Wisdom Books Job

Needing a Mediator

Discover Jesus as: Promised Redeemer Job 9-10 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 370 of 730
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Teaching Notes

INTRO

Mindi’s painting for the book of Job is darker than some of the others. It definitely directs us to the suffering Job experienced and how we question why bad things happen to us. It also points us to the phrase for the book––the Promised Redeemer. Amidst the storm, there is always hope. We have already seen Job’s friends with him. Today, we’ll be focusing on Bildad’s explanation of what was happening to Job, and Job’s response to Bildad in chapters 9—10.

TEACHING

Job 9:1–13: Job acknowledged Bildad made some good points (vv. 1–2).1However, Job pointed out that anyone taken to court before God would be unable to answer God’s charges even once out of a thousand times (v. 3), because God is wise and all-powerful (v. 4). Job said no one had ever opposed God and come out unharmed. Zuck gives four reasons why Job felt it was useless to take God to court: (1) God is so mighty (Job 9:3–14); (2) God could ignore his cries and be against him (Job 9:15–19); (3) God has the power to destroy both the innocent and the wicked (Job 9:20–24); (4) and even if Job tried to forget his problems or confess his sins, God would still find him guilty (Job 9:25–32).2Job continued by describing God’s power to move mountains without their knowledge and to shake the earth to its core (vv. 5–6). God has power over the sun and the stars, over the heavens and the waves of the sea, and over the constellations in the sky (vv. 7–9). God does unbelievable things that fill us with wonder (v. 10). God passes by us, but we don’t recognize Him and cannot stop Him from doing anything (vv. 11–12). God also does not hold back His anger and can cause people to cringe in fear (v. 13).

Job 9:14–24: In light of all God’s greatness, Job questioned how he could even have an argument with God (v. 14). Even if Job were righteous, he knew he could not answer God (v. 15). If Job summoned God, he didn’t believe God would hear what he said but would instead batter him with a whirlwind (vv. 16–17). Job said if he tried to confront God, it wouldn’t go well— God would soak him with bitter experiences (v. 18). Job again pointed out God’s strength and justice and said his own mouth would condemn him as guilty before the Almighty God (vv. 19–20). Job explained he was blameless but that his life no longer mattered when confronted with the power of God (v. 21) who destroys both the blameless and the wicked (v. 22). Job stated that when disaster brings sudden death, God mocks the innocent (v. 23). The earth would be given to the wicked and God would blindfold its judges (v. 24).

Job 9:25–35: Job described how his life was flying by without seeing any good (vv. 25–26). He said that if he tried to forget about all he had gone through, he would live in terror of his pains because he knew God would not acquit him (vv. 27–28), and he would be found guilty (v. 29). Job stated that his filth before the Lord was so bad his clothes would despise him (vv. 30–31). Job understood that God was not a man like he was, so there was no one who could judge between them (vv. 32–33). There was no bridge between God and Job. Job wanted God’s rod taken away from him so God’s terror would no longer frighten him. Job was alone with no mediator to support his case (vv. 34–35). Praise God that amidst our despair, He gave us a mediator, and it is Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

CLOSING

Why do we need a mediator and how is God’s mediator described in Scripture?

1 Timothy 2:5–6: God’s mediator was Jesus Christ who became human and gave Himself as our ransom. We will all face the courtroom and be represented by our mediator, Jesus.

Isaiah 64:6: We have all become something unclean and polluted, and our sins carry us like the wind from place to place.

Hebrews 9:15: Jesus mediates a new covenant that promises eternal inheritance because death has been replaced by redemption.

1 Peter 3:18: Jesus suffered for all our sins to bring us to God.

If we had to go before a court to make our case for our salvation, we have a path we can follow:

  • Romans 3:23: All are guilty and fall short of the glory of God. We will never meet God’s status.
  • Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
  • Romans 5:8: But God showed His great love for us in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
  • Ephesians 2:8–9: We are saved by God’s grace, not by anything we do.
  • Romans 10:9–10: When we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord, we will be saved and will have complete access to God.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21: Jesus was without sin but took on our sin so we could be the righteousness of God in Him.

How has God changed your life through His mediator? Hebrews 8:6 says Jesus is the superior mediator of a better covenant and has enacted better promises.

  1. Earl Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 623.

  2. Roy B. Zuck, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: Job (Chicago: Moody Press, 1978), p. 47; quoted by Thomas Constable, Dr. Constable’s Bible Study Notes: Job, p. 50; available at https:// planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/job.pdf.

Questions

  1. How does the Bible speak of righteousness in a relative sense and a legal sense? (Genesis 7:1; Job 1:1; Romans 5:19)
  2. How did Job feel about God in Job 9:9–11, despite understanding Him as creator? When are the times in your life God seemed distant?
  3. Where in chapter 9 do you see Job, seemingly, longing for Jesus? What does Jesus do as the mediator between God and man? (John 14:7–11; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 3:18)
  4. How does Job 10 make it clear that God created us? Where else does the Bible make it plain (Psalm 119:73, 139:13)? How does knowing this fact comfort you?
  5. Have you ever felt like Job did in Job 10:15–22? What promises from God can you cling to during these times? (Hebrews 13:5)
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Job 9—10 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Job 9:2

“Yes, I know what you’ve said is true, but how can a person be justified before God?”

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Romans 3:23-24 — “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
  • 1 Timothy 2:5-6 — “For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself—a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.”
  • Hebrews 9:15 — “Therefore, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”