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 27:11-12
11 I will teach [yarah] you by the hand [yad] of God ['el]: that which is with the Almighty [Shadday] will I not conceal [kachad].
12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen [chazah] it; why then are ye thus altogether [hebel] vain [habal]? KJV-Interlinear
11 'I will instruct you in the power of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. 12 'Behold, all of you have seen it; Why then do you act foolishly? NASB
The hand or power of God, refer to the tools, the apparatus, the mechanism by which things get done. In this, Job is going to teach principles of doctrine, by means of those many things which God has accomplished, in plain view, of all of humanity, throughout history.
Granted there will always be those who see history as a normal and natural flow of events and circumstances, all of which occur more or less randomly, governed by principles, which we have come to describe as scientific or social laws. But then even these so called laws consist of structure and design of some kind.
Back in Jobs day, when all of our present day technology and knowledge was not present, his generation and the many generations before and after Jobs, could still look around them and see the input from God in all that exists.
From the stars and their arrangement, to the many categories of life (plant, animal, human), to all of the proverbs which serve to guide social relationships, many of which Jobs three friends have been citing in this conversation, there is abundant evidence of an intelligent designer behind all that exists.
Today we know of atoms, of genetics, or proteins, of many different types of sound and light wave frequencies. There are even new theories out there speculating about additional dimensions that serve to absorb the tremendous force of gravity, that would otherwise crush us all if there was not something mitigating its power.
There are so many details and intricacies in this universe, that it should be virtually impossible to believe that it has all come into existence by accident. And yet, the evolutionists will fight tooth and nail to keep their views as the one and only view of life.
Everyone who has lived any kind of a life, has seen the works of God. Just look around. All that you see was started by some designer. Just as your television, house, car, chair, clothing, glasses, medicines, foods, appliances, and everything that you have, was designed and made by someone, so too this universe and all of life had its author and designer.
You cannot look at a book and believe that the language, the letters, the words, the story was all compiled by accident.
And yet people will look at life and ignore God and truth, and then pretend or invent a better explanation. Why do they do that?
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Job 27:9-10
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 27:9-10
9 Will God ['el] hear [shama`] his cry [tsa`aqah] when trouble [tsarah] cometh [bow'] upon him?
10 Will he delight [`anag] himself in the Almighty [Shadday]? will he always [`eth] call [qara'] upon God ['elowahh]? KJV-Interlinear
9 'Will God hear his cry, When distress comes upon him? 10 'Will he take delight in the Almighty, Will he call on God at all times? NASB
The spiritually negative person is a hypocrite, a fraud. He proposes to pursue and serve truth, but his passion chases lies. He defines the lies of the world as his truth, and therefore becomes a hypocrite or a fraud with regard to the realities of life.
Anyone, be they tyrant or good in their own eyes, when they reject, ignore, or try to modify truth, is a hypocrite.
As they pursue this pattern of life, throughout their life, then they become comfortable within their self-imposed environment of lies.
When truth is presented to them over and over, again and again, they ignore it for the simple reason that it does not fit their comfort zone of beliefs.
A very good example of this would be those who continue to oppose the war in Iraq, a war that has been turning dramatically toward a strong victory for us, yet this truth does not fit their original opinions in rejection of the war, so they continue to oppose it in spite of a successful outcome. Freedom through military victory is a long, very long established Biblical doctrine.
Sometimes people have preconceived ideas and find it very difficult to accept changes in their pattern of thinking. Making changes in religious thinking is also good example of this concept. When a person is brought up thinking in a certain way, a way that is fraught with errors, it is often times difficult to overcome those preconceived beliefs.
Likewise, when a person has made public, his opinions and they prove to be in error, then backing down from ones errors is also sometimes difficult. It isn't unusual to see politicians pursue with even greater vigor, their bad ideas, in hopes that they can maintain their perceived reputation.
That said, I will no doubt get emails from folks who believe that this is some form of political forum couched in the shadows of a Bible study, but truth is truth regardless of whether it is political or social. We all have to deal with life sooner or later. The Bible does not give us the privilege of choosing only those truths which are convenient to our beliefs.
Most, if not all, beliefs in life come from the public venue. Everyday we are exposed to politics, to news stories, to celebrity statements, to movies, to advertising, to hearsay, to gossip, to religion, and so forth. All of these forums will have an impact on the way in which we think. You will either believe them or not. You will either use them in forming your own opinions, or you will adopt someone else's beliefs as your own.
Bible doctrine is one of many opinions out there in the world. The difference between the Bible and everything else, is that the Bible possesses the truth, and everything else is either a result of that truth or a variation of a lie against the truth.
Sure, there will be those who will use the Bible for illegitimate agendas, but the true student of the Word of God, if he maintains his perseverance and objectivity, will be able to see through the false, and be able to sort out the truth.
As for those who establish a pattern of thought, which continually excludes God and truth from their lives, then that pattern becomes a comfortable habit for them. They begin to believe their web of lies and then when disaster strikes, they are surprised.
Isa. 33:14
14 Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. NASB
They see nothing happening during their lives to move them away from lies. But then is that really the truth?
Isa. 1:18-20
18 'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. 19 'If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; 20 'But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.' Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken. NASB
God has truth always before us. There is never an excuse for anyone to not know what they are doing, and not know the repercussions of their decisions in life.
Anyone can recover from the lies of life and resume living a life of truth, and thus establish a solid pattern of life for themselves.
Prov. 1:27-29
27 When your dread comes like a storm, And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come on you. 28 'Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, 29 Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord. NASB
Judg. 10:14
14 Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.' NASB
But when a person continually lives a life apart from the legitimate teachings of the Word for God, then they, by their own rejection of God, have isolated themselves from His help. God merely answers their implied prayer, requesting God to leave them alone. …… He does.
And, another result of living a long life apart from God, is that when the chips are really down, you will still not turn toward God for help. The spiritually negative person will remain defiant, even in the face of their own helplessness and self-destruction.
The ultimate example of this? At the Great White Throne, millions and probably billions will stand before Christ, knowing that they are going to the Lake of Fire. Even so, they will hate Christ all the more, and not repent or change their attitude. That is the quintessence of defiant arrogance.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 27:9-10
9 Will God ['el] hear [shama`] his cry [tsa`aqah] when trouble [tsarah] cometh [bow'] upon him?
10 Will he delight [`anag] himself in the Almighty [Shadday]? will he always [`eth] call [qara'] upon God ['elowahh]? KJV-Interlinear
9 'Will God hear his cry, When distress comes upon him? 10 'Will he take delight in the Almighty, Will he call on God at all times? NASB
The spiritually negative person is a hypocrite, a fraud. He proposes to pursue and serve truth, but his passion chases lies. He defines the lies of the world as his truth, and therefore becomes a hypocrite or a fraud with regard to the realities of life.
Anyone, be they tyrant or good in their own eyes, when they reject, ignore, or try to modify truth, is a hypocrite.
As they pursue this pattern of life, throughout their life, then they become comfortable within their self-imposed environment of lies.
When truth is presented to them over and over, again and again, they ignore it for the simple reason that it does not fit their comfort zone of beliefs.
A very good example of this would be those who continue to oppose the war in Iraq, a war that has been turning dramatically toward a strong victory for us, yet this truth does not fit their original opinions in rejection of the war, so they continue to oppose it in spite of a successful outcome. Freedom through military victory is a long, very long established Biblical doctrine.
Sometimes people have preconceived ideas and find it very difficult to accept changes in their pattern of thinking. Making changes in religious thinking is also good example of this concept. When a person is brought up thinking in a certain way, a way that is fraught with errors, it is often times difficult to overcome those preconceived beliefs.
Likewise, when a person has made public, his opinions and they prove to be in error, then backing down from ones errors is also sometimes difficult. It isn't unusual to see politicians pursue with even greater vigor, their bad ideas, in hopes that they can maintain their perceived reputation.
That said, I will no doubt get emails from folks who believe that this is some form of political forum couched in the shadows of a Bible study, but truth is truth regardless of whether it is political or social. We all have to deal with life sooner or later. The Bible does not give us the privilege of choosing only those truths which are convenient to our beliefs.
Most, if not all, beliefs in life come from the public venue. Everyday we are exposed to politics, to news stories, to celebrity statements, to movies, to advertising, to hearsay, to gossip, to religion, and so forth. All of these forums will have an impact on the way in which we think. You will either believe them or not. You will either use them in forming your own opinions, or you will adopt someone else's beliefs as your own.
Bible doctrine is one of many opinions out there in the world. The difference between the Bible and everything else, is that the Bible possesses the truth, and everything else is either a result of that truth or a variation of a lie against the truth.
Sure, there will be those who will use the Bible for illegitimate agendas, but the true student of the Word of God, if he maintains his perseverance and objectivity, will be able to see through the false, and be able to sort out the truth.
As for those who establish a pattern of thought, which continually excludes God and truth from their lives, then that pattern becomes a comfortable habit for them. They begin to believe their web of lies and then when disaster strikes, they are surprised.
Isa. 33:14
14 Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. NASB
They see nothing happening during their lives to move them away from lies. But then is that really the truth?
Isa. 1:18-20
18 'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. 19 'If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; 20 'But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.' Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken. NASB
God has truth always before us. There is never an excuse for anyone to not know what they are doing, and not know the repercussions of their decisions in life.
Anyone can recover from the lies of life and resume living a life of truth, and thus establish a solid pattern of life for themselves.
Prov. 1:27-29
27 When your dread comes like a storm, And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come on you. 28 'Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, 29 Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord. NASB
Judg. 10:14
14 Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.' NASB
But when a person continually lives a life apart from the legitimate teachings of the Word for God, then they, by their own rejection of God, have isolated themselves from His help. God merely answers their implied prayer, requesting God to leave them alone. …… He does.
And, another result of living a long life apart from God, is that when the chips are really down, you will still not turn toward God for help. The spiritually negative person will remain defiant, even in the face of their own helplessness and self-destruction.
The ultimate example of this? At the Great White Throne, millions and probably billions will stand before Christ, knowing that they are going to the Lake of Fire. Even so, they will hate Christ all the more, and not repent or change their attitude. That is the quintessence of defiant arrogance.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Job 27:8
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 27:8
8 For what is the hope [tiqvah] of the hypocrite [chaneph], though he hath gained [batsa`], when God ['elowahh] taketh away [shalah] his soul [nephesh]? KJV-Interlinear
8 'For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, When God requires his life? NASB
In this world there are two broad categories of people - unbelievers and believers in Christ.
Within the believer group there are three general categories of people - those who do not grow up spiritually at all, those who have varying degrees of spiritual growth, and those who advance to spiritual maturity.
The first group, the unbeliever group, will have no blessings whatsoever in eternity. Their future will be in the Lake of Fire.
The next group, all believers in Christ, will go to heaven regardless of their spiritual growth.
In eternity, God has waiting for believers, phenomenal blessing packages. These additional blessings will be given to believers who have spiritual growth. Review the Parables of Christ studies.
The mature believers will receive all of their blessings. Those who have some spiritual growth will receive a prorated share of their blessings. And those who have no spiritual growth, will not receive any of their extra eternal blessings. Their blessings will be redistributed to those who have advanced to maturity.
This is the ultimate truth regarding life and the future for each and every one of us.
Life for us all began when we were born. We have two categories of life - the first is our physical life here on this earth. For most of us, this life will last for maybe eighty years on average. The second, is our eternal life which will occur after we leave this world and enter into the next life. This second life will last forever, for billions of trillions of gazillions of years and more.
Now here is a test question. Which life span is the longer of the two? Which of these lives will be the more significant? If you answered the second or the eternal one, then you do have a brain after all.
For most of us … our first life, comes first.
Don't want to go to fast for anyone here.
The eternal life expectations of the believer are infinitely better than the expectations of the unbeliever. Heaven verses Lake of Fire.
The eternal blessings of the mature believer are infinitely greater than the blessings of the negative believer.
The obvious objective of the individual should be to maximize their future by advancing to spiritual maturity.
In this life, none of us had any say or choice in our birth or circumstances of life. From the time of Adam and Eve right down to the time of our parents, we had no say in our genetic makeup, nor the circumstances of history, or the environment into which we were born.
But as for our eternal future, we have phenomenal opportunities in preparing for our next life, in insuring that we will have blessings above and beyond all that we can even imagine. That is a huge change from our former situation in which we had no input.
So you can live for this life alone, perhaps a few decades, and forget your future, eternity, or you can prepare during this life and have the greatest life beyond imagination in the next life, the one which will last forever.
Job points out one big truth. We will all leave this life eventually. We will be cut off. We will die. And then eternity will begin for each one of us in due course.
One day, God will issue a command and your soul will leave your body, and gone from this world you will go.
What hope is there for those who reject God? None. There is no other deity to which they can turn.
What blessing is there for those who ignore God? Zip. There is no other source of blessings from which they might gain some advantage.
During this life many will be indifferent toward God. They will pursue the world, they will express their opinions, they will presume that they know more than the average person, they who have not lived but a few years but presume to know history as though they have been around since time began.
Mk. 8:36-37
'What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'
Unbelievers give up their entire eternal future in heaven for their passions during this short life now, on this earth.
Negative believers forfeit their eternal 'extra' blessings for their passions during this short life now, on this earth.
Life now is very short in comparison to all of eternity. And while a person may enjoy the benefits of this world, from a spiritually negative life now, and God will allow it, but giving up all of eternity seems like quite a large price to pay for virtually nothing in return.
Look around you, at all that you have, and all of that will be lost, for certain the very moment of your eventual death.
You cannot change your future (death and eternity), but you can change its content. And to make that change for the better, all it takes is a positive attitude toward God, Christ, doctrine, your daily study and your spiritual life.
And of course you can ignore all of this, too. But there is a price for that decision.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 27:8
8 For what is the hope [tiqvah] of the hypocrite [chaneph], though he hath gained [batsa`], when God ['elowahh] taketh away [shalah] his soul [nephesh]? KJV-Interlinear
8 'For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, When God requires his life? NASB
In this world there are two broad categories of people - unbelievers and believers in Christ.
Within the believer group there are three general categories of people - those who do not grow up spiritually at all, those who have varying degrees of spiritual growth, and those who advance to spiritual maturity.
The first group, the unbeliever group, will have no blessings whatsoever in eternity. Their future will be in the Lake of Fire.
The next group, all believers in Christ, will go to heaven regardless of their spiritual growth.
In eternity, God has waiting for believers, phenomenal blessing packages. These additional blessings will be given to believers who have spiritual growth. Review the Parables of Christ studies.
The mature believers will receive all of their blessings. Those who have some spiritual growth will receive a prorated share of their blessings. And those who have no spiritual growth, will not receive any of their extra eternal blessings. Their blessings will be redistributed to those who have advanced to maturity.
This is the ultimate truth regarding life and the future for each and every one of us.
Life for us all began when we were born. We have two categories of life - the first is our physical life here on this earth. For most of us, this life will last for maybe eighty years on average. The second, is our eternal life which will occur after we leave this world and enter into the next life. This second life will last forever, for billions of trillions of gazillions of years and more.
Now here is a test question. Which life span is the longer of the two? Which of these lives will be the more significant? If you answered the second or the eternal one, then you do have a brain after all.
For most of us … our first life, comes first.
Don't want to go to fast for anyone here.
The eternal life expectations of the believer are infinitely better than the expectations of the unbeliever. Heaven verses Lake of Fire.
The eternal blessings of the mature believer are infinitely greater than the blessings of the negative believer.
The obvious objective of the individual should be to maximize their future by advancing to spiritual maturity.
In this life, none of us had any say or choice in our birth or circumstances of life. From the time of Adam and Eve right down to the time of our parents, we had no say in our genetic makeup, nor the circumstances of history, or the environment into which we were born.
But as for our eternal future, we have phenomenal opportunities in preparing for our next life, in insuring that we will have blessings above and beyond all that we can even imagine. That is a huge change from our former situation in which we had no input.
So you can live for this life alone, perhaps a few decades, and forget your future, eternity, or you can prepare during this life and have the greatest life beyond imagination in the next life, the one which will last forever.
Job points out one big truth. We will all leave this life eventually. We will be cut off. We will die. And then eternity will begin for each one of us in due course.
One day, God will issue a command and your soul will leave your body, and gone from this world you will go.
What hope is there for those who reject God? None. There is no other deity to which they can turn.
What blessing is there for those who ignore God? Zip. There is no other source of blessings from which they might gain some advantage.
During this life many will be indifferent toward God. They will pursue the world, they will express their opinions, they will presume that they know more than the average person, they who have not lived but a few years but presume to know history as though they have been around since time began.
Mk. 8:36-37
'What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'
Unbelievers give up their entire eternal future in heaven for their passions during this short life now, on this earth.
Negative believers forfeit their eternal 'extra' blessings for their passions during this short life now, on this earth.
Life now is very short in comparison to all of eternity. And while a person may enjoy the benefits of this world, from a spiritually negative life now, and God will allow it, but giving up all of eternity seems like quite a large price to pay for virtually nothing in return.
Look around you, at all that you have, and all of that will be lost, for certain the very moment of your eventual death.
You cannot change your future (death and eternity), but you can change its content. And to make that change for the better, all it takes is a positive attitude toward God, Christ, doctrine, your daily study and your spiritual life.
And of course you can ignore all of this, too. But there is a price for that decision.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Job 27:7
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 27:7
7 Let mine enemy ['oyeb] be as the wicked [rasha`], and he that riseth up [quwm] against me as the unrighteous [`avval]. KJV-Interlinear
7 'May my enemy be as the wicked, And my opponent as the unjust. NASB
Some might think that Job is hateful toward his so-called friends, that he wishes punishment on them. Some might think that Job is hateful toward wicked people anywhere, and wishes disaster and calamity on them.
But this is not the case.
How do we know this? Because God told us of Jobs character in chapter one, and God will repeat His backing of Job at the end of this book, while at the same time condemning his friends. In fact if the three friends do not offer the commanded sacrifices, and have Job pray for them, then their life will be little better than burnt toast, so to speak.
But these are not what are in view here. Job neither holds contempt nor ill wishes against anyone, but there is a reality to life which will discover the spiritual and carnal nature of everyone. And for their chosen pattern of life, there are repercussions.
Wickedness is an attribute of a faulty spiritual life. Unrighteousness is an attribute of a faulty carnal life.
Wickedness is the activity of evil. Evil is the policy which is antithetical to truth. Sin is the strength of wickedness and self-righteousness is the weakness of wickedness. You might want to review the Carnal Human Nature chart, which is on the web site.
Unrighteousness is the activity of a dysfunctional carnal life. Unrighteousness is the lack of virtue, it is immorality, the function of injustice, indecency, dishonesty, degeneracy. In short it is the sum total of almost all of the bad norms and standards of society.
In contrast to wickedness and unrighteousness, then divine good and righteousness are the strong attributes of a stable life, which is produced by spiritual growth. One cannot have a stable life unless the spiritual life is pursued.
Either, of these patterns of life, is chosen, either actively or passively, by the individual.
Each of these patterns of life comes complete with repercussions.
Stick your hand in the fire and what happens? …… That's right. Rightness or wrongness is irrelevant in this case, but the obvious result is clear to all. At first, it might be a learning experience, but repeated actions of this type indicate a definite unwillingness to learn.
And this is where Job enters the picture in these verses.
The person who rejects truth, is by default the enemy, the opponent of truth. Truth did not make them that way, they chose to become the enemy by their repeated and defiant attitude.
We have already seen the phenomenal greatness and power of God. To have someone like that on your side would be the obvious choice. To reject the one and only God of the universe and everything else, should seem foolish.
To desire the good and best things of life seems natural. To choose repeatedly, the bad things of life should seem foolish.
The condition of the wicked and therefore unrighteous person, is a miserable one at best. This ultimate result of rejecting God, Christ, doctrine and ones spiritual life, is common knowledge, and yet the majority of the world seems to choose it. And most seem to choose it by means of substitution, substitution by some other invented human good or human righteousness mechanism.
And what is their expectation? Well that is coming in tomorrows study.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 27:7
7 Let mine enemy ['oyeb] be as the wicked [rasha`], and he that riseth up [quwm] against me as the unrighteous [`avval]. KJV-Interlinear
7 'May my enemy be as the wicked, And my opponent as the unjust. NASB
Some might think that Job is hateful toward his so-called friends, that he wishes punishment on them. Some might think that Job is hateful toward wicked people anywhere, and wishes disaster and calamity on them.
But this is not the case.
How do we know this? Because God told us of Jobs character in chapter one, and God will repeat His backing of Job at the end of this book, while at the same time condemning his friends. In fact if the three friends do not offer the commanded sacrifices, and have Job pray for them, then their life will be little better than burnt toast, so to speak.
But these are not what are in view here. Job neither holds contempt nor ill wishes against anyone, but there is a reality to life which will discover the spiritual and carnal nature of everyone. And for their chosen pattern of life, there are repercussions.
Wickedness is an attribute of a faulty spiritual life. Unrighteousness is an attribute of a faulty carnal life.
Wickedness is the activity of evil. Evil is the policy which is antithetical to truth. Sin is the strength of wickedness and self-righteousness is the weakness of wickedness. You might want to review the Carnal Human Nature chart, which is on the web site.
Unrighteousness is the activity of a dysfunctional carnal life. Unrighteousness is the lack of virtue, it is immorality, the function of injustice, indecency, dishonesty, degeneracy. In short it is the sum total of almost all of the bad norms and standards of society.
In contrast to wickedness and unrighteousness, then divine good and righteousness are the strong attributes of a stable life, which is produced by spiritual growth. One cannot have a stable life unless the spiritual life is pursued.
Either, of these patterns of life, is chosen, either actively or passively, by the individual.
Each of these patterns of life comes complete with repercussions.
Stick your hand in the fire and what happens? …… That's right. Rightness or wrongness is irrelevant in this case, but the obvious result is clear to all. At first, it might be a learning experience, but repeated actions of this type indicate a definite unwillingness to learn.
And this is where Job enters the picture in these verses.
The person who rejects truth, is by default the enemy, the opponent of truth. Truth did not make them that way, they chose to become the enemy by their repeated and defiant attitude.
We have already seen the phenomenal greatness and power of God. To have someone like that on your side would be the obvious choice. To reject the one and only God of the universe and everything else, should seem foolish.
To desire the good and best things of life seems natural. To choose repeatedly, the bad things of life should seem foolish.
The condition of the wicked and therefore unrighteous person, is a miserable one at best. This ultimate result of rejecting God, Christ, doctrine and ones spiritual life, is common knowledge, and yet the majority of the world seems to choose it. And most seem to choose it by means of substitution, substitution by some other invented human good or human righteousness mechanism.
And what is their expectation? Well that is coming in tomorrows study.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Job 27:5-6
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 27:5-6
5 God forbid [chaliylah] that I should justify [tsadaq] you: till I die [gava`] I will not remove [cuwr] mine integrity [tummah] from me.
6 My righteousness [tsadaqah] I hold [chazaq] fast, and will not let it go [raphah]: my heart [lebab] shall not reproach [charaph.] me so long as I live [yowm]. KJV-Interlinear
5 'Far be it from me that I should declare you right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6 'I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go. My heart does not reproach any of my days. NASB
Truth is the perfect matching of facts with reality. When facts are replaced with opinion, consensus, conjecture, or anything else, then it is no longer the truth, but the opposite - a lie.
People who reject truth, will stop at no limits in their attempt to prevent truth. People who avoid truth will do their best to prevent others from hearing truth. People who are indifferent toward truth, will not hold back in inventing their own beliefs. People who hold a disdain for truth will conspire and even manufacture phenomenal webs of lies in order to discredit and confuse truth. People who oppose truth will invent their own opinions, beliefs and philosophies, regardless of facts.
But truth needs no ally. Truth needs no crutch to support it. Truth needs no support from other opinions.
Truth is self-evident. Truth is always obvious to those who are tolerant and patient, and objective in their approach to life. Truth is always made clear to those who function (legitimately) within their spiritual lives.
Truth comes only from God. Truth is communicated only by means of the Holy Spirit. Truth is only perceived from within the fellowship sphere. Truth is only useful to the believer who is advancing in their spiritual life.
Any compromise of truth, any dilution of truth, any modification of truth, any alternative to truth is a lie.
Sincerity, strong opinions, strong feelings, outgoing or inward personality attributes, or moral standards are not evidence of truth nor are they substitutes for truth.
Job makes all of his comments from a position of truth. Since truth cannot be defeated, standing with truth is never a losing decision. There is never anything to be gained by setting truth aside.
Job has been hammered repeatedly by his friends. Job has been suffering immensely for quite some time now. Job has had many opportunities to disavow truth. It would have been very easy to just let his friends win their argument, to give in to their public opinion peer pressure, to just let go in hopes that all of this pressure will simply disappear.
All of the observable evidence was on the side of his friends, and the apparent lack of action directly from God could easily have made Job slip into anxiety and anxious self-pity.
But Job lived his life based on the principles taught in the scriptures. Job did not live or form his life based on the opinions of others, even while being exposed to the public eye.
A life based on true, repeat, 'true' principles can never be moved.
A life based on invented principles will always eventually fail.
The mature believer in silence, speaks louder than the most violent thunderstorm.
Those who are spiritually deficient have no choice but to bring noise and cause adversarial disruption to society, and they will end up no better off than one standing before a strong downwind, making themselves wet from doing what they only know how to do into the wind.
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Job 27:5-6
5 God forbid [chaliylah] that I should justify [tsadaq] you: till I die [gava`] I will not remove [cuwr] mine integrity [tummah] from me.
6 My righteousness [tsadaqah] I hold [chazaq] fast, and will not let it go [raphah]: my heart [lebab] shall not reproach [charaph.] me so long as I live [yowm]. KJV-Interlinear
5 'Far be it from me that I should declare you right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6 'I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go. My heart does not reproach any of my days. NASB
Truth is the perfect matching of facts with reality. When facts are replaced with opinion, consensus, conjecture, or anything else, then it is no longer the truth, but the opposite - a lie.
People who reject truth, will stop at no limits in their attempt to prevent truth. People who avoid truth will do their best to prevent others from hearing truth. People who are indifferent toward truth, will not hold back in inventing their own beliefs. People who hold a disdain for truth will conspire and even manufacture phenomenal webs of lies in order to discredit and confuse truth. People who oppose truth will invent their own opinions, beliefs and philosophies, regardless of facts.
But truth needs no ally. Truth needs no crutch to support it. Truth needs no support from other opinions.
Truth is self-evident. Truth is always obvious to those who are tolerant and patient, and objective in their approach to life. Truth is always made clear to those who function (legitimately) within their spiritual lives.
Truth comes only from God. Truth is communicated only by means of the Holy Spirit. Truth is only perceived from within the fellowship sphere. Truth is only useful to the believer who is advancing in their spiritual life.
Any compromise of truth, any dilution of truth, any modification of truth, any alternative to truth is a lie.
Sincerity, strong opinions, strong feelings, outgoing or inward personality attributes, or moral standards are not evidence of truth nor are they substitutes for truth.
Job makes all of his comments from a position of truth. Since truth cannot be defeated, standing with truth is never a losing decision. There is never anything to be gained by setting truth aside.
Job has been hammered repeatedly by his friends. Job has been suffering immensely for quite some time now. Job has had many opportunities to disavow truth. It would have been very easy to just let his friends win their argument, to give in to their public opinion peer pressure, to just let go in hopes that all of this pressure will simply disappear.
All of the observable evidence was on the side of his friends, and the apparent lack of action directly from God could easily have made Job slip into anxiety and anxious self-pity.
But Job lived his life based on the principles taught in the scriptures. Job did not live or form his life based on the opinions of others, even while being exposed to the public eye.
A life based on true, repeat, 'true' principles can never be moved.
A life based on invented principles will always eventually fail.
The mature believer in silence, speaks louder than the most violent thunderstorm.
Those who are spiritually deficient have no choice but to bring noise and cause adversarial disruption to society, and they will end up no better off than one standing before a strong downwind, making themselves wet from doing what they only know how to do into the wind.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Job 27:3-4
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
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Job 27:3-4
3 All the while [`owd] my breath [nashamah] is in me, and the spirit [ruwach] of God ['elowahh] is in my nostrils ['aph];
4 My lips [saphah] shall not speak [dabar] wickedness [`evel], nor my tongue [lashown] utter [hagah] deceit [ramiyah]. KJV-Interlinear
3 For as long as life is in me, And the breath of God is in my nostrils, 4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit. NASB
No matter what becomes of him, Job is not going to shun his faith. That is the gist of these verses.
Before we move on, we should review briefly where Job has come from.
Job had seven sons and three daughters. His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, and Job was the greatest of all the men of the east. Job was a farmer, rancher, merchant, and freight hauler. Job sat on the city counsel and was respected by young and old. His words were listened to by young and old.
By this time, Job was probably around a hundred years old. We speculate on the age because we do not know his age at this time. But he had ten children and they were all grown up, established and living in their own homes. Job will live yet another hundred and forty years, so he is about half way (give or take) through his life by this time.
By any method of measure, Job was a wealthy, successful, and established man.
Then, in the space of a day, the sky fell in on his life. His fields were ransacked, his employees murdered, his herds stolen, and his children were killed.
And, as if that were not enough, a short time later, his health began to deteriorate rapidly.
These are the symptoms of Job's affliction - inflamed, ulcerous sores (Job 2:7), itching (v. 8), degenerative changes in facial skin (vv. 7,12), loss of appetite (3:24), depression (3:24-25), loss of strength (6:11), worms in the boils (7:5), running sores (7:5), difficulty in breathing (9:18), darkness under the eyes (16:16), foul breath (19:17), loss of weight (19:20; 33:21), continual pain (30:17), restlessness (30:27), blackened skin (30:30), peeling skin (30:30), and fever (30:30).
Job was sick for quite some time. We have already guesstimated his illness to have been about a month long when his friends finally arrived to 'comfort' him. Remember that back then, news and travel was slow.
What would you do if all of this had happened to you? Your wealth lost, your family dead. Your health in the toilet, and you felt like you were literally knocking at deaths door, even wishing for it, because you were so bad off.
Most people would be bawling crocodile tears, swearing, complaining, even blaming and condemning God for their situation.
But not Job. He knew that his situation was not for the reasons that his friends had suggested, that he was wicked, but for whatever reason, he was not going to blame God.
For as long as life was in him, he would stick with his faith. He would not participate in the blame game. He would not complain against God. He would not make accusations against others. He would not begin to live a life of deceit just to try and make up for his losses. He would not try to take advantage of others in order to benefit himself.
Most people would justify their ill feelings. Most people would wear their feelings on their shirtsleeves, and act as though they had been made the target of such unfair treatment. Most people would look for someone to blame. Surely, this must be someone else's fault!
And if this were not all, Job still had to deal with three friends who came to comfort him but ended up making accusations of wickedness against him.
Job is not feeling very well. Re-read his symptoms again. And he is still carrying on a discourse in instruction in truth, despite his physical and mental condition. He is still most probably grieving over the loss of his ten children.
When you have advanced in your spiritual life, such that you can lose everything and still hold on to your faith, and then still teach others in truth, without bitterness, then you can honestly say that you have accomplished something. But then it is not you, but God who forms your inner strength through doctrine. Something that you cannot get anywhere else.
Most folks get so tied up in their 'things' in life that they fear losing them, more than they fear God who provided everything in the first place.
God does not do things arbitrarily. God does not play with people frivolously.
The scriptures are now closed, so all you need do now, is learn and grow up. The world will still try to trash your life, but God, remember, is on your side. That is, if you allow it. And you allow it through your positive attitude toward God, Christ, doctrine and your spiritual life.
But remember as you advance through life, solutions do not come instantaneously. Job was patient. So too, you need to learn patience as well as tolerance.
You can approach life on your own, and if so, then good luck. Your best outcome will be utter failure.
Or, you can give over you life to God, and then your 'worst' outcome will be phenomenal success.
Which do you suppose is the better of the two?
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Job 27:3-4
3 All the while [`owd] my breath [nashamah] is in me, and the spirit [ruwach] of God ['elowahh] is in my nostrils ['aph];
4 My lips [saphah] shall not speak [dabar] wickedness [`evel], nor my tongue [lashown] utter [hagah] deceit [ramiyah]. KJV-Interlinear
3 For as long as life is in me, And the breath of God is in my nostrils, 4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit. NASB
No matter what becomes of him, Job is not going to shun his faith. That is the gist of these verses.
Before we move on, we should review briefly where Job has come from.
Job had seven sons and three daughters. His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, and Job was the greatest of all the men of the east. Job was a farmer, rancher, merchant, and freight hauler. Job sat on the city counsel and was respected by young and old. His words were listened to by young and old.
By this time, Job was probably around a hundred years old. We speculate on the age because we do not know his age at this time. But he had ten children and they were all grown up, established and living in their own homes. Job will live yet another hundred and forty years, so he is about half way (give or take) through his life by this time.
By any method of measure, Job was a wealthy, successful, and established man.
Then, in the space of a day, the sky fell in on his life. His fields were ransacked, his employees murdered, his herds stolen, and his children were killed.
And, as if that were not enough, a short time later, his health began to deteriorate rapidly.
These are the symptoms of Job's affliction - inflamed, ulcerous sores (Job 2:7), itching (v. 8), degenerative changes in facial skin (vv. 7,12), loss of appetite (3:24), depression (3:24-25), loss of strength (6:11), worms in the boils (7:5), running sores (7:5), difficulty in breathing (9:18), darkness under the eyes (16:16), foul breath (19:17), loss of weight (19:20; 33:21), continual pain (30:17), restlessness (30:27), blackened skin (30:30), peeling skin (30:30), and fever (30:30).
Job was sick for quite some time. We have already guesstimated his illness to have been about a month long when his friends finally arrived to 'comfort' him. Remember that back then, news and travel was slow.
What would you do if all of this had happened to you? Your wealth lost, your family dead. Your health in the toilet, and you felt like you were literally knocking at deaths door, even wishing for it, because you were so bad off.
Most people would be bawling crocodile tears, swearing, complaining, even blaming and condemning God for their situation.
But not Job. He knew that his situation was not for the reasons that his friends had suggested, that he was wicked, but for whatever reason, he was not going to blame God.
For as long as life was in him, he would stick with his faith. He would not participate in the blame game. He would not complain against God. He would not make accusations against others. He would not begin to live a life of deceit just to try and make up for his losses. He would not try to take advantage of others in order to benefit himself.
Most people would justify their ill feelings. Most people would wear their feelings on their shirtsleeves, and act as though they had been made the target of such unfair treatment. Most people would look for someone to blame. Surely, this must be someone else's fault!
And if this were not all, Job still had to deal with three friends who came to comfort him but ended up making accusations of wickedness against him.
Job is not feeling very well. Re-read his symptoms again. And he is still carrying on a discourse in instruction in truth, despite his physical and mental condition. He is still most probably grieving over the loss of his ten children.
When you have advanced in your spiritual life, such that you can lose everything and still hold on to your faith, and then still teach others in truth, without bitterness, then you can honestly say that you have accomplished something. But then it is not you, but God who forms your inner strength through doctrine. Something that you cannot get anywhere else.
Most folks get so tied up in their 'things' in life that they fear losing them, more than they fear God who provided everything in the first place.
God does not do things arbitrarily. God does not play with people frivolously.
The scriptures are now closed, so all you need do now, is learn and grow up. The world will still try to trash your life, but God, remember, is on your side. That is, if you allow it. And you allow it through your positive attitude toward God, Christ, doctrine and your spiritual life.
But remember as you advance through life, solutions do not come instantaneously. Job was patient. So too, you need to learn patience as well as tolerance.
You can approach life on your own, and if so, then good luck. Your best outcome will be utter failure.
Or, you can give over you life to God, and then your 'worst' outcome will be phenomenal success.
Which do you suppose is the better of the two?
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Job 27:1-2
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
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Job 27:1-2
1 Moreover Job ['Iyowb] continued [yacaph] [nasa'] his parable [mashal], and said ['amar],
2 As God ['el] liveth [chay], who hath taken away [cuwr] my judgment [mishpat]; and the Almighty [Shadday], who hath vexed [marar] my soul [nephesh]; KJV-Interlinear
1 Then Job continued his discourse and said, 2 'As God lives, who has taken away my right, And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul, NASB
Job paused in his discourse and when no one came back with a counter argument, he continued with his point of view.
The word for parable here in not what we think of when we recall the parables taught by Jesus. This usage is a reference to instruction in truth, as from one in authority.
Job is teaching principles of doctrine. And he is teaching them honestly and accurately within the context of his situation, and from the point of view from his generation.
Since truth is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then the time in history is irrelevant. It just helps us to understand that the ancients were not a bunch of dumb bent over cavemen.
'As God lives forever,' is a figure of speech, or an oath as it were. We might say, 'As God is my witness.'
And so Job continues his instruction which teaches us all that it is God who is in control of history and circumstances.
It is God who brought about Jobs situation. It is God who allows this situation to continue. It is God who does not immediately respond to his prayers. And finally, it is God who will bring about his solution.
We know that Satan started all of this with his accusations. But it is God who allowed it all to happen. Satan requested and God set the rules.
God controls all births, and all deaths. In between, life happens. God (Jesus Christ) controls history. He controls history in three ways - directly through His divine power, indirectly through the laws of establishment, and permissively through the volition of creatures (men and angels).
God does nothing on impulse. Everything that occurs, does so because it was included (foreseen) in the Divine Decrees, which were decided on in eternity past.
The removal of Jobs right, is the removal of his freedom of action, through the actions of Satan, as permitted by God. The embitterment of Jobs soul is the related mental and physical pain and stress due to his suffering.
Job will not complain about his situation, even though he does not know that his situation is going to teach many tens of millions or even billions of people during the course of the rest of human history. God chose the right man for this purpose.
Most people will cry and complain when they come face to face with hard times. And, Job will have a great deal to say about them, later in this chapter.
So far we should know that God is infinite. There is nothing that God cannot do. He created this universe with all of its detailed complexities, and what we know from science and technology and so forth, is not even a drop in the ocean of things we do not know.
Your situation and my situation are virtually nothing when compared to what God is able to do. In fact, Gods effort in the creation of the universe, as witnessed by the angels, is nothing more than finger work, Psa. 8:3.
So if God can do all of that with the effort of only His fingers, then how much less effort is needed to take care of you and me?
In our lifetime, we will all come face to face with difficult situations. Those with doctrine in their soul will tough it out, and glorify God by means of their faith and trust. Those without doctrine will probably cry and complain, and act like the little tantrum babies they really are.
If you have ever raised a two year old, then you know that when they trap themselves in a situation, they yell and holler until momma comes and saves them. Momma just smiles because their situation was not that big of a deal, even though their screams would suggest that the sky was falling.
That is life between man and God. With doctrine, you can maintain your poise. Without doctrine, you will be no better than that two year old.
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Job 27:1-2
1 Moreover Job ['Iyowb] continued [yacaph] [nasa'] his parable [mashal], and said ['amar],
2 As God ['el] liveth [chay], who hath taken away [cuwr] my judgment [mishpat]; and the Almighty [Shadday], who hath vexed [marar] my soul [nephesh]; KJV-Interlinear
1 Then Job continued his discourse and said, 2 'As God lives, who has taken away my right, And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul, NASB
Job paused in his discourse and when no one came back with a counter argument, he continued with his point of view.
The word for parable here in not what we think of when we recall the parables taught by Jesus. This usage is a reference to instruction in truth, as from one in authority.
Job is teaching principles of doctrine. And he is teaching them honestly and accurately within the context of his situation, and from the point of view from his generation.
Since truth is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then the time in history is irrelevant. It just helps us to understand that the ancients were not a bunch of dumb bent over cavemen.
'As God lives forever,' is a figure of speech, or an oath as it were. We might say, 'As God is my witness.'
And so Job continues his instruction which teaches us all that it is God who is in control of history and circumstances.
It is God who brought about Jobs situation. It is God who allows this situation to continue. It is God who does not immediately respond to his prayers. And finally, it is God who will bring about his solution.
We know that Satan started all of this with his accusations. But it is God who allowed it all to happen. Satan requested and God set the rules.
God controls all births, and all deaths. In between, life happens. God (Jesus Christ) controls history. He controls history in three ways - directly through His divine power, indirectly through the laws of establishment, and permissively through the volition of creatures (men and angels).
God does nothing on impulse. Everything that occurs, does so because it was included (foreseen) in the Divine Decrees, which were decided on in eternity past.
The removal of Jobs right, is the removal of his freedom of action, through the actions of Satan, as permitted by God. The embitterment of Jobs soul is the related mental and physical pain and stress due to his suffering.
Job will not complain about his situation, even though he does not know that his situation is going to teach many tens of millions or even billions of people during the course of the rest of human history. God chose the right man for this purpose.
Most people will cry and complain when they come face to face with hard times. And, Job will have a great deal to say about them, later in this chapter.
So far we should know that God is infinite. There is nothing that God cannot do. He created this universe with all of its detailed complexities, and what we know from science and technology and so forth, is not even a drop in the ocean of things we do not know.
Your situation and my situation are virtually nothing when compared to what God is able to do. In fact, Gods effort in the creation of the universe, as witnessed by the angels, is nothing more than finger work, Psa. 8:3.
So if God can do all of that with the effort of only His fingers, then how much less effort is needed to take care of you and me?
In our lifetime, we will all come face to face with difficult situations. Those with doctrine in their soul will tough it out, and glorify God by means of their faith and trust. Those without doctrine will probably cry and complain, and act like the little tantrum babies they really are.
If you have ever raised a two year old, then you know that when they trap themselves in a situation, they yell and holler until momma comes and saves them. Momma just smiles because their situation was not that big of a deal, even though their screams would suggest that the sky was falling.
That is life between man and God. With doctrine, you can maintain your poise. Without doctrine, you will be no better than that two year old.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Job 26:14
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 26:14
14 Lo, these are parts [qatsah] of his ways [derek]: but how little [shemets] a portion [dabar] is heard [shama`] of him? but the thunder [ra`am] of his power [gabuwrah] who can understand [biyn]? KJV-Interlinear
14 'Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?' NASB
Job lived a very long time ago. In his day, there was not much in the way of science. Although the Egyptians, as well as others, were building some pretty impressive pyramids, and had quite a knowledge of engineering, surveying, astronomy and such, still their knowledge was nothing when compared to what we have and know today.
The scriptures were written to all of humanity, both those who lived in ancient times as well as those who are yet to live in the future from out present time.
Mans knowledge in science, technology, innovation, and invention are advancing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis it seems.
But all that we know, and all that we have are mere nothings, mere shadows of what God actually is.
The fringes are the fuzzy things that exist on the outermost edge of a thing. Like the foam on the edge of the ocean. The fringes amount to almost nothing when compared to the whole.
Likewise, the thunder of God here is a reference to peals of thunder from an extremely violent storm, loud and deafening. In contrast, what we hear from God, what we hear from mans discoveries collectively throughout history, are mere whispers.
The faint word, is the action of hearing a whisper that fades away. We hear the tiniest bit of the softest and quietest whisper, and then the greater portion of the whisper fades such that we cannot hear it all.
Such is the knowledge and wisdom of God, vast and unimaginably infinite, as compared to that of man, whose knowledge and wisdom is miniscule to almost non-existent. In fact our understanding is nothing more than the fringes of a whisper of the infinite.
Yet you can look around you and see the boastings of mans philosophies, religions, beliefs and such. People pursue with great passion, the lies they have invented themselves. People promote and give even their last dollar to ideologies that are empty pits.
People who are the most rebellious against God, make the most noise in this world. They boast profusely and try as they may, to suppress truth. In fact anyone who opposes the views of others (regardless of whether they are right or wrong) is in fact a hater of truth.
Those who support truth are usually regarded as the silent majority. But where evil promotes its own philosophies, those who view themselves as righteous or conservative (Biblically speaking, not politically speaking) usually are reluctant to support their own. By the way, political conservatism is not Biblical conservatism. You should know that by now.
Gods whispers, which far surpass all of mans knowledge, are far greater than the expanse of this universe. And yet man gives little heed to the Word of God. Even those who fancy themselves as Christian, are more comfortable in taking, without giving back. If Christians supported their own faith to the extent even to the extremes that other false religions are supported, then this would be a very different world.
Supporting social activities, soccer, dances, and handing out blankets are more attractive than attending Bible classes and taking notes. Not that there is anything wrong with these functions, but when ones Bible study is excluded or replaced by these types of things, then the whole view of life has been misapplied.
Foundations and individuals alike give to charities and have for many, many years. But Jesus healed and cured, and told us that these things though good, are not what man needs. Soul healing through salvation and spiritual growth is far more important than inoculations and cures. Get doctrine and the shots will come. Forget doctrine and all of the shots in the world will not help you after you leave this world.
When the British flag flew around the globe, along with it went the military, the merchants, and the missionaries. All three being integral parts of freedom, liberty, prosperity, and eternal repercussions for millions. But the haters of truth, hate anything that has to do with the attributes of truth.
But that has been the course of history for a very long time, and still is. It is very easy to sit back and pretend to not understand ones obligations, to sit back and find excuses as to why one does not or cannot fulfill their obligations, or to sit back and wait for someone else to do what is needed.
But God looks to each individual to be obedient to His mandates. Each person is evaluated on what they do, not on what others do.
We all live in a world of beauty, music, tastes, and such. We all live in the world with pressures and stresses and anxieties galore. But there is nothing in our human experience that can match the phenomenal glories that await us in heaven.
Too often we look at the world around us and no further, and that tends to hold us back in how we conduct our lives. We think that we are screaming along in a billion mile race, when in fact we are stuck in our reluctance to take the first few steps. Arrogant excuses, thin skinned and shallow attitudes toward life are among the biggest barriers to spiritual growth.
What God has awaiting us defies our comprehension. The extent of Gods power and control over life escapes our trust. How can anyone genuinely grow up in their spiritual life when faith is so weakened by stubborn opinions?
What possible solution could there be?
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Job 26:14
14 Lo, these are parts [qatsah] of his ways [derek]: but how little [shemets] a portion [dabar] is heard [shama`] of him? but the thunder [ra`am] of his power [gabuwrah] who can understand [biyn]? KJV-Interlinear
14 'Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?' NASB
Job lived a very long time ago. In his day, there was not much in the way of science. Although the Egyptians, as well as others, were building some pretty impressive pyramids, and had quite a knowledge of engineering, surveying, astronomy and such, still their knowledge was nothing when compared to what we have and know today.
The scriptures were written to all of humanity, both those who lived in ancient times as well as those who are yet to live in the future from out present time.
Mans knowledge in science, technology, innovation, and invention are advancing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis it seems.
But all that we know, and all that we have are mere nothings, mere shadows of what God actually is.
The fringes are the fuzzy things that exist on the outermost edge of a thing. Like the foam on the edge of the ocean. The fringes amount to almost nothing when compared to the whole.
Likewise, the thunder of God here is a reference to peals of thunder from an extremely violent storm, loud and deafening. In contrast, what we hear from God, what we hear from mans discoveries collectively throughout history, are mere whispers.
The faint word, is the action of hearing a whisper that fades away. We hear the tiniest bit of the softest and quietest whisper, and then the greater portion of the whisper fades such that we cannot hear it all.
Such is the knowledge and wisdom of God, vast and unimaginably infinite, as compared to that of man, whose knowledge and wisdom is miniscule to almost non-existent. In fact our understanding is nothing more than the fringes of a whisper of the infinite.
Yet you can look around you and see the boastings of mans philosophies, religions, beliefs and such. People pursue with great passion, the lies they have invented themselves. People promote and give even their last dollar to ideologies that are empty pits.
People who are the most rebellious against God, make the most noise in this world. They boast profusely and try as they may, to suppress truth. In fact anyone who opposes the views of others (regardless of whether they are right or wrong) is in fact a hater of truth.
Those who support truth are usually regarded as the silent majority. But where evil promotes its own philosophies, those who view themselves as righteous or conservative (Biblically speaking, not politically speaking) usually are reluctant to support their own. By the way, political conservatism is not Biblical conservatism. You should know that by now.
Gods whispers, which far surpass all of mans knowledge, are far greater than the expanse of this universe. And yet man gives little heed to the Word of God. Even those who fancy themselves as Christian, are more comfortable in taking, without giving back. If Christians supported their own faith to the extent even to the extremes that other false religions are supported, then this would be a very different world.
Supporting social activities, soccer, dances, and handing out blankets are more attractive than attending Bible classes and taking notes. Not that there is anything wrong with these functions, but when ones Bible study is excluded or replaced by these types of things, then the whole view of life has been misapplied.
Foundations and individuals alike give to charities and have for many, many years. But Jesus healed and cured, and told us that these things though good, are not what man needs. Soul healing through salvation and spiritual growth is far more important than inoculations and cures. Get doctrine and the shots will come. Forget doctrine and all of the shots in the world will not help you after you leave this world.
When the British flag flew around the globe, along with it went the military, the merchants, and the missionaries. All three being integral parts of freedom, liberty, prosperity, and eternal repercussions for millions. But the haters of truth, hate anything that has to do with the attributes of truth.
But that has been the course of history for a very long time, and still is. It is very easy to sit back and pretend to not understand ones obligations, to sit back and find excuses as to why one does not or cannot fulfill their obligations, or to sit back and wait for someone else to do what is needed.
But God looks to each individual to be obedient to His mandates. Each person is evaluated on what they do, not on what others do.
We all live in a world of beauty, music, tastes, and such. We all live in the world with pressures and stresses and anxieties galore. But there is nothing in our human experience that can match the phenomenal glories that await us in heaven.
Too often we look at the world around us and no further, and that tends to hold us back in how we conduct our lives. We think that we are screaming along in a billion mile race, when in fact we are stuck in our reluctance to take the first few steps. Arrogant excuses, thin skinned and shallow attitudes toward life are among the biggest barriers to spiritual growth.
What God has awaiting us defies our comprehension. The extent of Gods power and control over life escapes our trust. How can anyone genuinely grow up in their spiritual life when faith is so weakened by stubborn opinions?
What possible solution could there be?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Job 26:13
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 26:13
13 By his spirit [ruwach] he hath garnished [shiphrah] the heavens [shamayim]; his hand [yad] hath formed [chuwl] the crooked [bariyach] serpent [nachash]. KJV-Interlinear
13 'By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent. NASB
The word for spirit sometimes refers to ones breath, to the spirit of ones essence, to the power of ones own will. Sometimes it refers to the Holy Spirit, but that deity is not in view here. Not by Himself anyway.
Job is referring to Gods creative function in the creation of the heavens of the universe. He created the sun and the moon and the stars beyond. God did not randomly throw these objects into space, but arranged them as one would decorate a large room.
The serpent is the dragon. Typically this is a reference to the constellation Draco, which circles the North Pole. Today the North Star is Polaris, but back in 2700 B.C., Thuban was the North Polar star. Thuban was in the head of the dragon constellation.
There a lot of mythical stories surrounding the constellations, including the oldest of those myths, which was that battles occurred on the earth between man and dragons, and when the dragons were defeated, the gods threw the dragons up into the night sky, sometimes breaking them into two pieces, one piece residing in the sky and the other piece remaining on the earth.
Though the origins of the constellation names is not known, this book of Job along with other ancient writings points to the ancient Mesopotamians as the source. This would imply that Noah and his three sons, who lived both before and after the flood, told stories of the great creature people (breeding between women and angels) from Gen. 6, and these stories developed into the stories and mythology that we are familiar with today.
The constellations become a means of recording the stories of the battles between good and evil, between God and Satan, between man and demon.
Psa. 33:6
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. NASB
God not only created the universe, but He arranged the stars, decorated the heavens, not by some random or natural explosive event, but by means of His will through design and arrangement.
Not only were the stories of ancient events handed down through verbal communication, recorded in the written scriptures, but they are also recorded in the names and mythological stories (as we know them), from the stars themselves.
Back in those ancient times, people knew of God and the stories of creation. People knew the fundamental proverbs and principles of truth. As we have seen, their applications sometimes differed but their knowledge and acceptance of life and history did not.
Today, we face a very different view of doctrine. Today we have a growing trend of anti-truth, anti-God, anti-Christian attitudes.
Not only are the stories of old being systematically rejected as nonsense, but principles of fundamental social order are being rejected as well.
Through attempts to render illegal all prayer in the schools, to separate all links between faith and government, to gain acceptance between for all sorts of alternate lifestyles, and to separate people from their responsibilities at home and abroad, thus the trends of the world to disengage itself totally from God is all too evident.
To disengage from God is to disengage from truth. And once truth is gone, then lies are all that remain.
Way back then, people had virtually no technology, no science, no knowledge as we have today, but they did have common sense and could see life reasonably clearly. People knew their place and they knew Gods place.
Today we have so much information saturating the airways, and yet the attitude of the day is to ridicule the stories from scripture, and to disregard the teachings of old, as outdated and non-relevant to life.
Today people think that they know more, and are better off than those who lived in the past. But today, beliefs are formed from theories, conjecture, imagination, consensus and so forth, rather than on objective facts. Even the methodologies in todays sciences, of the past, make many assumptions in order to make themselves legitimate.
Mans attitude will vacillate for and against God, and in time, it will generally fade away from truth, but Gods truth will never change and man can never totally eliminate it from history. For man can no more change truth than he can change the positions of the stars.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 26:13
13 By his spirit [ruwach] he hath garnished [shiphrah] the heavens [shamayim]; his hand [yad] hath formed [chuwl] the crooked [bariyach] serpent [nachash]. KJV-Interlinear
13 'By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent. NASB
The word for spirit sometimes refers to ones breath, to the spirit of ones essence, to the power of ones own will. Sometimes it refers to the Holy Spirit, but that deity is not in view here. Not by Himself anyway.
Job is referring to Gods creative function in the creation of the heavens of the universe. He created the sun and the moon and the stars beyond. God did not randomly throw these objects into space, but arranged them as one would decorate a large room.
The serpent is the dragon. Typically this is a reference to the constellation Draco, which circles the North Pole. Today the North Star is Polaris, but back in 2700 B.C., Thuban was the North Polar star. Thuban was in the head of the dragon constellation.
There a lot of mythical stories surrounding the constellations, including the oldest of those myths, which was that battles occurred on the earth between man and dragons, and when the dragons were defeated, the gods threw the dragons up into the night sky, sometimes breaking them into two pieces, one piece residing in the sky and the other piece remaining on the earth.
Though the origins of the constellation names is not known, this book of Job along with other ancient writings points to the ancient Mesopotamians as the source. This would imply that Noah and his three sons, who lived both before and after the flood, told stories of the great creature people (breeding between women and angels) from Gen. 6, and these stories developed into the stories and mythology that we are familiar with today.
The constellations become a means of recording the stories of the battles between good and evil, between God and Satan, between man and demon.
Psa. 33:6
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. NASB
God not only created the universe, but He arranged the stars, decorated the heavens, not by some random or natural explosive event, but by means of His will through design and arrangement.
Not only were the stories of ancient events handed down through verbal communication, recorded in the written scriptures, but they are also recorded in the names and mythological stories (as we know them), from the stars themselves.
Back in those ancient times, people knew of God and the stories of creation. People knew the fundamental proverbs and principles of truth. As we have seen, their applications sometimes differed but their knowledge and acceptance of life and history did not.
Today, we face a very different view of doctrine. Today we have a growing trend of anti-truth, anti-God, anti-Christian attitudes.
Not only are the stories of old being systematically rejected as nonsense, but principles of fundamental social order are being rejected as well.
Through attempts to render illegal all prayer in the schools, to separate all links between faith and government, to gain acceptance between for all sorts of alternate lifestyles, and to separate people from their responsibilities at home and abroad, thus the trends of the world to disengage itself totally from God is all too evident.
To disengage from God is to disengage from truth. And once truth is gone, then lies are all that remain.
Way back then, people had virtually no technology, no science, no knowledge as we have today, but they did have common sense and could see life reasonably clearly. People knew their place and they knew Gods place.
Today we have so much information saturating the airways, and yet the attitude of the day is to ridicule the stories from scripture, and to disregard the teachings of old, as outdated and non-relevant to life.
Today people think that they know more, and are better off than those who lived in the past. But today, beliefs are formed from theories, conjecture, imagination, consensus and so forth, rather than on objective facts. Even the methodologies in todays sciences, of the past, make many assumptions in order to make themselves legitimate.
Mans attitude will vacillate for and against God, and in time, it will generally fade away from truth, but Gods truth will never change and man can never totally eliminate it from history. For man can no more change truth than he can change the positions of the stars.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Job 26:12
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 26:12
12 He divideth [raga`] the sea [yam] with his power [koach], and by his understanding [tabuwn] [tabuwn] he smiteth [machats] through the proud [rahab]. KJV-Interlinear
12 'He quieted the sea with His power, And by His understanding He shattered Rahab. NASB
All too often commentators try to apply this verse to the dividing of the Red Sea or to the dividing of the oceans after the Noah flood. But remember that the Bible is one long series of parables, using worldly terms or situations to describe spiritual concepts.
Throughout the Bible, the sea has been used to describe the will of humanity or the will of the nations. In one sense, God has a plan, a divine plan for history. In another sense, Satan has a plan, an evil plan wherein he desires to be better than God, and in effect overthrow God as the ruler of the universe.
Mans plan follows that of Satan in that man has for a long time seen himself as the ruler and determiner of his own destiny. Since ancient times, men have abused there power in quests for territory and authority over the weaker masses. Rulers did not hesitate to force armies of men to charge to their own death, simply because that ruler was power greedy.
And so history's ebb and flow of the human will, like the ocean tides, try to escape their boundaries. They storm and they settle down into a calm. But try as they may, the seas cannot break out of Gods defined boundaries.
The seas are literally water. They have no soul, no mental capacity. The seas do not think. And yet here they are ascribed with arrogance (Rahab). The nation is often referred to as Rahab for its unleashed arrogance and the destruction which comes out of it.
But Job uses Rahab here also to describe monsters, sea demons, dragons, crocodiles and such things. These pose great danger to man or to anyone who is caught up in their jaws.
Wisdom from God is of course His truth. Gods truth encompasses many things. Gods wisdom is not restricted to the words written in the Bible, but apply to all things that God has designed, defined and created. The primary concept here being Gods divine plan for the dispensations of human history, the work of salvation, and so forth.
The world of course wants to define things differently, leaving God out of pretty much everything. But the defiance, the rebellion, the animal predator arrogant attitude of humanity which is described here, is all controlled by God.
Try as he may, neither Satan nor mankind will be able to alter Gods plan. Neither Satan nor mankind will be able to superimpose their own will over that of Gods, and force a different outcome for history, than that which God has already foreseen.
Man, apart from God, is driven by arrogance. Arrogance is the great destroyer of life. People will boast about their desires, their goals, their intentions. People will boast about their beliefs and try to impose their standards and will, onto others.
But try as they may, the gossips, the politicians, the celebrities, the tyrants of the world, everyone can go only so far and no further.
God has placed limits on man, and on history.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 26:12
12 He divideth [raga`] the sea [yam] with his power [koach], and by his understanding [tabuwn] [tabuwn] he smiteth [machats] through the proud [rahab]. KJV-Interlinear
12 'He quieted the sea with His power, And by His understanding He shattered Rahab. NASB
All too often commentators try to apply this verse to the dividing of the Red Sea or to the dividing of the oceans after the Noah flood. But remember that the Bible is one long series of parables, using worldly terms or situations to describe spiritual concepts.
Throughout the Bible, the sea has been used to describe the will of humanity or the will of the nations. In one sense, God has a plan, a divine plan for history. In another sense, Satan has a plan, an evil plan wherein he desires to be better than God, and in effect overthrow God as the ruler of the universe.
Mans plan follows that of Satan in that man has for a long time seen himself as the ruler and determiner of his own destiny. Since ancient times, men have abused there power in quests for territory and authority over the weaker masses. Rulers did not hesitate to force armies of men to charge to their own death, simply because that ruler was power greedy.
And so history's ebb and flow of the human will, like the ocean tides, try to escape their boundaries. They storm and they settle down into a calm. But try as they may, the seas cannot break out of Gods defined boundaries.
The seas are literally water. They have no soul, no mental capacity. The seas do not think. And yet here they are ascribed with arrogance (Rahab). The nation is often referred to as Rahab for its unleashed arrogance and the destruction which comes out of it.
But Job uses Rahab here also to describe monsters, sea demons, dragons, crocodiles and such things. These pose great danger to man or to anyone who is caught up in their jaws.
Wisdom from God is of course His truth. Gods truth encompasses many things. Gods wisdom is not restricted to the words written in the Bible, but apply to all things that God has designed, defined and created. The primary concept here being Gods divine plan for the dispensations of human history, the work of salvation, and so forth.
The world of course wants to define things differently, leaving God out of pretty much everything. But the defiance, the rebellion, the animal predator arrogant attitude of humanity which is described here, is all controlled by God.
Try as he may, neither Satan nor mankind will be able to alter Gods plan. Neither Satan nor mankind will be able to superimpose their own will over that of Gods, and force a different outcome for history, than that which God has already foreseen.
Man, apart from God, is driven by arrogance. Arrogance is the great destroyer of life. People will boast about their desires, their goals, their intentions. People will boast about their beliefs and try to impose their standards and will, onto others.
But try as they may, the gossips, the politicians, the celebrities, the tyrants of the world, everyone can go only so far and no further.
God has placed limits on man, and on history.
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