we get to heaven, we'll no longer have any more questions, because when we can see everything through the lens of God, all of our questions will be answered immediately. Oh, now I see why you've done it that way. Now I see there was no other way. That's exactly what had to happen. That's exactly. I think that even the most impossible question, when we can see it through the eyes of God and we see his ultimate justice, we will know.
Speaker 1:But since we don't have that opportunity viewpoint at this point in our life, it can be difficult to know, and sometimes I struggle with wanting to provide those answers. And so therefore, sometimes I can deal with a lot of social anxiety about walking into those environments because I feel so not up to the task, only to realize I was never supposed to be up to that task. I was never supposed to have all the answers, I was simply supposed to know how to point to the one who does. And I want to tell you that if you're walking with someone and you feel so much anxiety and you're gripped with fear and inadequacy because you feel like you're not up to the task of walking with someone, maybe you're trying to sit in the seat of God rather than in the seat of a friend, and so I want to encourage you. You're not supposed to have all the answers. You're not supposed to have it all figured out. You're not God. Your job is to walk with those people, to answer questions as you have them, but, most importantly, make sure you're always pointing to God.
Speaker 1:Let's go to the Lord in prayer Because the thing is is, if you give them answers, then they'll have the facts, but without the power and will and motivation to move forward, it doesn't do any good. But when we go to the Lord, the Lord gives us what we need, but then he also gives us the will and the desire and the motivation to take the next step. It's like having a new car. It doesn't matter how great that car is, if it doesn't have any gas in it, you're not going to drive it anywhere. And you can give that person keys and they can celebrate having a new car, but they're not going to go anywhere. The great thing about God is is he gives us the keys, but he also gives us a full tank of gas. And that's why we always go to God is we can find some answers by going to Google, but Google can't give us the will and the power and the motivation to take the next step. Only God can do that.
Speaker 1:Let's pray together today. God, thank you so much for today. Thank you that you are with us more than we can imagine. I pray today, god, for anyone who is going through that difficult season. Lord, that you'll remind them of who they are in you. Remind them that they are not who they think they are. They're not who their culture says they are. They're not who their culture says they are. They're not who their parents say they are. Ultimately, primarily, they are who you say they are. Then, from that foundation, then they figure out other aspects of their life. I pray that they will gain courage and strength from that, knowing that they are loved by you and Lord.
Speaker 1:I pray for everyone who is trying to walk with somebody else and feels the anxiety and the pull of having to be everything for everybody. I pray that they will remember their job is to not be you. Their job is to point to you in all things. Give us the courage to walk toward you, no matter what. In Jesus name, we pray Amen, amen, what God's word says in Job, chapter one, verse 21,. I came naked from my mother's womb. I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had and the Lord has taken it away. But praise the name of the Lord. Job is saying my testimony is God's with me through it all. What a wonderful way to live. I'll see you tomorrow for Job, chapter 16.
