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AUGUST 22
The length today is a little long since we are still getting grounded
in Job, and because 1 Corinthians 14 is a little complex. When you're finished
with the notes on 1 Corinthians 14, you might need a friend to give you the
Heimlich maneuver.
Job 4-7
Up until now it looks like Job has passed this terrible test and it's
over. Not so. Although Satan is not mentioned again in the book, his influence
against Job continues in the form of his friends misrepresenting God. Many
things Job's friends say are good; but in terms of really understanding God or
understanding Job's situation, they are completely off base. Because of their
misapplication of the truth, God will tell them that they are wrong and that
Job is right. They all get an education into the depth of God's wisdom. And we
are led to understand that what is going on in reality is larger than just us and
our peril here on this planet. The answer in all of this is to have absolute
and fearless trust in God. He Himself, His love and wisdom, has to be enough.
Job 4
Vs. 1-6 We'll see this over and over. Job was known for his ability to
help and to strengthen others. This guy is accusing Job of not being able to
take his own advice and be calm while suffering. His friends, though
acknowledging that Job strengthened others, do the opposite in their dealing
with Job. Do you notice the subtle rebukes in Eliphaz's words to Job? Would you
dare do this to someone who had suffered such losses?
Vs. 7-11 This statement is actually both their problem and Job's. All
of them believed that disaster was punishment. They were all wrong. Job will
contend that he didn't sin, and rightly so. His friends will contend that he
did sin. Job will eventually slip, by saying that God was unfair. No one but
Elihu, at the end, will suggest that God in His wisdom uses disaster for
reasons other than punishment. God's wisdom is what none of them could grasp.
So for us, it is good to keep in mind that bad things are not necessarily a
sign of punishment in our lives or in the lives of others. That may be the
first thing we feel, but the message of this book says something more.
Vs. 12-21 This is
the "truth" that Satan shared with Eliphaz that now drives the
thinking of Job's friends. What is sobering is that these friends received
"spiritual" information that is empowering, driving them to ruin
their friend. This doesn't happen in the church, does it? And the Lord's servant must not be
quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with
gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the
truth, 26and
they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after
being captured by him to do his will (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Paul wrote this to Timothy in dealing
with believers in the church in Ephesus.
V. 17 In my mind this is the key to understanding the attack on Job and
the lie that Satan gave Job's friends. The answer is assumed to be
"no." But that's not true, is it? Since the fall in the garden, God
has known, but kept secret, the way the answer would be "yes" in
Christ. Even in the OT, those who drew near to God in faith sensed and
understood in the very character of God, that salvation and righteousness were
possible. This didn't come through religion or just through the Scriptures, but
by being close to God. They knew it by faith. It's like, you don't know how He
will do it, but you know Him, His love and His wisdom, and that He will and can
do it. When it all works out, we don't understand all the events or reasons,
but knowing God has to be enough.
Vs. 17-21 All of these words are from Satan. Knowing what you know of
the Lord and the Bible, how many half- truths can you find here? The attempt is
to destroy all hope. Thankfully, the things he says are not the full truth, and
our hope is in the Lord.
As disciples saved by grace, our following is not because of what we
expect God to give us on this earth or any other ideas of justice or fairness.
All that is gone. We live knowing our Father, serving His Son, following His
Spirit, who indwells us. Regardless of what happens in life, knowing God in
Christ is enough.
Job 5
Notice that all of what Eliphaz says is right and good, but it is
terribly misapplied to Job. Much of what he says is consistent with God's words
elsewhere. Tomorrow we'll read Psalm 38, and this sounds just like that psalm.
Vs. 1-7 Eliphaz really wanted Job to see the one-to-one correlation
between what had happened to him and his sin.
Vs. 8-16 Notice in this section that the first verse says to seek God,
and the rest of the verses tell you why to do that. It was all good advice, but
applied to the wrong guy. He was insisting on Job's sin and understanding God's
actions as very one-dimensional.
V. 13 This verse blows my mind, because Paul quotes the first part of
this verse in 1 Corinthians 3, showing Paul's breadth of knowledge in the OT and
showing that these guys were saying good stuff and eternal truth. This is like
singing a happy song at an execution. It can be a great song, but it doesn't
fit the situation.
Vs. 17-27 Verses 17-18 sound like something out of Hebrews. All of this
is good stuff. (Keep in mind that although only one "friend" is
speaking at a time, they are all in agreement, having probably discussed this
matter and made their judgment on their way to visit and "comfort"
Job.) But you see here the subtle charge Eliphaz
and Co. are making against Job. They are saying Job's troubles are God's
reproof because of sin. This isn't something Christians do to each other, is
it? What if it is simply God's will to allow something to happen for His
greater purpose in reality and for some fine tuning in our lives? Pruning, as
in John 15, doesn't mean reproof because of sin. It means that the Father is
helping us and furthering His own plans for us and others.
Job 6
Vs. 1-7 This is the bitter weight of his emotional and physical
anguish.
Vs. 8-13 This is a good question. Of course we see what is happening
behind the scenes spiritually and we know the end of the book. We could yell to
Job, "Don't wish for death; it will all get better." But from Job's
perspective there is this thing that has come upon him that has shaken some of
his understanding of God.
V. 9 is asking why God doesn't just take him. At the end of the book,
Job will understand God's wisdom in not allowing him to die. If God doesn't
take life needlessly and lets life linger on purpose, we need to wait on Him
and not "play" God on earth. All of the talk of "mercy
killing" is misguided.
Vs. 14-23 This seems like a warning to his friends, that they will get
in trouble for approaching Job like this. Job was right.
Vs. 24-30 It looks like Job is appealing to them to stop before they
are guilty of injustice. They couldn't prove Job was guilty; they could only
accuse him. In v. 30 Job says that he would know if he was guilty.
Job 7
Vs. 1-6 This gives you the idea that months have gone by and Job is
tired of suffering.
Vs. 7-10 And, when Job finally dies there will be no memory of him.
Verse 7 seems to be an appeal to his friends for mercy and consideration.
Vs. 11-21 These words seem to be directed toward the Lord. Because Job
was lingering and anticipating death, he felt justified in questioning and
venting against the Lord. He never cursed God, but he greatly misunderstood
God's actions. Of course that is easy for me to say. I do the same thing when
I'm in pain or when I face bad news.
Vs. 14-16 It seems like the effect of hearing about Eliphaz's vision
was that it made Job's desire to die even more intense. Job had great
temptation bearing on him to take his own life and not wait for God's
vindication. That was Satan's work and Satan still does the same today.
Vs. 17-21 Job's understanding of God was that if we sin, He forgives.
Of course Job was one of a kind and close to God. He understood God's grace and
mercy. So then, this was strange to him that God would so demolish him and not
forgive him. But Job knows he hasn't sinned. He doesn't have a category for
understanding God or what is happening to him at this point in time.
It is interesting that Job wasn't allowed to die and that the impulse
to desire death came through Satan. Our own troubles, the plight of the dying,
and the lives of the mentally challenged fulfill God's purposes. We are not
God. He can end things whenever He desires. Often He is working through these
things to accomplish purposes on so many levels, in so many lives, that we
cannot comprehend it. We are not God. The impulse to end these things is not
from God, since God is the One who gives and takes away. If we really want to
"play God," we need to show love and comfort until He takes life
away. We know His wisdom, His goodness, His love, His character. That is
enough. Our trust in waiting and living needs to be totally in Him. He needs to
be enough.
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
In showing the abuse of the gift of tongues in Corinth, Paul has also
been saying that the purpose of their gatherings should be to edify, strengthen
and encourage one another. Paul has shown that tongues is impractical in terms
of edification, unless others are there who understand what is being said. Now
Paul and the Spirit will show that tongues had/has a very narrow purpose.
Vs. 18-19 These verses really conclude what Paul was saying yesterday.
Notice the exaggeration in what he says. There is a hint of rebuke in these
words. The Corinthians should have been more focused on building up others
instead of showing their stuff. They were acting like they were lost on earth,
living for themselves and not engaged in the harvest.
Vs. 20-21 Paul is quoting Isaiah 28:11-12, For by people of strange lips and with a
foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this
people, 12to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is
repose”; yet they would not hear.
In Isaiah, the people in view are Jews. The gift of tongues was a sign
to the Jews that God was taking His offer of "rest" and redemption to
others. They would know this because a foreign people would be declaring the
praise of God to them, the Jews, the people of God. My opinion is that this was
and is the only purpose of the gift of tongues. It was a sign to the Jews. This
is how it was used in Acts, and I think the reason it was so prevalent (and
misused) in Corinth is that the church was next to the synagogue and the church
was very, very Jewish in membership. Think this through. In which other
churches/letters do you find any teaching about tongues?
V. 22 This is Paul's conclusion and you have to follow his reasoning
closely. Notice that Paul says "sign," not "gift."
A sign not for believers seems to mean that unbelievers are shown something by this sign. Believers
do not have anything revealed to them, so it is not "for" them. In
Acts, this "unbelief" took the form of not believing that the gospel
was going beyond the Jews. In Acts 10-11, that "unbelief" was
demonstrated by Jewish believers of the circumcision party who took Peter to
task for visiting a Gentile. The gift of tongues was a sign to them of their
unbelief, to show them God's working beyond them and to help them conquer their
unbelief. It showed them something. You notice that the gift had a very
specialized purpose, because even in talking about "unbelievers," it
meant a very specific group of unbelievers and a specific kind of unbelief. The
message of redemption was given, for a time, to the Gentiles. The Jews were now
hearing the message of redemption that had been theirs to tell, through the
stammering lips of Gentiles.
So then, what does it mean that prophecy is for believers, showing or revealing something to them?
Vs. 23-25 Hang on to your hats. This will be funny.
V. 23 I thought tongues were supposed to speak to unbelievers. But
tongues only speak to a particular kind of unbelief and a particular kind of
unbeliever, that is, “unbelievers” who do not believe that the gospel has gone
beyond the Jews. Here, the unbelievers, who were probably Gentiles, have no
concern about the gospel going out beyond the Jews and are only listening for
the message. They say Christians are mad.
V. 25 But now doesn't it seem that the gift of prophecy
"spoke" to the unbeliever? Here, an unbeliever falls on the ground,
worshipping God (apparently coming to faith in Christ), yet notice that through
the work of prophecy bringing life to this person, it shows or reveals to the church and Christians that God is really among them. The effect of prophecy in the
church is that it leads the church to bear fruit and that is the sign to
believers that Christ is among them. Notice the effects of this prophecy on the
unbeliever: conviction, called to account, heart disclosed, falls on face
(repentance), worships God. But the "sign" is for believers,
showing them that they are on the right track, in the harvest, and that God is
among them. All of that can happen through "prophetic" preaching.
Notice the word really. Can
it be that we “think” we have God among us because of the emotion of worship
music and because we hold a service, but that He's really not there? How do you understand what Paul is saying here?
The effect of "prophecy" is changed lives and fruit in the harvest.
This seems to be how you know God is
really among you.
I know this is radical; and, admittedly, it is my take on things.
Notice that the only place worship is mentioned in this service is from an
unbeliever coming to faith in Christ in the service. Paul apparently thought
that the service of the church should be understandable to a lost person. If
you follow the definition of prophecy that Paul is using, it is one part
revelation and three parts teaching, instruction, and encouragement. I think the
last three parts are a part of a particular kind of teaching and preaching that
the church still needs.
Vs. 26-33 Notice that there is a slight change here. Up until now, Paul
has been teaching about the gifts and the purpose of the service. Now, Paul is
directing, giving commands to the leaders on how to arrange the service. These
letters were written first to elders, and then to the congregation. In a case
like this where Paul is giving orders, we are now reading the part for elders
who serve and direct the church. If you catch this change and understand the
different tone here, it will make the next section about women more
understandable.
V. 26 Notice the parts, and notice the purpose is still edification.
V. 31 This is a way to understand the purpose of prophecy and
edification, that all may learn and all
be encouraged.
V. 32 Following the Spirit is no excuse for disorder. I love this, the spirits of prophets are subject to
prophets.
Vs. 34-36 Earlier Paul said women could pray or prophesy publicly, if
they wore a head covering. So, what is this? Often, people who are ardent for
women's rights either disregard these verses or claim Paul is quoting someone
in the church. You've read enough of 1 Corinthians to know that when Paul
quotes an opponent, it is very clear what he is quoting, and he gives a good,
clear answer. As we've seen in chapter 11, the newfound freedom of the Jewish
women was, in some cases, taken too far. In chapter 11 it was expressed in not
showing submission to their husbands publicly; and here, I think, it is in
publicly arguing with and not submitting to the elders of the church.
I believe the difference here is in v. 26. Paul is now speaking to the
elders, giving them orders, and talking about leading the church as only the
elders are to lead the church. In meetings where elder level decisions are
being made and expressed, women were apparently arguing. Paul says if it was a
congregational meeting and women were present during these discussions, they
were to be silent and subordinate at this level of leadership,
I try to be as broad as I can be without violating what God says, but I
was once in a church meeting that showed the truth and wisdom behind what Paul
is saying here as two vocal women made quite a show. One was a single woman who
wasn't a member and whose spiritual maturity was very questionable. The other
was an elder's wife who chided her husband (who was leading the meeting) in
front of the group. Her contribution was the "cherry on the top" to
an already tragic meeting.
I think both here and in 1 Timothy 2, the silence and submission of
women is seen in the context of church leadership, specifically, leading the
church as elders lead the church. Note that in 1 Timothy 2 after Paul talks
about a woman's silence, he immediately talks about elder leadership. The
context of the silence here in 1 Corinthians 14 is criticizing and not
submitting to the elders' leadership in the church.
Vs. 37-38 Talk about Paul declaring his spiritual authority. This is a
command of the Lord. That means it is binding on us too. And if they didn't
agree with Paul and couldn't recognize the Lord in what he was saying, Paul
said they were not recognized as leaders or as spiritual people. And of course,
it wasn't Paul, it was and is the Spirit who is speaking. O Weh!
Vs. 39-40 Paul said not to forbid speaking in tongues, I think, because
the gift still did have some validity in their situation next to the synagogue.
Sorry for the teaching here. You don't have to agree with me. If you
are feeling choked by all of this, have someone stand behind you, with their
arms around you and put their hands together into a big fist just below your
sternum. Now have them hug you tight, jump up and pull the fist into your
diaphragm when they hit the ground. Better?
Psalm 37:30-40
Vs. 30-31 Notice the connection between the mouth and the heart. What
ultimately is determined are the actions or direction of that person. They are
following the Lord.
Vs. 32-33 I think we can agree that this is true in an
ultimate sense in reality, and in a general sense on earth. As we are seeing in
Job, there are times that the Lord allows His own to suffer. There is love
involved and there is the wisdom of God bringing forth His plan of redemption.
Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written, “For your sake we are
being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
(Rom. 8:35-37).
V. 34 The first part of this verse is what I want to be content to do,
without needing to see the second or third part of this verse in my lifetime.
Vs. 35-36 Understanding of course, that we might not see this in our
lifetime.
Vs. 37-38 This is
certainly true in the ultimate sense of the kingdom of God. Paul wrote the
following verse knowing that his death and departure were near. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into
his heavenly kingdom. To him be the
glory forever and ever. Amen (2 Tim. 4:18).
Vs. 39-40 This is true of all who know and love the Lord, yet it may be
true as we fulfill the Lord's mission for us in dying for His name in the face
of mocking unbelief, just as our Lord died. Life doesn't end at death, and our
vindication and salvation are ever present.
Reading Job and reading this psalm is interesting. I want to say I know
all of this is true, but really I need to trust the Lord, not my expectation of
what this justice will look like or when it will come. God and who He is has to
be enough.
Proverbs 21:27
Amen.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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