King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, January 09, 2022
Chapters: Job 18-21
Message: My Redeemer Lives
Hello My Friend,
I have been having some issues with my computer the past few days, I spent half the day yesterday resetting it, and it worked for all about five minutes before my writer and Bible programs would stop responding every time I save what I am writing. I can account that all this is the devil and he cannot stand it that I have writing about him. As I read through these chapters today, I realize that I am not very good at holding my tongue when people criticize me. Oh, I am not talking about those who just criticize everything, I am talking about, those who are down right judgmental. We are going to deal with a lot of people passing judgment on us because we follow Christ, and while we are to be careful and mindful of what we say, we are not pushovers, and have every right to speak up. Jesus was careful and mindful of what He said and did not hesitate to speak up when they accused Him, but what He never did, and we would be wise to do the same, was contend with them.
[For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children. – Luke 7:28,33-35]
This passage of Scripture as Jesus was conversing with disciples of John the Baptist, they heard about all the miracles and wanted to see if it was Jesus. I pulled this passage to remind us that all, saved, born again, Christians will be accused of being liars, hypocrites, and will be constantly watched by those who want nothing more than to destroy our testimony. The religious could not stand it when they saw Jesus associating with “sinners”, forgetting the fact that they too were sinners. They expected the Messiah to be much different in appearance, but obviously they were not too knowledgeable of the Scriptures, which actually gave a description of what Jesus would look like, and would be nothing we would desire, concerning His flesh anyway.
[For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. – Isaiah 53:2-4]
Just think about that, Jesus, was constantly rejected, full of many sorrows, and carried around the griefs and sorrows of every one of us as well as His own, all the way up to the cross. People may not like who He is, and they may not agree with His teachings and standards, but they cannot deny that He is the Son of God, no one can argue with that, and yet there is not a day that goes by when someone was not trying to discredit His testimony. As we continue in the reading of Job, these three friends of his were sure that the reason all these bad things happened to him was the result of some wicked life he was living that no one knew about. Bildad speaks out a second time, he flat out tells him justifying himself that he is proving himself guilty and walking into his own snare because of it.
[Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak. Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. – Job 18:1-8]
[For he is cast into a net by his own feet,] It is no doubt that the wicked do get caught up in their own net of wickedness as they try to cover up one act after another in an attempt to hide what they have done, and they do eventually die in their sin if they do not repent. However, this is a down right utter slander of Job’s character. He is not around them to know anything other that what he has seen around town, and has never once shown himself to be nothing more than an honorable man. Well, Bildad goes on to suggest that he does not even know God and will die in his lies and no one, not even family, will recognize him or remain.
[His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street. He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God. – Job 18:14-21]
[and above shall his branch be cut off.] When God promises to give us salvation through our faith in His Son, He promises that He will never leave nor forsake us, but He did not promise that every day would be pain free. And suffering does not mean that we do not know God, or that He is punishing us for some wrong we have done. Of course, we sin, and need to confess our sins because quite frankly, our minds and mouths get us into more trouble than our hands, but God knows who are His. Jesus will never put His Light out of anyone who receives Him as their Saviour, but He will cut off every branch that does not, [I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. – John 15:5-6]
We really cannot do anything without Jesus, and the second that we believe we can, that is when we have a problem. I know that I can do nothing without Jesus, and anytime I ever did try, I would learn very quickly that I need Him. We would do ourselves a disservice if we just got saved and never allowed Jesus to do anything more for us. In fact, He is the only one who can turn our lives around from the lost life that we lived before He saved us. As we walk with Christ, we literally do conform into something resembling His likeness, and that scares the daylights out of people, especially those who are envious of us. This is what seemed to be the case with Job’s three friends, they were not willing to admit that they envied him for the life he lived. So, when the news got out of all that happened to him, they just knew he was not as righteous as he appeared to be and had to find out what he was guilty of. Job feels all alone, and that everyone, including his family, are like strangers to him.
[Then Job answered and said, How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself. If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach: Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body. – Job 19:1-6,14-17]
[mine error remaineth with myself.] As long as we have wronged no one, we do not need the third degree, and we do not need the critical judgment. God is our judge, and no one else, if we are guilty of something, then it will be God that we deal with, and if we have erred in some way, then that is on us, and we will deal with it ourselves. This is not about known sin, and the righteous judgment that we would received, this is about falsely accusing and judging someone without cause, [But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. – Romans 14:10-13]
I do not believe that any true believer of Christ that has received Him could ever lose their faith, Christ Himself being the one who holds on to them. I do believe that those who do fall away from Christ did have some faith in Him for a time, perhaps they were struggling with something and found refuge in the person or church when introduced to Christ. This is why we will all stand before Jesus and give an account to our faith, but sadly, there are quite a few people who have walked away from Him because of the critical judgment they received by fellow Christians. Let me tell you, the holier than thou, religious know it all’s, will be ashamed for falsely accusing you, which is why they react they way they do when you defend yourself. Job knew that no matter what his friends thought about him, and even though he could not see God, that he has a Redeemer and He lives.
[Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. – Job 19:23-27]
[oh that they were printed in a book!] Oh, Job, if you only knew that God was watching over you, and that you would be a testimony of your faith and written in the greatest book of all time. Oh, and not only your words printed in a book, but your name as well. Every name of every saved soul is written in the only book that Jesus is going to be looking in, [And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20:12,15]
[For I know that my redeemer liveth,] At this point, Job did not care what they thought about him, and even though he could not see God, he knew that he would be redeemed and that He stand before his Redeemer and live, [For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. – Titus 2:11-14]
There are some people in this world that appear to know more about God than God does, and that He somehow reveals the secret sins of others in an attempt to get them to feel guilty and repent that instant. In reality, all they are doing is making up things. As Zophar hears Job, he lashes out at him, stating that he is suffering right now because he has been wicked all along.
[Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue; He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God. – Job 20:1-5,12,17-18,29]
[and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.] How often are we wrong in our own spirit of understanding? Just this morning I asked God to show me anything that I could be wrong about. I never want to say that something is from God when in all reality that was my own thinking and I just talked myself into believing that it was God. So, it is best that we lean not on our own understanding, but God’s, [Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6]
[the brooks of honey and butter.] Whenever I see the words honey and butter together, it reminds me of, this passage, [Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. – Isaiah 7:14-15].
The promised land was known as the land that was flowing with milk and honey, meaning it was plentiful and bountiful. I love that it is recorded that Jesus would be raised eating butter and honey, being that they are really good for you and are a staple in my home. The simplicity of life, it does not need to be extravagant, or complicated, it just needs to be one that fears God, especially if we say that we are Christians. We are not always going to enjoy what life throws at us, but we can find peace and joy through every sorrow that it brings simply by doing what Jesus did when He walked the earth, [The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. – Luke 4:18-19]
Okay, I will tell you this, the more you walk with Christ, the more the Holy Spirit does show you that suffering is coming to someone because of their sin, and you will see it coming because you see how their own behavior changes toward God afflicting them. We can expect godly people to explain any wrongdoing if they see it in hopes that they will turn from it, but unless they know for sure what they are doing they cannot make that judgment. None of us are without sin, and to accuse by assumption will do nothing, but get our own sins exposed. Then you have those who are really living in sin and that bring us to question why does God seem to punish the righteous and reward the wicked. Well, this is the question Job had.
[As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled? Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth. Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. – Job 21:4-9]
[why should not my spirit be troubled?] We try so hard to keep our spirits up when bad things happen, but it gets very hard when they do not stop. There were several times these past few months that my spirit was deeply troubled, which I do not have to tell you as you have seen it in my posts. Nevertheless, I am siding with Job, I know my Redeemer lives, and I know where they are going, and this is exactly what Job realizes.
[Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. – Job 21:27-30]
[they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.] Job did not even need the written word to know that there will come a day when all the earth will be destroyed as well as the wicked, but the righteous will live. Now, I do not know if he learned that from what he was taught about God over the years, but I am pretty sure that the Holy Spirit had a hand in giving him that hope. We do not need the Bible to tell us where wicked people are going, that is a given. What we may not know without the Bible is that there is a punishment for sin of any kind, and that is death and hell, but Jesus paid that price for us by living a life without sin, and giving His own life. Without Christ we can do nothing! We cannot even save ourselves from hell, no matter how good we are, but with Christ we can live! [For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23]
Let Us Pray: God, Thank You for sending Your Son to redeem me, I know I am not saved by any good that I do of my own, but by my faith and trust alone in what He did for me. Because I am redeemed I know that You are always with me, but sometimes I feel like You are no where to be found. I catch myself trying to handle my troubles on my own instead of asking You for help and I, like Job, start to lose hope that things will change for me. Lord, give me Your power to always see past my troubles and look to You, as I do my part, by faith. For I know my Redeemer lives, and I will see Him in the latter days. I ask this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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