What Is Man Compared To God - Job 9:1-35
 

The Question of a Lifetime (9:1-2) I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? The Lord is infinitely just and holy. Can a man approach this holiness and justice? The obvious answer is NO!

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

We cannot attain to the height and breadth of God’s greatness. How can we approach God? How can we enter into His presence. What do we have to offer the God of the universe? The answer is NOTHING! We cannot justify ourselves before a holy God. We cannot bring ourselves up to His level of majesty and greatness.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Ps 14:1-3

For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; Ps. 102:19

The Question of Comparison (9:3-13) Physical Realm
9:3 We cannot answer back to God
9:4 We cannot fight against His power and strength and prosper or win
9:5-9 His power is awesome and unimaginable in the earth and the universe
9:10-11 His wisdom is beyond our comprehension
9:12 He chooses to bless or take away
9:13 If God will not withdraw his anger or we will perish

The Question of Man’s Knowledge (9:14-18) Mental Realm
9:14 We are not more intelligent than God, nor can argue our point successfully with God
9:15 Even when we are living right we cannot talk back, but we can pray
9:16 It is beyond my imagination to think that He would even converse with me
9:17-18 He discipline and punish if He chooses to do so

The Question of Personal Ability (9:20-24) Human Ability to Speak
9:19-20 My own evaluation is different that God’s evaluation of my ability to speak
9:21 My own imperfections are obvious, even when I see myself as perfect
9:22-23 God is just, and all men suffer
9:24 The world is not just, but the Lord is righteous and just

The Question of Personal Sin (9:25-29) Our True Condition
9:25-26 We only live so long and die. It is never enough time to live.
9:27-28 Man is never just. Men will hold us in contempt and guilty before God
9:29 Why waste time in a vain effort to please God. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

The Question Answered with Truth (9:30-33) The Real Need of Our Lives
9:30-31 We can make a vain attempt to be clean, but it is only God who can cleanse
9:32 Our proclamation of judgment is not the same. We do not reason with God about the end.
9:33 No other advocate can stand between us and God and render a different verdict

The Question Has An Answer (9:34-35) A True Evaluation
9:34 Pray for His mercy and pardon from this miserable life and sin
9:35 Perfect love casts out fear and we can approach God with confidence.