A. The story of Job is familiar to most
1. It encourages us in trials
2. We speak of the patience of Job - James 5:11
B. Look at the background of the book
1. It may be the first one ever written
2. It deals with the problem of suffering
3. It does not answer all the questions, but it gives divine help
C. Look at the plan of the book
1. Job was a good man according to the Lord’s estimates - Job 1:8
2. The devil’s doctrine equates prosperity with God’s approval
3. God permitted Satan to attack Job and used it for our good
4. During Job’s affliction, comforters came but failed to help
5. When they finished, Job started his oration about God
6. Now let us read Job 26
A. "Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering" - Job 26:6
1. If God can see the unseeable, the place of outer darkness, He can see everything - Matthew 25:30
2. Mentions of the depths and darkness - Jude 1:6, 12, 13 and 2 Peter 2:4
3. He has an all-seeing eye - Hebrews 4:12-13
4. That thought delights the true Christian and terrifies the sinner - 1 Peter 3:12
B. "He stretcheth out the north over the empty place and hangeth the earth upon nothing" - Job 26:7
1. The controversy exists over whether this is scientific foreknowledge or not
a. Some attempt to disprove the scientific accuracy of this
b. Others take it out of its setting and have it being spoken for the purpose of revealing scientific facts
c. The explanation is this: The Bible is not a textbook on science, but a statement made on another subject is always accurate, even scientifically
2. The meaning concerns the great power of God
a. He is the maker of the law of gravity and the maker of the science of astronomy
b. The power of God
3. Compare what man is trying to do with what God has already done
a. Briefly, notice with me man’s accomplishments in space
b. God’s accomplishments are these: some stars many thousands of light years away and light traveling at 186,000 miles second! This is enough outer space for everybody! And God operates all that - Hebrews 1:1-3
c. Man, playing around in God’s yard, is no more in competition with God in this matter of space than a candle is with the sun!
C. "He bindeth up the waters in the thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them" - Job 26:8
1. This shows the power of God too!
2. Look at the wonders. Vapor gathers, and there is enough up in the sky to drop several inches of rain over an area hundreds of miles wide and hundreds of miles long! Imagine the volume and weight of that much water! Yet, God holds it up in the sky, the cloud is not rent under it until God wants it to come down.
D. "He holdeth back the face of His throne and spreadeth His cloud upon it" - Job 26:9
1. The ESV says, He covers the face of the moon
2. Whether Job is speaking of God’s throne literally, or the moon, God can hide it if He wants to. He has the power!
E. "He hath compassed the waters with bounds." (hath described a circle upon the face of the earth - Job 26:10
1. Compare to water forming a giant ball, whirling through space. God can do that.
2. From pole to pole, God keeps all things even the waters in place.
F. "The pillars of heaven tremble" - Job 26:11
1. Earthquakes are in God’s hands.
2. His word has power to destroy as well as to build. His word brought the flood - Genesis 7:1-4
3. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and finally will destroy the world - 2 Peter 3:6-7
G. "He divideth the sea with his power" - Job 26:12
1. This at least reminds us of the incident at the Red Sea.
2. See the power of God thus demonstrated
H. "By his Spirit he has garnished the heavens" - Job 26:13
1. Psalm 19:1
2. Psalm 8:3
A. These are parts of His ways
1. The ESV says: These are but the outskirts of his ways
2. If these are the outskirts, the mere edges, imagine His power
B. How little a portion is heard of him
1. The ESV says, How small a whisper do we hear of Him
2. Look at the contrast between a whisper and a thunder
3. All the wonderful evidences of His power listed in this chapter are but whispers
C. But the thunder of His power who can understand
1. When one observes the spiritual workings of God, he sees things that are much greater than the things Job observed
2. Man cannot fully comprehend God. That is why faith is essential
3. But to see the outskirts of His ways helps one to be more amazed at His great power
A. Being able to make man over
1. He has done that
a. Remember the condition of man in the first century
b. God came down to earth to change man and help him - John 6:38
2. God changed man’s views and renovated society when all odds were against such
a. At a time of slavery He taught and slavery waned - Matthew 7:12
b. When women were chattel property, He taught and Woman was elevated - Galatians 3:28
c. When Caesar’s power was unchallenged, He taught and Caesar fell - Matthew 28:18
d. When arrogance was common, He taught and Man improved - James 4:6
e. When lust was worshipped, He taught and Man learned better - James 1:13-14
3. God wrought wondrous changes
a. At Ephesus He was preached, and the temple of Diana came down and the church of God went up.
b. At Corinth tremendous changes occurred - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
B. Being able to provide salvation from sin
1. Sin would contaminate heaven; hence, God provided for forgiveness
2. Notice - 1 Corinthians 15:3
3. By observing the outskirts of His ways, we do not wonder that He so richly provided for us
C. Having power for providential care
1. He has promised it - Matthew 6:33
2. How does He do so?
a. It is not even necessary to perform miracles
b. He can work through the laws of nature which He made
D. Having power to raise the dead
1. The Bible teaches this - 1 Corinthians 15
2. Why should we think it strange?
E. Providing heaven for the faithful
1. John 14:1-3
2. Why should we fear?
A. I have been preaching on this verse which we may really consider our text for this sermon - Romans 8:31
B. Isn’t this encouraging?
C. Do you want HIM to be YOUR God? Then obey Him and accept His Salvation
-- Don Treadway, January 2011 --
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