Covenant Eyes
Book of Job • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsJob describes the sinner and says these things I have not done, therefore I deserve no punishment or evil on me.
Notes
Transcript
Job 31
Job 31
He who would be safe from acts of evil must haste away from occasions of it. A covenant must be made with our eyes not even to look upon the cause of temptation, for such sins only need a spark to begin with and a blaze follows in an instant.
Charles Spurgeon
We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1), lest the eye infect the heart.
Matthew Henry
If ever men needed to make covenants with their eyes it is now.
The Sons of God, 142
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Job begins this section with full on confessions, and declarative statements, again, defending himself in the court of heaven he believes. He has said over and over, El (God) sees and hears all. And the good thing is that Job really believes this. Was does a reality of God reveal in our lives.
1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
Most of us would say almost justifiably that Job is completely self occupied. I might be as well if I had maggots crawling around in my flesh. He is also, approving and justifying everything he did for God as “right”. Worthy of recompense.
We would also say what he has done here is noble. even right. and it is. One of those pastors even said we ought only to look a woman as we often do a man. In the eyes and get away quick. its just better for us.
the obvious intention of the verse is to say not look with lust (context, we will see) to look on a woman (or man as it were) with it.
why would he make such a control for himself? Matthew 5:27–30 ““You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”
so the idea of not being led to temptation takes the first part of this. As we will see later, lust runs the course in all our lives and almost every area.
Job 31:2–4 (NKJV)
2 For what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? 3 Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity? 4 Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps?
His self occupation is somewhat justified here as well, as God does pay attention to us. Knows everything that happens to us, in us. Jesus said, Matthew 10:29–31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
we have talked about the transactional process, but we mistakenly think that we earn this recompense from God because of our “good” behavior.
Don’t misunderstand, there are consequences for living in sin. Disease, pain, etc. but there is usually a good consequence for living well. closeness, no disease, etc. but it doesn't always work out. sometimes you just get sick, sometimes you get cancer, etc.
You hurting doesn't mean he is putting you through some sort of earthly purgatory. he can and does use it to train you, raise you up, teach you. He may even do spiritual surgery on you, but God isn't out to stab you in the back, etc.
Another thought, Gods care and concern for us, doesn't free us from hurt/pain. But we can lean on it when those things come.
He goes from sexual sin to the accusations of lying or deceit.
5 “If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has hastened to deceit, 6 Let me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity. 7 If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands, 8 Then let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.
Job didn't lie or cheat on anyone. he even believes that his walk has been so good, that he would deserve all the punishment he is getting for even the least of it. others should get all his stuff, eat his food, and so on. Any spot is that imperfection/sin.
Heart walked after my eyes, we can lust for more than just sex. We can lust after things, circumstances, riches, and the like - 1 John 2:15–17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
How many folks you see that their hearts are taken up by their lust or love for their sins and they go after things we find ridiculous to go after but they cant seem to not go after it.
Then we look at adultery.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door, 10 Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. 11 For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. 12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.
Again, this is big. Exodus 20:14 ““You shall not commit adultery.”
grind for, serve as a wife. the plural men bowing over is her sleeping with other men.
13 “If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me, 14 What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him? 15 Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
Job recognizes that no man is born any other way than from the womb of a woman.
truly we see this realized so more more fully in Jesus - who heard it from His Father - Deuteronomy 24:14 ““You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates.” and in Christ - in whom we have even more reason to treat all equally - Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
now - how do we treat “the poor”?
16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, 17 Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it 18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother’s womb I guided the widow); 19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering; 20 If his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
Job had already said that he treated others fairly, Job 29:12 “Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper.”
James 2:14–17 “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” ministering is more than just words but deeds.
This doesn't mean that the church or even every christian is to be a social worker, putting everyone on the dole. But we should help. We should help by making a difference in peoples lives.
21 If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate; 22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket. 23 For destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
Jobs moral stance - in court - he never took legal advantage of those even when the court would let him. (remember the gate was where they would have civil and legal disputes settled).
His confidence was such that he is willing to be torn about to be upstanding about the moral stance he is making. We should all be willing to be torn apart for our sin. Jesus himself said, “Mark 9:47–48 “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—48where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’””
24 “If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’; 25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much; 26 If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness, 27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand; 28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above.
Many love money and all the things that go with it. Most trust in it more than the Lord.
We love our sin so much that we would be willing to worship (throw a kiss) to the moon if it gives us anything else. John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
29 “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him 30 (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul); 31 If the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’ 32 (But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, For I have opened my doors to the traveler); 33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, 34 Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door—
As Adam (as men do). This may be the oldest reference to fearing men rather than God.
what do men do? We hide our sin. Genesis 3:10 “So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”” What do we know? Proverbs 28:13 “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
35 Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book! 36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown; 37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.
If I just knew what I did wrong, I would wear it around my neck in judgement of myself and tell everyone.
38 “If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together; 39 If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives; 40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Like we read in Leviticus, we need to be responsible/accountable in just a moment. James 5:1–4 “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. 4Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.”
Will will often justify the worst of behaviors in seeking to be