Eliphaz's Error

If you have your Bible, Job chapter 15, Job chapter 15. And as you're turning to Job 15, I'm gonna read to you from the book of Romans chapter 15, one verse, the fourth verse, okay? So as you turn to Job 15, I'm reading Romans 15, verse number four says, for whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. Paul affirms the value of scripture in verse four of Romans chapter 15. Paul affirms the authority of scripture in this verse.

He says, whatever was written in earlier times, he has just quoted from the Old Testament in verse number three.

And so now he's gonna take these people back to the Old Testament to help them understand that whatever is written in the Old Testament, those are the earlier times. He tells us that they're very instructive. They're very helpful. In fact, they're extremely valuable. Paul would later say, and you know the verse well, in 2 Timothy 3.16, all scripture is God breathed or inspired by God. And it's profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, training and righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequately equipped for every good work.

In other words, he says God's word's profitable. So profitable, it teaches you how to know right, be right, get right and stay right. That's basically what God's word does because it's so instructive, it's so informative, it's so a molding of one's life. So Paul says in Romans 15 verse number four that whatever was written in earlier times, okay, this is all Old Testament stuff. The Pentateuch, the prophets, the poetical books, the historical books, all those are very profitable. Why? Because they're instructive.

Instructive to do what? To cause you to endure and to be encouraged, to persevere and be consoled. In other words, he lifts the value of scripture in the lives of these believers that they might understand its importance. It's so important to realize that a preacher must be a preacher of the Old Testament and the New Testament, not just the New Testament. Because everything that was written in earlier times is very instructive. That's why we spend so much time in the Old Testament on Wednesdays because we want you to understand that what is being spoken of on Sunday morning in the book of Hebrews is really just reiterated from what is in the Old Testament in the books that the writer of Hebrews quotes so voluminously.

And so you realize that the Old Testament is extremely profitable. And so he says that it's so profitable, it causes you to endure and to be encouraged so that you'll have hope. The scriptures give hope. In fact, the Bible says in Psalm 119, verse number 81, these words, my soul languishes for your salvation.

I hope for your word. Verse 114 of Psalm 119, you are my hiding place, my shield, I wait, or I hope, or I trust for your word. Chapter 42 of Psalm 119, I'm sorry, verse 42 of Psalm 119 says, so I will have an answer for him who reproaches me for I hope in your word, verse 43. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth for I hope for your ordinances. So the psalmist would hope in the truth of God's word. Hope is a word of anticipation, right? Faith's a word of conviction. Faith is a conviction about the precepts of God.

Where hope is a, or an anticipation of the promises of God. So when you read the Old Testament, it encourages you to such a degree that you're able to endure the difficulties that you might encounter, so that you will have the hope you need to live for the glory and honor of God. He says later in Romans 15, verse number 13, now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. So the God of hope is gonna give you joy and peace when you believe, so that you will abound in hope.

Well, the reason we study the scriptures is because it instills hope in you and me. It causes us to anticipate all that God has said he's going to do. So when you read the Old Testament and you read about the individuals of the Old Testament and how they lived a life of hope, believing in what God had promised them, it caused them to endure. It caused them to be encouraged, even though they never saw the finality of that hope while they were on planet Earth. And so we as believers today are able to study the scriptures in the Old Testament, and that study enables us to endure difficult times, to encourage us through those difficult times, so that we would have hope.

That's why we say that Job is a book of hope. Because Job instills hope in all of us. In fact, what he says in chapter 13, though he slay me, I will hope in him. I will trust in him. I will believe in him. Job had hope. That is, he had a life centered on anticipation of all that God was going to do. And for people like you and me, we read the book of Job, and we are able to understand more than Job ever knew, there is no reason for us not to endure, no reason for us not to be encouraged, and certainly there's no reason for us not to have any hope, because our hope is based on the truth of God's word, who is the God of hope.

So when you look at the book of Job, and you see the intensity of the man's misery, you also see the immensity of the character and nature of God.

And that's why the study of the book of Job is so important. Because every one of us goes through a crisis at some time in our life. Some of them are more difficult than others, right? All of us go through some kind of tragedy, some kind of loss, some kind of affliction, some kind of problem. And yet Job testifies to us of the hope that's needed in order to endure through those difficult times. And through that, we receive encouragement. And that's why the book of Job is such an encouraging book to study.

So Paul would affirm that all these writings in the Old Testament, including the book of Job, written for your instruction, said through the perseverance and encouragement of scriptures, you might have hope. So our study should always lead us to having hope in the true eternal God of the universe. So now you can turn with me to Job 15.

From Romans 15 to Job 15. Job, as you know, is physically tormented beyond measure. He is relationally tormented by his so-called counselors. And so he has completed round number one with his three friends.

Each of them has had the opportunity to speak. He now is responding back to them on each occasion. But now begins round number two.

And with that, Eliphaz will speak again. And a lot of what they're gonna say is going to be, as you know, the same song, just the second verse.

Not any better, but certainly a whole lot worse. And with it comes great intensity, great ridicule, great criticism. Why? Because Job didn't get it the first time around.

You see, they're more interested in proving Job wrong than they are helping him understand what's going on in his life physically and spiritually and emotionally. They're not too concerned about that because they pretty much ignore that. And they take his words and they misconstrue them. And so they speak louder with each conversation. And with that loudness comes an intensity behind their conversation with more ridicule of the man. And Job continues to endure, continues to listen.

You know, he definitely can't just get up and walk away. Where's he gonna go, right? There's no place to go. Can't go home, doesn't have one, right? It was destroyed. I'm not sure he can go back to his wife. I'm not sure she even wants him around. So what's he gonna do? Where's he gonna go? So he just sits there. He listens to the conversation. And it grows with intensity with each passing moment, with each passing person who speaks. The remarkable thing is that they allow him to speak back, allow him to reply back to them.

So when you hear Eliphaz speak this time around, he rolls up his sleeves. He gets a little bit more harsh with his words and begins to truly criticize Job. So in the first 14 verses or 13 verses, he gives a critical denunciation of Job.

And then in verses 14 and following, he gives a cursing defamation of Job. He actually curses the man. It's really hard to understand why somebody would want a friend like this. But these are his friends, okay? We would think there must be somebody else who's a better friend, right? There's gotta be somebody who can come along and just say kind words and nice words if these are really your friends who needs enemies. And so Eliphaz begins to speak. So we begin with a critical denunciation in verses one to 13 where he says, then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, should a wise man answer with windy knowledge and fill himself with the east wind?

Should he argue with useless talk or with words which are not profitable? So he goes back to reiterate the fact that he is, Job, you're just a big bag of wind. A lot of hot air. You're not saying anything. But wait a minute. He just said, though he slay me, I will hope in him. He's not speaking into the air. He's not speaking vain words with vain knowledge. He truly is expressing his trust in his God, his belief in his God. And his heart cries out to God. But Eliphaz, see, sees him as one who speaks with the wind of the east, a lot of hot air.

On top of that, his words aren't profitable. But they are. But you see, they're not listening to his words. You ever been in a conversation with somebody where you're talking to them and they just can't wait for you to take a breath? Because once you take a breath, they now can talk. And they wanna interject what they have to say. And sometimes they'll interrupt you. And these guys are sitting back listening to Job, anticipating him to take a breath, stop talking, so they can interject what they believe is the right thing to say.

But they're not listening to what he's saying. And so he begins to criticize him. Not only does he criticize the words of Job and the wisdom of Job, he criticizes the devotion of Job. Listen to this. Indeed, you do away with reverence or fear and hinder meditation before God. Job, obviously, you don't really live a life of fear, a fear in God, a reverence for God. Because surely, if you were meditated upon God, that wouldn't be the case. So he condemns Job's private life, his time with the Lord. Now, granted, if it was you or me, someone could say that and they'd probably be more accurate than they would be with Job.

Job was a man who walked with God and loved his God and served his God. And someone could come along and say, you know what? Maybe you should spend some more time meditating upon the word of the Lord to understand what God is doing, that you might be refreshed in your walk with the Lord. That probably would be more true of us than ever of Job. But he criticizes Job's devotion to his God. And he doesn't know anything about Job's private life and his time with the Lord, how he offers up sacrifices on behalf of his children in case they would have sinned or have forgotten to confess one of their sins.

But he was a God-fearing man. The Bible speaks very clearly to that. But you see, Eliphaz sees him as not a God-fearer, a man who doesn't reverence his God. And so he says in verse number six, your own mouth condemns you and not I. I'm sorry, verse number five. For your guilt teaches your mouth and you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you and not I and your own lips testify against you. In other words, he says, whatever you're saying is proving you're guilty. But that's just not true.

See, now we know that the Bible says in Matthew chapter 12 that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, right?

We understand that, okay? By your words, you shall be judged. By your words, you shall be condemned. Why does Christ say that? He says that because our words are the clearest indicator of our spiritual condition, right? If it's true, and it is because the Bible says it is, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Whatever I'm going to say is coming out of my heart, right? So if I slander you or if I criticize you, if I speak against God or speak against anyone else, it comes from a heart that's filled with deceit and evil. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So your conversation becomes the clearest indicator of your spiritual condition. How you speak, what you say, how you say it tells us about what's going on in the inside of you. That's what Jesus said. Now, that would be true if Job was a man who wasn't blameless, it wasn't God-fearing, and wasn't upright, and didn't turn away from evil.

But he does, see? But he wants to use Job's words against him. And so he wants to belittle his conversation. So he says in verse number seven, were you the first man to be born?

Or were you brought forth before the hills? Do you hear the secret counsel of God and limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not? Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us older than your father. In other words, he goes back to the way he was in chapter four. Look, everything is based on age. Because with age comes experience. With experience comes wisdom. And Job, were you born before any other man was born? Are you the earliest born man?

Answer, no. We are older than you, Job. We know the ancients. We know what they believe. We know what they've said. But have you studied them and understand them? Everything about Eliphaz is based on not just experience, but tradition, because he bases his arguments on experience, the night visions that he had back in chapter four of the book of Job, and the traditions of man, the aged man. Now, is it true that with age comes experience? Yes, it is. I mean, the older you are, the more experience you have, the more knowledge you can inform others about things that might come their way, right?

So the older we get, having gone through life, that's why I've always said that if you want to get real good marital counseling, go to somebody who's been married over 50 years. Ask them how they did it. How'd you get to where you are today? How is it you stayed together for 50 years? What is it about your marriage that makes it so spicy and unique that you would stay together that long? What makes your marriage magnificent? Please tell me. It's always great to go talk to people who've been married a long time.

Why? Because they have all this experience, all this knowledge, all this understanding about how they dealt with conflict, how they handled loss and devastation, how they were able to work through difficulties in their marriage, and you begin to listen to them. Nothing better than a godly old couple who's been married for a long time to sit down with them and gain marital wisdom. So it is true that the older you get, the wiser you are. Right? That's why it's so important. I remember when I first started pastoring, I couldn't wait till I was 40.

Couldn't wait till I was 40. Why? Because nobody believes you until you're 40. Right? You gotta be at least 40. And then all of a sudden, I turned 50. Problem with that is when you turn 50, you're too old to be a pastor anymore, so they want somebody younger to come in, right? But they can't believe you till you turn at least 40 years of age. You don't have any experience, you don't have any knowledge. Haven't been around the block enough to know what's happening in people's lives. But it is true that with experience, over time, in old age, does come some kind of wisdom.

But you see, Eliphaz throws all of his weight into the elderly. If you listen to them and learn from them, you won't be a bunch of hot air, Job. You won't be speaking things that you do not know. But you see, Job is a wise man because his wisdom is not based on his age or his experience. His wisdom is based on his knowledge of God. True wisdom comes from God. We understand that because God is the giver of wisdom. He's the all-wise, holy God who imparts wisdom to those who want to follow him. So the Bible says over in Psalm 119, listen to this.

Verse number 97, oh, how I love your law. It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation. Think about that. He says, I understand more than the aged because I have observed your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep your words. So not only does he have wisdom beyond his teachers, that wisdom is exemplified in the fact that he turns his feet from evil, right?

He's not running toward evil, he's running from evil. That's how you know he's a wise man because he understands how to apply truth to his everyday life. So he goes on and says these words. I have not turned aside from your ordinances for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste. Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth. From your precepts, I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every false way. So the psalmist exemplifies the fact that as I study your ordinances, as I love your law, it's my meditation all the day.

It makes me wiser than my enemies. I have more understanding than my teachers because it's your word, O Lord, that gives me the wisdom that I need to help me turn away from evil, help me hate all those things that would bring a hindrance to my walk with the Lord. One author said this about Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar. He says, during the second round of speeches, the fire becomes hotter as his three friends focus more on proving Job wrong than on giving Job help.

You ever met people like that? They gotta prove you're wrong. They're not here to help you. It's gonna prove that your belief is wrong. So after all, their own peace of mind was at stake, and they were not about to surrender. If Job was not a sinner being punished by God, then the three friends' understanding of God was all wrong. But that meant they had no protection against personal suffering themselves. If obedience is not a guarantee of health and wealth, then what happened to Job might actually happen to them.

That's great insight. Think about it. We can't believe that you're a righteous man and you're suffering like you are. You have to be a wicked man because if you're suffering like you are and you're not a wicked man, what's happening to you could happen to us, and we don't want what's going on in your life going on in our life. So we must be right. So they'll repeat what they've said before. They'll say it a little bit louder than they said it before. Why? Because if we wanna do it for emphasis sake, if we said it once, how do we get emphasis across?

We say it even louder. Same thing, just louder, thinking that they're gonna finally get it. But it's not about what they get or what Job gets. Job understands his God. He doesn't understand all that's happening to him, but he does understand his God to the point where he trusts him and believes in him. So when you come to verse 11, it says, are the consolations of God too small for you? Even the words spoken gently with you? In other words, Eliphaz is saying, are these consolations too small for you, Job?

He's equating his words with God's words, the consolation of God. We have spoken gently with you. Have you, really? Or have you spoken bitterly toward him, harshly toward him? But they see themselves as speaking gently to Job. So it says in verse 12, why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash that you should turn your spirit against God and allow such words to go out? What is wrong with you, Job, that you would turn against God, become his? He's not turning against God. Just because he's asking God questions, just because he is putting himself at God's disposal, he's not angry with God.

He just wants to know some answers. You see, Eliphaz sees it as anger toward God, turning against his God, not serving his God, because Eliphaz sees himself as serving God. Eliphaz sees himself as being on God's side and giving Job the consolations of God. And so when you come to verse number 15, or 12, he says, I'm sorry, verse 14, what is man that he should be pure, or he was born of a woman that he should be righteous? And this begins the second part, the cursing defamation of Job.

Now, he is right about this. He is right. What is man that he should be pure? He's not. Or he was born of a woman that he should be righteous? He's not, right? Man's born in sin, for all sin and falling short of the glory of God, right? And sin did my mother conceive me. So he's got this part right of a theology. But the problem with it is that he wants to incorporate Job in this argument. So he says, in verse 15, behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.

How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, man who drinks iniquity like water. In other words, he's talking about man who loves to sin. And he's in a roundabout way, helping Job understand that you are one who loves to drink in iniquity. You love to sin because you have some secret sin that has not been exposed, because down deep, this is what you really are. This is what you really want to do in Job's life. Dude, where are you from? And so he says, in verse number 17, I will tell you, listen to me, and what I have seen, I will also declare.

In other words, what I've seen is my experience. And so I'm gonna declare to you what I've already seen. Not what I know to be true, but what I've seen. And I'm gonna tell you something, and Job, you need to listen, because evidently you didn't listen the first time around to me, or to Zophar, right, or to Bildad.

So maybe you're gonna listen now. So he says, what wise men have told and have not conceded from their fathers, to whom alone the land was given and no alien passed among them. The wicked man writhes in pain all his days. This is his assessment. The wicked man writhes in pain all his days. That's not true. You see, if Job is wicked, like they say he is, he'd be in pain all the days of his life. But everything was great until Satan invaded his life, right? Things were going good. They were celebrating with the family.

Money was in the bank. Cattle were in the stall. Camels were everywhere. Servants were everywhere. Things were great. The wicked don't writhe in pain all day long, but that's his assessment, see. You know wicked people. You don't see them in pain all day long. In fact, that's what the psalmist said in Psalm 73. And read throughout the Psalms. And they always ask the question, why do the wicked men prosper so well? Why do those against God seem to live life at ease in such luxury? That's always a perplexing question.

But that's the grace of God, see? And so he says, and numbered are the years stored up for their ruthless. That's true. Their days are numbered. He's got that part right. Sounds of terror are in his ears, while at peace or prosperity, the destroyer comes upon him. We see very suddenly that's Job. While he's at peace, while he's prosperous, all of a sudden the destroyer comes. And all of a sudden, suddenly, out of nowhere, things are destroyed. He does not believe that he will return from darkness and he is destined for the sword.

He wanders about for food saying, where is it? He knows that a day of darkness is at hand. Distress and anguish terrify him. They overpower him like a king ready for the attack because he has stretched out his hand against God and conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty. Now remember, he's already said earlier on that he is angry with God. So you have to understand what Eliphaz is saying here. He is trying to help Job understand, this is you, Job. You are a wicked person and you need to be cursed for your wickedness, such harshness.

He says in verse number 26, he rushes headlong at him with his massive shield, for he has covered his face with this fat and made his thighs heavy with flesh. He has lived in desolate cities and houses no one would inhabit which are destined to become ruins. He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure. Job, your wealth didn't endure, did it? It's all gone in a moment, in a twinkle of an eye, it's gone. And his grain will not bend down to the ground. He will not escape from darkness. The flame will wither his shoots and by the breath of his mouth, he will go away.

Let him not trust in emptiness. Deceiving himself for emptiness will be his reward. Job, Job, you trusted in that which was vain. You trusted in your livestock. You trusted in your money. You trusted in your children. You trusted in the goodness of all that you had. And what happens? What's your reward? Emptiness, vain, nothing. You're left with nothing, Job. It will accomplish, it will be accomplished before his time. His palm branch will not be green. He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine and will cast off his flower like the olive tree for the company of the godless is barren and fire consumes the tents of the corrupt.

That's what happened to Job. Job, you're corrupt. And fire came down of heaven and consumed your tents. They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity and their mind prepares deception. Job, you're a deceiver. You are a hypocrite. This is how he ends his conversation. He says, Job, the reason you have trouble is because you sow trouble, right? You reap what you sow. You reaped trouble, you sow trouble. Because you reaped corruption, now you sow corruption. That's how he ends. And Job, in all of his pain, is sitting there listening to a man condemn him and curse him and align him with the wicked who only deserve condemnation from God because he thinks and believes that Job is a wicked man down deep because that's the only reason he would be suffering the way he is.

So what do you get out of all this? How do you wrap your head around all these things? The challenge for me every week is to be able to say, okay, what is it about this conversation that's unique or different? Or what is it about this conversation that's gonna help you through the week, right? Well, go back with me, if you would, to verse number 11 of chapter 15. I'm gonna read it to you a different way. Are the consolations of God too small for you? Now remember, Eliphaz thinks he is consoling him.

He's consoling him with the wisdom of God. But let's play it this way and ask yourself the question, are the consolations of God too small for you? In other words, are God's consolations enough for you? That's a great question to ask because you know, on the outset, we would say, yeah, they are, God's word's enough. God's word is sufficient, so we would say. But is it? Is it really sufficient for you? The Bible says in Psalm 94, verse number 19, when my anxious thoughts overwhelm me, thy consolations delight my soul.

Is that you? Are the consolations of God too small for you? In other words, when you are anxiety-filled, when you are anxiety-ridden because of all the pressures of life, do the consolations of God delight your soul? Or do you need something else to delight your soul? Is God's word truly sufficient? Are the consolations of God enough for you? That's a great question to ask because when things are going well, we would say yes. Things are great, but as certain as hard times are and when they come, we have to ask ourselves, what happens when my anxious thoughts overwhelm me?

Such as, what of my job? I lost my job. How am I going to pay my mortgage? My anxious thoughts overwhelm me. Or how about this? My wife walked out on me for another man. How is it the consolations of God are enough, or are they? How is it in the midst of adversity that the consolations of God are enough for you? The Bible says over in the book of Proverbs, Proverbs chapter 12, verse number 25, that anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.

Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down. You ever been anxious? You ever worry about something? Anxious about what's gonna happen tomorrow or next week? Will I get the job? Will I get accepted? Will I be invited out on a date for Valentine's Day, which is right around the corner? Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down. It's a great burden to be anxious driven, but a good word makes it glad. What's the good word? Is a good word you have a job? Is a good word you have a date? Is a good word, hey, it's a boy.

What's the good word? Well, Hebrew six tells us that, verse number five, that God's word is the good word. That's important. So we ask ourselves this question. Are the consolations of God enough for you? Listen to what the Psalmist says. In Psalm 119, he says these words. Now, the great thing about this is that we have a Bible. Job did not. But we do. We have the 66 books that make up the Old Testament and New Testament. So we're able to have hope, be encouraged, and endure because of those things that were written in earlier times.

Job didn't have that. But we do. So the Psalmist says in Psalm 119, verse number 50, this is my comfort in my affliction. It's your word that revives me. Okay, so the Psalmist is saying that the consolations of God, the comfort that God gives, is that which revives me amidst my affliction. This is my comfort in my affliction. What was his comfort in his affliction? It's that God's word would revive him. Then it says in verse number 52, I have remembered your ordinances from of old, O Lord, and I comfort myself.

How do you comfort yourself? How do you actually comfort yourself? Do you remember the ordinances of old and then rest in that? Everybody's looking for comfort. Everybody wants to rest at ease. Nobody wants to live an anxious life. The question is are the consolations of God good enough? It says over in Psalm 119, verse number 76, O may your lovingkindness comfort me according to your word to your servant. So God's word is gonna express to us the loving mercy of God, and that's what's going to comfort me.

And then he says over in 92, Psalm 119, verse number 92, if your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction. Wow. If God's word is not my delight, in other words, if the consolations of God do not delight my soul, I will perish in my affliction. Those are great words. The psalmist knew that he needed God's word. The consolations that only come from God, because without them, he would have perished. He would not have made it through his affliction, whatever the affliction was.

And we don't know what it is, and that's a good thing, right? Because we would compare our affliction with the psalmist's. So we don't know. But he does admit that if it wasn't for your consolations, your word, your ordinances, they weren't my delight, I would perish in my affliction. Verse 93, I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have revived me. I am yours, save me, for I have sought your precepts. The psalmist longed for the word of God. Verse 107, I am exceedingly afflicted. Anybody exceedingly afflicted?

Job was. I am exceedingly afflicted. Revive me, O Lord, according to your word. Again, the psalmist says, Lord, I need your word to lift me up. I need your word to make my heart glad. I need you, Lord, to move me in the right direction. I cannot do it without your word. I need you to say something, speak the word. And God has given us his glorious word where he has spoken to us so emphatically, so clearly to walk us through every affliction, every adverse circumstance, every crisis, no matter what it is, because God's word's profitable, so the man of God, the woman of God will be thoroughly equipped under every good work that God wants them to do.

So the psalmist speaks clearly, and we ask ourselves this question, how is it that when I read the consolations of God, they don't delight my soul? If it's true that if God's word was not the delight of the psalmist, he would have perished in his affliction, why is it when I read the word, it doesn't delight my soul? Because you see, if God's consolations are good enough, then they should delight the soul of a man, the soul of a woman. They're the things that revive you, that lift you, that make your heart glad.

So what is it that would keep the consolations of God from making my heart glad? Or why is it when I engage in the word of God, my heart is nowhere near what the psalmist says? Well, listen to what Peter says. Peter speaks clearly. He says in 1 Peter 2, verse number one, "'Therefore, put aside all malice and all deceit "'and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, "'like newborn babes for the pure milk of the word, "'so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, "'since you have tasted the goodness of the Lord.'" Peter says, listen, you need to desire the word as a newborn babe desires the word.

The only way to do that is to put off these five negative qualities. All malice, that's wickedness, that's evil. The word is kakos, which means the inner evil of a man. You gotta put it off. He says, and all deceit, not just wickedness, but deceitfulness, living a life that's trying to deceive others, getting them to think one way about you when in reality you're completely different. And phoniness, or hypocrisy. And selfishness, jealousy, envy. And unkindness. Slander. So that you can receive the pure milk of the word and desire it as a newborn babe would.

The reason we don't desire God's word is because there's so much wickedness inside of us. There's so much hypocrisy about our lives, so much deceit, so much slander, it keeps us from wanting what God has for us. Because we want our sin more than we want anything else. And we wanna stay in that sinful mode. But until you put all those things aside, confess them, put them away, you're not gonna receive the word as a newborn babe would be long for the pure milk of his mother. Longing, screaming for it, begging for it.

Because then and only then are the consolations of God good enough for you. That's very important. I read this and I think of Job and I think of all the things he went through. And think about our lives and how blessed they are. You know, it's so important to realize that God's word is everything to us. Years ago, when my wife went home to be with the Lord, I was a college pastor. And college students really don't relate to somebody who's young and married and then their wife dies at a very young age of cancer.

They just don't necessarily relate to that. They don't know what to say to you. They don't even know how to say it, right? But I never expected them to say anything. In fact, I didn't even need them to say anything. Because I knew that my only hope was in the truth of God's holy word. It's all I had. But it's all I needed. And God would do something very unique because he taught me Psalm 119. He taught me that before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep God is good and do us good. God taught me about his goodness through adversity.

Through 15 months where my wife Sandy was suffering with cancer and losing all of her hair and losing weight and suffering day after day after day, there was really nothing I could say to her that would bring her comfort. Except the words of scripture. That's it. So we just read the scriptures. And that would bring consolation to her heart, to her soul. Not knowing the consolation it was bringing me at the same time. So when the Lord took her home, I realized that in order for me to minister to those around me, I had to make sure I understood God's word in the face of adversity and difficulty.

And the Lord was so good, so gracious. And I learned to long for the pure milk of the word. I longed to be in the word. Because it was only the word of God that would sustain me in my loneliness, in my isolation. It was only the word of God that would come alongside and be my comforter. It was only the word of God that did that. No one else could fill that void. No one else could fill that emptiness. Why? Because it was too deep to fill. There was no entertainment that could fill the emptiness. There was no one individual that could fill the emptiness.

But it was the word of God that could fill the emptiness. Because God speaks to us through his word. And so when my anxious thoughts began to overwhelm me, it was the consolations of God that delighted my soul. And it was only by the grace of God that that was able to happen. But it's true that God's word is enough. Whatever affliction you're going through. Whatever difficulty you're facing. Because if it's not, then God's a liar. His word's not true. If it doesn't work to save you from your sin, and that's what it does, right?

We're born again by the word of God, right? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by a word about the Christ, right? So we're, James 1.18 says the same thing. It's the word of God that saves us. If God's word is powerful enough to save us from our sin, then why wouldn't God's word be powerful enough to console us in all of our discomfort and all of our problems? That's why it says we have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, who is tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin, so we can boldly go before the throne of grace.

That we might receive mercy in time of need. And God's word, or God always works in conjunction with his word and his spirit, always. God doesn't work without his word or without his spirit. It's the spirit of God that's in us, and the spirit of God uses the word of God to illuminate our hearts and minds that we might be able to say the consolations of God, yes, they are enough. So as you go through the rest of Job and realize that you're holding in your hand that book which he did not have, but you do, you do.

We have no excuse, no excuse for the consolations of God to delight our soul. They are more than enough. Let's pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, for our time together this evening for truly, Lord, you are a great God and you alone are worthy of praise. Thank you for giving us your word. The spoken word of the living God is a living word. It gives a living hope to dead souls. Thank you, Father. Our prayer is that, Lord, your word would manifest itself in our lives and that we would truly trust you for everything.

And that, Lord, when those times of anxious thoughts arise, maybe like the psalmist, say, when they overwhelm me, when they consume me, I'm driven to the consolations of God. But there is my joy, there is my hope, there's my rest, there is my peace, there is my solace that we can rest in the truth of all that you've said. In Jesus' name, amen.