Job 15 - Eliphaz Lays Into Job

LINK: Job 15

BACKGROUND

In this second round, Eliphaz is not as polite to Job as he was in the first round of exhortations. He said Job's words were like a "hot east wind."  The heart of Eliphaz's accusation is this question: "Why has your heart carried you away . . . so that you vent your rage against God?" (15:12-13). Here are examples of Job's bold words toward God: 6:4; 7:15-20; 10:2-3; 16-17; 13:20-27. Eliphaz reminded Job that the wicked "writhe or whirl" in torment. Therefore, he must be wicked. He gave Job seventeen examples that befall sinners (15:21-35). Eliphaz hopes he can cajole Job into repentance, but it was to no avail. We will read about Job's response tomorrow.

REFLECTION (written in 2023)

I didn't write a reflection when I first wrote this blog, but the confrontation of the friends of Job made me think about something from "Many Aspire, Few Attain" by Walt Henrichson that I posted in the Proverbs 27 post. When reading over the "Accept Rebuke" section, I deleted this paragraph this time around in the Bible Book Club (2023). Here is the paragraph I deleted:

When was the last time someone rebuked you - the last time someone sat down and instructed you more perfectly in the way? If it has not been recently, it is because people don't consider you wise. They think you are a scorner. They are afraid if they rebuke you, you won't take it. Don't declare yourself into believing that you haven't been rebuked lately because you haven't needed it. you need it. The question is, are you getting it? You can tell whether or not people think you are wise by how often they rebuke you. 

I don't believe that you have to be rebuked all the time nor if you haven't been rebuked that you are not wise! I also think it is much more effective to let God speak to the person. Repentance is about God's kindness toward us. Romans 2:4 in the Amplified Bible says: 

Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]?

When people just rebuke us willy-nilly, it may be wrong and motivated by control rather than kindness, wanting behavior change rather than inner self change. It is much more effective to allow God to work in the person than a friend trying to convince another friend of their errors, and I believe God can be effective in doing that. Rebuke and confrontation do have their place, but I don't think people not confronting you means you are not wise! That is such a dogmatic and punitive statement.

APPLICATION

I find a daily Examen is a wonderful way to allow God's kindness to lead me to repentance. I can evaluate my day in light of whether I turned away from God or toward Him. It is bathed in the love of God. Confession and repentance do not have to be something we are scared of, and we can see it in light of God wanting to change not just our behaviors but from the inside out. 

"Iron does sharpen iron," and there is a place for confrontation. I love the book Caring Enough to Confront.

PRAYER

Lord, Your kindness leads others to repentance. Help us to be kind in our confrontations with friends. Help us learn from this bad example of what not to do. Amen. 

Job 13 & 14 - From Hope to Hoplessness

LINK: Job 13 & 14

BACKGROUND 

In his continued response to Zophar, Job tells his friends he is taking his case to God and tries to silence them because they are literally, "falsehood plasterers" (13:4). The key verse in Job 13 is, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him (13:15). He was sure He would be vindicated. He continued to declare His faith in God but also his need for closure! He wanted to meet God in court and have it out.

Despite Job's declaration of hope in chapter 13, he turned to hopelessness in chapter 14! He laments that man's life is short-lived and full of turmoil like a withering flower or fading shadow (Ecclesiastes 6:12). He speaks of the futility of death and saw the grave as a place to hide from God's anger and to be honorably discharged from life's hard military service, but in his hopelessness, he wonders whether there is life beyond the grave (13:14).

REFLECTION on Hope

I read Frederich Nietzche in my eight-year quest for The Well-Educated Mind and it confirmed for me that many of these "classics" were written by great minds gone awry!  What a brilliant, hopeless individual!  He said:

 "Hope in reality is the worst of all evils 

because it prolongs the torments of man."  

and

"God is dead." 

Wouldn't he have been pleasant company at the Thanksgiving table?

I prefer another man's sentiments:

 "What makes the desert beautiful 

is that somewhere it hides a well."  

(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)  

As believers, we have a "living hope" who is a well in the middle of any dry land we may encounter:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5) 

APPLICATION 



Journal about hope. 

PRAYER

You are our hope. We cling to You. It is all because of Jesus, Amen. 

Job 11 & 12 - Zophar and Job

LINK: Job 11 & 12

BACKGROUND

The last of Job's comforters was Zophar who held nothing back in the way of accusations. He is by far the most arrogant and angry of the three friends. He accused Job of three things:

1. Job was guilty of sin (11:1-4) 
2. Job was ignorant of God (11:5-12), and 
3. Job was stubborn because he refused to repent (11:13-20)

Job responded with sarcasm:

“I’m sure you speak for all the experts, 

and when you die there’ll be 

no one left to tell us how to live.” 

(Job 12:1–2, The Message)

Then he went on to say that animals were even smarter than Zophar because they understood that calamities came from the LORD. (This is the only occurrence of Yahweh in the debates with his friends.) 

He concluded Job 12 with a discourse on God's wisdom and power and that everyone is under His control.

APPLICATION/PRAYER

Apply what you have read by praying through Job 12:13 - 25 today! Acknowledge His control over everything in your life.

Job 10 - Questions, Questions

LINK: Job 10

BACKGROUND

Continued affliction caused Job to go deeper into despair. He became his own defense attorney in this chapter and vented his complaint to God with bitterness of soul. The gist of his questions was:

1. What charges do You have against me? (10:2)
2. Does it please You to oppress me and spurn the work of Your hands? (10:3, 8; 14:15; Psalm 139:13, 15)
3. Why was I even born? (10:18)
4. Can't I just die and get it over with? (10:20-22)

REFLECTION (written in 2009)

Job began to wallow in self-pity. When we face baffling affliction, our pain lures us toward feeling sorry for ourselves. At this point, we are only one step from self-righteousness, where we keep track of life's injustices and say, "Look what happened to me; how unfair it is!" We may feel like blaming God. Remember that life's trials, whether allowed by God or sent by God, can be the means for development and refinement. When facing trials, ask "What can I learn and how can I grow?" rather than "Who did this to me and how can I get out of it?" (Life Application Bible, p. 854)

I got to know my friend, R, in 2005-2006 when she was struggling with the pain of infertility. She was on all sorts of treatments that left her very uncomfortable and sick most of the time. The group of us who gathered around her prayed over and cried with her a ton that year, and she ended up conceiving on the month when she was not on the fertility drugs and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in November of 2006.

Now, she is trying for a second child, and she has not conceived. So, she is on those same fertility drugs with the accompanying discomfort, but her attitude is different, reflecting three years of incredible growth in her understanding of God and His purposes for her life.

The other night on the phone, as we were both making dinner (What can I say? We are both multi-taskers!), she relayed to me words that brought tears to my eyes. I am paraphrasing here:

"Carol, you know I was just telling K and N at church the other day that it isn't so much that God did this miracle, and I was able to have my daughter in the end, although that is a miracle and a blessing from Him, but that I grew through the process. I am not trying to brag here, but so many people seem to think they are in control of things. They get pregnant easily because that is what they planned; and because they didn't struggle with infertility, they think they have some control over it, but they don't either. Through my infertility last time, I realized that God is in control of everything and has a purpose for things like infertility. I think God is much more concerned with what we learn in the process than the end result. So, this time around, I am not as concerned about the end result of having a baby because I know that God is in control. That may be the only thing that results from this and no baby, it doesn't mean things won't be sad or messy in the process, but I welcome the process because I know it will help me understand God more."

By Jove (or maybe we should say "Job." LOL!), I think she's got it!!!!!

My friend is asking: "What can I learn and how can I grow." Wise friend!

2012 Update: She gave birth to a bouncing baby boy at the end of 2009 who was also conceived in the interim between fertility treatments. :) Go figure!

APPLICATION

When you face trials, do you feel like God is out to get you or do you ask, "What can I learn and how can I grow from this?"

PRAYER

Lord, teach us to learn and go deeper with You through all that we encounter in this messy life. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Job 9 - The Umpire is Jesus

LINK: Job 9 

BACKGROUND

Job 9 begins with an emphasis on God's justice and the visual picture in Job's mind is a legal court. He wants to prove before God his own integrity! Warren Wiersbe points out some of the legal terms used in Job in his commentary Be Patient:

• Contend (Job 9:3, 10:2) = bring court litigation against Him (as Eliphaz suggested in 5:8)
• Answer (9:30, 16) = testify in court
• Judge (v. 15) = an opponent at law, accuser
• Set a time (v. 19) = summon to court
• Daysman (v. 33) = an umpire, an arbiter
• Reason (13:3) = argue a case
• Order my cause (v. 18) = prepare my case
• Plead (v. 19, 23:6) = dispute in court
• Hear me (31:35) = give me a legal hearing
• Adversary (v. 35) = accuser in court (p.38)

Wiersbe goes on to say that Job asks three fundamental questions in Job 9 and 10:

1) "How can I be righteous (declared innocent) before God?" (9:1-13) 

2) "How can I meet God in court?" (9:14-35) 

3) "Why was I born?" (10:1-22; see v. 18 - we'll talk about that tomorrow)

REFLECTION 

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

Who is that umpire (the arbitrator) that Job speaks of in 9:33?

"There is no umpire between us,
Who may lay his hand upon us both."

Eli said to his sons in 1 Samuel 2:25:

"If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?"

Who is that umpire? Who is the mediator?

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

It is JESUS.

Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 9:25) 

APPLICATION/PRAYER 

Meditate on the grandeur of our God as you pray through Job 9:1-13 today! If you have a clear night, look up at the stars and marvel (9:9).

Job 8 - Blunt Bildad's First Speech

LINK: Job 8

BACKGROUND 

Bildad the Shuhite (Shua means "wealth") bluntly gives Job his two cents worth. He tells Job that his words were a strong, abundant, mighty wind! (He was probably picking up on Job's reference from 6:26.) In other words, they were nonsense. 

Bildad's thesis: God is just, and Job is guilty; case closed. He believed that God would not punish someone for nothing. He would not distort justice! He told Job that his sons probably sinned, and they got what they deserved. OUCH!  

Bildad's solution is simple: SEEK GOD! If Job is so pure then Bildad exhorts him to just implore God's grace. But Job has already done that in chapter 7!  Bildad gives examples from history and nature to confirm his thesis. His thesis was theologically correct but horribly misapplied!

REFLECTION 

Bildad's theology is correct: God is just, but Bildad is misapplying his theology in Job's situation and forgetting about the whole of God's character. God is just and holy, but He is also loving. merciful, and good.  Could Job's suffering be a result of God's goodness rather than His justice? Yes!

Yesterday, I was telling someone about the surf safari that I took recently and something that was overlooked in my experience by the people who ran the safari. I told her that I was going to talk to the owner about this. She jumped in and said, "Oh but is that really a battle that you want to get into?"  

She does not know me very well (just in an exercise class I take). My heart in wanting to tell the owner was to make the experience better for future clients!  I was not there to demand my rights or tell them that I got short-changed (justice). I wanted to help them know how they can make the experience for future clients with my particular characteristics a better one (love and goodness). I guess it is all in the heart attitude. There might be some suffering on their part as I give them critique, but it is not for judgment but for growth!  

God was giving Job a growth experience that would help him become all that God had for him to be. Suffering is often the best path, and it is paved all along the way with God's goodness. I know that is sometimes a bitter pill to swallow for most of us, but it is good medicine.

APPLICATION 

Anytime we are suffering, it is always good advice to seek God (and try Immanuel Journaling). In that way, Bildad is right (although he delivers his advice in a very unloving and blunt manner). God is 100% good. Go to Him right now. 

PRAYER

God, You are good and Your love endures forever (Psalm 100:5). Cement the truth of Your infinite goodness in our minds today as we struggle through everyday life. Amen. 

Job 7 - Job Appeals to God

LINK: Job 7

BACKGROUND 

I woke up this morning and began reading today's reading and thought, "This sounds like Ecclesiastes!" "Human life is a struggle, isn't it? It's a life sentence to hard labor . . . I'm given a life that meanders and goes nowhere --" (7:1, 3; The Message). His life had "no meaning" and is the same Hebrew word, heḇel, Solomon used over and over again in the book of Ecclesiastes. His life was "hard service" which in Hebrew means "military service."  Job was saying his life was harder than a soldier, hired man, and slave! His days were hard, but his nights were even harder as he dealt with his physical infirmities. 

Job was miserable and wanted to die, and he let God know how he felt. He wanted God to tell Him how he had sinned. Why did God not pardon Him and be done with the whole thing?  Job wanted closure.  

REFLECTION 

Pain does bring out raw honesty. Job's friends would no longer listen, but God would listen and Job poured his heart out to Him. He questioned the point of life and why God was doing it all. God can take honesty better than our friends or family. We have seen this honesty as we have read the Psalms of David. We will see more as we read the "weeping prophet" Jeremiah. Honesty before God is very important. 

APPLICATION 

Are you suffering? "Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord" (Lamentations 2:19; Psalm 62:8). Listen to what He says. 

I have found Immanuel Journaling to be very helpful in processing suffering and pain. The linked website explains it and then has a handout to download. I have made a one-page handout with just the journaling prompts, pasted it in my journal, and write it in there instead of on the handout. You might like to do the same.

PRAYER

Lord, it is hard to see Job suffer, but I know You have myriad lessons to teach us in our suffering. We want to be honest before You and allow that suffering to help us to see You (Job 42:5) more clearly. Amen. 

Job 5 & 6 - Despairing of Life and Disappointment with Friends

LINK: Job 5 & 6

BACKGROUND

In the last chapter, Eliphaz rebuked Job. Now he gives Job some advice that is not wrong in itself, but it was based on the wrong assumption that Job sinned! He was also very smug in his delivery.

Job wanted God to "loose His hand" from keeping Job alive (6:9). The Hebrew word for "loose" has the picture of setting prisoners free (Psalm 105:20). His only consolation or joy was that he was suffering but still innocent.

Sadly, his friends will not buy Job's argument. In Job 6, he compares them to a riverbed which is dried up in the summer when it is most needed. When he most needed his friends, they were a disappointment to him and not kind.

He closes Job 6 asking them to show him where he has erred.

REFLECTION

When trouble comes your soul to try,
You love the friend who just "stands by."
Perhaps there's nothing he can do --
The thing is strictly up to you;
For there are troubles all your own,
And paths the soul must tread alone;
Times when love cannot smooth the road
Nor friendship lift the heavy load,
But just to know you have a friend
Who will "stand by" until the end,
Whose sympathy through all endures,
Whose warm handclasp is always yours--
It helps, someway to pull you through,
Although there's nothing he can do.
And so with the fervent heart you cry,
"God bless the friend who just 'stands by'!"

Written by B.Y Williams, published in Poems That Touch The Heart by A.L. Alexander

I have a couple of friends going through some tough things. Many hours over the Christmas Break were spent just "standing by" and listening to their hearts and praying for them. I am challenged not to be a friend like Eliphaz who just assumed things about Job and dispensed advice that did not pertain to Job's situation. Eliphaz did not take the time to listen to and hear Job's heart.

We are usually quick to speak and so slow to listen. This chapter challenges me to be a better friend by reading the negative example of Eliphaz.

APPLICATION

I have often heard the saying, "The only way to have a friend is to be one." How are you as a friend? How can you encourage a friend today?

PRAYER

Lord, teach us to be the friend who just stands by when our friends are going through tough times. Make us a better friend to others. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Job 3 & 4 - Job's Death Wish Soliloquy

LINK: Job 3 & 4

BACKGROUND

Job breaks his silence in Job 3. He would not curse God, but he did curse the day he was born. By wishing for the night, he was conceived to be dark (3:6), barren (3:7), and never turn to day (3:9), he was saying that his pain was so bad that he wished he had never even been conceived! He said, "May no joyful shout enter [the night]" in 3:7 because it was customary for Near Easterners to shout when a boy was born. He referred to Leviathan in 3:8. Leviathan was a seven-headed sea monster of ancient Near Eastern mythology. Since he had already been conceived and born, then he wished he had died at birth. Finally, he wished for death right then and there. In this chapter, he asked "why" five times.

Job's friends start their first round of speeches in Job 4, and this round continues until Job 14. Throughout their speeches, they will be adamant that the righteous are rewarded and the unrighteous are punished. So, they concluded (wrongly) that Job must have sinned, and he needed to repent. This particular chapter contains a rebuke from Eliphaz, probably the eldest of the three "comforters."

REFLECTION

Every Christmas Eve, my family sits down to watch the movie, It's a Wonderful Life. It is a story about George Bailey who, after a series of trials, wishes that he had never been born. So, God, through Clarence, the Angel Second Class, grants George Bailey his wish. It is a fabulous story about the impact of just one life on a series of events and people!

Before its resurgence in popularity back in the 80s, it was a little-known film when a dear friend came to me very depressed and wishing that she, like Job and George Bailey, had never been born. I wanted to be a good comforter (unlike Job's comforters), but I was at a loss for words to help my friend in this terrible time of her life. My parents had taped this movie, and God gave me the idea to show it to her, and He used it wonderfully to show her that God put her on this earth for a purpose and that sometimes life does not always turn out the way that we had planned (like it did not for George and Job). It was the perfect way to comfort her as she cried to me after the movie, "Maybe there is a reason for my life!"

APPLICATION

I do not doubt that most have probably watched It's a Wonderful Life, but if you have not, I heartily recommend it as a springboard for discussion with your loved ones. How important is your life and what might be God's purpose for it?

PRAYER

Thank You that You wove us in our mother's womb, and we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). You made us for a purpose. Show us Your purposes for our life and meaning in our suffering and pain. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Job 1 & 2 - Job's Example of Suffering

LINK: Job 1 & 2

If you are following the Bible Book Club schedule, doesn't "January in Job" sound great! 

Job is the only poetical book we did not study last year because it was too big to insert in the historical time of the patriarchs of Genesis (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.) without interrupting the historical flow. So, we have saved it for now.  

BACKGROUND

We do not know for sure when Job was written, but it was believed to have been written during the time of the patriarchs approximately 2000-1800 B.C. It is set in the land of Uz which was believed to be in northeast Palestine, near the desert land between Damascus and the Euphrates River.

Job 1-2 is the prologue of the book. Job is introduced as a man of character who feared the Lord. He had wealth, position, seven sons (often considered evidence of divine blessing), and three daughters. Satan accused Job of being upright only because God had blessed him. He conjectured that Job would not be pious if he were not blessed. Thus, Satan concluded that Job was worshiping God for selfish reasons. So, God allowed Satan to test him. Many have wondered why God would allow this, but God knew Job's heart, and he used Job to silence Satan. In addition, God wanted to deepen Job's spiritual insight. You also may wonder why Satan was in heaven! Apparently, Satan had and still has access to heaven (Revelation 12:10). He also walked and still walks the earth because the earth is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19).

Satan was allowed to test Job in two areas. First, Job was tested on his possessions and offspring (1:6-22) and second on his health (2:1-10). In all of this, Job recognized God's sovereign right to be God and worshipped Him despite His circumstances!

Job 2 closes with the three "comforters." We will soon see that their "monologues" are not very comforting. Stay tuned.

REFLECTION

Attitude is everything.

One of my favorite verses is Job 2:10:

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Even though Job's wife wanted him to curse God, he did not do so. He kept his perspective on God's sovereign purposes for his life.

I know this is hard, but life would be so much easier if we were more like Job and were able to accept adversity along with the good. It is God's way of conforming us to His image. It is a hard lesson to learn, and I am praying some people I am involved with right now will learn from his life!

APPLICATION

Job will be an excellent study to develop your own "theology of suffering." How do you respond when adversity comes? What is your attitude toward suffering?

PRAYER

Lord, help us to have an expanded view of Your sovereignty and a deeper understanding of suffering as we read the book of Job. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

1 Chronicles 1 - David's Family Tree

LINK: 1 Chronicles 1

It really helps to listen to an audio version of this chapter so you can let someone else try to pronounce all those obscure names!

BACKGROUND 

1 and 2 Chronicles were once one book. It was split into two during the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, in about 200 B.C. Jewish tradition suggests that Ezra wrote it, but there is no way we can know for sure. We will just call the author "the chronicler."  Many things indicate that it was written based on earlier written sources because more than half of 1 and 2 Chronicles parallels 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. It was believed to be written around 430 B.C. 1 Chronicles recorded events from 1000 - 960 B.C. and 2 Chronicles recorded events from 970 B.C. to 586 B.C. (the Babylonian captivity). 

The way they differ from the books they parallel is that they are priestly recollections and interpretations of the history of Israel from the reign of David to the Babylonian captivity. 1 Chronicles records the religious history of Judah and Israel. It especially recounts the reign of David in Judah and the Levitical line.  2 Chronicles highlights the importance of the temple and the religious revivals of Judah but almost completely ignores Israel. 

1 Chronicles 1 - 9 will be a short review of the history we covered in YEAR ONE of the BBC from Adam to Saul.  1 Chronicles 10 will be a look forward with the genealogy after the exile. David's reign is the subject of the last 19 chapters of 1 Chronicles (1 Chronicles 11-29). 

These nine chapters are very important because it is important for God's people to know their ancestral line. It is also vital for The Scarlet Thread of Redemption.  You might remember the many times God made promises to people and their descendants. Two important ones he made were to Abraham in Genesis 12. God said that in him "all the families of the earth will be blessed." God wanted to bless all peoples through Abraham and Abraham's seed (JESUS!). In Genesis 15, Abraham was promised offspring so even though he and Sarah were old, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (15:6, he was right with God because of his faith). The offspring would lead right to Jesus (Galatians 3). That is why it was so important for Israel to know where they came from and where they were going. 

Another example is in 2 Samuel 7. David wanted to build a permanent structure in which the Lord could dwell among His people. Through the Prophet Nathan, God told David that there was not yet a need for a permanent structure but that he would build a house for David that would be a royal house that would never end (7:16). The kingdom of David and his throne would be forever. This is . . . 

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption!!!!!!

This promise fulfills the earlier Abrahamic Covenant blessing that the patriarchs would be the father of kings (Genesis 17:6; 16; 35:11). Later Judah, the great-grandson of Abraham, was given the pledge that a promised ruler would come from Judah (Genesis 49:10). David was from the tribe of Judah and part of the Messianic line that would result in a divine descendant and King (Psalm 2:6-7; 110; 89:3-4). We will see in our study of the prophets that they attested to the Davidic Messiah who would rule over all and forever on his throne. Of course, that Messiah is . . .

JESUS!!!! (Luke 1:31-33)  

This is why genealogies are so important! 

If you have been reading since Genesis, I am sure many of the names sound familiar to you. Here is a little summary with references for you:

Adam to Noah's Sons (1:1-4): Genesis 2-9
Noah's Sons to Abraham (1:5-27): Genesis 10-11
Abraham to Jacob (1:28-54): Genesis 12-36

We will spend the rest of January in Job. This is the only poetry book we did not cover (or start in the case of the Psalm) last year. It was written during the time of the patriarchs in Genesis, but I did not want to interrupt the flow of history since it is a very long book. So, we are reading it during this history review time. 

APPLICATION

See the rich heritage you have because you are part of the family of God in Galatians 3:29; 4:7; Titus 3:7; James 2:5; 1 Peter 1:3-4. There are great promises for those who are in Christ Jesus! 

PRAYER

Lord, thank You that our heritage is great in Christ Jesus. Thank You for bringing us into Your family because of Him!  WOOHOO! Amen. 

Psalm 45 - Our King

LINK: Psalm 45

BACKGROUND 

This psalm is a wedding song. It celebrates the wedding of a mighty king. Some believe it was for Solomon. It was written by the sons of Korah, a musical family from the Levites (Exodus 6:24).  

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

This psalm is also a termed a "Messianic psalm" because it prophesies of Christ the Messiah and His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:23ff; Revelations 19:6-21; 21:9; 22:17). It is believed to be about Jesus because Solomon was not a warrior (45:3-5) and the King is addressed as God (45:6). Hebrews 1:8-9 confirms it is a Messianic Psalm.  It is all about the splendor and majesty of Jesus!

REFLECTION 

My friends and I had been studying through the life of different Old Testament people. Most in the group did not know that much about Jesus. We had already gone through Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. When we started studying this Psalm, one of the women exclaimed, "I think this king is Jesus. Is it Jesus?"  We had not even mentioned Jesus yet.  She just knew it was about Him! The Scarlet Thread was evident to her without even knowing anything about Him.

So fun.

APPLICATION 

Worship the King and enjoy your Christmas break!

See you at the beginning of next year for the Bible Book Club Year Two: Divided Kingdom to Captivity to Return!

PRAYER

Lord God, thank You for an excellent year of reading Your Word. Help us to be transformed by it! Thank You for Jesus!  Amen. 

Psalm 72 - The Perfect King

LINK: Psalm 72

BACKGROUND

This is the last writing of Solomon we will cover during the Bible Book Club!  While this Psalm is attributed as a "Psalm of Solomon," some commentators believe, since it was written in the third person, it was  "for Solomon" and written by his father, David, and a prayer for people to use when praying for God's blessings on the new king. 

If it was written by Solomon, it was probably written before he fell away from the Lord in 1 Kings 11. The reason I did not put it before we read that chapter is that it also might be a messianic psalm about the Son of David, Jesus Christ, who was greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). 

The Psalm, in highly wrought figurative style, describes the reign of a king as “righteous, universal, beneficent, and perpetual.” By the older Jewish and most modern Christian interpreters, it has been referred to Christ, whose reign, present and prospective, alone corresponds with its statements.   (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments.  (Ps 72:1))

It describes the perfect King:

1) Righteous 

2) Just 

3) Peaceful 

4) Prosperous 

5) Compassionate 

6) Unlimited dominion 

7) Worthy of honor and praise 

8) Savior

In other words, Jesus! 

APPLICATION 

Praise our King Jesus today!  This is a perfect time to tell you to buy a copy of Handel's Messiah. We will go through each movement of this wonderful piece of Music at the end of the three years of the Bible Book Club because you will be amazed at what a great review it is of The Scarlet Thread of Redemption! His kingship is so evident in it! One of the highlights of my life was going to the room in London, England where Handel composed the music for it. 

It is already online if you want to view the posts in reverse order: Handel's Messiah 

Here is a download of all the posts in order: Messiah Meditations Devotional

This is my favorite musical version:

PRAYER

We welcome you, our coming King, into our hearts and lives. Amen. 

Put Ecclesiastes Back on the Shelf!

Ecclesiastes 11 & 12 - How to Live Life to the Fullest

LINKS: Ecclesiastes 11 and Ecclesiastes 12  
               (Read over the next two days)

BACKGROUND/REFLECTION 

Solomon has concluded his reexamination of four arguments to support his conclusion that life is not worth living. Here is a summary of that reexamination by Warren Wiersbe:

Being a wise man, Solomon reviewed his arguments and this time brought God into the picture. What a difference it made. He realized that life was not monotonous but filled with challenging situations from God, each in its own time and each for its own purpose. He also learned that wealth could be enjoyed and employed to the glory of God. Though man’s wisdom couldn’t explain everything, Solomon concluded that it was better to follow God’s wisdom than to practice man’s folly. As for the certainty of death, there is no way to escape it; and it ought to motivate us to enjoy life now and make the most of the opportunities God gives us. 

(Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1990). Be satisfied (Ec 11:1). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.)

Solomon concludes this book in Ecclesiastes 11 and 12 by getting down to some practical applications for us that counter the four arguments:

1. Life is not monotonous but an adventure of faith. So diligently live by faith making eternal investments through acts of charity (11:1-6).
2. Death is certain but life is a gift from God who wants us to treasure and enjoy life (11:7 - 12:8).
3. Wisdom of the world cannot answer the deeper questions of life but God's wisdom can, and He has given us the experiences of life to learn how to live according to His wisdom (12:9-12).
4. Wealth is a waste if we do not steward all our wealth (money, time, abilities, talents, etc.) out of our reverence for Him (12:13-14).

1. Live by Faith (11:1-6)

Solomon is pressing the rich into showing their faith by not being idle in doing good to others and giving freely. There are two possible interpretations of "casting your bread upon the waters."  One relates to merchant grain ships that Solomon would have been quite familiar with (1 Kings 10:15, 22). A merchant had to trust and wait for months for their ships to return. It was risky business to send them out upon unfamiliar and potentially dangerous waters. 

Another interpretation relates to the ancient world practice of casting seeds from boats into the overflowing waters of the Nile or marshy ground. When the waters went down, crops would spring up from the fertile soil (Isaiah 32:20), but what an act of faith to just throw it into the water! He continued his illustration using the farmer who has to trust God for all his crops.  The merchant (or alluvial plain seed sower) and the farmer have no control over the circumstances and must labor by faith.  Through these illustrations, he exhorts us to diligently labor on behalf of others, trusting that our investments today will reap eternal rewards tomorrow and into eternity. The New Testament equivalent of this would be Galatians 6:9, "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary" (see also Psalm 126:5-6 and Hosea 10:12). 

2. Enjoy Life Responsibly (11:7-12:8)

Solomon is drawing the young person into purer and more lasting joys by exhorting that person to remember/revere his or her Creator and live a lifestyle in fear of the Lord which is usually much healthier than one in pursuit of sensual pleasures! He exhorts us to enjoy life but do it responsibly before old age and death come!

Today is a very DARK fall day. It is rainy and wet and cold, but my house is flooded with light as I have about 25 candles lit in my living room. It is my act of rebellion against the spiritual darkness by remembering God's blessings even though I was raked over the coals (link for our international readers who don't understand American idioms) by a frustrated 20-something last night. The frustrations were stemming from something deeper. So, I put away my pride and potential offense to get to the bottom of it. I remember what it was like to be in my 20s, and I once had a 50-something (like myself) comfort me both physically and spiritually in my frustrated days. She gave me such kind words telling me that she would never want to relive her 20s. I could have compassion for this 20-something too.  

After remembering this 50-something woman today, I looked her up so that I could call her and thank her for being a light in a dark place in my life, but she passed away in 2004. Life is so short! We must learn to enjoy this life that He has given us with all its trials and hardships!

3. Live According to His Wisdom (12:9-12)

The world has its wisdom, and God has His. We need to choose God as our teacher in the school of life! Solomon was a wise teacher of God, and we can learn much through his proverbs and other writings (Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Psalm 72 and 127) about living wisely in this life. 

4. Steward the Wealth of Our Life (12:13-14)

God has given us everything we need to live a full and rich life. We are to steward all of it by fearing God and keeping His commandments. It is so simple really! Corrie ten Boon said: 

"The measure of a life, after all, 

is not its duration but its donation." 

Let's steward that life as wisely as possible. 

APPLICATION

Are you living by faith by being generous with the wealth (both materially and spiritually) he has given you?  While it is great to have this happen year-round, if you are reading this according to the Bible Book Club schedule, Christmas is only days away, and it is a great season for responding to the needs of others!

Are you enjoying the life that God has given you while living responsibly?  

Are you responding wisely to the challenges of life? 

Is God's Word running through your veins and out into the decisions you make every day?

Are you wisely stewarding the time, talents, wealth, and possessions He has given you?

PRAYER

Lord, Thank You that You have given us this life to enjoy and bring joy to You. Teach us to number our days so that we may present to you a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). Help us to steward our time wisely because these days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). Help us to give generously (Proverbs 3:9,10). Teach us to fear You and keep Your commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Amen. 

Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 - "No Exit"

LINK: Ecclesiastes 9 & 10

BACKGROUND

A key repeated phrase in Ecclesiastes 9 and 10 is "no man knows" (9:1, 12; 10:14). Man cannot predict what will happen to him in the end and whether his toil will fail or succeed. We do know that we all share a "common destiny" (NIV) and that is death. The fact is that none of us get out of here alive! After making this conclusion, Solomon continues with his recurring theme of living life! Death is coming, but God has given us good gifts to enjoy so let's enjoy them! With all this, Solomon warned that life can sometimes be unpredictable, and we must yield to God's loving hand of Providence and walk in wisdom rather than folly.

In Ecclesiastes 10 and 11, Solomon concluded his discourse with a practical application. 

REFLECTION (Written in 2009)

Ecclesiastes has been all about the quest for meaning in life. Many search for it. 

This week, I completed Walden by the famous transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau. He went to Walden Pond in Massachusetts for two years, two months, and two days to contemplate the meaning of life and observe nature. He observed that "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." I agree with Thoreau's observation while I do not necessarily agree with some of his conclusions about how to "live life."

I also read the play No Exit by French playwright and existentialist, Jean-Paul Sartre. He sets a man in a locked hotel room with two other women and "no exit." They are bound for eternity in that room bringing each other sorrow and grief as each takes turns manipulating and taking control of one another. The main character cries, "Hell is -- other people!"

Solomon, Thoreau, and Sartre all grappled with the question, "Is life worth living?" There was a dark time in 1987 when I, too, grappled with this question. I was a believer in Jesus who was despairing of life after a series of events that left me overwhelmed, tired, and feeling very much alone. On the outside, life was good; I had just graduated with a master's degree and was working at a good job in my career field. Maybe the achievement of some worldly goals made me see the emptiness I still felt within. I remember a great wrestling match with God in my bedroom on Emerald Street in Eugene. God won. He drew me to His presence in a very powerful way. Sometimes, even as long-time believers, we can get knocked off course.

After investigating "life under the sun," Solomon concluded that life was not worth living! He cited the monotony of life, the vanity of wisdom, the futility of wealth, and the certainty of death as arguments to support his conclusion. Yes, it was not worth living apart from knowing that what we are doing is part of God's purpose for our lives.

APPLICATION

We will talk about Solomon's practical application tomorrow when we conclude our reading of Ecclesiastes.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You that Jesus is the answer to our desperate condition. Thank You that Jesus came so that we might have an abundant and full life (John 10:10). We want You to be the center of everything we do. We want Your purposes for our lives. Teach us Your way. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Ecclesiastes 8 - Evil in the World and Joy in the Journey

LINK: Ecclesiastes 8

BACKGROUND

As Solomon continued to praise wisdom, he purported that a wise person knows how to act with graciousness. In 8:1-9, he is saying that one should recognize the absolute authority of a king and the need for wisdom in averting a king's wrath in order to avoid harm. (This is wise advice considering what we have learned about kings in our Bible reading!)

In 8:10-17, he also tackled the issue of why there is evil in the world. He lamented that wicked people often go unpunished which leads to even more wrongdoing. Solomon believed in the "doctrine of divine retribution" (people eventually are punished for evil) and that God-fearing people are better off than the wicked; but he had seen the wicked getting what the righteous deserved and vice versa. He saw this as perplexing or meaningless.

Despite this contradiction, he offered the same advice he offered in 2:24-26; 3:12-13, and 5:18-19: eat and drink and enjoy life! He is not recommending hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure for pleasure's sake). Rather, he is recommending submission to God. We cannot control when God allows adversity or prosperity. We cannot have all our questions answered or comprehend all of His mysterious ways, but we can receive the good things in life as gifts from His hand and fully experience the joy they bring as we walk by faith and trust that He is in control of all the unanswered questions.

REFLECTION 

As I typed this post, my favorite song in the whole wide world kept going through my head. I want it sung at my memorial service.

I hope you can see how this song relates to this chapter. It sums up how Solomon proposes we live: WITH JOY! There is joy in this journey of life despite the mysteries and questions and incomprehensibility of our big God and evil in the world. I don't even know if you will see the connection between Ecclesiastes 8 and this song, but God is leading me to put it here. So, I will! I pray it blesses you like it did me tonight.

APPLICATION AND PRAYER

This is a beautiful YouTube video clip. Light some candles and meditate.

Joy in the Journey
by Michael Card

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
and freedom for those who obey.

And all those who seek it shall find it
A pardon for all who believe
Hope for the hopeless
and sight for the blind.

To all who've been born of the Spirit
And who share incarnation with Him
Who belong to eternity stranded in time
and are weary of struggling with sin.

Forget not the hope that's before you
and never stop counting the cost
Remember the hopelessness
when you were lost.

'Cause There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
and freedom for those who obey
and freedom for those who obey.

Wishing you freedom and joy this day . . . Carol

P.S. This is my favorite song of all time. 

Ecclesiastes 7 - A Bend in the Road

LINK: Ecclesiastes 7

BACKGROUND

In this chapter, Solomon does not contradict his advice in the last chapter to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in one's work. He is saying to enjoy what we have while we can, but adversity and hardships also strike and are there to remind us that life is short, and we must make it count by living each day with wisdom, integrity, and close communion with Him.

REFLECTION (written in 2009)

"Consider the work of God

for who is able to straighten what He has bent?"

I cannot tell you how many times I have claimed Ecclesiastes 7:13 through gritted teeth as some circumstances in my life have taken a tragic (at least from my point of view) turn. I have had to look God squarely in the face and say, "God, You have allowed this to happen, and I do not like what has happened, but I am not going to try to straighten what You have already bent. You are in control, and I relinquish mine. You are God, and I am not."

Often, God allows "bends" in the straight path we think we are taking toward eternity. Wasn't the whole book of Job all about a huge "bend" in Job's righteous road? We are bent toward wanting to straighten God's bends though! Part of maturing in Christ means learning to understand those "bends" as allowed by His hand for His sovereign purposes.

A woman asked me to pray today because her husband will likely lose his job in the latest job cuts from one of the largest employers in town. For many, these lay-offs have been quite an unexpected "bend" in the road. Many thought they would retire from this company, but there is no job security now. It is a sad time for many. The morale is quite low as many wait for the next axe to lower. Today it was a 5% pay cut, elimination of stock options, and reduction in 401(k) contributions. Many "bends" today, but we pray that God draws many people closer to His side through the uncertainty of the times. Trust in God is never misplaced trust.

We've been there. In August, the day after we turned from a fantastic exploration trip to Southeast Asia (the picture above is from that trip), George got his pink slip. Thankfully we have had six prior unemployment "bends" in our married life. So, we had this sick (my friend Abigail calls it "positive reframing") sense of excitement about what was around that next bend. We knew that God had something special in mind even if it involved adversity, suffering, or even poverty. We accepted it and tightened our budget to brace for what was ahead. Who were we to attempt to straighten God's bend?

After four months of unemployment, we can testify about the bend! God is good. He continues to be sovereign, yet again (I used to tell girls in my Bible study to "mark it on their calendar" when they saw God's sovereignty each day. You should try it!). He was faithful the last five times of unemployment, and guess what? He was faithful once again! We see it was all part of His plan. In those four months, George was able to invest more time in being a part of a team that got the first Perspective on the World Christian Movement course in Corvallis up and running. This has been a huge blessing for us to see 120 people coming every Sunday night excited to see God's name proclaimed among the nations!

In God's perfect timing, four weeks after the course was running smoothly, George started a job with the USDA Forest Service on the OSU campus. In God's perfect way, He "bent" the roads of two of the guys that George meets with so that they are ALSO working on the OSU campus, making it so much easier to meet! Your God at work, once again.

We are so glad we did not waste energy trying to "straighten" things out. God knows what He is doing with our lives, and we can rest confidently in Him!

2023 Update: The Perspectives Course had been done many times in our town, and I just met with a group of people yesterday who want to start another one next year!

APPLICATION

How do you respond to those "bends" in the road? Maybe you are facing a possible one in the near future or going through it right now. Talk to God about this and listen to what He says to You. Write it down. He may give you a verse to cling to. Write it on a card and memorize it. Return to it again and again. God is in the process of maturing You for His sovereign purpose!. Do not do anything to try to straighten Him out.

PRAYER

Lord, we are grateful for the bends in the road. Teach us not to be straighteners. Teach us to ride the wave of Your sovereign will until we reach Your secure shores. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.