Well, it's good to be here with
you. I know you're like me. It just seemed like a long time,
doesn't it? I'm gonna ask you to take your
Bibles and turn with me to the book of Job, Job chapter 14.
Job chapter 14. I'd like to look at the first
six verses of Job 14. I've entitled this message, Mercy
in Troubling Times. Mercy in Troubling Times. Let's just read the first six
verses and then we'll go back and reconsider them each for
a few moments. Man that is born of a woman,
is a few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower
and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and
continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes
upon such an one and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean? Not one. Seeing his days are
determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast
appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. Turn from him that
he may rest till he shall accomplish, as in hireling, his day. You know, it would do us all
well to contemplate again, the truth that is set forth in
our passage today. That subject of the brevity of
this life, the shortness of our existence
in this life, It's a sad thing, but man by
nature finds the task of pushing this truth, the truth of his
mortality. Man by nature finds it very easy
just to push that in the background. He finds it to be a simple thing. just to simply move on. When
he thinks about the reality of death, we just don't think about
it very long. I mean, you know, we just don't
mull over that and over it and over it and over it. But it's
a reality. Every time we go to a funeral, go to a funeral, you know, and
it's just like somehow we're just kind of separated from that. I know it's happened to others,
I know that. I've seen it happen, you've seen
it happen, but somehow we just don't hold that that is going to happen
to us. We're going to die. Humanly speaking,
passing from this life is Humanly speaking, it's not a pleasant
thing. We just pass it off. The reality of affliction is
truly with us. The apostle said, now, no chastisement
for the present, no chastening, I'm sorry, for the present seemeth
to be joyous, but grievous Nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable
fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."
The believer knows that this grievousness, this affliction
that we go through, the older you get, it's just such a reality. This is just our life. We're frail, fleeting creatures
of dust. But to a believer, been taught
the truth, has been made to recognize the great profit of suffering. David said this, it is good for
me, it's well, it's well. It's good for me that I've been
afflicted, that I might learn of my statutes. You've heard
me say this before. You've heard other people say
it before. You don't really know something
until you experience it. You don't really know it. But
when it's you, then all of a sudden, it becomes very real, affliction. I want us to consider these few
verses here in the book of Job, chapter 14, these first six verses. I want us to consider these verses
for just a minute, and may the Spirit of God teach us something
about adversity and the believer's learning that comes from it,
learning. Boy, I have gone over this chapter
right here time after time after time after time. It just seems
like every time I look at it, I see a little bit clearer. I
pray that God causes us to see something in this passage about
the blessing. I could have named this the blessing
of adversity, the learning of trials. the instruction of affliction. I just, it's good, it's good
that we've been afflicted. It's good that we're, it's grievous. For the moment it's grievous,
but oh, the blessing. Verse one, verse one, Job 14. Man that is born of a woman,
is of few days and full of trouble. Man that
is born of a woman. Few days. We ought to be thankful
for the time that we've got. Thankful for the days that the
Lord's given us on this earth. Thankful for the realization
and the expectation that he's instructed us You're not gonna
be here very long. You know, when you're a kid,
man, I'm telling you, a year is forever. Ever. Turned around and thought about
it today. Do you know it won't be long? We'll be looking at
February. We just got here. We just got
here. A new year. You hear the scripture
sets forth the truth. Man that is born of a woman,
everybody. Just a few days. Few days. Three score and 10. Had a bunch of us in there starting
to pass that one. I'm serious, you think about
that. We just... Seventy was, to me, just a few
years ago, old. But let me ask you this. Methuselah
lived 969 years. He died. You see, 969 years. I can say that, just takes me
about three seconds to say it. That was the lifespan of the
oldest man to live. 969 years. Man that is born of woman is
a few days. You say, well, not from Methuselah.
No. Just a few days. It's gone. It's over. It's past. And he's
full of trouble. Whole time he's here. Abounding
in trouble. Man is a fleeting creature. Verse two says, he cometh forth
like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and
continueth not. Comes forth like a flower, leaves like a shadow. This doesn't continue. You know,
it's amazing. that you look at a shadow. You can go outside and you can
be outside somewhere, look down at the ground and see your shadow.
You look quick, because it's changing. That sun is moving,
that shadow is not looking the same. I mean, seconds are going
by, that shadow's moving. It doesn't remain, it's not the
same. Man comes forth like a flower,
Little bud, you know, just starting to come out. You go out there
and you plant something, plant something in your garden, it
starts coming up, you're just breaking the ground, you know.
See, you know, next day you ought to look at it, look at it. It's changing, it's moving. He
comes forth like a flower, he's cut down, he flees like a shadow
and continueth not. Just here today, Gone. Gone before you know it. Verse 3 says, And just thou,
open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment
with thee. Now Job, Job here is, this is
a prayer. And Job is speaking unto the
Lord, the inspiration of God's Spirit moved a man named Job
to write these things down. Job, under the inspiration of
the Spirit of God, he started talking about how quickly a man,
a woman, is leaving this world. He's just born here just for
a few days. I've said this before, but think
back when you graduated from high school. You know, if you say it real
quickly, You know, it doesn't seem like that long. I mean,
I can remember right now, in my mind, I was in Louisiana,
went to high school in Tioga High School, graduated, went
to Northwestern University, down on the riverfront. And I mean,
I think just like, man, I'm telling you, that was plus years ago. It's just gone. It's just a memory. Just a fleeting memory. And here,
Job is speaking to the Lord, and he's confessing under the
Spirit of God. Man is born of woman, a few days,
full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower
cut down. It's as if Job is speaking unto
the Lord. You're gonna see this as we read
these other verses in just a second. And he's here today gone tomorrow. He's just so quick. And Job is
like he's asking the Lord, And dost thou open thine eyes upon
such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Do you,
Lord, take one that is so weak and so frail, so short-lived,
and keep a constant observance of
him all the time? Lord, one like me, Lord, do you
bring thou into judgment with thee? Do you, Lord? Can it be
that one so frail and feeble should be called into trial with
one as mighty and great as you are? One that is a particle of
dust Lord, who is so inferior to you and unable to stand before you and
himself? Lord, I'm just here for a little
while. And do you keep a constant observance
upon me, watching what I do? That's what he's saying. I've
read this so many times and sought the Lord. I believe the Lord's
given me some light on it. Do you open thine eyes upon such
in one and bring me into judgment with you? And here's Job now. I just realized he's still talking
to the Lord, praying. Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean one? Who can do that? If you shouldest
mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? Lord, I'm just here for a little
while. I'm just here for a moment. My days, He didn't say my years
or months. Man's a few days full of trouble. If you mark iniquities, O Lord,
who shall stand? But then the psalmist was moved. Psalm 130, verse four. But there's forgiveness with
thee, that thou mightest be feared. We're all gonna stand before
God. We're gonna stand before the Lord. I want you to turn
with me to Revelation, Revelation chapter 20. I've quoted this many times,
we've read it many times. Revelation 20, verse 11 to 15. John was moved by the Spirit
of God on the Isle of Patmos. I saw a great white throne. He
that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away. and there was found no place for them. And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were
opened. As I was reading this again today,
I thought, this is not a novel. It's not a short story. This
is not a, just a little, A bit of entertainment. Beloved, this
is going to happen. This is going to happen. John
saw in a vision what God showed him was going to happen. He said,
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books
were opened. I mean, I can just picture this.
You can too. Picture this in my mind. There's
a record. Somebody says, is it really going
to be a book? There's going to be books. But
according to these scriptures, there's going to be a revelation.
I can tell you that. There's going to be a revelation. The
books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the
book of life. And the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books. According to their
works, there's going to be a revelation of every person that knew not
the Lord. And the books, when he talks
about the book, he's talking about the Lord himself, omniscience
of the Lord himself. Here again, I don't know everything
about this, but I can tell you this, there's gonna be an unveiling.
God knows, there's a record, there is a record. See, verse
13, gave up the dead which were in it. Death and hell delivered
up the dead which were in them. And they were judged, every man,
according to their works. And death and hell were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast
into the lake of fire. There's going to be a revelation
of everything. Job asked the Lord back in Job
14, to stand before you, to have you view me every day,
knowing what I am in myself. Look at verse four, that's when
he asked it. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? And the Spirit of God did not
leave that for us to, mull over. Here's the answer. Not one. Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean? The scripture says, not one. Not one. Who can give or grant
a clean thing out of an unclean? What an amazing inquiry. to a
polluted creature such as man. Who can do that? Who can make
himself clean? Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean thing? I tell you, the believer knows
this. God's gonna make a brand new
creature. That's what he's gonna do. Christ Jesus bore the debt
of every infraction against His holy and just law. He dealt with
it in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And their sins
were cast as far as the east is from the west. God Almighty, when He's gonna
make a new creature, it's a new creature, it's a new creation,
created in righteousness and holiness. Who can bring A clean
thing out of an unclean. Done. That's what scripture says.
Not one, not one. God's gotta make a new one. Gonna
make a new one. Gonna make a new one. This is
not reformed. This is not a reformation. This
is not a redo. This is not a gimme. No. God Almighty is gonna make a
new man. bring him out, none. The scripture
says in Isaiah 118, come now and let us reason together, saith
the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. David, King David was moved by
the spirit of God to confess this, wash me throughly. from mine iniquity and cleanse
me from my sin. Psalm 51 7, Pat just read, purge
me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be
whiter than snow. Then verse 10 of Psalm 51 says,
create in me, create in me, create in me a new heart. O God, and
renew a right spirit within me. Job, in speaking with the Lord
and seeing something of himself, knowing what he is by nature,
every believer knows something about himself. Every believer
knows something of the frailty of his flesh. He feels, he sees
it, and he hates it. He hates it. disrespect. He hates the disrespect. He hates
the sin. He hates the sin. The scripture declares that man's
existence upon this earth has been determined. Determined by
the Lord, he's fixed it and every man's appointed stay is by God's
appointment and it's not going to be exceeded. But not only is the length of
time, I'm going to try to wrap this
up, but there's a point that I've been building up to. Here
we are. We're frail creatures of the
dust, and we're just for a little while. And Job had been taught
something of his limited, limited amount of time. That's what he's
been talking about. Man, a few days, full of trouble.
Comes forth like a fog, cut down. Job's asking the Lord, you know,
do I stand to stand before you and be viewed by you daily? I'm such a foul creature as myself. Man's existence is short. But
there's something else that is found within a believer that
is explained in these last two verses, verse five and six, that
I want to just touch on for a minute. You'll understand what I'm saying. We're here just for a little
while. And Job, like all of us, knowing
that he's here just for a little, little bit. He felt the weight
of God's dealing with him. Job was a man that was tried. And Job went through some stuff. Job was a man that God was pleased
to Let him feel the weight of God dealing with a man. You know
that. All these things, we can go back
and read them, but you know what they are. Job felt this. He suffered like few are ever
called upon to suffer. Like I said, I'm serious about
this. I'm serious about this. And you
would be too. I don't really know. I don't
really know, compared to what I've seen. They were sawn asunder,
they were burned, and they were believers. God was pleased to
allow them to go through these sufferings. And I don't, the
Lord's been so merciful to me. I've just, God's mercy is just
how thankful I am that the Lord would keep me. But Job had suffered
in great grief. Before I finish this up, just
turn back a couple pages. Job 7, Job 7, verse 17 to 21. Job is gonna ask the Lord something
here. Job 7, Job 7, verse 17. What is man that thou shouldest
magnify him? that thou shouldest set thine
heart upon him, that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try
him every moment? How long wilt thou not depart
from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? I
have sinned, What shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of
men? Why hast thou set me as a mark
against thee, so I am a burden to myself? And why dost thou
not pardon my transgression and take me away, and take away mine
iniquity? For now shall I sleep in the
dust, and shalt thou seek me in the morning, but I shall not
be. What he's asking is this, Lord, and Job knew God. Job was a man
that knew God. I'm gonna show you that scripture
here in just a moment. He was a man, but Job was a man
that had suffered greatly. He lost his kids, had all of
his possessions, taken away. It boils all over him. He was just people in his community
that respected him at one time. I mean, the Lord put him through
some real trials. Job, a man of suffering. And
whenever Job said in these last two verses.
He asked the Lord, he said, seeing his days are determined and the
number of his months are with thee. Thou has appointed his
bounds that he cannot pass from him that he may rest till he
shall accomplish as an hireling his day. Now, let me tell you
what, Job was saying, and I pray that the Lord has given me some
light on this. I think this is truly what it
is. I've asked that the Lord give me some understanding in
this. Here's what Job was saying. He was saying, Lord, man is here
just a little while. He's just here a little while.
His days are numbered. You've numbered his days. He's
not gonna pass them by. I'm just a frail creature of
dust. I'm just, I'm a weak man. Lord,
and Lord, would you, upon me daily, scrutinizing, looking
at me, Lord. And what he was actually asking
was this. Seeing these days are numbered, When he said, turn from him that
he may rest till he shall accomplish as in harling
his day, he was actually asking the Lord. These days of suffering
and trial and tribulation. It reminded me of a scripture that Again, I
can't enter into the depth of it, but it made me think, when
Job was asking the Lord, I'm just gonna be here for a little
while, in these trials, Lord, I'm just asking, I'm just asking. Could you give him some time
of rest before he dies? I mean, that's what he was actually
saying. Whenever the Lord was in Gethsemane,
now this is the Lord praying. And I'll tell you the scripture,
you've heard it before. But to say that this is what
the Lord asked when he was praying in Gethsemane. He asked the Father,
if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me. And
can you, this is, Not a good question. I was gonna say, can
you understand that? We can't understand it. If it
be your will, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. If
it be your will. That verse of scripture right
there for sure is for our instruction. We may ask the Lord. We may be
going through some trials right now. You may be going through
something that, Lord, If it be your will, would you let this
cup pass from me? Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine be done. Job, the Lord asked that question
to the father with perfect knowledge, perfect understanding. But it was a help to me. A frail
creature of dust. Job is just a frail man. He said,
Lord, I'm just here for a few days. I'm just asking you. Turn from him that he may rest. Turn from him, turn from me that
he might have a few days of rest before I leave this world. But
obviously it was not the Lord's will for Job. It wasn't God's will that Job
be relieved completely. He went through the rest of his
life suffering. The Lord did give him. He gave
him more kids. He gave him all his possessions
back. But he suffered. He suffered. But there was something
gloriously proven in Job's suffering. And this was the point right
here that I want to leave you with. This is the point of the
whole message right here. We're just here for a little
while. We're just here for a few days. Man, at its best states
altogether, vanity. Man, he's just a suffering creature. Why does the Lord allow us to
go through things like this? I jotted down these three things
right here. with all the things that Job
went through. But Job was asking, he was asking,
can I have just a few days of rest? In the Lord's allowing Job to
go through what he did, Satan had come to the Lord. When the
Lord asked him, have you considered my servant Job? A just man, one
that escheweth evil. If you considered him, Job, I
mean, Satan said, well, yeah, but you got him hedged about. You let me touch him, he'll curse you to your face.
Why did Job have to go through what he went through? Well, I
can tell you one thing. Satan, by Job's suffering, by
Job's suffering, Satan was proven to be a liar. You touch him,
you touch his body, you touch his skin, he'll curse you to
your face. Put forth thine hand now and
touch all that he hath and he will curse thee. Satan and the
Lord allowed Job to suffer. Satan was proven to be a liar.
Secondly, Job was proven to be in Christ as God Almighty said
he would, said he was. In Job 1.8, has thou considered
my servant Job? There's none like him in the
earth. A perfect and an upright man,
one that feareth God and escheweth evil. In all of the things that Job
suffered, All the suffering that he went through, he did not charge
God with foolishness. He didn't charge him. Job was proven to be what God
said he was. He was a sinner saved by grace,
but God kept him. Satan was proven to be a liar.
Why'd he go through? Why are you going through what
you go through? God's got a reason. God's got a reason. Whatever
you go through, whatever you're going through, Satan is a liar. Job was proven to be an object,
a vessel of God's mercy. And lastly, the God of heaven
was proven to be faithful to his word. He said this, he said,
I will never leave you. I'll never leave you. I'll never
forsake you. Job talked to the Lord as one
that knew God. I'm a frail creature of dust. Can you give me some rest? That's
what he said. Can you give me some rest here?
But God had a purpose and God blessed him and all the suffering
he went through. Beloved, we're frail creatures
of dust and we're going through a lot of stuff. I know you are.
I know you are. But the Lord's not going to forsake
us. He'll keep us. For his glory, our good, Christ's
honor.