Job

[0:00] Seeking the Lord's help direct your attention to the book of Job chapter 23.

[0:20] Read verses 1, 2 and 3. The book of Job chapter 23 verses 1, 2 and 3.

[0:32] Then Job answered and said, Even today is my complaint bitter. My stroke is heavier than my groaning.

[0:45] Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat. Word that we have often perhaps looked at Job's case and the Lord's gracious dealings.

[1:09] And yet in those deep dispensations through which Job was called to go. So, Satan desired that he might be permitted to afflict him and the Lord permitted him.

[1:29] But now we come to a time with Job, not only in his sore afflictions, but we have this word then, Job.

[1:39] There is something that has taken place. And that is, my friends, to act to his grief and his sorrow and to make his complaint so bitter, unbearably so, that his stroke is heavier than his groanings.

[2:01] If you know what it is, that your burden is so increased, you are so oppressed, so cast down, that the burden is heavier than your groanings.

[2:16] You will realize that Eliphaz had been answering Job.

[2:29] There is a very poor point, my friends, is this, that Job's three friends were no comfort to him in his affliction.

[2:39] It's amazing, perhaps, when we consider that Job's three friends, when God permitted Satan to take away his family, his earthly substance, and to afflict him so sore that Job had friends.

[3:02] Now, my friends, what a mercy, there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. These three friends of Job, we read this, Now, when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came, every one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildeg the Shuhite, and Sopher the Naathamthite, for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

[3:38] And when they lifted up their eyes afar off and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept, and they rent every one his mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

[3:53] So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

[4:07] Now they begin to tear Job to pieces. No wonder Job says, O wretched comforters are you all!

[4:18] My friends, we cannot rest upon any comfort from the arm of flesh.

[4:29] The word of God tells us this, The most upright man is sharper than a thorn edge. And Job is in the midst of this now, And the anguish of his soul.

[4:44] See, calamity upon calamity, Affliction upon affliction came upon him. We know that Job was brought to that place when he was as dust and ashes.

[5:01] But see, the Lord was looking down in his infinite mercy and love. And upon his servant Job, he loved him with an everlasting love.

[5:12] And Job had the root of the matter in him. And when the Lord turned and had mercy upon him, he also reproves his three friends, saying, Ye have not spoken of me, as hath my servant Job.

[5:30] No, no. See, we read in all this, Job sin not, nor charge God foolishly. But all my friends sometimes see the bitterness of it, that you know not what to do or how to bear it.

[5:49] But what a mercy, then if we know the secret, that is, O that I knew where I might find him. Yeah.

[6:00] This one who is saved unto the uttermost, this the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

[6:11] Job was no stranger. He had known and tasted that the Lord was gracious. But see now, the Lord had hid himself for a season from him.

[6:25] And my friends, see there is no other. Now could the creature help for Jesus? Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that he might go.

[6:42] Now Job's search for him. And my friends, if you, he hides his face from you, and you will seek after him, and there will be a diligent inquiry.

[6:56] You look into his holy word, you cannot find him. You tend the ordinances of his house, and he shows not himself. You hear the preaching of the gospel, yieldeth you nothing, and your poor soul cries out, Oh, that I knew where I might find him.

[7:18] My friends, you may find others, that'll be no avail. No. If we cannot find him, what have we?

[7:28] We've nothing. If we cannot, if we do not by faith behold our precious Christ, no wonder, Paul says, I determine to know nothing among you men save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

[7:46] And to see Job, if only he could find him. If he knew where he was, and yet you see the faith in the heart of Job, he said, He knoweth the way that I take.

[8:02] When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. And again, he knoweth the thing that is appointed for me. And many such things are with him.

[8:12] Job never murmured and complained against the Lord in this. But my friends, see, he couldn't bear it without his sweet presence. There are two things here.

[8:25] And the first is, see, Job knew he alone could help him and do him good. And secondly, he was no stranger to this seat, that I might come even to his seat.

[8:42] What is his seat? Is it not a throne of grace? He can't come there himself. No man cometh unto me except my Father, which is in heaven.

[8:57] Draw him. My friends, and to see we, you hear many, in our day, to speaking of prayer, as though they can bow before God and to have liberty and freedom to pour out their heart and tell him, my friends, how much is real, vital, godly prayer.

[9:21] It's the groanings. There is more prayer in that word of Job when he cries out, Oh, that I knew where I might find him.

[9:34] What a petition, my friends. What a prayer. Does it not enter into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth? Does he not hear their groanings, views their sorrows and their grief?

[9:51] Yes. He doth, he sees, and he watches over them. By saying, what prayer there is here. And yet, see, Job would not be satisfied here, but that I might come even to his seat.

[10:07] Is there a burden so cast down because of the roughness of the way? My friends, don't think for one moment you'll get any ease or comfort here until you find this precious Christ.

[10:24] No, when we have him, we have everything, and without him, we have nothing. And it does no good, my friends, to know others have got him, but see, to seek out that portion, to seek that blessing.

[10:41] as you seek to bear that there are trials and afflictions and sorrow and grief are too before the Lord that he will undertake for you.

[10:57] Oh, my friends, as I mention in prayer, that prayer of the dear woman, Lord, help me. Ah, that if I knew where I might find him, what will you do if you find him?

[11:12] Will you not embrace him in the arms of faith? Would you let him go then? No, if Job could have found him, there was only one he sought after.

[11:25] And my friends, see, it's Christ and him crucified. One there is above all others well deserves the name of friend. Yes, he that sticketh closer than a brother, he that alone can save a poor sinner here and can lift him up by lifting up the light of his countenance upon him.

[11:48] Now, see, Job says, Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat. Why did Job want to come to his seat? My friends, because of that blood sprinkled mercy's seat.

[12:03] Here a sinner is accepted. Here is where a poor soul may pour out his heart to the Lord. He'd tell him of all his grief and all his sorrow, but is that all he would tell him?

[12:17] Be far from him. Would, what if you found him tonight, what would you, your request be? What would be your petition unto the Lord?

[12:30] What would you tell him? Would you tell him of all the troubles, all the sorrows, all the griefs, and everything you may number up? No. My friends, if I found him tonight, I'll tell you what I'd do.

[12:44] I'd tell him how I loved him, and how I couldn't live here without him, that I might come even to his seat. I would tell him how I, my soul, longed for him, that he would never hide himself again from my poor soul.

[13:07] Job says, Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat. See, to draw from that fullness that is in Christ, my friends, for all his needs.

[13:20] Yes, and to have those blessings of his truth in the heart. see the freedom of worship, the Holy Spirit to be poured upon him, and to that liberty in seeking the Lord.

[13:41] Because Job tells us this, he says, I would know the words which he would answer me. You see the exercise of faith, my friends?

[13:52] Job knew what the Lord would say if he could but find him. And understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his great power, though he is almighty and eternal God?

[14:07] No. But he would put strength in me, that is, enabling him to wrestle and prevail, to lay hold.

[14:18] My friends, it's when we've got no strength, when everything, all our strength is gone. There's none shut up to live. When we are at wit's end and know not what to do, then see, to be brought.

[14:34] And what a blessing to have, these holy longings, these thirstings, oh, that I knew where I might find him. It's no wonder the church said to the daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find him who my soul loveth, tell him that I am sick of love.

[14:56] Yeah. Oh, my friends, how good it is when there is an inquiry of one among another, even they that profess to love and serve God, to this, have you found him whom your soul loveth?

[15:14] Yeah. When you leave the house of God, my friends, is it a question, have I found him? Have I seen him? Has he revealed himself through the lattice, that we can truly say, Now I see, whate'er betide, all is well, if Christ be mine.

[15:35] Yeah. See, this isn't anything of the flesh, my friends, this is the Lord's work in the souls of his people. This is springing from the principle of grace within.

[15:49] These longings, longings, yes, these pinings, prove that Christ is near, to testify his grace, call on him with unceasing prayer, for he will show his face.

[16:04] Oh, my friends, I am persuaded in this, see, if there were more petitions than more errands to the throne of grace, there be a more profitable state in our souls.

[16:20] You would? Because the Lord loves, my friends, to hear his people call. He loves to hear the bleating of the ewes, as well as the bane of the lambs.

[16:34] Oh, yes. You know, you sang, ye lambs of Christ's fold, ye weaklings in faith, who long to lay hold on life by his death.

[16:44] Well, if you are but a lamb, you will know something in measure of what it is as Job did, oh, that I knew where I might find him.

[16:55] Tell me, O thou best beloved, where thou feedest thy flock, where thou makest them to rest at noon, for why should I be as one that turneth aside by thy companions?

[17:10] What was the answer? Go and feed thy kids beside the shepherd's tent. Oh, my friends, have you come tonight with this cry in your heart, that you might find him, because of the troubles of your heart, the difficulties of the way, the things that get darker and heavier, you wonder where the sin is going to end with you, and now perhaps there are other things that are added to your sorrow and your grief, so that it's overwhelming, yeah, and you are brought to wit's end, in and of yourself, you can't do anything, but oh, if you could find him, oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his sea.

[18:09] Job was not ignorant, my friends, are you, am I, of what it is to come to the mercy seat, that seat sprinkled with his own blood, that open way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is his flesh, he's opened that way, he's marked it out with blood, I love what one says, lest they should mistake the way, he marked it out with blood, a sinner cannot lose his way, here, no, he can't, it is no wonder whether a prophet said this, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, though I fall, yet shall I arise, when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me, see, these, your soul, if you're a living soul, you can live upon carnal things, you need spiritual food, you need the Lord to descend from heaven, immortal dove, stoop down and take me on thy wing, but see, in these longings after him, in this diligent seeking of him, and with that desire that I might come even to his seat.

[19:35] My friends, it's the blessing unspeakable and full of glory to come to his seat. Why?

[19:46] Well, let us consider the words of God concerning the seat. Here will I meet with you, here will I commune with you from above the mercy seat.

[20:03] We think of Hannah when she came year by year to offer up the yearly sacrifice, and here was one whom the Lord had shut and no man could open in her grief and in her sorrow, and see, in her case we find how the Lord permits, the adversary to harass and distress.

[20:32] Oh, my friends, he's no less adversary in our day. We need to be kept by the grace of God that we do not fall under his influence and grieve the children of God.

[20:47] No. But see, she was provoked so that she fret, but the day come when she found him. It was in this, truly, it was it not her case, as she came into the temple, oh, that I knew where I might find him.

[21:08] But see, the day came when she did find him, and when she knew what it was to be called unto the mercy seat, that I might come.

[21:21] Yeah, I believe this is strange to a professor to think, well, why can't they go to the throne of Christ? My friends, we may bow before the Lord, we arise from the throne of Christ, we still have our burden, what is it to come to his seat?

[21:40] It is then this, you will cast your all upon him there, you'll lose your burden here, you will, because he is the burden bearer of his people, and see, when Hannah found him whom her soul loveth, so that she poured out her soul before the Lord, my friends, what a state to come to, to pour out, that is, that broken heart and a contrite spirit, she poured out, in the agony of her soul, she poured out her heart before the Lord, we know Eli judged her being drunken, but my friends, see, here was a climax in her case, when she could go no longer, and she found him, what I want to set forth is this, the blessings, my friends, that flow here, see, the time of love will come to this soul, that it is so earnest, seeking after him, yes, who have seen such a fullness treasured up in Christ, such a preciousness in him, yes, so that, such a suitability for all the needs, for the case, for the condition, and, see, when Hannah poured out her heart before the

[23:21] Lord, my friends, what a change, and what a change there is when the Lord permits or reveals himself, I was going to say, the sinner finds him, or when Christ finds his sinner, when the Lord condescends to come, see, then that soul pours out her heart unto the Lord, that I might come even to his seat, we read of Hannah that she rose up and ate and drank and her countenance was no more sad, it couldn't be, it couldn't, if ever anything had changed your countenance, my friends, is if they are favoured to come to the mercy seat, that seed sprinkled with the precious blood, acceptance in the beloved, they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus, I fear my friends in our day, the world looks upon the people of God and I am certain of this, that the world is stand amized, they do not take knowledge that we have been with Jesus, no,

[24:40] I fear my friends this, the solemnity of it and this our evil day, but see Hannah her countenance was no more sad, and she rose up, she hadn't got the blessing my friends, she had it in faith, yes she had, she had been favored, she never went home burdened and cast down, knowing that he that had shut, he had now opened, for the Lord had shut her womb, and the Lord can open a womb, and he will for his own honor and for his own glory, yes he will, and to see as the Lord answered her petition, now see the blessings of God here, when a poor soul, I say poor, he's poor in himself, but he's rich in Christ, and his favor to come to this mercy seat, and to there, to tell the Lord his grief, his sorrow, here he will tell him of his sins, of his wanderings, and his departings, and yet he will also tell him how much he loves him, oh he will, see my friends, a union here, and communion with

[26:08] Christ, yes, now is it what your soul longs for, if you could, if only the Lord would appear for you, he would come, enter the chamber of my breast, thyself prepare the room, for shouldst thou stay till thou canst meet, reception worthy thee, with sinners thou wouldst never sit, at least I'm sure with me, oh my friends, what a blessing to be so occupied, I say, to be occupied at the throne of grace, in stillness seeking, springing from the work of grace, springing from the word of God, in the heart, this is where this desire spring from, they don't spring from anything of the flesh, my friends, it's not just mere uttering a few words before the

[27:08] Lord, it's groaning, weeping, pleading, wrestling, for the Lord to break through the cloud, and to appear unto you, and undertake for you, because of tribulation and trials, you need him to come, and that you might come, even to his seat, to that mercy seat, where there is forgiveness with the Lord, where the blessings of God flow down, to guilty, hell-deserving sinners, that they, as one said, they cannot ask too much, no, you can't, you want the blessings, my friends, don't you, of what one said, thou art coming to a king, large petitions with thee bring, for his grace, mercy, and grace are such, none can ever ask too much, no, do you ask for great things, do you ask for these blessings in your soul, if only you could come to that sea, where there is acceptance, where the

[28:22] Lord will condescend to, as the church says, calls me to hear it, to hear the voice of your beloved, and to commune with your soul, you want the blessing of Jeremiah, when the Lord came unto him, and said, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee, the blessings flow from the wounds of a crucified saviour, here my friends, see, one of their poets, he says this, concerning the Lord's people, how low they sink at times, but he says this, they'll never think, they're laid too low, if Jesus on them pity show, neither will they, if you, if the

[29:23] Lord undertakes we, the Lord appears and brings you, and causes you to come, to him, unto his seat, my friends, you won't look upon what you passed through, ye therefore now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy, no man taketh from you, no, my friends, it's a treasure, that cannot be stolen, it cannot be corrupted with rust, no, it's a treasure in heaven, where the rust doth not corrupt, and thieves cannot break through and steal, the devil may steal away your comforts here, but he can't steal away your treasure in heaven, no, he can't, but oh, my friends, you can't live here without him, can you, we could, and did we not, in our days of unregeneracy, living in the world, yeah, and without hope, and without

[30:26] God in the world, they are poor mortals, my friends, they know no different, and such would we have been, but for the grace of God, would we have ever have had these desires after him, would it ever been a groan and a cry in our heart, oh, that I knew where I might find him, oh, you will seek after him, you will turn, look into his word, but see, the word of God becomes a sealed book, you cannot find him, it's as a towel that is told, isn't it, you can't draw anything, my friends, unless the Lord enlightens the eyes of the understanding, unless there's an application, unless the Holy Ghost applies it, the Lord's people are not allowed to steal the word of God, they must have it applied, and to see how often the Lord is silent, ah, what a change, when the

[31:37] Lord shows himself, through the lattice of his word, through the lattice of the ordinance of his house, through the lattice of the gospel at times, what heavenly light shines into the soul, they that are sitting in darkness have seen a great light, see, the Lord turns, my friends, the darkness into die, but oh, it's a time of searching, seeking, of the Lord, a diligent, going backward, going forward, on the right hand, on the left, and you cannot behold him, and yet, in the midst of all this, see, Job proved, my friends, that there was a sweetness in it, and to that, with all that he had to endure now, that when the Lord had tried him, he'd come forth as gold, he assailed the Lord in it, that is, his only hope was in his blood, in the finished work of Christ, you may say, but then the

[32:53] Lord hadn't come in those days, my friends, they look by faith unto the day when Christ would come, they saw his day, as Abraham saw his day, and was glad, oh, that I knew where I might find him, oh, I've said many times, my friends, there cannot be among the saints of God, those that fear God, there cannot be a more joy when there is a coming together, and our conversation is this, I have found him who my soul loveth, come, and I will tell you what he has said unto my soul, I will tell you where I found him, and what I told him, we read this, and they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, there's so much to die, my friends, that the name of the Lord isn't mentioned, a precious

[34:06] Christ is left out of it, there's something wrong, yes, there is, if we are there diligently seeking him, you will watch for the Lord, and if you come into company, my friends, you will want, you will seek, that the conversation will be in heaven, tell me, ye that love him, have you know where he is, have you found him, oh, that I knew, see, it's a personal thing, yes, but what I say in unspeakable blessing, my friends, if the Lord has thus worked in our heart, that we cannot live here without him, if there is a seeking of him, and there is that distress, because we can't find him, and because he is silent, and he may be silent for a season, for his own honour, and for his own glory, and for the good of never-dying souls, in love I correct thee, here, my friends, you prove his chastenings, his corrections, yeah, but all the blessings that are couched beneath here, you know, we've often sung, haven't we, that hymn, when he said, one said, they would not, for the world exchange, they would not change their blessed estate, for all the world calls good or great,

[35:43] I believe you'd offer this soul ten thousand, thousand worlds, it would mean nothing to him, it would be, give me Christ, or else I die, tell me where he is, if you have seen him, his one desire I have, and nothing else, oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat, that I may tell him, yes, I tell him of my grief and sorrow, I would tell him what a sinner I am, I would tell him how unworthy I am of the least of his mercies, but I would tell him I couldn't be, from, I could from all things parted be, but never, never, Lord, from thee, all those blessings in the soul, now what blessings flow, my friends, when you come even to his seat, when the

[36:48] Lord blesses with his spirit, see, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, the soul is in holy delight here, and see, not only as he blesses and praises God, and tells him all his pains, and all his sorrows, all his grief, and how much he loves him, but see, the Lord communicates with him, and what will the Lord say to this poor soul here, I'll tell you in the substance what the Lord has said, thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, and therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee, for a moment I withdrew, and thy heart was filled with pain, but my mercies are renewed, thou shalt soon rejoice again, very soon my wrath shall cease, tis but for a moment's space, ending in eternal peace, yes, see my friends, here the

[38:04] Lord teaches the soul, the fullness of his word, in me ye shall have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world, yes, and if you find him, I have said before, we know not my friends, where we may have to go to find him, no, I thought of the days past, in the great sorrow and distress, but little did we realize, that to find him whom I so love must come and visit one on a dying bed, but oh how sacred, how sweet, my friends, with Christ in the vessel, we smile at the storm, we have everything, if we can find him, and come to, even to his seat, and without it, we have nothing at all, we are poor, wretched, miserable, and undone sinners, we are, it's something my friends, see, it's each, it's heaven below, here, when that soul has the sweet freedom of his spirit, and there, communicating unto the

[39:34] Lord, and the Lord says, let me, thou that art in the cleft of the stairs, let me hear thy voice, let me see thy countenance, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely, and as thou, my friends, it is the blessing of God, that he hath given us this desire, and made himself more precious for, than life and all its comforts are, more precious than my daily food, more vital than my vital blood, Job said, I have esteemed thy words, more than my necessary food, but he is in one mind, and who can turn him?

[40:30] No, we can't hasten him, no, the Lord will not get in a hurry, and my friends, see, another point, that I might come even to his seed, is this, that Job knew that he was a guilty a sinner, now see to come, what is it, in the fullness of it is this, to have Christ revealed as your advocate, your great high priest, your mediator, the one that stands between, in garments dyed in blood, tis he instead of us has seen, when we approach to God, that I might come even to his seed, now to view Christ in his sufferings, for our sin, standing in our room, place and stead, to know that he died, knowing that not for all our groanings, not for all our petitions, my friends, does the blessing of

[41:40] God come. Could I spend my life in tears? It couldn't avail anything. It comes to one source, it's this, I have prayed for thee, it's his intercession, yes, when he takes up the cases of his people, he is the God-man, the mediator, as John says, with any man's sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, now to come to his seat, to behold the Lamb of God, as slain, as it were, from before the foundation of the world, my friends, and it is his intercession for his dear saints.

[42:40] Now see, here is where the guilty sinner is cleansed from all sin, here it is where he enjoys the love of Christ, his Saviour, with dear Thomas, when the Lord came unto him, and said, Reach hither thy finger, put it in the print of the nail, and thrust thy hand into my side, and be not faithless, but believing, me saith, my Lord, and my God.

[43:16] Ah, my friends, this is what you seek after, isn't it? How many of you, prayers now, have been blessed by the Lord has favoured you in days past, but how often you are so severely tried now, maybe you're in such a state, that you wonder if the Lord has ever begun the work of grace in your heart, and what is your prayer?

[43:45] Oh, that I knew where I might find him, so you're not a stranger then. You know your need of him, and what a mercy, my friends, because to know our need, as one said, all the fitness he requireth is to feel our need of him, this he gives us, tis the spirit's rising beam, yeah, and I say, when you by faith you view him as your saviour, yes, your great high priest, that one who spake unto his church, saying, when Zion said, the Lord, my Lord, hath forsaken me, my Lord, hath forgotten me, but say, the Lord saith, can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb, yea, they may forget, yet will

[44:48] I not forget thee, poor downcast soul, I'll leave you with these words, they seem to impress upon my spirit, pensive, doubting, fearful heart, hear what Christ the saviour says, every word should joy impart, change thy mourning into joy, yes, he speaks, and speaks to thee, say, poor sinner, love is so me, amen.