 Yeah, I think that should be enough. Thanks. Thank you. All right, so we will begin with the wisdom books or the poetic books. Now, the correct way to do this would be to give a brief introduction about the poetic books, talk about some of the main features of the poetic books and all of that. But then we are so short of time that maybe you can just read the introduction which is there in your APC PDF notes, where it gives a brief introduction about the poetic books. We will instead directly get into the book of Job because there's a lot of misunderstanding and confusion regarding this book. People have a superficial idea about the story of Job, but most believers have no clue what's going on in the book of Job and so I thought it would be nice if I could try to summarize this book and explain what's actually going on because this entire book is a series of speeches, long speeches using big words and most people do not like speeches, which is why nobody really reads the entire book in an orderly manner and attempts to grasp the argument which is being presented. So I thought it would be good if we can actually take a look at what is going on here in this book of Job. So you have speeches being made by Job, speeches are made by all of his three friends, a speech is given by a fourth friend named Elihu and then you have two speeches being given by God. So you have a whole bunch of speeches given in this book of Job and it is good to understand what is going on. So we know the background, the background story we do understand. Satan basically says to the Lord, the reason that people worship you, the reason that people honor you and obey you is because you provide blessings. If you stop blessing people and if you stop benefiting them, they will not worship you. Indirectly he's saying, are you worthy of worship Lord? The only reason people are worshiping you is because of the benefits that they can get. So he's in fact challenging the Lord and saying you are not worthy of worship and people will not worship you just for your sake alone. So that is the challenge that Satan is throwing and the Lord says there are people on earth who will continue to worship me even if I take everything away because I am indeed worthy of worship. So that actually is the background scenario and so the Lord allows persecution and suffering to come into the life of Job to prove to the principalities and powers that Job will continue to stay loyal and faithful in spite of everything that happens in his life, even though all the blessings have been withdrawn, he will continue to believe in God. All right, so that is what the Lord wants to prove and so we see his wealth being taken away and then his family is also killed and he himself, his health is affected and so everything that he had, he loses it all in one single day and so at the end of it, in chapters one and two, immediately after this crisis comes upon him, Job, he says, the Lord has taken, the Lord has given and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord and it goes on to say over there in that verse, he did not sin against the Lord, he did not curse the Lord in any way. So that is his attitude at the very beginning but then as the Book of Job progresses, we see him growing confused, he starts growing bitter, he starts questioning God, he starts saying many, many things. So it helps for us to kind of take a look at what actually goes on through all of these long speeches which are there in the Book of Job. So we learn that three of his friends, they come from other places, just over here to comfort him, to sit with him, to be with him and they want to help him. So their basic argument is that you must have done some horrible sin. That is why God is allowing all of this to happen to you. Why don't you confess and repent? If you do that, then God will give you back your health, you will get back your prosperity. So confess the wrong thing which you have done and Job keeps saying, I have not done anything wrong and so the speeches basically revolve around this basic argument. So the first speech is given by the first friend, Eliphaz. So Eliphaz, just to use a few sample verses, Job 4-7 where Eliphaz says to Job, he says, consider now who being innocent has ever perished. Where were the upright ever destroyed? It's what Eliphaz says. He says, think about it, God doesn't go destroying the righteous people, it's the wicked which he destroys, which means you must have done something evil. So he says in Job 5-17, he says, do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. So he says, repent of whatever you have done and then chapter 22 verse 23, he says, if you return to the Almighty, you will be restored if you remove wickedness far from your tent. So he is convinced that Eliphaz is convinced that Job must have committed something sinful to be undergoing this kind of suffering. Now Job's response is initially this, this is what Job says in Job chapter 6, verse 24, he says, teach me and I will be quiet, show me where I have been wrong. You people are saying that I have sinned in some way. So point it out to me, if I have done something sinful, kindly specifically tell me, this is what you have done because of this sinful action, all of the suffering has come upon you. So Job throws a challenge and he says, tell me, tell me what sin have I committed because he knows that he has been really trying very, very sincerely to follow the ways of the Lord. So the second friend, Bildad, he starts his speech, he's not able to point out any specific sins but he tries to bring a long argument explaining that suffering only comes to evil people. So just to use one sample verse, Job 18, verses 19 to 21, this is what he says. He says, the wicked person has no offspring or descendants among his people, no survivor where once he lived. In other words, he's saying, what happens to the wicked people? Their children are destroyed, they don't have any descendants left and that is what has happened to you. You lost all your children which means you must have done something sinful. That is why this terrible evil has come upon you and he goes on to say, surely such is the dwelling of an evil man, such is the place of one who does not know God. So Bildad is saying, it looks like you don't really know God. You've been saying that you have a relationship with God but the way you have lost your family, the things which have happened to you, it looks like as if you don't really know God because the evil people who do not know the Lord, such things happen to them. Okay, so that is his argument. Coming to the third friend, third friend so far, he talks about how the wicked will not prosper. So that would be Job chapter 20 verses 27 to 29. If someone can read out for us, Job 20 verses 27 to 29. Okay, so in verse 28 he says, God exposes the guilt of those who do something sinful. So indirectly he's saying, maybe you have committed some hidden sin but God is the one who exposes the guilt of the wicked. In fact, what happens to them? He says in verse 28, he says, a flood will carry off his house. Of course, in Job's case, it is not a flood which destroys the house, it is strong winds which come and the house collapses. So he says, such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God. So all the three friends basically are basically saying the same thing in different words. They have long speeches in which they explain how very, very bad things happen to the wicked people and God punishes them. On the other hand, God blesses the righteous, God rewards the righteous, he watches over the righteous. So therefore, Job must have done something wrong and that is the reason why he is suffering. So coming to Job and his speeches, this is what we see. In Job chapter 1 verse 20 to 22, that is where he makes his initial statement of faith. So those are very beautiful verses where he just submits to the Lord, submits to what has happened and he says, the Lord is worthy of worship, the Lord is worthy of praise. Maybe we can actually read out those verses. Job chapter 1 verses 20 up to 22. And the word next verse 22. In all these, Job did not charge God with wrongdoing. He did not say, Lord, what you did, it is wrong. He does not say that rather he says, God is good. God only does what is right. So God's name should be praised. If the Lord chooses to take away, there must be some purpose for it. So he does not charge God with wrongdoing. But then when the friends go on saying again and again, these things happen only to wicked people and so you must have committed some wickedness and they go on pressurizing him. They go on persecuting him. When they do that, he starts questioning himself. His first response is, he starts thinking, it's true that I am not perfect because all of us, we commit sin in some way or the other. But his argument is, shouldn't God forgive me of my sins? When I go to him humbly and I repent of my sins, shouldn't the Lord just forgive me? Why is the Lord persecuting me when I have always been very, very careful to repent of my wrongdoings? So this is what it says about Job. Job chapter one verse one, this is how Job is described. It says, this man was blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil. So he was blameless and upright in the sense, whenever God pointed out his mistakes to him, he was humble enough to immediately accept and admit and say, yes, Lord, what you're saying is correct. What I did was wrong. What I did was sinful. I repent of what I have done. Lord, please forgive me. He was always very, very quick to repent of the wrong that was done by him. In fact, he is willing to make sacrifices even on behalf of his children because we see in chapter one verses four to five, whenever his children would have a large feast. It says in verse five, it says, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning, he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them. Just in case they have committed some sin. So here is a man who understands that the way to maintain a blameless relationship with God is to always be watchful. And the minute the Lord points out something sinful in your life, rather than arguing with the Lord, the right attitude is to immediately confess and say, yes, Lord, what you're saying is right. And I have sinned. What I have done is sinful. And I repent. So this was the attitude of Job throughout his life. And so he tries to reason with God. He tries to explain to God, Lord, it's true that I am not perfect, but Lord, shouldn't you be forgiving? Which is his first attempt of trying to grapple with the situation. So the first thing that he does is he tries to explain to God, reason with God, talk to God about his situation. And this is what he says in Job chapter seven, verses 17 to 19. He says, what is mankind that you make so much of them that you give them so much attention? Now, you know, this reminds us of a psalm, Psalm eight, four. They, the psalmist says, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them in Psalm eight, four, the wording is positive. The psalmist is saying, Lord, we are just humans, but you spend so much of your mind thinking about us, caring for us, looking after us, what are humans that you pay so much attention to us. And so the psalmist talks about it in such a positive manner. Here Job, on the other hand, he says, what are humans that you pay so much attention to us, constantly testing us, constantly examining us. Obviously, if the Lord starts examining us, he's going to find a hundred defects because we are just human. We are not perfect. And so he says in Job chapter seven, verses 20 to 21, he says, why have you made me your target? And he says in verse 21, why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? So he, when all these friends keep saying, oh, you must have done something bad, you must be hiding some unforgiven sin, he basically says to the Lord, it's true, Lord, I'm not perfect, but Lord, I have always tried to repent. So why are you not forgiving me? Why are you allowing this persecution to come upon me? Okay, is the first step where he tries to reason with God. And then he starts thinking, how do I make God understand? It's very difficult. So he starts saying, if there was some mediator, somebody who can mediate on my behalf, you know, someone who can stand before God and say, you know, this man is innocent, consider his case. You know, he says, I wish I had a mediator. We find that in Job chapter nine, that's in verses two to 35, you know, he says, no, God is not just a mere human like me. So I can't stand in front of God and start arguing with him. I don't have the guts to do that. But I wish there was some mediator who can represent me before God and say, Lord, please give this man a second chance, someone who can speak on my behalf. So he says, you know, I wish I had somebody like that in verse 33, Job 933, he says, if only there was someone to mediate between us. And he says in verse 35, then I would speak up without fear of him, you know, but as it now stands with me, I cannot, but there is no such mediator. So I cannot do that. So he's very, very disappointed that there is nobody to mediate on his behalf. And then from there, he, you know, he starts going into bitterness. This is the third stage where in chapters nine and 10, he says a lot of things which should not be said. So now he's beginning to doubt the faithfulness of God. Okay, so we will look at some of those verses a little later. But just to look at Job chapter 10, verses two to three, this is what he says. If someone could read out for us, Job chapter 10, verses two to three. Now here, there's an allegation which Job is making against God. Alright, so he says, do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me. No, because you're not telling me what mistake I have made, because always in the past, you know, God would point out his defect to him, and immediately Job would get down on his knees, he would make a burnt offering, he would make a sacrifice, he would confess his sin. So he was always trying to keep a straight, you know, record with God. But now, God is not telling him what the charges are. And so he says, does it please you to oppress me? You know, on the one hand, you're oppressing me, and on the other hand, what do you do? He says, while you smile on the plans of the wicked. Look at the wicked Lord, they're prospering, they're doing so well, nothing bad is happening to them. I on the other hand, who have always been trying to be faithful to you, you're oppressing me. So here, he's actually making an allegation and saying, Lord, the wicked people, you let them do what they want. But me, who I'm trying to follow you, you are oppressing me. So from there, you know, he starts becoming a little more bitter. And so then, you know, he says, I think it's even if I get killed, it's alright. I think I want to confront God. Earlier, what had he said, he said, I'm scared, you know, I wish I had a mediator to mediate on my behalf. But now he's getting carried away. And now he says, in Job 13, verses 14 to 15, he says, why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands? It's really risky to start arguing with God. My life is in danger. And then he says, though he slay me, yet will I hope in him? So it's really dangerous for me to argue with God, but God is a good God. So let me hope in him, let me actually argue with him, then maybe God will listen. So he says, I will surely defend my ways to his face. So now he's kind of making up his mind that he wants to confront God and try to argue his case in front of God. Okay, so that's in Job chapter 13. And then from there, he moves to the next stage. That would be in Job chapter 16, verses 18 to 21. There he says, earth do not cover my blood, may my cry never be laid to rest. Even now my witness is in heaven, my advocate is on high. So he's basically saying, I think I'm going to get killed, God is going to kill me. But when I die, he says to the earth, earth don't cover up my blood, let my blood go on crying out for justice. Because if I go on crying out for justice, then somebody in heaven will be one advocate for me. And then they will come and they will defend my case. So even if God kills me, I will continue to cry out for justice. So he's becoming a little bitter and a little aggressive in his attitude towards God. Then from there, he moves on to the next stage. Maybe we can look at Job 23, verses 3 to 7. In Job 23, 3 to 7, he says, if only I knew where to find God, if only I could go to his dwelling, I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. And then he says in verse 6, Job 23, verse 6, would he vigorously oppose me? No, he would not press charges against me. There the upright one can establish their innocence before him. So he still believes in the goodness of God, but for some reason God is not responding to him. And so he says, now he's worked up the guts and he says, I wish I could go to God's house and talk to him face to face. Then I would be able to present my case and then God would have to listen to me and then I would be able to get my justice. And then from there, he goes into the final stage, which will be Job 31, verses 35 to 37. I'm just very briefly summarizing. Obviously, there are many, many arguments and sub-arguments and a lot of explanations, but I'm just trying to pick out the main things so that we have a picture of what's going on here. So now Job moves into the final stage, Job 31, verses 35 to 37. He says, I sign now my defense, let the Almighty answer me, let my accuser put his indictment in writing. So God seems to be angry about something. Let God put his case against me in writing and give it to me. He says, I'll wear that indictment as a crown upon my head and I will defend myself and say, Lord, you're wrong in all the things that you're saying about me. So he kind of throws a challenge and he says, let the Almighty answer me. Now we can sit over here and criticize Job and say, oh my goodness, this man started off by saying, let the name of God be praised. And now he's come all the way down to this stage, chapter 31, where he's saying, let the Almighty answer me and the Lord writes down in writing all the things he has against me. I'll wear it like a crown and I'll defend my case. But when we are going through our trials, don't we go through all of these stages? We start off by reasoning and say, Lord, why Lord are you allowing this? Have I not been faithful to you, Lord? And then from there, you know, we start getting angry and we say, oh Lord, the wicked look at them. I mean, they never even worshipped you. They are nicely prospering. But Lord, I who have been faithful, why are you oppressing me? And then, you know, from there, we can maybe move into other stages. We know where we would say, oh, I wish, you know, someone would speak on my behalf because God is not listening to me. Maybe if I go to somebody else and ask them to pray for me, then maybe you'll listen to their prayers. You're not listening to my prayer. These are all very human responses, which are, you know, the deepest, most intimate thoughts of Job are laid open for us to read in these passages. Nothing is covered over here. What Job is feeling in the depths of his heart, it's all exposed and laid out for us to see, because this is a man who is going through a lot of suffering and is wondering, why? Why? I have always confessed my sins, Lord. So why are you doing this? Why are you not explaining to me what I have done wrong? Then I'll be able, I'm more than willing to confess. So he still believes in the goodness of God, but he is now demanding an explanation. And then at this point in Job chapter 32, you know, Job chapter 31, it says at the end of the chapter 31, the words of Job are now ended. Okay, so whatever Job wanted to say is all finished. And now we have the fourth person, Elihu speaking up. And this is what it says about Elihu. That would be Job chapter 32, verses 2 to 3. It says that Elihu became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. And then in the next verse it says, he was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job and yet had condemned him. He's angry with Job because Job is saying, oh, I'm just and right and look at the way God is treating me. So he's angry with Job for having that attitude. He's also angry with the friends because they could not find any sin, any specific sin. And still they've been happily condemning him for so many long speeches. So he's angry with both of them. And these are the words which Elihu speaks. It's very interesting, because next you're going to have this to the two speeches of God. And some of the things which Elihu says, God says almost the identical things in his speeches. So God is pleased with what Elihu is saying about him. Let us look at the main things which Elihu says about God. Job 34-12, Elihu says, it is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. So Job you've been saying, oh, God has not treated me fairly. But it's unthinkable for God to ever do anything unjust is the first declaration which Elihu makes. The next thing that he says, that's in Job 34-9, he says to Job, Job says, there is no profit in trying to please God. So Job is saying, I've been so faithful to the Lord, but the Lord has not been blessing me so what is there any profit in following him? And Elihu says this about Job, he says, in Job 34-35-36, Job speaks without knowledge, his words lack insight. And then Job 35 versus 2-3 if someone could read out, Job 35 versus 2-3. So here Elihu says, the way you're talking, is it even correct for you to be talking like this? You're saying, I'm in the right, not God. I'm the one who's right, God is not being right. The way God is doing, it's not right. That's what you're saying. And he says, is this the way to talk to God? And this is what you're in fact saying, what do I gain by not sinning? I mean, should you even be saying any of these things? Okay, so Elihu says these things to Job and then you have God, one more statement which Elihu says. He says that God does things which are beyond our understanding. That would be in Job 36-26. He says, how great is God beyond our understanding? Again in Job 37-5 he says, beyond our understanding. And Elihu talks about how God has created amazing things in creation which we cannot even begin to understand. So God, how can we understand the things that he does? So basically Elihu is saying to Job, you've been very quick to judge and criticize, but God is too big. His creation itself shows how big he is. So he does things beyond our understanding and we cannot always understand what God is doing. And immediately after Elihu says, I know complete saying these things, God begins to speak. And God almost says almost the same things which Elihu has been saying. God talks about his creation. God says, do you know how I created the snow? Do you know where I store the snow? Do you know how rain is formed? If you don't even understand all these natural things which are happening here on the earth, how will you understand things which are happening in the other spiritual realm? You're asking questions about things which you, when you cannot even understand physical things, are you, how are you going to understand supernatural things? Because God knows what has happened in the background in the spiritual realm and Job is not even aware of those things. So that is basically what God refers to. So the main thing which God seems to be very, very upset about is this, because Job said that God supports wickedness and he oppresses the righteous. So this is something that Job had said earlier in chapters 9 and 10. In Job 9, 21 to 24, this is something which Job says. He says that God destroys both the blameless and the wicked. And he says, he mocks the despair of the innocent. And then in verse 24, he says, he blindfolds the, you know, the judges of this world. It's like as if God is blindfolding the judges so that any amount of wickedness can go on. These are direct allegations that Job makes regarding the righteousness of God. The purity and holiness and justice of God is, you know, these are statements that he makes against God. And so now God speaks just the way Elihu said earlier, right? Elihu says Job speaks without knowledge. His words lack insight is what Elihu says in 34, verse 35. So here, God says something very similar in verse 38, verse 2, and the Lord says, who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? So God says, you're talking without any knowledge. You're talking out of your ignorance. And then God goes on to say in verse chapter 40, verse 2, will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him. Earlier, Job had thrown the challenge at the end of his entire, you know, dialogue in chapter 31. He said, let the Almighty answer me. Now God says, you answer me first. If you can answer me, then I'll answer you. And God starts asking him about creation. And he doesn't even know how creation has happened. So when he can't even understand human things, how is he going to understand supernatural things? And so the end of that, you know, he repents, Job repents. So in 40, verse 8, God says, would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? You're saying that I'm not just, you're saying that I don't, that I allow the wicked to get away with whatever they want. And I oppress the blameless. That is what you are saying about me. You know, and so at the end of that dialogue, Job says, God also says in chapter 40, verses 13 and 14, he says, if you think that you're so great and you know how to handle the wicked people, he's in verse chapter 40, verse 13 to 14, if someone can read out, this is what God says, chapter 40, verses 13 and 14. So God says to Job, you seem to think that, you know, you know everything, how to handle, how the wicked should be handled, how justice should be given. And God says over here, if you're that knowledgeable, why don't you try to give justice? No, he says bury all the wicked in the dust. And then he says, then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you, because Job has been saying, God, you're oppressing the innocent, you're not giving justice, you know, so the Lord says, if you think you can do it on your own, go ahead and do it. Then I will admit to you that you can save yourself. And then Job responds, and he says in chapter 40, verses four to five, I am unworthy. How can I reply to you? And then he says, I spoke once, but I have no answer twice, but I will say no more. So he admits and says, yes, Lord, I do not have any answer to the questions which you have put. And then God starts off his second speech. And in the second speech, God talks about two powerful creatures which he has created. One is called the behemoth and the other is called the Leviathan. There are a lot of theories about which animals these are. We don't need to get into those details, but the point that God is making is, I know how to control things which are in power. I created these two powerful creatures and no human is knows how to control them, but I have perfect control over them. He says about the behemoth. He says, I can walk up to it with my sword or arrow or something he says, with my rod or something he says. No person can even approach these creatures, but I can handle them. So I know how to take care of the wicked. I know how to establish justice. It's the point which God is trying to make. And then at the end of the second speech Job says, I know that you can do all things. No purpose of yours can ever be thwarted. So if Lord, if you decide to do something, it will be done. So he finally admits and says, yes, Lord, I was very confused. I was very wrong, but Lord, what you decide, you will fulfill. And so you, I know he admits that he is wrong. And so at the end of this, this is what God says about Job and about the three friends, which you will find in your Job chapter 42. I think that would be verse 7, where the Lord says to the friends, he says, my wrought is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me, what is right as my servant Job has. Okay, so Job also spoke wrong about God, but then he repents and he says, Lord, what I said was all foolishness. I spoke without knowledge. I have no answer. And he says, now I realize that once you purpose to do something, your purposes cannot be put off. You will fulfill whatever you decide. So Job spoke, finally speaks right about God. He repents of his sinful speech and he humbles himself and repents. So now the Lord says to the friends, it's your turn. You said things about me, which are not correct. According to you, God brings suffering only upon the wicked, but that is not true. God has got higher purposes, like Elihu says, his ways are beyond our understanding. There are things which God does, which we may not be able to understand. So God says, you also, you three friends, you also need to offer burnt sacrifices and repent of the sin which you have done in speaking wrong about me. So this entire book of Job is mainly about the character of God, who God is. And when we start understanding what God is saying about himself, are we willing to repent, get down on our knees and say, Lord, you are right. I am wrong. So you see Job also in his humanness, in his confusion, he said a lot of things. He made wrong allegations. But finally, when the Lord showed himself and showed who he was, now that's what he says. Earlier I had heard about you. Now I have seen you and he says, I know I shut my mouth. So when the Lord reveals who he is, Job confesses and he gets down on his knees and admits and says, Lord, you are worthy of worship. And also he, at the end of the story, he admits that God is indeed a God of justice and God indeed knows what he is doing. And the Lord's ways are beyond our understanding and our attitude should be one of submission where we say, Lord, you are right in all that you do. And whether I understand it or not, I submit to you. So this entire book of Job is about the character of God. Satan starts off the story with an allegation where he says, you are not worthy of worship. And God says, here is a man who even though he's going to go through a long process of suffering and say all kinds of things, he will hold on to the basic belief that I will help him. Because he says, even though he slay me, yet I will hope in him. And in another place, he says, if I could find out where God lives and go and present my case, will he oppose me? No, no, he will not oppose me. In fact, he will justify me. So at the bottom of it all, ultimately, Job had this belief that if he could just present his case in the correct way, then God will defend him. So he never turned his back on God. He went through a lot of questioning. He went through a lot of confusion. But at the end of it, he repents and he admits that God is God, God is sovereign and what God does, God does right. So and the three friends also, they repent, they offer the burnt sacrifices, Job intercedes on their behalf. And so at the end of the book of Job, the character of God is established as being just, as being good, as being right. So Job is a book which is helpful for people, righteous people, who are going through a time of great suffering. There are things happening to you and your family that you just don't understand. Because the basic sermon which is preached from the pulpit is that if you follow the Lord, if you claim your position in Christ, then everything will fall into place. But so many times, we go through situations where things are not falling into place. And then all these questions which Job went through in his mind, we go through those same questions, which is why all these things are clearly put down in the book of Job, the things which went through his mind, those same thoughts go through our minds. And so when those questions go through our minds, what should be the conclusion? We finally come to Job chapter, you know, chapter 38 onwards, where God starts speaking. And we just like Job, we get down on our knees and we say, Lord, it's true. I don't understand why things are not working the way I thought they're supposed to work. But you are good. You are sovereign. And like Job, I will shut my mouth and, you know, I love you to be God. You do it your way. I will submit. So in Job, there is no whitewashing. The heart of Job is clearly exposed. All the confusion that he's going through is clearly shown for us because we too go through the same things. But like Job, at the end of the book, at the end of our story, we should be able to get down on our knees and say, Lord, you are God. You are sovereign. What purposes you have planned, they will come to pass. So I don't need to worry about myself and my family. Whatever you have planned for my family and me, it shall come to pass. God wants an attitude of trust. So what Job did in criticizing God, that was wrong. Ellie, who said what you're the way you're speaking, it is wrong. He says you're speaking words without knowledge. God also says the same thing. He says, who is this person who's obscuring my plans? You know, he's acting like as if he knows more than me about my plans. And Job finally says, I know nothing, Lord, and I repent in dust and ashes is what he says. So the book of Job teaches us the right attitude to have when we are going through a confusing time, where all the things which have been preached from the pulpit are not happening in our family. We are trying to do everything the right way. And it doesn't seem to be working. And we don't understand what is going on at such times. The best thing is to humble ourselves before God and say, Lord, your ways are beyond our understanding. But unlike Job, who, you know, kind of got shaken for a little bit, we will not make that mistake. We will, you know, even before God can come and correct us, we will get down on our knees and say, Lord, you are God. You know what is best. So this is what Job says. He says, I am unworthy. How can I reply to you? He says, I spoke once, but I have no answer. And then at the end of the second speech, he says, I know that you can do all things. No purpose of yours can be watered. Okay. And he goes on to say, surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. And then he says, my ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. That is the attitude that God expects of us. Matthew chapter 11 verses 28 to 30. This, you know, are the verses upon which I have decided to stand. Because God does sometimes works in our life in such a way that we just can't understand. But the Lord says, you may be weary. You may be burdened. Come to me. I will give you rest. The Lord says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me. I won't do things the way you want them done. I will do things my sovereign way. Are you willing to take my yoke upon you and learn from me? Or are you going to be like Job and criticize and grumble and doubt and be confused? No. Our Lord and master, the one to whom we have come for salvation, for eternal life, he is our master. He is our teacher. And he says, come to me. I will give you rest. And how are you going to find rest for your soul by taking my yoke upon you and learning from me? I'm going to teach you new things you have never learned. You know, things may not be working out the way they are supposed to. One plus one may not always add up to two. Things are going differently for you. But are you willing to take my yoke upon you and learn from me? If you do so, you will discover that I am gentle and humble in spirit, in heart. Our Lord and master, he is not cruel. He is not oppressive. He is not unjust. He is humble and gentle in the way he leads us. So no matter what we are going through, we need to have that attitude of submission and trust where we say, Lord, you are humble and gentle in your dealings with me. So I will take your yoke upon me and learn from you the way Job was willing to learn from you in the end. All right? So those are the, that could be the takeaway for us from the book of Job. Let's just quickly close with the word of prayer. Lord, we just thank you so much for the lessons that we could learn today from the book of Esther and from the book of Job, O Lord. In the book of Esther, we looked at commitment, whether things go well for us or whether things do not go well for us. Just like Esther, O Lord, help us to take a stand for you, for your purposes because, O Lord, you will do what is right. You will do what is best for your people. And Lord, thank you for the book of, we thank you, O Lord, for the book of Job because, Lord, the confusion that went through his mind, it goes through our minds as well when we suffer. But Lord, because of the book of Job, we can confidently say that you are sovereign, you know best and what you have planned for us, it will come to pass so we can trust you and wait upon you. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thank you.