"IS THERE NOT AN APPOINTED TIME?"

JOB 7:1

A. "IS THERE NOT AN APPOINTED TIME TO MAN UPON EARTH? ARE NOT HIS DAYS ALSO LIKE THE DAYS OF AN HIRELING?"
  1. Job, in pain and perplexity, speaks of life as:
    1. A limited time.
    2. A time of service, comparable to that of an hireling, who works for wages.
  2. He sees life:
    1. As made up of hard toil.
    2. Filled with bitter disappointments.
    3. And measured in days.
B. "IS THERE NOT AN APPOINTED TIME TO MAN UPON THE EARTH?"
  1. Since the Bible teaches that, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven", it seems reasonable to conclude that God has a reason for my being in this world:
    1. That would indicate that life is not an accident, it was planned before I was born.
    2. Man was, in the beginning, created to the glory of God.
    3. That purpose is clearly stated in Genesis chapters one and two.
    4. Service is God's design for man - Rom. 14:7
    5. That was the great reason for the coming into this world by the Son of God; He became a servant of servants.
  2. A time limited service:
    1. Man's time is measured in days. "So teach us to number our days." - Ps. 90:12
    2. "For all our days are passed away . . . we spent our years as a tale that is told." - Ps. 90:9, 10
    3. "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle." - Job 7:6
    4. "For we are but of yesterday . . . because our days upon the earth are a shadow." - Job 8:9
    5. "Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away." - Job 9:25
C. WE MAY DRAW FROM OUR OPENING TEXT THE FOLLOWING LESSON
  1. There is, and rightly so, a constant sense of infirmity in human nature:
    1. We are born to die - "it is appointed unto man once to die." - Heb. 9:27
    2. The human mind has difficulty to submit patiently to this doom.
    3. Earthly affections cry out against it; that is especially true when so many things seem to have attached themselves to us.
    4. The thought of utter dissolution seems incredible.
  2. But there is a blessing in this realization:
    1. The knowledge of our brevity in this present life leads us to focus our attention upon the promise of a life to come.
    2. It will endear the promises of God in Christ -- of a better world, a better life, in the world to come.
    3. It shows God's plan of salvation in all its bright colors.
  3. So, dear friends, when life's sorrows and disappointments make our outlook in this life painful and hopeless, let us set our sights upon the heavenly things:
    1. That is what Abraham did - Heb. 11:8-10
    2. That is what God's pilgrims and strangers in all ages did - Heb. 11:13-39
    3. Says Paul, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." - 1 Cor. 15:19
    4. "We, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." - 2 Pet. 3:13
  4. Summary:
    1. Life is service because no man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth to himself - Rom. 14:7
    2. Life is a time limited service -- "That thou doest, do quickly." - John 13:27
    3. And remember that the wages for your hire will be given to you when Christ comes in the clouds of heaven - Rev. 22:12


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