Job 33:22-33 – GROUNDED!

Job 33:22-33 – GROUNDED!

"The airline will be grounded as long as it takes to get a resolution on this.'' With these words Mr Joyce (CEO) locked out all workers in dispute with QANTAS and grounded all domestic and international flights. Tens of thousands of passengers worldwide were standed.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard then moved to intervene in the dispute. She did this by going to Fair Work Australia, Australia's workplace regulator. They stepped in as requested and forced Qantas and the unions to cease all industrial action and find mediation to resolve their dispute within 21 days before being ordered into formal arbitration.

In Job 33 another Job is at stake. Elihu speaks directly to the man called Job. He speaks about a MEDIATOR to resolve Job’s apparent dispute with God in a fair way. The Mediator would have to have the authority of a celestial arbitration tribunal and the objectivity of justice itself. He would enforce the rules with impartiality and integrity. He would give instructions for the best outcome.

It seems to Elihu that Job is on STRIKE. Emotions have been vented but Job has not admitted that he is in the wrong. Job will not budge and things remain unresolved. According to Elihu, Job is suffering the consequences of his conduct, and things will only get worse. For him the issues are clear. The objectives are plain. The options have already been analysed, discussed, and refined. Now it’s time to act. Job has to admit that he is in the wrong before the mediator can bring healing to the situation.

I am beginning to like Elihu as he pictures how all of us need a mediator. He’s wrong about Job but it occurs to me that so much of what he says relates to Christ as our mediator. Listen to what he says and you’ll see what I mean. He says…

1. FIND THE RIGHT MEDIATOR. Elihu says Job 33:23 (NLT) “But if an angel from heaven appears— a special messenger (MEDIATOR) to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright … (Job 33:23-24 NLT). 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NLT) says “For there is only one God and one MEDIATOR who can RECONCILE God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.”

2. BE WILLING TO BE CORRECTED. Elihu says that this mediator is One who gives instructions about how to live as God intends, and corrects people when they get out of line (Job 33:23). Does God CORRECT followers of Christ? Yes! Hebrews 12:5-6 (NLT) says “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when He CORRECTS you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” Is God correcting Job? No! The principle is correct but Elihu is applying it to the wrong person. Just because someone is sick does not mean God is correcting, disciplining and punishing them.

3. A MEDIATOR ASKS ON OUR BEHALF. Elihu says that this mediating messenger will INTERCEDE for (mediate, plead, intervene, negotiate, ask on behalf of) the person and declare him to be right (Job 33:23-33). Romans 8:26-34 (NASB) echoes exactly this thought when it says the Holy Spirit and Christ INTERCEDE for us “the Spirit Himself INTERCEDES … for the saints according to the will of God”… “Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also INTERCEDES for us.”

4. A MEDIATOR FINDS A WAY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. As a result of this intercession before God the Father, I am declared UPRIGHT exactly as Elihu says (Job 33:23). 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) says “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made RIGHT with God through Christ.”

5. A MEDIATOR GOES THE EXTRA MILE. Elihu says that this mediator will offer us GRACE; UNDESERVED FAVOUR (Job 33:24). Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) says “God saved you by His GRACE when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a GIFT from God. Salvation is NOT A REWARD for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

6. A MEDIATOR PROVIDES A RESCUE PLAN. Elihu says that the mediator will “RESCUE him from the grave” (Job 33:24). Colossians 1:13 (NLT) says that the Father “… has RESCUED us (those who have trusted in Christ and what He has done for them on the Cross) from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son…”

7. A MEDIATOR IS WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE TO FIND THE WAY AHEAD. Elihu says the mediator finds a “RANSOM for his life” (Job 33:24).’ Once again the Bible says that Christ provided Himself as my RANSOM. Matthew 20:28 (NLT) “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a RANSOM for many.”

8. A MEDIATOR BRINGS ABOUT RESTORATION. Elihu speaks of restoration and healing when we respond to this mediator. Job 33:25 (NLT) says “Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again.” Isaiah 53:3-5 (NLT) gives a prophecy about Christ and says “… He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be HEALED.” He is the great physician, who heals me physically, emotionally and spiritually.

9. A MEDIATOR BRINGS BOTH PARTIES TOGETHER. Elihu says in Job 33:26 that when someone responds to the mediator and prays they will be ACCEPTED by God. He says “When he prays to God, he will be ACCEPTED. And God will RECEIVE him with joy and RESTORE him to good standing.” Romans 15:7 (NLT) echoes this acceptance by God of those who follow Christ. “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has ACCEPTED you so that God will be given glory.” Ephesians 3:12 (NLT) says “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.”

10. A MEDIATOR HELPS US SEE OURSELVES CLEARLY. In Job 33:27 Elihu says that when a person responds to this mediator “He will declare to his friends, ‘I SINNED and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it.”
In 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT) Paul says ““Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime EXAMPLE of his great patience with even the worst SINNERS. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life.” Romans 5:8 (NLT) says “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still SINNERS.”

11. A MEDIATOR GIVES LIGHT FOR THE WAY AHEAD. Elihu says in Job 33:28 NLT that after responding to the mediator, we can say “God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with LIGHT.’ … so they may enjoy the LIGHT OF LIFE.” In John 8:12 (NLT) Jesus made it clear when He says “I am the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the LIGHT that leads to life.” Ephesians 5:8-11 spells out what it means to follow Christ as the Light “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have LIGHT from the Lord. So live as PEOPLE OF LIGHT! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”

12. A MEDIATOR DESIRES A JUST RESOLUTION. In Job 33:31 Elihu says to Job “… I am anxious to see you JUSTIFIED.” Romans 3:23-24 (NIV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are JUSTIFIED freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 5:1 (NIV) says “Therefore, since we have been JUSTIFIED through faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

This speech of Elihu foreshadows Christ. It has amazing parallels. He says in effect to Job, “God is seeking to warn and correct you. He wants to save you from eternal death and destruction. In order to do that He has sent you a mediator who pays a ransom for you (Christ offered Himself as a ransom). This ransom pays the price for your deliverance and restoration. Then, after you are restored you will tell others how you have been saved by grace.”

Psalms 56:13 (NLT) expresses beautifully what transpired when I believed in Christ as my Mediator. “For You have rescued me from death; You have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in Your presence, O God, in Your life-giving light.” What about you? Are you on strike and grounded? Has the dispute you have with God been resolved? The promise God is making you today is “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved….” (Acts 16:31 NLT). Your life was meant to soar.

QANTAS - Q Questions to God A Answers in Christ N Needing a Mediator T Trusting in Christ A Accepting Him into your life S Strike over.

Pastor Ross

Created 7 months ago