Job

Now, shall we turn, please, to the oldest book in the Bible? Well, I gave you lots of time, have you found it? Right. The book of Job, chapter 32, please, and verse 1. So these three men ceased to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzar of the kindred of Ram.

Against Job was his wrath kindled because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because, notice, they had found no answer and yet had condemned Job. Elihu had waited till Job had spoken because they were elder than he.

Now, please, verse 18, and that's Elihu speaking, for I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me, behold, my belly, my inward is as wine which has no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles. That's chapter 33, and verse 8. Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy word saying, I am clean. Now, he quotes Job, I am clean without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.

Behold, he finds, God finds occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy, he, God, puts my feet in the stocks, he marks all my path. Behold, in this thou art not just, I will answer thee that God is greater than man. Verse 32 of the same chapter, please.

If thou hast anything to say, answer me, speak, for I desire to justify thee. What a noble motive. Now, please, a final reading, chapter 36 and verse 21.

I paraphrase for a better understanding of this particular verse. Verse 21, sorry, chapter 36 and verse 21. Take heed, Job, watch out, regard not iniquity or don't turn to something that is wrong or don't sin, for this you have already chosen rather than suffer affliction.

Now, this is all I'm going to read. The book of Job likely predates the patriarchal age. You only have burned offerings.

In a dialogue that has to do with man's relationship with God, the law is not mentioned. It likely predates the patriarchal period. Someone has said some time ago that Job is a builder of the pyramids, not according to chapter 3. For Job in chapter 3 says this, he wished he had died at birth and be laying at rest with kings and counselors which made desolate places for themselves, built desolate places for themselves.

Now, I'm not an Arab, but in the Arabic version, the word desolate places means pyramids. So Job is not necessarily the builder of the pyramids. They existed long before he lived.

Now, when you read a book like this, you're encountering questions. For instance, you ever wonder why Job had 3,000 camels? 3,000. I've been in the Middle East quite a number of times.

I've never in a Palestinian or Jewish restaurant seen a menu that includes camel burgers. 3,000 camels. Well, see, in those days, they were the communication, they were the transport animals of the day.

They were leased out by 30s. So thus, when they took goods from Egypt or down Yemen or where the Queen of Sheba came from all the way to Syria, and Job likely leasing these animals became a rich man. 3,000 camels.

Now, there are four lines of truth, my brethren, that you find in the book. Four lines of truth. First of all, behind earthly government, whether it's America, Egypt, Europe, behind earthly government, there's a host of invisible beings, angels, demons, some angels loyal to God and some opposed to God.

And without these beings, we couldn't understand history or even through the Bible. The second line of truth that goes through in the book of Job is, brethren, never in God's name, never, young people, never underestimate satanic power. It's real.

Relentless and the devil today seeking to attack assemblies. Satan is seeking to attack couples that seek to please God. The third impression that runs through the book is, never try to be a hindrance.

That is possible. Never try to be a hindrance to God's people. Be positive about it.

And the last one is extremely positive. Oh, to be a help to the saints with a young middle-aged or old like Eli who was a real help to God's people. You see, this is why the platform is open.

This is why you have elders. This is why I have teaching ministry. This is why you have shepherds to help the saints.

Now, the book of Job was not written to teach that Job passed through the trial to be punished. It is not punitive and it is not corrective. If anything we receive from the book of Job is that it's educational, educative.

Now, in chapter 1, the Lord expresses his delight in his, he says, his servant. Now, isn't that nice? When God expresses his delight in creation or his own, Satan is just around the corner. Adam came from the hand of God by way of creation.

Eve came from the hand of God by way of formation. And there's a difference. As soon as God expressed his delight in his creation, what do you read? The devil came right there to contradict and disprove.

Right around the corner. Numbers 12. The Lord expressed his delight in his servant Moses.

What a man he was. And he said he is one of the meekest man in the face of the earth. The devil heard that.

And he dogged Moses' footsteps until Numbers 21. And he sought to disprove what God had said. And Moses lost his cool.

Mind you, brethren, he acted under provocation. So can you. Moses the devil proved was not as meek as God says he was.

You see, he lost his temper. Mark chapter 1. The Savior had just come from the river Jordan being baptized by John. By the way, young people, tell me, please.

Why was the Savior baptized by John in the river? And John only baptized sinners? Come on, there's a difficulty. Well, it can easily be solved. I'll leave that up to you.

The Savior just climbs the bank of the river Jordan, and a voice is heard from above. This is my beloved son, in whom I am pleased to hear him. You know what the next verse says? Then cometh the devil, takes him into the wilderness.

And all through the New Testament, the churches that were planted, they had problems with satanic forces. And brethren, we are not exempt. Then cometh the devil.

Now let's come, please, to the text we read. We read, in relation to Job, of his three friends. I like to approach an analytical approach to the book.

And I find that the ministry of these three friends was doomed before it started. Three so-called friends. How? You see, brethren, your service and mine will largely depend as to how we think of God and what we think of God.

That's it. Moses and Paul in the New Testament had tremendous spiritual comprehension as to what God is. And because of this, they laid all upon the altar.

Solomon Demas as a counterpart. Positionally on the same level. And yet, oh, their outcome was so different.

Solomon in later life, you know, an affluence came and gold and silvers amassed. Several hundred concubines, three hundred wives. Isn't one enough? And it took the man clean away from God.

And he virtually destroyed everything in later life, what he believed as a young man. He thought more of the created things than of God who created them. You see, you know what the Savior said in Luke chapter 7? He says, What do you think of this passage? I'd rather gather in the context that means this.

If you value your salvation. And if it means everything to you. In that measure, you will love the Savior and lay yourself out for divine service.

If, however, salvation is, I don't want to say casual. But if it's just an experience. Oh, you got to Christ, all right.

Baptism, well, we may think about it, but it really doesn't matter. So some people think. Never mind even gathering with God's people.

And to them, the assembly, that's not a conviction. And you see, spiritual interests are just lacking. We may not doubt their salvation.

You see the point, don't you? And you can illustrate it all through the Bible. Now, why was the ministry of these three men doomed from the start? Let's analyze their concept of God. These three men all agreed that God is holy.

Now, brother, there's nothing wrong with it whatsoever. God is holy. So, therefore, they come to the conclusion that because God is holy and Job is suffering.

Therefore, he has sinned. And that's where theology starts. Never get any further.

No mention of the grace of God. No mention of the love of God. No mention of his kindness.

And they hammered Job down. And he hammered Job down. And the devil now has reached his objective.

Job begins to weaken. There are some areas, and the brethren would ask me this kind of question. Brother Kraus, where do you come from? I said, I'll give you three choices.

Ireland. Scotland. Wales.

England. The odd one says Holland. I'm neither one of these countries.

You know, I would make a dandy spy in war. No, I'm from Germany. My birthplace.

Born again in Canada. You see, you become like them you keep company with. I preached with Scottish men.

I preached with Irish men. And I preached with Englishmen. And you see, the accent rubs off.

Totally inadvertent. I don't intend it. And so, some people think I'm from Great Britain.

Nothing of the kind. You see, the point is this. You become like them that you keep company with.

Dear brother, sister. And if you keep excessive company with the unconverted, you become like them. If you keep company with God's people.

You know, when I was a young believer, I always gravitated to the older ones. And I find it sometimes difficult to understand why folks say something like this. Well, I took my family away because there's no young people.

I try to understand. But look, my dear brother. I'm not gathered to the young people.

I'm gathered to Christ. I gravitate to older people because of the experience. Because of their knowledge and the things of God.

And because of their kindness and spiritual understanding. And their maturity. You become like them.

You keep company with. Now watch. In the major section of this interesting book, you have expressions like this.

Job says, there's no prophet in serving the Almighty. Is he the same man? He says, God will plunge me into the ditch. The arrows of the Almighty are within me.

Is he the same man as in the first few chapters? He's the same man. But you see, he is exposed to legalistic ministry. Now let me tell you the difference between legalism and liberalism.

Legalism is a man-made rule. Man set up certain standards which are not found in the book. And if you get through the borders, you're out.

It's a man-made thing. On the other hand, liberalism is extremely dangerous. Because liberalism bursts through any existing borders.

And justifies anything for the work of God. Equally wrong. So no wonder that the Lord said to Joshua.

Joshua, don't go to the right. Go to the left. Stay in the middle.

Extremism can be very dangerous. And here it is that now there's a stalemate. And this young man Elihu comes on the scene.

I'd like to point out some positive features about this man. The first one is, he's young. He kept his seat.

But brother, God who is entirely sovereign, sometimes he bypasses older men and chooses young men. Often in a sovereignty, God bypasses younger men and chooses older men with wisdom and experience. And in the book of the Judges, God bypassed the brethren.

And chooses a woman. How do you relate this to the place of women in public? Notice how carefully the spirit of God puts it. Deborah judged Israel at that time when no men were available.

God is sovereign. You know, Deborah, her name is Abi. That's the kind of wife to have.

And Barak seems to have been a bit timid. So every once Deborah gave him a sting and Barak got moving. That's the kind of wife to have.

Oh, I say some sisters are spiritually, they're very mature. And they try to be help. And sometimes, you know, they're the motor behind the brethren.

Deborah, Abi. So here is a young man. Second thing about him, he's a spirit-filled believer.

He uses a simile from the Old Testament, the production of wine. Now in the old country, I worked in the wine industry and I never understood at that time the significance along the biblical background. But since then, in retrospect, I understand some of the passages that are rather difficult to understand for the layman.

Now in those olden days, they put wine when the grapes are crushed into inverted goats or sheepskins. Now wine in the first stages are given to fermentation. That's the figure that the saber used.

No man puts new wine that is fermenting in old bottles. Because during fermentation expands and could break the bottles and the whole thing spilled. And so he says, everyone should put new wine into new bottles.

That's the idea. So here is Elihu. He says, my inwards is as wine that is ready to burst.

And here's a spirit-filled believers. You know, brethren, it is good to have a message. But I tell you a better way.

It is good when the message has you. It becomes in you something that, you know, it ferments and you can hardly wait. And you'll be helped to the people of God simply because the spirit of God constrains you.

It's not just to have a message or sermon. The message has you. And so in the Old Testament, the prophets were called nabbi.

That means the burning ones. These are the kinds of folks we have. You ever wonder Elijah? Elijah, unusual according to Jewish traditions, he has no genealogy.

And he comes like a whirlwind in the public service. No genealogy, no background. He comes like a spiritual tornado.

And you folks know how you love tornadoes around Iowa. Whirlwind. And he does not come on the scene until something happened in Jericho.

What took place? 500 years ago, Joshua cursed the city of Jericho because Jericho resisted the advance of the Israelites. Cursed it. And he says, whoever dares to rebuild Jericho because it's a very pleasant site.

Availability of water. Beautiful orchards and so on. Raised vegetables.

Whoever rebuilds Jericho will lose two boys. 500 years, brethren, and this prophecy became almost dormant. Until there was a man by the name of El.

500 years later, he rebuilt Jericho. He lost his oldest and his youngest son. Now it seems to me that Elijah is the only person that recognized the reality of divine promise.

And with so much spiritual darkness and declension, he comes like a spiritual tornado. And he says this, the Lord God before who I'm living. Because, you see, he saw God's promise fulfilled.

Well, it has been 2,000 years since the Savior made a promise. I go and prepare a place for you. But I will come again.

I do not know, brethren, how long it will be. Some of the saints may become weary along the way. I don't think they will doubt God's promise.

But one of these days, it will be fulfilled. It will be fulfilled. For God cannot lie.

There's people who suffered through the dispensations. People have suffered in this present dispensation. In the gulags of Africa.

Keep in mind that right now in Indonesian lands, your brothers and sisters are being martyred for their faith. And the news media never tells you anything about it. See, because, you know, this Christianity is going out as far as they're concerned.

No, it will last forever. You ever wonder why every political system ever since the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Medo-Persians, and the Romans, every system has collapsed? Christianity has been going strong and will go strong as long as the Savior returns. Until He returns for 2,000 years.

Isn't that amazing? The Savior said, you cannot destroy it. It's based upon the Savior's person, His death, His resurrection. And some of these days, we'll have the fulfillment of His promise.

He will come back again. Now, please, in closing. Elijah is not only a spirit-filled believer, he's a mediator.

And I want to come to an objection that you might have in connection with Job. For Job said in the beginning, Behold, no, he said it at the last, Behold, I am vile. And if the book is not punitive, if it is not corrective, why did Job say, Behold, I am vile, I repent in dust and ashes? I'll tell you why he said this.

He said it as to the result of the three fronts, ministry, what he was led to believe as far as God is concerned. You see, he blamed God in a way. He said, plunge me into the ditch.

This is what Job refers to, I am vile. Now, notice. The Lord says, you three men over here, you offer a sacrifice.

Not my servant Job. Something? And then Job who suffered so much, the dear man, his material possessions, and his family was restored. The Lord takes Job on a trip through the universe.

Come on, Job. How do things look from up here? Dear brethren, dear sisters, the day will come when we'll be gathered home to be with Christ. In the air.

I wonder, brethren, how your problems look from up yonder. You fly across Iowa. The weather pilot will never grant you the request.

Please fly over my farm in Hudson or, you know, Clarksville. You will not see, hardly see Cedar Falls from 35,000 feet up. Just about that size.

So here we dwell with Christ in heavenly places, Ephesians. In the coming day, the Lord will take us out all together, and we shall be with him. We shall look down, shall we? Come on, Job.

How do your troubles look from there? Dear brethren, some of the Lord's people are suffering. The devil can attack in moments of physical weakness. Some people may be in doubt.

Some people, the burden of the year is upon them. All that will be a thing of the past when Christ returns. So here is Elihu, a man whose mediator brings the presence of God down, and Job recovers.

Oh, to be a man like this. To help someone on the spiritual way. To bring someone back, as far as the world is concerned, and so that in the experience of their lives, ultimately, after passing through dark times, they will see the light again.