Psalm 10

Read Psalm 10

“Why, O LORD, do You stand afar off?” The writer of this psalm was going through a difficult time and he could not find God. His way of addressing this great need was to talk to the Lord—perhaps even to sing to Him.

He wrote about those he called “the wicked.” Arrogant and powerful people were abusing the poor. They imagined that God did not even exist, and that they could go after other people without any fear that the Lord would defend the needy.

The psalmist's lament was that these powerful bullies seemed to be winning all the time. Was God there? Would he stop evil people? This sorrowful worshiper called upon the Almighty to catch troublemakers in their own schemes.

The description of the evil man recorded here was quite vivid. As we read or sing this psalm we are granted insight into the inner thought life of someone who imagined that everyone else in the world existed for his pleasure. He would use them and throw them away if he wanted to. Though he could easily have looked around and observed that even the powerful die, he comforted himself with these absurd words: “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”

This evil enemy was always scheming. He had a plan to take advantage of some bystander who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Would such a dishonest and murderous man be able to get away with his sin, never facing the consequences of his wickedness? Would he be correct in his guiding assumption that even God could not stop him?

The psalmist then turned to words of true faith. “But You do see.” He called out to the Lord who would certainly help the fatherless. He asked the God of Israel to call the wicked man to account for all his evil deeds.

By the end of the psalm the Lord of glory seemed near again. As those who sing these words even today we remember what we believe. Jesus, our Redeemer, is king over all. He will separate the wicked from the righteous. He will strengthen our hearts forever, and the man who is “of the earth” will never again terrorize the Lord's people.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Lord God, please continue to draw near to us in every time of trouble. We thank You for the righteousness and goodness of Christ. He was moved by our desperate condition and He came to save us. He did what no one else could ever do. He rescued us in the saving protection of the good news and brought us home by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Purify our hearts, moving us closer and closer to Your Son, and then send us forth in works of love and service for the glory of Your Name. Thank You for Your great mercy, eternal King. You hear our cry, and You help us.

Psalm 9

Read Psalm 9

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart.” David committed himself to complete praise. He would sing of God's wonderful deeds. He made the choice to worship and even to be glad.

This choice was not a denial of life's challenges. Yes, David had enemies. His faith insisted that his foes would stumble and fall. He looked forward to a day of judgment when they would all perish in the presence of his God.

How could he maintain that confidence? He knew that his cause was just and that God was sitting on the throne over all. God would judge righteously. Any unrighteousness that seemed to win would have only a temporary celebration. God would be vindicated.

David's confidence was not just for for one situation or even just for one man. Whole nations would be blotted out if necessary for the Lord to establish justice over the earth. Only God would be capable of bringing about such a sweeping victory.

This kind of confidence was life-changing for those who were poor and oppressed. If they knew they were serving God's purposes, they could not ultimately lose. The Lord would never forsake those who were truly seeking Him.

Because of this confidence, David could call all the afflicted to join him in this song of praise. Together they could make the choice to worship. They could sing about God with true joy.

If David called people in his day to this life of consistent devotion, surely Jesus calls us to choose the certainty of faith. The Father has seen the affliction of His Son and has raised Him up to the heights of heaven. We have the words of the psalms made even more sure since the resurrection of Jesus is a part of our history and the message of a Jewish Messiah has been proclaimed and received all over the earth.

Nations that were once not a part of the people of God have found a way into the boldness of covenant worship through Jesus. Once they had no sure hope of life beyond the grave. Now many have found peace in the Name of Jesus. The most powerful rulers of the world have discovered that they are but men, and the poor who have found Jesus have found a way into the confidence of true worship.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Glorious God, we give You thanks for all Your wonderful deeds. We praise You for Your justice and Your mercy. In the day of trouble, You have been our strong Help. You are a righteous judge. It is good for us to trust in You. We come to You in the Name of Jesus Christ. You heard Him when He called out to You. We also rejoice in Your great works of salvation. We have been found in Christ and have been credited with His perfect righteousness. We live in the secure hope of Your mercy, for Your Son has rescued us.

Psalm 8

Read Psalm 8

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth.” God has a name. His appellation is more than a title, but it is often translated into the word “LORD” with all capital letters. The actual name in Hebrew is not pronounceable since it lacks the vowels that would allow us to say it. One way to translate it would be to just use the four consonants, yielding something like this: “YHWH”. This name comes from the verb of being. The idea behind YHWH is this: “I AM.” Always and forever.

David prepared Psalm 8 as a song for the choirmaster. This musical leader would have been the man leading others in singing this psalm when Israel gathered to worship YHWH as Lord.

The great I AM was not only the Lord of those who worshiped Him; He was the God of all the earth. He was far above everything else that would pretend to be His rival.

YHWH called even the smallest babies and toddlers who had just begun to walk to praise Him. Psalm 8 looked forward to a day when the praise of the youngest saints would be used by God to silence His enemies.

Human beings have been created in the image of YHWH. How can this be? In what sense do people look like the great God who created the heavens and who put the moon and stars in their orbits? How is it that YHWH even cares about people?

Yet the Lord really does care. He has given mankind dominion over all the other works of His hands. Human beings who serve Him are supposed to rule over everything on the land, in the seas, and even across the vast expanse of the heavens.

He who rules above all of His image-bearers is the one great I-AM. But look at what YHWH has done! He became a man for us. When Jesus was challenged by His foes, He had the courage to say this: “Before Abraham was, I-AM.” He identified Himself as YHWH—now come in person. Some of those who heard Him say these great words picked up rocks to stone Him. Others would soon shout out, “Crucify Him!” Even today people often use the name “Jesus Christ” as a coarse expression of disdain.

Much better for us to sing the song that David prepared for the choirmaster. What a privilege to shout out these words to the Lord together with Israel of old: “O YHWH, our Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Creator God, we see all Your marvelous works and extol You. You have a special place for man in Your holy plan. We bow before You and Your Son Jesus Christ. All things are Yours, and everything everywhere should rightly give You praise.

Psalm 7

Read Psalm 7

“O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge.” God is able to do far more than we can ask or even think. There is no one wiser than God, and there is no one who loves us more than He does. David embraced a life of faith and found God to be his refuge.

The author of this psalm faced “a lion” who was ready to tear his soul apart. Could this be Cush of the tribe of Benjamin referred to in the title? There could be a connection between what David saw and what he did not see. David saw his mortal enemies, who charged him with stealing what he had not taken. He could not see the demonic lion that was seeking someone to devour.

God sees everything, not only in David's enemies, but in David himself. He asked the Lord to judge him if he was lying. This was a dangerous request, yet David knew that he was innocent in this conflict and so he spoke with holy boldness.

He called upon God to rise up against those who were falsely accusing him and seeking his destruction. “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.” These words seem to stretch beyond David to a man who knew himself to be innocent not in just one instance but in all things.

God himself is the Righteous One. He has determined that through Christ He will be a shield for those whom He calls to be His righteous people forever. A shield against what? Against Himself. In His justice He must punish the guilty. In mercy He has sent His Son to deflect His wrath by taking that heavy blow upon Himself.

The way for a man to have Jesus as his Shield is to repent of his sin. If a man does not repent, God will get His sword ready to use against him. He will bend His bow and place a deadly arrow within it.

When Jesus came preaching the good news, He called people to repent. That call is still in effect today, but only those who trust God and hear His voice will turn away from sin and turn toward God.

The man who will not repent and believe continues to work up evil plans in his heart, but the righteous worshiper will sing for joy. He will sing praise to the Most High God forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Lord, help us and save us from the hand of those who pursue us without cause. Grant deliverance to the oppressed who love You with an everlasting love. Thank You for the vindication of Your Son, even through the horror of the cross. We rejoice in His resurrection. Deliver Your church from all injustice and falsehood. We will give You thanks and sing praise to Your Name forever.

Psalm 6

Read Psalm 6

“O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger.” Who could stand before God and face the full weight of the Lord's holy discipline? David knew that he needed gracious kindness and healing mercies instead. Why? Because he was “languishing.” He was at a weak moment. How long would he have to wait for help? Would he be able to survive?

David asked God to “turn” and to deliver his life from imminent death. It was as if he saw the Lord walking away from him, and so he yelled for help asking God to turn around and come back. What was David's reasoning as he brought his petition? Do this “for the sake of Your steadfast love.”

David knew that he existed for the glory of God. It would be best for God's glory on earth if David would not go to the grave now. He had more praise to give to the Lord.

This great man who seemed so strong and sure to others knew that he was weak and in need of God's mercy. He was moaning in anguish. He spent his nights crying. What was his specific trouble? He did not reveal the details, but he did say that this lament was because of his foes.

He then turned the words of this psalm toward these enemies. “Depart from me, all you workers of evil.” Why? “For the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.” What confidence in God! David was convinced that the Lord had heard his prayer and that God would bring sudden shame upon those who were harassing him.

To those who were living at ease in Israel, David's words might have seemed extreme. But for the Savior who would one day face the suffering of the cross, this psalm would have been entirely appropriate. Yet Jesus said something different as He faced death. “Father, forgive them.” O the amazing steadfast love of the Lord! Nonetheless a day of justice is still coming. On that day those who have persecuted the Lord and His people will suddenly be ashamed.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, we know that You are with us despite our troubled bodies and souls. You will help us at just the right time. You will take away our grief that seems to swallow us up in tears and clouds. You hear us, O God. Our enemies will suddenly be put to shame.

Psalm 5

Read Psalm 5

“Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.” David knew that the Lord could hear not only intelligible language, but even his sighs and groans that were too deep for words. He waited in the morning as he prayed to the Lord.

Who was this God who would bother to hear the troubled utterances of a person? David knew that Jehovah was full of moral excellence. The Lord would never take delight in wickedness. All those who would boast in their evil pride, all liars, all people who were ready to kill the innocent—they would never be heard by God.

Yet David believed that God would allow him to enter His house. David's God rightly demanded moral goodness, but He was also a God who was full of steadfast love. The only worthy choice for anyone in trouble would be to approach the Lord in reverence and with an honest commitment to abandon all sin.

David knew he needed help—not only to defeat his enemies, but also to be a true and holy follower of such a great God. That was why he asked the Lord to lead him “in Your righteousness,” and “make Your way straight before me.” He knew that he could never defeat his adversaries by imitating their deceit and sinful malice. He needed God to lead him in the right direction.

His enemies had no truth in their words. Their problem was deep within them. They had death in their souls, so that even when their voices sounded sweet, they could not be trusted.

David asked the Lord to expose these false friends and advisers. His foes did not take refuge in God and turn away from sin. True followers of Jehovah were different. They found a hiding place from the storms of life in their holy God. They rejoiced in Him and enjoyed His protection. They took shelter in His favor when they cried out to Him in prayer.

The call of the Lord to all who would hear His voice has always started with this simple command: “Come to Me!” When David's God came in all His righteousness and love He said to His disciples, “Follow Me.” We do not expect victory over our troubles through careful pretense and powerful hatred. We come to God in honest surrender and simple trust. We give ourselves to the Son of God who calls us to take shelter in His gracious favor.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Please hear us, O God. We pray to You morning by morning. We are Your humble servants in Jesus Christ, perfected through Your grace and Your steadfast love. Lead us in Your righteousness, O God. May the wicked fall by their own plots, but let the man who takes refuge in You and loves Your Name rejoice in You forever.

Psalm 4

Read Psalm 4

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” David had known the Lord's relief in earlier times of distress. He needed His gracious mercy again now.

After addressing God in the opening verse of the psalm, David directly spoke to those who were harassing him. What God considered honorable these powerful accusers were trying to turn into shame. Their lies were empty words that they were using in an attempt to bring down the Lord's friend.

David forthrightly confronted his godless enemies. He knew himself to be a godly man. He was convinced that Jehovah would hear him. He wanted those who were opposing him to know that they had actually set themselves against God by attacking a man whom the Almighty would defend.

Beginning in verse 4 David directed his attention toward God's true followers who might be able to learn from their leader's trials. “Be angry, and do not sin.” Anger with evil was not itself wrong, but sin would be crouching at the door in times of testing. In situations of injustice it might be best to be silent and to consider one's response very carefully before speaking poorly chosen words. It would always be wise to remember the Lord by offering an acceptable sacrifice of praise. A few moments of deliberate resting upon Israel's trustworthy God might make all the difference.

Perhaps many would find faith a very difficult alternative to choose in the midst of such a challenging test. David would not be swayed by the crowd. He would continue to believe the Lord and call to Him for help. The Lord's joy would eventually come to him.

A healthy faith, so well exemplified by our Lord in the midst of a great storm, enabled Jesus to sleep in the stern of a boat when His disciples were completely frantic because of the wind and the waves. He knew that His Father would make Him dwell in safety even though there would be rough days ahead.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

God of our Righteousness, You have helped us in the past. Give us relief again today. Our godliness is in Christ alone. We trust You, O God. You will show us goodness, and You will put joy in our hearts again. We will dwell in safety.

Psalm 3

Read Psalm 3

“O Lord, how many are my foes!” These opening words of lament were connected in the psalm's title to very severe troubles within David's own household. His son, Absalom, was leading an insurrection against the king.

Absalom was not alone. He had many followers who thought that it was time for David to go. They were convinced that the God who had always come to David's aid would not save him any more.

David himself found confidence in the Lord even at this low moment. God would be a shield for David in every battle. The Almighty would be glorified and that would have implications for those who were counted as His followers. The Lord's glory would bring great blessing to those, like the king, who were trusting in Jehovah. God would hear David's song—this was the king's trust. The Lord would send help from heaven.

David could lie down and sleep with the confidence of true faith. He did not need to be ruled by fear. The Lord would rise up and defeat all of the king's enemies.

The psalm ends with a great memory verse in two parts: “Salvation belongs to the Lord,” and then this confident petition, “Your blessing be on Your people!” The same God who is the Author and Perfecter of our eternal life will certainly bring blessing on all those He counts as His children.

If David could sing this psalm when his own son had turned against him, perhaps we can sing it as well in our troubles. Jesus, the greatest descendant of David, has done everything necessary to secure our salvation. Because of Him, Jehovah has spoken the greatest benediction upon all those who call upon His Name.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord, Your Son faced enemies who were all around Him. He cried out to You, and You helped Him in a day when thousands of traitors were against Him. Salvation belongs to You. Bless Your people who come to You through Jesus Christ.

Psalm 2

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Why would the nations hate the Messiah King of Israel? Why would the rulers of the earth set themselves against God and against His Christ? The One who comes to die and rise again, winning a resurrection kingdom for all who believe, also comes to reign, and that reign is a threat to every lesser authority that will not bow the knee to Him.

Herod and Pilate, together with Gentiles and Jews, plotted against Jesus Christ, culminating in His death on the cross. (See Acts 4:24-28.) The record of Psalm 2, one thousand years prior to these events, should convince us that the cross did not catch the Almighty by surprise. This psalm reminds us that the Lord has His perfect purposes in the sufferings of His Anointed, and that the Christ who died for our salvation reigns over all.

The supremacy of the Lord over all the nations of the earth is not welcomed by anyone who believes himself to be the highest authority in his corner of the world. What is the reaction of the Lord God Almighty to such rebellion? He laughs.

God is not unreasonable or unstable in His passions. He is not like men in that way. He is not frightened when we shake our fist at the heavens. He does not fly off in a rage. His emotions, though intense, are settled.

God may laugh at the foolishness of kings who think that they can stop Him. But laughter is not His only reaction, and this laughter of the Almighty is not the kind that we want to hear. He speaks to these kings of the world in His wrath.

The words that He relates are like a sentence of death to those who persist in their rebellion, but to those who have come to love the final King of Israel, the great Son of God, the words of Psalm 2 have become a message of life: “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

Establishing Jesus as the great resurrection King with all authority in heaven and earth was not the idea of the New Testament church. That decision was made long before Psalm 2 was written. It was a decree of God, and though it was announced in various places in the Old Testament, it was especially made known in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The wrath of God was coming against us. It would have broken us like a rod of iron. We would have been dashed to pieces as easily as a potter would throw a rejected vessel against a wall. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush His beloved Anointed in our place.

Kiss the Son and serve Him. He embraced you in His death and atoned for your sins. He is Lord. “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Glorious Creator, this world is full of powerful enemies who oppress Your people and reject the Messiah. Your power is far above all that You have created. You have secured the position of Your Son as King of kings. All the world should kiss Your Son, lest they perish.

Psalm 1

Read Psalm 1

There is a difference between the wicked and the righteous. If we have heard the message of grace through Christ and the cross we will not deny this distinction. The cross is about the holiness of God just as much as it is about the mercy of God.

The man who obeys the Lord is called “blessed” at the opening of this psalm. In the deepest sense of the word, he is a happy man. He lives in the Word of the Lord, and that Word insists that he have an accurate appraisal of both the present trouble and the future hope. Because he believes in the Word, he is able to walk in the blessedness of the Lord even through the most evil day.

The alternative to life in the Word of God is continually before us. There is another counsel available to men. It is called here the “counsel of the wicked.” To follow that counsel is to ignore the most basic distinctions that are necessary for happy living. If we will not call anyone or anything evil, we will quickly drift into a dangerous life of sin. Though that life is laced with enticing sensation, it is not the way of happiness. Drunkenness and infidelity are not the good life. Someone who walks that road needs to see it for what is and turn away from it.

The blessed man will school his heart in what he knows to be right. His delight will be in the instruction of heaven. He will want to think about that Word day and night, not because anyone is forcing him, but because he has learned that this is where he finds solid joys.

The life of the man who is happy in God brings blessings to himself and to others. In the visions of heaven contained in the Old and New Testaments, God tells us about a river of life. God can plant us today right next to that good river so that the root of our lives will be healthy.

The wicked are not like the righteous. They may seem to have happiness and they may accumulate wealth beyond measure, but the wind can take it all away in a moment. In the day when the trumpet sounds, and the wheat is separated from the chaff, there will be nothing left of all that they accumulated.

There is a judgment coming when the Lord returns or when we are suddenly brought before Him at death. Some will be part of the congregation of the righteous, but others will not. There is nothing more important than traveling on that pathway of true happiness, hearing the Word of the Lord, repenting, believing, serving Him fruitfully, and building a life of godliness and contentment that will last forever.

Christ is the Cornerstone of that righteous life. For all of the many who are declared righteous in Him, our lives in the Word must begin by responding to His call to repent and believe.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Blessed Father, You grant to us many good gifts and a sure hope through the One Man who was perfectly holy and fruitful. We would have been chaff blown away by Your fury in the Day of Judgment. But now we are known by You in Him, and are called righteous. Move us forward by Your grace in the pathway of truth and life.

Job 42

Read Job 42

We have now come to the conclusion of the book of Job. We find a man who is not what he once was. He is still Job, but he is a new Job, a better Job.

Job has always known that God could do all things and that no purpose of the Lord could be stopped. But now he knows as one who has discovered that he does not understand as he once thought he did.

Job carefully listened to God. God said in 38:1, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” The Lord was clearly referring to Job. He was the one who spoke words without knowledge, and now he admits that he talked at length about things that he did not understand, things too wonderful for him.

Job has heard, and he has seen. He has been appropriately humbled. “I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Repentance is a good gift of God. It is better than the answers that we seek when we ask God, “Why?” Repentance is not only the cessation of some evil action or the resolve to take up some new duty. It is a change in orientation that rediscovers this truth: “God is God, and I am not.” It is the restoration of proper subservience of an inferior to the ultimate Superior. All of the other important changes in our behavior flow from this humility.

A repentant man surrenders to God as his Master. He gives himself to the Lord as a slave, but he finds himself to be a son. The greatest suffering servant of God was also His greatest Son. He came not to serve, but to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Now He is exalted high in the heavens as the eternal Son of God and the King of the Kingdom.

God wounds His sons only to bring about a far better healing than could have been accomplished without the surgery. The Lord speaks glowingly now about His great son Job. When he corrects Job's friends for their error, He remarks that Job spoke rightly of God. Amazing!

The next course for repentant Job is to turn his pain into love by the grace of God and in accord with His command. Job prays for his friends. They have not spoken rightly of God. Job prays for them and they are forgiven. Not only is there prayer, but there is sacrifice. When the final Suffering Servant comes, there is prayer for us and there is sacrifice, not of bulls and rams, but of Himself. By His death we are granted life.

New life is a great gift. God can give new life to a man who has suffered. We experience the heavenly gift in our spirits that have been made alive, but this is only a down-payment of what will surely come. Look for it as the holy men of old looked for a city that only God could make. Look to Jesus, the righteous and victorious Warrior. Look for life where He is, and receive whatever tokens of that life that He kindly bestows upon you even now.

Not everyone gets a second chance under the sun. God bestows His gifts according to His own wisdom. We need to receive what He provides with thanksgiving. Job is blessed with a new family and an even better life. Have you found the sympathy of others in trial? It is God's kindness, but a better grace is the steadfast love that He has worked in you through suffering. Jesus Christ is His best gift to you. Choose that better portion, and let your heart be thankful.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord, You can do all things. No purpose of Yours can be thwarted. We have heard of You, but one day we will see You. Teach us to speak of You what is right. Thank You for our Mediator. He is far above us in righteousness. Bless our latter days more than our beginning. What may seem to be lacking in the present age will surely be given to Your servants in the age to come. Precious in Your sight is the death of Your saints. We believe Your promises and we worship You.

Job 41

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Who can give an answer to God that He does not already know? Who dares to judge Him? Who has something by which he would recommend himself to the Almighty? Isn't God the one who gave that gift in the first place? It is not good for us to think too highly of ourselves. A man can be the smartest man in his nation, but he does not know as much about the shelves in the market where he lives as the one who has been granted the task of keeping those shelves well-ordered every day. God knows all things, but we are limited in everything we do. A humble heart is a most excellent gift for the man who would like to learn how to love others better.

There are many ways that God can move a person toward humility and love. Grief is a great schoolmaster for all kinds of important lessons. Through loss, pain, and shame, a man learns that he is not God. Job was an admirable man who suffered immensely, but he was also a man who grew through a deep encounter with God's Word in the midst of unusual trial. He learned that it was not right for any man to suggest that he might be able to judge God. He learned that he could not gain his own vindication as a righteous man by pointing out supposed flaws in God's perfect righteousness.

God is the Ruler over all realms, seen and unseen. There are many beings in this world that are far too dangerous for us. Though man is an impressive creature, yet any man would be wise to humble himself before God. Man's excellence, when compared to other impressive species, is found in his ability to reason, to communicate with language, and to offer to his Maker spiritual worship. There are other animals that are faster and stronger, but they can be defeated by the plan of even one human being.

You may readily agree with this high assessment of humanity, but how strong do you feel today? Would you want to suddenly face a whale on the high seas? A whale is a very dangerous and resourceful opponent. You cannot expect to take him in with a fishhook. How will you defeat him? What is your plan? When the whale sees you coming, he will not send out a delegation to negotiate. If you expect to defeat him, you will probably have to find a way to kill him, because he will not be your pet. A whale cannot be handled like a bird. You will not be able to keep him in a cage and satisfy him with some seed and a little bottle of water for him to peck at. Many dead men have thought that they could win a fight against a whale. They paid for their pride and presumption with their lives.

If you would rather not risk an encounter in the ocean with an angry beast, why do you think that it is safe to offend God? We say, “But God can take our outbursts.” Why do people assume that it is safe to hurl insults at God? Why does anyone imagine that he can stand before God and make a case for his own righteousness at God's expense?

With that in mind, consider God's purpose in talking to Job at length about “Behemoth” in the previous chapter and “Leviathan” in this one. Though Job may not know it, this entire trial has something to do with a creature of God who is stronger than man, amazing in knowledge, unusually crafty, and very evil. If he seems to masquerade as an angel of light, or if he claims that he comes under a flag of truce, beware. He steals, he kills, and he destroys. We are told that we will judge angels one day. What is it that we have as human beings that will allow us to fight against a fallen angel like Satan? Only this: We are united with the head of the church, Jesus Christ. In Him we have one offensive weapon, the Word of God. Our King has also provided us with the very best defensive armor including a shield of faith with which we can extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one.

Yet our hope is not in our faith or in our ability to use God's Word. These four chapters of humbling questions teach us a different lesson. In the face of any serpent of the raging seas, God is able. One little Word from Him shall fell the strongest enemy.

There is an adversary of whom it can be said, “On earth there is not his like.” He seems to be “a creature without fear. He is king over all the sons of pride.” Yet with the beginning of the preaching of the kingdom of God by men like Peter and John, Jesus saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. That was not because of any strength or goodness in them, but because of the power of our righteous God over all of His creatures and all of their actions. Let us do the amazingly powerful thing that redeemed human beings were created to do. Let us worship God through Jesus Christ our Lord, and let us use our reason, our speech, and our lives to give to others the gift of love, which can be the best fruit of godly suffering.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Mighty God, Your Word is wonderful. When You speak of Your creatures, we know that You are greater than them all. Give us the sense to bow before You. Thank You for the holiness of Your Son for us. We have sinned against You first in Adam, and then in our own lives. Yet You have redeemed us with all Your great power and love. We remember again who You are, and we worship You. We cannot fight against You as if You were our inferior. We have been proud and rebellious. Please forgive us. We remember the love of the cross and have hope.

Job 40

Read Job 40

Jesus instructs us in the Sermon on Mount, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” There are certain limits to that instruction. In particular, it is the duty of a superior to protect a subordinate through occasional correction. Therefore a father will need to help his son this way, and a teacher certainly must identify a student's errors in order to improve her work. This is certainly the case in the community of worship as well. The apostle Paul advises the church in Corinth to make necessary judgments in the church in order to protect the community of faith. He even goes so far as to say, “The spiritual person judges all things.”

Judgment becomes problematic when it is done without love, when it is accompanied by hypocrisy, or when an inferior presumes to sit in judgment over his superior. This third offense is called insubordination, and it has surely always been a popular pastime since the day that Satan convinced Eve that God was not giving commands that were in her best interest to obey. The inappropriate finding of fault in a superior is an important theme in the book of Job. Not only have Job's friends done this to Job, but Job himself has done this to God. The Lord now brings attention to this serious error. He calls Job a faultfinder, and so he is. It was right for Job to find fault with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. They needed correction. It is never right for anyone to find fault with God. Job has desired to bring a lawsuit against the Almighty. This is a staggering act of insubordination.

God has been questioning Job in order to further redirect his attention appropriately to the difference between a creature and the Creator. So far Job has had no answer to give. Now God insists that Job answer. Job's response speaks for itself: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”

This is an astounding transformation. It has come about through a brutal trial that began in the heavenlies before the throne of God. It continued with great loss and sickness on earth, but then especially with the vague and unsubstantiated accusations of friends. All of these factors gave birth to Job's error. But this was not the end of God's work with Job. He only wounds His beloved servants for the purpose of granting a far better healing. After Elihu spoke, Job had nothing more to say. Yet God finished this work of discipline in person. Job wanted to speak with God, so here is his chance.

God continues to speak. Will Job accuse God of being in the wrong for the purpose of maintaining his own righteousness? Of course Job cannot win a fight against God. He always knew that. But there is something else for us to consider in the New Testament era. We know more clearly and plainly how the Lord's plan of righteousness truly works. If we aim to prove that we are right at God's expense, then all will be lost. Our only hope of being declared holy is through the perfect righteousness of God credited to us. What if we were able to prove ourselves right in our own merit, but only at the cost of God being proven wrong? Absurd? Yes, but it would also entirely undermine all our hope of eternal peace.

God reveals the beauty of the righteousness of Christ and the power of His cross little by little and in various ways. The book of Job in the Bible is early in that process. God does give an answer here to all who wonder about the mystery of pain in the lives of people that God loves. It is a true, basic, and good answer for every era in the Lord's dealings with His elect: “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” (See Romans 9:20.)

The trial that Job has experienced started in heaven. The Lord brought up the name of Job to God's adversary, Satan. Imagine any large beast that has ever walked the face of the earth and know that you have a better chance of fighting such a monster than you do in your present warfare against the devil. Satan has been at work in Job's trials but only as far as God's sovereignty would allow. That same Satan many years later desired to sift Peter as wheat, yet the Lord Jesus had prayed for him. Though Peter denied Christ three times, his faith would not ultimately fail. Jesus instructed Peter that when he had turned back to faith he should strengthen his brothers.

It is in the strength of Christ that God will soon crush Satan under our feet. Do not judge the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Do not settle into a pattern of finding fault with the Almighty on account of the trials that He has given you. He has His purposes. You will never fully understand the depths of His wisdom. Surely He intends to hold you through it all, for not one of His children will be lost.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Glorious God, we are cut to the heart. Have we been faultfinders who have spoken against You? Would we dare to charge You with evil and condemn You as if we were right? Our own right hand could never save us. There are large and powerful creatures, seen and unseen, that are stronger than us. Would we imagine that we could contend against You? Have mercy on us.

Job 39

Read Job 39

It is not an easy thing for us to accept that the ultimate answer to our struggle in life is God Himself. The Lord is not normally visible to our eyes, and we do not know any way that we can see the heavenly world that He has secured for us. What we can see is the world below, the world where we live, and this is very helpful to us in considering the One who keeps that world alive. That consideration requires not only what our senses can take in from nature, but the reasoning powers that God has given to us, and especially the Word that God has chosen to reveal to us. Faith comes by hearing, and living by faith is the only way for the servant of the Lord.

We want to know where God is in our suffering. By His instruction to Job we should consider what God is daily able to accomplish all across this world. We should think about what we cannot do and be humbled before the Lord.

In the most remote corners of creation, God is. There are places that we simply could not get to. Perhaps if we expended all of our resources we might find a way to go where mountain goats give birth. But what would we do when we arrived? Would we be able to see what God sees, to know what He knows, and to do what He does? He has complete awareness of all of the natural world. He has full sovereignty over all the secondary causes that we might observe. He knows when every calf is born, and He is in control of every force at play in the complex reality of the conception and birth of a wild animal. This is all beyond us.

Not only is God powerful over the details of the beginning of each creature, He also rules over the complexities of the change from young life to the strength of maturity. These behavioral patterns are different for every species. We should not assume that everything in the world of animals is just the result of randomness and survival of the fittest. There is something to these as secondary answers to the questions we have as we observe the world around us. But it is the Word of God, combined with reason and observation, that assures us that God is the Designer who not only currently rules over all, He is also the great Planner who decreed every detail of existence before the first word of creation was spoken. He is the God who ordained all that would happen not only among men and angels, but also among the vast array of the intriguing creatures that fill this planet.

An ox has a certain way of life that is useful according to the Lord's design. That way of life is completely different from the way of the ostrich. Each has its purpose. Each seems to know his part. A horse is different again. We can observe these animals in general, making observations that help us to learn how one species is not the same as another. Some are able to be tamed, and we can even recognize specific animals, distinguishing horse from horse, and ox from ox. We may have a certain affection for the one we have observed, and we may do what we can for the care, protection, and usefulness of that one we call to by the name we have given to it. We may know one horse better than anyone else in the world. But God knows so much more. He is fully aware of every cell. He designed each to work in a certain way. He understands what the fall of mankind has done to the world of nature and to the life of a man. He is well acquainted with our suffering and the cost of our deliverance. He has committed Himself to our salvation as no one else ever could. Trust Him.

God's ways are far above our ways, His thoughts far above our thoughts. Would we have ever been able to know what it would take to secure eternity from the disaster of human rebellion? Could we have come up with the cross? If we had been told that the best solution of all would require the death of our child, would we have had the moral strength and love to do what was necessary to restore beauty and order to a world of suffering? Each creature has a job to do today. Some will be born. Some will die. Many will suffer for a purpose that they could never understand. It is our task and high privilege, as those created in God's image and redeemed by the blood of His Son, to believe in Him, and to trust Him. He is worthy.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great Lord of Glory, we cannot run our own lives. We certainly could not rule over the wide array of living creatures as You do. There is such an amazing variety of animals everywhere. Each species has special abilities and limitations. You reign over all of this amazing display of Your creative power. Who are we to question You?