Sermon for March 15th, 2020

Job 15:1-35 (OT p. 464)

Our scripture reading is a little longish today, so I'm actually going to intersperse it throughout the sermon. We're going to go through this chapter pretty thoroughly, so this would be a good one keep your Bibles open and follow along as we go.

The Book of Job: (Un)Hinged

But first, after a week like this one, I think a little humor is in order. And since we're talking about hinges...which are usually connected to doors...

Knock, knock. (who's there?) Despair. (despair who?) Despare tire is flat.

Knock knock. Who's there? Theodore. Theodore Who? Theodore is locked, you wanna open it?

Knock knock. Who's there? Usher. Usher who? Usher wish you would let me in, guys!

Knock knock. Who's there? Hal. Hal who? Hal'll you know unless you open the door and find out?

Knock knock. Who's there? Doris. Doris who? Doris locked, that's why I've been knocking!

Knock knock. Who's there? Ben. Ben who? Ben knocking for a long time now...

Knock knock. Who's there? Howie. Howie who? Howie gonna finish this story if you don't let me in?

Ding Dong! Who's there? Wind. Wind who? When did we get a doorbell?

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were going camping. They pitched their tent under the stars and went to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night Holmes woke Watson up and said: “Watson, look up at the stars, and tell me what you see.” Watson replied: “I see millions and millions of stars.” Holmes said: “and what do you deduce from that?” Watson replied: “Well, if there are millions of stars, and if even a few of those have planets, it’s quite likely there are some planets like earth out there. And if there are a few planets like earth out there, there might also be life.” And Holmes said: “Watson, you idiot, it means that somebody stole our tent.”

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

2 “Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,
    and fill themselves with the east wind?
3 Should they argue in unprofitable talk,
    or in words with which they can do no good?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God,
    and hindering meditation before God.
5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
    and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;
    your own lips testify against you.

7 “Are you the firstborn of the human race?
    Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Have you listened in the council of God?
    And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know?
    What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
    those older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you,
    or the word that deals gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away,
    and why do your eyes flash,
13 so that you turn your spirit against God,
    and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 What are mortals, that they can be clean?
    Or those born of woman, that they can be righteous?
15 God puts no trust even in his holy ones,
    and the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 how much less one who is abominable and corrupt,
   one who drinks iniquity like water!

17 “I will show you; listen to me;
    what I have seen I will declare—
18 what sages have told,
    and their ancestors have not hidden,
19 to whom alone the land was given,
    and no stranger passed among them.
20 The wicked writhe in pain all their days,
    through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.
21 Terrifying sounds are in their ears;
    in prosperity the destroyer will come upon them.
22 They despair of returning from darkness,
    and they are destined for the sword.
23 They wander abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
    They know that a day of darkness is ready at hand;
24 distress and anguish terrify them;
    they prevail against them, like a king prepared for battle.
25 Because they stretched out their hands against God,
    and bid defiance to the Almighty,
26 running stubbornly against him
    with a thick-bossed shield;
27 because they have covered their faces with their fat,
    and gathered fat upon their loins,
28 they will live in desolate cities,
    in houses that no one should inhabit,
    houses destined to become heaps of ruins;
29 they will not be rich, and their wealth will not endure,
    nor will they strike root in the earth;
30 they will not escape from darkness;
    the flame will dry up their shoots,
    and their blossom will be swept away by the wind.
31 Let them not trust in emptiness, deceiving themselves;
    for emptiness will be their recompense.
32 It will be paid in full before their time,
    and their branch will not be green.
33 They will shake off their unripe grape, like the vine,
    and cast off their blossoms, like the olive tree.
34 For the company of the godless is barren,
    and fire consumes the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief and bring forth evil
    and their heart prepares deceit.”

• A hinged door has freedom of movement, but limited.
• No hinges, and it's a wall. Or a hole in a wall.
• The door swings both ways.
• For Eliphaz, there are two hinges that hold everything together: God's sovereignty and tradition.