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: Thursday, January 07, 2021
Chapters: Job 8-12
Message: Vain Worship
Hello My Friend,
Well, after spending good forty-five minutes writing about another topic, God pointed me in this direction, and I wonder why it takes me four hours to write these. I am sure you saw the clip of the Congressman who ended their prayer with, Amen and Awoman. I swear, there really are some ignorant people out there, but what is more concerning was not his idiotic end to a prayer, it was that he called out all these names, “and all names God”. And this is exactly why he ended that ridiculous prayer the way that he did, he has no clue who God is, and no idea who He is praying to, [Matthew 15:8-9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.]
[teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.] This is some mans attempt at some religion, and the only thing religion will ever do is send their followers to hell. I do not imagine that many people in Congress pick up a Bible, let alone a King James. First of all, you need to be saved to understand what you are reading, and second, you need to believe that everything you are reading is the truth. God, the Father says it, Jesus said it, the Holy Spirit tells us, and I will say it, if you are going to say that you believe in God and want His blessings, it might be wise to make sure you know who He is, [Luke 13:26-27 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.]
Can you imagine what God’s faithful did before they had His Word to guide them? It was not easy, in fact, they got a lot wrong. According to God Himself, Job was perfect, meaning complete in Him, in a matter of days he lost everything of value to him and was unable to do anything, but lay there and watch people as they shake their heads at him in pity or even worse, judgment. When Job finally did speak, he did not want sympathy, he wanted some insight. Instead he got accusations. First Eliphaz accused him of having some secret sinful life, and now, Bildad, speaks. [Job 8:1-6,20-21 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? 3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? 4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; 5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. 20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: 21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.]
[surely now he would awake for thee,] Now, I know he did not have a Bible, but to suggest that God sleeps, well, that is something the foolish idol worshipers do. God does not sleep, and He hears every prayer as long as we are His, and the only way to be His is to believe on His Son and accept Him as their Saviour, [John 16:23-24]
[God will not cast away a perfect man,] This is another thing that religion gets wrong, they put every person on a scale of what they believe is good and bad, if you are bad, the scale tips and you are headed for hell, that is if they even believe that hell exists. God does not nor ever has worked that way, He does not weigh our works on a balance, in fact, our works have nothing to do with what God determines as a perfect man. Remember, to be perfect means to be complete, and the one who completes us is Christ, without Him, we are all headed for hell, [John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.]
At this point, Job really feels confused, not one of his friends has anything uplifting or nice to say to him, he did not want answers from them, he actually wanted answers from God. He literally thought God was fighting with him over something, and if He would just tell him what it was, then he could get right with Him.
[Job 9:1-4,11-16,20-22 Then Job answered and said, 2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. 4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? 11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. 12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? 13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. 14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? 15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. 16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. 20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. 21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. 22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.]
[who will say unto him, What doest thou?] There is not one of God’s faithful that does not ask Him why He is allowing something. We do need to understand that it okay to ask God questions, and even ask why. He will tell us why eventually, and it is usually after we have gone though it when He does. Sometimes, He may never tell us why, but that we might understand that there is a purpose for it, and we just need to trust Him to see us through, [II Corinthians 12:8-10]
[He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.] Again, God does not put us on a scale and weigh us in the balance, there are multitudes of good people who are in hell because they trusted their religion. Likewise, there are some evil people who turned to Christ and are in heaven right now. Salvation has nothing to do with our works, and everything to do with our faith because we are all guilty of sin, we cannot save ourselves, Christ is the only one who can save us, [Romans 3:10-12,21-22 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:].
Job felt all alone, that he had no one to talk to, he was scared of what was happening to him, and was afraid to ask God directly. As Job continues, he tells them what he would say to God if He could plead his case to Him.
[Job 10:1-2,7-9,14-16,20-22 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. 7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. 8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. 9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? 14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. 15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; 16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.]
[and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.] Job may not have understood why God was angry at him, that never stopped him from having faith in Him. This is where a lot of Christians fall away from God all together, they cannot handle the pressure, blame God, and walk away completely. I believe that anyone who walks away from God is not saved, if they at one point believed in Christ, they did it under the false impression that all of their cares would just go away once they got saved. And this is how God determines who actually got saved and or just got saved in the moment, and really never accepted His Son, [Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.]
In reality, the only one contending with us is Satan, and since he will do anything to get us to fight with God he will often use friends, and even family to do it. Now, here comes the third friend mentioned, Zophar. [Job 11:1-4,10-11,20 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? 3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? 4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. 10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.]
[and should a man full of talk be justified?] Zophar, is responding to Job, and is down right calling him a liar. Zophar accused Job of saying that he saw himself as perfect, without any sin, and to him this was more sinful than whatever sin he was hiding. He actually said that Job is getting far less than what he deserves, and let me tell you, we all receive less than what we deserve, but God is merciful to all who come clean and admit that. At this point, Job was beside himself, these men were not more righteous than him, who were they to question his values.
[Job 12:1-4,7-10,14-16 And Job answered and said, 2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. 3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? 4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.]
[But ask now the beasts,] This is actually something very close to what Jesus said, [Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?] Job had so idea what was going on, but he knew God’s hand was in it, and that even the beasts of the earth had more knowledge of God than they did. Now, the one thing that Job did not realize was that God allowed the affliction to get Him to trust Him, and call out to Him. I imagine if he simply prayed to God to begin with instead of arguing his case to his friends, he would have found some comfort. We need to learn that instead of complaining, or trying to figure it all out on our own, to come Jesus, [Matthew 11:27-28 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [Job 12:4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.]
Today’s Prayer: God, It is not always easy dealing with situations that bring us suffering, and critical people do not help either. I thank You for watching over me and protecting me, even when I do not come to You with everything, and I thank You for loving me and not giving up on me. Your hand never lets go of me, You are my only peace and comfort when nothing makes sense. Lord, lead me and guide me, let me live a life that is pleasing to You and be the example so many need to find Your Son. When others criticize and mock me, give me the strength and wisdom to stand my ground and not be ashamed to profess my Jesus to them. I love You and ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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