LIVE: "Him That Reproves God, Let Him Answer" (Job 39), Part 2/4

You ever notice how quickly we want answers from God, while resisting the one thing he keeps calling for: surrender? We sit with Job 39 and let God’s questions do their work. The “unicorn” or wild ox becomes a sharp metaphor for what can’t be controlled, and it exposes something uncomfortable in us: we demand explanations from the Lord while struggling to govern our own hearts. 

From that tension, we move straight into the heart of the gospel. We say it plainly and repeatedly because the stakes are eternal: salvation is by grace through faith alone. Not good deeds. Not avoiding bad deeds. Not adding a religious extra that sounds wise online. We talk about justification by faith, why Christ stands in our stead, and why “strength” in the spiritual life is meaningless if it isn’t paired with a nature made willing by God. If you’ve been confused by TikTok theology, pressure to “earn” God’s favor, or fear that you haven’t done enough, this will clarify what we believe scripture teaches. 

Then Job’s ostrich image takes the conversation into everyday life, especially Christian parenting. The ostrich buries her eggs and doesn’t grasp the danger; we ask whether we do something similar when we chase status, money, and busyness while neglecting spiritual instruction for our kids. We also reflect on what a true testimony is really about: not just how life improved, but how God showed us our sin and rescued us from wrath. 

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Transcript

The Wild Ox And Human Limits

SPEAKER_03 0:00

To tame and to domesticate. And this is what this is talking about here, beginning in verse 9. Will the unicorn be willing to serve you or abide by your crib? Can you bind the unicorn with his band and the furrow? Or will he herald the valleys after you? Will you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you love thy labor to him? Will you leave your labor to him? Will you believe, will you believe him that he will bring home your seed and gather it into your barn? So what you have here is the wild ox or the rhino, whatever the animal is, we don't know. The wild ox, we'll just say, is a very strong animal. Yet it cannot be made to serve man like the way dogs do, as a domesticated animal. And so God is asking Job, can you domesticate, can you domesticate an animal if you cannot even domesticate yourself? Now think about this. We are the Lord's servants. The Lord is our master. If we if we cannot tame the animal kingdom that we were given to tame, and if we cannot tame ourselves, being servants of the Most High, how can we expect to be able to give an explanation as to why God is dealing with man the way that he does? God is telling Job, you should understand by your lack of your ability to domesticate the animals, why I have a problem with you, because you are refusing to be domesticated by me. This is what God is saying. You can't control the animal kingdom that was given to you to control because you can't control yourself. But you want to tell me how I should be responding to you when you are speaking ill or ignorantly of me. Basically, what he's saying is like, if you can't get your own house together, don't come telling me how to run mine. This is what God is telling Job. You think you know how I should be dealing with you, but you don't know how to deal with the irrational creation. But you want to tell me how to deal with you, my rational creation. This is what God is saying. This is what God is saying. And we know that the wild ox is a strong animal. And what God is pointing out here to Job is that strength alone does not make the creature useful to man. Just because the ox is a strong animal, this wild ox, it doesn't mean that that creature is useful to us as men. It must also be given a nature that is willing to serve. And they may have had they the animal kingdom may have had that had it not been for the result of man's sin. Of man's sin. And so, what does this show? This shows that both the strength and the usefulness of these animals, they come from God's decree, his order, not from man's control. But what God is pointing out to Job is that the same usefulness and the same strength that is in men, God Himself must govern. Man has no control over the beasts of the field, and man does not have control over himself. Hence the reason for the Lord Jesus Christ to come and to stand before God in our stead. That's why. We do not know how to be righteous before God. Men today still believe that they know how to be right with God, and they believe that the way they become right with God is doing good things, doing good deeds, or not doing bad deeds. If that's what makes you right before God, it doesn't. The only thing that can make us right before God today, and ever since Christ came, is to be justified by faith. Don't let any of these goofballs around TikTok and social media tell you otherwise. Salvation is by grace through faith and that not of yourselves. Faith alone, grace alone, trusting in Christ is the only way that a man can be made right with the Lord. Don't let these other clowns tell you otherwise. Anybody that tells you otherwise doesn't know the Lord. Does not know the Lord. They don't. A Christian who tells you they're a Christian that tells you that there is something needed in addition to the faith that is required for salvation, anything that they add to it is a lie, and that person ought not to be listened to. And I am asking you to listen to what I'm saying. Salvation is a work of God upon us by grace that it is effectual in that He gave us the faith to lean in on His grace for our salvation. This is the truth. If you don't believe this, then there is no way for any man to be saved. You might find many things that I might say that you may find disagreeable. But if you find this disagreeable, you are going to be lost in your sin. And that is that salvation is by grace through faith alone. This is one hundred percent correct. What I'm telling you now is one hundred percent correct. And I'm telling you with all boldness and confidence and certainty, without any equivocation whatsoever, salvation is by grace through faith alone, and nothing else. There is nothing that men bring to the table outside of sin that justifies him before God. Nothing. Zero. Salvation, as my brother Nathan says, is one hundred percent and completely of the Lord. Of the Lord. Verse 13, Job 39, verse 13 through 18. Did you give the ungodly wings? Did you give, I'm sorry, did you give the goodly wings unto the peacocks? He's asking Job. Or did you give wings and feathers to the ostrich? No. Which leave her eggs in the earth and warms them in the dust and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. She, meaning the ostrich, is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers. Her labor is in vain without fear, like man. Because God has deprived her of wisdom. God has deprived the ostrich of wisdom. Neither has he imparted to the ostrich understanding. What time she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider. What is God saying here? He's pointing out that the ostrich here is used as an example of a creature that lacks wisdom in some ways, but excelling in other ways. Now notice in the passage, God is pointing out that he is the one who gave wings to the peacock. He is the one that gave wings and feathers to the ostrich. But he says that the ostrich leaves her eggs in the earth. We all know that ostrich push their eggs in the ground. And we all know that the ostrich does that to make the ground a safe haven for her eggs. And that the eggs are warmed by being buried under the ground. But what the ostrich doesn't know, because God did not give the ostrich the reason to understand, is that if you put the eggs in the ground, it subjects the eggs to being trampled upon by man and other animals. The ostrich is doing what an ostrich does, even though the ostrich doesn't realize that what it does has the potential to threaten the life of their very own offspring. Is not man the same way? Think about this. What are you doing, Christians, about teaching your children the ways of the Lord? Or are you just burying them, leaving them to be trampled under the wild beast of the earth and men? This is what God is talking about. This is what he's talking about. The ostrich seems careless with her eggs, and yet is swift and powerful in running. You as a parent might be might be swift and powerful in taking care of your business. While your kids are subject to being crushed, you are focusing on livelihood, business, getting rich, gaining status in the world. While you let your kids fall to the wayside. Your children, I should say. This is the example he's making. He's telling Job, listen, you think you know better than me? You are a man. You are a man at best. Job is a great man, but what God is pointing out to Job is that you, Job, are a man at best. And what God is saying is that a man at his best is nothing. Nothing before God. Nothing. This shows that God distributes abilities differently among his creation. And while some have strength, while some have instinct, while some have speed, while some have wisdom, God's design is varied and purposeful, even when man does not fully understand it. And God is telling Job, just because you don't fully understand how I govern, how I govern creation, and how I govern you, Job, is because you don't understand. You don't have to understand. And I, God, is under no obligation to explain, but it is incumbent upon you to know and to believe, even if you don't understand. What is faith? Faith has a lot to do with believing in things you don't understand, but having a justifiable reason to believe that what you have faith in being Christ will produce the results and will produce the effect for which you were promised if you would be faithful. It's amazing. It's amazing. Any comments? Anybody? You guys are quiet tonight. I don't know if that's good or bad. Brother Pat, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

I I just want to clarify what when we say that Job doesn't fully understand, it's not that he is 99% of the understanding and God just has the 1%. God is infinitely the gap between us is an infinite gap. That's right. We don't understand even a little. The only things we understand is when God reveals it to us. So let's get this trade. We are not understanding God out of our own intellect. You know what I mean? And it's not happening. Philosophers have been trying men's philosophers have been trying to do it for a long time, haven't they, Jonathan?

SPEAKER_03 16:34

Yes, they have, brother.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

Trying to get there through logic, reason, our own intellect.

SPEAKER_03 16:40

Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Trying to get back to God, can't do it.

SPEAKER_03 16:43

Can't do it. Can't do it at all, brother. Can't do it at all. Brother Ryan.

SPEAKER_00 16:52

You know, it's a catalogist. We kind of had a little hidden. We being in the creative world. Hey, well, you know, why wouldn't you discuss me being in the creative world? Or you know why would you think that I'm gonna bring you somebody that wouldn't take good photos? You know what he's like with his Instagram? He doesn't look like he takes good photos. My Instagram isn't a good source. You need to have a website. I'm sure he's a website, so we start to go back and forth. And I just say, you know what's that? You just have to have faith that your dad knows what he's doing, and we wouldn't just lead you straightaway. So to your point of how we, you know, at least trying to raise them up, at least I do my best, but I I know I don't understand it fully, but at least I can just tell her from where I felt short, you know, that's the best gift I have for her, because I don't know what I'm doing if I'm considered a young parent or whatever the case may be, but I just wouldn't put her through stuff that I've been through when I know, you know, the feelings that come with that. So I got the idea.

What A True Testimony Focuses On

SPEAKER_03 18:11

I mean, the thing the reality is, you know, you, like many people here, have uh uh uh are actively applying yourselves to to understand the word, the gospel, and to and to increase in your knowledge and understanding about the Lord Jesus Christ. And there is nothing more uh than that that you can do for your children because if you if you if you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ with a believing heart and you believe in his word with a believing heart, God's gonna give you direction on how to handle your you know your children. And and so, and this is this is needful for today because we as Christians need to spend time with giving instruction to the children, to the young ones. And and we need to apply ourselves that way because if we don't teach them, who knows what happens, you know, 30, 40, 50 years from now when these kids grow up being untrained in the things of God. And so, you know, so we all have to make a covenant with ourselves as parents and grandparents to be whatever, to be as effectual as we can in making them understand the truths of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for us, and to make them understand and have a sensibility to the offenses that we as believers have committed against the triunal God. Because that's what we've done. You know, we we we talk, we you know, we have here a lot of testimonies and whatever, but I'll tell you something about testimonies and and and and all the ones that we've gone we've done, they're good testimonies. But the thing, the the greatest aspect of our testimony is not from the circumstances in life that have so more or less victimized us, but more is more important that we understand when it comes to our testimonies how Christ has saved us from becoming victims of God's wrath for our sin committed against Him. You see me, and this is different. Yes. There are different there's two types of testimonies. There's one where you see God get separating you from and alleviating you from the personal things that have affected you in a negative way. But the ultimate testimony, the ultimate testimony that a servant of the Lord can make is when they recognize that they have offended the thrice holy God. You offended him. Not that you were offended by trials and circumstances in his life, but how you have offended the thrice holy God. That is what a testimony is really dealing with when you start talking about the ultimate aspect of what is to be conveyed. And I'm not discounting testimonies. They're great. But many people's testimonies have a lot to do with how God has blessed them after becoming saved. But that real meaningful testimony is about how God showed you that you were a sinner and that you have transgressed the law of God, and that you lacked a conformity to God's law, and therefore offended him in every aspect of your existence. And when you realize that he heard your cry as a result of being made sensible to your crimes against the Most High, this is what the essence of our Testimony really is. This is what we really need to lay hold of. Brother Jeffrey and then Mariah.

SPEAKER_04 22:12

Jonathan, I think you asked a question or made a statement a while ago. Why is everybody so quiet tonight? I I I can only speak for me. But Jonathan, I I I think what we're learning here about Job tonight. I think we all see ourselves in Job's place. You know, we need to humble ourselves before God. Even when we don't think there is a need to, we still need to humble ourselves before God. If Jonathan, for no other reason, the fact that he is God. I'm talking apart from the things he has done for us, how he has blessed us, how he has encouraged us, how he has given us a life that's wonderful in his presence. Just the fact alone. He is God and God alone. We need to praise him simply for that fact. And I think that's a little bit of what God is beginning to try to communicate to Job here and remind him of yes, I love you. Yes, I created you. I told the devil you were an upright, strong man. But before me, remember who you are, Job, and remember who I am.

SPEAKER_03 23:35

Amen, brother. Experiment words. Sister Mariah.

SPEAKER_05 23:43

Yeah, when I'm reading 17 and it says, Because God have deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding. I can't help but to think about Job's circumstances and him being afflicted. And he's and to me, when I'm reading this, excuse me, it seemed almost seems as though he's saying that he has deprived him of the wisdom and of understanding why he has been afflicted. And sorry, neither has he imparted him any understanding as to why he has been, you know, and and rightfully so, and as as he can do and as he has done, you know. So I just wanted to highlight that because that's what it when you were reading it, I thought about.

SPEAKER_03 24:35

Well, that's that's a good point, sister, because that came up in chapter 38, when God says that he's the one that gives understanding, he's the one that gives illumination to the heart and mind of men. He's the one who does that. And you're right. I think that when he this comparison that he's making with the ostrich. You know, it's it's uh it's also a comparison that can be made between us and the ostrich. In other words, in other in other words, he he says that the ostrich is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers. You know, her labor is in vain without fear. And so what what does that tell us? What about what does that tell us? Brother, we're brother Farr, we're in chapter 39 of Job 39, and now we're in verses 13 through 18. So he says here that this the ostrich she labors in vain without fear, because God has deprived her of wisdom. Who does this ostrich sound like?

SPEAKER_05 25:44

Man, it sounds like us when we are born into this world, we do not even realize that our labor is in vain and that we have no regard or fear of the Lord. And that is because at that time, God has deprived us of the wisdom and of the understanding that we are laboring in in vain and without fear of the Lord.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

Right. Exactly right. And that that's and that's what that this is what this is what God is pointing out. God is telling Job, you are no different than these animals that can't be tamed. He's telling God, he's telling Job, God is telling Job, this is you. This is man. And so the only way that you can operate from the standpoint of illumin being illuminated is if I step in and give you understanding. I need to give you a heart of wisdom. It's not in you because it is contrary to your nature, just like it is for the ostrich who has no idea that when she plants those eggs in the ground that they can be stepped upon and crushed by men or other beasts of the field. God is the one that gives us the ability to understand. He's the one that gives us the ability to have wisdom and to know how to apply that wisdom in practical terms. This is what we need to understand. Job is saying, God is teaching us pointing out to Job, he says, listen, take a lesson from the animals of the field, because you are like them. You didn't start out that way. That's what you became when Adam fell. That's what you became, that's what you are now. But I have given you an ability to know me by introducing you to myself. I'm the one who gives illumination and light to the eyes of man. I'm the one who opens and unstops deaf ears. I'm the one who opens a dumb dumb lips, dumb tongue. I'm the one who gives light to the heart. Sister Lisa and then Brother Rodney.

SPEAKER_06 28:17

Wow, when you were just saying this, God is the one who gives us understanding. So I've said it before, but just hearing it again, it's another reminder. I was in prayer one night and I didn't know how to pray for some for the wicked. How do I pray for the wicked, Lord? And God showed me in that moment you are that wicked. See, in my own mind, I was comparing my sin to somebody else's sin. Oh, I was doing just like in the book of whatever that story where God, thank you that I'm not like that guy. That and and God showed it to me for the first time with such clarity that you are that person. How would you want to be prayed for? How would you know? And like when we just just the little thing that you said, it's like we know it. You know, we know that he's the one that pulls us from the pit. He's the one that causes us to live. But until he really shows you like you were going, he like Lisa, you are headed to hell, and my wrath was going to be poured upon you.

SPEAKER_02 29:40

Right, right.

SPEAKER_06 29:41

And I cannot tell you that when he when he brings that to your understanding in the way he did me, I'll I will never be the same. I will never take his gift of salvation light like like I did. I will never. It's amazing. It's the most beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_03 30:06

Right. Amen, sister. Brother Rodney, you go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 30:10

All right, I just had something that was boggling my mind. I'm gonna try to say it fast enough without taking up too much time and not confuse anybody. Okay, so as we're talking about the ostrich and how she can put the eggs in the ground and be crushed by men, right? But when you think about other creatures or whatever, like I know like the like and I may get this wrong, but I think like the the female preying mantis, right, she she has to unalive the male, and I think it's the other, you know, animals that do these things, and I think it's in their nature, it's not in our nature. So in comparison when like the bird has to leave the nest, quote unquote, right? He has to go learn how to fly, and he has to go and figure out what life is outside of the mom, right? In comparison to what I think this is saying, but with us as humans, you know, when the kid decides he's grown, you technically lose the wisdom because you no longer know how to take care of, or you don't know how to take care of a grown man, right? You know, you knew how to take care of him up until they were 17, 16, or whatever that age is. But I'm just wondering, well, the kid, you gotta leave the nest one day, right? You know, you gotta go find out. So I'm trying to I feel a connection, but I'm trying to make sense out of it, if I am making sense, because I'm like, well, if God is showing us that we are the ostrich, I think it's a little confusing because I feel like, you know, you don't put your kid out, the kid puts himself out. If they think they're grown, then and you agree with that, then you're gonna let them off to go find out how grown they are not, until they come knocking back on the door, trying to, you know, with questions and stuff. So maybe, I mean, I'm not, if I didn't confuse anybody or disagree with the other thing.

SPEAKER_03 31:55

Well, what what what God is showing Job at the ostrich is that what they are doing, they're doing what their nature requires. You know, so what does the ostrich know? You know, they can run, they got the feathers, they can do all the things they.