THIS IS THE PLACE OF HIM THAT KNOWETH NOT GOD

Pastor James J. Barker

Text: JOB 18:5-21



INTRODUCTION:


  1. The book of Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible. Most Bible teachers believe Job was a contemporary of the patriarchs, particularly Jacob (cf. Gen.36:10; Job 2:11).
  2. The fact that the book of Job makes no reference to the Mosaic Law, nor to any of the events recorded in the book of Exodus indicates that it was probably written before the book of Exodus.
  3. It is one of the poetic books, along with the book of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations.
  4. The subject of the book of Job is the mystery of human suffering and the problem of pain. In Job we see a man who suffered greatly but never gave up on God (cf. 1:1-22; 2:1-10).
  5. After the prologue, we come to the introduction of Job’s three friends (2:11-13). Then, chapter 3 begins a series of discourses by Job and his friends.
  6. In Job, chapter 18, Job’s friend Bildad is giving his second discourse. (He gave his first discourse in chapter 8. He gives his third in chapter 25.)
  7. Bildad gives here a vivid picture of God’s judgment upon the wicked. Bildad was right in saying that men suffer for their sins, but he was wrong in assuming that Job was suffering as a result of some secret sin.
  8. So rather than analyzing Bildad’s discourse in the light of Job’s situation, let us look at it in light of our situation, specifically as a warning to the man "that knoweth not God" (18:21).
  9. Bildad says, "Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God" (18:21).
  1. IT IS A PLACE OF DARKNESS (18:5,6).
    1. The newspapers are full of articles about big "stars," movie stars, TV stars, sports stars, political stars, etc. They shoot across the horizon like sparkling, bright lights.
    2. But the Bible teaches us that the light of the wicked may burn brightly for a little while, but it will soon be put out (Job 18:5,6).
    3. When I was a child, John Lennon was a big star, a loud, flashy star. He was the leader of the Beatles. He told some newspaper reporters that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus Christ. But in 1980, at the age of 40, he was shot and killed by one of his fans (18:5,6).
    4. A few years ago, Bro. Joe Velez and I went to visit a preacher friend in the hospital and we passed through "Strawberry Fields," a section of Central Park dedicated to John Lennon. There were a few doped-out people staggering around, and eerie, spooky music playing from a portable radio (cf. Job 18:21).
    5. "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out…" (18:5). This was a common proverbial expression. In fact, Scofield describes this chapter as "a string of oriental proverbs" (cf. Pro.13:9; 20:20; 24:19,20; Job 21:17).
    6. Perhaps there is some sinner here today that thinks his light will stay lit indefinitely. You are mistaken. The Bible says, "Yea, the light of the wicked shall (not "might" or "could") be put out…" (18:5).
  1. IT IS A PLACE OF TERROR (18:7-14).
    1. The Bible says, "Terrors shall make him afraid on every side…" (18:11). Eventually he must come face to face with "the king of terrors," i.e. death (19:14).
    2. Satan is ready to trip up every unsuspecting sinner. Bildad uses several illustrations to describe the terrors that await those that know not God. He says, "And this is the place of him that knoweth not God" (18:21b). It is a place of terror.
    3. The unsaved man is "cast down" by his own counsel (18:7).
    4. "For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare" (18:8).
    5. The wicked are ensnared in their own traps (18:9,10).
  1. IT IS A PLACE OF BRIMSTONE (18:15).
    1. Brimstone is always symbolic of God’s judgment.
    2. The first time we see the word "brimstone" in the Bible is in the book of Genesis, chapter 19. The Bible says, "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven" (Gen.19:24; cf. Ps.11:6; Rev.14:10; 19:20; 20:10; 21:8).
    3. The Bible vividly describes the lost sinner being "driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world" (18:18).

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