Job 6

In the beginning of Job chapter six, Job asks if livestock complain when there is plenty of food? The answer is no. Job is saying that what he is complaining about isn't from a place of plenty and safety but a place of real pain. There are many times when a person's problems are deep and emotional and it feels that others don't appreciate it. Job's friends have seen the pain and sat with him for six days but now they are trying to give their answers from their knowledge of what Job needs to do. Job as I see it is saying, I've got real problems and you don't seem to get it. If this is Job's thought, I think he is wrong, they do see the real problem, their issue is they haven't asked God what to do but are trying to fix the problem they think is there. 

Luke 10

"Go and do likewise." These word of Jesus ends his teaching on the Good Samaritan. However, I have noticed that in today's world, many people are good about telling others they need to go and do likewise (help those in need) but don't do it themselves or do it for everyone to see which according to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is equally as worthless (Matthew 6:1-4). When it comes to helping those in need what we see in this parable is helping those who cross our path and can help. It's not about being seen or looking for those in need but those who come across our path. Some will and it is up to us as Christians to help those with real needs and not to judge how others do it.  

Proverbs 2

Do you want to know what is good, right, fair, and just? The answer is given in the first part of Proverbs 2 and it is filling ourselves with God's wisdom and His law. Seems simple and in one sense it is, but unfortunately it is easy to allow ourselves to be filled with all the things that go on around us. It's easy to be filled with anger, filled with pride, lust, and everything else that fills this world. The problem is it won't give us insight into what is right and just, let alone what is good and right. But when we fill ourselves with the one who is good, just, fair, and right, then that is what will come out of us. 

Genesis 23

 I just finished Charles Swindoll's book about Abraham. I was reminded of something that changed how I look at this chapter. First was the reminder that Abraham was a wonder in this land. He was a great prince as it were but had no land to call his own. Second was the possible reason Abraham didn't want to bury Sara in someone else's tomb. The people of that time believed that if you were buried together you would spend the afterlife together. Abraham probably didn't want his family to be associated with the pagan life and practices of the people of the land, not even in death. To say it another way, Abraham didn't want anyone to think he wanted his wife in Vahalla but in heaven with his God. 

Genesis 22

 This passage of Scripture seems most contrary to the character of God. God tells Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. It also seems that God rewards Abraham for almost killing his child so what is this?

To understand this scripture one needs a little history in the Hebrew language. The word God uses when he tells Abraham to offer us Isaac is not a burnt offering but a raised offering. A raised offering was usually burnt so the essences of the sacrifice raised as it were to the heavens. However, most Hebrew rabbis believe that Abraham misunderstood God's command and interpreted it in light of the culture that was surrounding him. In a sense, Abraham had the right attitude but was doing the wrong thing. 

We see how this can be true by reading in Jeremiah 19:5 "They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind." God said it never entered my mind that you should kill your kids and that also applies to Abraham. One may ask why did God allow it to go on so long? I don't have the answer but what we know is God didn't allow the sacrifice and also by doing so tried to teach, according to the Rabbis, that human sacrifice was something God NEVER wanted. 

How does this apply to us today? Make sure we don't live out what we think is a command of God if it doesn't match the character of God. Sometimes this means there are things we don't understand at the time but if we ask God and keep studying his word he will lead us into the truth. 

Isaiah 10

 God has said before that he was using the Assyrians to punish the nations but the problem was that Assyria itself wasn't a Godly nation and thus because of its cruelty, God was going to judge them as well. This is another reminder that even if it seems that God is on your side if you aren't following Him and His principles then judgment will fall on you as well. One day, if not in this life then in the world to come God will, as it were, balance all the books, even the ones you try to hide. 

Photo by Piret Ilver on Unsplash

Job 5

 Eliphaz again is saying that Job deserves what is happening to him and thus has no one he can call on for relief or answers. In one sense, this is absolutely true. If God had ordained this as a punishment there isn't anyone whose position can argue against it. The problem of course is that though this is true as I have said before this isn't 100% true for Job. Job was innocent and God wasn't punishing Job. God was allowing Job to be tested. We will see later that God does come and answer Job, but not in the way Job expected and absolutely not the way Eliphaz expected. 

As we will see over and over, Job's friends thought they understood everything, but they didn't. Let's learn from this and not assume we have everything figured out on our own.