Job (Quality: Average)

[0:00] feelingly standing in great need of divine hell I must venture this evening in directing your thoughts to the chapter that we have read in the book of Job chapter 28 and reading the last verse, verse 28 in that chapter and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding you may notice that the little word is in this verse has been put in by the godly translators of our Bible if we leave that out we would read it like this and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that wisdom and to depart from evil understanding surely we would agree how vital then is this little word is in our home this morning we read Psalm 111 how thankful we are and I'm sure there are those here that will agree with this thought how thankful we are whether as we read God's word in secret or around the family altar or indeed in his house how thankful we are when we are favoured to understand a little and sometimes a little more the truths that we read

[2:41] I felt it to be so this morning regarding that 111th Psalm and the last verse of that Psalm says this the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his commandments his praise endureth forever and whilst in prayer I felt to be given this last verse in the chapter that we have now read and I feel this as I may be helped there is great need for us to come a little more to the true meaning of verse 28 as we must look a little into the Psalm itself because there is much teaching that I hope with the help of the Holy Spirit will lead us more feelingly into the text my first thought regarding the Psalm then in relation to the text is verse 7 there is a path which no fowl knoweth and which the vulture's eye hath not seen and that is the path to heaven and glory what a path it is and the

[4:28] Lord Jesus Christ he has told us what it will mean regarding the narrow way that leads to life eternal how he has told us that few there be that find it and it is a narrow way and the entrance into it is the gateway of regeneration marvel not said the Lord Jesus to Nicodemus ye must be born again well this path this wondrous path and it is marked out with blood it is a very narrow way well what a mercy then if through the new birth we have entered into that path and are walking in it and with the hope that we shall be received at last into glory well then verse 7 to my heart stands out regarding our subject there is a path which no fowl knoweth and which the vulture's eye hath not see and I'm sure we would all understand at least this in measure that a vulture's eye and that type of bird they have very wonderful eyes and yet what a thought it is and which the vulture's eye hath not seen cannot see and the only way that we can see it is through those same words

[6:25] Jesus spoke to Nicodemus and at that time he didn't understand it how can a man be born again and enter the second time into his mother's womb but we do believe that he was brought into it and I'm sure that the Lord Jesus was the means to that end and it goes on here and it says regarding this path the lion's whelps have not trodden it nor the fierce lion passed by it although the lion is often spoken of as the king of beasts wonderful beasts they are tremendous power and yet they know nothing of this way that leads to life eternal and then in this pathway there's another verse and it's verse 11 what does the Lord say about this path of wisdom he says this and there are those of us here this evening who through the mercy of God have been favored to know something about it he bindeth the floods from overflowing and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to the light and there are those here this evening if we were held by the

[8:00] Holy Spirit to reflect about our lives how true that is and it's in this way to glory he bindeth the floods from overflowing are there not some of us here this evening that would have to say yes Lord otherwise we would have been overcome and there have been occasions when we have really felt that the things we've had to walk in and endure would bring us into our grave but we've been upheld and we've been brought through great and sore troubles as of course they have been to us but then what else do we notice in this chapter look at verse 12 this is where in a sense the subject matter of the text begins after all that the

[9:00] Lord has said and over the top of this pulpit bible and regarding this chapter it says the excellency of wisdom what does verse 12 tell us but where shall wisdom be found where is the place of understanding well we know this through the teaching of the Holy Spirit we shall never find this wisdom in this world we shall never find this wisdom in our poor fallen sinful hearts and this sacred understanding oh it is the work of God the Holy Ghost and therefore we would come to this 12th verse but where shall wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding understanding well perhaps we could say at once that the place of understanding is at the feet of

[10:03] Jesus there it is and those of us who through the mercy of God as grace has been given have been brought to the feet of Jesus others but then it goes on but where shall wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding well listen to this man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living it never will be it never has been and it never can be and let me venture like this because it's God's word and God's word as I mentioned last evening at Eastbourne it is in perfect order and the way the Lord has burdened me about the ministry has ever been this I have felt my great need to keep close to the word of

[11:06] God is in perfect order and of course we need the Holy Spirit to enlighten our understanding I often have to pray as the disciples were in need particularly after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and we read this then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures but may the blessed spirit of truth enable us then to trace this subject out a little man knoweth not the price thereof what is the price of this wisdom it is the sacred heart's blood of the Lord Jesus Christ I came into the prayer meeting here in 1956 in such great need and that because of my sister

[12:15] Alice dear lady reached 50 years of married life this Tuesday and has had to live and the Lord has upheld her to live with an unfaithful husband for 48 of those years and I was burdened about her then in 1956 and I shall never forget it I came to the prayer meeting with this burden about my sister and in the prayer meeting behind the pulpit here which some of us will never forget our prayer meetings in those days but that morning the dear David bus he prayed for my sister he was evidently burdened as I was he prayed for her and in such a way that I wept before God in that prayer meeting I came into the chapel and in those days it was it was my path to try and lead the singing and I came in and that day was a day when dear

[13:28] Mr. Stanley Dales was here his annual visit in July and his text that Lord's Day morning was this and the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are and when I see the blood I will pass over you some of you remember how the chapel was in those days the singing scene there at the back oh but you see I believe the Lord used that particular burden about my sister and the prayer of dear David bus he used it to melt my heart and friends if you would be favoured and some of you will understand this I know you will but you know the Lord must prepare our hearts to receive his word and I believe if ever I was humbled in the dust

[14:29] I was that Lord's day morning and here Mr. Stanley Dales he preached Christ to my soul in a way that I'd never known before or ever known since but I really felt and knew and I hope I say it with reverence that the blood of Jesus Christ God's son had cleansed me from my sin oh the sacredness of that occasion now I had no thought that I was going to say this I am aware that the Lord can use it as it may please him so you see we come back to this subject none knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the sea saith it is not with me it cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof it cannot be valued with the gold of ophir with the precious onyx or the sapphire this is the way that the

[15:45] Holy Ghost would record this I hope to bring us more feelingly into the verse that I have had to read to you this evening I hope we shall find this profitable I hope we shall find it a path of teaching for us because let me go on a little no mention shall be made of coral or of pearls the price of wisdom is above rubies all of us here this evening in some measure we understand a little about what it means to speak of precious stones you dear ladies here this evening when the Lord has favoured you to be married and a day came in your life when your young man bought you an engagement ring and I'm sure in one way or another you had precious stones in it and you thought so much of it it meant a lot to you and I'm sure it still does but oh think of this that this wisdom no mention shall be made of coral or of pearls the price of wisdom is above rubies the topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued for or with pure gold well then the same blessed spirit leads us on a little in verse 20 whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowls of the air destruction and death say we've heard the fame thereof with our ears oh but listen to verse 23 god understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof for he looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heaven to make the weight for the winds and he weareth the waters by measure when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder then did he see it and declare it he prepared it yea and searched it out and then the lord brings us to this last verse and unto man he saith behold the fear of the lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding now to be a help then to try and lay a little of this before you oh that we could really feel all of us here this evening that the lord himself is speaking to us and that if i could be held to speak to you regarding such a subject as this and i know it's a great thing to even desire or think know that everyone who has come to this service that may be given understanding may be reminded may be taken back to when you were brought into this path this path that the vulture's eye hath not seen that the lions' welts have not trodden it nor the fierce lion pass by it oh this way to glory this way to heaven well to begin with what does the lord jesus tell us or speak to us about this path i begin with his own words in john chapter 6 and verse 37 now these are the words of jesus all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me i will in no wise cast out where there really is the secret or the commencement of a work of grace in a poor sinner's heart and there are those of us here this evening and i'm very aware that we shall all need the holy spirit to move within our hearts and that we may be given grace to remember all the way which the lord our god has led us however many years it is in this wilderness world and unto man he said behold the fear of the lord that is wisdom and surely it begins with the new birth marvel not that i said unto thee you must be born again i suppose all of us here this evening may well have been brought into this chapel or any other as tiny babies and we were brought here or wherever it was in our parents arms and what a mercy for any poor sinner to be born into a home where god is feared why we need much grace not to forget this and those of us here this evening who were favoured with dear godly parents what a favour that is an unspeakable favour to be brought up in our home where god is feared where the word of god is read where it is played over and where as children i remember so well there was a time in my boyhood when i used to wish oh i used to wish my father didn't have to do this i didn't like it i didn't want to listen it meant nothing to me and all the years until i was twenty years old and i worshipped in this chapel although i didn't worship it is true i came here it is true i went into the sunday school i feel ashamed but i think about it and all through those years until that memorable lord's day evening in my life and i only trust the spirit of god quickened my soul into life and that through the word of god and i was brought then for the first time that maybe those of you here this evening who perhaps it was never so like that in our childhood that some parents they teach their children little prayers they may teach them to read their bibles and they go to bed at night encourage them to pray it was not like that in my childhood well of course my own dear mother died when i was only six years old but you see dear friends what i'm trying to convey to you is the work of god the holy ghost and that word i have brought before you it's the word of jesus all that the father giveth me shall come to me oh do we remember at least when we were first brought there yes when you and i were first brought there all that the father giveth me shall come to me i came to jesus as i was weary and worn and sad oh do we remember when we did first i hope the holy spirit will go round these pews this evening and speak to every one of us oh to speak to every one of us that we may be taken back to our beginning if indeed we had one and if we did we won't be able to forget it you remember when you were first brought and through mercy it may have been when you were only a little child it's never like that with me i must acknowledge it the grace of god is sovereign rich and free but oh when that time does come in a poor sinner's life well nothing can frustrate it nothing can frustrate it why i just think of ungodly king manasseh and all the years that he went on in sin we're told that he made the streets of jerusalem to run with blood and he went on and on we're told that he made his children to pass through the fire to those wicked gods who were worshipped a dreadful process and sometimes the child would die but you know a day did come and the lord used means he was taken into captivity he was put in iron and there the lord met with him then he began to pray then he began to seek god then the fear of god commenced to move within his soul now that is just what happens when any poor sinner is born again they are then the blessed spirit then imparts to them and implants within them the tender fear of god well do we remember when we first began to really fear god i thought in the vestry of what is recorded of king josiah while he was yet young and of course with him he was 16 while he was yet young he began to seek after the lord god of david his father spiritual life was imparted he began to be in want he began to feel a need of god we could use the same illustration of saul of tarsus why he left his home or wherever he lived with that purpose to hail the lord's dear people to prison but you see there was the day had come can we remember may not you may not remember a particular day but can you remember a particular time in your life you may only have been a child when the tender fear of god was imparted to you and you began to fear god now what was the effect of the fear of god through the new birth in the heart and life of saul of tarsus well it was this and he trembling now there is a mark of grace there is an evidence of spiritual life do you remember when you began to tremble before unholy god began to tremble because you were made aware that you were a sinner and when perhaps the minister preached about it you weren't offended you fell down under it and you said yes lord that's me oh but you may remember then the effect of the new birth in the heart of saul of tarsus and he trembling and astonished said lord what will thou have me to do now here is wisdom here is the path of wisdom motivated by the fear of the lord oh what a precious sacred grace it is and you know we have a hymn that tells us about the lord jesus oh if it if only it would just come it has been upon my spirit often in this his understanding stood oh to think of jesus yes we know that he of course was filled with the holy ghost and if i venture to use that word he was full of the fear of god but oh it that hymn speaks of him i wish i might be able to remember where it is i do not know if i can if i could perhaps i would be glad but it doesn't really matter but that hymn that says in this his understanding stood jesus in this his understanding stood and everyone now listen and everyone that's with it blessed has free redemption through his blood what a thought that is i'd like to be able to find the hymn but there it is and it speaks of jesus like this you see in the wonder of it in this his understanding stood while he was full of it i came not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me oh his holy sacred life was motivated by it entirely and without measure and unto man he said behold the fear of the lord that is wisdom and another hymn tells us regarding this sacred fear of the lord and it says this regarding it and the wonder of it that it is motivated by love fear is a grace that ever dwells with its fair partner love blending their beauties both proclaim their sources from above now think again of Saul of

[31:56] Tarsus and he trembling and astonished said lord the fear of god began to move at once within him has that happened to you and I has it happened to us and there he was he trembled lord what wilt thou have me to do and that is another very clear mark of spiritual life and this will follow us to the end of our days it will be a constant exercise with us lord what wilt thou have me to do are any of you there tonight the lord knows what it is in your life in your path you may have come bowed down in one way or another you may have come to such a point in this that you have said or you have joined we've came your hush of hat and you feelingly said neither know we what to do but there you are oh this wisdom which is from above let me remind you of it's sacred what it really really is and that is in the epistle of James oh I've looked at this more than once and it says first of all who is a wise man and in due with knowledge among you let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom now there is the a description of a man who fears

[33:43] God motivated by it who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him show out of a good conversation you know the word conversation in the word of God it means our conversation but it takes in really our whole life how we live how we move how we speak now if we are motivated by this wisdom the fear of the Lord let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom you see this wisdom will always humble those who possess it it will humble us oh and as I felt when I came into this pulpit this evening I believe if ever I felt as I felt it again was this Lord I need humbling grace to think that ever

[34:47] I should stand here it's nothing but a miracle of God's grace I trust and the wonder of it but let me just remind you of the opposite to this wisdom but if he have bitter envy and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish for where envy and strife is there is confusion and every evil work that this is all bound up with this verse and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and there's no other channel but this wisdom and here is the sacred ingredients of it but the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality or without wrangling as in the margin full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace oh dear friends if we possess the fear of the

[36:31] Lord which is wisdom oh we should be burdened to live our life under the divine influence now I must go on a little as enabled with the verse and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom now I do just want to go back to the gospel of John and the word that I mention in the sixth chapter all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out but what else does the Lord say in that same chapter I just desire to link it together because here really is how the Lord will fulfill the gift of spiritual life and it's couched in these words no man no woman no boy or girl no man can come to me except the father which has sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day none come unless the father draw oh the Lord knows any of us here tonight but have children that today are right out in the world and the

[38:09] Lord knows where they are but let me try to encourage any poor trembling father or mother here this evening even with this thought they are not beyond the limit of God's love oh think of your case and my case fenced with Jehovah's shells and wheels firm as the everlasting hills the appointed time rolls on a pace not to propose but called by grace to change the heart renew the will and turn their feet to Zion's hill you know I look back to a day many years ago when our son Brian and myself we had our dear father-in-law's van and we went up to Oxford to get all the books a whole case full of books that our son Bernard had used in his studies in

[39:15] Christchurch University oh but you know there was such a contrast to those two sons one of them through God's grace feared God and that from his youth the other and still is as far from God as sheep can run as far as we can understand but I shall never forget coming back with all these books and my soul was burdened about this son of ours and that hymn I have mentioned a verse or two of oh how it was with me in that journey from Oxford the appointed time rose on a pace not to propose but called by grace to change the heart renew the will and turn the feet to Zion's hill oh what a journey it was to me about this son of ours and yet there he is still in the world and of it and yet he's not beyond the limits of God's love oh we have the record in holy rip do we not of some poor vile sinners

[40:32] Mary Magdalene out of whom the Lord cast seven devils and those that we read of and the soul of Tarsus among them so you will see then this subject what a deep there is in it and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding now I may now I may soon say amen but this is so bound together this is so bound together you see those that possess this wisdom those that are motivated by the fear of God with it there will ever be a burden regarding the second part of this verse and to depart from evil is understanding oh have you ever known what it is to cry with one of our hymns that says may I from every sin as from a serpent fly a poor to touch the thing unclean but rather choose to die now this will be a continual burden with those who truly fear God there will be this the fear of

[42:01] God within them it's like a monitor speaks to our conscience motivates our life and then we shall join with dear Joseph I know it was in a particular way and yet we should join with him when he said how can I do this great wickedness and sin against the Lord he was motivated by that tender fear oh how he needed it in that awful hour of temptation but you know there's another word that I would just bring before you in closing this evening this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners that is why he came this is and you know that there's another word

[43:01] I do not know if I could just turn to it I may not be able to and I cannot just get it if I could use such a word I might be able just to read it to you I've read one verse to you this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief but there's another word and I may not be able just to find it I wish in a sense that I could that doesn't really matter I have found it just to try and leave you with this subject and unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom but what follows is vitally important and to depart from evil is understanding and this will be a continual burden with us in our life has it been a burden with us today because every day you'll be made aware that you're a sinner you'll be made aware of your failings how short you come but there's this word that I was trying to get nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his and that's often quoted but what follows is equally important and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity oh this is the burden of these dear souls and it will be a burden to their end it was said of

[45:03] William Gadsby he drew near to the end of his life one of his greatest fears was that he would fall he would fall but much I fear lest in some hour a sore temptation I shall fall and yielding to the tempter's power faithless shall prove and give up all well may the Lord in mercy bless his own word amen it was closed when I singing hymn number 970 to the tune Nearington 884.

[46:24] Hymn number 970. Holy Father God of love, throne in majesty above, just and true are all thy ways worthy of eternal praise.

[46:45] Hymn number 970. Holy Father God of love, throne in majesty above, just and true are all thy ways worthy of eternal praise.

[47:24] Who prays In my heart May my grace And with the joy Of my grace God is surely made on me, see you, and thy glory in every day.

[48:06] Holy Jesus, Lamb of God, send thy healing word of God.

[48:28] Show us, Lord, and thine and heart, let me see thy holy night.

[48:46] Holy Spirit, bringing bread, work in us thy precious grace.

[49:06] Let us with the sand we east, furnish us with every grace.

[49:25] Holy Spirit, bring us thy holy night.

[49:37] Teach us who's that, give us a song. Oh, let me like me, pray for him, and glory, and thy glory.