Meditation Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Revived by His Word - chapter of the Job 13 13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it. 2 aWhat you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. 3 bBut I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God. 4 But you forgers of lies, cYou are all worthless physicians. 5 Oh, that you would be silent, And dit would be your wisdom! 6 Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips. 7 eWill you speak 1wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully for Him? 8 Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God? 9 Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man? 10 He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality. 11 Will not His 2excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you? 12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay. 13 “Hold 3your peace with me, and let me speak, Then let come on me what may! 14 Why fdo I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands? 15 gThough He slay me, yet will I trust Him. hEven so, I will defend my own ways before Him. 16 He also shall be my salvation, For a ihypocrite could not come before Him. 17 Listen carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears. 18 See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be jvindicated. 19 kWho is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. Job’s Despondent Prayer 20 “Only ltwo things do not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You: 21 mWithdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will nanswer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me. 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. 24 oWhy do You hide Your face, And pregard me as Your enemy? 25 qWill You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? 26 For You write bitter things against me, And rmake me inherit the iniquities of my youth. 27 sYou put my feet in the stocks, And watch closely all my paths. You 4set a limit for the 5soles of my feet. 28 “Man 6decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten. Comments Job continues from chapter 12. Taking note of human sciences, Job says that he has seen the results of this kind of thinking (v. 1). He is as updated with human philosophy, science, technological developments, as his friends are (v. 2). It is not with humans that Job wishes to dialogue but to reason with God (v. 3). Conversely, his friends are breathing lies (v. 4). When one cuts out God’s revelation knowledge and speaks about God is such absolute terms, one creates a lie. Job wishes that his friends would be silent (v. 5) for they lack full “biblical” understanding. Job is concerned that they are speaking nonsense to him and he asks: “Will you speak unjustly to God and to Him would you speak deceitfully?” (v. 7). He wants to know from his friends that if they could have part in an investigative judgment whether they would question God (v. 8). If God does the investigation, will it be good for them? (v. 9). Will He not rebuke you? (v. 10). In the investigative judgment would not God’s majesty terrify them and fear fall upon them? (v. 11). Their glory is but ash and clay (v. 12). Job asks his friends to hold their peace so he can speak regardless of the outcome (v. 13). He is not willing to hold his tongue even if this means taking his life in his hands (v. 14). Job says that even “if God will kill me, I will trust Him and prove my ways to His face” (v. 15). Job is not uncertain about God and His relationship to him and his own relationship to God. “He is salvation to me” (v. 16). Job wants his friends to pay attention to what he has to say (v. 17). “Behold,” says Job, “I know that I will be vindicated” (v. 18). He asks the Lord not to do two things to him: Not to take His hands from him; (b) not to let the truth about God make him afraid (vv. 20, 21). God is keeping Job in His hands and has surrounded him with truth. These two situations should always remain the same for us. Let us talk with God (v. 22). “Call and I will answer or I speak and You answer.” Question: In the investigative judgment [begun in 1844] how many sins do I have recorded? Let me know my transgression (v. 23). Why do You hide Your face from me and think that I am Your enemy? (v. 24). Job knows that God does not waste His time on dry trees (v. 25). The books in heaven have recorded Job’s sins and Job is wondering whether he is now inheriting the sins of his boyhood (v. 26). If God would do that, it would be like tying up a man’s legs so he couldn’t walk (v. 27). There is no life in man, he decays and becomes like a moth-eaten garment (v. 28). Dear God, The beauty of Job’s faith shines through, and for us living in the period of the Investigative Judgment, we also ask that You reveal to us our transgressions while there is still time. Amen Koot van Wyk Kyungpook National University Sangju, South Korea
Posted on: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 14:55:07 +0000
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