Job 24-29

Job 24 (NKJV)

1 “Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, Why do those who know Him see not His days?

God sees all knows all, doesn't he see whats happening? Why do the wicked “get away with it”? When we have nothing? Look they:

2 “Some remove landmarks; They seize flocks violently and feed on them; 3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; They take the widow’s ox as a pledge. 4 They push the needy off the road; All the poor of the land are forced to hide. 5 Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, They go out to their work, searching for food. The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.

folks scrounging, living like hobos just to eat.

6 They gather their fodder (leftover wheat stuff cream of wheat? usually fed animals) in the field And glean in the vineyard of the wicked. 7 They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering in the cold. 8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And huddle around the rock for want of shelter.

3 main things for survival. Water, Food, Shelter.

9 “Some snatch the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge from the poor. 10 They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing; And they take away the sheaves from the hungry. 11 They press out oil within their walls, And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst. (mind boggling but happens today) 12 The dying groan in the city, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not charge them with wrong. 13 “There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths. 14 The murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor and needy; And in the night he is like a thief. 15 The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me’; And he disguises his face. 16 In the dark they break into houses Which they marked for themselves in the daytime; They do not know the light. 17 For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death; If someone recognizes them, They are in the terrors of the shadow of death. (deeds of darkness) 18 “They should be swift on the face of the waters, Their portion should be cursed in the earth, So that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards. 19 As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave consumes those who have sinned. 20 The womb should forget him, The worm should feed sweetly on him; He should be remembered no more, And wickedness should be broken like a tree. 21 For he preys on the barren who do not bear, And does no good for the widow. 22 “But God draws the mighty away with His power; He rises up, but no man is sure of life. 23 He gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways. 24 They are exalted for a little while, Then they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others; They dry out like the heads of grain. 25 “Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech worth nothing?”

Who do we know that hasnt died? Hitler, dead. Mussolini, dead, Khan, dead. Everyone, dies. And then? Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” the difference between us and them? 1 John 4:17 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” B’am! Good guys suffer, wicked folks get the good stuffs, ask the rich man what he said to Lazarus (luke 16).

Why does God allow evil to prosper? everyone will be reaped. like all of us - Matthew 13:24–30 “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ””

Prove me wrong. Now bilbo breaks in, and after this, we hear nothing more from 3 of them. Eli will break in

Job 25:1–6 NKJV

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places. 3 Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise? 4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? 5 If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, 6 How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?”

sounds a little like jonathan edwards, Job cuts him off

Job 26:1–4 NKJV

1 But Job answered and said: 2 “How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? 3 How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many? 4 To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?

some truth, but at the same time...

the problem with condemning everyone as incapable, it puts you in the same basket. If its true, why are you talking? Kinda like how folks say, bible is just the words of men. So are yours (theirs). So if we cant trust them, I cannot trust you.

You didnt give spirit to anyone. Only God can do that.

Job 26:5–9 (NKJV)

5 “The dead tremble, Those under the waters and those inhabiting them. 6 Sheol is naked before Him, And Destruction (abbadon) has no covering. 7 He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. 8 He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it. 9 He covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it.

Some commentators say the dead tremble (ha rephaim) can refer to dead, but can also be the Rephaim, the Nephilim (giants) buried in the flood.

we often use this as evidence but its a fact. Many even in this time knew that earth traveled around the sun That it sits not on a turtle, or elephants, God isn't just more than these things, He has absolute authority over them. Look:

Job 26:10–14 (NKJV)

10 He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness. 11 The pillars of heaven tremble, And are astonished at His rebuke. 12 He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm. 13 By His Spirit He adorned (garnished, beautified) the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. 14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Job then it says, continued his “discourse” - proverb, wisdom, saying, song, jest. Now it doesnt play as a joke, and I hope he didnt Less Miserables please and sing this. But it is powerful.

Job 27:1–6 (NKJV)

1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: 2 “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, 3 As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, 4 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit. 5 Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.

After blaming God for it all (which again, is as presumptuous as his friends). However even still God called him blameless.

Job 27:7–12 NKJV

7 “May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous. 8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life? 9 Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God? 11 “I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. 12 Surely all of you have seen it; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?

again, even Job somewhat proves the point of his friends when he equates righting living with no troubles. And he is just getting started, you have seen this in my life he states

Job 27:13–23 (NKJV)

13 “This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty: 14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. (sad) 15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their widows shall not weep, 16 Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay— 17 He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver. 18 He builds his house like a moth, Like a booth which a watchman makes. 19 The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up; He opens his eyes, And he is no more. 20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night. 21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; It sweeps him out of his place. 22 It hurls against him and does not spare; He flees desperately from its power. 23 Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.

imagine the most terrifying storm you have ever been in. Now imagine that it took everything? So many times, we could've died. Jobs Friends, family, did. But how do we respond? Treat him like a lost dog, clapping, hissing at them to get out of the garbage?

Job 28:1–2 NKJV

1 “Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place where gold is refined. 2 Iron is taken from the earth, And copper is smelted from ore.

Riches or wisdom is there to be found for those that look.

Job 28:3–11 NKJV

3 Man puts an end to darkness, And searches every recess For ore in the darkness and the shadow of death. 4 He breaks open a shaft away from people; In places forgotten by feet They hang far away from men; They swing to and fro. 5 As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire; 6 Its stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust. 7 That path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it. 8 The proud lions have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it. 9 He puts his hand on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the roots. 10 He cuts out channels in the rocks, And his eye sees every precious thing. 11 He dams up the streams from trickling; What is hidden he brings forth to light.

We struggle so much for the silver/gold/shiny even killing ourselves for it, but not for the truth of it all the why of it, the wisdom of it.

Job 28:12–19 NKJV

12 “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? 13 Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living. 14 The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ 15 It cannot be purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price. 16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx or sapphire. 17 Neither gold nor crystal can equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold. 18 No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies. 19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

No one can know on their own. It has to be obtained. and it is more valuable than the greatest of rubies. so s the source of it. Real Godly wisdom is priceless.

Job 28:20–22 NKJV

20 “From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? 21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living, And concealed from the birds of the air. 22 Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’

well who? Of course… Elohim.

Job 28:23–28 NKJV

23 God understands its way, And He knows its place. 24 For He looks to the ends of the earth, And sees under the whole heavens, 25 To establish a weight for the wind, And apportion the waters by measure. 26 When He made a law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt, 27 Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out. 28 And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

A “law” for the rain. the amazing feat of the hydrologic system is mind-boggling. An inch of rain over our city weighs over a billion pounds. Imagine it just falling at once. But yet, God designed it so it is taken up, then falls sometimes even in a pleasant way. And He even commands it.

Wisdom, he says, God prepares it, declares it, indeed he say, it means something. Look,

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding” fear: “venerate and submit to”

The first time Chronologically we see this wisdom nugget. But not the last Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

Note, every-time we see Gods wisdom displayed we also see obedience to him in action. If you really understand Gods word/wisdom, you will be obedient to what revelation you understand. Proverbs 9:10 ““The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

what do we say, Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.” So lets conclude with

Job 29:1–25 (NKJV)

1 Job further continued his discourse, and said: 2 “Oh, that I were as in months past, As in the days when God watched over me; (those were the days god still watching over we know) 3 When His lamp shone upon my head, And when by His light I walked through darkness; 4 Just as I was in the days of my prime, When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent; 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, When my children were around me; 6 When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me! (symbolic of success, fat and happy!) 7 “When I went out to the gate by the city, When I took my seat in the open square, 8 The young men saw me and hid, And the aged arose and stood; 9 The princes refrained from talking, And put their hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. 11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me; 12 Because (in spite of eliphaz accusations) I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper. 13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. 15 I was eyes to the blind, And I was feet to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know. 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth. 18 “Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest, And multiply my days as the sand. 19 My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lies all night on my branch. 20 My glory is fresh within me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’ 21 “Men listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. 22 After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them as dew. 23 They waited for me as for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain. 24 If I mocked at them, they did not believe it, And the light of my countenance they did not cast down. 25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army, As one who comforts mourners.

really need to get through chap 31 to finish, but only if have time.

We need to quit looking at the here and now sometimes. Our theology is driven not by how successful a bad guy is, but who Yahweh is. Asaph said, turn to Psalm 73

Psalm 73:1–6 NKJV

1 Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.

Psalm 73:16–20 NKJV

16 When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me— 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.