Job 36 and 37 Revisited – The God of Power and Might

Passage used with first chapters from this list by Tony

Hello Project Ezra!  I pray you are all doing well and are looking forward to sharing the gospel through the reading of God’s word this weekend.  What a privilege it is to be able to read His word!  Our suggested reading for this week is Job 36 and 37.  We used these passages once before during the first couple months of Project Ezra, back in 2009.  In these chapters Elihu is speaking to Job, praising God’s power and majesty, and we want to use the chapter to do the same.  It is amazing to realize that the God who is our creator and our judge, and God who holds all things in the palm of His hand, is the same God who humbled Himself and came to earth to die for our sins.  Because of Jesus Christ we can have an intimacy of relationship with God that is amazing, but often that is emphasized at the expense of God’s greatness and power.  Both truths must be grasped, and the truth of God’s majesty makes the truth of our relationship with Him that much more amazing.  So try to speak of those truths this week, and particularly in relationship to the cross. 

Also, we have one of our larger readings coming up for Halloween.  This is the time to invite friends to join you, so they can see what Project Ezra is about.  We will be using several chapters from the book of Revelation, so it will be easy to have three or four people participate (or more if you want to divide the chapters into smaller pieces, or read more than once), with a chapter per person and another person sharing the gospel at the end.  I’m sure there are many possible locations near you.  I will be outside the bars and clubs with our street preaching team the weekend before Halloween, and outside the World’s Largest Haunted House on the 31^st.  Should be an interesting time, and will try to post pictures and video if possible.  I hope many of you will do the same, and with share about those you talked to, so we can pray for them as well.

God bless, and have a great day in the Lord!

All for His glory,

Dan

READ JOB 36 AND 37                                                                

These passages describe the God of the Bible

Though the speaker in these passages makes mistakes about how God chooses to act, he is accurate in his description of God's character

He is a God different from what many people imagine, and possibly different from the God you believe in

Not a God who exists for the purpose of our pleasure, or who is obligated to answer your every desire

Not one god among many, or one choice among many equals

God is not part of a belief system that may or may not work for you

The God of the Bible is THE God!  The only God.

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

“I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.

Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people.

Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.

Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it?

And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me?

There is no Rock; I know not any.”

 Isaiah 44:6-8

He is the creator and sustainer of all that exists.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:15-17

God is great, and mighty, and powerful

All that exists is His, and is a demonstration of who He is

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.  Psalm 19:1-3

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

And these chapters in Job also remind us of His power

They tell us that by His hands the clouds are formed and the rain falls

By His will the lightning flashes and the thunder finds its voice

In fact, His voice is described as thundering majestically, and we are told He is clothed with awesome majesty

Scripture says it is by His word that the wind blows, and the skies are spread like a cast metal mirror

His existence and power are evident, and we all know it

But our sinfulness and rebellion before Him is also evident

He is mighty, and we are His enemies, in rebellion against Him

Power is a dangerous thing if you are at odds with it

Look at God’s holy law, and listen to your conscience, and see how you stand before Him

GO THROUGH THE LAW AND BRING CONVICTION OF SIN

Job 36:23-24 Tells us of God’s justice and abundant righteousness

But no man is righteous, and we are thus deserving of His judgment, and an eternity in hell

Revelation 14:10-11 - he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

Revelation 21:8 - But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Hell is a horrible place.  I don’t want to go there, and I don’t want any of you to go there either

The good news is this: Despite His power and His anger at us, He chose to show us mercy

Jesus, God the Son, humbled Himself, took on human flesh, and died that we might live

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Philippians 2:5-8

Jesus Christ, John 1 tells us, is and was God, yet took on human flesh, and lives among us.

He lived the perfect life none of us could, then willingly went to the cross to pay the price none of us could pay.

On that cross God’s anger and hatred toward sin was poured out on him, so it wouldn’t have to be poured out on us.

And as Jesus surrendered His spirit to His father, He said “It is finished!” letting us know the debt for our sins had been paid in full.

But we do not serve a dead God, but a living God.

Three days after His death, Jesus rose again from the dead, and is alive today!

And now He commands all men everywhere to repent and trust in Him alone for salvation

There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved than the name of Jesus Christ

So today, hear God’s command and accept the sacrifice paid for your sake.

Repent, or turn from your sins, and trust in Christ alone.

Don’t trust in religious ritual, or your own good works to save you.  They won’t.

Trust in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, and be saved!

INVITE PEOPLE TO COME AND TALK SO YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL IN MORE 

DEPTH.  REMEMBER, OPEN-AIR PREACHING IS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE SEED PLANTED, AND THE WORK OF LEADING SOMEONE TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS WILL CONTINUE ONE-ON-ONE ONCE THE PREACHING ENDS.  BE LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN QUIETLY LISTENING WHILE YOU PREACH, AND APPROACH THEM IF YOU CAN.