I've told you before that Brother Henry Mahan told me one time, he said, God's people are not looking for a message, but rather they're looking for God's message, the message of the hour. And I've thought on that so many times, I want you to turn with me to Job 11.

I went to bed last night convinced in my heart that today I would get up and preach out of Jeremiah 3. And I got up this morning And Job 11 was on my heart. I had read over a few of these verses yesterday. And they just, I knew it was truth. I know it's God's word. But it just, yesterday afternoon, wasn't what I had on my heart. But when I got up this morning, I had this passage, Job 11, rekindled to me.

And what I want to tell you is this. I'm going to try. I pray God give me some liberty to preach this message. And this is not the way I normally do it. Normally, I have everything. pretty well written out. And I'm not telling you that for any other reason than to just be truthful with you. I try to make preparation. I think it's right to make preparation, study the scripture, be ready to look up the words and be ready to preach that.

But as I read this this morning, I could not help but stay here. So I'm going to ask you Even now, I'm asking you to, as Paul the Apostle says, brethren, pray for me. And I pray that the Lord speak to our hearts. I'm convinced that this is the message for Katie Baptist Church this morning.

So, Job chapter 11. Now, before we look at this chapter, I want us to remember this truth found in 2 Timothy 3, 16, 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Now, we've been looking over the last few weeks at different times at this book of Job, a man that Almighty God graciously permitted. to go through some very, very trying times. I don't know if there's any other scripture that I know of that expresses greater trials than the trials of Job. But the Lord has sent us his word through this man and allowed Job to suffer for God's glory and for the good and profit of God's people.

And I want to learn something. I need for God to teach me something of God's dealings with his people. I want that. I want that for me. I want that for you. And so today, we're going to Take up in this book, and may we hear what the Lord has to say concerning these trials.

I've entitled this message Mercy Beyond Expression. I didn't even know what to title it. And that title just, I thought, what? What mercy that God Almighty would allow a man like Job to suffer as he did and then allow us to hear about it, read about it.

And so today, we're going to look at the third of a group of three men that has come to Job, Job's sufferings, and he's going to take up This third man named Zophar is his name, and he's going to take up where the other two of Job's friends left off, and this is what they were doing, all three of them doing this, reprimanding Job for what they thought was Job's inconsistency, what they saw Job going through and thinking that there's only one reason that Job's suffering like he's suffering.

I'll tell you why. I've told you this before because he's, he's, he's done something. There's something that Job's done and God's getting him. Now that's what they're thinking. And so here's this third one. And, uh, I read something that Mr. Gill, John Gill, said concerning this.

He said that this man, Zophar III, he said, more than likely, and it could have been, I don't know. Mr. Gill said he could have been the youngest of the three men that came to, probably the other two fellows that reprimanded Joe, probably being older. They probably spoke first, you know, out of respect, and they knew more than probably the others. But this man, Zophar, he appears to be the youngest. Now, where Mr. Gill got that, I don't know. I'm just telling you what he said. It could be. I don't know. But here's the thing that I did notice.

Out of the three men that reprimanded Job, this fellow here, Zophar, was Absolutely the harshest. He was absolutely, he said, he was saying some things we're going to look at. And he was so hard and so mean against Job. When we read these things, you'll see what I'm talking about.

And it often is proven. The case to be that when someone is so hard against somebody else, when they're so dogmatic, they're so, you know, just harsh, it's because that person has never walked in the shoes of the one that they're reprimanding. You know, I heard one time the Indians used to say, Don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins. You know, we think we know something about suffering. We think we know something about, you know. But until you've been there, until you've walked in somebody's shoes, be careful. Just be careful how harsh. You can be truthful. My mama used to say, she said, it's not what you say, it's how you said it. And I thought, that's true. That's true. This is a man. This man, Zophar, he's hard on Job. And Job is going to defend himself in the next chapter.

I was talking to a friend of mine this week, He was telling me he's going through something right now that's very, very tough, very hard. And he was just very discouraged because of what's going on. And it was because of what somebody had said to him. And they were very, very harsh to the point telling him that so-and-so has offended him, and if that person over there doesn't straighten up and fly right, he's going to leave the church, and he's going to dissenger. And I thought, I wonder if the person that made that statement has any idea that a pastor takes these things, all these things that go on in his congregation, he takes them personally. They're hard, and they're harsh. in their discouragement to the pastor. I pray that God help us to remember. Scripture sets forth that God forbid that we should foolishly treat one another, discourage a brother, be kind, kindly affection one to another. Remember, remember. We're all flesh.

Well, let's see what this young man has to say. Like I said, when I read this and read what Mr. Gill said, I thought to myself, how true. You get somebody, they get a little knowledge, you know. They've picked up a few things, you know. They're just, and buddy, I'm telling you all of a sudden, they're in authority on them. And they're gonna take everybody else to task, I think.

Lord, keep me from that. I'm so prone to do that. Lord, help me. The scripture says, let's read the first four verses. Job chapter 11. Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and said, should not the multitude of words be answered? Now, he's talking to Job. And Job has said, he's been honest about how He's gone through some things that's been tough.

He's lost his kids. He's lost his land. He's lost his reputation. His wife has turned on him. And she said, why don't you just curse God and die? And here's a man that has followed after. He sought the Lord. God complimented him. I'm going to read a verse of scripture in a minute of what God said about this man, Job. But that's what Zophar said.

Verse 2, should not the multitude of words be answered, and should a man full of talk be justified, should thy lies make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? For thou hast said, my doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. If this is so, and I think it is, This young man, he's approaching Job, a man that God has shown to be faithful, faithful.

And he speaks to him in such a way that it's just repulsive and it's outrageous. And he's telling Job, he said, Job, what you've said, what you've said, concerning God's sovereignty and God's goodness, God's mercy and grace. He said, you're speaking with a tongue of just mockery. He said, what you're saying, what your life is proving is that you're talking about God's goodness and God's mercy. And he said, your words are nothing more outwardly speaking, he said, than lies, misinterpreting. what God is saying is what he's telling to him.

He said, you don't even deserve to be answered, because your life is proven to be, as far as we can see, so inconsistent. He said, you're saying, what he said right there, verse three, should thy lies make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? For thou hast said, my doctrine's pure, and I'm clean in thine eyes.

He said, what you're saying is, you're saying that you're right with God. You're saying that what you've done is honoring to the Lord, and you've walked after Him in consistency. But obviously, it's just a mockery. If you were right with God, you wouldn't be going through what you're going through.

Hold your place right there, and I want you to turn to the last chapter of Job, Job 42. Job 42. Now this is what Zophar, that's what Zophar said about Job. Your life is just a mockery. just two faced. Here is what God has to say about Job. Job 42 verse 7, And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said unto Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends. For ye have not spoken of me, the thing that is right as my servant Job hath." God expressed his approval, only being found in Christ, of Job. Job was going through some tough times. And here's this young fellow, Zophar, and he's going to take Job to task and tell him, say, If you was right with God, you wouldn't be going through what you're going through.

Beloved, I'm gonna tell you something. We're all, as a general rule, we're all getting a little older, you know, and we're going through some tough times, and I've told you before. I can see, I can see how God Almighty has graciously allowed this congregation to continue to be here, I heard Henry say one time he said there's nothing more beautiful to him. He said then to see gray hair on somebody that has been kept by the power of God through faith and remain up to this moment and they're still here. Half true. How true? That by the grace of God, we're still here.

But while we're still here, I'm going to tell you something. I see also the the physical hurt and sufferings. I know something about your families. I know something about you. I know what you're going through. I can enter into that. I know what it feels like. You do, too, about these things.

And for somebody to come up like this man so far and tell Job, if you was right with God, you wouldn't be sick. If you was right with God, you wouldn't be hurting. Well, according to the word of the Lord, That ain't so. And God Almighty is going to prove this. But I just had to go to that last chapter and just say of what God, and he told these three fellows, he said, I'm going to tell you right now. He said, if Job doesn't pray for you, I'm going to take you out. So let's be very, very cautious when we see these things happening.

All accusation against Job was the attitude of all false religion that hates the sovereign grace of God. Today's religion tells people, you're supposed to be, if you're right with God, if you're worshiping God, if you send me your money, God will bless you. It's funny that everybody tells other people to send God your money and they give their own address, you know. They want you to be faithful to God and send them your money.

And you're not supposed to be sick either. If you're sick, that's a sign of unfaithfulness. That's a sign. Not according to these scriptures. The Lord had sent all these things to Job for God's glory and for Job's good to prove the faithfulness of Almighty God. that he's going to keep his people in spite of. This world is fading. It's leaving.

And for them to come to Job and just tell him, say, what you're going through just proves that you've been unfaithful. I tell you, according to the word of the Lord, Job rested in God's good faithfulness and good pleasure. Job rested in that. And he just, though he felt these things, The scripture said that everything that he went through, Job did not charge God with foolishness.

If you're not going through, I heard Brother Scott say this, you ever notice that most everything I say I heard from somebody else? That's because somebody else has gone through something, said something that was worthy to be heard. And by the grace of God, he allowed me to hear it. And I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful. I'm thankful that God would keep me.

And while Job was being hammered by these so-called friends for his inconsistency, what Job was experiencing and trying when these times were coming is that God Almighty is not going to leave his people. He's not going to forsake them. And we're not going to leave this world healthy, wealthy, and wise. I can tell you that right now. Wise in this world.

If we leave this world knowing Christ, we're the most blessed of all people. You can rest assured, the Lord is going to bless His Word according to His eternal will and counsel. And His sheep are certainly going to hear these things, and they're going to be an encouragement to God's people. And the Lord Himself is going to send these trials according to His pleasure.

Pleasure. It pleases the Lord to teach His kids, His people, this world, not our home. So while we're going through this, Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians 4. Listen to this words. We've read them. Ephesians 4 verses concerning our attitude toward each other. Ephesians 4, 29, 32.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good and the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. I am so thankful that the Lord has been pleased to not treat me like I treat other people.

I'm so ashamed of myself. Boy, these guys were going to ring me now. Back in Job chapter 11, verse 5 and 6, scripture says, and here's Zophar, he's still speaking, this young whippersnapper. Verse 5, oh, but oh, that God would speak and open his lips against thee, and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom. that they are double to that which is. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

And you know what, it was really true. It is true. The Lord truly had exacted, demanded payment is what he's saying. The Lord truly had done that. He does do that for His people. He does exact or demand less than what we deserve. I am so thankful that the Lord has been pleased to not give me what I really deserve, but rather in the person of our precious Savior. He demanded full payment for my rebellion against him. And Christ has borne my guilt and put away the debt that was owed God for what I've done.

And for me to walk around and try to see if I can straighten up some folks. Oh, that the Lord would allow me to realize, just Marvin, settle down. And quit being so high-minded and so heady and Mr. Know-it-all. I don't know the depth of what any of us are truly going through. But while we're watching each other go through these things, instead of being like so far here and trying to straighten everybody up, how about we think about this? Why don't we pray for one another? Why don't we pray for each other and just ask the Lord?

Lord, have mercy. Have mercy. I've got some things that my kids are going through right now that I, you know, I think, well, I could handle this. No, I can't handle this. I tell you, the best thing I can do for them is I can pray for them and pray that God have mercy on them. Oh, we're just so prone in our natural heart to make it appear is that we're always so knowledgeable of everything.

Zophar told Job, he said, I wish that God would really speak to you and reveal his secrets of wisdom. The Lord had. The Lord had revealed him. But the secret of God's wisdom and his providence Why do any of us go through what we're going through? Why was Job going through what Job was going through? What was the reason? Oh, I could give a general answer. It was God's will and God's, but what was Job being taught by God exactly?

I don't know. I don't know, but I can tell you one thing, best thing in the world that any of us could do is pray for one another, encourage one another. Is there anything I can do for you, any way I can help you? Instead of being so foolishly high-minded.

Beloved, remember, let's caution ourselves to be careful about insinuating that we know why God is dealing with any of us. Why God is doing this, that, or the other. what we're going through right now, what Job was going through right then, that was God's will and God's knowledge and God's purpose, God's pleasure to do what he was doing. Pray for one another. Verse 7 to 12. Caste now by searching out find God. Caste now Find out the Almighty unto perfection. It is as high as heaven. What canst thou do deeper than hell? What canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

If he cut off and shut up or gather together, then who can hinder him? For he knoweth vain man, he seeth the wickedness also, Will he not then consider? For vain man would be wise. Though man be born like a ass is cold. Here's what Zophar is saying is true. It's true. But he's using it like a whip. He's using it trying to straighten up. He's trying to take God's word and use it as a board to beat him with, instead of showing some kindness.

Here, Job's friend presses Job concerning the greatness of God. He's telling Job, God is great and you're little. Job knew that. He knew that. Here was Zophar pointing out God's sovereignty and His eternality and our complete inability to comprehend the greatness of Almighty God and to grasp hold of the wonder of God's majesty. And he was trying to show Job, Job, if you could just be like me and just grasp hold. God's wonder and marvel, you wouldn't suffer.

And he says in verses 13 to 20, he said, and I'll tell you this, Job, here's how you can straighten up your life and fly right. And if you'll do what I say, Job, now you hear, he gonna put Job under some real hard demands. Here's what he tells him. if thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him." Now, Job, if you want to know how to be like I am, what Zophar was saying, if you want to know how to live right with God and how to go through this life without trials and trouble and sorrows, if you want to know how to do it, now you listen to me, Job, and I'll tell you how to do it.

Verse 13 again, if thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand toward him, if iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away. Don't you wish you could do that? If iniquity is found in your hand, if you just put it away, if you would just quit sinning, Job, that's your problem. If iniquity be found in thine hand, put it far away, let wickedness and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, yea, thou shalt be steadfast and shall not fear, because thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that pass away. Thine age shall be clearer than the noonday. Thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning, thou shalt be secure because there's hope. Thou shalt dig about thee, shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, none shall make thee afraid.

Yea, many shall make suit against thee, but the eyes of the wicked shall fail and they shall escape and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. I read those words again and I thought to myself, I know, as I read at the beginning of this message, that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. All scripture. And here the Spirit of God was pleased to write down how harshly Job was being reprimanded by this man Zophar. was so far a believer?

I don't know. You know, I don't know. Lord knows. But I can tell you this. And at least he knew something about I know he knew something about God's sovereignty. I know a lot of people that know something about God's sovereignty and God's electing grace and they quote scripture and they can do this. But is there a spirit about any of us? of love and forgiveness and desire to help, instead of browbeating somebody. How about if we just say, Lord, help us. Lord, keep us. Keep us from the frailty of ourself.

When a believer has been brought through such trials, trials that come from every direction, Then and then only is that person made to see how totally unable he is. These things I, I, I, whatever you're going through, whatever I've gone through, you know, I, I, I didn't have any ability to stop them. If the Lord send them, how am I going to stop them? You know? Now, if somebody comes and tells me, and here I am, I've gone through some things, you've gone through some things, then they come and tell me, say, well, I tell you what, Marvin, if you just straighten up and fly right, if you'll be quitting, if you just quit being such a sinner, a rebel against God, if you do that, do you know the condemnation that that puts somebody under?

Here they are seeking the Lord, and all the while, what they're saying is this, I know this, If I was able to do that, which I know I'm not, it may be so. But Lord, here I am. Lord, you've been pleased, just like you caused Job to go through these things. And the Lord allowed that man so far and his, his bill dad and the other guy that to come to Job and reprimand him, make Job feel the guilt heavier than it would have if they'd have never opened their mouth. And here the Lord has shown Job, this is what you are. And I've allowed these men to come and tell you what they are, what you are. And Job admits it.

But here's the comfort that we have, brethren. Almighty God's been pleased to not leave us in despair. You talk about liberty, to be able to say, Lord, they're right, they're right. If I could myself be right before you, if I could walk with consistency before you, Lord, I would, but I can't. And Lord, would you help me? Would you forgive me? Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, show me again. of your mercy and kindness. And forgive me for Christ's sake. Amen.