Seek Ye Truth

A Glimpse of Jesus's Teachings in Job

2012-01-09T07:54:00.003-06:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Job is still speaking in chapter 31:

(Job 31:1) "I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"

Once again Job reflects back on his life to declare how he has lived righteously. So far was he from the wickedness of adultery, that he had vowed not to even let his eyes look upon a young woman.

(2) "For what portion of God is there from above, and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? (3) Is it not destruction to the wicked, and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? (4) Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?"

For what reward is there from God for the wicked? Only destruction and misfortune. The KJV translators added the word "punishment". The original text shows only "strange". It meant something strange and unexpected, a calamity, misfortune, or disaster. God sees his ways, so of course, Job would choose only to live righteously.

(5) "If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hastened to deceit, (6) Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity."

If Job has been lying, false, or deceitful, then let his life and his heart be weighed in a just balance by God. Judged by God, Job is confident he will be shown to be righteous, even if men err in their judgment.

(7) "If my step has turned from the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot has cleaved to my hands, (8) Then let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out."

Job says if he has chosen a path outside the path of righteousness, if he has coveted what his eyes beheld, and if his hands were not pure, then let whatever he plants or does be uprooted.

(9) "If my heart has been deceived by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, (10) Then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her."

If Job's heart has been enticed by another woman, waiting for an opportunity to be with her at his neighbor's door, then let his wife be another man's wife.

(11) "For this is a heinous crime; yes, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. (12) For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase."

Job understands that adultery is an abominable act, a crime punishable by law. Also lust destroys the soul and ruins a man.

(13) "If I despised the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant when they contended with me, (14) What then shall I do when God rises up, and when He visits, what shall I answer Him?"

I think perhaps because Job used his own servants as an example rather than anyone in the public square, the sense is that if Job treated even his own servants unjustly, he would still have to answer to God.

(15) "Did not He who made me in the womb make him? And did not the same One fashion us in the womb?"

Job refers to him, his manservant. Job understands that God created all people.

(16) "If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, (17) Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it, (18) (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb);"

If Job has dealt wrongly, frustrating hopes, and not sharing with the poor, widows, and orphans, will not the Creator of them all judge Job? Verse 18 is a little difficult to understand exactly, but as it is a parenthetical phrase to the verses before it, the sense is that Job has cared for the poor, widows, and/or orphans, since his youth. I say "and/or" because Job may have only been talking about his most recent mention, the fatherless, with that parenthetical thought.

(19) "If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; (20) If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;"

With his continuation of "if"'s, Job makes it clear that he always provided for the poor and needy. The loins that were once cold and shivering, now covered by Job's fleece, were a blessing to him, either because Job himself felt blessed by helping the "least of these", or because the poor man offered a blessing in gratitude.

(21) "If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate; (22) Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone."

If Job ever oppressed the fatherless, even when as a judge at the gate it could have been within his power to do so, then let the arm that refused to help be torn from its socket. Once again, Job gives us a glimpse into something Jesus would later say, "And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee..."

(23) "For destruction from God was a terror to me, and because of His highness I could not endure."

The meaning is clear; Job feared the Lord.

(24) "If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; (25) If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;"

Once again the "if"'s mean that Job did not put his faith in riches, nor did he rejoice and boast in his achievements of wealth and prosperity. Job did not serve mammon!

(26) "If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in brightness, (27) And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand; (28) This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judge, for I would have denied the God who is above."

This passage refers to sun and moon worship. If Job's heart was enticed to this form of worship, and his hands and mouth were moved to active idolatry, it would be a sin against God, punishable by the judges.

(29) "If I rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted myself up when evil found him, (30) Neither have I allowed my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul;"

Job did not take pleasure in the misery of even those who hated him, and never cursed them.

(31) "If the men of my tent have not said, 'Oh, that we had of his flesh! We cannot be satisfied.'"

Even though the double negative seems to negate the thought, my initial thought was that the sense is that no one within Job's tent was ever unsatisfied; they always had their fill. This seemed logical as verse 32 continues with hospitality. I thought "flesh" meant "meat" or "food", but it also means "the flesh of man" and "mankind", the sense being that Job always gave of himself. However, there is another school of thought obtained from some of the old commentaries that says that verse 31 refers to the passage before, to the man who hated Job. The sense is that his servants were so upset by the ill treatment of their master that they wished to avenge him with the flesh of his enemy. Actually, the so-called "double negative" makes more sense this way, and doesn't negate the thought.

(32) "The stranger did not lodge in the street; I opened my doors to the traveler. (33) If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom; (34) Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door?"

If it appears that Job is falsely self-righteous and thinks he is perfect, verse 33 proves that he knows he sinned and on more than one occasion. He tells us he did not attempt to hide his transgressions as Adam had done when he hid in the garden, and he was not silent about confessing them.

(35) "Oh, that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book. (36) Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and bind it on me like a crown; (37) I would declare to him the number of my steps; like a prince I would approach him."

Job wishes to have a full and just hearing, and wishes God to answer him. I believe the sense of 35b and verse 36 is that Job wishes to know exactly what it is he has done to warrant his afflictions. He would openly confess to any charges of which he was guilty. The NKJV capitalizes "him" in verse 37 as if Job were talking about God, but I see no reason why it must be, and evidently the early commentaries did not suggest it, either. Verse 37 continues the same thought that Job would openly approach his adversary or a judge (anyone who would hear him) and discuss any charges.

(38) "If my land cries against me, or that its furrows complain; (39) If I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their lives; (40) Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

If Job had gotten his land by fraud or violence, then let the land be cursed with thistles and cockles and no good grain. Job ends his chapters-long discourse by saying that he was innocent; he had not broken the law and his land could not cry out against him.

Job Sings the Blues

2012-01-04T07:52:00.004-06:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Job is still speaking in chapter 30:

(Job 30:1) "But now they who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock."

Now those same young men who hid themselves out of respect for Job, whom he spoke of in the last chapter, now laugh at him. Men, whose fathers were not respectable enough to be put in charge of the care of the dogs of his flocks, now mocked him.

(2) "Indeed, how might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?"

This scripture is a little difficult, but I think the sense is that those same unrespectable fathers were of no use to Job when they were young and strong, and certainly not now at the end of their lives. Perhaps "old age perished" means that they lived so that they never even reached old age; therefore why would they ever have been of profit to Job?

(3) "For want and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste, (4) Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their food."

By hunger and poverty, they were loners and outcasts of society, wandering the desert. Job is illustrating to what depths he has sunk in public estimation that the sons of the most wretched in society treat him with contempt.

(5) "They were driven out from among men, they cried after them as after a thief, (6) To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the earth and the rocks. (7) Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they gathered together. (8) Children of fools, yes, children of base men; they were driven out of the land."

KJV Job 30:8b says "they were viler than the earth". In this case NIV may give a better sense of the meaning. The word "naka" means "strike, scourge, smite". The little word "min" translated as "than" can also mean "from" or "out of". "Viler than the earth" may have been a way of saying "unfit for the land".

(9) "And now I am their song; yes, I am their byword."

Paraphrased, "Now I am just an object of their joking and made up mocking songs".

(10) "They abhor me, they flee far from me, and do not hesitate to spit in my face. (11) Because He has loosened my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me."

In verse 11, "He" (although not capitalized in KJV, as it never is, but I do as a show of respect) must refer to God. The sense is, like an archer with a bow, God has so relaxed the string of his bow, that he has been left defenseless and without strength. Letting loose the bridle is like throwing off all restraints; like unrestrained headstrong horses, the young men let loose all sorts of disrespect and contempt.

There are some interesting notes on verse 11 by some of the early commentators that read it slightly differently. Because I have limited access to the early manuscripts, I can only take their words on this, and will quote from the writing of Albert Barnes: "But instead of the usual reading in the Hebrew text, 'yithriy', 'my nerve', another reading, 'yithriv', 'his nerve', is found in the qeri (margin). This reading has been adopted in the text by Jahn, and is regarded as genuine by Rosenmuller, Umbreit, and Noyes." According to that interpretation, the young men have so afflicted Job with their constant derision, that he has been rendered defenseless, as an archer with a slackened bow string; and therefore the flood gates are now opened, so to speak, and he is constantly hit with a flood of disrespect and contempt.

I think either interpretation works here. I don't think Job means any disrespect if he is declaring that God is the one who allowed this to happen to him, because after all, nothing can happen outside of God's will.

(12) "Upon my right rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. (13) They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper."

The fact that Job continues to place the blame on the young men for all his calamity, seems to suggest that the possibilty of the Albert Barnes interpretation above is a good one. "They have no helper" may mean simply that they need no one to help them, or it may mean that there is no one there to help them or counsel them with a better way.

(14) "They came as a wide breaking in of waters; in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me."

Again, their derision comes upon Job as a flood.

(15) "Terrors are turned upon me; they pursue my soul as the wind, and my welfare passes away as a cloud. (16) And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me. (17) My bones are pierced in me in the night, and my sinews take no rest."

As in Psalms 42:4, "I pour out my soul in me", verse 16a is a way of saying Job is dissolved in grief. Job has been pierced to the bone, and his tendons or muscles also have no rest. The original word translated as "sinews" is "araq", and it also means "gnaw", "chew", "eat", or "pain". Some of the old commentators suggest that the word means "gnawers" and Albert Barnes said that it might refer to the teeth. Therefore verse 17b might mean that his teeth grind continually and take no rest, or that gnawing pains, in general, never cease. Anyway you look at it, Job says he is a man in constant pain and sorrow!

(18) "By the great force of my disease is my garment changed; it binds me about as the collar of my coat."

The original word translated as "changed" is "chaphas" and means more than just "changed". More completely, it means "concealed", "masked", "disguised", "hidden", or it can mean "to be searched out" or "exposed". I believe the sense is that because the disease has changed him so much, his clothing now binds tightly or maybe sticks to his skin because of sores. Perhaps Job now disguises himself because of his hideous disease. Maybe Job metaphorically refers to his leprous skin as a new kind of covering that binds him tightly and one that he cannot easily cast off.

(19) "He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes."

Job speaks of God doing this to him or at least bringing calamity on him so that he has become regarded as worthless. "A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments" by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, beautifully points out that in reality, "God is poetically said to do that which the mourner had done to himself". In Job 2:8, the verse reads, "And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself; and he sat down among the ashes." Job obviously means that God had brought him to the state where he did this, but isn't it interesting to think how many times we want to blame God for things we do to ourselves?

(20) "I cry unto You, and You do not hear me; I stand up, and You regard me (not)."

Job now speaks directly to God. The KJV translators added the word "not" at the end of the verse because they thought it carried over from the first part of the verse. However, it's not necessary to the meaning to add "not", as the sense may be that Job cries out to the Lord and He doesn't seem to hear, or at least doesn't respond; Job stands up and God considers whether to answer Job or not.

(21) "You have become cruel to me; with Your strong hand You oppose Yourself against me."

My first thought was "Whoa, Job! You've gone too far now!" But then I have to think about how many times we ask today, "Why me? Why are You doing this to me?" We certainly aren't asking why God is doing good things to us! So the sense is the same. The word translated as "cruel" comes from a root word meaning to "act harshly" and the word also means "fierce". Perhaps rather than accusing God of being cruel to him, Job is merely stating what he thinks as fact, that the Lord has acted in a strong harsh way against him.

(22) "You lift me up to the wind; You cause me to ride upon it, and dissolve my substance."

The image is that Job is tossed to and fro like a limp rag doll in the wind.

(23) "For I know You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living."

The grave is the house appointed to all when they die.

(24) "However He will not stretch out His hand to the grave, though they cry in His destruction."

Job knows God will bring him to the grave, but He will not pursue him beyond that. Although men cry in despair while they are dying or for those who are dying, the grave is the ultimate rest for the weary.

(25) "Did I not weep for him who was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the poor? (26) When I looked for good, then evil came; and when I waited for light, there came darkness."

Job appears to be reflecting back on his life to point out that he was always compassionate, so perhaps expecting life to be good for him in return, but instead it was evil and dark with adversity and affliction.

(27) "All within me boiled, and rested not; the days of affliction confronted me."

Looking at the original words' meanings, I have transcribed this verse for my study purposes to what I believe is the best sense. The KJV says, "My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me." "Meeh", the word translated as "bowels" can refer to a lot of different internal body parts, and "qadam", the word translated as "prevented", actually paints more a picture of projecting oneself, to meet, or confront.

(28) "I went mourning without the sun; I stood up and I cried in the congregation."

The word translated as "mourning" is "qadar", and it means "ashy" or "dark-colored", which can imply mourning, but in this instance I believe it just means dark, as he repeats this in verse 30. Job's skin is dark even without the sun burning it.

(29) "I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls."

Interestingly, the word translated as "dragons" can also mean "jackals". The word translated as "owls" was actually two words that looks like "daughters of owls", or "daughters of howling", which has been suggested by some of the old commentaries to be understood as ostriches. Perhaps the sense is that Job is like those animals known for their mournful wailing in the night.

(30) "My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. (31) My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them who weep."

Job only sings the blues now!

Job As Wise Counsel

2011-12-11T10:18:00.008-06:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job:

(Job 29:1) Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, (2) "Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; (3) When His candle shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness; (4) As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tent; (5) When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were around me; (6) When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me;"

Job longs for the time when he felt God's presence all about him, when his family was still with him, and when he felt blessed by God in all that he did. Butter and oil flowing abundantly indicates a rich life.

(7) "When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!"

I looked to the old theologians and Bible historians who explained that Job was a magistrate. Courts of justice were held at the gates or entrances to cities. There Job took his seat as a judge. Even if this is an assumption not apparent in the scripture, at the very least, it means that Job was very open and seen in public, and as he will go on to say, very well respected.

(8) "The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up; (9) The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths; (10) The nobles held their peace, and their tongues cleaved to the roofs of their mouths."

Young and old alike, and even noblemen, gave Job the ultimate respect, in the public square.

(11) "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me; (12) Because I delivered the poor who cried out, and the fatherless, and him who had none to help him. (13) The blessing of him who was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy."

Job insists he helped the poor and defenseless, and they praised him. This is in response to his friends' assertions that he oppressed people and "sent widows away empty".

(14) "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was like a robe and a diadem."

Job says he was clothed from head to toe in righteousness as with a robe and turban, and therefore judged righteously.

(15) "I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. (16) I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not I searched out."

Job was the defender of the blind, lame, and poor. Any cause that was brought before him, he thoroughly examined in order to judge fairly.

(17) "And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth."

Job had rescued the poor and defenseless from the wicked, who are portrayed as beasts of prey.

(18) "Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.'"

Job said to himself and believed that he would live a long contented life, safe and secure in his home. The KJV does not use quotation marks to indicate exactly what Job was saying. The NKJV and other newer translations use quotation marks around verses 18, 19, and 20, as if they were all part of one quote from Job. As verse 18 is in the future tense, and the other two verses are in the past tense, I believe that Job made the brief comment in verse 18 about how he felt secure, and then went on to explain why in verses 19 and 20.

(19) "My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. (20) My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand."

Like a healthy tree by the waters, Job flourished and prospered. His glory and strength were continually refreshed and renewed. I see that the KJV added the "was" in verse 19 and the first "was" in verse 20 for clarity. The NKJV, NIV, and other translators of newer texts, decided the word should be "is" and included it as part of Job's quote started in verse 18. Although that might could have been understandable if those were the only verbs in the verses, I still maintain that verses 19 and 20 are in the past tense, as indicated by "lay" in verse 19 and the second "was" in verse 20.

(21) "Men listened to me and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. (22) After my words they did not speak again, and my speech dropped upon them."

Interestingly, the word translated as "dropped" also means prophesied, so men listened to Job as he prophesied to them. I am seeing Job's quote a little differently now. He may not have been talking about his personal comfort, glory, and strength, but judging by verse 21, he may have been feeling confident and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God!

(23) "And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths wide as for the spring rain."

The men were as eager for a word from Job as a thirsty land was for water.

(24) "If I laughed at them, they did not believe it, and the light of my countenance they did not cast down."

I suppose because they gave Job's words such respect and the words carried so much weight and importance, that even if he were to be casual and joking, they wouldn't believe he was joking, but would take every word very seriously. Perhaps it just means simply that if Job were to laugh at them, they would not be offended.

(25) "I chose their way for them, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners."

Job was their guide and counselor. He may have meant literally that he was their chief and king as supreme magistrate and as captain in the army, or perhaps he meant it metaphorically, but either way, men definitely looked to him for his wisdom, judgment, and advice. Job is attempting to vindicate himself from his friends' charges of guilt and hypocrisy by showing he was a man greatly respected and appreciated for his wise counsel to all, and his help to the poor and needy.

Where is Wisdom Found?

2011-12-07T07:49:00.019-06:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Job is still speaking in chapter 28:

(Job 28:1) "Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they refine it. (2) Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone."

Job starts by saying that there surely are wonders of the world that man has been able to discover. The theologian Adam Clarke points out beautifully that this "chapter is the oldest and finest piece of natural history in the world".

(3) "He sets an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death."

The pronoun "He" refers to man who mines precious stones from the depths of the earth, appearing even to have gone to the regions of the shadow of death.

(4) "The flood breaks out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten by the foot; they are dried up, they are gone away from men."

Waters that are so far below the ground that they are not known to man, break forth through mining the earth.

(5) "As for the earth, out of it comes bread, and under it is turned up as if it were fire. (6) The stones of it are the places of sapphires, and it has dust of gold."

Out of the earth comes food, and below that? Job could be referring to coal, which was fuel for fire, or maybe he refers to something like molten lava boiling below the surface of the earth.

(7) "There is a path which no bird knows, and which the vulture's eye has not seen; (8) The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it."

Man, as a miner, is able to dig deep into the earth to a place that neither beast nor bird with the keenest sight has ever seen.

(9) "He puts forth his hand on the rock; he overturns the mountains by the roots. (10) He cuts out rivers among the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. (11) He binds the floods from overflowing, and what is hidden he brings forth to light."

Interestingly, John Wesley thinks this passage is speaking about God. But some theologians think it continues with the miner. I see no reason why these verses can't be describing the miner. After all, man does have some power in the earth. That is why he often, in pride, believes he has more power than he actually does. The miner does indeed dig through rock. He can blast away mountains. He can dig out streams and dam them up. What is hidden below the surface of the ground or under the water can indeed be brought to light. A miner sees many precious things hidden in the earth.

(12) "But where will wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?"

The "But" cinches it for me. If the previous verses had been talking about God, why would there now be a "But"? Although man can do these seemingly marvelous things and unearth these wonders, there is no real wisdom and understanding in doing these things. Just because man can reach into the bowels of the earth and dig out wonders of God never before seen, he cannot really know the true wisdom of God. He may have knowledge of many earthly creations of God, and may have some understanding of how God has worked in nature on this earth, but he cannot really know the mind of God just by unearthing these wonders.

I suppose even if the previous passage of verses 9 through 11 had been speaking about the wonders of God, as John Wesley said, rather than what man can do, verse 12 would still make sense. Even though we see these marvelous wonders of God on earth, it does not mean we have complete understanding of Him. Either way, the context is the same. No matter what man sees and knows of God here on earth, he cannot know the mind of God.

(13) "Man does not know its value; neither is it found in the land of the living."

Man does not even know the value of true wisdom and understanding of God, and there is not enough in all the world to equal the value of it.

(14) "The deep says, 'It is not in me', and the sea says, 'It is not with me.' (15) It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price. (16) It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. (17) The gold and the crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it will not be for jewels of fine gold. (18) No mention will be made of coral, or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. (19) The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it; neither will it be valued with pure gold."

Job recites a poetic list of all the wonderful and valuable treasures of the earth that cannot come close to the value of true wisdom.

(20) "From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? (21) Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air."

Since wisdom is not known in all the world, and nothing comes close to it here on earth, Job asks from where then does it come.

(22) "Destruction and death say, 'We have heard the fame of it with our ears.'"

This is an interesting side note of Job's. Although, no one on earth knows wisdom, death and destruction have heard of it? Does he mean that, in death, souls will have more understanding? I do know a day is coming when all will know God and every knee will bow to Him, but this verse seems to suggest that the dead only have a partial knowledge of it at this point; they've only heard of it, they can't really say for certain what it is. So when souls depart this earth, do they have an inkling of what is to come at that point? I can see this verse another way. Perhaps after reviewing what happened in a certain destruction and death, we can garner some wisdom, learning from the past, so to speak. Think of all the Biblical wisdom that has been given to us for our learning, but even in this, we can say we have read about it, we have heard about it, but we cannot really KNOW it.

(23) "God understands its way, and He knows its place, (24) For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heavens, (25) To make the weight for the winds, and He weighs the waters by measure."

Man may be able to discover some secrets of the earth. He may be able to dig through mountains and dig out creeks, but it is God who made those mountains and made the waters that will flow into those creeks. God knows exactly what is necessary to hold back the oceans and He has the power to unleash them by the wind that He alone controls.

(26) "When He made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder, (27) Then He saw it and declared it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out."

God declared His creations. God saw it, that it was good. He declared it through his marvelous works of nature, that they declare the glory of God. Our words "searched it out" aren't really sufficient for the meaning of the original word, "chaqar", which denotes a perfect intimate knowledge.

(28) "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'"

The best we can attain of true wisdom and understanding on this earth is to fear the Lord and depart from evil. That is the charge God left for us. The word translated as fear also means reverence. Fearing the Lord is having a reverential fear that He is the One who holds your life in His hands. It's not that we have to be constantly afraid that He will strike us down for no reason, but we understand that He has the power to do so, but He loves us and wants the best for us, which is everlasting life with Him in eternity. Evil necessarily has to be as God describes it to us. The best we can do here on earth is to follow the Lord and follow the commandments He left for us, and that will be wisdom and understanding here on earth. We cannot have God's perfect intimate knowledge, but we can have what He gives us through His Holy Spirit when we seek to follow Him.

The Ultimate Fate of a Wicked Man

2011-12-02T08:55:00.007-06:00

Continuing in a Bible study of Job, we resume with Job still speaking. In my past studies on Job, I usually separated blog posts between speakers, but Job was especially long-winded this time, speaking for several chapters, so I will devote a blog post to each chapter.

(Job 27:1) Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, (2) "As God lives, who has taken away my justice, and the Almighty, who has vexed my soul,"

As a child, I always thought "parable" just meant "story", but it actually has a weightier meaning. The original word, "mashal" has a primitive root that means to rule or to have or make dominion over, so the sense of the word here, quoting Strong's, is that "in some original sense of superiority in mental action; properly a pithy maxim, usually of a metaphorical nature; hence a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse): - byword, like, parable, proverb."

"As God lives" begins Job's oath, but he describes God as one who has so afflicted him that he cannot be judged fairly, and therefore has made his soul bitter, as the original word translated as "vexed" also means.

3) "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils, (4) My lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. (5) God forbid that I should justify you; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. (6) My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live."

As long as Job lives, he will not speak wickedness or deceit, therefore he could never concede that his friends were correct; as he was a man of integrity, nothing could induce him to abandon his convictions. He holds fast to his integrity and uprightness, and his heart will not betray him by being false. I have to wonder if this is one of those times when God could reprimand Job. Is there a hint of self-righteousness here? I don't think it is disrespectful of Job to cling to "his righteousness", as I believe that he knew his righteousness was not his personal righteousness, but his justified righteousness before God, because he adhered to the laws of his Lord. This is the time before Jesus and men were justified by adhering to certain sacrificial laws. I think he is saying here that even though he feels he has been afflicted by God, he would never abandon God and His laws. However, I do think he threw in a self-righteous barb when he said that he, righteous Job, would never abandon his convictions even though God, the One he held to, had taken away his justice and caused the bitterness of his soul.

(7) "Let my enemy be as the wicked, and he who rises up against me like the unrighteous."

The exact meaning of this scripture is a little difficult for me. Is Job accusing his friends who reject his claim of innocence of being wicked and unrighteous? Or perhaps he is just trying to draw a distinction between himself and the wicked, the unrighteous, and the hypocrite, that he describes in the next verse. His friends have claimed that he must be a hypocrite or unrighteous because of his afflictions, so perhaps he is saying he is nothing like the wicked and considers the unrighteous enemies.

(8) "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul? (9) Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? (10) Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God?"

Verse 8 reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 16:26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Job points out that even though the wicked may prosper in this world, they have no hope of anything else in eternity. There is nothing left when God takes his soul; the wicked has nothing if he can't call on God.

(11) "I will teach you by the hand of God; what is with the Almighty I will not conceal."

Once again the NKJV, NIV, and just about every one of the newer translations, translated the first part of this verse as, "I will teach you about the hand of God". Fascinating subtle change there! That would make Job appear a self-righteous boastful man if he declared that HE would teach them about GOD! What can mortal man really know about the mind of Almighty God? What Job was saying was that "by the hand of God", or by the Holy Spirit of God, he would teach them everything Almighty God was revealing to him.

For some fascinating links about just how much NIV translators changed the original Greek texts of the Bible, see a previous study here.

(12) "Behold, all of you yourselves have seen it; why then are you so altogether vain?"

Although they did seem to get way off-track during the course of their conversations in the book of Job, remember that Job's friends were good righteous men, who more than likely knew God. Job is probably now appealing to the fact that they, too, have been lead by the Spirit of God before, so why now do they speak such nonsense of themselves?

(13) "This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they will receive from the Almighty."

Job now returns to the subject of describing the fate of the wicked.

(14) "If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword, and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. (15) Those who remain of him will be buried in death, and his widows shall not weep."

Job says that even if the wicked appear blessed with large families after them, those descendants will die by the sword and by famine, and no one will lament their passing.

(16) "Though he heaps up silver like dust, and piles up clothing like clay, (17) He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver."

Job says that although the wicked may have piled up riches and "things" while on earth, those things will be left behind to be used by the innocent. "You can't take it with you", and Job has already stated that the wicked's descendants will neither be there to enjoy the riches.

(18) "He builds his house like a moth, and as a hut that the keeper makes."

The obvious meaning is akin to Jesus's example of a man who builds his house on sand. It is only temporary and has no real foundation. However, the theologian Albert Barnes took it a step further. The house of a moth is made of wool from the clothing of others upon which it fed. Could that be the more complete picture Job is trying to illustrate here? The house of the wicked that was obtained at the expense of others is only temporary.

(19) "The rich man will lie down, but he will not be gathered; he opens his eyes, and he is no more."

Job means the rich that are wicked will die, and will not be honorably buried. The expression, "to be gathered to one’s fathers", is seen frequently in the Bible, and probably denotes a peaceful and respectful burial among family. Additionally, the wicked man's life is fleeting; in the twinkling of an eye he is no more.

(20) "Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest steals him away in the night. (21) The east wind carries him away, and he departs, and as a storm it hurls him out of his place. (22) For it will cast upon him and not spare; he would gladly flee out of its hand (if he could)."

The KJV reads this way: "For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand." The KJV translators read the pronoun "his" instead of "its" and decided the verse must be describing the hand of "God", who, of course, is the source of all that happens to the wicked. However, "God" is italicized, so the KJV translators let us know that they are the ones who added "God" to the verse. I see no reason that the verse couldn't be continuing the thought that the storm will hurl against the wicked and not spare him. Obviously, God is the one who uses the storm to hurl against the wicked, so either translation works. Old Noah Webster wrote that "fain" meant "gladly" and even used this scripture from the Bible in his old dictionary. The wicked would gladly flee, but obviously, he can't.

(23) "Men will clap their hands at him, and will hiss him out of his place."

The word translated as "hiss" also means to whistle, so I believe the context here is that men will cheer and jeer when the wicked are dead and gone.

Job's friends have tried to maintain that righteous men prosper and that the wicked fall, and that his afflictions are a good indication of which he has to be. Job previously spoke at length about how the wicked prosper in this world, and seeks to prove that sometimes they fall after this life on this earth, in ways that are not always obvious to the present human eye. He knows and agrees that ultimately the wicked do fall, but his friends' assessment of his situation as a black and white example of this does not hold water.

Intermission

2011-11-27T09:09:00.007-06:00

I was just noticing the appearance of my blog. Lately, my blog has turned into a Bible study, and all the political links on the side bar don't seem to be related to the texts. Originally, I felt compelled to write about what was going on in this country. I was a regional chapter leader in Concerned Women for America, and I was truly concerned about the direction of our country. However, lately, it has felt that there is no hope for this country. What ails this country is too big! It's not just a wicked administration. Obama could never have been elected if people knew the truth about him going into the election. Imagine if the media investigated his life and his past associations as well as they did any conservative's. Imagine if they truly dug for the truth about all his Communist and Islamist ties, including questionable terror ties. Imagine if they gave us constant sound bites of all his numerous gaffes, flip-flops, and anti-God and anti-American comments. Not only does the mainstream media not report the truth, but they actually prop up liberals with whom they agree. They willingly report all the lies told by them. They seek to destroy anyone with whom they disagree, even throwing out accusations they know haven't been proven, and sometimes when they know they are false. A retraction can be made later, IF it is ever made, but the damage is already done. They've done their job, as they now see it. The problem of changing the direction of our country just seems too huge with no hope of competing with a lying propagandist media.

Even more than a wicked administration and a lying manipulative media, there are the people in our country: people who are too lazy to dig for the truth, Godless people who reject moral values, and phony Christians who wish to overlook immorality and wickedness. Some are phony, using the grace of Christianity as a cover for evil, but many are just misinformed by weak churches that do not teach Biblical truth. If the people were to get back to God on their knees in prayer and back to the Bible for His truth, they wouldn't be swayed by the lies of the world.

It's really not about trying to save our country anymore; it's about saving people. It's about truly saving lives! And that means saving eternal lives, lives that really matter, not just the convenience of this little dot on the timeline of eternity. I hate to see our country reject God, reject His moral laws, reject innocent life, reject Israel, and go the way of the world. Scriptures do speak of how evil leaders cause the people to sin, so the fight for our country seemed like a fight for the good of the people. But that battle seems too great now, and it seems less important as time grows short. I do believe time is short. The end times are here, and it is time to find salvation in the only place it can be found, in the Lord Jesus Christ. The government of this country is not anyone's Savior, so in the real scheme of things, nothing it does really matters, not as far as eternal life and true salvation goes.

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" - Matthew 16:25-26

Church is not the answer either. Some churches can lead people to truth, but many lukewarm churches do more harm than they do good. God HATES a lukewarm church:

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." - Revelation 3:15-16

The BIBLE has the answer. In my heart, I truly feel like that is the answer for everyone, for every problem. In reality, Jesus Christ is the only answer, but I know God will lead people to Him through His word. The Bible speaks of Christians who do not have the foundation of the Word, and they will fall prey to Satan if they do not know the truth, because even Satan appears as an angel of light, meaning there are many lying spirits out there who pretend to be something they are not and will fool well-meaning Christians if they do not know the truth. It's still important to watch what is going on in our country and in the world, especially in the context of Biblical prophecy. That way we are not fooled by the lies of wicked leaders and propagandist media. We can understand that although world peace and saving the planet may sound like good goals, it's not going to happen, and we won't get snowed by a smooth-talking anti-Christ. So back to the Bible study next time! Back to seeking REAL truth! Meanwhile, I will be changing the look of my blog to more reflect where it has evolved. I think I will keep my "Seek Ye Truth/God Bless America" banner, as I still feel a draw on my heart to return America to her God:

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14

Who First Discovered the World Was Round?

2011-11-25T07:56:00.009-06:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, now Job speaks again:

(Job 26:1) But Job answered and said, (2) "How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? (3) How have you counseled him who has no wisdom? And how have you plentifully declared the thing as it is? (4) To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?"

There is a very interesting mixture of opinions about to whom Job is referring in these scriptures. Some theologians believe it is about God and should be said with a little different emphasis like, "How You have helped him who is without power!" That may be because it becomes evident Job talks about God in the following verses. But up to that point, I think he is being sarcastic toward his friends who claim to have the wisdom of God, but offer him nothing. I think the scriptures are to be taken literally and said in the sense, "Just how have you helped anybody?" I believe that must be the case because in verse 4, he asks whose spirit came from them; he would not have been asking that of God. After sarcastically zinging his friends, then Job transitions into a discussion of God:

(5) "Ghosts are in anguish from under the waters, and those inhabiting with them. (6) Hell is naked before Him, and destruction has no covering."

I took a little liberty with my personal transcription of verse 5. KJV says "dead things" instead of "ghosts", but Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs dictionaries indicate the original word indeed means more than dead things, but the ghosts of the dead things. Additionally, KJV says the dead things are formed under the waters, but the original word, "chul" most often means more than just formed; it means "to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained", to name a few. I believe the sense of these two verses is to say that nothing is outside of God's power, not the spirit world of ghosts and not even hell!

(7) "He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth upon nothing. (8) He binds up the waters in His thick clouds, yet the clouds are not broken under it. (9) He holds back the face of His throne, and spreads His cloud upon it. (10) He has compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end."

Job describes the awesome wonders of the all-powerful God. Most astonishing to me when I first discovered it, was that the Bible tells us the world is round in verse 10. In school we were taught that Columbus was the first to discover the world was not flat. Since then, we've gotten more "educated" and have learned that there were those who believed it before then. Do an internet query on "who discovered the world was round" and you'll get a huge variety of answers. I was amazed to see "the best answer" on a Yahoo board which asked the question, added this comment, "The flatness of the Earth was some sort of imposition by religious fanatics of the middle age." While I will agree that "religious" does not always mean "Christian" or "Biblical", I found the statement awfully interesting considering any religious scholar with access to the scriptures would have known that God created a circular world.

Verse 10 reads: "He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end." Newer translations say it this way: "He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness" (NKJV); "He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness" (ESV). I, personally, always refer to the old KJV myself, as I believe its translation to be the most pure (see here), but I used the others as examples here to show that scholars knew the meaning of the original Greek words translated as "compassed" in Job 26:10. Two words were used, "chug" which means "to encircle, encompass, describe a circle, draw round, make a circle", and "al" which means "above, over, upon, or against". Clearly, the meaning is that God drew a circular boundary above the waters of the earth. Anyone with access to the early scriptures could have had a notion that the earth was round. Isn't that a marvelous discovery?!

(11) "The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof. (12) He divides the sea with His power, and by His understanding He crushes the proud."

God is all-powerful; He controls the heavens, the oceans, and people, all things that would have seemed impossible to control by mortal men. Job uses them as examples to show the enormity of God's power.

(13) "By His Spirit He has garnished the heavens; His hand has formed the crooked serpent."

Actually, I believe the truer translation of the second part of verse 13 is as the NKJV suggests, "His hand pierced the fleeing serpent." Once again, I don't think the KJV translators used a strong enough word in "formed" to truly describe what the original word meant. The root of "chalal" is "to bore" which very simply could be "to form", but further definitions of the original word indicate it means more completely to "bore through, pierce, wound, etc." However, I decided to leave the verse as transcribed in KJV for my study, as it really doesn't matter for the context. The all-powerful God has adorned the heavens, and He has created even the most uniquely formed creatures, as well as stopping them in their tracks, no matter how slippery and slithering they may be. Actually, the old Biblical scholars take the "fleeing serpent" to mean a constellation in the sky. That is also a good context here since Job is describing how God adorned the heavens. The sense of this verse is the same no matter how you interpret it.

(14) "Lo, these are parts of His ways; but how little a portion is heard of Him? But the thunder of His power who can understand?"

Job concludes by asking who can really understand the vast magnitude of God's infinite power. His friends claim they know the mind of God, but Job has sought to prove to them that they cannot possibly know the mind of so powerful and infinite an Almighty God.

How Can Man Be Justified With God?

2011-11-23T09:00:00.003-06:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Bildad answers Job:

(Job 25:1) Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said, (2) "Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places."

God has complete sovereignty over all people, places, and things, and because of that, man should rightly be in absolute fear of His almighty power. I think the point of the "peace in high places" is not that God is making peace in a warring heaven, but that He also has sovereign power over the heavens, including angelic beings and the stars in the sky; He keeps even the vast heavens in order.

(3) "Is there any number to His armies? And upon whom does His light not rise?"

Is there any end to the number of His heavenly hosts which include all angelic beings and even the vast number of stars in the infinite sky? And is there anyone anywhere who does not fall under His sovereign jurisdiction?

(4) "How then can man be justified with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of a woman?"

Bildad's point is that with a so vastly almighty powerful God, how can a man even dare to argue with Him? How can mere man be pure in God's sight?

(5) "Behold even to the moon, and it does not shine; yes, the stars are not pure in His sight."

Even the moon and stars have no light compared to Almighty God!

(6) "How much less man, that is a worm, and the son of man, which is a worm?"

Bildad asks that if even the marvelous celestial beings hold no light and are not pure in His presence, how much less is miserable sinful man considered to Him? So in response to Job's dare to prove him a liar, Bildad attempts to squash Job's right to even speak at all, or at least to question God about his circumstances. Actually, if done with more compassion, it might not have been such a bad response. Our answer often is that we just don't know why God allows certain things to happen. But we do know He is completely sovereign, and nothing is out of His range of power. His ways are so much higher than our ways; He sees the whole universe and all of time and how it does and will inter-connect. So really, who is tiny, insignificant, impatient, and selfish mortal man, who is so short-sighted, to question Almighty God? But thank our Heavenly Father, He does allow us to cry out to Him in prayer, and He does give us wisdom when we ask for it. It's just because we do not see things the way God does, that we expect an instantaneous answer or elimination of the problem, when often God is answering us and giving us wisdom and guidance through the problem.

Who Will Make Job a Liar?

2011-11-05T09:11:00.016-05:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Job speaks again:

(Job 23:1) Then Job answered and said, (2) "Even today my complaint is bitter; my stroke is heavier than my groaning."

Paraphrased, "Even as we speak the hand (of God) upon me is greater than my complaints."

(3) "Oh, that I knew where I might find Him! That I might come to His seat! (4) I would present my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. (5) I would know the words He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me. (6) Will He plead against me with great power? No, but He would regard me. (7) There the righteous might dispute with Him; so should I be delivered forever from my judge."

Job knows that his Lord is a just God, and if only he could present his case straight to Him, Job knows that He would know the truth about Job. If Job were able to speak straight to the author of truth and justice and life itself, he himself would then understand why these things have happened to him. He certainly can't get answers from his friends; at the throne of God is the only place Job can hope to get real answers, and he hopes to get deliverance, as well. He trusts His Lord will treat him tenderly and show him the truth.

(8) "Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; (9) On the left hand where He works, but I cannot behold Him; He hides Himself on the right hand that I cannot see Him."

In these two verses, Job actually mentions "the four corners of the world, east, west, north, and south". The word translated as "forward" is "qedem" or "qedmah" and it can mean "front, forward" or "east, eastward", as well as "before, aforetime, old, past". Likewise, "backward" or "achor" can mean "behind, backward" or "west". The word translated as "left hand" is "semol" and means "left, dark, or north". "Yamiyn" means "right or south". These directions are for a man facing eastward. When Job speaks of "the left hand where He (God) works", he may be speaking of a dark or hidden region, as that word also means dark, as God often may seem to work in secret from us. Perhaps Job means "the four corners of heaven" by these directional words. The theologian, Albert Barnes, speculates that it may have seemed like the most awesome manifestations of God's glory and majesty might have appeared in the north in the form of the Aurora Borealis, the northern lights. Another early Biblical scholar, Adam Clarke, points out that from where Job and his friends would have stood in their place on the earth, they would not have been able to see the southern sky, the constellations of the antarctic pole. Therefore, it may have seemed to Job that God must be "hiding" Himself there now. Obviously, the sense of these scriptures is that Job has looked everywhere for God, in order to present his case to Him, but he cannot find Him.

(10) "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Although Job cannot find God, he has confidence that God knows where he is and truly knows him and his ways. Although he doesn't understand why he has had to go through all these trials, he knows it will be better in the end. Whether Job states this fact pridefully because he believes in the end God will "discover" that Job is pure, or whether he understands that all trials have the potential to improve and purify us when God is at the helm working all things for good, remains to be seen just yet. So far I have not found any real fault in Job through this process, but some of the early commentaries point to this scripture as one in which God finds fault when He later appears to Job. Perhaps Job is beginning to show a little boastful pride here.

(11) "My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. (12) Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."

Job insists he has faithfully and continually followed God and His commandments.

(13) "But He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does."

Even though he sees himself as completely innocent, Job realizes that God Himself alone is the author of our fate. Although God wants the very best for us, He sees the bigger picture, and His plans are His own designed in His perfect wisdom, and no one can turn Him against His will.

(14) "For He performs the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with Him."

Interestingly, the word translated as "the thing that is appointed" is "choq"; the same word is combined with "min" and translated as "necessary food" in verse 12. I believe the sense is that the steps necessary for carrying out His will are as fundamentally needed as "necessary food". God performs innumerable such tasks, and God performing His will in our daily lives is as fundamental, ingrained, and natural, as our daily routines including eating and sleeping.

(15) "Therefore I am troubled at His presence; when I consider this, I am afraid of Him."

When Job realizes that there is no turning God from His will, he is afraid of Him. The word translated as "fear" can be translated as "awe", as well. When anyone fully understands there is no stopping the One who holds his life in His hands, a reverential fear or awe is only natural.

(16) "For God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me; (17) Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither has He covered the darkness from my face."

That thought about God and the magnitude of His enormous power makes Job's heart faint with the realization of it. Job is feeling very vulnerable and helpless at the realization of God's great power, probably as it relates to his troubles that may have no end. God did not take his life before they came on him and he does not cover him in the grave now.

(Job 24:1) "Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they who know Him not see His days?"

Most commentaries read this as asking why those who know the Lord don't see His (or understand) His ways. Who am I to disagree with the great old theologians, but in context with the verses that follow, I believe that Job is wondering here why, seeing that God sees all, does He allow those who don't know Him to see His days. Rather than reading the phrase as "they who know Him", I believe it has to be "they who know Him not" because the next verses continue with a description of wicked men. Why, seeing that God knows their wickedness, do they seem to get to enjoy His blessings?

(2) "Some remove landmarks; they violently take away flocks and feed on them; (3) They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow's ox for a pledge. (4) They turn the needy out of the way; the poor of the earth hide themselves together. (5) Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert, they go forth to their work, rising early for a prey; the wilderness yields food for them and for their children."

Job describes the actions of wicked men. They are like wild donkeys, fierce, lawless, and greedy for prey, and even the wilderness yields for them, because they rob and plunder. Speaking about them and their children, seems a bit more tender to me, and has me wondering if Job might mean here that when the poor were forced to hide themselves together that they were the ones who became as wild donkeys foraging for food in the wilderness.

(6) "They reap their corn in the field; and they gather the vintage of the wicked."

All these "they"'s are difficult for me to discern. If Job was talking about the poor, when does he return to the subject of the wicked? Perhaps he has only been talking about the wicked this entire time. Certainly the gist of his comments so far is that the wicked do horrible things, and the poor do suffer at their hands. Every old study I read indicates that Job is talking about they, the wicked, here. The word translated as "corn" means more of a mixed feed or fodder. The reaping and gathering of the vintage is metamorphic for their various robberies, living off the plunder of others. One study I read pointed out that the word translated as "gather" actually means to gather late or gather the after crop, so the idea is that they reap the early harvest of corn and gather the vintage late in autumn. Thus they are always robbing and supporting themselves by robbery.

(7) "They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, they who have no covering in the cold. (8) They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter."

This passage is pretty clear. They, the wicked, plunder and strip people and leave them destitute. They, the plundered, are left out in the cold with nothing to defend themselves. Now, back to they, the wicked...

(9) "They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge from the poor."

Perhaps they steal defenseless children, possibly making them slaves or worse, or perhaps selling them. Looking at it slightly differently, taking a pledge from the poor may be related to the first part of the verse in that "they so pillage and plunder the poor widow that she cannot sustain herself that she may be able to nurse her baby" (1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes). Either way, they were ruthless.

(10) "They cause him to go naked, without clothing; and they take away the sheaf from the hungry, (11) Who make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst."

Some translations say "them", meaning the poor, rather than "him", as the KJV does. As I look a little deeper, "fatherless" from the verse before can also mean a lonely bereaved person. Maybe rather than literally stealing children, the wicked are taking all comforts and security from the poor and defenseless. They leave them with nothing to clothe themselves and take away their last bit of food. Probably what is meant by verse 11 is that the hungry make oil and tread wine presses within the wicked men's walls. They, the hungry, are thirsty because they are not permitted to drink the wine they must make for the tyrants, either because they are forced as slaves to work for them, or because the fruit of their labor is taken from them by the wicked.

(12) "Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded cries out; yet God does not regard them with folly."

Although the oppressed groan and cry out to God, He seems to allow their suffering at the hands of wicked men to pass without punishing the wicked deeds. I believe Job is trying to prove to his friends that God does not always immediately punish the wicked, and that the reverse was also true, that God did not always immediately reward every good work. Wickedness often went long unpunished and virtue unrewarded, so they could not judge a man either by his prosperity or adversity.

(13) "They are of those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways nor abide in its paths."

Back to they, the wicked, the ones who caused such misery to the oppressed, they rebel against the light of God's word.

(14) "The murderer rising with the light kills the poor and needy, and in the night is like a thief. (15) The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, 'No eye will see me', and disguises his face. (16) In the dark they dig through houses which they had marked for themselves in the daytime; they do not know the light. (17) For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death; if someone knows them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. (18) They are swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth; they behold not the way of the vineyards."

The wicked are murderers, thieves, and adulterers. I want to note that in verse 18, KJV uses the pronoun "he" instead of "they", but Strong's points out that the original word used here can also mean "they", and that seems to flow better with the context here. I think the meaning of verse 18 is that the wicked are always fleeing because they know they are not accepted in normal walks of life, no doubt because of their choices.

(19) "Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does the grave he who has sinned."

KJV added the words "so doth" (so does) and "those which" (...have sinned) for clarity. As those aren't original text words, I chose "he who" for my personal transcription notes, since it matches the pronouns used in the verses following this one.

(20) "The womb will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be no more remembered; and wickedness will be broken as a tree."

Even his mother who bore him will forget him and he will lie in the grave, which is the meaning of the worms in the ground which will feed on him as he lies there. The word translated as "broken" here is "shabar" and its meaning is a little more violent that merely "broken". The wicked will be totally broken to pieces, crushed, destroyed, like a tree that is broken down and never grows again.

(21) "He preys on the barren who do not bear, and does no good for the widow."

Job returns to the subject of the terrible deeds of the wicked.

(22) He also draws the mighty with his power; he rises up, but no man is sure of life."

Wow! All the newer translations of the Bible, NKJV, NIV, NLT, ESV, RSV, and many more, all translate "he" as "God". However, none of the older commentaries that I read considered the possibility that Job was speaking of God here. It's interesting that the translators of the newer versions of the Bible really thought they were smarter than the KJV translators who used the original Greek texts, but I agree with the old theologians and see no reason that the subject should change here. The wicked draws even the mighty in with his wickedness; no man is safe from him.

For an interesting in-depth study on how the original Greek text of the Holy Bible has been changed in more recent versions of the Bible, please see my study of January 10, 2011, entitled Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?

(23) "Though it be given him to be in safety, in which he rests; yet his eyes are on their ways."

Once again, most of the newer texts believe this is about God. I admit that some of the old theologians agree, so I'll look at it both ways. In my opinion, this is still about the wicked who overcome even the mighty. In verse 22, the wicked allowed the mighty to rise up, further described in verse 23 as feeling secure, but the wicked is always watching them, and they can never be safe (as stated in verse 22). However, if you read verse 23 as about God, it really doesn't change the context a lot. Job has said before that God has allowed the wicked man to prosper, feeling safe and secure in his ways, but He is always watching and always knows the deeds of the wicked.

(24) "They are exalted for a little while, but (then) are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way like all others, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. (25) Now if it is not so, who will make me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"

Verse 24 naturally follows with either translation of verse 23. God allows the wicked to prosper for awhile, but then they are taken down and out of the way as all others who eventually die and go to the grave. They can never escape death, and will likewise, never escape God's judgment.

Job ends this speech by pretty much daring his friends to prove him wrong in what he has said.

Eliphaz's Ironic Prophecy

2011-10-28T09:45:00.013-05:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, one of Job's friends speaks again:

(Job 22:1) Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, (2) "Can a man be profitable to God, as he who is wise may be profitable to himself?"

A man's wisdom may be an advantage to himself and to other men, perhaps, but it is of no advantage to God.

(3) "Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways perfect? (4) Will He reprove you for fear of you? Will He enter with you into judgment?"

Paraphrased, "Do you really help God out by being so righteous? Does He reprove you because He is afraid of you? Will He argue His case with you?"

(5) "Is your wickedness not great, and your iniquities infinite?"

We can assume that Eliphaz means that in the way all men are evil and fall short of the glory of God, so Job must see that he himself does, too.

(6) "For you have taken a pledge from your brother for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing. (7) You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry."

However, as a godly friend of a righteous man, it seems to me that Eliphaz goes too far when he accuses Job of these actions. Eliphaz truly believes that Job's afflictions must have come as a result of his wickedness, therefore Job must have been unfair in his dealings that resulted in oppression of the poor, and he surely must have neglected the weary and the hungry.

(8) "But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelt in it."

It seems Eliphaz may be speaking of a respectable man, a man of wealth, stating that Job was a friend to the rich and great, while he was an enemy to the poor and needy.

(9) "You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken."

My, but that Job is a wicked fellow, seen only through this description by Eliphaz!

(10) "Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you, (11) Or darkness so that you cannot see; and abundance of waters cover you."

Therefore, as a result of Job's unfair and oppressive dealings, Eliphaz concludes that troubles have now come upon him.

(12) "Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!"

Eliphaz creates an image of God as high up on a tower, higher than the stars, looking down upon men and able to see everything.

(13) "And you say, 'How does God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud? (14) Thick clouds are a covering to Him, so that He does not see, and He walks in the circle of heaven.'"

Eliphaz accuses Job of thinking that God does not see his actions.

(15) "Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? (16) Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood; (17) Who said to God, 'Depart from us! And what can the Almighty do to us?'"

Eliphaz throws another accusation to Job, and likens him to the evil men in the days of Noah who lived ungodly lives and were destroyed before their time.

(18) "Yet He filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked is far from me."

Eliphaz admits that God did prosper the wicked, at least for a time. Interestingly, he uses Job's very words that he in no way is to be an advocate for the wicked. He probably means this sarcastically with reference to Job as he believes he has proven Job is not unlike the wicked who prospered, whom Job had previously described.

(19) "The righteous see it and are glad, and the innocent mock them; (20) Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the fire consumes the remnant of them."

Eliphaz means that the righteous and innocent are glad when the wicked are destroyed, as indicated by the next verse when he draws a distinction between the wicked who are cut down, and himself and the other righteous men who are not cut down.

(21) "Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. (22) Receive, I pray thee, the law from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart. (23) If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will remove iniquity far from your tents."

Eliphaz insinuates Job has been living apart from God and His ways, and encourages him to return to His Lord, and then peace and goodness will come to him.

(24) "Then you will lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. (25) Yes, the Almighty will be your gold defense, and you will have plenty of silver."

Then, Eliphaz says, when Job has returned to the Lord, he will have treasures in abundance. The word I have transcribed as "gold defense" is "betser" and it does indeed mean "gold defense", according to Strong's. The same word is used in verse 24 and transcribed as "gold" there, while it is transcribed as "defence" in verse 25 in the KJV. I conclude it more completely means a gold defense, a stock, a security.

(26) "For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God. (27) You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows."

Eliphaz continues his theory that if Job will only return to the Lord, God will hear his plea, answer him favorably, and Job will happily offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving which he had undoubtedly promised in his pleas to God.

(28) "You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you; and the light will shine on your ways."

Paraphrased, "Your plans will be fulfilled and God will give you the light of His direction in all your ways."

(29) "When men are cast down, then you will say, 'There is exaltation', and He will save the humble person. (30) He will deliver the island of the innocent; and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands."

Eliphaz continues that when Job returns to the Lord, he will uplift those who are cast down. Specifically, he will uplift the humble, meaning either those who humble themselves before the Lord, or it could mean when they have been cast down by trials and affliction, he will tell them there is hope.

The last verse is a little more difficult. The KJV is as I have transcribed above, except for shall/will and thine/your. But what is the island of the innocent? The NKJV translates the verse, "He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands." Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries show the original word "iy" can mean "island", but it also suggests that it is "probably identical with 'ay' (through the idea of a query)" and means "not". "Ay" means "Where? Which? When? or How?" Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions also gives the meaning of the word "iy" as "not". The theologian Albert Barnes explains it a little further:

"The word rendered island (iy) commonly means, indeed, an island, or a maritime country...It is, however, used as a 'negative' in 1 Samuel 4:21, in the name 'I-chabod' (iy-kabod). 'And she named the child I-chabod (margin, that is, "where is the glory?" or, there is "no glory"), saying, the glory is departed from Israel.' This sense is frequent in the Rabbinic Hebrew, where it is used as connected with an adjective in a privative sense, like the English 'un'. It is probably an abbreviated form of 'ayin', 'not, nothing'; and is used here as a 'negative' to qualify the following word, 'He shall deliver even him that is not innocent.'"

Therefore, the sense of the last scripture is that when a man returns to God and becomes a friend of God, he will be able to intercede for the not-so-innocent and save them from the punishment they deserve. Albert Barnes pointed out, in his study on this scripture, that unbeknownst to Eliphaz, his words are rather ironically prophetic. Since I have not yet come to this part of my study of Job, I will quote Albert Barnes, until I reach the scripture he quotes in my in-depth study and form my own thoughts.

"The sentiment, also, had a beautiful illustration, though one which Eliphaz did not here think of, in his own case and that of his friends, where this very Job, to whom he was giving this counsel, was directed to intercede for them; Job 42:7-8. The sentiment, indeed, is found every where in the Scriptures, that the righteous are permitted to pray for others, and that they are thus the means of bringing down important blessings on them. In answer to those prayers, multitudes are saved from calamity here, and will be brought to eternal life hereafter."

Will Anyone Teach God Knowledge?

2011-10-22T10:10:00.011-05:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, now Job speaks again:

(Job 21:1) But Job answered and said, (2) "Listen carefully to my speech, and let this be your consolation."

If his friends will just listen carefully to Job, in that way they can comfort and console him, because they surely have not done it with their own words.

(3) "Bear with me that I may speak, and after I have spoken, keep mocking. (4) As for me, is my complaint to man? And if it were, why shouldn't my spirit be troubled?"

The early commentaries show two different schools of thought on the meaning of verse 4. One, paraphrased, is: "Isn't my complaint to man? And if it is, why then may I not have the privilege of complaining to creatures like myself?" I think knowing what I have learned about Job thus far, I tend to agree with other commentators who believe something like the following. It's more of a facetious question, "Is my complaint to you?" And if it were to man only, then why wouldn't his spirit be troubled? But Job takes his grievances to a much higher power, and it is God's answer he seeks.

(5) "Look at me and be astonished; and lay your hand upon your mouth. (6) Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling takes hold of my flesh."

Merely the remembrance of what has happened to him, fills Job with fear.

(7) "Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, are mighty in power? (8) Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes. (9) Their houses are safe from fear; neither is the rod of God upon them. (10) Their bull breeds and does not fail; their cow calves and does not lose her calf. (11) They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. (12) They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. (13) They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave."

I believe Job means this last statement to be a good thing. It's not so much that they are suddenly taken away from their good life, but when that happens, they do not have a long and suffering death. After all, all men will eventually die.

(14) "Therefore they say to God, 'Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. (15) Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?'"

Because of their prosperity, they don't believe they need God. What more profit could they have if they prayed to Him?

I can't help but feel a pang of emotion with this thought. I have found myself a little sad lately because of the state of our country. We are truly becoming a country that thinks she does not need God. We have always been a blessed country, the richest country, and the envy of the world. But now people want no part of God or religion in the public square. They want to do as they please and have their actions accepted and promoted to "rights", even those things which are abominations to our Lord. The poorest among us are among the richest in the world. Because of our prosperity, have we come to think we don't need God? Or is it we just don't want Him? God may get in the way of many of the "rights" to which many people want to cling.

It occurs to me what a blessing it may be from the merciful God when times are tough and we do have to rely on our heavenly Father. How easy it is for the rich to forget Him, but the poor desperately need Him. How sad that the rich don't realize how much they need Him, too.

(16) "Lo, their goodness is not in their hands; the counsel of the wicked is far from me."

Job makes a distinction between the wicked and himself.

(17) "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? And how often comes their destruction on them? God distributes sorrows in His anger."

In asking these questions, I believe Job may be reinforcing his statement that often the wicked prosper. He is implying that it is not a universal fact that the wicked are always brought to ruin. Therefore, his friends are wrong in their assumption that the wicked are always snuffed out, and it follows that they are also wrong in their assumption that afflictions only come upon the wicked. I believe the last part of the passage above may be a continuation of the question, and asks, "How often does God distribute sorrows in his anger?" How often did God, in fact, give the wicked what they deserved? It was not true that He always did it in this world, so to make it a certain rule in judging character was erroneous.

(18) "They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away."

It is difficult to know exactly when Job stops asking questions and starts making statements, but at this point, I believe Job is continuing his pondering about how often the wicked actually get what they deserve in this lifetime. Maybe he is exclaiming it as a fact maintained by his friends, but he seeks to poke holes in that theory.

(19) "God lays up his iniquity for his children; He rewards him, and he will know it."

Once again, Job may be stating a fact maintained by his friends, or it could be his own statement used to poke holes in their theory that affliction only comes to the wicked. God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, according to His word in Exodus 20:5; therefore Job may be describing a way in which his friends would err if they insisted that calamities only happen to the wicked. The word translated as "rewards" more completely means completes or finishes and reciprocates, so I believe the sense is that there will be a final just recompense of reward for their wicked ways. At that point, the wicked man will know the penalty for rejecting God, but it will be too late.

(20) "His eyes will see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. (21) For what pleasure has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?"

These two verses could almost be a contradiction, but maybe that is Job's point. On the one hand, according to his friends, a wicked man's eyes will see his destruction, but then again he will know nothing of his household after he is cut off. Maybe Job's point is to show that it is not always as clear-cut as his friends seem to want to make it.

(22) "Shall anyone teach God knowledge, seeing He judges those that are high?"

I think Job is saying in essence that you can't put God in a box with the set of rules that his friends have tried to give Him, that He must not afflict righteous men and prosper the wicked, that He must always punish the wicked and reward the righteous in this world. Job realizes God is a sovereign God who judges beings and matters higher than the men who pretend to know His actions and motives with certainty.

(23) "One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. (24) His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow. (25) And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure. (26) They will lie down alike in the dust, and the worms will cover them."

These scriptures are pretty self-explanatory. Job describes the inequality of health and fortunes with which different people die; they all die alike and return to the dust, and no man can know with certainty the state of their eternal souls.

(27) "Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which you wrongfully imagine against me. (28) For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? And where are the dwelling places of the wicked?'"

Paraphrased, "I know what you are thinking; you ask 'Where are the houses of the tyrants and oppressors?', to try to prove your point that God destroys them."

(29) "Have you not asked those who go by the road? And do you not know their signs? (30) That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath."

Paraphrased, "But consult those who have traveled and seen more than you have, and they will tell you that there are some examples of wicked who have prospered in this life, but who will be judged in the end at the day of judgment."

(31) "Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him for what he has done?"

That is, who shall rise up and openly charge the wicked with his guilt? Who is able to make him pay for what he has done in this life?

(32) "Yet he will be brought to the grave, and will remain in the tomb. (33) The clods of the valley will be sweet to him; and every man will follow him, as have innumerable before him. (34) How then can you comfort me in vain, seeing there remains falsehood in your answers?"

Even though no one on this earth may be able to make the wicked pay for his deeds, he will be brought to death, like every other man, before and after him. When he is dead and buried, wherever he is buried is a sweet resting place to him, even the "clods" of the valley.

Job concludes by asking how his friends think they can comfort him with their empty words that hold no truth.

The Fate of a Wicked Man

2011-10-13T10:48:00.004-05:00

After a long break full of distractions with traveling out of town and visiting my ill mother, the wedding of my niece there and then the birth of my first grandchild back home, I am ready to get back to my Bible study. Although the distractions were all wonderful things, they were distractions all the same, and I am happy to get back to the study of God's word once again!

Continuing with a study of Job, another friend answers Job:

(Job 20:1) Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said, (2) "Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. (3) I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer."

Zophar makes haste, speaking sooner than he had intended, maybe even interrupting Job. He has heard Job's reproach of his friends, and believes he has the knowledge to refute him.

(4) "Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on earth, (5) That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? (6) Though his excellency mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds, (7) Yet he will perish forever like his own dung; they who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?' (8) He will fly away like a dream, and will not be found; yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night. (9) The eye also that saw him will see him no more; neither will his place behold him anymore."

I wonder if Zophar is purposely using the same phrases Job used before about himself to prove that he is a hypocrite? In Job 7:8-10, Job said "The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more...neither shall his place know him any more."

(10) "His children will seek to please the poor, and his hands will restore their goods."

I believe this means they will seek to give back to the poor what his hands must have taken from them.

(11) "His bones are full of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust."

Paraphrased, "Though his bones are full of vigor and strength, they will die with him."

(12) "Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue; (13) Though he spares it and does not forsake it, but keeps it still within his mouth, (14) Yet his food in his stomach is turned; it is the gall of asps within him."

Though he seeks to savor wickedness as long as he possibly can, and what may have seemed exceedingly pleasant, turns sour and bitter, even poisonous.

(15) "He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly. (16) He will suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue will slay him. (17) He will not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. (18) He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down; according to his substance will the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice in it."

Though he has devoured riches, he will be forced to lose them; that which he swallowed as pleasant will become poisonous to him. He will not be allowed to enjoy abundance and prosperity. All that he labored for he will be forced to give back to the poor.

(19) "Because he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, because he has violently taken away a house which he did not build, (20) Surely he will not feel quietness in his belly; he will not save of that which he desired. (21) There will be nothing left for him to eat; therefore no man will look for his goods."

Because he has oppressed and plundered the poor, taking what he did not build, he will have no peace. The word translated as "save" literally means to escape. I believe the sense here is that he will not escape the unrest; he will not have the security and happiness that obtaining all that he desired was supposed to bring him. Because it will be well-known that nothing is left, no one will even look for anything of his possessions.

(22) "In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; every hand of the wicked will come upon him. (23) When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fury of His wrath on him, and will rain it on him while he is eating."

In the height of his prosperity, he will be in distress. Interestingly, the word "amel" translated as "wicked" above is only translated as such in this one scripture. In other scriptures it means toiling, labored, taken, misery, or workmen. Therefore I believe that this may mean that he will have only toil and trouble. In the midst of his expected pleasure, God will rain down His wrath upon him.

(24) "He will flee from the iron weapon; the bow of steel will strike him through. (25) It is drawn, and comes out of the body; yes, the glittering sword comes out of his gall; terrors come upon him."

Although he tries to flee, the terrors of death will be upon him.

(26) "All darkness will be hid in his secret places; an unfanned fire will consume him; it will go ill with him who is left in his tent."

Darkness, as in death and destruction, will be found in all his secret places, where he may have thought he was safe. An unfanned flame might be as a lightning strike, needing no help from man to instantly consume him. It will also go ill with anyone, presumably family, left in his tent after him.

(27) "The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. (28) The increase of his house will depart, and his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath. (29) This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God."

God will make the man's iniquity known, and all in the earth will rise up against him. He will lose everything. Zophar sums up that what he has described is the fate of a wicked man. Once again, a friend of Job's intends that Job should apply this to himself, that one who had been treated in the manner as Job had been treated, must be a wicked man.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

2011-09-10T09:58:00.007-05:00

Continuing a study of the book of Job, Job answers the cold-hearted assessment from Bildad in the last chapter:

(Job 19:1) Then Job answered and said, (2) "How long will you vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? (3) These ten times you have reproached me; you are not ashamed that you make yourself strange to me."

Job's friends make themselves strange to Job by acting as if they don't really know him; they act as if he were a stranger and they never knew his real godly integrity.

(4) "And if indeed I have erred, my error remains with myself."

Perhaps the sense is, "If I have erred, then I suffer enough from the consequences of my sins, and I need your pity and support, rather than your reproach."

(5) "If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach, (6) Know now that God has overthrown me, and has surrounded me with His net."

Job continues the thought from verse 4; he shouldn't have to suffer the reproach of his friends, but if they insist in it, they need to understand that it is God who has done this to Job. God has done this, and not that it is a result of what Job has done to himself. He may also be implying that this is between God and himself, and he doesn't need their reproaches. Either way, their reproaches are unwarranted and unwanted.

(7) "Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no justice. (8) He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass; and He has set darkness in my paths. (9) He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. (10) He has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone; and my hope He has uprooted like a tree. (11) He has also kindled His wrath against me, and He counts me as one of His enemies."

Bildad's comments from the last chapter, blaming Job's own ungodliness for his afflictions, has Job describing in detail that these are God's actions against him, and not a result of his own actions that deserve them.

(12) "His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tent. (13) He has put my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. (14) My kinsfolk have failed, and my close friends have forgotten me. (15) Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight. (16) I called my servant, and he gave no answer; I begged him with my mouth."

None of Job's family, friends, or acquaintances have anything to do with him anymore. He must beg his servant because he no longer expects obedience; even his servants have lost all respect for him and ignore him.

(17) "My breath is loathsome to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of my own body."

This is a difficult scripture to exactly translate, but I believe the sense is that he has become loathsome to his own wife, even though he sought to appeal to her through their most intimate past relationship as parents of their children together.

(18) "Even young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me. (19) All my close friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved have turned against me. (20) My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped with the skin of my teeth."

At this point, Job has only barely escaped death.

(21) "Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me."

Job makes a heartfelt plea to his friends to have pity on him in his distress. He described in great detail his distress at the hand of God so that they might finally have pity on him, rather than the disdain that they and all his acquaintances now seem to have.

(22) "Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?"

Why do his friends persecute his very soul, as if they were God, knowing his heart? Are they not satisfied enough with the destruction of his body, that they must devour his soul, as well?

(23) "Oh, that my words were now written! Oh, that they were printed in a book! (24) That they were engraved with an iron pen and lead in a rock forever! (25) For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; (26) And after my skin is destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, (27) Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me."

Indeed, Job's words have been forever preserved in the pages of the Bible. This is a most beautiful passage of how, even in Job's day, through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, Job knew that even after all life was gone from him, he would see God in his own renewed body!

(28) "But you should say, 'Why persecute we him?', seeing the root of the matter is found in me?"

Then his friends will realize, although they originally thought that he was only persecuted by God for his sins, they will then see there was a deeper more important reason, that through the record of the trial of his faith and patience, he would be an example for others.

(29) "You be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."

His friends should heed what Job says and understand correctly what his persecution means, because God will ultimately judge their words and actions.

Man's Cold-Hearted Judgment

2011-09-03T10:10:00.009-05:00

Continuing my Bible study on the book of Job:

(Job 18:1) Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said, (2) "How long will it be till you make an end of words? Understand, and afterward we will speak."

The original word I have transcribed as "understand" above is "biyn", and the KJV translated it as "mark", but this verse is the only place in the entire Bible where that word is translated as "mark". Most of the time is means "understand" or something akin to it like "consider" or "discern". I believe the KJV translators were probably trying to give the sense of marking or targeting those words and really trying to understand them.

(3) "Why are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?"

Basically, Bildad wants to know why Job considers his friends as ignorant, stupid, and unclean or impious.

(4) "He tears himself in his anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you? And shall the rock be removed from its place?"

Bildad speaks of Job here, tearing himself in anger. He is basically asking Job if the world revolves around him; should everything be made to give way for him?

(5) "Yea, the light of the wicked will be put out, and the spark of his fire will not shine. (6) The light will be dark in his tent, and his candle will be put out with him. (7) The steps of his strength will be straitened, and his own counsel will cast him down."

Straitened, as "in straits", distressed, narrowed. His own plans will be the means of his fall.

(8) "For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walks into a snare. (9) The trap will take him by the heel, and the robber will prevail against him. (10) The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the pathway. (11) Terrors will make him afraid on every side, and will drive him to his feet."

Paraphrased, that last phrase means he will take to his heels.

(12) "His strength will be hunger bitten, and destruction will be ready at his side. (13) It will devour the strength of his skin; the firstborn of death will devour his strength."

The firstborn son held the chief place; the chief of death is the most strong and violent death.

(14) "His confidence will be rooted out of his tent, and it will bring him to the king of terrors. (15) It will dwell in his tent, because it is none of his; brimstone will be scattered upon his habitation."

"It" still refers to destruction that will be his constant companion, destroying his security and terrifying him, because nothing that he had gained was really his own, or at least, it is no longer his. Brimstone is the symbol of destruction and desolation.

(16) "His roots will be dried up beneath, and above will his branch be cut off. (17) The memory of him will perish from the earth, and he will have no name in the street. (18) He will be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. (19) He will neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. (20) They who come after him will be astonished at his day, as they who went before were frightened. (21) Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God."

In conclusion, Bildad seems to be saying that this is where Job finds himself, implying that Job is godless! Pretty rough treatment from people who are supposed to be godly friends of Job! Although his friends were religious men with head knowledge and book learning of the laws of God, they seemed to be totally ignorant of God's true nature. Their hearts were obviously not influenced by communion with God. Their arguments were an inaccurate and cold estimate of the exact justice of God. They acted like the Pharisees of the New Testament, so caught up in their laws that they missed the most important aspect of God.

In Response to Miserable Comforters

2011-08-29T09:58:00.010-05:00

Continuing my Bible study of Job:

(Job 16:1) Then Job answered and said, (2) "I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all! (3) Shall vain words have an end? Or what emboldens you that you answer?"

With the word translated as "vain", we once again have the original word "ruach" meaning "wind; by resemblance breath". So Job believes his friends are also blowing hot air and wonders aloud if it will ever end. Because they have only empty meaningless words, what on earth emboldens them to continue trying to answer him?

(4) "I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you; (5) But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should relieve your grief."

Job condemns his friends' response to him in his time of trouble. If the roles were reversed, he says he would have spoken uplifting words and would have been a help to them.

(6) "Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; and if I cease, how am I eased?"

Whether he speaks or whether he is silent, Job's sufferings continue.

(7) "But now He has made me weary; You have made desolate all my company."

Because pronouns referring to God are not capitalized in the KJV, I sometimes just have to assume which person is meant. Judging by the list of sufferings that Job begins here, I believe he is referring to God making him weary, and then he turns his comments directly to God.

(8) "And You have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me; and my leanness rising up in me bears witness to my face."

Job has been filled with wrinkles, not necessarily by old age, but through affliction; he has been made old before his time. This fact is being used by his friends as a witness against him as they see his afflictions as proof that he must have done something wrong. Because Job has always maintained his innocence, I believe the last part about his leanness bearing witness to his face means that Job can see for himself that he is an afflicted man, not a wicked man in fatness and covered with collops of fat, as Eliphaz had accused.

(9) "He tears me in his wrath, who hates me; he gnashes at me with his teeth; my enemy sharpens his eyes upon me."

The NKJV assumes that the pronouns here are referring to God, but after reading some of the old commentaries, I disagree. Job is a righteous man who, up to this time, has not condemned or cursed God. I see no reason to believe he has started now. I believe he speaks accurately of his enemy, Satan, who seeks to devour him as a roaring lion. Throughout Job's conversation in the book of Job, you see Holy Spirit inspired glimpses into truth and God's true nature. He may question why God did this to him, but he does not condemn God for it. I believe this idea is much more in keeping with the true nature of Job as reflected in this book as a whole.

Wow! What a lesson in context! Before this study, I had a misconception about Job. Oh, I knew he was a good man, but I fell into the belief that he came to speak to God a little uncharitably, to say the least. I was probably led into this thought pattern by incorrect translations of the original Biblical text. I have previously studied how Satan entered into the process of re-translating the Bible, diminishing the character of God and Jesus Christ, and wrote about my thoughts in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use? Consider how the newer translations, including the NKJV, which is supposed to be the same as KJV only with modern words, change the whole idea of this scripture:

He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me. (NKJV)

God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes. - NLT

God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes. - NIV

What a terrible mean picture of God these scriptures paint! But the very nature of God is love. He IS love; He can be nothing else. He is loving and merciful, and you can be certain He is ALWAYS just. While these could have been the words of a bitter man and not intended to be an accurate reflection of the true nature of God, I don't believe that is the case either. There has been nothing up to this point to indicate that Job has any such bitterness toward God. He only wonders why did these things happen to him. When you read the entire sentence, you can see that Job is speaking of the one who hates him, his enemy, and not of God:

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. - KJV

(10) "They have gaped at me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. (11) God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over to the hands of the wicked."

With these scriptures, we can see that Job only charges God with delivering him to the wicked and ungodly, but not with the wicked acts themselves.

(12) "I was at ease, but he has utterly broken me; he has also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; and set me up for his target."

Once again it is not perfectly clear to whom Job refers. I would feel better about assuming his intention and capitalizing the pronouns if he had said, "God has utterly broken me", etc. Since the preceding scripture stated that God had turned him over to the wicked, it might be concluded that God set him up as a target to be used by the wicked.

(13) "His archers surround me; he pierces my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground."

Once again I believe the meaning is that God has allowed the archers to strike Job. Whether "he" refers to the archer, or to God, who by allowing it, has in reality DONE it, I am not certain of Job's intention. But we get the idea! Innocent Job is being pummeled.

(14) "He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs at me like a giant."

Paraphrased, "He crushes me and then renews and repeats the attack, with great and irresistible force."

(15) "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust."

Sackcloth is the symbol of mourning. The horn of a beast is a symbol of its power, so throwing it in the dust would be another sign of mourning.

(16) "My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; (17) Not for any injustice in my hands; also my prayer is pure."

Job reiterates his innocence.

(18) "O earth, do not cover my blood, and let my cry have no place."

Job compares himself to the murdered, and like them, he wants his innocent blood heard crying out from the earth.

(19) "Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. (20) My friends scorn me; but my eyes pour out tears to God."

I feel these lines indicate again that Job condemns his enemy and his friends, but not God. He knows that God knows the truth about him, and he will make his plea to Him.

(21) "Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor. (22) When a few years are come, then I shall go the way where I shall not return."

(Job 17:1) "My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. (2) Are there not mockers with me? And does not my eye continue in their provocation?"

The original word translated as "continue" here is "lun" which literally means to "lodge all night", so Job's sense here is that the mockers with him continue all night, never letting up.

(3) "Now put down a pledge; put me in a surety with You; who is he who will shake hands with me? (4) For You have hidden their heart from understanding; therefore You shall not exalt them."

Job turns his conversation to God. He asks that God be his surety and let his cause come before Him. Obviously, his friends cannot see the truth, so Job reasons God will not give them victory over him in this discussion; his desire is that God will judge him righteously.

(5) "He who speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children will fail."

Job is probably referring to those very friends of his who do not see the truth. The word translated as "flattery" means more accurately "smoothness", so Job refers to the smooth eloquent words they spoke to him which were to him completely wrong, and therefore they were speaking deceitfully for God. Job sees this as a terrible sin, punishable to even their children, perhaps recalling how God hates "deceitful tongues" and "flattering lips".

(6) "He has made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret."

Interestingly, most of the old commentaries believe Job is talking about God here. Personally, I don't see why it isn't reasonable to believe he is continuing his thought about the one who speaks flattery with what turns out to be destructive words. He makes Job a by-word, s satire, an object of ridicule. One meaning of "paniym", the word translated as "aforetime" is "before them" rather than "a time before". The word normally translated as a tabret or a timbrel is "toph" and that means an instrument like a tambourine. Here the word is actually "topheth" which Strong's defines as "smiting" and "contempt". Perhaps the original idea was that he was hit and smote like a tabret. The sense here is that Job has been ridiculed and made an object of contempt in their presence (before them).

(7) "My eye also is dim because of sorrow, and all my members are like shadows."

Another reason I believe that Job is talking about the man with flattering lips in verse 6 rather than about God, is that he now speaks of "my eye also" after he just spoke of the eyes of the flatterer's children. But in contrast to the children's eyes which will fail as a punishment, Job's eyes fail him because of his weeping. His members are his body parts that are probably emaciated and only shadows of what they once were.

(8) "Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir himself up against the hypocrite. (9) The righteous also shall hold to his way, and he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger."

Job probably means that upright men will be astonished at the calamities that God has allowed to come upon such an innocent man as he, but that it will make them rise up all the more against hypocrites. They will hold fast to their righteous ways and will be made stronger. It's as if Job sees his life as a testimony to others, meaning he must have some sense of assurance that whatever happens to him, he knows in the end God is just and it will work out for the best. Would he have said the same thing if he felt in his heart that God Himself had condemned and punished an innocent man? I love the Holy Spiritual insights that Job appears to get throughout the book of Job!

(10) "But as for you all, you turn back and go now; for I cannot find one wise man among you."

Job obviously does not count his friends among the upright and righteous men about whom he just spoke.

I need to clarify my transcription of the above verse. In my study notes, I prefer to use the KJV, but will sometimes use a more modern word, or look to the original meaning of the word to give me the best understanding of the sense of the verse. I do not intend to make new translations, so I will explain why my transcription of verse 10 above differs a little from the KJV:

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

It may mean as NKJV and some commentators have supposed, that they should go and come back again with better arguments, but I disagree. Job has tired of hearing their words and has said so on many occasions. Why would he ask them to come back with more? I understand that if they were to come back with wise words, he may want to hear them. But I found something interesting in the meaning of one of the original words of this verse. The word translated as "come" is "bo" and it means "come" or "go". It has been translated as "go" as often in the Bible as it has "come", so I believe the sense is "just go away" for there is not a wise man among his friends.

(11) "My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. (12) They change the night into day; the light is short because of darkness."

Job means he is dying, there is no more purpose to his life, his thoughts incessantly pursue and disturb him day and night, and the darkness of his pain and torment darkens any light of day that may have given him comfort.

(13) "If I wait, the grave is my house; I have made my bed in the darkness. (14) I have said to corruption, 'You are my father', to the worm, 'You are my mother and my sister.'"

The word translated "If" also means "when", "while", "yet", and many other similar words, so I believe the sense is continuing that idea that he is indeed going to the grave. The word translated "corruption" more literally means "pit", which is really what Job means here; he is going to the grave and he will address it with familiarity because he is now so close to it. The worm is the one that feeds upon the dead as seen in other scriptures.

(15) "And where now is my hope? As for my hope, who shall see it? (16) They will go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust."

All of Job's hopes will go down to the grave with him.

The Continuing Saga of How NOT to Comfort a Friend in Distress

2011-08-15T09:28:00.010-05:00

Back to my study of Job, continuing in chapter 15:

(Job 15:1) Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, (2) "Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?"

The word translated as "vain" in the KJV is translated as "empty" in NKJV. Both are good attempts at the exact translation, but actually the word "ruach" means to blow as the wind or breath. In our day and time, Eliphaz would be saying that Job is blowing hot air! And in their part of the world, the east wind was tempestuous and the most destructive. Eliphaz reiterates that Job is full of boisterous hot air at the least, perhaps even destructive. Once again we see a friend of Job's on the attack and not very gentle in his criticisms, again illustrating how NOT to comfort a friend in distress.

(3) "Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good? (4) Yes, you cast off fear, and restrain prayer before God."

The word translated as "cast off" more completely means "break up" and "make void". Fear is the reverential fear of God, so Eliphaz insinuates that Job through his speeches and principles, has made void reverence to God and made prayer (more completely, devotion to God) useless and unprofitable to men.

(5) "For your mouth utters your iniquity, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. (6) Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; yes, your own lips testify against you. (7) Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?"

Paraphrased, "Have you been here since the beginning?", implying that would have given Job greater knowledge and wisdom.

(8) "Have you heard the secret of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself? (9) What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us? (10) Both the gray-headed and very aged men are among us, much older than your father."

Once again the implication is that the older and the further back in time one lived, the wiser he was. There were older and thus wiser men among Job's friends than Job and what he could have learned from his father.

(11) "Are the consolations of God small with you? Is there any secret thing with you?"

Paraphrased, "Are the mercies of God of little value to you? Do you have a better way known only to you?"

(12) "Why does your heart carry you away, and what do your eyes wink at, (13) That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?"

Eliphaz is accusing Job of being prideful, carried away by his own pride, winking at his own sin, and turning against God, speaking such rash words.

(14) "What is man, that he should be clean? And he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? (15) Behold, God puts no trust in His saints; yes, the heavens are not clean in His sight. (16) How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinks iniquity like water?"

The word translated as "saints" here means sacred or holy ones, angels. So if even the angels and the heavens are not perfect and pure compared to God, how much less is mortal sinful man!

(17) "I will show you, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare; (18) What wise men have told as received from their fathers, and have not hidden anything, (19) To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them."

Eliphaz declares he will set Job straight with the wisdom of their fathers who were first given the land by God Himself, pure godly wisdom not corrupted by foreign philosophy.

(20) "The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden from the oppressor."

The wicked man is a man of constant sorrows living a life of uncertainty, not knowing when or what his end will be.

(21) "A dreadful sound is in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. (22) He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, for a sword is waiting for him. (23) He wanders about for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. (24) Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready for battle. (25) For he stretches out his hand against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty, (26) Running upon Him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers."

Whew! That last one is difficult. Not sure whose neck is referenced, whether the proud erect neck of the wicked one with his mighty shield charging against God, or if he is charging stubbornly into God's mighty shield. Either way, we have a picture of the wicked one who never has peace and security because he has chosen a path against God.

(27) "Because he covers his face with his fatness, and makes collops of fat on his flanks,"

Collops are slices of meat, so he "packs on the flesh". The sense here is that he lives an indulgent life, forgetting God.

(28) "And he dwells in desolate cities, in houses which no man inhabits, which are ready to become heaps."

Thus begins a listing of the consequences because of the wicked one's opposition to God. Eliphaz, in his way, is probably outlining the sequence of events that have happened to Job and is explaining why they happened to him.

(29) "He will not be rich, neither will his wealth continue, nor it spread upon the earth. (30) He will not depart out of darkness; the flame will dry up his branches, and by the breath of His mouth he will go away."

Because the pronouns are not capitalized in the Old Testament, I am assuming as did the NKJV translators and the old commentators, that the last "His" refers to God.

(31) "Let him who is deceived not trust in vanity, for vanity will be his reward."

Every wicked man is deceived, either by Satan or by his own selfish heart. Anyone who trusts in anything other than God will be rewarded with only vanity or emptiness.

(32) "It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not be green. (33) He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive."

Emptiness as his reward will occur sooner than it might have by the natural course of nature. Once again, I believe the "He" here refers to God who will shake off all that was dear and valuable to the wicked man.

(34) "For the company of hypocrites will be desolate, and fire will consume the tents of bribery. (35) They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepares deceit."

Some nasty final accusations of Eliphaz are that Job is a hypocrite and may have taken bribes, calling down the fire of God. The final verse may be a picture of birth. Satan sows the seed of wickedness with his deception, and the wicked man or hypocrite conceives mischief, brings forth only vanity and emptiness, more accurately, death. Sin brings forth death. This is a picture of the deceptive and fruitless birth of the wicked.

Thankfully, The Lord MAKES Me Lie Down in Green Pastures

2011-08-13T08:45:00.007-05:00

Like everyone else in this crazy world in these end times, I have been bombarded with trials lately. They have taken me away from my Bible study, from my "rest". The 23rd Psalm was recently brought back to my remembrance....hmmm, by Whom, I wonder? :-)

I have been able to appreciate that the Lord is my Shepherd, and that He fulfills my needs; there is nothing more I should ever want or need. I know He is the only One Who can really restore my soul. I have come to know that only by spending time in the Word of God and in prayer can I calm the storms of my life. But sometimes things are just so hectic and time seems too short to take the necessary time to be with Him. That's when He MAKES me lie down in those green pastures!

Have you ever wondered about that terminology that He MAKES us lie down? I knew I needed His rest, but I woke up this morning with a desire to learn more about the fact that He MAKES me take that rest.

As I have stated in articles before, I like to study the old commentaries and study guides and references. In the past 100 years or so, I believe the teachings have gone astray with more liberal ideas. I prefer conservative teachings taken straight from the Word of God itself.

It was interesting that I could not initially get much information on the word translated as "maketh" in verse 2 of the 23rd Psalm:

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

Concordances and lexicons seemed to lump "He maketh me to lie down" into one word "rabats", meaning "crouch (down), fall down, make a fold, lay (cause to, make to) lie (down), make to rest, sit". So there is a sense that the word can mean more than voluntarily lying down or resting; it can mean "caused to or made to lie down".

Most of the old commentaries reflected more on the restful words of the second verse of the 23rd Psalm. Green pastures and still waters: cool, refreshing, still, and restful. One commentary, The Treasury of David, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), reflected beautifully on the "maketh" part of that scripture:

"But observe: 'He maketh me to lie down.' It is the Lord who graciously enables us to perceive the preciousness of his truth, and to feed upon it. How grateful ought we to be for the power to appropriate the promises! There are some distracted souls who would give worlds if they could but do this. They know the blessedness of it, but they cannot say that this blessedness is theirs. They know the 'green pastures,' but they are not made to 'lie down' in them. Those believers who have for years enjoyed a 'full assurance of faith' should greatly bless their gracious God."

I DO thank my sweet Lord for making me lie down, reminding me HIMSELF of His Word and His promises continually. He has been there constantly. Even as I feel I am being attacked, I can feel His presence and see His blessings in the midst of it. I know He is with me:

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

From the 4th verse, we know that our Lord's rod and staff are constantly guiding us and leading us, even in the very midst of our trials, and I do know that firsthand.

But today I am marveling in the fact that my Lord MADE me stop and rest in Him! He alone restores my soul! Praise the Lord!

"Man Born of Woman Is of Few Days and Full of Trouble"

2011-07-25T09:17:00.008-05:00

Continuing a study of Job, Job is still speaking from Chapter 13, and speaking to God.

(Job 14:1) "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. (2) He comes forth like a flower and is cut down; he flees also like a shadow and does not continue. (3) And do You open Your eyes on such a one, and bring me to judgment with Yourself?"

Continuing with Job's point from the last passage in the last study, that God must be keeping a severe and very detailed record of him since his youth, he asks in so many words, if one so frail as man warrants such constant watching and judging by almighty God?

(4) "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one."

Job may be referring to the natural sinful nature of man, indicating there will always be something to record about Job, because he is after all, a sinful man. God would know this, so why so much attention now?

(5) "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits that he cannot pass. (6) Turn from him, that he may rest, till like a hired man he finishes his day."

Since life is short as determined by God, and every man eventually comes to the end and must die, Job asks if he might be allowed to die in peace with God ceasing to afflict him.

(7) "For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease. (8) Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, (9) Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. (10) But man dies and wastes away; yes, man breathes his last and where is he?"

Job speaks here about his present earthly life. Unlike a tree that may be dead but may sprout again when cut down, man cannot "sprout again" when he dies.

(11) "As the waters disappear from the sea, and the stream decays and dries up, (12) So man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused out of their sleep. (13) Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!"

This is an indication that Job knows he will eventually be resurrected in the end. He would be hidden away in his grave till the visible heavens are no more, and God remembers him on that day. I don't think Job is asking "if" God will please remember him on that day, but rather continuing with the plea that God just let him die in peace "until" he remembers him on that day.

(14) "If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes. (15) You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands."

Job is looking forward to the future when God will call him at the time of his resurrection.

(16) "For now You number my steps, do you not watch over my sin? (17) My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity."

This may be a reference back to Job's statements about God keeping a severe record of every one of his steps. His transgressions are sealed up and stored in God's memory.

(18) "But as the mountain falls and crumbles away, and as the rock is moved from its place; (19) The waters wear the stones; You wash away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and You destroy the hope of man."

As Job obviously knows there will be a resurrection, I believe he is speaking here of the plans of mortal man. No mortal man is guaranteed a tomorrow.

(20) "You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away."

Again perhaps a reference to the fact that God watches every movement of man during his entire lifetime, and then he is changed to a dead man and "sent away".

(21) "His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; and they are brought low, but he does not perceive it. (22) But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn."

This may be Job's summation of the state of man. The sum of the life of man is pain of body and distress of soul. Although he is honored and mourned after his death, he doesn't know it. He died knowing only his pain and suffering during his lifetime.

A Lesson in Judging Not

2011-07-22T07:55:00.004-05:00

Continuing with a Bible study of Job, Job answers his friends who accuse him of being guilty of sin in order for God to bring such calamity on him.

(Job 12:1) And Job answered and said, (2) "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you."

Job begins with a little sarcasm, that his friends must be the only wise men in the world!

(3) "But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?"

Job says that he understands the things they speak of as well as they do; who wouldn't know those things? Job knows in his heart that his situation is not the clear-cut black and white case of "you reap what you sow" that his friends try to make it. Actually, the word translated "understanding" here also means "the heart". In this speech, Job wants his friends to really understand his heart, the way God judges people.

(4) "I am like one mocked by his neighbor, who called upon God, and He answered him; the just upright man is ridiculed."

Job feels mocked by his friends and neighbors, godly men who converse with God. Although he is a just upright man, he is mocked and ridiculed.

(5) "He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease."

This is a rather difficult scripture to understand. The general consensus among the early commentaries is that the idea here is that when a man is in prosperity, as with a blazing torch, he is regarded as a guide, example, or light. But when he slips into adversity, he is regarded as an almost extinguished lamp that is now held in contempt and cast away. I'm not sure that explains the one "that is at ease". Maybe he that rests no longer needs the lamp and tosses it aside, just as someone who used to be in high regard, is tossed aside when he falls into adversity.

(6) "The tents of robbers prosper, and they who provoke God are secure, into whose hand God brings abundantly."

Job uses this fact to refute his friends' assertions that the wicked do not prosper. They often DO seem to prosper in this world, therefore prosperity and adversity can be no measures for man's spiritual state or righteousness.

(7) "But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; (8) Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. (9) Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, (10) In Whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?"

Job may be making a dig at Zophar's lofty statement that no one can know God. In so many words, he says you need not go to heaven, you need not go to hell, as Zophar had insinuated, but just look around you in all of nature. Even the animals have as much wisdom as his friends appear to have!

(11) "Does not the ear test words and the mouth taste its food? (12) Wisdom is with the ancient, and with length of days, understanding. (13) With Him are wisdom and strength; He has counsel and understanding."

Job may be saying here that while it is true that wisdom comes from age and experience, these things cannot be taken without question. They should be tested and proven, because after all, God is the only One with true and complete wisdom and understanding.

(14) "Behold, He breaks down, and it cannot be built again; He shuts up a man, and there can be no opening. (15) Behold, He withholds the waters, and they dry up; also He sends them out, and they overwhelm the earth. (16) With Him are strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His."

God is almighty, and basically, everything in opposition to Him is powerless.

(17) "He leads counselors away plundered, and makes the judges fools. (18) He loosens the bonds of kings, and binds their waist with a belt."

In other words, He takes away their authority and allows them to be bound as captives.

(19) "He leads princes away plundered, and overthrows the mighty. (20) He removes the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged. (21) He pours contempt on princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty. (22) He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings to light the shadow of death."

Not only is everything powerless to Him, but nothing can be hidden from Him.

(23) "He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them. (24) He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. (25) They grope in the dark without light, and He makes them stagger like a drunken man."

(Job 13:1) "Behold, my eye has seen all this; my ear has heard and understood it. (2) What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you."

Job's friends have told him nothing new. He knows as much as they do about the things they have spoken about up to this point.

(3) "But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. (4) But you are forgers of lies, you are all worthless physicians. (5) O that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom."

His friends are no help, and Job wishes they would just be quiet; he desires to speak to God Himself!

(6) "Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. (7) Will you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for Him? (8) Will you accept His person? Will you contend for God?"

Job is asking his friends if they speak for God, but he obviously views what they have been saying as "wicked" and untrue.

(9) "Is it good that He should search you out? Or as one man mocks another, do you so mock Him? (10) He will surely rebuke you if you secretly show partiality."

Paraphrased, "So you act for God, but what if He were to really search your hearts? You mock Him with your empty speeches! He will surely rebuke you!" Showing partiality or being a respecter of persons means judging a person either favorably or unfavorably without evidence. Job is undoubtedly referring to himself being judged unjustly by his friends.

(11) "Will not His excellence make you afraid, and the dread of Him fall upon you?"

Paraphrased, "Does not the awe and magnificence of Him and the terror He can wield not make you afraid?"

(12) "Your mementos are like ashes, your bodies like bodies of clay. (13) Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what may. (14) Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hands?"

Verse 14 is a little difficult to understand, but in light of what Job has been saying, I believe what is meant in the last passage is loosely, "You, my friends, offer nothing, so be quiet and leave me alone. I will speak my part, whatever the consequences, putting my life on the line, come what may."

(15) "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will defend my own ways before Him. (16) He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite shall not come before Him."

No matter what God does to him, Job trusts his Savior completely. It is obvious that Job also feels in his heart that he is completely innocent of hypocrisy, for he knows he could not come before Him if he was a hypocrite.

This is a very good lesson and such an important thing for us to remember; only God knows the heart of a man. It's easy for us to judge. Job's friends, who were obviously good religious men, judged the situation by the "rules" they had been taught, especially, "You reap what you sow"; therefore, Job must be guilty, even if he did not know it. Again I say, what a beautiful lesson! I think "Judge not" is taken to an extreme in this day and age and used to excuse anything and everything, including those things immoral and against God. We are told in scripture to judge righteously, and to judge evil. We are to judge the fruits of a man. And we tell the truth in love. However, in this case, there had been no evil fruit of Job's to judge. Had his friends seen Job doing wrong, they could have shown him the error of his ways, telling him the truth in love. But they went too far, and seeing no evil fruit, they proceeded to judge Job's heart. I truly believe this is what is meant by "Judge not". We are to judge the evil actions, but only God can judge the motives of the heart. And we can be sure that if a person's heart is truly seeking after God, then He will lead them to the truth. Think of Saul who persecuted the Christians. He truly believed he was doing the work of God, and God showed him the truth of his ways, and he became a follower of Christ.

(17) "Listen carefully to my speech, and to my declaration with your ears. (18) See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be justified."

Continuing with the thought that only God judges the heart, I believe that is what Job is trying to get his friends to do, "Really listen and really hear what I am saying."

(19) "Who is he who will plead with me? For now, if I hold my tongue, I shall perish."

Who will contend with Job now, for he has set his cause before God. Perhaps Job feels he must defend himself or burst. It's hard to exactly discern the meaning of this scripture. Maybe Job feels if he didn't defend himself, he would be condemned to death because no one else would defend him.

(20) "Only two things do not do to me, then I will not hide myself from You:"

Now Job directs his comments to God:

(21) "Withdraw Your hand far from me, and let not the dread of You make me afraid. (22) Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, then You answer me. (23) How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. (24) Why do You hide Your face, and regard me as Your enemy?"

Job asks that God not terrify him with His awesome power, but let him speak with Him. He asks God to show him his transgressions and to tell him why he has lost favor with God.

(25) "Will You break a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue the dry stubble?"

In comparison to God's awesome power, Job is like a dried up leaf blowing in the wind.

(26) "For You write bitter things against me, and make me to possess the iniquities of my youth."

To Job, it seems God must have kept a record of his sins from his youth and indiscretion before he had understanding of God's laws.

(27) "You put my feet also in the stocks, and watch closely all my paths. You set a print on the soles of my feet. (28) And he, as a rotten thing, decays, as a garment that is moth eaten."

Continuing with his thought that God must have kept a very close record of every small thing he did in his youth, he feels He has watched and kept a record of every step. Then Job speaks of himself in the third person, describing his demise under such a severe record from the awesome God.

"When Wise and Good Men Are Betrayed into Intemperate Passions"

2011-06-29T09:04:00.006-05:00

Continuing my Bible study in Job:

(Job 11:1) Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said, (2) "Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified? (3) Should your lies make men hold their peace? And when you mock, shall no man rebuke you?"

A third friend of Job speaks, and much rougher than the first two. He insinuates that Job is just a babbler, talking with a great many words, but not really saying anything. More severely, he even accuses Job of lying and mocking! As demonstrated in a previous study lesson, this is how NOT to comfort a friend in distress! In an early Bible commentary, Matthew Henry says it beautifully, "It is sad to see what intemperate passions even wise and good men are sometimes betrayed into by the heat of disputation, of which Zophar here is an instance."

This may be a good time to point out that I prefer the early commentaries, 18th century or before. Although I realize that people at any era can be mistaken, it seems to me that in latter times, they are more apt to err in important doctrinal issues. As men were more readily recognized and gained fame for their "wisdom", it seems their pride grew and some wanted to be the first to discover something never before found in the scriptures. Frankly, I believe that is what happened with regard to the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture. It was an idea first dreamed up in the 1800's that had religious speakers scrambling to be the first to spread the new doctrine to make a name for themselves. But the well-read and studied commentaries of the 1700's make no mention of a pre-trib rapture. It's amazing how many people believe in a rapture before the Second Coming of Christ now because that is what they have been taught. You can bet this was a tool of Satan's. I have read that in a 1933 issue of the Moody Monthly by the Moody Bible Institute, there was an article that said that Christians did not need to take a stand at the time on whether or not to recognize atheistic Communist USSR, because the Second Coming would resolve the problem. Imagine what that kind of promoted belief did to allow evil to run rampant in the world and to immoralize our culture! Christians need not make a stand on any of the issues of the day because they would be raptured away anyway!

(4) "For you have said, 'My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in Your eyes.' (5) But oh, that God would speak, and open His lips against you, (6) And that He would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves."

Zophar tells Job that although he believes himself to be clean and pure, God's wisdom is double-fold or infinitely exceeding the wisdom of man, and He would tell Job where he had erred. After all, he says, God chastises and afflicts much less than Job's sin deserves, insinuating that his sin must be great, even though he does not see it.

(7) "Can you by searching find out God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? (8) They are as high as heaven; what can you do? Deeper than hell; what can you know? (9) Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. (10) If He cuts off, and shuts up, or gathers together, then who can hinder Him?"

Paraphrased, "Do you really think you can understand the depths of Almighty God? In whatever He does, there is no man who could stop Him."

(11) "For He knows vain men; He sees wickedness also. Will He not then consider it? (12) For vain man would be wise, though man be born a wild ass's colt."

God knows the hearts of men. He can see the wickedness of evil men when people may not. Zophar is asking Job if he doesn't think that God would have to act when He knows the wickedness of a man. Whether the meaning here is that vain empty man would be wise if it weren't for the fall, or whether only as a gift from God, either way, of himself, he is born into this world without understanding and wisdom.

(13) "If you prepare your heart, and stretch out your hands toward Him; (14) If iniquity be in your hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in your tents; (15) For then shall you lift up your face without spot; yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear;"

Zophar continues in his insinuation that Job has sinned and brought his calamity upon himself, but if he will repent and return to God, then Job in all good conscience, can have confidence and be rooted and grounded in the Lord, and will therefore have nothing to fear.

(16) "Because you shall forget your misery, and remember it as waters that pass away;"

With that renewed confidence and steadfastness in the Lord, the peace and rest that ultimately comes with it will make the pain of his afflictions a fleeting memory.

(17) "And your life shall be clearer than the noonday; you shall shine forth, you shall be as the morning. (18) And you shall be secure, because there is hope; yes, you shall dig around you, and you shall take your rest in safety."

Whether "dig" here means to literally dig, or one of the original word's other meanings, to delve into, search out, or explore, the implication is that Job will be able to do his work in peace and safety.

(19) "Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid; yes, many shall make suit unto you. (20) But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as loss of life."

Paraphrased, "In the rest and safety of the Lord, none will make you afraid. Although many will come to you with their supplications and petitions, you shall have confidence that the wicked will fail; therefore you will have nothing to fear.

That is, Zophar has insinuated, if Job would only repent of his sin!

Job Describes God's Creation of Life in the Womb

2011-06-25T08:04:00.005-05:00

Continuing with a Bible study of Job, Job continues his dialogue started in Chapter 9.

(Job 10:1) "My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul."

The word translated "leave" here also means "loosen", so the idea is that Job will let loose his complaining.

(2) "I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; show me why You contend with me.'"

Job said in Chapter 9 that he would never dare to answer God or to argue his case with him, but he would plead his case with him, and this is how he would begin that supplication. This is a cry for mercy and a sincere desire to know what he has done against God.

(3) "'Is it good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise the work of Your hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?'"

This is the first time that Job appears to question God, but in light of his previous insistence that he would never do that, I believe his intent here is ask "What is it, Lord? Is it this? Is it that?"

(4) "'Do You have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as man sees? (5) Are Your days like the days of man? Are Your years like man's days, (6) That You should inquire about my iniquity and search out my sin? (7) You know that I am not wicked, and there is no one who can deliver out of Your hand.'"

The word translated as "wicked" here is "rasha" and means to causatively do or declare wrong. I believe Job means more than just wicked man born into sin. He means that he does not go around actively performing wicked deeds. But he knows there is no one who could save him from God's actions.

(8) "'Your hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet You would destroy me.'"

Here is one of the beautiful descriptions in the Bible of God's creation of life in the womb. Even though he knew he was born from his mother's womb, Job knew that God had made him. God the Creator fashioned every part of our bodies.

(9) "'Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay; and will You bring me to dust again? (10) Have you not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?'"

This is Job's modest way of describing how man begins as something small and liquid and then congeals into the form of a human body, as he continues to describe in the next verse.

(11) "'You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and have knit me together with bones and sinews. (12) You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit. (13) And these things You have hidden in Your heart; I know that this is with You.'"

Paraphrased, "You made every intricate part of me, body and soul. I know these things are only for You to understand; it is not within us to understand all the things you do."

(14) "'If I sin, then You mark me, and You will not acquit me from my iniquity. (15) If I am wicked, woe to me; and if I am righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see my affliction,'"

Paraphrased, "Even if I am righteous, I would not lift my head proudly and boast of it. I am totally confused; you can see my affliction (as a sinner chastened by God)."

(16) "'For it increases. You hunt me like a fierce lion, and again You show Yourself awesome against me.'"

The meaning here is a little difficult to interpret, but it generally follows the same theme. Early commentators vary on whether "it" is Job's affliction that increases or his head in pride. The reason for the latter is that the word translated "increases" can also mean "rise up" or "mount up". But whether Job sees his affliction increasing for no apparent reason or whether he knows his pride will bring it on, he sees God as an awesome fierce lion, against which Job has no control.

(17) "'You renew Your witnesses against me, and increase Your indignation toward me; changes and war are against me.'"

Paraphrased, "You constantly bring charges against me and I am continually attacked as if by troops in war." It should be noted that the word translated as "increase" is not the same word as in the verse before; that is the reason some of the commentators believe it has a different meaning, for instance, rising of the head in pride.

(18) "'Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! (19) I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. (20) Are not my days few? Cease, leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort, (21) Before I go from where I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death, (22) A land as dark as darkness itself, as the shadow of death, without any order, and where even the light is like darkness.'"

Finally Job says he would ask God why He ever brought him out of his mother's womb. His days are few, anyway, before he dies, so he would ask that God leave him alone (cease from afflicting him) and let him go in peace.

A Lesson in Reverence and Humility Before God

2011-06-22T10:27:00.006-05:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Job speaks after his friend insinuates that he is not a totally righteous man and may have brought judgment on himself.

(Job 9:1) Then Job answered and said, (2) "Truly I know it is so, but how should man be just with God?"

Job knows that what had been said before is true, probably the basic premise that God does not pervert justice. But if that is the true basis for God's judgment on him regarding all the calamities that have befallen him, how could he, as mortal sinful man, ever be considered just with Almighty God?

(3) "If he contends with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. (4) God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?"

Job knows that he could not win a battle of judgment and justice with Almighty God, and by saying this, I believe he is telling his friends that that was not his intention in what he had said.

(5) "Who removes the mountains, and they do not know, when He overturns them in His anger; (6) Which shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;"

With these words, Job is demonstrating how utterly vain it would be for him, mere mortal man, to contend with God who moves mountains and causes earthquakes.

(7) "Who commands the sun, and it does not rise; and who seals off the stars; (8) Who alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; (9) Who made Arcturus, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;"

Job continues with a description of all the great and powerful things that God does to prove that he knows he could never pretend to contend with God. Arcturus is the constellation of the Great Bear.

(10) "Who does great things beyond explanation, yes, and wonders without number. (11) Lo, He goes by me, and I do not see Him; He moves past, but I do not perceive Him; (12) If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, 'What are You doing?' (13) God will not withdraw His anger, the helpers of the proud lie prostrate under Him. (14) How much less can I answer Him, and choose my words to reason with Him?"

The old commentaries vary slightly on what was meant by the helpers of the proud. They may have been as mighty as "they who bear up the world" and even they bow down. Or perhaps helpers are all the things on which proud men rely, as wealth, health, rank, and talent. In any event, if even those men lie under Him, how would someone as feeble as Job now was ever presume to contend with God?

(15) "Though I were righteous, I would not answer Him; but I would make supplication to my Judge."

Even if Job were truly of the utmost righteousness, he would never presume to argue his case against God, but he would approach Him as a sinner comes before the righteous Judge, and prayerfully ask for His mercy. What a beautiful picture this is of how we should approach God in times of trouble. Not with arrogance and shaking our fists. We sometimes want to feel we have been wronged by God, but Job realized that was not possible. God is the supreme righteous Judge and His ways are so far above our ways that we cannot always understand that they are better. In this sinful fallen world, with sinful people often choosing to follow the prince of this world, bad things are bound to happen to us. Whether God acts or whether He allows others to act, He WILL work all things together for good, if we would just seek to follow Him. If we could honestly have complete faith in the infallible righteous judgment of our Lord, we could truly live without fear in any situation.

But Job teaches us there is more than just living without fear because we have faith. This is where I think present-day "Word of Faith" followers miss the mark. Well, I think they miss the mark in several ways; I think their faith is placed on the wrong things. They begin to have faith in their faith. If only THEY had enough faith, they would get what they ask for. They get so focused on the THING they have faith in getting, even if it is a noble thing, such as the health of a loved one, that they forget THE ONE who should be the object of their faith and focus. If we have faith in HIM, we don't have to worry about all the THINGS, because we have faith He will take care of those things. He already said He would take care of our needs! He may not take care of all our wants, and it really makes me uncomfortable when some people presume to know what God WANTS! The only thing I can say for certain that He wants, is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth! And because His ways are higher than our ways, is it not possible that He might allow sickness and/or death of a loved one, if it might bring that person or those witnessing it to salvation? What is the ONE thing God wants? That we are saved! Not that we should all live perfect healthy prosperous lives. Yes, there are scriptures that say He wants us to prosper, but what does that mean to the Almighty Savior God of the universe? Once again, He sees things that we cannot see and knows things we cannot know, so if we just place our faith in Him, rather than the object of our desire, we don't have to worry about how He will work it out; we can just know with certainty that He will work it for good.

I often think of a story in John when people in the faith movement try to tell me they KNOW that God wants this or that healing. Remember the man blind from birth? The disciples wanted to know who had sinned that he should be born blind, him or his parents. Jesus answered neither, but that the works of God be revealed in him. I can't help but picture some word-of-faither approaching this man's parents when he was a baby and telling them that they KNOW the will of God is that their baby should see and not be blind...and that would be wrong. It was NOT the will of God that that baby or later that young child should see, but that God be manifest in him when Jesus performed the miracle of restoring his sight when he was grown. How many people may have been saved by witnessing that miracle at that time?! Yet "faithers" presume to know the will of God?

Job did not presume anything with regard to Almighty God. He would never venture to argue a case of his innocence before Him, but he WOULD make a plea to Him, the righteous Judge. This is where we can all learn a good lesson from Job. Job had tremendous reverence and awe for his God; he did not question HIM, but he knew he could make supplication to Him. There is a difference!

Very recently something has been laid upon my heart, before I came to this part of my study. I have learned to walk in faith in many things. We have been through so many personal trials and seen God carry us through, making a way when we didn't see one, that it has become easy to trust Him. But I don't want to ever take Him for granted. I want to have a thankful reverential heart in awe of His wonders and mercy. Job had that.

(16) "If I had called and He had answered me, I would not believe that He had hearkened to my voice."

I believe this is referring back to verse 14 and the first part of 15, when Job said he would not presume to contend with God. The original word translated as "called" here is "qara" and its meaning rather paints a picture of one accosting another in an aggressive manner. So I don't believe Job is referring to his supplication here.

(17) "For He breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause. (18) He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness. (19) If I speak of strength, lo, He is strong; and if of judgment, who will appoint my day in court? (20) If I justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I say I am perfect, it will also prove me perverse. (21) If I were perfect, I would still not know my soul; I would despise my life. (22) It is all one thing; therefore I say, 'He destroys the pious and the wicked.' (23) If the scourge slays suddenly, He will laugh at the trial of the innocent. (24) The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges; if it is not He, where and who is it?"

All these things are to say that Job cannot contend with God and it would be useless to try. God is mightier than man in anything he may attempt to do to justify himself.

(25) "Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good. (26) They pass away as the swift ships, as the eagle hastens to the prey. (27) If I say, 'I will forget my complaint; I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself', (28) I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that You will not hold me innocent."

I think the idea here is even if Job were to try to be cheerful and "forget his troubles", he knew God could bring the sorrows back because as the righteous Judge, He would not just make them disappear if Job were guilty. Once again, it's just an illustration of how there is nothing Job can do against an Almighty God.

(29) "If I am wicked, why then do I labor in vain? (30) If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands ever so clean, (31) Yet You will plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. (32) For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him and that we should come together in judgment. (33) Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both. (34) Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let His fear terrify me; (35) Then I would speak and not fear Him, but it is not so with me."

There is absolutely nothing that Job can do to defend himself against Almighty God. If He were to take away this perfection in righteous almighty judgment, this awesome power, His very God-ness, maybe then Job could speak with him, presumably as more of an equal, but it is not so.

How NOT to Comfort a Friend in Distress

2011-06-17T09:34:00.006-05:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job:

(Job 8:1) Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said, (2) "How long will you speak these things, and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?"

Here begins a wonderful study on how NOT to comfort a friend in distress. I need lots of help with this one myself. So many times I really want to help and DO or SAY something that will really resolve the situation, but can wind up saying entirely the wrong things so easily. So I intend to take this study one verse at a time to look for godly insight, because after all, Job's friends were godly brothers, and they spoke biblical truth, so where did they fail? To begin with, the very first sentence out of Bildad's mouth is like an accusation. That's enough to make the recipient of the words instantly defensive, making it almost impossible to hear the next sentence.

(3) "Does God pervert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?"

That sentence in itself is accurate. But Job had not really condemned God, so it may have been a unnecessary statement. It intimates that that is what Job had done, perhaps again raising defenses.

(4) "If your children have sinned against Him, and He has cast them away for their transgression;"

Bildad continues by bringing up Job's children. His children who have just recently died! What an awful thing to say at a time like this, that God may have cast them away because of their sins. I read a wonderful early commentary by Matthew Henry who wondered why Bildad would have to include Job's children, when speaking of God's judgment and justice. Could he not be an advocate for God without being an accuser of the brethren?

(5) "If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, (6) If you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous."

Not only were Job's children probably cut off for their transgressions, but Bildad suggests that Job himself is not pure and upright, because if he were to become so and earnestly seek God, then God would make his habitation prosperous. I read a beautiful old commentary by Albert Barnes who feels even this scripture illustrates Job's extraordinary patience: "What could more try the patience of a sufferer than such cold and unfeeling insinuations? And what could more beautifully illustrate the nature of true courtesy, than to sit unmoved and hear such remarks? It was by forbearance in such circumstances eminently that Job showed his extraordinary patience." Perhaps, at the very least, a better way to approach this type of reasoning might be to suggest that Job had been attacked by the enemy, not that he brought these calamities upon himself.

(7) "Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end should greatly increase. (8) For inquire, please, of the former age, and consider the things discovered by their fathers; (9) For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow. (10) Will they not teach you and tell you, and utter words out of their heart?"

Bildad doesn't expect Job to take his word for it, but tells him to inquire how it was in former times, suggesting he will find Bildad's words to be true.

(11) "Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the reed grow without water? (12) While it is yet green and not cut down, it withers before any other herb. (13) So are the paths of all who forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish,"

Bildad now seems to accuse Job of being a hypocrite and that is why his blessings have been cut off.

(14) "Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust is a spider's web. (15) He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. (16) He is green in the sun, and his branch shoots forth in his garden. (17) His roots are wrapped around the rock heap, and sees the place of stones."

The last line may be added to signify added strength with roots wrapped about stones, but that strength won't matter if God removes him from that place.

(18) "If He destroy him from his place, then it will deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.'"

If God destroys him from his place, then the place will deny him; there will be no memory of him left in that place.

(19) "Behold, this is the joy of His way, and out of the earth shall others grow. (20) Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He help the evildoers, (21) Till he fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. (22) Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing."

In light of his previous comments, Bildad may be continuing his insinuation that Job is not a perfect man or else God would not cast him away. But this might also be considered a comfort, a promise of things to come, that the righteous man will not be cast away completely; he will return to joy and his enemies will be brought to nothing. Maybe this was Bildad's point all along, but perhaps he should have made it first without appearing to condemn Job in his time of misery.

Job Wishes for an End to His Life

2011-06-04T10:31:00.007-05:00

Continuing with a Bible study of Job:

(Job 6:1) But Job answered and said, (2) "Oh, that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the scales together (with it)! (3) For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words are swallowed up."

Paraphrased, "My grief is so great that I don't have the words to express it."

(4) "For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me."

Job is not only afflicted in his body, but he says his spirit is suffering because of these terrors of God.

(5) "Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, or does the ox low over its fodder?"

His analogy is to illustrate that he would not be complaining if there was not a reason.

(6) "Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? (7) The things that my soul refused to touch are as loathsome food to me."

Paraphrased, "So as the foods that are bland and tasteless are rejected by the mouth, so are these things rejected by my soul."

(8) "Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant me the thing that I long for! (9) Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!"

Job says that he wishes God would just go ahead and completely destroy him or kill him.

(10) "Then I would yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow; let Him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One."

Job reasons that he would then have comfort if he were dead; he would bear up with courage to receive it (death), so let God not spare his life any longer. Job is not afraid to die because he has boldly professed the word of God.

(11) "What is my strength, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? (12) Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?"

Job has no strength left to even hope for deliverance and he is not afraid to die.

(13) "Is my help not in me? And is wisdom driven quite from me?"

There is an interrogative form to the scripture before this one that may not need to be continued here. In light of the previous scriptures, this is more likely a statement, that there is no help left in Job. The word translated as "wisdom" is "tushiyah" which may more properly be defined as "support", but either could have been used by Job, as he is describing that there is no strength of help left in himself.

(14) "To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, but he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. (15) My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; (16) Which are dark because of the ice, and in which the snow is hidden; (17) When it is warm, they cease to flow; when it is hot, they vanish from their place. (18) The paths of their way turn aside, they go nowhere and perish. (19) The troops of Tema looked; the companies of Sheba waited for them. (20) They were confounded because they had hoped; they came there, and were ashamed. (21) For now you are nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid."

Job feels he should have received more from his friends. He uses the analogy of a brook, full in the winter due to melting ice, but dried up and non-existent in the summer. As various thirsty travelers have looked for the brook in the desert, only to be sadly disappointed when they found it dried up, Job's friends have extremely disappointed him when he was looking for refreshment of spirit and they shrank back.

(22) "Did I say, 'Bring something to me'? Or, 'Give a reward for me of your substance?'? (23) Or, 'Deliver me from the enemy's hand'? Or, 'Redeem me from the hand of the mighty'?"

Paraphrased, "Did I ask you to come here; did I ask anything of you?" His friends had come on their own accord, but Job did not ask for them to come and offer their advice.

(24) "Teach me, and I will hold my tongue, and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. (25) How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? (26) Do you intend to rebuke my words, and the speeches of one who is desperate, which are as wind? (27) Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, and you dig a pit for your friend."

Job may mean himself when he speaks of the fatherless. He is like an orphan who has had everything stripped from him. He challenges his friends to teach him the error of his ways, if they can.

(28) "Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident to you if I lie. (29) Return, I pray you, let there be no iniquity; yes, return again, my righteousness still stands. (30) Is there iniquity in my tongue? Cannot my taste discern perverse things?"

Job still seems to challenge his friends. They would be able to tell if he were lying or a hypocrite. He challenges them to reconsider the whole subject and not be offended by doing so. Consider if there is any untruth or iniquity in what he has already said; does Job himself not have good judgment?

(Job 7:1) "Is there not an appointed time for man on earth? Are not his days like the days of a hired man? (2) As a servant earnestly desires the shade, and as a hired man looks for his wages, (3) So am I made to possess months of futility, and wearisome nights are appointed to me."

Job rationalizes that there is a time to die, and just as a servant looks forward to an end to his toil, so does Job.

(4) "When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro until the dawning of the day. (5) My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. (6) My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. (7) O remember that my life is a breath; my eye shall no more see good. (8) The eye of him who has seen me shall see me no more; your eyes are upon me, and I am no longer. (9) As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave shall come up no more. (10) He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more."

Job continues his rationalization that since everyone is appointed to die and the time of life is indeed brief in the scheme of things, why shouldn't he be ready for its end, after such toil and trouble?

(11) "Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul."

Even though life is vain and short and it may be normal and expected to die, Job will indulge himself in complaining about it.

(12) "Am I a sea, or a whale, that You set a watch over me?"

Job asks God if he is so fierce and unruly as the sea or a sea monster that he must be restrained with such powerful providence.

(13) "When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,' (14) Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions, (15) So that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than my life. (16) I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are emptiness. (17) What is man, that You should magnify him? And that You should set Your heart on him? (18) That You should visit him every morning, and try him every moment? (19) How long will You not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?"

Job wonders what importance mortal man can have that God would greatly favor him or spend every moment trying him.

(20) "I have sinned; what shall I do to You, O preserver of men? Why have You set me as Your target, so that I am a burden to myself? (21) And why do You not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I will sleep in the dust; and You will seek me in the morning, but I will no longer be."

Although Job believes he is free from the sins worthy of God's judgment that his friends accuse him of, he admits he is a sinner, but what can he do to satisfy God? The Lord God alone can pardon the transgressions of basic sinful man, and Job wonders why He will not do it before it is too late and Job has died.

Can Mortal Man Be More Just Than God?

2011-05-28T10:26:00.005-05:00

Continuing a Bible study of Job:

(Job 4:1) Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, (2) "If we attempt to commune with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking? (3) Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands. (4) Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees; (5) But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled."

Eliphaz says Job has instructed many, he has helped the weak, he has used his own words to help those who were stumbling. The insinuation seems to be that now that the same trouble has come to Job, he can't seem to do what he instructed others to do.

(6) "Is not this your fear, your confidence, your hope, and the uprightness of your ways?"

Paraphrased, "Is not your fear (of God) your confidence, your hope, and the reason for the uprightness of your ways?"

(7) "Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? (8) Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow wickedness, reap the same."

Paraphrased, "When have you ever seen the innocent and upright cut down (by God)? But those who sin do reap what they sow."

(9) "By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of His nostrils are they consumed. (10) The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken. (11) The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered."

The fierce lion may be separate from the male roaring lion. She may be the lioness, who doesn't roar as loudly, but is very fierce when it comes to protecting her cubs. Even the fiercest are broken by God.

(12) "Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it. (13) In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,"

Eliphaz now describes a vision he had previously had. We don't know when he had the vision, but he is using it to rebuke Job.

(14) "Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. (15) Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. (16) It stood still, but I could not discern its form. An image was before my eyes; there was silence; then I heard a voice saying, (17) 'Can mortal man be more just than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? (18) Behold, He put no trust in His servants, and His angels He charged with folly; (19) How much less in them who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? (20) They are destroyed from morning till evening; they perish forever, without anyone regarding it. (21) Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.'"

Basically the vision's message seems to be, "Who can question the pure just God? Not even angels, much less men."

(Job 5:1) "Call out now, if there be anyone who will answer you; and to which of the saints will you turn? (2) For wrath kills the foolish man, and envy slays the silly one. (3) I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling place."

Paraphrased, "Wrath and envy will kill you. I, too, have seen the wicked appear rooted and prospering, but suddenly become cursed."

(4) "His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. (5) Whose harvest the hungry eat up, and takes it even out of the thorns, and the robber swallows up their substance. (6) Although affliction does not come from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground; (7) Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward."

Eliphaz seems to be saying that troubles don't spring from the ground for no cause, but man is born into sin, since the fall of Adam, and troubles may come as a consequence of that sin as naturally as sparks from a fire fly upward.

(8) "I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, (9) Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. (10) Who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields. (11) To set up on high those who are low, that those who mourn may be lifted to safety. (12) He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans. (13) He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. (14) They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noontime as in the night. (15) But He saves the needy from the sword, from the mouth and from the hand of the mighty. (16) So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth."

Eliphaz tells Job to take his cause to God, Who does wonderful things, and Who is just and helps the needy and frustrates the plans of the wicked.

(17) "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. (18) For He bruises, and He binds up; He wounds, and His hands make whole. (19) He shall deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. (20) In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. (21) You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue; neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes. (22) You shall laugh at destruction and famine; neither shall you be afraid of the beasts of the earth. (23) For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. (24) And you shall know that your tent is in peace; and you shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. (25) You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring like the grass of the earth. (26) You shall come to your grave at a full age, like a shock of corn ripens in its season. (27) Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear it and know it for your good."

Basically, Eliphaz's message is not a terrible one. Although he might be insinuating that Job may be experiencing a chastening of the Lord, he is sure God will deliver Job out of his troubles. Our human minds search for explanations, and Eliphaz, recalling his vision that said, "Can mortal man be more just than God?", looks for a reason why a just God would bring so much hardship on Job. It must be something Job did or perhaps it is the original sin of Adam; it couldn't be the pure just God.

Events in Recap of This Week's News Are All Signs of the End

2011-05-27T08:11:00.001-05:00

Headlines are all over stating that this or that tornado was the worst ever or the worst in so many years. We also had the false prophecy of Christ's return on May 21 in the news this week. The U.S. President goes further than any president before him to illegitimize Israel. Can there be any doubt we are in the last days? I don't mean days literally as in a few days. I don't want to be mistaken as making a false prophecy! The Bible says we will not know the exact day; that is why it is so idiotic for someone to claim to know the exact day. But when the disciples asked Jesus specifically what the signs were for the end of the world and for His coming, He said:

..."you will hear of wars and rumors of wars"...
..."there will be earthquakes in various places and...famines and troubles"...
..."you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake"...
..."because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold"...
..."there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets"...
..."if any man says to you...'here is Christ' or...'He is there', believe him not"...

Wow, it's a recap of this week's news! We're involved in at least three wars ourselves, I do believe; we have terrible storms and troubles; Israel (and Christians) are hated worldwide; immorality and sin abound and we hear too often now of parents torturing their own children; and a false prophet gave a false prophecy of the date of Christ's return. In light of all these events, I couldn't help but think of the scripture that says not to believe when any man says "There is the Christ", when that pastor proclaimed that Christ would be there returning to earth on May 21.

The false prophecy plays a big part in the growing hatred of Christianity in this country. It sets Christians up for ridicule. The world is watching and it looks for any reason to ridicule and not believe. While true Christians are not shaken, and see it for what it was, a false prophecy, it can shake the "faith" of those who do not know the truth. It will also be used to advance immoral laws. When Christians are seen totally as jokes and as bigoted white hooded creatures standing in the way of progress, that is when the likes of homosexual marriage, complete removal of God from the public square and public speech, and population control for Mother Earth can advance.

How can anyone doubt we are in the end times? Oh, I hear the arguments, "Things have always been bad" and "People have always thought the world was coming to an end". True, and the scriptures of the Bible are there for our learning and to turn us from those ways that will eventually lead us to the end, but we no longer seem to be listening and learning.

Job Wishes He Had Never Been Born

2011-05-21T09:53:00.006-05:00

(Job 2:1) Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. (2) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" And Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

As in the last study of the first chapter of Job, once again we have a rather matter-of-fact conversation between God and Satan, as Satan has been given power over the world, and walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as we see here.

(3) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and an upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you moved Me against him, to destroy him without cause."

Note here that although it was Satan who was given permission to destroy all that Job had, God takes full responsibility for it, as Satan could do nothing without the consent of God.

(4) And Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. (5) But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face!"

Satan seeks to do more to Job in an effort to turn him from God, but can only do what God allows him to do.

(6) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."

God allows Satan to do whatever he wants to Job's body, but he cannot kill him.

(7) So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (8) And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself and he sat down among the ashes. (9) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!" (10) But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? Shall we receive good from the hand of God, and shall we not accept evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Note that Satan did not kill Job's wife, even though he had been allowed to. There is probably a very good reason and a very good lesson in that. Often Satan uses those who are close to us to tempt us. Job's wife was surely a good woman as Job points out she is talking like a foolish woman, indicating she probably knows better.

(11) Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. (12) And when they lifted up their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted up their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. (13) So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

There are other scriptures that indicate that seven days may have been a usual time of mourning. Job's friends sat in silent mourning with him and allowed him to be the first to speak.

(Job 3:1) After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. (2) And Job spoke, and said, (3) "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night on which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.' (4) Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it."

"Perish the day I was born! Let that day be blotted out of history." Job laments that he was ever born.

(5) "Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. (6) As for that night, let darkness seize it; let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months."

Job wishes the day he was born had never happened.

(7) "Lo, let that night be desolate; let no joyful voice come into it."

This is a good time to point out that I generally use just the King James Version of the Bible in my transcription notes. There is good reason for that, as I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use? I guess you could say I also use a little of the New King James version to replace some of the "thee's" and "thou's" of the 1600's Old English with more modern easier-to-understand language. However, I also make it a point to look at the original meaning of the words in the Hebrew and Greek. Sometimes, as I did above, I use a different word, based on the original meaning of the word, than either the KJV or the NKJV. My transcriptions of Bible scriptures are not meant to be a new version of the Bible; they are simply my notes of scriptures rewritten to help me best understand them, and I share these notes on this blog.

I say all that to explain that I have used the word "desolate" in verse 7. It was translated as "solitary" in the KJV, and "barren" in the NKJV. The original word "galmud" can mean sterile, desolate, or solitary. KJV translated it correctly, but that word didn't exactly express the idea well to me, and as I sometimes do, I felt the NKJV may have changed the meaning a little with their word. "Desolate" gave me a better impression of the meaning of Job's statement.

(8) "Let them curse it who curse the day, those who are ready to raise up Leviathan."

The last word was translated as "mourning" in the KJV. The original word is actually "livyathan", or our English "leviathan", and since that word is used in other places in the Bible where it is not translated as "mourning", I saw no reason to try to interpret it as that here. However, as with all the Leviathan scriptures, it's a little difficult to know exactly what Job means here. Leviathan seems to have been a big and terrible and formidable creature, so perhaps the meaning here is to equate the day with some mark of infamy.

(9) "Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day; (10) Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes. (11) Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not perish when I came out of the belly? (12) Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? (13) For now I should have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept; then I would have been at rest,"

Death in scripture is often called sleep. If Job had died at birth, he imagines that he would now be at rest and not suffering so.

(14) "With kings and counselors of the earth, who built desolate places for themselves;"

I believe Job means here that he would have been laid at rest with kings and counselors and people of like great distinction, in great sepulchres built for themselves. I don't think he's referring to the vanity of building things that do not last, for he seems to continue with the thought that it would be a good thing if he were at rest with all the others who would be at rest, too.

(15) "Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver; (16) Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light? (17) There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. (18) There the prisoners rest together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. (19) The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master."

Even the prisoners and the servants may rest there, small and great alike may rest, and that sounds good to Job in his misery.

(20) "Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, (21) Who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures; (22) Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave? (23) Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?"

Why are light and life given to those in misery, those hedged in with no way of escape, those whom Job supposes just want to die?

(24) "For my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. (25) For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come upon me. (26) I was not in safety, neither had I rest, nor was I quiet; yet trouble came."

This could be a small interesting insight into the life of Job. Job was a good and pious man, but did he have an inner fear? There is a slight indication of this when he worried that his children might have sinned and therefore offered burnt offerings for them. We are told repeatedly in scripture to "fear not". Fearing not in the face of adversity is having faith in God, and even in this terrible tragedy of Job's, God is in complete control. Perhaps a better explanation for so pious a man is that this is part of the reverential fear that Job had for God. He knew that everything he had was in God's hands and could be taken away at any time: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away."

Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen?

2011-05-16T10:02:00.012-05:00

The genealogical introduction to Abraham in the last study, chronologically ordered by a Skip Andrews study, brought us to about 2000 BC. Job probably lived about the same time.

(Job 1:1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (2) And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. (3) His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (4) And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day, and sent and called their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Most of the early commentaries suggest feasting "every one his day" probably meant on their appointed days, perhaps birthdays, and the fact that they always invited all their sisters indicate much family harmony and good will. It should not be reasoned that these were drunken rebel-rousing type parties because they would have never invited their sisters to such events.

(5) And so it was, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

There was no indication that his children did anything wrong in their celebrations, but when the cycle of feasts were done, Job, being the pious man that he was, did these things just in case they had sinned or blasphemed God in their festivity.

(6) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

The sons of God here are generally understood to mean angels by all the early commentaries.

(7) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Notice that this seems to be a rather matter-of-fact question and answer, as God does not become angry with Satan, but continues the discourse. Remember that Satan is the god of this world and that he continually walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as Peter tells us in the New Testament.

(8) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (9) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? (10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (11) But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face." (12) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

There are people who believe this was either the act of a cruel God, or must be only a story because how could a loving God allow Satan to destroy such a good man? The old taunt of Satan's to get us to question God, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Once again Satan is the god of this world. When God told Satan that all that Job had was in his, Satan's, power, once again he was stating a matter of fact. But Satan can only do what God allows him to do, and in this instance, He did not allow Satan to touch Job's body.

Why has Satan been allowed to do all that he wants to do to us? Therein lies our choice. Do we willingly CHOOSE God or do we choose the world, and therefore Satan? If God never allowed evil and therefore evil choices, if we all lived in the Garden of Eden with no serpent ever tempting us with anything, what choice is there? We would merely be God's dolls and robots.

(13) And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; (14) And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, (15) When the Sabeans descended upon them and took them away; indeed, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (16) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (17) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (18) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, (19) And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and fell down on the ground and worshiped.

These were actions of grief, but he did not blame God, but instead worshiped Him.

(21) And he said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

I believe this is my favorite memory scripture in all the Bible. The Lord is still the Lord and He has given us salvation, true eternal life; anything else is just frill that comes and goes. The true blessing of the Lord still stands, and He is to be blessed INDEED!

(22) In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.

Once again the question might be asked, why did Job have to suffer so much loss in so short a time? Once again the answer lies in the fact that Satan is the god of this world. Some times more bad may happen to good people because Satan thinks it takes more to drive them away from God. With some, it doesn't take much. Satan is all about keeping us from the Truth and our salvation. But why does God allow Satan to do so much? I already said I believe giving us a true choice is one reason. Another thing to remember is that God sees a much bigger picture than we do. He wants us ALL to be saved. If by allowing an example to be made of Job, more people are brought to salvation, then that is a good thing in God's eyes. And we should be willing to do God's will. Think of a parent who would willingly give his life to save his child's life. We like to think of it as being the parent's choice, like standing in the line of bullet fire to protect the child. But what if it is not the parent's choice, but it is his or her faith through a trial like death by cancer? Suppose through that child's witness of that faith or by their own grief bringing them back to the Lord, the child is saved as a result of that parent's death. Is that not a good and wonderful thing? We humans have a very different idea of what good and evil are. Although Satan does bring the evil things in our lives, God allows them because He uses them for good as we are told in the following scriptures:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. - Genesis 50:20

Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Genesis 11:10-32

2011-05-15T10:03:00.002-05:00

Following a chronologically ordered Bible study by Skip Andrews, we'll now continue with a genealogical descendancy record:

(10) These are the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood. (11) And after he begat Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (12) And Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begat Salah. (13) And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. (14) And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber. (15) And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. (16) And Eber lived thirty-four years, and begat Peleg. (17) And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. (18) And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu. (19) And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. (20) And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begat Serug. (21) And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. (22) And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor. (23) And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (24) And Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begat Terah. (25) And Nahor lived after he begat Terah a hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. (26) And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. (27) Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. (28) And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. (29) And Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. (30) But Sarai was barren; she had no child. (31) And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, his grandson, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. (32) And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

This genealogy brings us to Abraham, but before we read about his life, we will turn next time to the story of Job, who probably lived at about the same time.

The Tower of Babel, Then and Now

2011-05-14T19:21:00.001-05:00

I've been following a chronologically ordered Bible study by Skip Andrews. The last post was about the descendancy of Noah, those who populated the earth after the flood. In reality, I'm not sure that should have been chronologically placed before this chapter of Genesis because it spoke of families in their own countries and after their own languages. The separation of families by languages had to have happened after the confusion of the languages at the time of the tower of Babel which begins in Genesis 11. In defense of the order chosen by Mr. Andrews, a genealogy or descendancy list is hard to place chronologically because it begins at one time and ends in quite another.

(Genesis 11:1) And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. (3) And they said one to another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and they had slime for mortar. (4) And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the face of the whole earth."

But being scattered abroad is exactly what the Lord had instructed them to do! There are varied ideas on what the men were trying to do with their city and their tower. Were they trying to be as gods with a tower to heaven? They were obviously trying to make a name for themselves. Was it in defiance to God? Or was it to be a protection for them, united as they were and all in one fortified city with a tower to heaven? God had told them he would never again destroy them by flood. God had also told them to go forth and populate the whole earth.

(5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built. (6) And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; and now nothing that they have imagined to do will be withheld from them."

Nothing earthly, that is. They were in one accord to work together to do something that was against God's will, and nothing on earth was going to stop them.

(7) "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from there on the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

God scattered them all over the earth Himself and then they would populate the whole earth as was His will. It was actually a merciful act, as I will point out later.

(9) Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad on the face of all the earth.

Interestingly, men are still trying to build the tower of Babel today. The EU building was modeled after the tower of Babel. Purposely! The world is going toward a one-world order which can never work to bring peace as being touted, because it calls for compromise of one's core beliefs. How can Muslims who believe the infidels must convert or die live in a one-world system of religion and laws with Christians who believe Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation? One of them must compromise, and it always seems to be the Christian who is asked to do so. God did not compromise. Jesus did not compromise. There is only one truth, only one plan of salvation, and to say there are many paths to God is to deny Jesus Christ! From the beginning and throughout the Bible, God has called His people to be a separate people from the world and its worldly values. The god of this world is Satan and if we conform to a one-world system, it will be Satan's system. That is a fact that cannot be denied; God has told us that in His Word. In His mercy, God prevented men's attempt to make a one-world city and tower in Babel, and scattered His people. Amazingly, people in modern times believe that the model that God rejected back then is the thing to do now, even though Bible prophecy clearly tells us it will only lead to the anti-Christ. It amazes me that people either just don't believe God and His Word or they reject it, almost shaking their fists in defiance, it appears.

The Sons of Noah Populate the Earth

2011-05-08T21:56:00.004-05:00

In my Bible study, I am using a chronologically ordered study by Skip Andrews, and following the life of Noah is this genealogy of Noah's sons found in 1 Chronicles:

(1 Chronicles 1:5) The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (6) And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (7) And the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. (8) The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (9) And the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. (10) And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be mighty on the earth. (11) And Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, (12) Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and the Caphtorim). (13) And Canaan begat Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth; (14) The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite; (15) And the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; (16) And the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. (17) The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. (18) And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. (19) And to Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. (20) And Joktan begat Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, (21) Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, (22) Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, (23) Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

Now we return to Shem and the direct line from him to Abraham:

(24) Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, (25) Eber, Peleg, Reu, (26) Serug, Nahor, Terah, (27) and Abram, who is Abraham. (28) The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. (29) These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, (30) Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, (31) Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael. (32) Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan. (33) And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. (34) And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac were Esau and Israel.

Now we return to Genesis 10:

(Genesis 10:1) Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and to them were sons born after the flood. (2) The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (3) And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (4) And the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. (5) By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided into their lands; everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

The isles of the Gentiles were not really islands, but those lands that were accessible to the Hebrews from the sea; they had to go by sea to reach these lands. They are generally thought of to be the countries of Europe and Asia Minor.

(6) The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (7) And the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. (8) And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD". (10) And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. (11) Out of that land he went forth to Asshur, and built Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, (12) And Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is a great city). (13) And Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, (14) And Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). (15) And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, (16) And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, (17) And the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; (18) And the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. And afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad. (19) And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. (20) These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations. (21) And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. (22) The children of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. (23) And the children of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. (24) And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. (25) And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. (26) And Joktan begat Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, (27) And Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, (28) And Obal, Abimael, Sheba, (29) Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. (30) And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, a mountain of the east. (31) These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. (32) These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.

The Symbol of God's Promise Hijacked by Satan

2011-04-30T10:05:00.005-05:00

Continuing a chronologically ordered Bible study:

(Genesis 9:1) And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. (2) And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. (3) Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. (4) But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

Even as the herbs were food, so animals would be, but only when properly killed with the blood let out. They were not to be devoured alive as by a beast of prey. More importantly, blood made atonement for a sinner, and should not be considered an unimportant thing. The life of a sacrifice was accepted for the life of the sinner. The life or blood of an animal had a special significance to the Lord and was not to be eaten with its flesh.

(5) And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

This scripture is a little difficult to understand. Whether your life is required if you take the life of another beast (life) or another man, or whether God requires the life of the beast or man who kills you, either way it demonstrates that God will avenge the blood of the murdered. The word translated as beast in the scripture above also means "life".

(6) Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.

Wow! Really take in that scripture for a moment. If a man kills, by man he should be killed...because man is made in the image of God! We are created by God in His image, each person on this earth special to God, and for that reason, not a life for man to take upon himself to dispose of. Think of that scripture in the context of abortion. Life is so precious to God; each one is conceived in the image of God, and not a life to be snuffed out by man, especially when you consider it is to the idol of convenience!

(7) And you, you be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it." (8) And God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, (9) "And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you, (10) And with every living creature that is with you, of the birds, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you, from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. (11) And I will establish my covenant with you; never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (12) And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (13) I do set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. (14) And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; (15) And I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (16) And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." (17) And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."

How atrocious and blasphemous that God's rainbow should now be a symbol for homosexuality, what God called an abomination! But Satan is the king of counterfeits. What he offers is worthless and usually just the opposite of what God offers. In this case, he led homosexuals to use a symbol of God's to promote the exact opposite of what God used it for - life. It was a symbol of God's promise that He would not destroy life as He had done with the flood, but homosexuals destroy their own lives with their behavior. Not only can homosexuals not be fruitful and multiply, and would therefore die out as a race if left to their own devices, but the average lifespan of a homosexual male is something like 42 years, and that is EXCLUDING DEATH FROM AIDS! The lifestyle is so destructive and dangerous, that they literally kill themselves. Throw AIDS into the mix and you have deaths at an average age of 35! IMAGINE THAT THIS IS THE DIVERSITY THEY WANT TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS!! Think of the insanity of teaching that such a destructive lifestyle is normal, a lifestyle that could kill our kids in their 30's, but then they preach about unhealthy foods! That is one way you can tell that these political battles are not really about our health and welfare, but only about control and destruction.

(18) And the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. (19) These are the three sons of Noah, and from them was the whole earth populated. (20) And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. (21) And he drank of the wine and was drunk, and he was uncovered in his tent. (22) And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

The word translated "outside" can mean "out in the street", so that gives us a little more insight to Ham's behavior. He probably didn't just accidentally see his father and privately tell his brothers, but he broadcast it in the streets, bringing shame to his father.

(23) But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.

With great respect for their father, and possibly because of their own modesty and piety, Shem and Japheth covered their father in his embarrassment without seeing him themselves.

(24) And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. (25) And he said: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren."

It is interesting to note here that descendants of Ham were the Canaanites, who were destroyed by the Israelites, and also the Egyptians, and African slaves.

(26) And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (27) God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." (28) And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. (29) And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.

To recap the blessing of Noah by God, He blessed life and promised no more destruction by flood. Satan has twisted that blessing to convince us that abortion and homosexuality are God-given rights. Incredible, isn't it? And truly incredible and sad, that so many so-called Christians cannot see through these lies of Satan to God's truth.

Our Country's Current Flood

2011-04-29T11:59:00.009-05:00

My last Bible study was on Noah and the flood. God said He never again would destroy the earth because of man's wickedness, as He had done in Noah's time. However, He still sends us warnings to turn us back to Him. Some people have viewed "the God of the Old Testament" as a cruel punishing God. They felt the message of the Old Testament was "Do as God says, or else!" and in their rebellion, have rejected that message. I think that is another lie of Satan to try to get us away from the truth of God's love. In recent years my study of the Old Testament has shown me God's love and mercy even then. Through His judgments, He was constantly trying to turn the people back to Him where the blessings were. What so many people don't understand is that punishments are not always a direct action taken against an evil deed, but sometimes the result of the deed itself. You reap what you sow. Consider this:

A country that kills future generations through abortion finds it doesn't have enough workers and therefore money in the Social Security fund to pay all the promises it has made to the people. Now it takes over healthcare so that it can ration it which means death panels will decide who lives and who dies. Actually, there is only one Author of life, but death panels will take it upon themselves to try to make those decisions because they believe population control is needed for the salvation of the planet. As if they can really save the planet!

A country that embraces homosexuality, what God called an abomination, is a country saying, "We really don't care what you think, God!" God doesn't have to strike us dead because of it. We'll do it to ourselves! How do we be fruitful and multiply and have blessings on the earth when we practice the thing that will bring the exact opposite result?

Because people love "Mother Earth" more than their Creator God, they do stupid things that actually endanger the earth! In times past, God's nature could take care of itself. The occasional forest fires created natural breaks that would protect residential areas from the next fire. Now "protected" forests provide fuel for fires that cannot be stopped! The terrible fires of late may not be a striking punishment of God, but a result of our own actions.

Mother Earthers have kept us from drilling for oil in our own country which would provide jobs and a release from dependence on countries that hate us and want to destroy us. Therefore we have constant wars with those countries. We have so much regulation because of the EPA that it kills small businesses and forces them to go overseas for cheap labor and cheap parts that further destroys our economy because we can longer afford to produce here or hire here.

We turned our backs on God and decided that it really didn't matter if we had a president who killed babies and promoted what God called an abomination and purposely eliminated Him from his quotes of our founding documents and even covered up symbols of Him where he had to make a speech. That didn't matter because this man was bringing us HOPE and CHANGE! And we needed hope and change! So we turned away from our only Hope and the source of our REAL change! And God let us have what we wanted. And it is destroying us.

One quick look at today's headlines and you can see the flood of disasters we are currently experiencing. The storms and tornadoes are devastating, and may be the only thing that is not purely of our doing. Many "enlightened souls" will say we have caused global warming that is causing increased storms and earthquakes, but they will only look for more regulation, government control, and even population control, that will obviously destroy us further. There is so much more unrest and fighting in the Middle East that I believe is completely attributable to Obama's weakness that emboldens our enemies. He tells them constantly that the US is not a country they need fear. Latin America is a place we didn't have to worry about nearly as much as we have since Obama took office and threw our Latin allies under the bus, so that no one is really fighting the drug cartels anymore. Then there have been the fires in Texas. There's news they want to breach a levee on the Mississippi to ease flooding in Illinois, but it will flood fertile farms in Missouri. What might that do?

We are destroying ourselves because of our own choices! God doesn't have to do it! But He tells us He will heal our country if we turn back to Him on our knees, repenting and changing from our evil ways. How is it that we cannot recognize that the God of the universe holds our lives and blessings in His hands? How is it we can still be so flippant about the things of our Lord? May the dear Lord have mercy on our country and not give us what we deserve!

Noah and the Flood

2011-04-24T09:04:00.010-05:00

(Genesis 6:1) And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, (2) that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

Recall in Genesis Chapter 4 when Seth was born, it was noted that men began to call on the name of the Lord again, indicating that up to then they weren't. This scripture says that the godly men began to marry the daughters of the men who did not follow God.

(3) And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

Funny, as a child, I always thought this scripture to indicate the time when God changed the lifespan of man from the 900+ years of Adam and his children and grandchildren, to only 120 years. I now see that God was giving men just 120 years to get their acts together. After all, Noah lived a great many more than 120 years. God had just about had it with men, but He was giving them 120 years to repent before He brought the flood.

(4) There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

How interesting to note that the word "giants" here actually has a much expanded definition: Properly, a feller, that is, a bully or tyrant: giant. Although they may have been giants in stature, I believe the word is more properly defined as "bullies" or "tyrants", as that best continues the theme of a line of godly men versus a line of ungodly men, who are now intermarrying.

(5) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (6) And it sorrowed the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at his heart. (7) And the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the birds of the air, for it sorrows Me that I have made them." (8) But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (9) These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (10) And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (11) The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (12) And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. (13) And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (14) Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. (15) And this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

A cubit was the length of a man's forearm, about 18 to 20 inches. Therefore the length of the ark was to be 450 to 500 feet long, the width 75 to 83 feet wide, and the height 45 to 50 feet high.

(16) You shall make a window for the ark, and in a cubit you shall finish it above; and the door of the ark you shall set in its side; you shall make it with lower, second, and third stories. (17) And behold, I Myself am bringing a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh from under heaven, in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. (18) But with you will I establish my covenant; and you shall go into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. (19) And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. (20) Of the birds after their kind, of cattle after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. (21) And you take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them." (22) Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.

God makes His plan to destroy men on earth, but He had found favor with one godly man, Noah. God tells Noah of His plan to save a remnant of all living things in an ark that Noah will build.

(Genesis 7:1) And the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen you are righteous before Me in this generation. (2) Of every clean beast you shall take to you by sevens, a male and his female; and of beasts that are not clean by two, a male and his female; (3) Also of fowls of the air by sevens, male and female, to keep species alive on the face of all the earth.

Growing up, weren't we always taught that Noah took two of every species of animal? Here it clearly states there were more of the clean animals. But does it say seven or seven pairs of clean animals? I still do not know. The old commentaries state that there were seven animals, three pairs of male and female, and a seventh for sacrifice; and they point to a later scripture where Noah does indeed sacrifice "of every clean beast". However, I find it interesting that in both instances of the word translated as "sevens" above, the original word "sheba" is written twice, if I am understanding my Strong's correctly. I suppose "sheba sheba" is translated "by sevens" or is it "seven and seven"? This is not an important doctrinal issue, by any means, but I found it interesting to ponder.

(4) For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made." (5) And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. (6) And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood waters were on the earth. (7) And Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. (8) Of clean beasts, of beasts that are not clean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, (9) Two by two they went into the ark to Noah, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

Two by two, the male and the female, seems to indicate an even number of each species, so at this point, I believe there were seven pairs of clean animals, rather than only seven animals.

(10) And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. (11) In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

Not only did it rain from heaven, but the "fountains of the deep were broken up", indicating perhaps that land or hills, etc. that held the water in the seas broke away, allowing the oceans to rush over the land.

(12) And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. (13) On the very same day Noah and Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark; (14) They and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. (15) And they went in to Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, in which is the breath of life. (16) And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in. (17) And the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. (18) And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark went upon the face of the waters. (19) And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. (20) The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.

Again, a cubit is the length of a forearm, about 18 to 20 inches, so 15 cubits is 22 to 25 feet. The hills were covered and then the waters went upward another 25 feet and covered the mountains.

(21) And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. (22) All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. (23) And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle, and the creeping things, and the birds of the air; and they were destroyed from the earth; and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. (24) And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.

(Genesis 8:1) And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided; (2) The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. (3) And the waters receded continually from the earth; and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. (4) And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. (5) And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. (6) And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. (7) And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. (8) He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. (9) But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and pulled her into the ark to himself. (10) And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. (11) And the dove came in to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; so Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. (12) And he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. (13) And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry.

It was the 601st year of Noah's life, on the first day of the first month of the new year, appropriately so, for a new beginning.

(14) And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. (15) And God spoke to Noah, saying, (16) "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. (17) Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, of birds and of cattle and of every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth. (18) And Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. (19) Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their kinds, went out of the ark. (20) And Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21) And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again destroy any more every living thing as I have done. (22) While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

Is There Any Doubt of the Propagandization by the Media?

2011-04-20T10:31:00.004-05:00

It's truly incredible! How stupid do they think we are?! The president is out there actually lecturing us that we cannot spend more than we take in when HE IS THE CHAMPION OF DOING JUST THAT! Surely everyone knows that by now. But a willing media uses those ridiculous sound bites to try to demonstrate a fiscally responsible president and candidate for re-election.

I cannot tolerate the mainstream media anymore. As a matter of fact, I almost missed this story, even though the reporter was from a local station to me:

The Outburst Heard 'Round the World
Nobody Interrupts POTUS

The Drudge Report was even touting this incident as the first time a reporter turned aggressive with Obama. Stories like this are very hard to come by, probably because reporters don't want to be punished, or often they are very liberal and want to prop up the prez.

Regarding Brad Watson's questions, of course the president and his administration punish those who don't go along with him or dare to question him. Just as he cannot be questioned in an interview, state governments had better not question him, either. Remember the news of federal funds being withheld from Arizona after their immigration law?

The current news is full of stories of an oppressive government that oversteps its bounds and a president who lies as easily as he talks. Don't believe for a moment that he is really for the middle class when the "bible" he uses, "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky, tells him the middle class is the enemy and instructs him on how to destroy the middle class while pretending to help it! Don't believe that his health care plan is about helping all Americans, when there are those on his staff who believe in population control through whatever means necessary, even writing about putting sterilants in the drinking water. "Death panels" are described as a natural option for these radicals. Obama reminds me of Nicholas Carpathia from the Left Behind series. There was a scene early on when he's meeting with world dignitaries and he kills two that refuse to go along with him. He then proceeds to tell the rest of the folks about what they just witnessed, the horrible tragedy of one guy killing the other and then turning the gun on himself. It's been awhile since I saw it, but it was something like that. Anyway, people start nodding and agreeing that is what they saw, at least the majority of the people led by the wrong spirit; the one man who had just accepted Christ as his savior and was being shown the truth by the Holy Spirit was not deceived. Sometimes I feel like I am in that world where Obama is destroying us while he tells us he is working for us and that it's really the other guy who is trying to destroy us, and the people nod and agree with him; "Yes, we can!" they chant.

I have always gotten comfort from 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The scripture doesn't say "all the people"; it says "MY people", so only God's people need turn from their wicked ways and seek His face, and He will forgive us and heal our land. Let the "heathens" chant for their hope and change and let God's people return to Him on their knees! If you believe you are a Christian and support Obama, I would suggest you search your heart and decide if you can really ignore the fact that he is the most pro-abortion president in our history. Can you really support a president who promotes and supports homosexuality, an abomination to your Lord? Can you ignore the fact that he seeks to erase our country's Christian heritage and purposely deletes mentions of God from his "quotes" of our founding documents?

It is time for people to get on their knees and pray to their Lord for forgiveness, and repent and change from their wicked ways. When we seek our Lord and His will, His Holy Spirit will lead us in truth. Truth is what we need in this time of deceitful politicians and media.

The Genealogy of Man Between Adam and Noah as Told in Genesis Chapter 5

2011-04-20T09:19:00.004-05:00

(Genesis 5:1) This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. (2) He created them male and female, and blessed them and called their name Adam in the day they were created.

As God made Adam and Eve one by marriage, He called them both Adam. Adam is also the Hebrew name for mankind, and the name for red or ruddy, which some scholars speculate may be for the red earth from which man was created.

(3) And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth. (4) And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years; and he begat sons and daughters. (5) And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died. (6) And Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begat Enos. (7) And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. (8) And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died. (9) And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan. (10) And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters. (11) And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years; and he died. (12) And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel. (13) And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters. (14) And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died. (15) And Mahalaleel lived sixty-five years, and begat Jared. (16) And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. (17) And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died. (18) And Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begat Enoch. (19) And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (20) And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died. (21) And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begat Methuselah. (22) And after he begat Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (23) And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. (24) And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

He was no longer there because God took him. In Hebrews 11:5, it is further explained that Enoch was translated by God that he should not see death. Some scholars say this was to "show that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of souls and bodies".

(25) And Methuselah lived a hundred and eighty-seven years, and begat Lamech. (26) And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred and eighty-two years, and begat sons and daughters. (27) And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died. (28) And Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and begat a son. (29) And he called his name Noah, saying, "This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed."

This was a prophetic statement because even though the ground had been cursed, through Noah's toil humanity was saved. This is a lovely example of how when we work according to God's will, our toil will be a blessing and a comfort, even though the land may be cursed.

(30) And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred and ninety-five years, and begat sons and daughters. (31) And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died. (32) And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

A Study on Cain and Abel

2011-04-18T09:24:00.004-05:00

(Genesis 4:1) And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man from the LORD."

Interesting to note here that the original word for Cain is qayin, the exact same word translated as "spear" in 2 Samuel 21:16.

(2) And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. (3) And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. (4) And Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, (5) But He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

It is hard to know exactly from these scriptures why the Lord respected Abel's offering, but not Cain's. Some speculate it's because Abel brought the first and of their fat, which may indicate the nicest. Cain merely brought some of his fruit. We know God always judges the heart of man, and it certainly becomes evident in later scriptures that Cain's heart was not pure.

(6) And the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? (7) If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And unto you shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him."

Here God does more fully explain why Cain's offering was not respected; he does not do well. If he did, he certainly would be accepted by God. The latter part of the scripture is a bit difficult. KJV translates the pronouns as "his" and "him"; some have speculated they may actually be "its" and "it". If it's talking about "him", then perhaps its meaning is that Cain, you can do well, and your younger brother will look to you, but you are the older and will be the head. If the scripture is talking about "it", then it is continuing the thought about sin and it wants Cain, but Cain can (and should) rule over it.

(8) And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and killed him. (9) And the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" (10) And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to Me from the ground."

We should take note that innocent blood has a voice that God can hear. Perhaps it is literal, perhaps it is figurative, but God knows of all the innocent blood in the land. How must we be judged for the millions of innocent babies' blood crying to the Lord from our land?!

(11) "And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. (12) When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."

The very earth which received his brother's blood, will now be cursed and no longer fruitful for Cain.

(13) And Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! (14) Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and I shall be hidden from Your face; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it shall come to pass that everyone who finds me will kill me." (15) And the LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

I wonder if God actually forced Cain to be a fugitive and a vagabond and drove him away, as Cain said, or was it that Cain would necessarily become a fugitive and a vagabond because the earth would refuse to yield for him and he would be forever looking for something else? In addition, note that vengeance is the Lord's. He punished Cain, but he would not tolerate someone else committing murder.

(16) And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. (17) And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. (18) And to Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begat Mehujael, and Mehujael begat Methushael, and Methushael begat Lamech. (19) And Lamech took to himself two wives; the name of one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. (20) And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle. (21) And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the harp and organ. (22) And Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in brass and iron; and the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah. (23) And Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, "Hear my voice, you wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have killed a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt."

Again we have a difficult verse to completely understand, as we don't have the original Hebrew words for the articles and prepositions of speech. He could be an old man bragging that he killed a young man that led to his being wounded. Perhaps it should read that he killed a young man because the young man hurt him first, and that may make more sense when you read his next line:

(24) "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

Perhaps he is saying that if Cain will be avenged sevenfold when he killed an innocent man, that he himself should be avenged seventy-sevenfold for killing in what he might consider self-defense.

(25) And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, "For God has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed." (26) And to Seth, to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos; then men began to call on the name of the LORD.

This passage may be meant to be in contrast to the scriptures about Cain's descendants, who seemed to continue the tradition of killing. With Seth's descendants, men began to call on the name of the Lord again.

Satan Still Tempts in the Same Way Today as in the Garden of Eden

2011-04-15T09:13:00.005-05:00

A study of Genesis Chapter 3 shows that things haven't changed in 6000+ years. Satan works in the exact same way he did back in the Garden of Eden, and people still fall for it.

Because my Bible study is following a chronological order based on "A Chronological Bible Reading Schedule" by Skip Andrews, I will begin with a genealogical preface:

(1 Chronicles 1:1) Adam, Sheth, Enosh, (2) Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, (3) Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, (4) Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

(Genesis 3:1) Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

Scheme #1 of Satan is to question God's Word. "Did He really say that?" No book in the history of mankind has been questioned more than the Bible!

(2) And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it; neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" (4) And the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die."

Satan's big lie: "You won't die." Is that not the real reason people don't come to Christ for salvation, because they don't really believe they will die an eternal death without Him? If people truly believed the Bible, everyone would be saved!

(5) "For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

Is this line not straight out of New Age doctrine? Your eyes will be opened; you can be as God; you will have knowledge!

(6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Although it began with Satan's temptation and lie, the ego and human pleasure plays a huge part. As it is now, Eve wanted pleasant things, and she wanted to feel wise, and she wanted someone to go along with her. That always makes us feel better about doing something wrong, knowing that everyone else does it!

(7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) And the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" (10) And he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." (11) And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" (12) And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

This part always amuses me. We always want to blame someone else; it's not MY fault. But in this case, Adam even insinuates that it's GOD's fault: "It's that woman YOU gave me!" That excuse is used even now, like the argument that God made homosexuals the way they are. "Homosexual" is an adjective describing an ACT; it is not a person!

(13) And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Eve passes the blame, too, as people still want to today. When we can't pass it back any further, then it's because of how we were raised or that Satan made us do it. But we each have a responsibility for our own actions. Sure, it may be more difficult because of how we were raised. Sure, homosexual tendencies may be stronger in some, but just as a kleptomaniac has a stronger desire to steal, we all have temptations to overcome and do not have to act on them.

(14) And the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. (15) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

And certainly the snake is no longer a friendly familiar being to people, but slithering on the ground, striking at the heels of man, and one of the most hated creatures being frequently struck on the head to kill it. This scripture is also a prophetic reference to Christ: The woman's seed, a descendant, would ultimately trample Satan, although Satan would bruise His human form to the point of death.

(16) To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; and your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you."

John Wesley explained the woman's "sentence", as he called it, succinctly: "she is condemned to a state of sorrow and a state of subjection". The pain she experiences is not only in childbirth, but in sorrow and worry, she raises her children. Now rather than an equal helper to Adam, she is now put in subjection to him. "Your desire shall be to your husband". I have wondered if that meant your natural desire is to serve him, or whether you desire what your husband has, but he rules over you. Either way, it is subjection, and I suppose both could be true. The woman traditionally serves her husband, but the modern culture has made the woman very dissatisfied with that role, as she seeks to be "equal" to men.

(17) And unto Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it', cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. (18) Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. (19) In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."

Man is sentenced to a life of toil and trouble. As I read this again, I am reminded of how we used to say as kids (and maybe as adults, too), "It's not fair!". Our parents told us life isn't fair. I've even heard, "Life's not fair, and then you die". Is that not the exact lot of mankind after Adam's sin: You WILL have toil and trouble all your life and then you'll return to the ground.

(20) And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (21) Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (22) And the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever; (23) Therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. (24) So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

I believe rather than interpreting that Adam had become as God, which is what a New Age religion would have us believe that we can be God, this is better interpreted that only in the knowledge of both good and evil, has man become like God. First he knew only good, all the good things God gave to him freely in the garden. Then when he was tempted and sinned by disobeying God, he came to know evil. Then, because he sinned, he lost eternal life, and was forever separated from the tree of life, and sent to his life of toil.

These are the decisions with consequences we make in daily life. Will we accept God's way and obey Him and enjoy His blessings, or will we believe the lie of Satan that we can be as God and in the end die forever separated from God?

How Evil Began

2011-04-09T08:08:00.002-05:00

The perilous times continue. Another earthquake in Japan. It is heartbreaking to me to hear that 25,000 people lost their lives in the last one and that news seemed to be overshadowed by nuclear fears for US on the other side of the world and for what it might do to OUR economy!

While Americans were watching and wondering if the government would shut down, there began an ominous meeting of liberal "economists" who very well may be remaking the world's economy as they see fit:

Will Bretton Woods Shock U.S. Economy?

Possibly missed among congressional votes, was this one:

House Votes to Undo Net Neutrality Rules

Who wouldn't want net neutrality? "The FCC’s net neutrality rules prohibit cable, fiber and DSL broadband companies from blocking websites, allow users to use the software and devices of their choice, and require companies to be transparent if they use traffic-management software." Oh, they make it sound so good and TRANSPARENT (there's that word again that's supposed to make us feel that it is true), but in reality it means much more government control over the internet. Obama promises to veto the bill to undo net neutrality rules, so judge for yourself if that is because he wants more transparency or more control. The Word of God says we judge that by the man's fruits. What has Obama shown us so far?

Along those lines, there is interesting news that former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs may become a senior executive at Facebook managing its communications.

Will Obama Machine Take Over Facebook?

I truly believe there are no accidents in the coming and going of Obama's administrative picks, so I have to wonder what this might mean for his re-election bid. I fear we may not be able to get rid of Obama. Even though the people are sick of his out-of-control spending and his wimpy spine when it comes to making any real decisions (although I believe that is part of his plan to bring down America), just as they were able to push through Obamacare against the will of the people, I fear there are things in motion about which we haven't a clue, and the Obama machine will force its way through this time. Be careful what you wish for, as we have been told. You just might get it! All you voters of hope and change have surely gotten your wish. Now will we be stuck with four more years of it? I certainly hope not. But we must not fear, as we know Who is really in control. Obama's schemes do not take our Father by surprise. While that doesn't mean that He won't let Obama succeed for now, we know Who it is Who really provides all our needs and we must stay focused on Him.

So with that, I want to get back to a study of God's Word. Continuing with a chronologically ordered schedule of reading the Bible by Skip Andrews, I begin in Isaiah 14:4, which describes Satan's fall prior to his temptation of Eve in Genesis 3.

(Isaiah 14:4) That you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, "How the oppressor has ceased, the golden city ceased! (5) The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, and the scepter of the rulers. (6) He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he who ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and no one hinders. (7) The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing. (8) Yea, the fir trees rejoice at you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, 'Since you were cut down, no woodsman has come up against us.' (9) Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you, all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. (10) They all shall speak and say to you, 'Have you also become as weak as we? Have you become like us? (11) Your pomp is brought down to Hell, and the sound of your stringed instruments; the maggot is spread under you, and the worms cover you.' (12) How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! (13) For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north; (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' (15) Yet you shall be brought down to Hell, to the sides of the pit."

While the passages begin talking about the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, the king is compared to Lucifer, who is the real ruler of the world.

(Ezekiel 28:11) Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, (12) "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. (13) You have been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the ruby, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the garnet, and the emerald, and gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared in you in the day that you were created. (14) You are the anointed cherub who covers, and I have set you so; you were on the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (15) You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you. (16) By the multitude of your merchandise they have filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned; therefore I will cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and I will destroy you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (17) Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness; I will cast you to the ground, I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you. (18) You have defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trade; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of you, it shall devour you, and I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them who behold you. (19) All they who knew you among the people shall be astonished at you; you shall be a terror, and never shall you be any more."'"

Once again a king is compared to Lucifer. The same pride and arrogance of Lucifer can be found in men. Next time, I'll begin in the third chapter of Genesis which shows just how Satan tempts men.

A note about the Bible version used above: For the most part, it is KJV, with a little NKJV to replace the "thee's" and "thou's". Occasionally, if the Old English word from the KJV doesn't make sense, and the NKJV seems to change the meaning too much, I have gone to Strong's for the original word and its meaning, and I may use that. This is not meant to be a new translation, but simply my transcribed study notes in a form I will best understand.

Creation of Man

2011-04-03T10:07:00.007-05:00

First, the fine print: this transcription of Bible scriptures is from my personal study where I rewrite scriptures in a language I will understand best. In most cases, it is KJV, with a little NKJV sprinkled in to replace the "thee's" and the "thou's". Occasionally, when an old English word from KJV did not make sense to me, but the NKJV word seemed to change the meaning, I used Strong's to find the original meaning of the original word and used that. Please understand I do not mean for this to be another translation; these are only my study notes. Additionally, I use a chronological study guide by Skip Andrews in my study. I welcome any discussion on this or anything about which I write.

A synopsis of the first chapter of Genesis is found in Exodus 20:11:

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Beginning in Genesis 2:4, there is a more detailed retelling of the creation of man than that in Genesis, Chapter 1:

(Genesis 2:4) These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, (5) Before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown; for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; (6) But a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. (7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (8) And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. (9) And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (10) And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it parted and became four riverheads. (11) The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which surrounds the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. (12) And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. (13) The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that surrounds the whole land of Ethiopia. (14) And the name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. (15) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (18) And the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper for him." (19) And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name. (20) And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper for him. (21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. (22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, He made into a woman, and brought her to the man. (23) And Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (24) Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. (25) And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Jesus later referred back to this incident and quoted scripture to the Pharisees. On more than one occasion, Jesus refers to Adam and creation. I believe His reference to a historical fact negates the argument that the story of Adam is a myth or just a Biblical "story".

(Matthew 19:4) And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, (5) And said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall become one flesh'? (6) Therefore, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

(Genesis 2:1) Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. (2) And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because in it He had rested from all His work which God had created and made.

In the Last Days Perilous Times Shall Come

2011-04-02T09:49:00.004-05:00

This week was full of news that shows we are in very perilous and very shaky unstable times, times when good is called evil and evil good:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. - 2 Timothy 3:1

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! - Isaiah 5:20

The news surrounding the Libya ordeal is astounding and not as is being reported by the mainstream media. There has been no bigger murderer of the Jewish people since Hitler than Gadhafi, yet our president dragged his feet when it came to speaking out against him. He had no trouble calling for Murbarak to step down, who had been an ally of the US. It seemed perhaps he had been shamed into doing something when France and England began to act. Then came the U.N. no-fly zone resolution. It was after that when Obama put Gadhafi on notice! I'm sure Gadhafi was shaking in his boots! Obama was so quick to turn over the reins to someone else that you had to wonder if it was just a wink to Gadhafi, especially given some of the investigations that have shown ties between Gadhafi and Obama, or at least those close to him. Now come reports that Obama's handling of the Libyan conflict may be part of a bigger plot to finally bring about a one-world government through a military doctrine called "Responsibility to Protect", which promotes global governance while allowing the international community to penetrate a nation's borders under certain conditions. Libya is a testing ground for the doctrine. The following World Net Daily articles more fully explain the implications of the doctrine and name some of the far-left radicals behind it.

Soros Fingerprints on Libya Bombing
Another Stunner Behind Obama's Libya Doctrine
Libya Bombing an Attempt to Create 'New World Order'?

Imagine the possibilities! Especially when you consider the hostility toward the U.S. Add to the mix a president who is actively trying to destroy our country. When our economy and sovereignty are ultimately destroyed, we are just one of many equal countries, one among countries that hate us and that for which we stand. Obama is busy trying to destroy all that we originally stood for, as well. He is very deliberately trying to erase our Christian heritage and to erase God from our founding documents. See the following article with its many links to other articles for examples:

Is Obama Purging God from America 'By Design'?

Huge government control and bureaucracy removes freedoms and will be used to force us into a one-world system. Necessarily, the right to bear arms will have to be revoked so that the American people cannot revolt. You can see that in the works, but this week came news that may bring it about more quickly. Michelle Malkin has done tremendous investigative reporting on a huge Obama scandal that is being hushed by the mainstream media, Project Gunrunner. Tens of thousands have died in the Mexican drug wars, many killed with semi-automatic firearms our U.S. government provided! Now Americans are dying by the same firearms. When I read about all the anti-gun types involved in this scandal, I shudder to think our government may be sacrificing lives, some who are border patrol agents armed with beanbag guns, to further their attempts to get control of our guns.

Project Gunrunner: Obama’s Stimulus-Funded Border Nightmare

Speaking of sacrificing lives, we've long been sacrificing innocent babies for convenience. So some human lives are apparently dispensable, but daily I was hearing the news this week about the high school boys who sacrificed two baby chicks. PETA was outraged and they were talking about it in Australia, even! I'm not saying what they did was right, but does it rise to the importance of human lives sacrificed for convenience or political gain?

This week also came the news that Israel has released a map detailing almost 1,000 Hezbollah rocket and missile sites across southern Lebanon, many of which are situated near hospitals, homes and schools. It's a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, but where is the UN and where is the outrage?

Map Shows Almost 1,000 Hezbollah Rocket and Missile Sites Across Southern Lebanon

A study was just released that shows there are 8 times as many attacks on Jews in the United States as there are attacks on Muslims, but we are holding Islamophobia hearings in the Senate!

Study Shows 'Islamophobia' in U.S. a Myth
'Islamophobia' Hearings Shaped by Radical Palestinian

Then on top of all the news last week, I received an email from Olive Tree Ministries telling me about a new book by a former member of a New Age church who "tells all" and who believes the antichrist "is already in the world awaiting mankind's call." The article that was emailed to me can be found here:

Waiting in the Wings

I love Olive Tree Ministries, but I do have to say, they are obviously believers in a pre-tribulation rapture, and I do not find substantial Biblical evidence for that. I have tried to get people to honestly debate that one with me, as I would really love to see what they see, but for now, I have to say that I see quite the opposite:

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." - Matthew 24:29-30

As a direct answer to the question about the end of the world and the sign of Jesus's return, Jesus tells his disciples about the many tribulations to come and then specifically says that AFTER the tribulation, He will return. How does it get any clearer than that? How are these passages from Jesus Christ Himself reconciled by believers in a pre-trib rapture? I have not heard. Anyway, this is one of those doctrinal issues about which I can agree to disagree. I believe it can be a dangerous one for those who will be expecting Christ and may fall for a false one, but then again, those who know the Word of God well should not be deceived. After all, none of us see scripture 100% correctly at this stage of the game:

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. - 1 Corinthians 13:12

As my husband always reminds me regarding this issue, we all must be ready right now, because our lives can be snuffed out today in any number of ways. If you are ready for your Lord today, you will be ready for Him when He returns, if you do not falter, and endure till the end:

"But he who endures to the end shall be saved." - Matthew 24:13

In the Beginning - Thoughts on Creation As Told in Genesis 1

2011-03-27T09:06:00.010-05:00

This is the second installment of a chronological Bible study inspired by A Chronological Bible Reading Schedule by Skip Andrews. As part of my study, I personally transcribe scriptures, using mostly KJV with a little NKJV to replace the "thee's" and "thou's". Occasionally, when a word is a hard-to-understand Old English word, but the NKJV seems to change the meaning too much, I use Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries to determine the original meaning of the word, and then may use that word. My transcription is not meant to be a new translation, but merely my own restating of the scriptures in a way that I can fully understand. Last time we had the prequel; now on to the beginning:

(Genesis 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. (4) And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (6) Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." (7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. (8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. (9) And God said, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. (10) And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

The dictionary definition of "firmament" is "heaven", or "the vault of heaven, the expanse of the sky". The original word is "raqiya" meaning "expanse" or "visible arch of the sky". In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, but the earth was without form. That's really quite a thing to ponder. He created heaven and earth, but there was no shape or form! In the beginning it was apparently all like waters, all blended together, and God separated the "waters" and made the forms of heaven and earth.

(11) And God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. (12) And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (13) And the evening and the morning were the third day. (14) And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; (15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth"; and it was so. (16) And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars also. (17) And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, (18) And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. (19) And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Here's another great thing to ponder. On the first day God created light, and yet He didn't make the sun and moon and stars until the fourth day! Now I've heard it speculated that God was the light, but He didn't create Himself and call Himself Day. I believe it's probably just too complicated for our human minds. It's like we think we can put God in our little human box and fully explain Him and His creations. Fully explain GOD? If we could, He wouldn't be very God-like, would He? Think about this. God is outside of time. He created time itself. When we see the stars tonight, we are only seeing the light of the stars that has taken so many light years to get here, that by the time we see it, the stars are no longer in existence. According to many scientists who believe the earth is billions of years old, we should be seeing the light of stars that had to have been around since way before the Bible tells us God created the heaven and the earth and the stars. Yet they weren't. God is God; He isn't confined to our human time tables. I believe He is perfectly capable of putting stars in the heavens and having us see the lights immediately. I always have to chuckle when I hear scientists speak of their dating methods and tools. Perhaps if given millions and billions of years, *maybe* their dating methods work, but when you have a Creator God in the mix Who does not have to adhere to time or those dating rules, then how can they possibly know the real ages of things? How can they really know anything other than what has existed since man has been keeping records? They can speculate, but they can't know for certain. And yet, that is what they often try to convince us, that they can really know prehistoric events.

Back to the question about how there was light before there were the sun and stars, if God can put stars in the sky and have them instantly visible, I'm sure He could just as easily have us see the light of the sun before we could see the sun itself. But then, man wasn't there to see it yet. If light is created, but there is no one to see it, is there really light? :-) But seriously, God made the earth and it had no shape, and He made the light and it had no "shape". Then He shaped them. Isn't it awesome?

(20) And God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." (21) And God created great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind; and God saw that it was good. (22) And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." (23) And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. (24) And God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind, cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. (25) And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind; and God saw that it was good. (26) And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (29) And God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. (30) And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. (31) And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

God said to let man have dominion over all the earth and all the animals, contrary to what some pagan religious groups and animal rights activists will tell you. Amazingly, I have seen Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 used as proof that God says man and animals are equal. Sadly, I realized that if you read only the NIV or other modern versions like the NLT and others, you might actually be able to make a case for it. Yet another slaughter of the scriptures by the NIV translators I had missed! Please see my article entitled, Which Version of the Truth Will You Use? It details some of the subtle and some not-so-subtle changes in the NIV translation of the Bible that often greatly changes its original meaning. Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 in the NIV reads:

Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?"

NLT states it this way:

For humans and animals both breathe the same air, and both die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! Both go to the same place—the dust from which they came and to which they must return. For who can prove that the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into the earth?

What the scriptures actually say in the KJV:

(19) For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all [is] vanity.

Translated: Men die just as animals die. We all have but one breath; man is not given more breaths (lives) than animals.

(20) All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

They all go to the grave when they die.

(21) Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Who knows the spirit of man? Who knows the spirit of the beast? Further clarifying, the scripture says who knows the spirit of man, that is, the spirit that goes upward? Who knows the spirit of the beast, that is, the spirit that goes downward to the earth?

It didn't say "Who knows?" or "Who can prove?" It said "Who knows the spirit?" and then spoke very matter-of-factly about where man's spirit goes and where animals' spirits go.

This is a great time to point out that you should never trust one scripture out of context. But there is another point I'd like to make about studying obscure, hard-to-understand scriptures. Even if you truly believed that the Ecclesiastes scriptures were insinuating that man and animals were the same (equal), that is the only place in the Bible where that is found. You will find that precepts in the scriptures are always stated at least twice. The Bible states that out of the mouths of two or three witnesses, a thing will be established:

But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' - Matthew 18:16

This will be the third time I am coming to you. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." - 2 Corinthians 13:1

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. - Deuteronomy 19:15

Notice how that direction was given three times. When God created man to have dominion over the animals, it is first found in Genesis 1:26, and then repeated in Genesis 1:28. Then, lo and behold, found in Psalms:

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. - Psalms 8:6-8

If you find only one obscure passage about something and no other scripture to back it up, chances are pretty good that you are misinterpreting the meaning of the obscure passage.

God Planned for Our Salvation Through Jesus Christ Before Creation

2011-03-23T08:54:00.007-05:00

I begin my chronological Bible study using A Chronological Bible Reading Schedule by Skip Andrews. I love how this schedule begins! I don't believe I have read these scriptures at the beginning of any chronological Bible I have ever read, but Mr. Andrews shows us that God had planned for salvation through Jesus Christ before the creation of the world!

Please note that in my transcription of the scriptures that follow, I have used a combination of the King James Version and the New King James Version. As I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?, I believe the KJV is the most authentic. However, for better understanding I have replaced the "thee's" and "thou's" of the Old English of the KJV with the newer easier to understand language of the NKJV. Occasionally, when the KJV word made no sense, but the NKJV seemed to have changed the meaning, I went back to the original meaning of the word and used that. Please understand this is not intended to be my own new translation, but my own personal study notes, restating the scriptures in a way that I more fully understand. I hope you will find this study interesting in this particular order, in this particular version, and with these particular commentaries and notes, although it's just one Bible study among thousands. I would welcome and enjoy any comments. On with the study!

God planned for our salvation through Jesus Christ before creation:

(1 Peter 1:18) For you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain conduct received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (20) Who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

(Ephesians 3:10) To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (11) According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Psalm 40:6) Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. (7) Then I said, "Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me. (8) I delight to do Your will, O my God; yea, Your law is within my heart."

(Hebrews 10:5) Therefore, when He came into the world, He said, "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure. (7) Then I said, 'Behold, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God.'" (8) Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), (9) Then He said, "Behold, I come to do Your will, O God". He takes away the first that He may establish the second. (10) By that will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The following scriptures show that Jesus Christ was in existence before Genesis 1:

(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

The Word mentioned above is clearly Jesus Christ as a few scriptures later in John 1:14, it is written: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

(1 Corinthians 8:6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.

(Colossians 1:16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

(Acts 17:24) God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. (25) Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. (26) And He has made from one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, (27) That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us; (28) For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also certain of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' (29) Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's device.

I love these scriptures! They are some of my memory scriptures. Imagine that each and every one of us was planned for this particular time and for this particular place! It brings to mind Esther and the words that Mordecai said to her that she had come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Have we all been born at this time and in this place "for such a time as this"? It was a question that hit me like a ton of bricks when I first wondered it about me, especially when it really seems we are nearing the end times.

The following scriptures offer a preview of the Genesis account:

(Hebrews 11:1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good report. (3) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (4) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead still speaks. (5) By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (7) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (8) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (11) Through faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. (12) Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. (15) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they had come out, they might have had opportunity to return. (16) But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country, where God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (17) By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," (19) Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (20) By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (21) By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. (22) By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

That's it for the prequel! Next time I'll start at the beginning, Genesis 1:1.

The One Source for Truth

2011-03-21T19:19:00.009-05:00

In this time when our leaders cannot be trusted and the "news" media cannot be trusted, there is only one place we can go for truth, to our heavenly Father and His written Word. Jesus told us that we must watch what is going on; we are to watch and pray.

"Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." - Luke 21:36

We are not to be ignorant of the times, but we must not place our faith in people, our government, or in a secure future here on earth. These are definitely perilous times, but our God did not leave us defenseless. He gave us Jesus Christ to save us from death, real eternal death:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16

To those who accept His gift of salvation, He gives His Holy Spirit:

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." - John 16:13

In addition, there is the Bible, God's written Word, available to anyone who will pick it up and read it. That Word was left for our instruction and for our wisdom. There is no wisdom outside of God.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. - 2 Timothy 3:16

For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. - Proverbs 2:6

There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. - Proverbs 21:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— - 1 Corinthians 1:30

All are necessary for real wisdom and truth: salvation in Jesus Christ with Him as the Lord of our lives, fellowship and prayer with the Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit to lead us in truth, and the Bible as God's written Word and our guide for living. We must have the covering of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus for our sins first and foremost. That is what allows us to be able to approach the Holy God of the universe. Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to lead us in truth when we are saved by Him. But we must not stop there. I believe immersion in the written Word of God is necessary, too. After all, there are many spirits out there competing for our souls.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. - 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Many false religions have been started by people who had a vision. There is one sure way to know if the spirit that is leading you is the Holy Spirit or a demonic spirit masquerading as the Holy Spirit:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

How can we test the spirits? We see if they line up with the Word of God:

These (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. - Acts 17:11

The Bereans did not take the word of Paul and Silas; they searched the scriptures DAILY to see if what they told them was true. If only we all did the same! There would not be so many false religions and so many deceived people falling for false doctrines and "wise" worldly ideas. We would all have the true wisdom of God, which is the ONLY wisdom. Man's wisdom is foolishness.

While we should be watching what is going on in the world today, we need the daily study of God's Word as the standard by which to measure the fruit of men's actions. Jesus said:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. - Matthew 7:15-20

By their fruits you will know them! I'm sorry, but even though our president may throw around a few Bible references and talk about hope and change and a greater good, he is to be judged by his fruits. Consider that he has the most pro-abortion record in history, to the point of voting THREE TIMES for the murder of babies BORN ALIVE OUTSIDE THE WOMB because of a failed abortion attempt. Consider his actions on the world stage by immediately repealing the Mexico City policy and spreading and increasing abortions worldwide. Consider his repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and his other promotions of homosexuality. Consider his complete lawlessness when he seeks to ignore laws and rulings he doesn't like, as with immigration laws and rulings against his Obamacare. A good tree CANNOT bear bad fruit; only a bad tree bears bad fruit. It's just that matter of fact.

I just read something I had not previously heard about Corrie ten Boom. She believed, more than just reading the Word, we should start trying to memorize the Bible! She believed the antichrist would destroy Bibles and the only Bible some of us may have in the end times is what we have memorized and hidden away in our hearts. I also heard tell of the testimony of a man who spent a long time in solitary confinement. He survived by singing hymns and reciting scripture. He commented he wished he had paid more attention in church so that he might have remembered more scriptures!

I found a wonderful free tool for Bible study in e-Sword. It has a scripture memory tool which allows the user to enter scriptures of his choosing, and be tested on them for as long as needed until they are truly embedded in his heart.

In the past, I have enjoyed reading chronologically ordered Bibles. It is very interesting to read multiple accounts of the same event at the same time as it gives a complete description of the event. In addition, I enjoy reading the psalm that was sung at the same time as the event which inspired it. In the past, I have read through the Bible, and when starting over, have chosen a different version or method of study when I began again. So every time I began a new Bible study, I was reading a different version. I have come to realize that only the King James Version is to be trusted. In my current study, I am using an online Bible from Blue Letter Bible, but there are many to choose from. I am reading both the King James Version and the New King James versions. I believe the KJV is the most reliable and I have discussed this before. But there are times when the NKJV just makes it a little easier to understand without the "thee's" and "thou's", etc. I found a chronological study online that is not its own Bible, but allows you to use your own Bible and gives you the chronological order in which to read it. It is entitled A Chronological Bible Reading Schedule by Skip Andrews. In addition, I am making my Bible reading more comprehensive this time by using Strong's Concordance to give me the original meaning of any word that may be a little difficult to understand, especially if I notice a difference in the KJV and the NKJV of the text. If I need further understanding, I use the many commentaries found on my downloaded e-Sword program. As I gain a complete understanding of each scripture, I rewrite it in my own journal, in the language I understand best. It is almost always the KJV, with some of the NKJV's newer American words instead of the old English. Occasionally, when I don't understand the Old English word, but the NKJV seems to have altered the meaning, then I use the Strong's and find the best translation that I can personally understand. While I am doing this exhaustive study and journaling this time, when I come across scriptures that really speak to my heart or ones I just want to remember, I enter them into the scripture memory tool in my e-Sword program. It's taking a lot longer to read my Bible this time around, but I believe I will have a much more thorough understanding when I am finished.

Since I am transcribing the Bible verses in a computer journal anyway, I want to start posting it here on this blog with any study notes and with any comments on correlations to current events. After all, the Bible is the ONE source for truth! Watching today's news (and lack thereof!) and current events through the lens of the Bible can take on a whole new meaning. I hope this blog will find readers and fellow students of the Bible who would like to join in a discussion. I welcome any comments or even debate, as the Word of God always stands true. It's true that we may not always see it 100% accurately:

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. - 1 Corinthians 13:12

However, I am confident that with Jesus Christ as Lord, communion with God in prayer and thanksgiving, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can receive much knowledge and wisdom from the scriptures!

What Will Be the Sign of Jesus's Coming and of the End of the Age?

2011-03-18T19:35:00.011-05:00

It was the exact question of the disciples to Jesus:

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" - Matthew 24:3

The following were some of Jesus's answers:

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. - Matthew 24:6a

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. - Matthew 24:7

And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. - Matthew 24:10

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. - Matthew 24:11

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. - Matthew 24:12

These do appear to be perilous times that could quite well be the end times of which Jesus spoke. The news this entire week reported things that could very well fulfill the prophetic words of Jesus. The horrific earthquake, the tsunami, Libya, the nuclear fears, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, all the Middle East for that matter, and all the protests and strife and violence in our own USA; has there ever been a time when things seemed so close to the end times? I know there have been times in our history when it must have seemed horrific and close to the end. The 60's must have seemed horrible; also I can't imagine living through Nazi Germany and the WWII era. It must have seemed near the end then. But I believe we have now come much closer to fulfilling other prophecies of the end.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. - Matthew 24:14

The same answer to the same question of when the sign of the end will be, reads this way in Mark:

And the gospel must first be published among all nations. - Mark 13:10

Also consider the scripture in Daniel where the words of the prophetic vision are to be shut up until the end time:

But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. - Daniel 12:4

There was undoubtedly a time when the Bible had been printed in all languages and then as missionaries were taking the Word all over the world, even into the most remote tribes, that this scripture seemed to have been fulfilled. But now with the addition of the internet and i-phones, you don't even need the missionary! Knowledge has certainly increased when we have an instant and currently updated encyclopedia at our fingertips in even some of the most remote areas of the world! We have instantaneous news! We can teach, share the gospel, and engage in Bible study in real-time all over the world in a way not seen in eras before now.

There has always been Christian persecution, that is persecution of those followers of Jesus Christ, as a sign of the end times:

And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. - Mark 13:13

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. - Luke 21:12-13

I believe as the gospel is spread farther and wider all over the world and Christianity grows, persecution increases, because it is being spread in areas hostile to Christianity. Take for instance, the Christian church in China, which is mostly underground, but reported to be now larger than the Communist Party in China. What about the spread of Christianity in Middle Eastern countries where many Muslims believe they must "kill the infidel"? Surely the spread of the gospel would necessarily increase persecution, but there is more.

As immorality rises, Christianity must be squashed. How can you have same-sex marriage and adoptions by homosexuals if homosexuality is wrong? How can you tolerate abortions if you believe it is the murder of the most innocent? You could ask many such questions. That is why there has been a deliberate push for a long time to remove God and prayer from the schools and the public square. This adds another level of persecution we are seeing now. Christians must be demonized and even criminalized in order for some formerly unlawful acts to be accepted. Christian parents are being jailed right now in Europe because they don't want their children exposed to pro-homosexual teachings. It's at our doorstep in this country. Mother Earth must replace Father God in order for environmental madness to rule. Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection must replace creation by the Creator God whose plan was for man to have dominion over the earth and the animals. Only this way can "death panels" and population control techniques be implemented to "save the planet" and for the "greater good".

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, - 2 Thessalonians 2:3

The apostle Paul talks about a "falling away" that will come before the antichrist appears on the scene. First there was the spreading of the gospel all over the world. There is no excuse for anyone not accepting the Truth. We have proof of God and His plan of salvation, but people choose to turn away, to fall away. Paul describes the process:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. - Romans 1:18-19

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. - Romans 1:20-21

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. - Romans 1:22-23

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. - Romans 1:24-25

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. - Romans 1:26

Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. - Romans 1:27

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. - Romans 1:28-32

How can anyone read those scriptures and not see our present culture? A culture that does not revere God, with people who become futile in their "wise" thoughts. Think of all the foolish new age doctrines promoted by the likes of Oprah, Hollywood, and many mega-churches. Think of the Mother Earth, oneness with the earth, and all living things are equal to man teachings. There are pagan religions where people pray to animals. Are these things not the very illustration of what the above scriptures describe? People who worship the created things rather than their Creator? People who change the truth of God for a lie? God gives them over to their vile passions. And next is that not the very description of homosexuality, a practice that is definitely growing by leaps and bounds in our culture? And then follows all sorts of godlessness. And note that not only are the people who practice such things deserving of death, but also those WHO APPROVE OF THOSE WHO PRACTICE THEM! No matter how much we are told we just need to accept it and live and let live, that is not what scripture says!

It's quite remarkable and incredible, really. People know God, they know what they are doing is deserving of eternal death, yet they choose to do it anyway. It's as if this culture is shaking its fist at God and saying, "We don't care! We don't care what You said; we are going to do what we want to do! We are doing what WE think is best!"

What I continually wish and pray is simply that people would read their Bibles and let God show them His truth. My simplistic advice has always (or at least for a long time) been, "Just read your Bible!" I know if people will do that, God will take it from there. But sadly, these verses show that people ALREADY KNOW GOD, KNOW THE TRUTH, and just turn away.

BUT there is good news in Jesus's prophecies of the end times!

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. - Luke 21:12-13

In the midst of the persecution, there will be occasion for testimony and some people will, no doubt, come to salvation in the midst of persecution. In the midst of earthquakes and disasters, there will opportunities for testimony. Shortly after Katrina, I met a displaced victim of Katrina who wound up in our small town in East Texas. She was giving thanks to God for getting her out of New Orleans and her life there! Imagine, what many people thought was a cruel act by God, was actually His saving grace in action!! Praise God!

Why Are Our Country's Leaders Trying to Destroy Us?

2011-03-08T09:19:00.006-06:00

There appears to be a deliberate attempt to destroy us while lulling us with lies to the contrary. Ever since this president took office, but even before then, with the election of the Democrat Congress in 2006, there has been a very deliberate swing to far-left Socialism. Share the wealth, take from the rich and the large corporations and give to the poor. It gives them money and power to control the purse-strings and it creates a class of people completely dependent on their government and therefore secures future Democrat votes. There has been an enormous government take-over that we have never witnessed before in our history. We have had a form of government health care and retirement with Social Security benefits and Medicare and Medicaid, but it has been expanded to ridiculous lengths. The government take-over of health care is a huge debacle! It isn't even possible for it to work which is so evident by the hundreds of waivers being given to entities that won't have to adhere to it. That law so needs to be overturned. But they are working as fast as they can to offer waivers and give allowances to hush the opposition. The most important thing is that the foot is in the door; the camel's nose is in the tent! If they can just keep the law, the future is theirs!

What about the other government take-overs we have witnessed with banks and automobile companies? When have we ever seen such blatant power grabs of individual companies?

Then there are the gas prices and the energy prices, which in turn necessarily must increase our grocery prices and every other price of every other good made or transported by something using gas or energy! Have you noticed that we are being propagandized nightly about why our gas prices are going up? You know you are being propagandized when you hear it in almost unison by every one of the nightly networks and you hear the same thing daily. Every night we are told that gas prices are going up because of the unrest in Libya. Every night we must be told that. The masses must believe that unrest in Libya is the reason for our troubles. Never mind the fact that this president has said that he wants gas prices to sky-rocket, just not too fast! Pair that with the stories of Obama's links to Gadhafi, or at least his close associates' ties to Gadhafi, and stories following the money trail for the funding of the protests in Egypt back to our own AFL-CIO! Why was Obama so quick to denounce Mubarak, although a dictator, a friend of the US, and encourage the "Democratic uprising" in Egypt? Why was Obama so slow to denounce Gadhafi who was so obviously murdering his own people who protested? For that matter, why does Obama always seem to slam our allies and kowtow to our enemies?

I know the answers to some of these questions. Middle East unrest gives Obama an out; he can tell us our high prices are due to the unrest and take our attention off what he is doing. When the gas prices sky-rocket, he gets to implement his screwy environmental and cap-and-trade schemes. Does it not make the most sense in this country at this stage, to develop our own sources for oil and energy and drill here, creating tens of thousands of new jobs, bringing work and income to THIS country while making us less dependent on countries that hate us? It is insane that some form of this idea is not implemented. It is because it is not wanted. It has never been about the welfare of this country and its people with this administration. Oh, it has probably not been the interest of many an administration, but it has never been so blatant as with this president and his thugs. The more things are in chaos, the more people will believe that they need the government to fix it. The more they believe they need government, the more freedom they relinquish and freely hand over to the government.

Part of the share-the-wealth plan is bringing us as an equal onto the world stage. An equal, not a super-power, not a leader of the free world. We must be brought down to the level of all the third world countries. Remember back to Obama's apology tour around the world where he apologized for and bad-mouthed his own country? It's not enough that we share the wealth in this country, but we must now send it all over the world. Has that not been happening for awhile? Our jobs go overseas, the money for our goods and oil goes overseas. It's part of the plan.

I suppose as I write this, I am answering my own question of late. When I read the dreadful story of how our own border agents are armed with beanbag guns against gangs of bandits armed with AK47's that were supplied by our own government, I just couldn't understand WHY our leaders were doing this. I can read through the lies on so many things, but it wasn't clear why we would supply such evil thugs with guns to kill our own people who are only allowed to use beanbag guns. You couldn't write something so ludicrous and have it believable, and yet it is really happening. I suppose it is all part of the same plan - open borders, no sovereignty, bring us down, make us pay, make us needy and dependent. But this administration has brought it to a new diabolical level! My heart aches for our young men and women in the military and law enforcement being gunned down because this president has so emboldened our enemies with his wishy-washy wimpy apologetic attitude. Some time after Obama was elected, my son was asked to do a survey about whether he was more or less likely to join the military than he might have been a year before (before Obama was elected). He answered that he was much less likely to join the military because he did not trust this president not to ask him to fight Israel or his own countrymen. As a mother, I would have to have added that Obama personally makes the world much more dangerous for our soldiers now!

Our country is a much more dangerous and insecure place, but they keep telling us otherwise. Once again we were propagandized with the constant news that we are coming out of the recession! Obama's plans are working! Unemployment is down to 8.9%! We're in the money!! It's time for celebration! I knew the numbers were tweaked when I heard them. It's a sad state of affairs when I never believe anything this president or his administration says, and I am always right! The news came out that FEDERAL documents themselves showed the number to be 9.5%, but they just "seasonally adjusted" the number! They tweaked their own cherry-picked number! I say it is cherry-picked because the actual unemployment number, including all those who aren't filing for unemployment benefits and those who have given up on finding employment altogether, is 22.1%! That's almost one in four people out of work while they tell us that unemployment is at its lowest level in over a year and praise the work of this president!

The world is going to hell in a handbasket with chaos in the Middle East, earthquakes, storms, brutal murders, rising prices (while we are told there has been no inflation for the past two years!), and a deliberate deceitful destruction from within, but what has been the biggest news of late? Charlie Sheen! Charlie Sheen on every single channel daily! Charlie Sheen with millions of Twitter fans following his every move! It's an unbelievable sad state for our country. It is no wonder we got the president we did. This guy told us up-front what he intended to do! When he lied to us, it was easy to see he was lying if you looked at his record. There were no surprises as far as I was concerned. I was just saddened and angry about how shallow and superficial the average voter was, who didn't bother to look below the surface. But what can you expect from people who make Charlie Sheen their hero? All of this has been by design, too. Long ago, in the early years of our country, only land-owners could vote. It was because they had an investment in their country; they were the property tax-payers and they truly cared what happened to their country. When you have a voting class of transients, illegals, drug abusers, those on welfare and food stamps who only take and don't have an investment, their votes can be bought, and let's face it, they are not the most intelligent of voters. It's also a place fraught with the most fraud. Why do you think Democrats don't want voters to have to show proof of their identification? Another very common-sense idea that is not allowed to be implemented.

There is no security in man, especially the ones running our country at present! There can be no certainty about our country and our way of life. Our monetary system, our goods and food supply, our freedom - none of it is certain and secure. It is time that we put our faith in our heavenly Father and look to Jesus Christ for our salvation, because He is the only One who can save us now!

Now Is the Time to Return to Your First Love!

2011-02-18T09:55:00.003-06:00

Boy, did these scriptures speak to me today!

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; And you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. - Revelation 2:2-5

Christ in Revelation talks to the churches and here, while He commends the church at Ephesus for their works against the evil and deceits (which sounds so very familiar to me), He admonishes it for forgetting its first love. And that is HIM! And His salvation! And remembering where we would be without Him! Just as easily lost in the deception, and lost in an eternal death! "There, but for the grace of God, go I." Very literally, except for God's gracious gift of salvation and redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ, there I would be! There we would all be! And Jesus wants us to remember that!

The works against evil are important and commendable, but let us not forget WHY we work against evil! It's really all about salvation in Christ! That's the most important thing! That is the only thing! A world lost in sin is lost to Christ and to eternal life. A world lost in sin sins against God! A country based on wicked laws oppress the people and cause them to sin against God!

Think about the laws that allow the murder of unborn babies for the convenience of the mother, or laws that elevate homosexual relationships to God-ordained marriage, or those that remove God from the public square. While some people may have no regard for their Almighty Creator God and wish to purposely blaspheme Him, many people may get lost in a sinful lifestyle being told all the while, they are perfectly right in doing what they do. Why, there are liberal churches that seek to change the word of God! While people are perfectly able to sin on their own because of their own selfish lusts, you can bet that Satan is at the forefront of any laws or ways of thinking that will keep people from the saving grace of Christ! And THAT is the reason we fight against immoral laws!

That is the main reason. A very important one, indeed! It is the great commission of Jesus Christ to bring people to the truth of His salvation. But we must remember (I must remember!) our first love! We can get lost in our work and the work (even the most unselfish work) can become our focus rather than our Savior. Very specifically, from the scriptures above, we can become focused on the work of exposing evil and the lies, and forget our first love. Let us remember why we do what we do and let us remember our first love, our Lord Jesus Christ.

O Lord, bring us back to our first love! Let us remember where we came from and where we would be without you! Let us repent and return to the first and foremost works of love and sharing Your gospel. Let us walk in love with You, in prayer and communion in Your Word. Amen.

We Are Led by Children and Silly Women!

2011-02-11T09:31:00.002-06:00

Once again, I am struck by the thought that you can no longer trust the news to be true news. The people are lulled into a false sense of security and encouraged to feel "I'm okay, you're okay", so anything goes. A huge part of it is the misleading media and deceptive leaders, but the people themselves are to blame. Wisdom comes only from God, and godless people basically have no wisdom. They can be led as lambs to the slaughter, which is exactly what is happening in the world today.

The big news of late is about the "democratic revolution" in Egypt. It's quite interesting that Obama praised and encouraged this movement in Egypt, but it's an entirely different story in his own country where the Tea-partiers are rising up against his overreach of power. He praises the young people. Murbarak spoke of the youth uprising. I couldn't help but think about the scripture in Isaiah 3:12:

As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.

There is a reason Obama speaks to the youth! They are gullible! As are silly women, unfortunately:

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. - 2 Timothy 3:6-7

We are seeing a time when youth and silly women (Oprah, the women of "The View", women "news" anchors, many women politicians) are leading this country and changing policy. Oh, they are ever-learning and sometimes can even sound intelligent, and silly godless people eat up what they tell them!

What we are actually seeing in Egypt is a victory for the Muslim Brotherhood, you know, that "peaceful" and "secular" group we are told they are. And what we are seeing in our country is an infiltration of socialism and communism, but somehow silly people have been led to believe these are good things!

We are oppressed by children and silly women and godless people don't even realize it! We are slowly losing our freedoms in our country while the world is taken over by Islam, the "religion of peace". Please see this eye-opening site for just how peaceful Islam is:

Islam: The Religion of Peace

The only way we will know the truth is to get back to God, make Jesus Christ the true Lord of our lives, and study His Word. Only there will we find wisdom and truth!

Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?

2011-01-10T10:59:00.021-06:00

Recently it was quite comical to see the liberal left in such a turmoil over the Republicans actually wanting to READ THE CONSTITUTION at the start of the congressional session! What a stunt! What a gimmick! The idea that they might actually read the document they were swearing to uphold, was preposterous to the liberals!! After all, they have been trying to render that pesky document "over 100 years old" (so wisely noted by a "brilliant" scholar on the left) irrelevant for a long time. What version will they use, they wanted to know? That was quite telling. There is only ONE constitution. It was deliberately and ingeniously framed by its authors to be able to be amended with a two-thirds majority of Congress. So the one and only constitution is the original one with all its amendments included. Liberals believe it is a living and breathing document that changes with the times. With a two-thirds majority, it can change, but otherwise it is a constant. When they don't have the votes to support the changes they want, liberals then declare it dead, "over 100 years old", and irrelevant. So it's either "living and breathing" or "dead", depending on what they need it to be at the time. Like "global warming" that had to be changed to "climate change" because of some pesky details which indicate we are not warming!! :-)

The episode made me consider again about how there is no truth in media anymore. There is no news anymore. You must investigate every bit of "news" yourself because of such a terrible media bias that will have you drowning in the liberal kool-aid, if you don't. For instance, if you were listening to only the mainstream media shortly after the Tuscon tragedy, you would have believed that the killer was a Tea Party nut job spurred on by Sarah Palin to kill certain targets in Congress! The rush to accuse and make this political, really diminished a very sad and tragic incident in American history. But that discussion is for another day.

My focus here is on "the truth". The one and only constant through all the "living and breathing" chaos of a biased world is God's Word. Recently I was made aware of just how much that is also being manipulated and changed. Oh, I've been aware for some time of the New Age movement and feel-good preaching that makes people feel good with no accountability. But last year I came to realize there has been a subtle attempt to change God's Word for some time!

Every year or two (however long it takes me to read through the entire Bible), I would begin again with a different version to get a "fresh perspective" on the Word of God. I am personally fond of chronologically ordered Bibles that help me to know exactly when certain events took place and when certain Psalms were written, etc. Last year, as I was deciding which "version" to read, I decided to start with a study about different versions and translations to decide which were "the best". Boy, were my eyes opened! I would like to share some of that information now.

There is only ONE Word of God. What He spoke and what He inspired by His Holy Spirit to be written is just ONE Word of God! He didn't say things in a variety of different ways, taking into consideration our changing times, and changing some of His thoughts to accommodate a modern world! His Word was His Word! God's Word is important and He spoke specifically about it not being altered.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. - Deuteronomy 4:2

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. - Revelation 22:18-19

I learned that is exactly what has been done! What a grave responsibility it would be to translate the Word of God and publish it for the world! That is what was undertaken in 1611 with the King James Version of the Bible. Actually, the work was begun in 1604, "that a translation be made of the whole Bible, as consonant as can be to the original Hebrew and Greek; and this to be set out and printed, without any marginal notes, and only to be used in all churches of England in time of divine service." The idea was to have a Bible that the average person could possess and read for himself. There was a long list of rules to be followed to insure that the English translation stayed true to the meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. The most important aspect of the 1611 King James English translation of the Bible is that it followed the Textus Receptus, the original "received text" as it was received from the Holy Spirit to the original writers. It is the text that has been used by Christians for 2000 years. The King James Bible wasn't written in 1611; it was translated from the 1400-year-old original text. The King James Version translators recognized back then that the Textus Receptus was God's preserved Word. The KJV has been tested and re-tested and proven for many, many years. A couple of important things to remember when reading the KJV that could change your interpretation of the scriptures is that sometimes the English writers added words to aid with understanding or to make a complete grammatical sentence, but those words are always in italics. So when you read and study the Bible, you can know not to put undue weight on words in italics. Nothing is better illustrative of this point than in the verses John 18:4-6. I placed the words that would be in italics in a regular King James Bible in brackets below.

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am [he]. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am [he], they went backward, and fell to the ground. - John 18:4-6

Jesus didn't say "I am he", as the English translators thought he meant, but because they let us know that they had added that word, we have the advantage of knowing that the original Greek said "I am". And that's why they fell over! This was God Himself proclaiming "I AM". The KJV, although its translators used the same word "Lord" for two different original Greek words, they let us know by using all caps in LORD, when it replaced the name Yahweh, which means "I Am Who I Am" or "I AM". Really the only real problem with the KJV would be when we failed to recognize the original Textus Receptus. If you read straight through, not recognizing when words were added or when the name of the Lord was used, you could certainly interpret things a little differently than the original interpretation. And such is the case with most of the newer translations; they don't differentiate between the original words and the added words. In addition, most all of the newer texts don't use the Textus Receptus, but newer Greek translations, Nestle-Aland and United Bible Society, often seen as "NU texts". One common sense argument for accepting KJV over all other versions is that it is not copyrighted and is meant to be freely copied and shared. Most all other versions are copyrighted. To be copyrighted, a new version would have to be an original document by the writers and display a reasonable amount of their original creativity. In other words, it would have to be re-written!

The ASV (American Standard Version) differs from the original Textus Receptus in over 5700 instances! The ASV was revised (and copyrighted) further with the RSV (Revised Standard Version). That version completely eliminates the word "virgin" in the prophecy of Christ's birth in Isaiah 7:14.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman'u-el. - Isaiah 7:14 (RSV)

There's a big difference in the magnitude of the miracle when a virgin shall conceive vs. a young woman conceiving and bearing a son! In the Good News Bible, the all-important essential theme of "the blood of Christ" is eliminated in many passages and replaced with "death" or "costly sacrifice". It's not just Christ's death on the cross that was essential, it's the blood covering of the perfect sacrifice, and the only one perfect is God Himself! These subtle changes play down the deity of Christ and is the reason so many people now don't recognize Jesus Christ as God.

The NASV (New American Standard Version) is often touted as the best version because all translations are noted in footnotes, but does this not water down the original with all the different possibilities? Not to mention the cases where it favors newer text with a footnote that says "most ancient manuscripts omit this verse". And worst of all, with all these footnotes, the reader gets the idea they are getting a complete picture of all translations, but it is not the case. Some parts of scriptures are left out with no explanation at all, so the reader never questions it.

Probably the worst translation and one of the most widely used versions is the NIV (New International Version). I will detail some of its horrors a little later, but let me finish with this brief list of the various translations. The NKJV (New King James Version) may come closest to the original because it supposedly did use the Textus Receptus, but it, too, is copyrighted, so it had to change substantially enough to be eligible for copyright. I have personally found that in some instances where it seeks to better explain the original intention of the scripture or to use better modern grammar, it changes the meaning more than with which I am comfortable. It is no wonder some people have trouble accepting the Bible as the inerrant word of God when there are different versions saying slightly different things!

But even worse than just saying things "a little differently", the NIV goes further to actually diminish and destroy some key doctrinal points in the Bible. Whether or not it was a conscious effort on the part of the NIV translators, you can bet it was Satan's intention to marginalize the Word of God, and at the very least, the NIV translators were deceived!

Following are some links with eye-opening information and study on the NIV translation:

Research on the New International Version
The NIV Report Condensed
1611 King James Bible . Com
Why I Read the Authorized KJV Bible
NIV Calls Lucifer, "Jesus"

The links above, especially the first one, outline in detail why the NIV is not to be trusted, but I just want to point out some of the subtle, and maybe not so subtle, changes that have great impact on the meaning! First I will list the scripture as stated in the KJV, followed by how it is written in NIV; I indicated the significant changes in red:

Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

It amazes me that NIV translators felt justified in removing actual words of Jesus, and in His model for our prayer, no less! Not to mention, they added a word to it!

Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

In the above scripture, NIV translators chose to omit a very important doctrinal issue that not ALL will be saved.

Sometimes entire verses are omitted in NIV, such as:

Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

In the following example, NIV chose to ADD words again:

Matthew 24:36
But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

The original Greek text did not say that the Son didn't know. The NIV translation diminishes the deity of Jesus Christ.

Consider the following example:

Matthew 27:35
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

It is of monumental importance to know that this was prophesied in Old Testament scripture, but NIV translators decided it was not so important.

The NIV often omits the use of the word "Lord" when it is used in reference to Jesus Christ. This is only one of many such examples:

Matthew 28:6
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

The following example is even more remarkable than most in that it is completely in error!

Mark 1:2
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way."

NIV translators added "in Isaiah", when the quote is actually from Malachi 3:1, not Isaiah!

Consider yet many more examples:

Mark 2:17
When Jesus heard [it], he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

What a small omission, but a very important doctrinal issue, that sinners must actually REPENT! That means to CHANGE from their sinful ways!

Mark 3:15
And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
And to have authority to drive out demons.

NIV translators omitted a very important mission Jesus intended for His disciples.

Mark 6:11
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.

NIV translators removed a direct quote from Jesus which drove home an important point.

Mark 7:2
And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
Saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed.

The significance of the scripture above is not that the disciples were simply eating with unwashed hands, but that the scribes and Pharisees found fault with it.

Mark 7:8
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.

Words of Jesus Christ have been removed by NIV translators, words that fully illustrated the fault He found with the scribes and Pharisees, that they nit-picked with their petty laws and totally missed the true commands of God.

Mark 10:24
And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!"

Why would NIV remove the specific reason Jesus said it is hard to enter the kingdom of heaven?

Mark 11:26
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

The entire verse above, very important words of Jesus, are flippantly discarded by NIV translators!

Mark 15:28
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Once again, NIV omits an entire verse. No verse should be completely omitted, but this is an especially important one that shows how prophetic Old Testament scripture was fulfilled.

Mark 16:9-20
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with [them], and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

WOW! ALL of the verses in the paragraph above were omitted by NIV translators! Quoting the work of the author of "The NIV Report", "The NIV indicates that this passage is not part of the Word of God...What they have not told us is that this passage is missing in only two manuscripts - codex sinaiticus and codex vaticanus. Even in those manuscripts there is evidence from the spacing that it was intentionally omitted."

Luke 2:33
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

Calling Joseph "the child's father" diminishes the miraculous birth of the son of God to a virgin.

Luke 2:43
And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not [of it].
After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.

Once again, NIV, in its wisdom, chooses to mortalize Jesus with an earthly father.

Luke 4:4
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"

Extremely important words of Jesus that tell us exactly how we should live are dismissed and omitted by the NIV translators!

Luke 11:2-4
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

Very important words of Jesus in telling us how to pray, are omitted by NIV. This was a direct answer to a question on how we are to pray. How are we to know how we ought to pray, when NIV omits parts of the answer?

John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

The entire plan of salvation rests on those two little words, but NIV considered them trivial and unimportant!

John 6:69
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.

"THAT Christ, the Son of the living God" is a far cry from "the Holy One of God". After all, many unbelievers in Christ as the only way to salvation, believe He is a Holy One of God - a prophet, a teacher, a man of God.

John 8:59
Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

The NIV translation diminishes the miraculous departure in that Jesus did not merely hide and sneak out, but He passed right through the midst of them, but was "hidden" from their view.

Acts 8:37
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The above scripture is completely omitted in the NIV! It's a story about Philip preaching about Jesus to a eunuch. As they passed some water, the eunuch asked to be baptized. NIV translators chose to leave out the most important prerequisite to being baptized! It's not a matter of just wanting to be baptized and jumping into the water, which is the way the NIV tells the story.

Hebrews 2:7
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor.

God set man over the works of His hands; He put MAN in charge of everything He made! Not something the new age religion of Mother Earth wants to admit! NIV translators just left that part out.

1 John 4:3
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

The scripture above tells us how to identify the spirit of antichrist, very important indeed! Yet NIV takes one little part of it out, so that we don't get the entire picture to correctly identify it. It's a most essential part! Why, everyone can acknowledge Jesus. He is an actual historical figure, a teacher, a prophet! But He is most importantly the CHRIST come in the flesh! Now on that, not everyone can agree, and that comes from a spirit of antichrist!

1 John 5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
For there are three that testify:

The Father, the Word (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are ONE, another essential doctrinal point that the NIV omits.

Revelation 21:24
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

Only the nations of those who are saved shall walk in the light! That's a rather significant point left off by NIV translators. Once again, it's a point New Age universalists would like to ignore.

There are so many, many more examples of scriptures that were changed in the NIV, which are excellently researched and listed in "The NIV Report". There is a definite pattern that develops in the scriptures that were changed or omitted. There are many that diminish the deity of Christ, skew the true plan of salvation, and falsely elevate "man's wisdom" and traditions. A case could be made that the NIV promotes a New Age false religion!

Imagine, the Bible itself contributing to false beliefs! It's why many people choose not to believe the Bible as the inerrant and inspired Word of God! You can bet that Satan was at the helm of revising the Bible! God is fully able to lead His people to the truth even through a flawed translation. People who truly accept Jesus Christ's blood sacrifice as the one and only way to their salvation, will see the one true Christ on the pages of the NIV. But there is a danger that people may latch onto the false, feel-good, tickling to their itching ears, kind of teaching that pleases their flesh, and allows them to live according to the world and its pleasures, and not according to the will of God.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4

I believe we are seeing that today. People who profess to be Christians believe they can live as they please, in sexual immorality, homosexuality, drug abuse, and deceit; or they believe even if it's not right for them, they believe it's alright for others to live that way. They feel in their own fleshly hearts that there can be many paths to God and they are open to all ideas and religions that allow them to feel better about themselves. They feel perfectly fine with pushing aside Biblical morals to vote for immoral laws and ungodly men and women to public office. However, the Word of God is quite clear:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. - Romans 1:32

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. - John 14:6

A fashionable trend in some churches today, and something that is pleasing to the ears and flesh of many, is that the Old Testament is obsolete and should not be used as an authority in this day and age. All through the New Testament, which is supposedly what we are allowed to use as our guide, are references to the scripture used by Jesus and apostles. The Old Testament was the scripture they used and quoted! Jesus himself said that He did not come to earth to change one tiny bit of the scripture.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. - Matthew 5:17-18

As a matter of fact, if anything, Jesus made things harder for us to do on our own!

You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:21-22 & 27-28

The law of the Old Testament was based on actions, but Jesus said if we even felt those things in our hearts, we were deserving of hellfire! How can anyone possibly live up to the law of the New Testament?!

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" - Matthew 19:25

No one can be saved by his or her own good deeds. There is only one way and that is through God's free gift to those who will take it, salvation through the blood covering of Jesus Christ!

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. - John 3:16-17

Only THROUGH HIM, the One and only Way to eternal life, Jesus Christ! Make sure you do not miss the Truth, as told in the original Holy Spirit inspired received text, as recorded in the King James Version of the Holy Bible. For more on why the "Textus Receptus" of the King James Version is the best and only translation of the Bible we should be reading, please see the wonderful research at the following links:

http://www.freehousechurchresources.com/bestbible.php
http://www.1611kingjamesbible.com/

There is only one standard measure for truth and that is the Word of God, but it is important to know that we are adhering to the real non-watered down translation of His Word!

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. - Deuteronomy 4:2

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. - Revelation 22:18-19

How Can We Really Know the Truth of What Is Going on Today?

2010-11-14T10:28:00.010-06:00

In this day when you can no longer trust news media to be actual news, when big money and big agendas can rewrite science and history, how can you really know the truth? There really is a way. There is The Way, and He is the Truth and the Life! Jesus Christ!

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

When we make Jesus our Lord and Savior, and follow Him, and look to His Word for guidance, we can also know truth! Jesus Christ IS The Word!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. - John 1:1-4

He is the Word and He is the Truth, and we can only have life through that Word. God really wants us to know the way, to know truth, and to have life! He sent Jesus to us, but He has also given us His Written Word, as well, and He sends us His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. - John 15:26

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. - John 16:13

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. - John 14:16-17

Note in the last example above, that not everyone can receive the Truth. Those without Jesus as their Lord and Savior cannot have or know Truth.

We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. - 1 John 4:6

We can discern truth from error when we are of God. We can only be truly of God when we accept Jesus's sacrifice for our sins, as that is the ONLY WAY to God. We are sinful creatures, filthy rags, and cannot come before the Almighty God of the universe, except by the Way He made for us, covered by the blood of the perfect sacrifice. There is no other way. There is NO OTHER path to God!

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

God gives us the Spirit of Truth, and He gives us wisdom through His Word. Wisdom ONLY comes from God!

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. - Proverbs 2:6

There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. - Proverbs 21:30

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. - Proverbs 9:10

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
- 1 Corinthians 1:30

Those without God, meaning also those without Jesus, as that is the only way to God, cannot have wisdom.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness." - 1 Corinthians 3:19

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. - Romans 1:21-22

There is a good reason why we often cannot reason with those without Jesus Christ. It seems they just can't see what seems to us "common sense". It's because God has given us that wisdom, and those without God can't hear it. It used to drive me crazy because I was unable to understand why otherwise intelligent people seem to have no common sense! In a way, it does add comfort to understand why there seems to be such a wide gap between the world views today. On one hand, we have the biblical Christian world view and on the other, the world's view. The latter are led by the god of this world.

They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. - 1 John 4:5-6

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. = John 14:30

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. - 2 Corinthians 4:4

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. - John 8:44

In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, - Ephesians 2:2

We either follow the God of the Bible or the god of the world, Satan. One thing that we must always remember is that we cannot follow two gods; it is not possible!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. - Matthew 6:24

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. - Luke 16:13

Many people are unknowingly following Satan because they believe that they can do good and believe in God, but still take into consideration the changing times and culture. They may say that they themselves believe in Jesus and are Christians, but then say that there are many ways to God. They actually think that they can be Christians, but disregard what God's Word said about life, sexual morality, and homosexuality. Jesus said you cannot do it! You are going to be loyal to one or the other, and if you find yourself looking to the world and its customs and culture for your world view, then you are choosing to serve the god of this world, Satan.

Most people following the world's view would get highly offended at the suggestion they were following Satan. But we've read the scriptures showing it is true! God says you can only follow one and there is only one way to Him. Additionally, the god of this world is a liar who is active every day in trying to blind the eyes of the world away from Jesus Christ! Satan may appear as an angel of light, but remember that he is out to destroy.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. - 1 Peter 5:8

The devil can appear as an angel and he knows scripture quite well. That is one of his best weapons; he can twist scripture out of context and trick people into following him, people who think they are actually doing good and following God. Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been twisting God's words to deceive us:

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" - Genesis 3:1

Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." - Genesis 3:4-5

Note the devil's technique above. It is exactly the same today. First he gets you to question God's word. Is that really what God meant? Then he strokes your ego by telling you things you like to hear. You won't die! You can be as God! Is that not what New Age religion and liberal denominations tell us today? God's laws are constantly questioned or taken out of context. Universalists say all will go to heaven. The religion of Oprah says we are our own gods! Satan's techniques haven't changed a bit, and people still fall for the lies.

Jesus gave us a perfect example of how to fight Satan's deceits:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. - Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus used the Word of God against the devil. Satan himself tried to use God's Word to trick Jesus, but it was taken out of context, and because Jesus knew God's Word thoroughly, He was able to completely refute Satan.

Think about it! How on earth can people expect to be able to recognize and resist the devil if he knows the word of God better than they do? I don't believe they can. They may think they can, but they are victims of Satan's lies and are "wise in their own eyes". The Bible says those people are fools. The first chapter of Romans details people who become wise in their own eyes, exchange God's truth for what their futile minds think to be true, and the process by which they will destroy themselves and God will turn them over to their debased minds and vile passions. People who do not know God's truth are fools and will fall for a lie that will ultimately destroy them.

We are fools without God's Word, but we are given wisdom in it. We can really know the truth of what is going on in the world today if we truly know the Word of God! That takes more than reading the Bible through one time. It takes a continual daily study of God's Word, and testing everything against scripture.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

These (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. - Acts 17:11

What Is the Answer to Every Problem Today?

2010-11-13T09:28:00.003-06:00

Isn't it wonderful that there is truly just one answer to every problem? How simple it makes it for us! In a time when life seems so very complicated, it is quite comforting to know that the answer is, always has been, and always will be the same! We need our Lord Jesus Christ! That's it! The god of this world, Satan, has twisted and complicated the issue since the dawn of man, deceiving people away from their one true answer and help, but his actions will never change the truth. God's laws are as absolute and true as gravity, and our beliefs about that will never change it.

My advice for anyone going through anything is simply to READ YOUR BIBLE! That's it! No matter what the problem, I know that God will lead anyone to the truth through His Word. I don't have all the answers, but I know the One Who does! He holds the truth about everything that was; everything that is going on now, and that includes the world, culture, and our own personal relationships; and everything that will be in the future. And His Holy Spirit is alive and well and actively working in the hearts of people on earth right now to do His will. He says that if anyone actively seeks Him with all his or her heart and soul, they will find Him!

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. - Deuteronomy 4:29-31

When you are in distress, even in the last days, no matter what you have done in the past, when you turn to Him and obey Him, He will be there for you! What a wonderful promise! Often, when we are in distress and at rock-bottom, that is when we finally turn to God in prayer. While an ongoing relationship with God may be the most important relationship we have, I believe it needs to be more than just prayer. That is because we have an active enemy constantly trying to deceive us and lead us away from God's truth. Satan himself can appear as an angel and deceive us!

And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. - 2 Corinthians 11:14

Imagine! If an angel of light were to appear to you and teach you "words of wisdom", you might very willingly be caught up in it all! That is, unless you knew that what the angel was saying was not exactly true. Maybe it sounded good at first, but you knew that it was a lie designed to be enticing, but one that would lead to destruction. There is only one way to really know that, and that is to know the Word of God! That is why my answer to everything is, "Read your Bible."

The real answer for all people is that they need Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and that He is the only way to God because He alone is the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He is the only way that we can come to the almighty God of the universe when we are but filthy rags! But there is a purposeful deception being taught in the world today that all paths lead to God. If all we did was to go to church and pray to the god taught by many churches, we could be worshiping a false god, and be eternally lost. That is why Jesus said there would be people who would call Him Lord, who would believe they had prophesied in His name, who would believe they had cast out demons, and had done wonderful good things, but He would turn them away and they would not enter heaven.

Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' - Matthew 7:21-23

The only people who will enter the kingdom of heaven are those who do the will of God in Heaven, Jesus's Father in Heaven, to be exact! How can we know that will, if there are those who constantly purposely seek to deceive us? We can read God's Word in the Bible! God said He would never forsake us; He would never desert us with no means of knowing what we truly needed in order to have eternal life in Heaven. That is why my advice is always to read your Bible first! The answer to eternal life is found in the Bible. But maybe you don't even know that you need Jesus Christ. Maybe you don't even know enough to care about eternity. Maybe you are more concerned about your daily troubles. The answer is still the same. The Bible holds God's wisdom for living here on earth, and truly living eternally with Him. He will lead you to what you truly need.

Maybe you are a Christian who knows Jesus as Lord, but has lost his or her way because of all the deceptions in the world today. Maybe things seem so difficult today. The answer is the same. Read your Bible! God knows what you need, even when you don't! He is the Creator, the One who knew you before you were born! He knows where you have been and where you will be years from now. He knows your heart when no one else does! He alone can help you! I believe He can and will save people even without their reading of His Word. He can reach His lost sheep by any means, but life could be a lot simpler if they know His will. He has left us a manual for living, so why not use it? If we truly believed that it really did hold the answer to all our problems, I don't think we'd hesitate to use it. Well, it DOES!

Thank God That Jesus is Lord and Obama is Not!

2010-11-06T11:05:00.008-05:00

I have had so little time to reflect on the political goings-on lately because I have had my hands full with a more local, close-to-home, ministry of sorts, and that is homeschooling my nephews! It began as something I was doing to help out, in the interim, while their mother was recovering from surgery and the birth of her sixth child. It has become practically a full-time job as I discovered that one of them has dyslexia, or perhaps even another learning disability, and I have poured most of my efforts lately into helping him to overcome any learning obstacles.

While I am ecstatic that the Republicans made so many gains in the past election, I am in no way fooled into thinking all will be well now. It's funny how much more I have become a "party person" lately. In the past, party affiliation never seemed that important. It was the person's character and record that mattered. But the Democrat Party's platform has become so ungodly and wicked, that there is no way I could ever vote for a Democrat again! While I know that all Republicans are certainly not Christians, I also know that no Christian could be a Democrat! No true Jesus-As-Lord Christian would ever be fooled into thinking that taking the lives of the most innocent for the convenience of their mothers, was a good and moral thing. They would never be deceived by the lie that homosexuality was anything other than a deliberate abominable sin choice. I've seen many Christian politicians I have known switch their party affiliation from Democrat to Republican because they can no longer stomach the Democrat Party platform, and that is how it should be. Therefore, if a person chooses the Democrat platform, I can never choose him (or her) for office.

Surely with a more Republican House of Representatives, we won't be passing such huge extreme liberal laws, but without the Senate and the executive branch, we can't actually reverse any damage that has been done by the worst president in American history. This prez stays very busy under the radar putting things into place with executive orders and through administrative posts he personally selected, so I don't have enormous faith that we can stop him yet. But it's a start!

I recently heard a very common-sensical interview with Donald Trump about things that should be done to help the economy and create jobs. The majority of our jobs have gone overseas, so if we had a huge surtax on items imported from China, or wherever, it would allow American companies to compete on a more level playing field with cheap Chinese prison labor. That sounds great, but I have a feeling our hands are tied; we've dug ourselves, as a country, into a hole too deep to climb out. With the debt we owe to China and with the control and ownership of Saudi princes and the like, we are not able to make the necessary changes to really help this country financially. We should never be looking to government for our needs, anyway. I never vote for a candidate based on what I think I can get from his being elected. It's true, I hate the huge government overreach by Obama, but it's not as much about the high taxes, as it is about the government control over my family and values. It's about our country having Godly leadership, as that is the only way we will ever have God's blessing on this country again! I can't bear the thought of us actually shrugging off God's Word to elect wicked rulers who do evil in His sight! Time and time again, the Bible speaks of kings who did evil in the sight of the Lord and caused the people to sin:

And he (Nadab) did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. - 1 Kings 15:26

And he (Baasha) did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. - 1 Kings 15:34

For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. - 1 Kings 16:19

With wicked laws, and with the people's turning a deaf ear to God, a nation is made to sin. And what always happened to nations that did evil in the sight of the Lord?

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. - Judges 3:12

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. - Judges 6:1

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. - Judges 13:1

It's amazing to me that people really think they can disregard the Word of God and expect any different result than in Biblical times!

The ONLY way this country will ever be healed is if we truly return to God on our knees and truly repentant:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

Even if this country cannot be healed because a majority of the people refuse to turn back to God, we Christians know that Jesus is still Lord, God is still on the throne, and regardless of what a wicked government may do, we are eternally blessed because of the Lord Jesus Christ! For that, we are eternally grateful!

In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. - Psalm 56:11

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? - Psalm 118:6

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" - Hebrews 13:6

Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few. - 1 Samuel 14:6b

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. - Psalm 119:165

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. - John 10:28-29

THANK YOU, LORD!

AMEN!