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As we are coming to the end of the Book of Job, in our year-long study of the Bible, I thought it might be beneficial to call upon one of the big guns, in the world of theology, to help our understanding.
Here is a link to a recent video/audio series on Suffering, and the Book of Job.
Here is the link to learn what Food for the Hungry is doing, and how you can help with a financial gift.
Day #14 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 38-39
Here we are, at one of the rare summits of the Bible. God himself is present in the whirlwind, and will speak to Job!
Abba, open our eyes that we might see.First of all, it seems important that we consider all that is contained in the words "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind."
Who can wrap their minds around this narrative.
God and Satan have a conversation. God allows Satan to completely destroy Job's life. Everything but his life has been taken from him. Even his health has been destroyed.
To make matters worse, Job friends have been on the attack for 37 chapters telling him that it is his sin that is to blame, while townspeople walk by spitting on him, and mocking him.
Job has claimed his innocence, and we know this to be true because God proclaimed in the very first chapter that Job was blameless, upright, and feared God.
So we, along with Job cry, "why God, why"?
Tears stream when I consider that God made a personal appearance. Don't miss this. Surely he appears in a cloud, but we will learn latter, from Moses' encounter with God, that our earthly bodies would be nuked in God's presence.
Nonetheless, consider how personal, and infinitely precious it would be to have God join you in your study right now. If he never said a word, I would be melted and mute.
Then, we must meditate long and hard to understand what God is teaching us here. Every single time God says, "Who are you too...", or, "Where were you when...", it must penetrate us to the core of our being. Every single time God says the word "you", I am stabbed in my heart with my pride.
I can't read these words without seeing my presumption, my arrogance, my pride, my insolence, and my insubordination.
From the Fall of Man we all fight this desire to become gods unto ourselves. We think that we possess the knowledge to understand the ways of God.
How wrong we are, and how rightly we are corrected by God's words.
Abba, you are the Potter, and I am merely the clay. I stand completely mute, and again corrected by these words. And furthermore Abba, when I consider the depths of your sovereignty, I find great comfort. When I am screaming at the top of my lungs in pain, help me to remember that you alone are sovereign, you made, control, direct, and dictate everything that is. And help me to find in that the great comfort that this also applies to me.Before the world was even created, you knew me, you loved me, and you chose my path. Abba, I am mute before you, and seek your forgiveness for my considerable, and oft pride.Dear reader, I hope you too found understanding.
Day #13 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 35-37
Elihu makes my skin crawl.When I read the words of Elihu, although they contain some truth, I feel like I am sitting in front of a preacher who is more con artist than servant of God.
Who is this guy? He is not mentioned in the beginning. Clearly he has been listening to the whole dialog between these men, and then he pops into the scene proclaiming, "For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you."
One who is perfect in knowledge? Perfect?
This is either a prophet from God (which it doesn't feel like to me), one arrogant young whippersnapper, a demon possessed man, or perhaps even Satan himself.Further, after God comes down in the whirlwind, which we will see tomorrow, we never hear from Elihu (Hebrew for "he is god") again. Certainly Satan is prowling around in this situation. Was Elihu Satan's pawn? Or, have I completely missed the boat on this?
I am not going to belabor this unknowable suspicion, but do any of you readers feel the same way?
Note: audio of our class is found at the bottom of this post.
From Wayne Grudem:
"If could fix only one thing in the United States, it would be the systemic disease that has overrun the Supreme Court."
This Sunday's message from Dr. Wayne Grudem is so important for American's to understand, I am going to keep my words to a minimum and simply ask you to listen to Wayne's message below.
In this message, Dr. Grudem is going to explain how our Supreme Court has become an institution that makes laws, apart from the constitution, and is absolutely accountable to no one!
Please listen, and share this recording!
Notes: Download The Courts and The Question Of Ultimate Power In A Nation
Day #12 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 32-34
Oh boy, here we go again! Who is this young whippersnapper? Where on earth did Elihu come from?
You know, I think Laurie Mathers hit the nail on the head, when she made a comment in this blog a few days ago:
"The things they speak are not wrong things per se. What appears to be wrong is the glibness and ignorance in which they are spoken. It brought to mind things I've said over the years to others who were struggling...when I presumed to know something which in reality I had no way of knowing... arrogantly spouting true doctrine yet inappropriate, either because of my ignorance, or my arrogance, to the situation. I think sometimes our greatest fault as Christians is our glibness. We would well benefit to be slow to speak, and quick, in the absence of clear evidence of sin, to assume the best of our brothers and sisters in their struggles and pain."
We were made in the image of God, and in our fallen state we sometimes like to think that we can speak with great knowledge, and perhaps even possess the mind of God.
I suppose it is entirely possible that God would give us words to say. We see this proclaimed in the New Testament. But here, in these four men, I am not finding any humility. I am finding 4 men who have improperly judged the situation, even though there is great truth in much of what they say, and spoken sinfully as to speak judgment for God.
We can easily assess this because we are privy to the first chapter. Right?
Therefore, it seems to me, as Laurie has pointed out, that one of the great lessons of this book has to do with the attitude of our counsel.
We are not God, we do not know the mind of God, consequently, when we find ourselves in a position of counsel we should come alongside in love, leave judgment to God, and point our friends to the word of God, and encourage them to seek his face in prayer.It seems that God, above all, desires us to be in relationship with him. All of our life, and all of our counsel must keep that in mind, and like the Holy Spirit, be continually pointing to Christ.
I found myself in a counseling situation yesterday, and quickly realized that there was so much that I didn't know, and therefore was completely lost to offer any certain wisdom.
The only thing that came to view was to share applicable words from God's word, and point the two young people towards God.
Now, as difficult as it sometimes seems, I must rely on the mercy, the loving-kindness, the sovereignty, and the omniscience of God, for I have no idea what God might be doing in the lives of these two dear people.
I am looking forward to God speaking after Elihu completes his diatribe.
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section just below.
In just a few weeks it will be spring in the Sonoran desert!
Behold spring from these photographs from my flickr site:
1. Desert Spring Flowers, 2. Cactus Spring Flower, 3. Orange Butterfly, 4. Butterfly Macro, 5. Arizona Butterfly, 6. Blue Flower, 7. Arizona Red Flower, 8. Blue Flower (cropped), 9. Octopus Catus, 10. Old Man Cactus, 11. Delicate Desert Flora, 12. Orange Desert Delicate, 13. Bees on Mesquite Blossom, 14. Desert Pink Flower, 15. Spring and Easter Colors, 16. Delicate Desert Yellow, 17. Yellow against Green, 18. Red Yellow Orange Desert Wildflowers, 19. Blue Desert Wildflower, 20. Sonoran Desert Bee, 21. High Sonoran Desert Bee, 22. Beauty and the Beast, 23. Purple Floating Flower, 24. Arizona Wildflower, 25. Yellow Desert Flower, 26. Passionate Purple, 27. Passion for Purple, 28. Arizona Pomegranate, 29. Saguaro Bloom, 30. Orange Butterfly on Yellow, 31. Black Butterfly on Purple, 32. Arizona's Passion Flower, 33. Arizona Red, 34. Daisy, 35. Hummingbird
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 29-31
I am thinking that after reading Job's last soliloquy that he is likely someone that we should look up too, and perhaps even model our lives after.
I think it is important that we not let the judgment of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar cloud our view of Job's character.
Certainly Job was not a perfect man, certainly we have seen some cracks in his character, but we must remind ourselves of God's view of Job: "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil."
We have learned that Job was a very successful businessman (think billionaire Warren Buffett), but was also a very pious man who loved God, and used his wealth to accomplish good things. Continually we have read of Job's care for the widows, the fatherless, and the poor. Further, we have read that he was very generous with those in his employ.
In spite of the false accusations of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Job was clearly a man to look up too, and pattern our lives against.
Yet, here he is, perhaps a baby boomer, struck down in the prime of his life. He has gone from unimaginable wealth to complete poverty. To make matters worse, his family and friends have turned against him, and those who didn't know him spit upon him as they walk by.
Can you see him? This great man of God, reduced to a mockery, covered with painful, oozing boils, sitting upon the town dump.
In spite of what we learned yesterday from Job's poem in chapter 28, do we not still echo Job's inquiry of God? Why God, why?
Listen to Job:
"Oh, that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me as a crown;
Whether found right, or wrong, Job simply desires to hear from Yahweh. Job desires to be vindicated, but even if he is found wrong in the eyes of Yahweh, he will carry that indictment like a sign on his back.
Just please answer me God, answer me!
Although I don't profess to be held in God's view as a blameless, and upright man, I can greatly related to Job's dilemma. I suspect with the hardships brought on by our current recession, there are a great many who might stand with similar questions.
We have reached the point in our narrative where the talking is over. Another of Job's contemporaries, a young man is going to be introduced, but then, oh, but then we are going to hear from God himself!
Rather than peek ahead for God's answer to this oft asked question, why not this day ask God to prepare our hearts for the coming answer. Trust me, a ready heart, hearing of God's holy reply, will be completely, and absolutely stunned, and will stand submissively mute in the presence of Holy God.Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 24-28
For nineteen chapters we have been observing a dialog between Job, and his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
While his friends originally came to offer comfort, as they begin to listen to Job's lament they argue that it is his sin that has caused his suffering, and that the should immediately repent.
Job, however, maintains his innocence against constant attack from his friends to the contrary.
In the 25th chapter, Job, evidently tired of his friends tirade against him, seemingly cuts Bildad short (the chapter is only six verses), and confronts his friends presumption (they think they are speaking now for God), and spends the next six chapters discussing what is hidden and what is revealed by God.
Chapter 28 contains a poem of Job, and represents one of the key lessons for us in this book. Job's friends are confident that they know the source of Job's suffering, but Job retorts that it is impossible for us to know the mind, the depths, and the reaches of God's understanding.
Job then asks, "But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?", and then in the very last verses of this chapter provides us with the answer, "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding."
Key Point - It is absolutely essential that we not miss this understanding. In fact, we shall in later months learn that Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, at the end of his personal journal (the Book of Ecclesiastes) concludes that the end of all wisdom is this: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Dear reader, we will never fully appreciate Messiah unless we can understand why we desperately need Messiah.
In the third chapter of Genesis we learned of the Fall of Man. Here is where it all fell apart. We went from life with God to death. Sin entered our lives, and with it the consequence called death. Another way of putting it is that our sin makes us an enemy of God. God is infinitely perfect in his holiness. Perfect holiness will not be in the same company as sin.
This is where we must begin to understand "the fear of God". We are going to see God's holy war against sin displayed all throughout the Old Testament. We are also going to see great examples of his mercy.
It is most certainly a fact that a great deal of post-modern man's opinion of who God is a foul stench in the nostrils of holy God. A great number presume to know God, just like Job's friends, when in fact we can't begin to understand God. A great deal is hidden from us, and we ought properly to understand this, and prostrate ourselves before him in a reverent fear.
Today we stand in front of one of God's desired understandings for us. Here we must stand, meditate, ask God for a deeper understanding, implore the Holy Spirit to teach us, and learn our proper posture.
From the fall, the root of all of our sin is pride. Pride = I am God. God commands that we understand that he alone is God, and greatly to be feared.
Each year, it is kind of fun to glance back at my Google Analytics to see what I can glean from my statistics.
These numbers are minuscule as compared to some of the highly trafficked blogs, but I suppose in the world of blogs I continue to show growth.
It should be noted also, that I really don't do much to grow traffic here, it really has been fairly organic thus far.
Here are a few highlights:
I have greatly enjoyed this journey thus far, and I am looking forward to seeing where 2010 leads.
To those of you who are loyal readers, thank you very much, I hope to continue enjoying your trust, and pray that this year we might see a great crowd reading the Bible together, in our year-long ESV Study Bible series.
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