Not What We Think!---Day 231 Through The Bible

                          Balsam Lake has been drained to repair a crack in the dam and I was expecting to see
                                  an ugly muddy lake bed.  Instead, we were pleasantly surprised by this lush green carpet.

We begin today with Job chapter 31 and Job's defense against the accusation of hypocrisy in his personal, private life.  Job had evidently made a decision earlier in his life not to lust after women.  He recognized accountability to God and was aware that God sees what he does. Verse 4, "Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?"  Job defended his integrity and in a way was asking for a modern day "lie detector test"--"Let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity" (verse 6).  Job acknowledges that turning from "the way", following the desires of the flesh, and having hands spotted with sin, can cut off blessings.  He fully understood the "fire of destruction" that would ensue should he be enticed by a woman and be foolish enough to hang out at his neighbor's door (verse 9). Job recognized the deception of sin and was aware that consequences always followed.

Job was also aware that in every situation, he would one day answer to God, "What then shall I do when God rises up?" (verse 14). He understands that his servants are also made in the image of God, and asks, "Did not He who made me in the womb make them?" (verse 15).  Job had evidently always had compassion on the poor and fatherless and provided clothing and warmth "with the fleece of my sheep" (verse 20).  Job said his confidence was never in his wealth, neither had he been enticed to worship the sun or moon (verse 24-27).  "This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment. For I would have denied God who is above" (verse 28).

Neither was Job vengeful toward his enemies--he did not rejoice in their destruction nor did he ask God to curse them (v. 29-30). The "men of his tent" could testify to the fact that Job was generous with what he had--'Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?' (v. 31).  He opened his doors to travelers
(v. 32).  Job acknowledges his "transgressions" in verse 33, and says he also acknowledged them to God and to others rather than attempting to conceal them as is common to human nature.  Job clears himself of the accusations of hypocrisy by his "friends" and expresses his desire for God to write down His charges against him.  Job declares that he would carry God's assessment of him on his shoulder "and bind it on me like a crown; I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him" (v. 36-37).  Job will live to realize that this is not the case and that his speech is filled with arrogance toward the Almighty (Job 40).

In chapter 32, Elihu, a younger man, can hardly wait to declare his opinion--"I am full of words" (v. 18).  Dr Stanley writes this about Elihu, "He thought he had much to add, but in fact he merely restated the foolish things already said. 'In the multitude of words sin is not lacking' (Prov. 10:19).

Psalm 98:1-3, speaks of the Lord making known His salvation--"His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.  He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God".  This is "a song of joy and victory. Because God is victorious over evil, all those who follow Him will be victorious with Him when He judges the earth" (Life Application Study Bible).  We are reminded in Proverbs 23:17-18, "Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off."

Our study finishes in I Corinthians 2:1-16. "The Christians in Corinth were struggling with their environment.  Surrounded by corruption and every conceivable sin, they felt the pressure to adapt to their environment" (Life Application Study Bible). Paul tells them clearly that he did not come to them "with excellence of speech or of wisdom" (v. 1).  "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (v. 2).  He goes on to say that his speech and preaching "were not with persuasive words of human wisdom" and that their "faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (v. 4-5).

I think we forget that not everyone can understand the Bible.  Paul reminds us in this passage in I Corinthians 2, that the things of God can only be understood by the Spirit of God.  "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (v. 14). In verse 16, Paul asks, "For 'who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?' (In Job 40:2, God will answer Job and ask him, "Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct Him?").  Paul completes verse 16 of I Corinthians 2, by saying, "But we have the mind of Christ." This is definitely something we want to remember "all the day" in our "(zeal) for the fear of the Lord" (Proverbs 23:17).