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translations.
AUGUST 24
Job 12-15
There are tons of things you can see in these chapters: individual
truths, Job's rebuttal of his friends, Job's pain. It's all here. I'll
highlight a few things that stand out to me.
Job 12
Vs. 1-3 Job is saying that everyone knows what his friends are saying,
but in Job's case it is misapplied. Notice that v. 2 looks like 1 Corinthians
14:36.
Vs. 4-6 These verses show that the depth of Job's suffering just keeps
on going, deeper and deeper, every day. The verses also show a secondary effect
to Job's suffering. Others were not only mocking Job; they were laughing at
everyone who sought to live to honor God. Verse 5 is true of all of us, and we
need to beware. I am one of those who, when I hear of someone's misfortune,
thinks, "What did they do to bring this on themselves?" God is
showing us in the book of Job that while this thought might be natural to
think, it is not always true.
Vs. 7-12 This is interesting. It is no accident that Job argues from
nature now, and God will use this argument against him later. Job is saying
that nature will confess that it is the God of creation who is doing this to
Job. Job could see that God Himself was ultimately responsible. But God will
show that His wisdom in creation should have taught Job to trust God when he
didn't understand God.
Vs. 13-25 Notice
that after the affirmation of v. 13, Job lists what God does. Underline or
circle every use of he that you find.
While Job is kind of right in all of this, because of his misunderstanding of
God, he puts a dark twist on everything. God may allow the death of the
righteous, but as God says in Psalm 116:15, Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Job 13
Vs. 1-2 Job is referring back to 12:1-3.
Vs. 3-12 After being verbally beaten by his friends, Job thinks he
would rather talk to God and plead his case. Job understands that his friends
have spoken falsely of God and he's warning them that God won't be happy. At
the end of Job, God will be mad at them and say that while they spoke falsely,
Job spoke the truth.
Vs. 13-19 It would appear that God allowed Job's friends to abuse him
to get Job to the place of wanting to stand in God's presence and declare his
case. These verses show how strongly Job loved God and could not let what was
happening to him defeat what he had trusted in all of his life. Verse 15 is
this undying confidence in the love and truth of God. What a guy.
Vs. 20-22 So that Job could speak with God, Job would like two things.
Vs. 23-28 It is no news to Job that he is a sinner, but he knows that
what is happening to him doesn't "fit" the love and devotion he has
for God. Why would God do something like this to him? Job's relationship to God
made sense up to this point. The silence isn't something Job understands.
Job 14
Vs. 1-6 One of Job's thoughts here is that since all people are born in
sin and sin is our natural state, the violence being done to Job is unusual and
not because of inborn sin. Verse 5 also says that there is a time when life on
earth ends.
Vs. 7-17 It appears that Job is saying that his only vindication would
be on earth. In the cases of things that get cut and grow back, a person's life
is not like that. Once we leave the earth, we are gone. Job was afraid that
God's wrath would bring him to death and he wouldn't be able to grow again once
God saw he was innocent.
V. 13 This looks like Job understood something about death and
resurrection. Most places in this chapter Job is speaking of dying, as being
removed from life on the earth. Here it seems he knows where you wait after you
die, and that eventually you will be raised (remembered) by God. But it doesn’t
seem like Job knew that the new life would be bigger and better than the first.
Vs. 18-22 Here Job falls back into hopelessness. God is relentless and
destroys the hope of man. That is Job's pain and grief speaking. Verse 22 shows
what he was feeling with every breath.
Job 15
The bell rings. This begins round 2. Eliphaz enters the ring.
Vs. 2-13 Notice that these comforters have now completely lost their
cool.
Vs. 4-5 They were right in sensing that Job was accusing God, but then,
they had incited Job.
Vs. 7-8 This is exactly what God will say, but they are wrong in saying
this, since Job was not being punished for any wrongdoing. It probably would
have been good for all parties to have stopped talking, but then, we wouldn't
have the book of Job.
Vs. 14-16 These are the words of Satan from Eliphaz's vision in chapter
4.
Vs. 17-35 This now is a very one-dimensional view of how God treats the
wicked. This will also get Eliphaz & Co. in trouble. God doesn't always pay
on Friday and judge those who rebel against Him immediately. God did the same
to Pharaoh; He allowed Pharaoh to become great so that He could use Him for His
glory. God humbled Pharaoh in the sight of all nations, but some rebels go to
the grave with their pride. The first twinge of humility they feel is when they
stand before God and realize they had lived in lies and committed a huge,
irredeemable mistake.
In our reading today, Job spoke about God's wisdom and power and then
applied this rather darkly to God, who capriciously raises up and puts down.
This is what Job felt had happened to him in losing everything. Job couldn't
yet see that God's actions are motivated by more than punishment for sin and
blessing for obedience. While God's works are always done in justice and wisdom
and love, it doesn't mean that we'll understand what He does or understand what
He allows to happen to us. We know that God is working every day to redeem men
and women on this planet; and everything He does works toward that, whether we
understand His wisdom or not. Because of Jesus, we understand God's love and
wisdom and His constant work in the harvest of mankind. In fact, read Isaiah
53, and you'll see how some of what happened to Jesus sounds like Job. Through
God's Word and through Jesus, the love of God incarnate, we know Him and we
know we can praise Him in circumstances we don't understand. He is enough and
we can bless His name.
1 Corinthians 15:29-58
Vs. 29-34 Paul/the Spirit uses a couple of "common sense"
arguments, and then Paul really rebukes the Corinthians. The resurrection is a
"red letter" doctrine and not something to be ignorant about. If you
read this out loud you can feel Paul in this passage.
V. 29 This is an argument from general human consciousness. Almost
everyone, even an unbeliever, thinks there is an "after life." Pagans
even had rites for the dead, believing they were alive in another world. This
would also be like saying that the demonic exists, as evidenced in the
unbelieving public's interest in the occult and horror movies. They may be
unbelieving, but they still sense that these forces exist.
Ironically, some people in this church didn't get what unbelievers knew
to be true. The dead are raised.
Vs. 30-32 The resurrection makes the gospel absolute. The resurrection
not only means life for those who know Christ, but it also means judgment for
those who don't because every person must bow to Christ. It makes Jesus the
only Savior and the only saving message on the planet. This is what put Paul in
danger. If there were no resurrection, Christianity would only be teaching
about morality. Our gospel is a universal, irresistible, global reality. When
Paul spoke of the resurrection and all that is inherent in the resurrection, it
made his message one that called for a decision, not simply benign assent.
V. 32 is actually a quote from Isaiah 22:13. Maybe that's where the
Epicureans got it. It means the same thing in both cases. If there is no
resurrection and life with God, there is no judgment, there is no basis for
morality, there is no necessity and there is no point.
Vs. 33-34 This is a very stinging rebuke to this super church with all
the gifts. They had people among them who were either unsaved or incredibly
spiritually immature, and the Corinthians were OK with that.
Vs. 35-41 Oops! So much for "there's no stupid question."
Actually, it is sort of the way God answers Job at the end of the book.
Vs. 42-50 This is not only great teaching on the resurrection; it is
our hope. Isn't it amazing to think that our resurrected body will be
infinitely better than our physical bodies? I'm looking forward to those
"six pack" abs, but even more, I'm looking forward to fully bearing
the image of Christ. I'm working toward both now, but looking forward to the
certainty of that day.
Vs. 51-57 More great Scripture.
V. 51 belongs in every church nursery.
Basically this is
saying that the only exception to the process of death and resurrection will be
those who are present when Christ returns before the Tribulation to take the
church. For the Lord himself will
descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ
will rise first (1 Thess. 4:16).
In taking those of the church who are alive on the planet at that moment, there
will be an instant translation of the body from physical to spiritual. This
also means that at the rapture, all who have died in Christ, from the death of
Jesus until that time, will be raised.
At the end of the
Tribulation when Jesus comes, all the righteous dead (from Adam to John the
Baptist) will be raised. His angels will gather those believers living on the
earth, but those believers will not be changed. They will live on earth with
Christ in His Millennial Kingdom.
V. 57 Our victory is in Christ. The powers of death (gates of Hell)
cannot defeat us.
V. 58 So then, we should be willing to deny ourselves, take up our
cross daily and follow Christ in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples,
who make disciples, who make disciples.
Psalm 39
What a great psalm.
Vs. 1-3 This looks like a very weary David struggling to wait on the
Lord.
Vs. 4-6 Just like Moses in Psalm 90, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Understanding our place in life, on this earth, in this time, should make us
focused in following Christ in the harvest.
Vs. 7-11 Our hope is in Christ.
Vs. 12-13 A cry for restoration.
Proverbs 21:30-31
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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