Page 133 - Job

“In a dream, a vision of the night, when sound sleep falls on men,
while they slumber in their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and
seals their instruction.”

He speaks in dreams and visions. Verse 23. He says

“If there is an angel as mediator for him, one out of a thousand, to
remind a man what is right for him, then let him be gracious to him,
and say,”
God speaks through angels. Now, watch. Here is the thrill of this chapter.
Why won’t God speak? Really, Job? He speaks through dreams and
visions. He speaks through angels. Now what does Elihu put in between
dreams and angels? Verse 19,
“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, and with unceasing
complaint in his bones; so that his life loathes bread, and his soul
favorite food. His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones
which were not seen stick out. Then his soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to those who bring death.”
He also speaks through affliction, Job. You want the voice of God? Why
won’t God speak? He speaks once or twice, many times. Sometimes in
visions and dreams and sometimes through angels. Sometimes through
affliction. You have had the voice of God all along, and you have not
listened to it. Verse 29,
“Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men, to bring back his
soul from the pit.”

Trial, affliction, trouble, sickness, hard times. These are all the voice of
God. Proverbs 13:24, “He that spareth the rod hateth his son.” God
deals with us as children, and we are often going to get the rod. Affliction
is a correction. It is not an execution. It is a blessing from God.

Luther calls affliction, “The workings of virtue,” and they are. One of my
commentators called affliction, “The treasury of all of God’s blessings.”
There is nothing like sanctified discipline.
I sat at the feet of the wonderful Bible Professor Dr. Alexander. I will
never forget this one day as he was describing how much better heaven is
than earth. He said one of the ways in which God reveals Himself on
earth is through trouble. You see, if you were to die and go to heaven,
God could never show you how He supports you in times of trouble. If

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