1. God Loves Us

2. Job’s Faith in Tribulation Job 1:20-22 “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 2:9-10 “Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

3. Job’s Reaction to the Tribulation Mourning. In Great Pain. – Job 3:1-5 “After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job said: "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, 'A man is conceived.' Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it. Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. – Job 3:11-13 "Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest” – Job 7:16 “I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.”

4. Job’s Reaction to the Tribulation Job questions. He wants to understand “why”. – Job 19:7-8 “Behold, I cry out, 'Violence!' but I am not answered; I call for help, but there is no justice. He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.” Job wants to plead his case before God. – Job 13:15, 17-18 “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face... Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right.”

5. Job’s Reaction to the Tribulation Job begins to go too far: – Demands answers from God. – Job 30:19-20 “God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me.” – Claims God abandoned him. – Job 29:2-5 "Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me,”

6. Job’s Reaction to the Tribulation Job begins to go to far: – He begins to demand fair treatment. Job 31:4-8 “Does not he see my ways and number all my steps? "If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit; (Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!) if my step has turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has stuck to my hands, then let me sow, and another eat, and let what grows for me be rooted out.”

7. God Responds to Job God asks Job who he is to question God: – Job 38:1-3 “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me” – Job 38:4-7 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements— surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

8. God Responds to Job God asks Job who he is to question God: – Job 38:16-18 "Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.” – Job 38:34-35 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, 'Here we are'?”

9. Job’s Repentance Job 40:1-5 And the LORD said to Job: "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it." Then Job answered the LORD and said: "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."

10. God’s Challenge Continues God recounts man’s futile efforts against the largest of sea beasts (Job 41:1-10). Job 41:10 “No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him [Leviathan] up. Who then is he who can stand before me?” The point: He is God. He does not answer to man. At all. Ever. God then asks a question: – Job 41:11 “Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.”

11. Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? God doesn’t owe anyone anything. He is under no obligation to do anything. And Yet: – Throughout history He has taken care of His people. – He made promises and shaped history to keep those promises. – The Holy Spirit worked with the various prophets and Apostles to bring us the Word. – Jesus left heaven, came to this sin filled world, and died for us.

12. WHY? John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Rom 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He loves us. A lot.