Chapter 12 - A place where gold is refined

Return to Main Page

Overall

• Calvin provided 159 sermons on the Book of Job
• Calvin does not attempt in his sermons to solve the problem raised by Job's suffering; but rather he points to the incomprehensibility of the divine purpose
• Job 40:2 - 2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!"
• Job 40:8 - 8 "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
• Job 40:4 -4 "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.

A place where gold is defined

• Job 23:10 - 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
• God doesn't answer all of Job's questions
• God does not charge Job with sins
• God doesn't rebuke Job for asserting his integrity
• God's approach is to reveal Job's weaknesses and ignorance in comparison to God's power and wisdom. The revelation brings Job to his knees in humble repentance and reverent respect in the presence of His Creator.
• Calvin says that man's goals is usually that the world think well of them and that the world thinks they're honest - - as man "boldly defends their own case, they have no regard for God."

God's ways are incomprehensible

• Job 28 1 "There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. "
• Job is persuaded that God does not always punish men according to the measure of their sins.
• Our best response is to humble ourselves before God and wait until God reveals His secrets to us, the secrets that are incomprehensible to this day.
• We must remember that despite the difficulty or tragedy, that God is always righteous and that His ways are good and right; although incomprehensible to us today.

Let us be silent before God

• The true wisdom of the faithful is to know no more than it has pleased God to show them...
• Let us keep silent before God until we see Him face to face.....

Both the righteous and the wicked suffer

• It is not God's will that his righteousness should always be known to us.

Am I being punished?

• When God afflicts men, it is not always with the purpose of punishing their sins; He sometimes intends it to test their patience.
• Calvin asserts that God cannot be unjust; God has diverse reasons for afflicting men

satan is not in charge

• Job 2:6 - 6The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."
• satan cannot overwhelm us if we are armed with faith

God is our strength in trouble

• "Whenever you feel yourselves weak, do not say "I am weak", but seek the remedy - for it is God's Word...."
• Go read the Word - - and give ear to the promises that are contained therein.....

Job: A Model of self control and patience?

• Patience is not being "unfeeling" and just taking it...
• Patience means we are not overwhelmed by the difficulty and that we never cease to glorify God and is righteous in all respects

The virtue of simplicity

Cast your burden on the Lord

• Psalm 55:22 - 22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
• Ephesians 3:2-3 - 2Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
• Philippians 4:7 - 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
• Prayer does not always change things; we must learn patience.
• When God doesn't appear to hear our cries:
  • God's name is a sure stronghold for all who flee to enter into it
  • God has promised to hear us before we open our mouth

• The answer is - - God is responding in His own manner - - and His ways are above ours....
• It is certain that before we call upon God He is willing and ready to help us because - - where comes the desire to pray? Does it not come from the Holy Spirit? For a man would never of his own mind resort to God.
• Even though God does not appear to hear our prayers - we must continue to call upon Him.
• We should never cease to pray - - in times of prosperity or in times of distress.
• We must wait patiently; for His promises are true; We will see in the end that He has not forgotten us, nor ceased to hear us.
• Consider this - if we are patient and able to continue to pray - - that, in and of itself, is a token that God has heard already and has given you this grace to continue to turn to Him....

Christ's priesthood our certainty

Christ our hope of Heaven

• If we lived one day in this world it would be enough to taste of God's goodness and mercy and to confirm our faith.

Death, be not proud

• Death is contrary to our nature....
• On the other hand, we are held prisoner in a body of sin, some ravaged with sickness...
• And we know - - death is the entrance gate to life
• And - Christ, as our Lord and Savior, has gone first and ahead of us and now, death has no power over us.

Tested as gold in a furnace

• Job 23:8-10 - 8 "But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
• The point is Job cannot know all of God - - but God can know all of Job....

From John Calvin's final sermon on Job

• Afflictions of God's children lasts only a short time; and at times they serve as medicines...

Return to Main Page