Job 14
Job realizes that life is short verse 1- 6
Man that is born of a woman is of few days – and full of trouble
he comes forth like a flower – and is cut down
he flees also as a shadow – and continues not
and do YOU open YOUR eyes upon such an one
and bring me into judgment with YOU?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? – NOT ONE
seeing his days are determined – the number of months are with YOU
YOU have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass
turn from him – that he may rest – till he shall accomplish
as an hireling his day
Job compares life of trees to human life verse 7- 9
For there is hope of a tree – IF it be cut down – that it will sprout again
and that the tender branch thereof will not cease
though the root thereof wax old in the earth
and the stock thereof die in the ground
yet though the scent of water it will bud
and bring forth boughs like a plant
Job states that death is final for humans verse 10- 12
BUT man dies – and wastes away – yea – man gives up the ghost
and where is he?
As the waters fail from the sea – and the flood decays and dried up
so man lies down – and rises not – till the heavens be no more
they shall not awake – nor be raised out of their sleep
Job knows that the LORD can cover sin verse 13- 17
O that YOU would hide me in the grave – that YOU would keep me secret
until YOUR wrath be past – that thou would appoint me a set time
and remember me
IF a man die – shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait
till my change come
YOU shalt call – and I will answer you
YOU will have a desire to the work of YOUR hands
For now YOU numbers my steps
do YOU not watch over my sin?
My transgression is sealed up in a bag
and YOU sew up mine iniquities
Job restates that LORD’S control over life verse 18- 22
And surely the mountains falling come to nought
and the rock is removed out of his place
The waters wear the stones – YOU wash away the things which grow
out of the dust of the earth
YOU destroy the hope of man
YOU prevail for ever against him – and he passes
YOU changes his countenance – and sends him away
His sons come to honor – and he knows it not
and they are brought low – BUT he perceives it not of them
BUT his flesh upon him shall have pain
and his soul within him shall mourn
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. (7267 “trouble” [rogez] means noise, agitation, excitement, turmoil, trembling, trepidation, commotion, perturbation, nervousness, or fret)
DEVOTION: Job understands that there are ups and downs in life. He understands that life can be confusing and he is stating this to his “friends” who think that they have life all figured out or at least his life and what is going on in it.
We will meet many people in our lifetime who think they can figure out your life but haven’t figured out their life yet. We all have to realize like Job that life can be confusing at times. Only the LORD understands what is going on in our life and so we need to turn to HIM for instructions each day.
We will experience like Job many different reactions to what is going on and this Hebrew word helps us to understand that this is normal for everyone.
It is rare for someone to live until they are a hundred today. Each day is a blessing from the LORD. Each day brings its own challenges. We have to realize this and turn each day over to the LORD and ask HIM for strength to face each day.
Job was doing this because of “friends” he was facing here. He knew they were wrong in their evaluation of him and how the LORD worked in the lives of those who were HIS followers but he had a hard time explaining it to these “friends.”
He had occasions where he wanted to give up but the LORD was not done with him yet. That is true in our life as well. The LORD is not done with us in this life until it ends. We have to accept what HE allows in our life and still praise HIM. That is not easy.
CHALLENGE: What emotion are you feeling today? Turn it over to the LORD. Ask HIM to give you wisdom to handle each day.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass (2782 “determined” [charats] means to cut, sharpen, decide, decree, or be decisive)
DEVOTION: Who is in control of every breath that we take? Does God know how many months we will live? When did HE know it?
Job is still giving an answer to Zophar’s thoughts regarding how God works. He is presently continuing to talk with the LORD regarding his feeling about what is happening to him. He doesn’t hold back anything.
That is what the LORD wants of HIS children.
God is the one who gives us breath each day. God has decreed each person’s days and months. God has decreed the limits on our lives. The God of the Bible is Sovereign. Our Sovereign God knows the future.
Job understood these concepts. He understood that our lives are full of trouble. He understood that are days are few. He understood that each step that he took the LORD knew which way he was going. He understood that his sin are all known by the LORD.
Each of us are sinners from the day we are born until the day we die. We are all born with a sin nature that we inherited from Adam. However, the LORD can seal our sins. What does that mean? HE can cover our sins with the blood of the Lamb. The Lamb of God is Jesus Christ. HIS death on the cross as our substitute can give all those who become followers of the LORD eternal life in heaven.
Time means nothing to the LORD. HE lives outside of time. HE knows the decisions we make before we make them in our lifetime. Before the foundation of the earth HE knew all those who would be followers of HIM. Their names are written in the book of life.
We are going to live as long as the LORD gives us breath. When we go to the grave, we will not return to this earth in our human fleshly body. It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment.
Are we ready for the judgment? Are we making good choices during our lifetime? It is hard to understand that even through God knows all our choices we have choices to make. We can made wrong choices.
Each of us has to realize a need for the LORD. As we trust HIM HE can deliver us out of all our days of trouble. Does that mean no suffering? NO!!! But HE can carry us through each day. Seek HIS guidance each moment of each day.
Are you sins sealed up by the LORD? Is your name written in the Book of Life? If you have any doubts please write and ask questions. The Word of God has all the answers.
CHALLENGE: Remember that God has a plan for your life and HE is working HIS plan. Keep close to the LORD!! We do have more hope than the trees!!!!
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: 13 O that YOU could hide me in the grave, that YOU would keep me secret, until YOUR wrath be past, that YOU would appoint me a set time, and remember me! (6845 “hide” [tsaphan] means shelter, keep, save up, store, treasure up, to conceal, or hide from discovery)
DEVOTION: Job wanted this present situation to end. He would rather that the LORD put him in the grave and then after a time bring him back. He thought he was facing the anger of God and so he didn’t want to face it any more.
He wanted a place to hide during this time period in his life. There was no place to hide and so he had to face it but he didn’t like it. He thought this was a period when God was angry with him for something but he didn’t know what it could be. He knew that it was not what these “friends” said it was but he hadn’t figured out life during this time period. He knew he didn’t deserve it all but he also knew that the LORD was in control.
So he prayed for the LORD to hide him for a time period in the grave until this time of anger had passed and then bring him back to his former state of blessing. Have we ever thought of this type of prayer when we are going through a special time period of pain? It is normal I think. None of us want to go through time periods like Job was presently going through.
We would prefer not to lose our family and our possessions all at one time. However, the LORD knows what we can handle and HE will never send us more than we can handle. There are times that we wonder about this fact, but that is what HE has promised to those who are followers of HIM.
HE will stretch us to the point of breaking at times but it is for our growth. We need to know how much HE loves us and the reason HE does this to Job is to help him to understand more truth about HIM.
What truths about the LORD are you learning today? Is HE stretching you too much? CHALLENGE: Realize the truth that HE is not trying to break us but to help us to grow in our understanding of who HE is and what HE wants to accomplish in our lives.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 15 You shall call, and I will answer you, you will have a desire to
the work of your hands. (3700 “kacaph] means to long for, be
hungry, be in a state of desiring food, have a strong feeling, or rage)
DEVOTION: Job didn’t understand what the LORD was doing. He thought that the LORD was just collecting his sins to use against him. This is not what the LORD was doing. HE is in the forgiving business. HE wants HIS servants to live lives that are pleasing to HIM.
Job thinks that it is just better to die than to live because of all the problems there are in this world. We have those same feelings at times. We would rather just die and let the LORD deal with us in the resurrection.
We are here on this earth to do the works of the LORD each day of our lives but we realize as Job did that some days are better than others. He has to deal with all the accusations of his “friends” and is tired of all of it.
He wants the LORD to call him home and deal with him after the deeds that he did while on this earth. He thinks that he has tried to follow the LORD to the best of his ability but dealing with these “friends” has just worn him down.
We have the same problems even today. We have people who say they are friends but seem to think that they can improve our lives better than we can. They want to lead us instead of letting the LORD lead us.
Too often these “friends” are not closer to the LORD than we are and so they are leading us in the wrong direction. They are giving wrong advice but they think they know our situation and can run our lives better than we are.
CHALLENGE: Remember that we have to answer to the LORD. We have to try to listen to others but the final voice we should hear is the LORD!
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: 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and YOU,VE sews up
mine iniquity (2856 “sealed” [chatham] means to be closed
with or as if with a seal, shut up, stopped up, confirm, or sign
a document with a personal seal or signature stamp)
Sin is breaking the commandment of God in our life. We all sin. We all have to pay the consequences of our sins. If we don’t repent, we have to face the chastening of the LORD until we repent because if we are HIS children, HE wants us to walk with HIM and talk with HIM. HE desires fellowship with those who have made a commitment to HIM.
The commitment is not broken but the blessings have stopped because of our sin. HE wants to restore us to a place of proper fellowship. Job understood that he had to offer sacrifices to the LORD to show that he wanted this fellowship with HIM. If he stopped offering his offerings the LORD would know that he had lost his desire to fellowship with HIM and so HE would do something to cause the desire to come back.
God wants us to understand that our sins are forgiven because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. HE took the penalty for our sins, so that, God could look through HIS Son at us. Jesus is our mediator with the Father who gives the Holy Spirit instructions on what needs to be done in our lives to correct our walk with HIM.
The Bible tells us that the LORD removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. HE buries them in the deepest sin. We have to know that HE loves us and wants to have fellowship with us when we are walking according to HIS Word.
Job understands the concept but is wondering what is happening at present in his life. This can be true of us as well. We are allowed to wonder but not think that God doesn’t care about us even when we are going through hard times. HE genuinely cares for HIS children enough to make sure that we are living according to HIS standards.
CHALLENGE: Our standards and God’s standards are very different. HE wants us to live according to HIS standards with the help of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
You shall call and I will answer you verse 15
You will have the desire to the work of your
Hands verse 15
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
THOU hast appointed days of life verse 5
Wrath verse 13
Numbers the steps of man verse 16
Watch over my sin verse 16
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Man verse 1
Woman verse 1
Few days to live verse 1, 10- 12
Born to trouble verse 1
God determines the life span of individuals verse 5
Pain verse 22
Mourned verse 22
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Unclean verse 4
Sin verse 16
Transgression verse 17
Iniquity verse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Clean verse 4
Remembered of God verse 13
Seal up iniquity verse 17
Children honor their parents verse 21
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Dies verse 10, 14
Give up the ghost verse 10
Grave verse 13
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QUOTES regarding passage
14:1 “Man born of woman” is a poetic way of saying “everyone.” Contrary to the claims of the friends (8:12–13), the situation described here applies to righteous and wicked alike. There is a kind of contrast in the next two phrases. Our “days” are too “few,” and our “troubles” (cf. 3:17, 26) are too many; in fact, we are “full” of them. The verb form of the noun translated “trouble” means “tremble/quake” as in an earthquake (9:6; 1 Sam 14:15). It also describes persons trembling because of inner turmoil (2 Sam 18:33; Isa 14:2; 32:10–11). (Alden, R. L. (1993). Job (Vol. 11, p. 165). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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14:1–4. Man’s few days are troublesome (the Heb. for trouble—the same word rōḡez rendered “turmoil” in 3:17, 26—means agitation), and brief (cf. 7:6, 9; 9:25–26; 10:20; 14:5; 17:1) like a withering flower and fading shadow (cf. 8:9; Ecc. 6:12), constantly under God’s scrutiny (cf. Job 7:20), and basically impure (cf. 9:30–31; 25:4). (Zuck, R. B. (1985). Job. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 735). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Most usages of rāgaz express agitation growing out of some deeply rooted emotion. From the range of usages it is clear that the term refers to the agitation itself, and the underlying emotion is to be recognized only from context. In these usages, it may parallel other expressions for physical movement such as ḥārad “to quake” (Isa 32:11), or ḥîl “writhing in birth pangs” (Ex 15:14). This term expresses the trembling of the world’s inhabitants before God’s appearance in judgment (Isa 64:2; Joel 2:1). People tremble at God’s great works, both the destructive works (Deut 2:25) and the beneficent ones (Jer 33:9). Trembling may be a reaction to such diverse things as misfortune (Isa 32:10–11 RSV “shudder”; KJV, ASV “be troubled”), bad news (II Sam 18:33; RSV “deeply moved”), some profoundly stirring knowledge or revelation (Hab 3:16), and the prospect of God’s rule (Ps 99:1). …. (rōgez). Trouble, turmoil, wrath, rage. Can refer either to external disturbances or troubles or to inner emotional agitation as in anger. Job uses this term for external disturbances (3:17, 26; 14:1). The RSV and ASV correctly prefer a similar meaning in Isa 14:3 (cf. KJV “fear”), as is shown by other elements in that context. God’s wrath is expressed by this term (Hab 3:2; cf. also the raging of the war horse, Job 39:24). Its meaning in Job 37:2 (KJV, ASV “noise”; RSV “thunder”; BDB “rumbling”) is not clear. (Bowling, A. (1999). 2112 רָגַז. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 831). Chicago: Moody Press)
FROM MY READING:
The next time Satan reminds you of your past, Remind him of your future!
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From the beginning, proponents of the sexual revolution have wrapped themselves in the mantle of science, especially social science. For example, in the 1950s, the “Kinsey Reports” helped normalize a range of sexual behaviors. They were also the source of the still-often-quoted “statistic” that 10 percent of people are same-sex oriented. Both that figure and the methodology behind Kinsey’s “research” has long ago been discredited. Still, that 10 percent number has stuck in many people’s heads.
A new wave of studies in recent years paints a rosy picture about the benefits of medical transitions for people with gender dysphoria. So much so that, as Paul Dirks recently wrote at Public Discourse, “lifelong experimental medicalization, sterilization, and complete removal of healthy body parts … is no longer a rarity. It is the recommended treatment for gender dysphoria.”
But what if these studies are like the Kinsey Reports? What if they reflect the bias and agendas of the authors rather than reality? Given what is at stake, this a vitally important question, especially since social science itself is in the midst of what’s called a “replication crisis.” In other words, when other researchers try to replicate the findings of studies in the social sciences, they often cannot. This failure of replication even includes studies that are regarded as canonical in some fields.
So how can we distinguish between solid research and what won’t withstand further scrutiny when it comes to the so-called “settled science” of gender transitioning? Paul Dirks’ Public Discourse article, “Transition as Treatment: The Best Studies Show the Worst Outcomes,” sums up the results of his deep-dive into the research.
Dirks defines “best studies” as those that have followed people who underwent medical transition for the longest period of time. “It is well recognized in the literature,” Dirks states, “that the year after medical [gender] transition is a ‘honeymoon period, which ‘does not represent a realistic picture of long-term sexual and psychological status.'”
Yet most of the popular gender transition studies are limited to just a few years following medical transitioning. Other studies that support medical transitions fail to follow up with as much as half of the original participants. That’s well beyond the threshold of reliability.
Many of the studies, Dirks states, are “fraught with … design problems,” such as “small sample sizes, short study lengths, and enormously high drop-out rates,” to name just three. The problem is so bad that one systematic review of the literature, “rated only two out of twenty-nine studies as high-quality.” (Break Point)
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Saul adopts a Christian name, Paul, and travels to Galatia with the message of the Gospel.
INSIGHT
Chapter 13 records a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy that is easily missed. In chapter 1, Jesus commissions the disciples to be witnesses for Him and proclaims that they will take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Now the Holy Spirit sets Paul and Barnabas apart to begin traveling to the ends of the earth, taking the message with them. You and I can extend that prophetic fulfillment, too, as we accept the Great Commission as our personal commission and help to take the message of salvation to the ends of the world.
(Quiet Walk)
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HE INCARNATION
The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. John 1:14
The doctrine of the Incarnation does not teach, neither does it involve the idea, that a change took place in the personality of the Son of God. There was a change in the form in which He appeared, there was a change in the state in which He manifested Himself, but there was no change in His personality. He is the same Person always. In the womb of the virgin Mary and lying as a helpless babe in the manger, He is still the second person in the holy Trinity.
We must never so state the doctrine of the Incarnation as to give the impression that we say that the Son of God was changed into a man. That is why that phrase about God becoming man is misleading. We see this in John 1:14: “The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” That very phrase “was made” has often caused people to think that the Son of God was changed into a man. This is partly due to the fact that it is not really the best translation. Instead of saying, “The Word was made flesh,” what we really mean is that He became flesh or that He took on flesh. The idea of making gives the impression of being changed into, but that is wrong.
In other words, the way in which the Scripture generally puts it is this: In Romans 8:3 we are told that He came “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” That is better. Or take it as it is put in 1 John 4:2: “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.” Jesus Christ has not been changed into a man; it is this eternal Person who has come in the flesh. That is the right way to put it.
A Thought to Ponder: We must never so state the doctrine of the Incarnation as to give the impression that we say that the Son of God was changed into a man.
(From God the Father, God the Son, p. 257, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Yokefellows
“And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Philippians 4:3)
Although the word “yokefellow” is out of use today, the meaning is easily understood. Most of us know a yoke is a device that connects two animals together to increase the power for the work that needs to be done.
Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). From a spiritual perspective, we labor together with the Lord Jesus. Among ourselves, we labor in the gospel. It is worth noting that God sees the marriage bond as “joined together” (same term) with a yoke (Matthew 19:6).
Interestingly, as Paul speaks highly of the women who labored with him, he uses two very different concepts to recognize their contribution. First, he describes them as sunathleo, or those who are “engaged in the contest” with him, like “a man also [strives] for masteries” (2 Timothy 2:5). Then, Paul uses sunergos to describe those who have accomplished meaningful work alongside him. Titus is described as Paul’s “partner and fellowhelper” (2 Corinthians 8:23). These women had evidently earned Paul’s respect for their commitment to the Kingdom work.
Although the picture drawn by these synonyms rests on the work aspect, surely there is the assumption that those who are yoked together are anticipating a common goal. Jesus, with “the joy that was set before him endured the [work of the] cross” (Hebrews 12:2). And we labor in the Kingdom since our “names are in the book of life.”
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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