If you don't
have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to
the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This
site allows you to select from several languages and several English
translations.
AUGUST 30
Job 34-36
As I read over this, it seems there are a couple of things to remember.
First, in the final event, it is the Spirit who is writing this, so the message
He is conveying is important for us. Second, Elihu, through the Spirit, puts
his finger on some important points; but he is removed from Job's pain. In each
chapter, we almost need to re-read chapter 1 to see what Job is grieving.
Reading what Elihu says in correction to Job, you realize he didn't feel Job's
agony. If this had happened to me, it would have been a miracle if I could have
put two meaningful thoughts together. Job is speaking out of grief and
incredible physical pain. Fourth, there is a reason this happened to Job, not
only for his good, but for ours. Job was one of a kind, the most spiritual, righteous,
God-loving man on earth. God knew He could hit him hard and take him to task
even in his extreme suffering, because of who God had made him. Our job is to
observe and learn what happened behind the scenes. Then we need to see where
Job and his friends thought wrongly of God and learn to trust Him totally.
This reminds me of
a question I’ve asked in teaching Acts, regarding why God didn't stop Paul
before he was guilty of persecuting and killing so many believers. Why didn't
God stop Paul? It was for His own purpose. God worked for the good of His plan
of redemption. According to His wisdom, love, and purpose in the lives of Paul
and all those battered believers He brought personal good (heaven is good) and
ultimate good. And, Paul got the message - But
I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost (of sinners), Jesus Christ might display his perfect
patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life (1 Tim.
1:16). And like Job, Paul simply bowed to the sovereign might and wisdom of
God. Here's the next verse of that quote. To
the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen (1 Tim. 1:17).
Job 34
Vs. 1-6 This looks like Elihu's introduction to his next
point. Notice how he asks permission to speak, and then how he restates a part
of what Job said.
Vs. 7-9 Unfortunately Job was pushed to express some stuff
that made him sound like the ungodly. In v. 9 Elihu summarizes what Job said in
21:8-26. This was kind of silly of Job to say. We'd say it was excusable
because of his pain, but because of his pain, his narrow view of God's actions
and the pressure of his friends, Job showed what was in his heart. A statement like
this is always wrong.
Vs. 10-11 Elihu justifies God. We may not understand God,
but we know Him and should always justify Him. Notice too that Elihu doesn't
try to prove Job is wrong. Instead, he proves God is right.
Vs. 12-33 Verse 12 is the cardinal statement here. All of
their thinking had to give truth to this statement. God, the Creator, can never
do wrong. Much of what follows here sounds like what Job's friends said, but it
is meant differently coming from Elihu. He doesn't think this happened to Job
because Job sinned. He is simply saying that if you don't understand what God
is doing, don't charge Him with injustice. He can't do wrong. It seems to imply
that we understand justice because of God's image. Surely the Maker and Sustainer
of all, who gives us this sense of justice, can never be unjust.
Vs. 34-37 This is the charge against Job. Job had been
prodded to accuse God of wrong. His friends insisted that Job's suffering was
because of sin; and Job, therefore, assumed that punishment was the general
meaning of things, only that Job wasn't guilty enough to deserve what happened
to him. Note that this is not the same as cursing God. Satan never won his bet
with God. Job never stopped loving God or trusting what he knew to be true of
God. And remember, Job was always in terrible grief and pain.
Job 35
Chapters 35-37 roll together as one argument with two parts
and they will be Elihu's final words.
Vs. 2-3 It seems there are two things that Elihu thinks are
wrong. First, Job demanded the right to have an answer. Second, Job took the
statement in 34:9 further, by saying it was of no advantage to be righteous
instead of rebellious.
V. 4 Here, here!
Vs. 5-8 This is an interesting statement, and even more
interesting if you understand that it comes from God. We are not doing God a
favor by being righteous, like cheering up the old boy. "Oh look, Dan
obeyed. Now I feel better. Now I'm happy." God is complete in Himself.
Vs. 9-15 It seems Elihu is saying that it is only pain that
makes us want an answer from God. We never ask for an answer when things are
going well. Duh! This means that God's "silence" is really our
perception, and evidence that we are focused on us and really don't know God
and His working. Why don't we demand that God should tell us why things are
going good? We don't mind His "silence" then, do we?
V. 16 The verdict: Job doesn't know God as well as he
thought he did.
Job 36
In what follows, Elihu seems to finish showing that it is always better
to be righteous, and then he moves to answer the question about our right to
demand an answer.
Vs. 1-4 Unlike Job's friends who aimed at correcting Job, Elihu is
focused on speaking on God's behalf.
Vs. 5-16 It seems Elihu is describing God's wisdom in dealing with
people.
Vs. 17-23 The
first two verses sound like Matthew 7:1-2, Judge
not, that you be not judged. 2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the
measure you use it will be measured to you. The key verses here seem to be 22-23, where
God is described as a teacher.
Vs. 24-33 Some people feel that as Elihu was speaking, a storm began
forming on the horizon. Elihu seems to be saying to Job and the others that we
should always extol God's works and trust His heart, power and wisdom. This is
why Job has no right to demand an answer, because of God's wisdom and power. We
behold His works from afar and really don’t know Him well. Even with the
Spirit, Paul confessed that we see as if looking into a clouded mirror. That
face to face hasn’t happened yet, so we always need to hold to the Word and
what we know is true of God. He cannot do wrong.
This chapter flows into the next and then into God's description of His
might and wisdom. We don't demand that God explain gravity to us, but we're
sure thankful it works. We simply trust. And still, deep in Job, there was this
sense of trust and understanding, that directing all of God's power and wisdom,
there is a heart of love. This is why God will finally say that Job spoke what
was true of God, unlike Job's friends who spoke what was wrong.
As disciples, abiding every day in Christ, following Him in the
harvest, carrying our cross, we should expect God to bring the unexpected to
us. We are living for Him and His work as His servants. Our problem is that we
expect Him to work according to our likes and wishes. The great events of
redemptive history all looked like disasters, and suddenly God used them to
show His majesty and grace. To read about the greatest of these disasters, read
the Gospels or the short version in Isaiah 53. That's our Lord, and the servant
isn't greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than He who sent
him.
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Paul is still describing the effects of how God brought him and his
co-workers through the emotional turmoil they were in. As we see it here, God
brought Paul through these troubles in this particular way to give him this
heart and these words for the Corinthians.
Vs. 1-2 Bearing fruit in spite of their weakness, they see they have
been given this ministry by God's mercy. Paul is justifying God. Again, you
understand that Paul is also addressing criticism against him in Corinth. Paul
didn't choose the ministry. God chose him for the ministry by His mercy.
Vs. 3-6 But what about Paul not being a good speaker? Just like us,
Paul's clearest witness for Christ was Jesus' light shining in his heart. So,
it's not about us and our abilities, it is all about Him being able to simply
shine through us. You don't have to be a well-educated super-apostle for that
to be possible. If the gospel is veiled, it is not because of our inferiority.
It is because of the enemy. Remember, there is an enemy.
Vs. 7-12 And, in submission to Christ, what comes out of the cracked
pot? It is what God brings out by taking us through experiences that make
us realize the greatness of His love and power and wisdom. Suffering in us
produces life in others as we share what He is doing. God gives the glory to
the message, not the cracked vase. But the cracked vase does get to see the
glory of God.
You understand then, that God is doing exactly what Paul is describing.
God took Paul through great distress to prepare him to write these words to
correct and bring life to this troubled church. Isn't it interesting that this
is very much like what we're seeing in Job? And why not? It's the Lord, and the
same author of both of these servants.
As disciples, we
need to see this pruning by the Father as normal in the harvest. When we see
how God led Job and Paul and so many others, should we expect something easier
for ourselves? If we really desire God to use us to bear fruit following Christ
on earth, we need to let Him shape us through suffering. It is easy to be
fruitless, but fruitlessness and comfort is our choice, not what God has called
us to. Knowing Christ and His blessing in the harvest will look more like what
we're reading, than what most Christians in suburban America are living. For it has been granted to you that for the
sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
30engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I
still have (Phil. 1:29).
Psalm 44:1-8
Vs. 1-3 You did it then….
Vs. 4-8 And you do it now….
It is in God we trust. He is enough.
Proverbs 22:10-12
V. 10 This reads like Romans 16:17-20.
V. 11 Maybe we are too tolerant of the cranky. If we really love purity of heart and gracious speech, we
also need to rebuke the scoffer.
V. 12 The Lord sees it all. Nothing is hidden or will remain hidden. We
should be praying for the Lord to do this and fulfill His promise, especially
where it is hindering the harvest and the making of disciples.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment