Job 29–31

Introduction It's been a few weeks since our last sermon on the book of Job, so let me take a moment to review what we've seen so far. In the first two chapters, we learned that God regarded Job as blameless and upright. However Satan was not so impressed. He claimed that Job only worships … Continue reading Job 29–31 →

Job 25–28

Introduction We began the third cycle of speeches last week when we studied Job chapters 22 to 24 which contained Eliphaz's third speech to Job and Job's reply. And do you remember? It seemed that Eliphaz's patience with Job had come to an end; and all thought of comforting Job had been set aside, because … Continue reading Job 25–28 →

Job 22–24

Introduction Last Sunday evening we reached the end of the second cycle of speeches between Job and his friends. And there is one more cycle of speeches to go before we meet a fourth friend named Elihu who also wants to speak to Job. But we don't meet Elihu until chapter 32. In the meantime, … Continue reading Job 22–24 →

Job 18–21

Introduction Back in chapter 9 and verse 33 Job expressed a wish for an arbiter: someone who would enable Job to speak up and make his case before God without being afraid. He was looking for a mediator to bring them together. And then, in chapter 17 and verse 19, he spoke of a witness … Continue reading Job 18–21 →

Job 15–17

Introduction Let's take a moment to review what we're read so far in the book of Job. In the first two chapters, we learned that God regarded Job as blameless and upright. However Satan was not so impressed and he wanted to permission to attack Job's life to see whether he could destroy Job's faith. … Continue reading Job 15–17 →

Job 11–14

Introduction We come today to Zophar's first speech and to Job's reply to him. And today's passage is the last part of the first cycle of speeches. I've explained before that there are three cycles of speeches from chapter 4 to chapter 28. In the first cycle, the three friends take it in turns to … Continue reading Job 11–14 →

Job 08–10

Introduction We come today to the first speech by Bildad and Job's response to it. Bildad was one of Job's three friends who came to sympathise with him and to comfort him in his suffering after he lost his family and his possessions and his health. For seven days and nights they sat with Job … Continue reading Job 08–10 →

Psalm 055

Introduction Today's psalm is a psalm of lament in which the psalmist cries to the Lord because he's in trouble. And he's in trouble because of the wicked and the wicked things they're doing. But he's also in trouble, because a friend has betrayed him. Verses 1 to 3 In verses 1 to 3 the … Continue reading Psalm 055 →

Psalm 054

Introduction Today's psalm begins with the psalmist crying to God to save him, because ruthless strangers are attacking the psalmist. Then, in the middle of the psalm, the psalmist expresses his confidence in the Lord. And at the end, the psalmist makes a vow to give thanks to the Lord for delivering him from his … Continue reading Psalm 054 →

Psalm 053

Introduction This psalm may be familiar to us because it's almost identical to Psalm 14 which we studied together last November; and Paul the Apostle quotes lines from these two psalms in Romans 3 to make the point that Jews and Gentiles alike are sinners in the sight of God. And while it's true that … Continue reading Psalm 053 →