If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.
3 sermons cite this verse
… that's a great deal truly I know it's so but how can a man be righteous before God if one wished to contend with him he could not answer him one time out of a thousand God is wise and hard and mighty and strength who has hardened himself against him and prospered he removes the mountains, and they do not know him. When he overturns them in his anger, he shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble. He commands the sun, and it does not rise. He seals off the stars. He alone spreads out the heavens. He treads on the waves of the sea. He made the bear, that is the constellation. Some of you know it as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Orion and Polites and the chambers of the south. He does great things past finding out. Yes, wonders without number. If he goes by me, I do not see him. If he moves past, I do not perceive him. If he takes away, that is, if he takes somebody's life, takes somebody away, who can hinder him? Who can say to him, what are you doing? God will not withdraw his anger. The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath him. Now this idea, Job is basically saying God is sovereign and he controls the universe. And so who can say to him, what are you doing? Paul sort of picks up on this thought in Romans chapter nine, does he not? When he said, how can the clay say to the potter, …
… If one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. Still speaking of the Lord God, wise in heart and mighty in strength, who has defied him without harm? See the fear that there is in him. It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how. When he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble, referring to clearly an earthquake. Or a volcano. Who commands the sun not to shine and sets a seal on the stars. Who alone stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea. Who makes the bear. Orion and Pleiades. The chambers of the south. He goes to the stellar spaces. And he alone does that. Who does great things, unfathomable, wondrous works without number. yes I know a great God is what I need is an audience with him look at him he is the one who does all of this about us and he is enormous and I fear him I stand before him in awe and wonder all I want is to be able to approach him and talk this out you haven't helped me do that build that. …
Then Job answered, in truth, I know that this is so, but how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. Wise in heart and mighty in strength, who has defied him without harm? Verse 32, for he is not a man as I am, that I may answer him, that we may go to court together. There is no umpire, there's no arbitrator between us, no defense attorney between us, who may lay his hand upon us both. Let him remove his rod from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. Then across the page, just one section more in chapter 10, verse 17. You renew your witness against me and increase your anger toward me. Hardship after hardship is with me. Why then have you brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me. I should have been as though I had not been carried from womb to tomb. …