JOB LESSON 9


     We will begin this lesson in Job 9:1 "Then Job answered and
said," Job 9:2 "I know [it is] so of a truth: but how should man be
just with God?"

     Job was agreeing that a righteous man generally would not face
these problems. We must remember, in all of this, that God did not
forewarn Job of the challenge of Satan. It would not have had the
impact on the angels, and even on us, if Job had endured these
hardships, because he knew God would restore him at the end. The thing
that made Job's stand for God so powerful was the fact that he did not
know. Job had made an humble statement "how should a man be just with
God?"  Job was saying that man was not perfect. He had attempted to
live perfect before God, and it appeared to him at this point, that he
must have failed in some way.

     Job 9:3 "If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of
a thousand."

     If a man would be so foolish to try to contend with God, the man
would not be able to answer one of a thousand things that God would
ask.

     Job 9:4  "[He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath
hardened [himself] against him, and hath prospered?"

     Who is man that he should contend with God? God is all powerful.
He is the source of all strength. He is Wisdom to the utmost. No man
who hardens his heart against God could ever prosper.

     Job 9:5 "Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which
overturneth them in his anger."

     The main thing we must see in this verse through verse 13, is
that God is in total control of all the elements of the earth. Not
only must we know that he is in control, but we must notice that Job
knew this, and he was the one who was making this statement. There
will be a time, at the Word of God when the mountains will be no more.
This is spoken of clearly during the wrath of God, which is yet to
come.

     Job 9:6 "Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the
pillars thereof tremble."

     It is God who sends the earthquake, to cause people to repent and
come to Him. The pillars are speaking of the supports for the earth's
crust. We learned that a movement of rock deep beneath the earth's
surface, is really what causes the earthquake.

     Job 9:7 "Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth
up the stars."

     The sun is no more than a container for light. There will be a
time, when there will be no need for the sun, or the moon. Revelation
21:23 "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is]
the light thereof."

     Job 9:8 "Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon
the waves of the sea."

     The heavens surround the earth. One of His very first creations
was the heavens. Jesus showed a manifestation of His ability to tread
upon the waves, when He walked on the Sea of Galilee.

     Job 9:9 "Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the
chambers of the south."

     These are speaking of constellations in the sky. These, too, were
created by God, and are under His complete control. Arcturus {the
great bear} is one of the three most brilliant stars in the southern
hemisphere. Orion is south of Taurus and Gemini, and is made up of a
myriad of stars. Pleiades is a constellation of 7 large stars and
numerous small stars. It is seen in the eastern sky. The chambers of
the south are unnamed stars. It is unusual that a man in history, as
early as Job, would know of the stars.

     Job 9:10 "Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and
wonders without number."

      Job had said this same thing in answer to Eliphaz. Job knew all
of the greatness of God that Bildad had mentioned, and even more. He
never questioned the greatness of God.

     Job 9:11 "Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not: he passeth on
also, but I perceive him not."

     This is another way of saying, that God is a Spirit. The natural
eye cannot see God. We may be aware of His presence, but we cannot
actually see Him, or touch Him with our physical hands.

     Job 9:12 "Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will
say unto him, What doest thou?"

     The answer to this is no one. We can not, and should not,
question the actions of God. Job had not questioned God in this at
all.

     Job 9:13  "[If] God will not withdraw his anger, the proud
helpers do stoop under him."

     When the anger of God is toward those who rebel against Him,
there is only one outcome. Those, who rebel against Him, fall.

     Job 9:14 "How much less shall I answer him, [and] choose out my
words [to reason] with him?"
     Job was saying, that under no circumstances would he try to
change God's mind about anything. Job knew that God is right about
everything. To reason with God, would be a great error.

     Job 9:15 "Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not
answer, [but] I would make supplication to my judge."

     Job was explaining that he would pray and ask God to help him,
but he would not argue with God. Even a perfect righteous man, as far
as a man can be, would not have the right to argue with God. God's
will and His way are perfect, and they are unchangeable.

     Job 9:16 "If I had called, and he had answered me; [yet] would I
not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice."

     Job was saying, even if he had challenged God, and God answered
him, he would know that it had been the will of God all long. It would
not have been the challenge of Job, but the will of God.

     Job 9:17 "For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my
wounds without cause."

     God would not be likely to hear the complaint of Job, since the
punishment of God had already begun. Job was thoroughly convinced,
he had done nothing to cause this terrible calamity that had come upon
him. He was right.

     Job 9:18 "He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me
with bitterness."

     Job was having great difficulty even in breathing. Somehow, he
was beginning to be filled with bitterness toward life itself.

     Job 9:19 "If [I speak] of strength, lo, [he is] strong: and if of
judgment, who shall set me a time [to plead]?"

     This plainly was saying, that Job was not strong enough to
contend with God. The only strength that Job had was in the LORD.

     Job 9:20 "If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me:
[if I say], I [am] perfect, it shall also prove me perverse."

     If Job tried to justify himself before the LORD, he would not be
able to. His justification was like ours. He was just as if he had
never sinned because he was forgiven of God. If a person tried to
justify himself, he would sin in the process. He who says he had not
sinned is a liar, and the truth is not in him. He would sin, because
he would be lying. No one, but Jesus Christ was ever perfect.

     Job 9:21  "[Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my
soul: I would despise my life."

     Job's perfection was in the LORD. Job was feeling as if he hated
his own life at this point.
     Job 9:22 "This [is] one [thing], therefore I said [it], He
destroyeth the perfect and the wicked."

     Job had concluded there was no difference. All have sinned. He
was saying, it rains upon the just and the unjust. There seems to be
no difference. The great difference is in the life to come.

     Job 9:23 "If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the
trial of the innocent."

     The scourge, here, is, possibly, speaking of something like a
war, where the good and the bad come to the same fate. It appears that
Job believed God was laughing at his problem, here. This was just a
man in total despair speaking.

     Job 9:24 "The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he
covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, [and] who
[is] he?"

     It appears to Job, that the wicked people of this earth were set
in the high places. The covering of the faces of the judges was
showing that their judgement was not fair. Job believed it was God who
covered the faces of the judges. Job had suddenly begun to blame God
for the conditions of society. He knew if God wanted to, He could
change it.

     Job 9:25 "Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away,
they see no good."

     A post is like a letter that is sent swiftly. Job was saying that
it appeared that even as a person's life began it was headed for the
end.  It is but for a short time at the longest. Job was so despondent
at this moment, that he saw no good in life.

     Job 9:26 "They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle
[that] hasteth to the prey."

     Job was speaking of the swiftness of the passing of his life
away, here. The ships leave the port, not to be seen again for a long
time.  The eagle swoops down, and gets his prey, and flies away.

     Job 9:27 "If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off
my heaviness, and comfort [myself]:"

     Job might say that he would forget his complaint, but it would
still be in his heart, even if he did not utter it. He says, perhaps,
if he did not talk about it, it would not be so heavy upon him.

     Job 9:28 "I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt
not hold me innocent."

     God thinks of murmuring as sin. Fear of anything, except God, is,
also, sin. God wants us to trust and have faith.

     Job 9:29  "[If] I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?"

     Job believed that God had already judged him, and found him
guilty of some sin he was not even aware of. He was asking, why he
should labor to try to find out what he had done, if he was already
condemned?

     Job 9:30 "If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands
never so clean;" Job 9:31 "Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and
mine own clothes shall abhor me."

     He was saying that all the cleansing in the world could not make
him clean with God.

     Job 9:32 "For [he is] not a man, as I [am, that] I should answer
him, [and] we should come together in judgment."

     God is not a man, except in Jesus Christ, who took on the form of
man that He might experience man's problems.

     Job 9:33 "Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, [that] might
lay his hand upon us both."

     The daysman is speaking of someone like a mediator. The High
Priest {Jesus Christ} would become that Mediator between God the
Father and all of mankind. He hung between heaven and earth on the
cross as our Mediator. It was this Jesus who put mankind back into
right standing with God.

     Job 9:34 "Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear
terrify me:"

     His rod was taken away from mankind, when Jesus took our stripes,
and took our sin upon his body on the cross. All of these things Job
was asking for, occurred for us in Jesus.

     Job 9:35  "[Then] would I speak, and not fear him; but [it is]
not so with me."

     We can come boldly before the throne of God, because Jesus opened
the way for us. Job admitted he was not in such a position with God at
that time. He would wait patiently for God to change his
circumstances.











                            Job 9 Questions


1.  What must we remember about the problems that came upon Job?
2.  Job was feeling that he must have ________ God in some way he was
    unaware of.
3.  It would be a _________ thing for man to contend with God.
4.  No man who hardens his heart against God could ever _________.
5.  From verse 5 through 13, we must see that God is in _________
    __________.
6.  What is verse 6 speaking of?
7.  Quote Revelation chapter 21 verse 23.
8.  When did Jesus manifest His control over the water?
9.  What constellations that God made are mentioned by name?
10. Which one of them is called the bear?
11. Job never questioned the ____________ of God.
12. Why could Job not see God?
13. We ___ _____ and _______ _____ question the actions of God.
14. What is the outcome, when someone rebels against Him?
15. Job explains that he would pray and ask God to help him, but he
    would not ________ with God.
16. Job was having great __________ in breathing.
17. Quote Job chapter 9 verse 17.
18. The only strength that Job had was in the ________.
19. In verse 20, Job says his own _________ condemns him.
20. He who says he has not sinned is a _______.
21. It rains upon the ________ and on the ________.
22. It appears to Job that the wicked people were in ______ _______.
23. What is a post?
24. In verse 26, what did Job compare to the swiftness of life?
25. Even if Job stopped complaining out loud, he would still have the
    complaint in his ________.
26. God thinks of murmuring as _____.
27. Fear of anything, except God is ______.
28. How is the only way that verse 32 could be fulfilled?
29. Who is the daysman?
30. When was his rod taken away from mankind?