Turn with me, if you would, to
Deuteronomy chapter 32. Deuteronomy chapter 32, and let's
read verse 29. Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their
latter end. A man made the statement many
years ago concerning preachers who tell people the truth. He said, in preaching the truth
of God's word, We are preparing men to die. He said, that's what
we're doing. We are preparing men and women
to leave this earth and go out into eternity. That's what we're
doing. When we come in here, it becomes to the front of our
minds. Many people never give that moment
that will come. It will come. We hear about it
every day. Did you hear about it? How shocking. Did you hear about that? It will
come. It will come. Many people never
give that moment of thought. Never give it a thought. That
is a foolish thing to do. That's a foolish thing to do.
Moses said, oh, that God would give us some wisdom and cause
us to understand this and consider our latter end. Let me quote
Hebrews 9 verse 27 to you. It is appointed unto men once
to die, but after this, the judgment. Every man, it's appointed. Every
woman, it's appointed. God put a man named Job in a
position where he could not help but consider this. In our text that we just had
read to us, Job asked the Lord six questions. In those verses,
there were six questions concerning his latter end. And this morning, I'd like for
us to consider those six questions. We're going to go through each
one of them. And we're going to see if the Lord will answer
All six of those questions, and I can tell you that the answer
to each one is the good news of our gospel. With the first
question, we're gonna hear the good news of the gospel. Every
single one of them. Now turn with me, if you would,
to Job 14. By this point, the Lord had convinced
Job of two things concerning a man's life on this earth. Number
one, verse one, he said, man that is born of woman is a few
days and full of trouble. Life on this earth is full of
trouble. We never get past it. Let's go
ahead and prepare ourselves for that. Let's get our minds set
on that. We never get past it, never.
We see older believers, believers who've been around a while, been
under the gospel for a while. On the outside, they seem to
be more calm, don't they? A little more stable. Seems like they're more even
keel. And this is what we think. One
of these days, when I become an old man, an old believer,
I'm going to have the same kind of peace and contentment that
he has. He doesn't have any. Not in this
world. Not in this world. Life is full
of trouble. It is full of trouble. God has
given those older believers a little bit more patience. And God has
convinced them that this is the way it's gonna be. He's given
them a little bit more contentment that this is the way it's gonna
be. but they're still full of trouble.
Every life is full of trouble. We're never gonna be without
trouble, never. And that's something God convinced
Job of. He said in verse one, man that
is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble. And then
the second thing God convinced Job of is verse two. He cometh
forth like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow
and continueth not." This life is full of trouble, and this
life is over very quickly. It's vapor. As soon as it comes,
it's gone. As soon as it comes, it's gone.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down. He fleeth also
as a shadow, and continueth not. As empty as a shadow is, as insignificant
as a shadow is, That's man's life on this earth. After seeing
this, Job realized, if you look at verse 5, Job realized that
man's days, seeing his days, are determined. The number of
his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds
that he cannot pass. Job started considering, I have
an end. I have an end. That's such a
wise and blessed thing for God to put in the heart. At some
point, I have an end. We're going after it, doing great,
until all of a sudden that realization comes to us, I have an end. And it's coming fast. I can't
pass it. Everybody thinks they're gonna
buy another replacement part and keep going. I'm gonna get
a new knee and I'm gonna get a new hip Get a new they'll come out
with a new heart. We'll just keep going. We cannot
pass. We cannot pass it, and it's coming
quickly. It's coming so quickly. Knowing
that Job had six questions right here that he had to ask the Lord. Every one of them, as as we just
said, the answer to every one of them is our gospel. This is
our hope. This is our good news. Here's the first one. Verse one
says, man that is born of 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 he said in verse three, dost
thou open thine eyes upon such an one? Considering who you are, you
are God, you're the almighty God of heaven and earth, the
all-controlling, holy and just God. Considering who you are and considering
what I am, do you truly look on such a one? Do you consider,
do you think on somebody like me? Does God really consider
me? Lord, why do you even open your
eyes? Why do you bother even looking
on such a one? What kind of one are you, Job? A sinful one. A sinful, sinful
man. What is man that thou art mindful
of him? That's what David said. What
is man? Have you ever really stopped to think about that?
What is man that God would be mindful of him? The eternal God, the never-beginning
God and never-ending God. You know how you can't describe
how short the life of a man is compared to God's eternity. Why
would God even Take a moment to consider man. The answer to that question is
wonderful news. Turn with me to John three. This is amazing and this is true.
John 3 verse 16 says, for God so loved. For God so loved. Everything
concerning God is perfect. He had a perfect love. God so
loved. Why, Lord, would you even look
on me? Why would you even consider me? For God so loved. God commended his love toward
us. Such ones as us. Why would he
love us? Why would he love such a one
as you and such a one as me? Why would he love us? There's
only one answer. His Son, His only begotten Son. He loved us for Christ's sake. Christ set His love on us. He set His compassion on us.
He died for us before the foundation of the world. The Father loved
us and chose us in Him. God commended His love toward
us by sending His Son into the world to seek and to save that
which was lost. He loved us. He loved us. God, who is rich in mercy for
His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in
sins, he quickened us together with Christ. Lord God, why would
you look on such a one as me? He said, I'll do it for Christ's
sake. I will do it for Christ's sake. When I behold him, I'll
behold every elect soul in him. I'll do it for Christ's sake.
That's the reason, Job. Go back with me now to Job 14. Here's the second question he
asked the Lord. Verse 3, he said, Dost thou open
thine eyes upon such and one, and bringest me into judgment
with thee? Dost thou bring me into judgment
with thee? I know that I'm going to have
to enter into judgment. I know that. I know I'm going
to have to enter into judgment. I know that my sin is going to
have to be dealt with. Am I really going to get to stand
there with you? Am I really going to stand there
with you? Will my judgment take place with
you? I believe one of the most comforting
thoughts that I can have, and I'm sincere in this, I believe
this is one of the most comforting thoughts I have, is the thought
of not having to stand before the judgment alone. I say all the time, each one
is going to come to each one. It's going to be your turn. You
cannot imagine the comfort you will feel as you are standing
there, not alone. The only other thought that could
be greater than that is knowing that the judgment is actually
already over. We already stood there. We stood there. Every
man and woman has to stand there. And we stood there, but we stood
there with Him. We stood there with Him. I used
to think all the time, what am I going to say when the name
Gabe Stoniker is called? Gabe Stoniker. And then one day,
the thought just hit my soul. I'm not going to say anything.
Christ is going to say, here. I don't want to stand alone.
Turn with me to Galatians chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2 verse 20
says, I am crucified with Christ. I was brought into the judgment
with Him. I was judged with Him. My sin was condemned with Him. I died with Him. It's appointed
unto man once to die. I've already died. I died with
Him. My payment was made with Him. My account was settled with Him.
And now it's over. And I've risen with Him. With Him. Verse 20 says, I'm
crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave Himself for me. Lord, why would you even look
on me? It's because I loved you and
I brought you into judgment with me. That's the reason I look
on you. All right, go back to our text.
Job 14, here's our third question. Verse four says, who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean? Not one. Not one sinful man can,
and not one sinful man or woman ever has. Ever since Adam fell
into sin, every man or woman that has come from him is unclean. Job said, the judgment is past. Have you really looked on me?
Did you really bring me into judgment with you? The judgment's
past. The sin is paid, but can I actually
be made clean? We can't imagine what we're going
to be. It does not yet appear what we shall be. We know we're
going to be like him. But he's saying, as I look at
myself, am I really going to be made clean? Can I be made to be pure and
spotless? Can I truly become perfect? I
mean perfect. As perfect as God. In order to
stand in His presence, I'm gonna have to be as perfect as God. A man has to be as holy, as righteous
as God. If you look at chapter 15, verse
14 says, What is man that he should be clean, and he which
is born of a woman that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth
no trust in his saints, yea, the heavens are not clean in
his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh
iniquity like water. I see what I am. I see what the
nature of my flesh is. Is it possible for such a one
as me, who had to be brought into judgment
with you, is it possible for me to be clean? I mean truly
clean. Hold your place right there and
look with me at Romans chapter 5. Romans 5 verse 19 says, for as
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one, who is that one? So by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous. When Christ died on the cross,
out of His body flowed blood and water. Blood and water. Every soul that the Father gave
to Him, for every soul He died for, He paid their debt and made
them clean. The blood justified them. The
water sanctified them. purified them, cleansed them.
We are complete in Him. We're complete in Him. We're
complete. He accomplished all of it. Everything
that had to be accomplished in us, for us, He started and finished
all of it right there on the cross. Look with me at 1 Corinthians
chapter 6. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 9 says, Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners
shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you." Such were all of us. Verse 11
says, but you are washed. But you are sanctified, but you
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit
of our God. Can a sinner truly be made clean? In Christ he can, and he is. He is, you are washed. Go with
me back to Job 14. Here's the fourth question. Verse five says, 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 a hireling his day. For there's hope of
a tree if it be cut down that it will sprout again and that
the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof
wax old in the earth, and the stalk thereof die in the ground,
yet through the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs
like a plant." What he's saying is, if a tree gets cut down and
the root dies, there's still hope that if it gets rained on,
it'll sprout again. Verse 10, "'But man dieth and
wasteth away, yea, man giveth up the ghost.'" And here's his
question, where is he? We see people die and go into
the ground. Where is he? When a man or a
woman's body dies on this earth, where does he or she go? Where
do they go? Turn with me over to Luke 23. Now, Ecclesiastes 12 says, the
dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall
return unto God who gave it. The soul goes straight back to
God. And for a soul that is not in
the Lord Jesus Christ, for a soul that is not in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and that'll be evidenced by this, if a soul is not in
the Lord Jesus Christ, that soul will not believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, That soul will not put his hope in the blood
and the righteousness of Christ. That soul will not bow to his
word. That soul will not hear him and
follow him and rest in him. For that soul, this is what the
scripture says. He or she will be cast out into
outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. It's an eternal place of torment
where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. But to the soul that God allows
the privilege of falling on Christ, I mean truly falling on Christ,
to the soul who casts his all on Christ, to the soul who needs him, Lord,
cause me to need him. On my own, I won't. But you can
make me need him. You can make me cry out to him.
For the soul who believes him and looks to him and looks for
him, to that soul, Luke 23, verse 42 says, That thief on the cross said
unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily
I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. You'll be with me in paradise.
That's where the soul goes in Christ. It goes straight back
to Christ who is paradise. Christ is paradise. He said, you're going to be with
me. You're going to be right there with me. Look at John chapter
14. John 14 verse 1 says, let not
your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that
where I am, there you may be also. Where does he go? Straight into the presence of
Christ. For the child of God, the apostle Paul said, to be
absent from this body is to be in the presence of the Lord.
Here's the fifth question. Go back to Job 14. Verse 11 says, As the waters fail from
the sea and the flood decayeth and dryeth up, so man lieth down
and riseth not till the heavens be no more. They shall not awake
nor be raised out of their sleep. Oh, that thou wouldest hide me
in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thy wrath
be passed. that thou wouldest appoint me
a set time and remember me. Me. He says in verse 14, if a
man die, shall he live again? Is it really him? Is it really the same person?
This is what Job is asking. If a man dies, is it really the actual same? Oh, that you would hide me. Oh,
remember me. If a man dies, shall he live
again? The apostle John said, as he
is, so are we. However, he is, that's how all
of his people are, and will be for all eternity. Now let's just
see what it says about him. See what the scripture says about
him. Go back to Luke, this time chapter 24. I was gonna quote
this to you, but this is one of my favorite things. So I'm
gonna show it to you. Luke 24. Verse 36. As they thus spake, Jesus himself
stood in the midst of them and said unto them, Peace be unto
you. But they were terrified and affrighted
and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them,
Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in
your hearts Behold my hands and my feet from three days ago. The hands and the feet, you saw
what happened to them three days ago. Behold my hands and my feet
that it is I myself. Handle me and see for a spirit
hath not flesh and bones as you see me have. He said, it is I
myself. Over in Acts chapter 1, they
stood up into heaven. He ascended up and they're all
standing there and two men came in white apparel and said, why
are you gazing into heaven? This same Jesus that you have
seen go into heaven is going to come back down just like you
saw him go up. I love this. The same man The
same man, the same Lord and Savior. Don't you know the apostles,
as they talked to him, they studied his face? The same man that the apostles
knew and had a close, intimate relationship with. That is the
same man, that's the same Lord, the same Savior, that every child
of God is gonna know and have an intimate relationship with.
Job had his questions answered. This is what he said later on. God answered his heart. He said,
I know with these eyes. These eyes. These eyes. These eyes shall behold him and
not another. That's amazing to me. Our Lord said, because I live,
you shall live. He said, I'm the resurrection
and the life. He that believeth on me shall
never die. He or she, that man, that woman,
will live forever. That man, that woman. When the
Lord went up to the Mount of Transfiguration, it says, Moses
and Elijah appeared with him. Moses and Elijah. I'm going to try to emphasize
Moses. This is what God's Word says.
Moses and Elijah. I wonder what my name is going
to be in heaven. Apparently, it's going to be
Gabe or Gabriel. Job said, will that man live
again? The Lord said, yes, that man will live again. That man, he said, I'm not gonna
lose one hair from your head. Every cell I ever gave you is
coming back to you. When he said none of them is
lost, he meant none of them is lost. I've redeemed all of them. All of them, all of them. I redeemed
all of it. Last question. Back to our text,
Job 14. Verse 14 says, it goes on to
say, all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change
come. Thou shalt call and I will answer
thee. Thou wilt have a desire to the
work of thine hands. For now thou numberest my steps. He said, Dost thou not watch
over my sin? Dost thou not watch over my sin?
He said, My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou
sowest up mine iniquity. And surely the mountain falling
cometh to nod, and the rock is removed out of his place. The
waters wear the stones. Thou washest away the things
which grow out of the dust of the earth, and thou destroyest
the hope of man. Thou prevailest forever against
him, and he passeth. Thou changest his countenance
and sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and he
knoweth it not, and they're brought low, but he perceiveth it not
of them. But his flesh upon him shall
have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn." He's saying,
I have to live out this misery for the rest of my life on this
earth. I still feel it. I'm still committing it. The
question is in verse 16. He said, now you're numbering
my steps. Does thou not watch over my sin? Are you still numbering my sins? And this is an important one
for believers. This is an important one. Did you only die for the sins
before my conversion? Are those the only sins you paid
for? You wiped my slate clean up to
that point and we started over. You're numbering my steps. Are
you still numbering my sins? Is the punishment for these current
sins, Lord, and the future sins, is that just delayed? Is it just
delayed punishment? Will any of my sins ever be brought
up again? That's what he's asking. Will
any of this ever be brought up again? Will any of it come before
me ever again? We'll close in Jeremiah. Go to
Jeremiah 31. Jeremiah 31. Verse 31, Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by
the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant
they break, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord. But
this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will
be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall
teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord, for they shall all know me. From the least of
them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive
their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more. I will pay for it and I will
put it away forever. I mean forever. Last verse, Jeremiah
50. Turn with me to Jeremiah 50 verse
20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20 says, In
those days and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity
of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, and they
shall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reserve. Every man or woman in Christ
is loved in the Father's eye, justified with Christ, clean, has a secure place reserved,
will live forever as the very soul that God created, and will never have another sin
ever brought up to him or her. again for the rest of their days.
Never. There will be none. There's none
to be brought up. That's the eternal state of the
soul that's in Christ. Glorious state. I pray that's
the state of every soul here. Let's all stand together.