Better Than Explanations
February 18, 2021 at 1:46 pm | Posted in Job | 1 CommentTags: Biblical suffering, commentary on Job, dinosaurs in the Bible, Isaiah 30, Job 37, Job 40, Job 41, Job 42, Job38, Sunday School lessons on Job
In Job Chapter 37 Elihu described a storm. It’s possible that while he was huffing and puffing (full of hot air) an actual storm was brewing in the distance, and in Chapter 38 the storm arrived and God spoke from it.
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Job 38:1-2
In Scripture God spoke out of storms to impress people with His power and His might. In life, listen closely for God during the figurative storms through which you go.
God began to ask Job a series of questions. Remember, Job had been demanding to see God, to get some answers from Him, to summon Him into court. But Job couldn’t answer any of God’s questions.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Job 38:4
Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
Job 38:8
Job did not have the ability to create a single thing. Everything he had and everything he saw was made by God – with no help from Job – before Job even existed. Not only could Job not create anything, but he wasn’t even powerful enough to oversee God’s creations. All the wild animals that can’t be tamed by man, God provides a way for them to feed themselves, to care for their young. We have to study them today just to know how they behave. Job couldn’t explain the ostrich, a big bird that can’t even fly and that lays its eggs in the ground where they can be trampled.
In Chapter 40 Job got a chance to speak:
Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:1-4
In Chapters 40 and 41 God called Job’s attention to two very remarkable animals: behemoth and leviathan. These beasts were beyond Job’s ability to tame.
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
Job 40:15-19
Bible scholars debate exactly what sort of an animal behemoth was, but, given the so-called “young earth” creation account, it sure sounds like an herbivorous dinosaur.
Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Job 41:1
Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
Job 41:19-22
Leviathan is often defined as a crocodile, and some commentators say that the smoke was just mist rising up out of the swamp, but others believe that fire-breathing dragons (now extinct) actually existed during the days of Job, and even into more recent history.
The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
Isaiah 30:6
The questions posed by God to Job were rhetorical questions. They were not designed by God to find out what Job knew. They were designed by God to change Job’s mind. When a kid says, “I’m not going to clean up my room, I’m going to eat candy whenever I want, and I’m going to stay out late,” his father might respond with, “Who pays for this house? Who pays for your clothes? Who pays for your food?” The dad doesn’t really expect an answer. He’s making a point.
In Chapter 42 Job repented for challenging God and impiously demanding explanations.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:6
The sacrifices which were made by Job’s friends weren’t in line with Mosaic law, so it seems reasonable that Job (whose life is difficult to date with precision) may have lived after the Flood, but before Moses. In Job 42:7-8 God called Job “My servant” four times. What an honor to be a servant of God! A faithful servant can be trusted, so God restored Job double that which he had before.
And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
Job 42:10-12
However, Job did not receive twice as many children, perhaps because the first ten were still alive in Heaven.
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
Job 42:16
If the Lord gave Job twice as many years, this means that he was 70 when the Lord allowed Satan to attack him.
He had three daughters, Jemima, Kezia, and Kerenhappuch. Kezia’s name meant cinnamon. Kerenhappuch meant a horn of eye paint. And Jemima was an ancient word which meant, “These pancakes are good, but they’re kind of dry.” (Sorry, it actually meant “dove.”)
Lord, we don’t like to suffer, but, knowing what the Bible says about it, we must thank You even for our suffering. Suffering gets our attention when nothing else will. It sends us back to our Bible. It gets us to pray. It builds our faith. The trying of our faith works patience, so that we can have a good testimony for You. You are great. You know best. Help us to follow You. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
Bold Requests
February 6, 2021 at 12:06 pm | Posted in Joshua | 4 CommentsTags: Biblical courage, Biblical inheritance, bold prayer, commentary on Joshua, Joshua 17, Sunday School lessons on Joshua, Zelophedad
Zelophehad had no sons, but five daughters. Their gender did not prevent them from inheriting their father’s portion of the land in Canaan because of their bold faith. Sometimes we have not because we ask not. Can you imgaine going to a fancy gala and receiving a ticket for a valuable door prize, then your number is called as the winner, but you don’t speak up and claim the prize it because it doesn’t seem socially acceptable or you don’t want to make a scene? Not likely. However, how often in our prayers or in our ministry plans do we hem and haw and “aw shucks, Lord, I know I don’t really want to ask for too big a miracle or a full and complete healing or a huge raise and promotion, because I don’t really deserve it?” Or we know someone who is absolutely Satanic and seemingly beyond hope, with no interest in hearing about the Gospel, and we hedge our bets and meekly mumble a plea that the Lord would at least maybe just get him to come to church once, instead of boldly praying for actual regeneration or barging into a place where it seems hopeless and boldly preaching the Gospel.
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan; Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.
Joshua 17:4-6
There is a thread of ominous foreboding running through the inheritance accounts in Joshua 17.
And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries. Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
Joshua 17:11-12
It began with a certain laxity, and then moved to compromise, and on to an (perhaps perceived) inability. Of course, there is always covetousness and temptation in our lives with which to contend, also.
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.
Joshua 17:13
Slave labor is cheap.
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto? And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
Joshua 17:14-17
Joshua wisely wanted patient and persevering obedience that would last beyond the more exciting heat of battle and days of miracles, but he also wanted God’s people to not lose their edge, let down their guard, or forget that courage is given for carnage when necessary and conquest for those who don’t quit.
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
Joshua 17:18
The Deep End 
My Sight vs. Thy Sight
February 22, 2021 at 2:39 pm | Posted in Biblical Eyesight, I Samuel | 3 CommentsTags: 1 Samuel 15, commentary in 1 Samuel, idolatry, iniquity, Samuel, Saul, stubbornness, Sunday School lessons on 1 Samuel, withcraft
When Saul finally decided to join the battle he was not prepared to fight according to God’s rules of war.
I Samuel 15:2-3
Saul didn’t mind destroying everything useless, but he allowed the king, Agag, to live, and the best animals. Samuel was not happy about Saul’s disobedience, and, worse, when confronted, Saul lied about it.
I Samuel 15:14-15
Like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, claiming that he was only getting the cookie to give to someone else, Saul made up an excuse. His excuse was the skin of reason stuffed with a lie.
I Samuel 15:16 (emphasis added)
We can see how angry Samuel was, telling Saul to “stay,” which basically meant, “Shut your mouth, enough with the lies.”
I Samuel 15:22-23
Rebellion is like witchcraft in that it recognizes a higher power, but contrives to manipulate it or to work against the higher power’s wishes. Stubbornness is like iniquity in that it continually refuses to bend to what what’s right. It is a determination to hurt that which God wants to help. Stubbornness makes me a little god, and denies the True God.
I Samuel 15:17 (emphasis added)
I Samuel 15:19
We don’t see very well using our own sight, so we need to be keenly aware of God’s sight. Stubbornness focuses my sight on me, and says, “I will, I will,” instead of “Thy will, Thy will.”