Where Were You When I Laid the Foundation of the E

Introduction:
Note: [Teachers, there are a number of Input questions that should generate a lot of discussion –so that’s why the notes are a little shorter than normal – also, I’m trying to implement ‘variety’ in my teaching style, not so much ‘lecture’ but more interaction at times, variety.]
1. I want to thank Scot and Dave for teaching for me the past two weeks (Florida & Worship Service)
- it’s a blessing to have men in the church like these guys who love the Lord, His Word, and love to teach – and do a good job at it!
2. We’re continuing our series: Questions God Asks That Deserve an Answer
- so far we’ve covered two very probing questions:
 Do you love me? [review]
 Where is your faith? [review]
3. Today, our study takes us to Job 38:1-7 [READ]

I. The Context of the Question

- to get the context here, we have to go back to Job 1 and consider the following:
 Job’s Character – Job 1:1-5
Input: What kind of man was Job?
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
- how would you like for those things to be said of you?
- what a testimony – but as is the case, when you try to please God, our enemy doesn’t like it
 Satan’s Accusations– Job 1:6-11
Input: What was Job accused of by Satan?
- basically, he said to God, “Job is serving you because you’re good to him – take that away and his real colors will come out!
- that is the case with many people (sometimes us included – we’re OK with God as long as He is doing what WE agree with and want Him to do!
 God’s Response (sovereignty) – Job 1:12
Input: What does v. 12 teach us about the nature of God?
- you can do whatever you want, but you can’t take his life (by the way, that’s the CREATOR talking to the creation
- Satan is the ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Eph. 2:2) – but he is on a leash held by the omnipotent hand of the Almighty God!
Note: Rev. 12:10 gives Satan the title, ‘the accuser of the brethren’ – eventually defeated and cast into the lake of fire – another illustration of God being in control!
- but for now, he is still a liar and the Father of lies (John 8:44)
 Job’s suffering – Job 1:13-19 – he lost a lot!
- he lost ALL his animals (oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels)
- he lost ALL his sons/daughters (7 sons; 3 daughters)
 Job’s response – Job 1:20-22
Q: What might have come out of your mouth at point like this?
- especially, ‘the LORD gave and the LORD has taken away’ (focused on God’s sovereignty) and then ‘blessed be the name of the Lord’
Point: Job was a good man – but Job still needed to learn some things about God

II. The Question – Job 38:1-4

- in chp. 38, God enters into somewhat of an interrogation or cross-examination of God
- remember, Job had repeatedly called God to court in order to confirm his blamelessness that was mentioned in chp. 1 – so now it’s God’s turn!
> the questioning goes on from chp. 38 to the end of chp. 41
“God finally came to interrogate Job on some of the comments he had made to his own accusers. God was about to be Job’s vindicator, but He first brought Job to a right understanding of Himself.” .
- one other thing that is interesting to note:
“When now Jehovah condescends to negotiate with Job by question and answer, He does not do exactly what Job wished (13:22), but something different, of which Job never thought. He surprises him with questions which are intended to bring him indirectly to the consciousness of the wrong and absurdity of his challenge—questions among which ‘there are many which the natural philosophy of the present day can frame more scientifically, but cannot satisfactorily solve.’” – Keil-Delitzsch, Job, p. 312.
- it’s not uncommon for any of us when we are going through a trial (mention a few of the trials various people in our church are going through) to want to ask God a lot of questions’
> the most popular one: WHY?
Point: God never told Job the REASON for his pain/suffering (i.e. His conversation with Satan)
Note: There is a lesson there: us knowing the reason is not important; it’s the fact that God is in control and allowed it, and what do I need to learn from it?
- instead, God asked Job a question: Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

III. The Answer

Input: What is you overall response to this question? [various answers]
A. What it reveals about man
- what does the answer to this question reveal about man?
1. Temporal being (I haven’t always existed like You)
“Then no human being was present, for man was not yet created; the angels, however, beheld with rejoicing the founding of the place of the future human family, and the mighty acts of God in accordance with the decrees of His love.” Keil-Delitzsch, Job, p. 313
- the pride starts to go out the window at this point
- compare God’s eternality with man’s – what a joke – we came from the dust of the ground (dirt – that had life breathed into us!)
Q: Does this remind you of another passage about man’s temporalness?
• James 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
- now, we are going to LIVE somewhere forever, but we have not always been here
2. Created being (I was made in Your image and likeness – not self-existent)
- we started at a point in time – with the help of the Creator!
- we are the creatures – not the Creator (Input: Why is that so hard to get?)
Input: What are some implications to us not being the Creator?
[various answers]
> God is glorified for His creative acts/power
> we don’t get to determine the purpose of life
> we ‘owe’ God everything (it’s grace that we’re even alive)
3. Limited being
- note esp. Job 38:3 ‘gird up you loins like a man’ – and then answer the Q
- the truth is what Jesus said in John 15:5 “without Me, you can do nothing!”
a. limited power (I have no power apart from You)
- that’s what the rest of the questions are about from Job 38 [survey those chps and not some of the questions] – not to mention chp. 38-41!!
b. limited knowledge (I have no knowledge compared to You)
Understanding = signifies to understand how to judge, to possess a competent understanding
* Honest Answer:
• Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD and said, 2 "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
B. What it reveals about God
Input: What does the answer to this question reveal about God?
[put these on the white board and/or chalk board or blank transparency]
- the question itself brought glory to God I many ways
1. God is ETERNAL ‘when I . . .” (reference to time)
- He is the self-existent one – He is eternal – no beginning and no end
2. God is CREATOR ‘when I laid the foundation . . . and did the rest of what He says in Job 38 – PLUS everything to the end of chp. 41!
Input: What other passages come to your mind that remind you of this truth?
 Genesis 1 – In the beginning . . .
 Psalm 19 – the heavens declare the glory of God . . .
 Psalm 33
 John 1 – . . . all things were made by Him and without Him . . .
 Colossians 1:16-18 – For by Him were all things created . . .
3. God is the JUDGE – that’s what this is all about – who gets the final word
#1: For believers – 2 Cor. 5:10 – the Judgment Seat of Christ
#2: For unbelievers -- Rev. 20:11-15 – the Great White Throne Judgment
Point: God did one thing when He asked Job this question: He asked Job if he was as eternal, great, powerful, wise, and perfect as God. If not, Job would have been better off to be quiet and trust Him.

ABF Study Guide
Questions (God Asks) That Deserve an Answer
Where Were You When I Laid the Foundations of the Earth? – Job 38

Introduction:

I. The Context of the Question
 Job’s _____________ – Job 1:1-5
Input: What kind of man was Job?

 Satan’s _____________– Job 1:6-11
Input: What was Job accused of by Satan?

 God’s Response (__________) – Job 1:12
Input: What does v. 12 teach us about the nature of God?

 Job’s ___________ – Job 1:13-19

 Job’s ___________ – Job 1:20-22
II. The Question – Job 38:1-4
“God finally came to interrogate Job on some of the comments he had made to his own accusers. God was about to be Job’s vindicator, but He first brought Job to a right understanding of Himself.” – MacArthur Study Bible.
“When now Jehovah condescends to negotiate with Job by question and answer, He does not do exactly what Job wished (13:22), but something different, of which Job never thought. He surprises him with questions which are intended to bring him indirectly to the consciousness of the wrong and absurdity of his challenge—questions among which ‘there are many which the natural philosophy of the present day can frame more scientifically, but cannot satisfactorily solve.’” – Keil-Delitzsch, Job, p. 312.
III. The Answer
Input: What is you overall response to this question?

A. What it reveals about man
1. ___________ being (I haven’t always existed like You)
“Then no human being was present, for man was not yet created; the angels, however, beheld with rejoicing the founding of the place of the future human family, and the mighty acts of God in accordance with the decrees of His love.” Keil-Delitzsch, Job, p. 313

2. ___________ being (I was made in Your image and likeness – not self-existent)
Input: What are some implications to us not being the Creator?

3. Limited being
a. limited __________ (I have no power apart from You)

b. limited _____________ (I have no knowledge compared to You)
Understanding = signifies to understand how to judge, to possess a competent understanding
* Honest Answer:

B. What it reveals about God
Input: What does the answer to this question reveal about God?

1. God is ___________ “when I . . .” (reference to time)

2. God is _______________ “when I laid the foundation . . . “

Input: What other passages come to your mind that remind you of this truth?

3. God is the __________ – that’s what this is all about – who gets the final word
#1:
#2:

Questions (God Asks) That Deserve an Answer
Where Were You When I Laid the Foundations of the Earth?

I. The Context of the Question
 Job’s Character – Job 1:1-5
Input: What kind of man was Job?
• Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
 Satan’s Accusations– Job 1:6-11
Input: What was Job accused of by Satan?
 God’s Response (sovereignty)
– Job 1:12
Input: What does v. 12 teach us about the nature of God?
 Job’s suffering – Job 1:13-19
 Job’s response – Job 1:20-22
II. The Question – Job 38:1-4
Quotes

III. The Answer
Input: What is you overall response to this question?
A. What it reveals about man
1. Temporal being (I haven’t always existed like You)
Quote
• James 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
2. Created being (I was made in Your image and likeness – not self-existent)
Input: What are some implications to us not being the Creator?

3. Limited being
a. limited power (I have no power apart from You)
b. limited knowledge (I have no knowledge compared to You)
Understanding = signifies to understand how to judge, to possess a competent understanding
* Honest Answer:
• Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD and said, 2 "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
B. What it reveals about God
Input: What does the answer to this question reveal about God?
1. God is ETERNAL “when I . . .” (reference to time)
2. God is CREATOR “when I laid the foundation . . . “
Input: What other passages come to your mind that remind you of this truth?
 Genesis 1 – In the beginning . . .
 Psalm 19 – the heavens declare the glory of God . . .
 Psalm 33
 John 1 – . . . all things were made by Him and without Him . . .
 Colossians 1:16-18 – For by Him were all things created . . .
3. God is the JUDGE – that’s what this is all about – who gets the final word
#1: For believers – 2 Cor. 5:10 – the Judgment Seat of Christ
#2: For unbelievers -- Rev. 20:11-15 – the Great White Throne Judgment