This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 31:1
1 I made [karath] a covenant [bariyth] with mine eyes [`ayin]; why then should I think [biyn] upon a maid [bathuwlah]? KJV-Interlinear
1 'I Have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin? NASB
Between Jobs conscious mind and the desires driven by his eyes, or by his senses (touch, taste, sight, sound, smell), and the lusts driven by his wants and needs, Job has come to an understanding, an agreement, a contract, a promise with himself.
On the one hand, the conscious mind will not drive or be driven by his lusts, desires or senses. And, on the other hand, his senses will not drive or be driven by his patterns of thought.
Job has elected to pursue his life in accordance with truth and not the carnal characteristics of the world.
The only way he can do this, is to fill his soul with doctrine. And the only way he can do that is to have studied on a regular basis, believing what he studied, accepting what he learned, and applying it to his daily life.
Job has established his life solidly in the principles taught in the scriptures.
We already know from our study of the first chapter that Job followed the sacrifice principles regularly. The one in particular is the confession sacrifice. So, we know that Job lived within the fellowship sphere throughout his life.
The virgin or maid is a reference to the virgin state of a young woman. And this is a reference to the relationship Job has with God.
In a marriage between two people, there is a bond, a contract of sorts, in which they are loyal and bonded to each other. As the marriage has many components, both physical and mental, each party is loyal and consistent in the application of these marital attributes with each other. Neither withholding, neither cheating, neither compromising their relationship.
Thus, it is with the relationship between man and God. Our relationship with God, comes through the Son. That is the foundation of Christianity. It was the same in Jobs day, even though Job did not have the historical reality of the Cross yet. Job looked forward to the Cross, the savior, his redeemer and advocate, while we have the privilege of looking back to the Cross.
In our relationship with God, we have made a covenant, and contract, an agreement, in which we promise to keep an ever-watching eye on our spiritual status. We call that fellowship, or confession resulting in fellowship.
The virgin is the purity of an innocent relationship. While cheating on that relationship, is a compromise, a corruption, a turning to some other type of idol or object of desire. Sin and human good are both ends of the carnal nature spectrum.
Dabbling in sin or human good is the same as cheating, desiring, entertaining ones self with the prostitution concepts of life. Life outside of Bible doctrine.
Therefore, Job has entrenched within his own mind, to subscribe to and live by, the principles taught by God.
He both practices, as best he can, those things that are right and true in life. He makes a conscious effort to monitor his own thoughts and actions, moment by moment, day by day, in order to confess when necessary and remain in fellowship as much as is humanly possible.
We all fail in life. Job has already stated that he is not a perfect person, but a sinner, as we all are. But the one thing that separates the mature believer from the immature believer, is the conscious effort by which the mature believer monitors, maintains, and administers his spiritual life.
The mature believer actually pursues his spiritual life, academically and experientially. The immature believer, either ignores his spiritual life, or makes up excuses, or redefines his own views as to what is the spiritual life, and abides by beliefs that are convenient to his thinking pattern.
The mature believer is objective and constantly analyzing his relationship with God. The immature believer is constantly analyzing his spiritual relationship as compared to his own defined beliefs.
The mature believer can look in the mirror and see that he is but a speck of dust, and prays to God for help and spiritual growth and wisdom.
The immature believer can look in the mirror but cannot see the word 'Stupid,' stamped on their forehead, but presumes that he is doing all, if not more, than can be expected of himself.
