KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, January 07, 2016
Chapters: Job 13-16
Message: The One That Pleads For Us
Hello My Friend,
The second a person accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour they really do not understand the impact they just made upon their lives. When we allow Christ to live in and through us, He transforms us into someone we, quite frankly, never knew existed. However, until we are faced with some kind of affliction we cannot truly understand just what Jesus has changed us for, He saves from more than just from hell, he saves us from a life that leads to nothing, but death. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” – II Corinthians 5:17,18,21.
During the Noahic, pre-Abrahamic covenant days people did not have Scripture to guide them on how God wanted them to live, those who believed and wanted to follow Him did so by faith and under their own moral character. When Job became afflicted he did not question God’s abilities, he just wanted to find some comfort through all of that pain, even if that meant that he died. So, when three of his friends begin making accusations and judging him, you can imagine how he must have felt.
“But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” – Job 13:4-10-15-16.
“do ye so mock him?” Job makes a good point, anytime someone changes God to fit their own claims they are mocking Him, fighting against the very things that He stands for, and speaking against His Word. They might not have had Scripture to follow, but they did have common sense, enough to not jump to conclusions and place judgment upon someone because they are facing calamities. Even back then they knew their own righteousness could not save them and that they needed a Saviour, they, by faith, just as we, by faith, have the same Saviour. Job knew that his own righteousness would not keep him from judgment, but he was not about to let his friends be his judge. He also knew that there was something better waiting for him on the other side of all this, rest.
“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!” – Job 14:7-13.
“till the heavens be no more,” Job knew that God’s people will not remain in the grave forever, and that one day they would be resurrected. The grave is not only a resting place, but also a temporary hiding place for the children of God, He hides our bodies in the grave, just as we hide our treasures in a place of secrecy and safety. He hides us from the treacherous storms that are to come of this life, and for the glory of a better life beyond the grave. Until Jesus returns, and our bodies are resurrected and given their glorified state, our souls will rest in the comforts of the Saviour. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” – I Corinthians 15:52-54.
Now, as you can see, Job’s friends were not very happy with the way he was talking. Eliphaz speaks again, quite irritated with Job for refusing to admit he has sinned and saying he will be justified with God. “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare; Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it: Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.” – Job 15:16-19,29-32.
“which drinketh iniquity like water?” Eliphaz suggests that, just in the way that Job speaks it is sin, he has a hard time understanding how someone can declare themselves without sin. Eliphaz did what many people do, he twisted Job’s words, he only heard what he wanted to hear. Do you know how many people try to get me to question my salvation and even have Scripture to back up their accusations? Everyone can throw around Scripture, the devil even does that, and it is in fact, the devil speaking through those who try to get us to question what God really says. While there are some obscure passages in Scripture from time to time, it is wise to take a look at the entire passage because it is usually something relating to something else.
Job is in such despair, he lays there all bound up like a mummy in pain, and still grieving over the loss of his children. His wife, grieving also, has given up, and the three people that decide to hang around him do nothing, but criticize him and make him feel worse than he is. He wonders if God even knows and speaks out about it.
“But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.” – Job 16:7-12,19-22.
“O that one might plead for a man with God,” Job just wanted someone to comfort him, hear what he had to say, and be in his side, not judge him. He is asking them how they would feel if they were the ones laying there, and says if it were him he would be encouraging them, not tearing them down. Even when it feels like we are all alone on this earth, we are not, we do have someone who pleads for us, and that is Jesus. The second we say we believe He is right there, speaking to God on our behalf, He died for us, there is nothing He would not do for us when we receive Him. “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” – John 17:9-11.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” – Job 13:15-16. Jesus bared the cross, gave His life for all who believe in Him, He is their salvation, and He knows who trusts in Him.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to save me from my sins, he not only saved me from death and hell, He saved me from a life that would have lead to my death. While I know that no other righteousness of my own is necessary to save my soul, and that all of my transgressions are gone, never to be brought up again, I do want to live a life that is pleasing to You. Lord, lead me and guide me, keep me in Your Word and give me the wisdom I need to follow it just as You say, not by what others, who may be uninformed try to teach me. Give me the strength, will, and boldness to live in a way that glorifies Your Son, and let’s Him be seen in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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