Abraham Is Called

 God Calls Abraham

Book of Genesis Chapters 12 through 15

From our studies we know that the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis dealt with the creation of this world and then the table of nations.

It also dealt with the beginning of many things.

We next studied the Book of Job who probably lived a couple of generations before Abraham.

We will now pick back up in the Book of Genesis and see Abraham and the beginning of the nation of Israel.

We will see that the key to our relationship with our Heavenly Father is still faith!

We will begin to see how the promises of God have already affected every human upon this earth and the promises of God are the key to our "faith".

Faith is the key to our relationship with our Heavenly Father!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And just so you know, you cannot say you have "faith" and disregard the words of the Received Text.

Abortion is still wrong according to the Word of God.

Those who live as Sodomites are wrong according to the Word of God.

All queers are wrong according to the Word of God.

Those who promote these things are wrong according to the Word of God.

When our "faith" is real we can feel the presence of the Almighty God!

In Abraham we get to see true "faith"!

The Book of Genesis also being the Book of Generations let us see how we get to Abraham.

Gen 11:25  And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 

Gen 11:26  And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 

Gen 11:27  Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 

Gen 11:28  And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 

Gen 11:29  And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 

Gen 11:30  But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 

Gen 11:31  And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 

Gen 11:32  And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran. 

Abraham had begun his journey to the land of Canaan, but the death of his father had brought his journey to and end and this brought a response from the Lord.

*****Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

As we know, Ur of the Chaldees is located in modern day Iraq.

We do not know how God spoke to Abram because God used many methods to speak to those of the Old Testament.

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 

How does God speak to us today?

Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

So we should not be concerned of any so-called modern-day prophet!

Our only concern should be the teachings of Jesus. 

This does not mean we use only the "red letter" passages.

Nor does it mean we use only the New Testament. 

We need all the Word of God to be instructed in righteousness!

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Righteousness is doing right according to the written Word of God!

The truth is we can find the Son of God from the Book of Genesis through all the Scriptures to the Book of Revelation.

What we know is that Abram was guided by Jehovah. He did not have a map or a compass.

All Abram had was his "faith"!

God wants us to learn about Abraham!

Fourteen chapters in the Book of Genesis devoted to Abraham.

Chapter 4 of the Book of Romans devoted to Abraham.

Chapter 3 of the Book of Galatians devoted to Abraham.

12 Verses in the Book of Hebrews the Hall of Faith devoted to Abraham.

Abraham was the Father of two races of people who are still relevant in our world today, the Jews and the Arabs.

Three religions of the world can trace their roots back to Abraham.

Christianity, Judaism, Islam.

It can also be said that Abraham is the father of faith therefore the father of all believers.

Rom 4:11  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 

Rom 4:12  And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 

One of the great lessons in understanding the power of God is, that God can take one man, one person and change this entire world for many generations!

It all began with a call from God.

Abraham was called to separate from his country.

Abraham was called to separate from his relatives.

Abraham was even called to separate from his father's house.

Yes, we may have to leave our families to serve God especially if they are against us!

Abraham's world had forsaken and denied the only Living and True God!

Kind of reminds us of what we see today. A world that is forsaking the One True Living God!

One of the most important things God said to Abraham is in verse 3.

*****Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

Abraham was a blessing because he was in the blood line to the Messiah.

Abraham was a blessing because he was in the bloodline to the Jews.

Abraham was a blessing because he was in the bloodline to the Arabs.

Abraham was a blessing because he was a great example of "Faith"!

Every Christian must also be an example of the "faith" of Abraham!

Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 

Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 

Rom 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 

So Abram believed God and he obeyed.

*****Gen 12:4  So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 

Notice Abram did not dispute with God even though these were great things he was asked to do.

Nowhere else in the Bible is one human called to be the father of a new chosen people. 

In this Abram is a type of Christ who also is the Head of a new "Born Again" chosen people!

God called Abram to completely change his life. 

To turn his life around and go in a different direction. 

To forsake all the people and places he had ever known in his 75 years.

In this Abram is a type of Child of God. 

Every "Born Again" child of God is called to leave their old life completely and live a new life for Jesus Christ.

Jesus put it like this:

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

This is truth behind becoming a Christian. Jesus said you should not be surprised by this command.

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

This is the complete truth and there is only one way to be "Born Again" and it is by accepting "the complete Word of God" in faith!

The Bible is no to be accepted as the cafeteria. We cannot pick and choose the parts of the Bible we want and reject the remainder!

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Those who reject the Word of God, even one passage, have violated the command of our Lord and Savior!

Abram had to turn away from his old country.

Abram had to turn away from neighbors, friends, and loved ones.

Abram had to turn away from his father's household, his property, and many of his own possessions.

Abram left a place of false gods to seek the true and living God.

Abram was called to live a life separated from that world, in search of a better place.

Abram had to be totally set apart unto God. 

Today we call this "sanctification" and every Christian is called to be separate from this world and dedicated to the Lord!

We are just pilgrims passing through this world on the way to God's New Heaven!

We see that Abram would begin his journey by "faith".

Abram did not leave alone.

*****Gen 12:5  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 

Abram had not kept these things to himself, but he had told others. Of course his wife who today we would certainly say stepsister.

He took Lot his brother’s son, whose father had died but he chose to trust his uncle Abram.

Then look closely he gathered the "souls" who had believed the Word of God and chose to believe the things they heard.

Abram lives in a pagan land of many gods and Abram learn the truth of the Lord and accepted it as the truth.

We see type after type in these early things of Abram.

If you are child of God, you are on this same journey with Abram today.

Abram will face many difficulties on this journey, but we can enjoy every mile of the trip.

Up to this point we have read where one patriarch after another lived until they died.

Now we get to Abram and we see that he lived so he could live forever!

This is the journey of each true Christian!

We live so we can live with Jesus throughout eternity!

So they went forth into the Promised Land, the land of Canaan.

Gen 17:8  And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 

So Abram journeyed.

*****Gen 12:6  And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 

As Abram journeyed, he first passed through the place where in latter days would be the city Sichem.

The oaks of Moreh existed, but the city of Sichem (Shechem)(Samaria) was not yet built.

Jacob later used this oak forest to hide the things stolen from Laban.

Gen 35:4  And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

The Canaanites were a godless, wicked people. In some places, they may be called the Amorites.

This Scripture indicates that Abram knew he could not yet lay claim to the land because it was easily seen that there were too many so Abram would travel as a pilgrim through a foreign land but they traveled in faith to the Word of God given to Abram.

Heb_11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Abram knew that before the land could be claimed those godless people would have to be removed!

God had a plan for this, but that part of the plan Abram did not know about. It would not happen in his lifetime!

Abram was to be the father of the nation that would destroy the Amorites and most of the Canaanites which is Israel.

In typology that nation would be the believers who with the Lord will destroy all the evil in this world we live in.

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 

*****Gen 12:7  And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 

What do we know?

Abram had reached the promise land but did not at that time possess it.

As a "Born Again" child of God we have reached the promise land but at this time we do not possess it.

Possession will come by the Rapture or it will come by our death, but this promise of God will be fulfilled!

We must know that though we have not reached Heaven, Jehovah already considers the mansion that is being built by Jesus to be ours. 

It has our name on it and cannot be given to any other.

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

We will sit together with the Lord Jesus Christ!                                                                         

When Jehovah says seed in this Scripture, it tells Abram that it will not happen in his lifetime.

It also tells Abram he will have children and we know Sarai was barren at this time and was now 65 years old, Abram being 75 years old.

It is our "faith" that has caused these things to be sure!

What do we know? Our faith will also be tested just as God tested Abram!

As long as we are on this place called earth, we are among enemies!

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Only in Heaven will we be free from our enemies!

Abram, understanding the Words God had given to him, accepted the truth and chose a place to worship the One True God and built an altar to worship.

To be honest no place of worship is complete without an altar!

*****Gen 12:8  And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 

That word Bethel means "house of God".

That word Hai, which is Ai means, heap or mass and was a royal city of the Canaanites.

No matter where Abram traveled, he built a place to worship the Lord.

Bethel had started as a place to worship God but in the end, Bethel came under the judgment of God.

1Ki 13:1  And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 

1Ki 13:2  And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. 

1Ki 13:3  And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. 

1Ki 13:4  And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. 

1Ki 13:5  The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. 

We should be very aware that the Judgment of God will begin in the House of God!

1Pe_4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We know the Lord blessed Abram as he traveled in the Promised Land.

In fact, the Lord blessed Abram and Lot so much it became hard for them to travel together.

Gen 13:6  And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substancewas great, so that they could not dwell together. 

We begin to see the difference between "selfishness" and "unselfish faith".

Most all these things had there beginning in the Book of Genesis!

We must remember what happened to Eve.

1Jn_2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Lot fit into all these categories and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

It is this city and its actions that gave us the word Sodomites, known today as the gay lifestyle.

*****Gen 13:14  And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 

Gen 13:15  For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

The Lord again appeared before Abram but only after he had separated from Lot.

We know that Lot was a righteous man in the eyes of God, but at this time he was allowing his pride to interfere with his relationship with the Lord.

Great lessons are to be learned by all those who trust the Lord.

Great lessons can also be learned by all God's children who mix with and accept the things of this wicked world!

It is a fact God will do more for those who trust Him than for those who choose to do for themselves.

Lot saw grazing land where He could pitch his tent in one place and remain there, but he chose to be close to the doorway to sin and eventually moved into that sinful and wicked city and immoral city.

Abram chose a place for a nation.

We will see that God's people who stay away from the worldly, are the same ones who please God.

God told Abram, "do not be sad for your nephew" "look in every direction and you can see the land that will belong to your children and grandchildren and those who come from them".

Act 7:5  And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 

*****Gen 13:16  And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

What is a promise of God? It is a sure thing! It is real! It will take place!

As we go through these years with corrupt governments easily swayed by climate change, which is happening naturally, we must understand that natures rage can never overcome "faith's" treasures!

God's promises will come because every Word of God is the truth!

We know for a fact that Israel became a great nation, was destroyed and placed all around the world and has again become a great nation.

So some say what about this "as the dust of the earth"? Israel has never been that great of a nation but always been a small people.

But God is not just talking about Israel.

Abraham was the father of most all the Arab nations and there have been many peoples.

You may say again yes but still the dust of the earth.

Also out of Abraham comes the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the Church and the Saints from the time of Adam till today would be a large group.

So yes you add all these groups together Abraham was indeed the father of a large people.

So Abraham, let us take a stroll through the Promised Land.

*****Gen 13:17  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 

Is there any doubt that God gave this land to Abram?

It would be some 700 years before Joshua would lead Israel into this land to take possession of it.

It was 700 years before these wicked people reached level of sin without repentance before God would destroy them, but He did.

It has now been just over 2000 years since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the wicked will be destroyed when they reach a certain level without repentance.

If we will allow our "faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ be our guide, we to will walk around and admire the Heavenly Land God has promised to those who walk by "faith".

2Co_5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We do not walk into tomorrow we walk in the great things to come!

We may not know when, but we know they are just as close as our lifetime.

We do not walk in just promises, we walk in "Divine Promises"!

When we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we begin our own journey and through valleys and hills we should enjoy our trip to the "Glory World".

The gift of this land was not fulfilled until the time of King Solomon and will be a reality during the Millennial Reign of King Jesus.

*****Gen 13:18  Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

What do we see from Abraham? Steadfast obedience.

Abraham first returns to Hebron where he had buried his wife. 

This place was special to Abraham.

Hebron is the very place where Abraham made an alliance with Jehovah!

Hebron is one the oldest cities that still exist today and was well known before Abraham.

Hebron is about 20 miles from Jerusalem.

Hebron is the place where Sarah died and is buried in the cave of Machpelah. (There is now a great mosque built inside this cave)

Hebron is part of the special inheritance given to Caleb because he followed the Lord.

Hebron was also one of the 6 cities of refuge.

Hebron was the capitol city of King David for 7 years until he moved his capitol to Jerusalem.

Hebron was also the city where Absalom began his insurrection against his own father King David.

Abram built an altar in Hebron to worship the Almighty Living God.

Why was Abram so much different from most of the remaining world?

*****Gen 15:1  After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 

Gen 15:2  And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 

Gen 15:3  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 

Gen 15:4  And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 

Gen 15:5  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 

Gen 15:6  And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 

We begin to see the "great faith" that Abram had in the Lord.

In reality Abram had no reason to believe the Word of God.

Abram was far past the days of fatherhood and so was Sarah.

Abram did the one thing we are all to do.

We are to listen to what God has to say and then believe every word.

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

We know the red-letter words in the New Testament are the actual words of Jesus and they are words we need to follow, but all the Word of God came by the Holy Spirit.

There is no words in this world that are as accurate as the Word of God!

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 

God said and this is all I need to know.

When God told Abram these things, then he just accepted the Word of God to be the truth.

Abram set the standard for "faith" throughout the written Word of God!

God takes our faith and counts it for our righteousness.

This was the reality in the day of Abram who became Abraham.

This reality became well known in the time of Jesus who paid all our sin debt.

This is the reality today!

Faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ is counted for our righteousness.

Faith is the key to the heart of God!

In reality the word "believe" has its beginning in this 15th chapter in verse 6 and it holds the same meaning throughout the remaining Scriptures.

We can rest on God's promises!

We can lean of God's promises!

We can be sure of God's promises!

We can have complete confidence in God's promises!

Abram believed that one of his seed would be the promised Messiah!

It is righteousness that opens the doors of Heaven and this righteousness comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

We Must Repent Then Submit To Be Blessed

Repentance, Submission, and Blessing

Book of Job Chapter 42

What we will see in this last chapter of the Book of Job is that although Job had not sinned, there were many things that he did not have the right understanding of about the Lord.

Job did not have the Bible that we have today to guide Him, Job only had those things of knowledge that had been passed down from his forefathers and what he could learn talking face to face with the Lord.

Job was not very many generations from Noah, so the fear and the power of God should have been near to Job's heart.

We should clearly understand that we are to take the Word of God He has given to us, to learn all we can about our God and fools not to do so!

We are only temporary residents of this place called earth.

My mom is 91 years old, but many of us will not live that many years, but we will live eternally with the Lord so this little time we live now, is nothing compared to eternal life.

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The one thing every child of God knows is, that our Heavenly Father has a plan, and we are smack dab in the middle of it and we will not be left out of God's plan.

We serve a Great Big God of All Power and we are blessed that He is a Loving and Merciful God!

The greatest wrong we do today may be the fact that, we speak too much before we have the right understanding!

This becomes really serious when we are speaking of our Lord and Savior.

*****Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

What is awe? Awe is fear mingled with admiration or we could say, fear mingled with reverence.

Psa 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psa 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Psa 33:9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

In the days of Job, the rainbow had much more significance than it does today for it reminded the people of the awesomeness of God.

Today most people do not give the rainbow a second thought, but we should!

If we do not have these same thoughts that Job had, then we are the sinners, not Job.

There is nothing that God cannot do except sin. God cannot sin and God cannot lie, and God cannot be unrighteous!

It can never be said that God will do foolish things and it be true!

God can hear the smallest whisper because God can hear the thought that is in our heart before it gets to our mind and causes some action good or bad!

Job admitted he had talked about things that he had not clearly understood.

*****Job 42:3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

What is the one greatest thing that Job had learned in all this?

We have no right to question the ways of God!

We have no right to complain to God for the things we go through!

We have no right challenging God's wisdom!

We have no right challenging God justice!

We should think about these things as we have seen the results of the recent elections!

Did we vote according to the Word of God?

God does what God does anytime God wants to do so!

What did Job learn?

That he must bow in humble submission before His Creator and admit, it is God who is sovereign!

Isa 14:24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

Isa 46:8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Isa 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

To be honest, we must accept all the things that God does as the right things to do, no matter how we feel about them!

Jehovah is a righteous God!

We may not ever understand all the Word of God, but the more we study ourselves, the more we listen to the Preacher, the more we attend Sunday School, the more we will understand how our Lord works in this world.

In fact God will never go against anything He has given to us in writing!

We do need to have an accurate Bible written, according to the Greek and Hebrew Manuscripts of the Received Text.

We will never understand the Bible unless the Holy Spirit lives within us and we will never have the Holy Spirit live within us, until we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

The world can never know the truth of the Scriptures unless a child of God, led by the Holy Spirit, teaches them and of course the Holy Spirit is the greatest of all teachers and He will always, "always" lead us to Jesus the Messiah.

God has every right to demand we live according to His Word!

*****Job 42:4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

We must also understand that we must be willing to live without our questions being answered!

This is what "faith" provides!

Faith allows to go on with our life knowing that everything that God does is the right thing!

We serve a righteous God!

When our "faith" is strong our suffering will be short!

Satisfaction comes with the knowledge of the truth!

We must clearly understand, that because we have accepted the truth of God, the truth of the Lord Jesus, we are the children of God and the Lord knows best what we need in this life, and He has prepared us a place for us to live in our eternal life, where there will be no problems at all.

Another thing we must know is that we are not perfect, and we always have some sin to repent of.

Our thoughts are not always pure!

Our actions are not always right!

Our non-actions can be sin!

There are always some things that we have not done knowing we should have done!

You see, the closer we get to the Lord the better we will be in this life!

The more we know about the Lord the better we will be in this life!

When we pray, we should have a greater knowledge of the Lord's answer, if we are familiar in what the Lord has done in the past.

If we are God's child, then we can know that He will answer our prayer and we will get what we ask if we ask in faith.

The key to our relationship with the Lord and answered prayer is our "faith"!

As one man wrote "we should be crushed under the weight of God's "greatness", if we think about it!

*****Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

As God had said, Job was the most perfect man on the earth at that time, yet Job had never grasped the greatness of God.

I believe we all fall short in this category!

It is a true statement "that we need to get off self and get on the Lord".

We are nothing more than a sack of dirt, yet in the eyes of our Savior and our Creator, we are the most brightest shining jewel, upon this earth.

He is not going to harm us!

He is not going to allow this world to harm us until it is time for us to go home!

The Lord never said it was going to be easy being a Christian in fact, the Lord said just the opposite.

Joh_16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We need to be over-comers of all the things that happen to us in this world!

The Lord teaches us to hate evil.

Joh_7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

The works of this world are always evil in some way!

The world sees an act of goodness as the first step of domination.

We must see sin as something that needs to be eradicated from this world!

We cannot allow corruption to be victorious!

For the most part we tolerate sin, when we need to express that hatred for sin the Lord teaches us to have.

This does not mean that human being, but it does mean that sin!

If Jesus testified of the works of sin, then if we are "like Christ" (Christian) then we need to testify of the works of sin!

The world does not see that being a Christian is being like Christ Jesus!

The world does not see that being a Christian is to live according to the Word of God!

We must always repent of any sin that we have, and this does not mean to tolerate the sin of others!

We are not found sincere in these things unless we have submitted to the Lord!

Now God speaks to Eliphaz.

*****Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

You see it was right for Job to reject the error of these three so-called friends and Elihu.

The things they had said to condemn Job, were wrong!

It was Job who had said things that were right according to the truth of God!

Eliphaz had been a bad example for those other three who followed after him in accusing Job.

We see that Jehovah had chastised Job, but His wrath was against those three men.

God's own children will never see God's wrath upon them!

This is another type in the Book of Job.

God does chastise His children and will keep His children from His wrath to come.

Rom_5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, "we shall be saved from wrath through him".

But the children of disobedience will see the full force of the wrath of God.

Rom_1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against "all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness";

Rom_2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Job had remained true to God through the assault of these worldly men!

Eliphaz was a type of the world and those with him were his followers.

And the Lord does not ever change, He will reward those He has justified, and He will punish those who are disobedient sinners who refuse to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, and refuse to repent!

When we have been "justified" by the Lord it does not matter if we are wrongly judged by the world.

The world thinks we are all hypocrites, anyhow!

We are not of this world just pilgrims passing through this world!

The world that rejects the ways of God cannot then judge the godly!

1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Then God shows mercy to these men rather than "judgment" at this time.

*****Job 42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

As I said at the beginning of our lessons in the Book of Job, we see Job was considered a Priest in his day.

This is also another proof of Job's innocence.

Here again we see that Job was told to do these things before the 613 laws were given to the Jews.

2Ch 29:21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

2Ch 29:22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

That word "folly" means foolishness, but it also means wickedness.

Those who defend these three men should know that Jehovah said they were wicked!

Wicked people do wicked things, insisting they are only trying to help, just as corrupt people do corrupt things insisting that is was only for the good of our nation, and everyone to vote in our recent elections and they do not see the wrong in doing so to achieve their goal, a quest for power.

This is the same goal of the Antichrist, "power"!

These three men did exactly what the Lord told them to do, and we can be sure Elihu was watching and listening just as he had been doing all along, but was probably not near 30 years of age.

*****Job 42:9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Before Job could offer up a sacrifice for these three men, he would have first had to offer up a sacrifice for himself and God had accepted that sacrifice along with this sacrifice for these three men.

Remember these three men had been inspired and used by Satan, and God put a stop to it, and again placed that hedge of protection around His child Job.

What did Solomon teach after such things?

Ecc 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Ecc 9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Ecc 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

We also see that the Lord also took Satan out of the picture for the rest of the days of the life of Job!

Once Job was healed and his grief ended, we see that Job was accepted again by his friends and family who had also been influenced by Satan.

*****Job 42:11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

Job had suffered for no wrong that He had done and when we suffer in this way God smiles! Why?

Because we are growing to be more like His Son.

Again we see Job as a type of Christ.

1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Job was humbled by his conversation with the Lord and he now knew much more about the ways of God.

These are the reasons that the Book of Job, and all the wisdom books are in the Bible.

This is why the Book of Job is considered a wisdom book, because we can learn the ways of our God and we are very wrong when we do not try to learn about Him.

We need to understand the way the Lord deals with sin and His children.

We say the patience of Job and Job was a great man of God, but I still do not understand why the Lord puts up with us.

I do not know how God could have sent His Son to pay for my sin and all our sin.

Notice how Job's friends and family return, still blaming God for bringing evil upon Job, still not claiming God to be a righteous God.

They do now show the signs of true comforters.

1) They came in respect. We must show respect to our brothers and sisters in their time of need.

2) They brought food. We should bring food because many will not fix for themselves.

3) They brought money. When possible or when needed we may have to provide for their necessities.

2Co_8:14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

4) They came with the intention to comfort. We must come as comforters and not accusers!

Yes, God allowed these things, but we should be thanking God for these valuable lessons we have learned and can learn for the Book of Job.

Notice how God will always make us pay for the harm we cause our brothers and sisters.

Their comfort was not in their money nor that gold, their comfort was in remembering that they should have supported Job from the beginning and not have abandoned him.

It is God who blessed Job!

*****Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

Notice how Job was now twice as rich as he had been before.

We do not know the time frame for all these things that happened to Job, but I do not think it was a long period of time.

We see that God knew exactly how many animals Job had before they had vanished.

God knows more about us than we know ourselves!

As the children of God there are some things we need to understand!

1) All our earthly troubles will sooner or later have a blessed ending.

2) Our success in this life is not what we have in the beginning but what we have at the ending.

3) Our afflictions are not penalties but for correction and sanctification.

4) At the end of this day if it ends in peace, we should be devoutly thankful and press onward till we reach that ending that sums up our lifetime upon this earth, remembering that we need to cling to our integrity as a "Born Again" child of God.

5) All true blessings come from our Heavenly Father!

Jas_1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

The Lord also blessed Job again with seven sons and three daughters and this time we know their names.

*****Job 42:13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.

Job 42:14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.

The greatest treasure that God allowed to be restored was children.

Job again had seven sons and three daughters.

Some would say why not 20 as with the animals.

Job had the knowledge that those first ten were in Heaven!

As head of the family, it was still Job's job to try to make sure that these ten would live righteously and when Job got to Heaven and when their time on earth ended there would be twenty of Job's children in Heaven.

Jemima a beautiful child meaning "as beautiful as the day" some also say it has the meaning of "dove".

Jezia (Cassia) meaning, "sweet-scented".

Psa 45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

Kerenhappuch (Kehren Happook) meaning "horn of cosmetics" taken from the Hebrew words meaning "ivory" or a ray of light added to "glowing" as in "glowing eyes".

No doubt Job's three daughters were the fairest in all the lands in their day!

*****Job 42:15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

In the day of Job it was the men who were left an inheritance and the women were expected to marry and that husband provide for his wife but Job decided to go against the grain and he equally left all ten of his children an inheritance and Job was rich, that inheritance was great.

So many say that the Bible does not treat men and women equally but we see God always treats everyone equal but he also insist in the order of the family with the man the head of the family in a Christian home led by the Lord.

There will be order in the Church the Lord the Head of the Church and that Christ called man of God to be the shepherd of the Church.

But God was not through blessing Job.

*****Job 42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.

Job 42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

Job lived to see his grandchildren, his great grandchildren, and his great-great grandchildren and Job's life was full.

Full meaning, abounding in love and grace and peace for a hundred and forty more years.

Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

The Lord Jesus was very compassionate and merciful also, but today He has patience greater than Job as that old accuser is constantly in His ear accusing those Jesus died for.

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

The Lord's patience has an ending and according to many scriptures the Lord could return at any time and redeem His children!

Amen!

Will the Lord Jesus Return to do a Goodwill Tour

 A Message from the Lord

Book of Job Chapters 38 through Chapter 41

If we do not learn anything else from the last lesson, let us learn that God has the final word at all times.

Nothing is ever over until God says it is over!

We should ask ourselves, just how much do we know about God, or do we think about all the things in this world that God causes to happen every day.

The Lord Jesus is the "Master" of "Life"!

We should understand that there is nothing that goes on of this planet called earth that Jehovah, or El Shaddai, the Almighty God does not have His hand upon good or evil.

God is righteous and does no wrong, but He does allow some evil to continue because it suits His plan. 

Remember it is the Holy Spirit who holds back evil as it suits Him. The Holy Spirit is God!

Every living human will go through temptation where they will be given the choice to accept the Living God or to reject Him.

To choose life or to choose death!

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 

Deu 30:20  That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. 

Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

Everyone that has ever lived and those who live now, and those who will live in the future, right up until the end of the Millennial Kingdom will have to make this choice.

In the end, all unrighteousness will be eliminated!

All death will be eliminated.

We need to have a complete understanding of our Lord!

There were some things that Job needed to understand. Job had not sinned, but he did not understand everything about the Lord.

The message of Elihu was cut short by the arrival of Jehovah or we could say the Lord.

We must understand that when we look out upon God's creation, we just take too many things for granted!

*****Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 

Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 

Job did not get an opportunity to answer Elihu this time.

God answered Job out of the whirlwind because no one is allowed to see God in all His glory.

With these conversations with all these five men, they had forgotten that God is real.

We cannot discuss God like He is a million miles away when He is everywhere!

God is very presently near us at all times. 

God does hear and see all things that are going on at all times.

Psa 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, "a very present help in trouble". 

Psa 46:2  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Psa 46:3  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

We must never get so caught up in the things of this world and forget God is always close to us!

Job had forgotten this.

Job 23:3  Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! 

Job 23:4  I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 

Job 23:5  I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. 

Job 23:6  Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. 

Job 23:7  There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge. 

If we will take our minds off of the world, we will be in a position to feel the presence of our Creator!

God will vindicate Job, but first He needed to set Job straight on a few things.

We must understand that God does what God does anytime God wants to do it!

We cannot put words in God's mouth!

We now have every word God wants us to know! 

There will never be a new prophet! 

There will never be a new book of the Bible! 

There are no lost books of the Bible!

The Bible is alive, and the Bible is just as relevant today as the day it was assembled as one Book!

Job did not have the written Word of God, but he did have the Word of God that had been passed down throughout all the generations since Adam.

Job was confused about a few things, and it is no wonder after having sat through the conversations of these four men, but this is still not an excuse.

We are to cling to the Word of God until the day of our death, then we will be judged by this same Word of God!

Eph_6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph_6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We seem to have a problem on that remain to stand, after we are ridiculed by the world.

We had better stand today or we may not have a nation that allows us to worship in freedom!

*****Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 

God told Job, "here I am Job do you really want to defend yourself against Me".

Do we ever want to defend our actions that are against the Word of God?

All God wanted Job to admit was "are you as perfect as I am"?

This is our biggest problem as Christians! 

We try to compare ourselves with other Christians or other humans about our sin, when we are to compare ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ who was not only pure but also perfect.

When we compare ourselves to Jesus, we find that we are nothing in comparison to Him!

When we compare ourselves to Jesus, we see how vile and worthless we truly are!

The Lord says gird up Job like a warrior and let us battle over this thing.

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

How are we to compare ourselves to our Holy God!

*****Job 38:4  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 

Do we want to learn about nature then we must listen to our Creator!

To answer this question put to Job, "where were we when God laid the foundations of the earth", we were on the mind of God.

Psa 139:14  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 

Psa 139:15  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 

Psa 139:17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 

We are always on the mind of the Lord!

Psa 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and "thy thoughts which are to us-ward": they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Pro 8:29  When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 

Pro 8:30  Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and "I was daily his delight", rejoicing always before him; 

Pro 8:31  Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and "my delights were with the sons of men". 

Jer 29:11  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you", saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

No matter what the Lord is doing at any given time, His thoughts are always on His greatest creation, "humans", especially those who love Him!

This is something we need to clearly understand!

What does the Lord say?

The formation of the earth is described as a building erected upon foundations and constructed according to specific specifications.

Our God-given habitat was precisely planned. The earth was no accident!

Psa 24:2  For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 

Psa 89:11  The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. 

Psa 102:25  Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

Psa 104:5  Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 

Psa 104:6  Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. 

Psa 104:7  At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 

Psa 104:8  They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 

Psa 104:9  Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. 

Praise the Lord our earthly home is built upon a solid foundation and will remain this way, until the Lord makes His changes, and we go to our true home in Heaven!

Job was not around at the time of Creation and no one else was beside the Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

So who was the designer, who gave Jehovah the "blueprints"?

*****Job 38:5  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

If our world happened by some accident how could it be so orderly. The only accidents I have ever seen were nothing but chaos!

The dimensions of our galaxy, our cosmos, our planets, our stars, and our earth, are in perfection except for the point that we live on a dying planet and this dying is brought about by sin and not by any actions of life!

It is the Lord who knows the dimensions of our earth and modern man cannot be precise nor can anyone understand how it was done!

Was Job there to see what and how God did these things? No and no one else was there, so to believe what some so-called evolution scientist says is all guess work, for God did not need any help to create this earth.

Isa 40:12  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 

Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 

Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? 

I do not know about you, but I love the fact that I am God made and not man-made!

Just how does the earth just hang in the heavens as it does? What keeps the earth in place? The foundations of the earth are invisible!

It is held in place by the mighty hand of God!

*****Job 38:6  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 

Job 38:7  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 

These are questions that no one upon the face of the earth can answer!

What holds all God's creation in place? Again claiming it all happened by some great accident is foolish!

It is obvious that none of these men were atheist, but at the same time all, but Job were polytheists.

Who or what are these morning stars?

What do we know?

Rev 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the principle morning star!

These morning stars are not the angels.

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 

These angels of the Churches are Pastors.

When our Pastors are in one accord, then the sons of God "by adoption", the Church can sing out with joy!

Who is to say that the stars themselves did not sing out?

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 

Psa 19:2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 

Psa 19:3  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 

These are certain things that were around at creation!

Gen 1:14  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 

Gen 1:15  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 

Gen 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 

Gen 1:17  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 

Gen 1:18  And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 

We are all to praise the Lord!

Psa 148:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 

Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 

Psa 148:3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 

Psa 148:4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 

Psa 148:5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 

God was not through with Job yet:

*****Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 

Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 

One of our greatest problems in this life is, we all sometimes try to pass judgment on God!

Who are we to question what God does at any time?

We may not understand why things happen as they do, but we always wrong to question the actions of our Lord!

I do not believe Job did this, but it may have appeared to those three men that he did, and we should not even have the appearance of doing evil.

Job 42:1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 

Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 

Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

God is never wrong in the things that He does, Never!

Do we condemn God?

There are those who get so mad at God for some things that happened in their life that they would condemn God to some sort of punishment.

All those that reject God do this, but even some of God's people do also!

Maybe a parent died, or a child died, and we do not understand why.

First, we will all meet death!

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The only way to avoid this death is to be alive when the Lord returns at the Rapture of the Church. 

Some will be, and they will still be changed, and the Rapture could take place at any time!

We have no control over this time of death! 

Death is in the hand of He who gave life to begin with!

We must always be prepared to die!

If we attempt to make our own selves more righteous than God, we are treading on dangerous ground!

If we just open our eyes to God's creation, we will understand that we will never be able to understand how all the things of creation came about.

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

We are only righteous when we do things according to the Word of God!

God always does all things right Jehovah is always righteous!

We just cannot do the things that God does!

*****Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 

As Christians we do many things right and it began with accepting by faith, that the Lord Jesus Christ died so that we may live.

The Lord Jesus Christ restored our relationship with our Heavenly Father by the works He did for our salvation. 

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer!

Now if this is all we know, after we have accepted the "Grace" of God, then we are saved by "faith".

So why not, after we are saved, do we not get to know our God, our Heavenly Father.

Many of us do not take the time to get to know Jehovah.

The Bible is full of things that the Lord God has done.

How He thinks.

His great love.

His Almighty Power.

His Mercy.

His Grace.

What He likes and what He dislikes.

How to please Him.

How to get close to Him.

Most of us when we pray, we seek the arm of God because we know of His unlimited Power!

In reality we very seldom seek the face of God!

One on one, face to face, we can see the gentleness of a Holy and Righteous God of All Power, who iwilling to sit down and listen as we speak with Him.

1Ch 16:11  Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

How do we cleanse our nation and heal America?

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Psa 105:4  Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Even Job did not know the Lord as well as he should have, and most all of us are the same as Job.

Yes, the arm of the Lord is mighty!

Psa 89:13  Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. 

Psa 89:14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 

When we hear the thunder, it is not God speaking.

If we ever hear God speaking His voice will be as thunder!

Psa 68:33  To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. 

Even King Solomon as rich as he was, decked out in all his finery could not match even the glory of God's creation.

Luk_12:27  Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

No one can match the glory of God.

*****Job 40:10  Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 

The only thing that comes the closest in reality to the glory of God that we can view upon this earth, is the "Rainbow"!

Eze_1:28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

No one could keep our planet livable except the Lord God Almighty!

*****Job 40:11  Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 

Job 40:12  Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 

Job 40:13  Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. 

Did Job question the manner in which God made His judgments?

All of us ask that question "why Lord" from time to time. 

Those that say they do not are probably liars.

Is it even possible to view this world with God's perspective?

Can any one rule this world as God does? Absolutely not!

There are actually those who question the way God manages this world. What foolish people they are!

How can anyone think of comparing themselves to our Redeemer, who can make a star as easily as He makes a flower, who can build the cosmos just by speaking and in that same breath speak to a human who has the smallest question.

Job had faith that never moved, but Job did not know Jehovah as well as he should have and neither do we unless, we dig into the Word of God and search the wonders of our Lord and Savior and seek His face.

God said to Job, "if you can do all the things that I do, then you can save yourself and you will not need Me".

*****Job 40:14  Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. 

We must always know that the only thing we have to offer the Lord is a "dirty, rotten, sinner"!

In reality, we need to be extremely careful how we approach God. We must never forget His power!

The fear of the Lord is just the beginning of knowledge about Him!

Pro 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

When we understand the fear of the Lord, we will find the knowledge of God!

Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

When we have the knowledge of God, we will mark our words.

Pro 17:27  He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Job did not have the power to save himself, no more than we do.

Once we acknowledge we are a sinner, it should open our eyes to the fact that we need a Savior and there is only One Savior!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

God gave Job a whole list of things that he could not do and that we cannot do.

*****Job 41:1  Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? 

Before we start, we should first know that this leviathan is much more than a crocodile or alligator as some would have you to believe.

Isa 27:1  In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. 

Psa 104:26  There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. 

I reject all that say God would compare Himself to a crocodile.

We all know crocodiles and alligators are caught with hooks every day.

I believe this creature to be a dragon.

We all know that what are now called dinosaurs, did exist and this sea creature would be one of those or similar to one of those.

Maybe, the fiercest, of all the extra-large animals, that God created.

In this comparison it says that it is impossible to capture this animal.

In comparison mere humans in no way can limit the power of Jehovah, the Almighty God.

He cannot be bound, tied down, hindered, or stopped in any form or fashion.

There is nothing made that can contain our Lord!

*****Job 41:2  Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 

Many large animals can be made docile by placing a ring in their nose.

They will submit to that pain.

God is Spirit, who in their right mind would think that our Lord would be led around with a hook in His nose.

Believe it or not there are those who believe God can be swayed to do what humans want, which is a farce.

We can ignore the power of God if we so choose, but we are foolish to think God's power is limited in any way.

Job did not think this way, but let us just say that God said, "are you clear on this matter Job"?

God is not some fish that be preserved on a ring for captured fish!

God cannot be made a prisoner and be led by a ring through His jaw as some captured slave!

In all of Scripture we know of only one thing that can move the hand of God by humans and this is the "prayer of faith".

Even then it must be in God's will for us!

The Lord Jesus had compassion on all of us, but even the grave could not hold Him.

The Lord Jesus may have humbled Himself for the cross, but that was a onetime deal.

Heb_9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

That second time Jesus will return in all His glory!

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

Will the Lord return on a good will tour?

*****Job 41:3  Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? 

Job 41:4  Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

The Church will be with the Lord already! 

All those on the earth will be the enemies of God at that time!

Will the Lord return begging for forgiveness?

Will He be subject to the will and whim of mortal men and women?

Will mortal men judge the Almighty God?

Will God consent to be as some domesticated animal?

It would take a fool to answer yes to any of these questions that our Lord has asked Job!

God is omnipotent meaning He has unlimited power!

We should have this fear of Him along with reverence of Him if we are to be the children of God!

Can we play childlike games with the Master of Life?

*****Job 41:5  Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 

Will God submit to being as some pet!

In reality we as humans will never be in such a position that we could judge our Creator.

Some do this today!

In fact every time we question the acts of God, we are saying that we know better than He does.

How could we ever think such things?

In other words we try to put God in a box and take Him out only when we need Him.

We try to use God as some Idol that we put in a place of high regard, but leave Him there and take a cloth and dust Him off as we see fit.

Are we able to control God!

We had better humble ourselves and submit to the Lord while we still have an opportunity, because God is patient, but His patience does have an end.

Job never sinned, but Job did not have a full understanding of the power of God and like God told Job, "you had better get this part right"!

We owe God more than we could ever pay if He just saves us from His wrath, but He gives far more than this, but Jesus said, "if you love me you will keep my commandments".

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

If we do this one thing, we will live a joyful life in the Lord!

Amen

Is There Any Unrighteousness In God

 Words From a Young Man

Book of Job Chapters 32 through 37

Today we look at this man Elihu.

I believe one of the greatest lessons we learn from this passage of Scripture is we need to give our young people an opportunity to speak.

Three of Job's so-called friends had come to comfort him at the loss of everything he owned.

We know that Job did not blink at the loss of his riches, but the death of his ten children had broken him.

Personally, I do not believe these three men ever considered the difference in the loss of family and loss of riches.

I have felt all along that these men were more business friends rather than godly friends.

Job's so-called godly friends which had abandoned Job entirely.

Job was an elder spiritually just as he was by age.

Paul wrote to Timothy:

1Ti 5:1  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 

1Ti 5:18  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward. 

1Ti 5:19  Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 

1Ti 5:20  Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

We should understand because God never changes, He would have been the same even in the time of Job.

These are some of the lessons we need to learn from the Book of Job.

We must understand why these three men had gone quiet.

They had decided that Job had convinced himself that he was so self-righteous that he had placed himself above God.

I do not believe Job ever did this because the Bible said Job never sinned.

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

God would not have said this if it was not true!

The Holy Spirit placed this in the very first chapter of the Book of Job so we would know this throughout this Book of Job.

So what we see is the opinions of the lost when dealing with a godly man.

Not many of the lost will ever have favorable opinions of Christians!

I disagree with most all commentaries on the Book of Job and will try to stick to what the Holy Ghost says.

Which means, I disagree with most of our lesson even though some good points are made.

The one thing we see of this young man is the respect for his elders.

We all should have respect for our elders, especially those godly Saints of God who have stuck with Jesus all their days after being saved!

*****Job 32:1  So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 

Job 32:2  Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. 

Again, these three men had grown quiet because in their own eyes and their own arguments, Job had made himself self-righteous above the righteousness of God.

This was their opinion!

This was not true of Job!

These three men had decided themselves that all our problems in this life are caused by our sin.

Job was a godly man and God Himself had said that Job was a godly man!

Since we have the whole picture of these things because the Holy Spirit preserved these things for us, we know more than these three so-called friends, but they still had no excuse to reject the truth of Job himself.

Job had not made himself to be self-righteous! The man offered sacrifices daily for himself and all his family and we can say he did the same for his employees and his friends.

Job was walking the talk the Lord ask us to walk, according to his relationship with the Lord.

Was Job perfect. In the eyes of God Job was perfect because God said so, only because he repented of his sin daily.

Job still had the sin nature that came by Adam and Job knew this very well!

Those three men got quiet because they could not convince Job that it was his sin that had caused his problems, even some hidden grievous sin which was not true.

Job was in great despair because these things had happened, and he had not understood why?

One of the greatest questions we all ask is "why"!

Elihu was a Buzite. The Book of Genesis says Buz was a relative of Abraham by his brother Nahor.

We know that even in the time of Isaac that these were a pagan people.

Elihu got mad at Job because he to felt Job was claiming to be self-righteous.

Righteous meaning upright toward the commands of God and all the things written of Job says this was true of him.

There were no "Laws of Moses". 

There was no mention of faith. 

There was only the fact that Job sacrificed clean animals for his sin and the sin of others. This act showed his faith!

What is faith? 

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

This was the faith of Job!

Elihu was mad at those other three men because they had not found a solution to Job trials.

We must keep in mind, Job was suffering grief because he had lost all his children in one day and it just about broke him, but he was clinging to his faith as he told his wife.

The Lord gives, but the Lord also takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

*****Job 32:3  Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 

Job had refused to accept what they were saying as the truth, because Job knew the truth.

When we do not accept what the world sees of us, then the world will get mad at us and condemn us just as these men had done to Job.

This one point did not set well with Elihu, but he was just as wrong in his beliefs.

Job was not a bad man and did not need to be condemned by his friends.

True friends do not condemn us!

True friends help us though our bad times!

Things happen that we have no control over and if we trust Him, the Lord will comfort us through these things.

We should really never ask God why?

We must accept that God knows best for us all! Romans 8:28

*****Job 32:4  Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. 

Job 32:5  When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. 

We can see that Elihu had witnessed all the conversations of these men and he had not butted in, because of his youth.

We can see that even respect for the elders had been taught in the land of Uz.

Some say Elihu was trying to be a moderator between Job and these three men, but what we will see is a new plan to attack Job.

In fact Elihu claims to be a prophet of God.

*****Job 33:1  Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. 

Job 33:2  Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. 

Job 33:3  My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. 

Job 33:4  The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. 

Job 33:5  If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up. 

Job 33:6  Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. 

Job 33:7  Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. 

Job 33:8  Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

This was a brash young man saying, "now you listen to me Job".

He said, "I understand all these things Job and I have the answers you seek".

The Holy Spirit will never lead us to cause harm to someone who is in such grief as Job had, so it was not the Holy Spirit who was using this young man!

It would have been the wicked spirit of Satan!

God called His prophets and God calls each man of God, but God did not call Elihu!

Elihu did know about Creation.

Most all the world accepted Creation according the Word of God for many centuries. 

Evolution is a modern-day thought beginning about the time of Darwin.

Elihu said Job, I know you are not a hypocrite.

Elihu said I will ignore the words of your friends, let us just talk about the words you used.

Elihu said let us put aside all that has been said, but "you need to listen to me for my words come by God Himself", which was a lie!

Elihu immediately calls Job a liar.

*****Job 33:9  I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. 

Job 33:10  Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy, 

Job 33:11  He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths. 

God Himself had said that Job as perfect as any human being could be.

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 

Many times while being blasphemed by those other men, Job had said he was a sinner but that he had not committed such a grievous sin to cause so much devastation in his life.

God had said this Himself.

Job had never blamed God for what was happening to Him!

Job is just like we all are when we ask that question "Why Lord".

Did God show a hostility toward Job without a cause?

The one thing we have no right to do is to question the actions of our God because He is a Holy and Just God!

Psa 99:9  Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

It is God who will justify only those who have faith and faith Job had!

Rom 3:30  Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Job just did not understand why all these things had happened to him.

Job even asked, why would such men as these be sent as comforters.

Job 16:11  God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 

God had not sent these men! We know it was Satan.

Job had never said he was clean in God's eyes.

Job 14:4  Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 

All in all Job was saying "Search me Lord"

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Job says, "the Lord knows my path because He directs my path"!

Then Elihu says, Job you are not just, and you cannot justify yourself.

It is true that we cannot justify ourselves. Only by the Lord Jesus are we justified. 

Even in the day of Job it was "faith" that justified and Job had that "faith"!

*****Job 33:12  Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. 

The things God had allowed to happen to Job were not because of some judgment!

God has already stated that to us, but Job never knew these things!

Job knew much more about the ways of God than Elihu and those other three put together.

Elihu was right that God is much greater than man!

Was Job justified in the eyes of God? 

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

The thing we must understand is, that we must give God full control of our life.

Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 

Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

As long as we are in the hands of God our future is safe!

If we are asking God to take us through our life with no problems, then that will not happen.

There are going to be Hurricanes.

There are going to be lightning storms.

There are going to be things that affect us that affect everyone else.

We live in a cursed world where Satan roams about freely!

We see that Satan is sometimes allowed to influence these things to cause destruction.

We live in a world of terrorists and fanatics.

The world is trying to indoctrinate our children against us.

The world is trying to stop the Church.

These things happen whether we are the children of God or not!

God promised to be with us through all these things.

These things are not the days of wrath that the Lord promised we would not see!

Again Elihu was wrong.

*****Job 33:13  Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. 

Does God give an account of any of His matters?

God has given us 31,173 verses in the King James Bible to give an account for Himself!

God did not have to do this! 

In fact God tells us why He does everything that He does! 

What He does for us is for our own benefit! Again Romans 8:28

Then what God tells us to do is to find somewhere in the Scriptures where He was not right to do the things He did.

There are none even if we do not understand that God did!

Jehovah is a righteous God that does according to His own will and God does not make mistakes!

God used Job to teach us the truth of Satan, of sorrow, and of misery as a believer.

What happened to Job was for the benefit of the Church today!

It is just that simple! God knew Job would not fail Him as Satan had thought he would fail!

No, we must not strive against God, but it is OK to remind God of His promises if we do it in the right manner.

Just talk to Him. This is where we fail the most!

We want something all the time when we should just spend more time talking to Him.

I believe Job did sit down and just talk to Jehovah often.

God is speaking to us through His actions at all times.

The Scriptures give us Gods plan and we must know that we are a major part of God's plan.

The key to our relationship is "faith" and we must be willing to listen!

*****Job 33:29  Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, 

Job 33:30  To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. 

God has one purpose!

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

\God is sovereign in that God does as He pleases but He always has His creation in mind!

So is God unrighteous?

God used Job just as He used Pharaoh and just as He uses Satan!

Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 

Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 

Job never understood what happened for he did love God and tried his best to live a righteous life.

Again the things that happen to Job are written and preserved by the Holy Spirit to teach the modern-day Church!

So are we listening? Do we learn the great lessons in the Bible that are preserved for our learning? We had better!

*****Job 37:14  Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 

If we agree that Jehovah is our Creator, many do not agree, but if we agree, then if we look at all the wonders of God's creation then we can begin to understand how wonderful the secret things of God are.

There are not words to describe how wonderful Heaven will be!

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

These are the things we need to lay up in our heart!

These are some of the secret things we need to clearly understand!

The Bible gives us enough information to clearly understand that God's New Heaven will be a truly wonderful place to spend eternity and anything less than that is Hell, but we know the Hell is a Burning Lake of Fire and nothing but misery will be found in Hell.

Again What is "faith"?

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Our hope is in the Lord and the Lord said:

Joh 14:1  "Let not your heart be troubled": ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

This is where our hope must lie!

This is the substance of things not seen!

We all need to stand still and be amazed at the wonders of God!

*****Job 37:15  Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

It is God who makes the rain, small drops and large drops at His choosing.

Job 36:27  For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:  

It is God who forms the majestic clouds and the builder of the thunderstorm.

Job 36:28  Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. 

Job 36:29  Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? 

It is God who gave us the rainbow to remind us that He is in control of our atmosphere.

It is God who is in control of this world!

We have seen these things for so long that we ignore the power of God behind His creations.

Job knew all these things to be true!

*****Job 37:21  And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 

Just as the Sun is hidden by the clouds but we know it is still there.

Our own "faith" can see light when the whole world is in darkness as it is today.

Job was in the darkest days of his life, but he still knew the truth of God.

Job did not need the advice of Elihu!

Job had already said he knew he had a Redeemer.

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. 

Job believed in the resurrection of the body to forever be with the Lord. Job had not forgotten these things!

We as Christians know we will have days of darkness as we travel the pathway to Heaven.

To look for a clear path every day is foolish.

Most of the things that happen to the Christian are the same things that happen to those that hate God or do not know God.

God will test our faith from time to time, not for His knowledge, but for us to know ourselves if we are who we say we are.

Job was not being tested by God. God already knew what the outcome of Job would be!

God is teaching us some valuable lessons in this Book of the Bible.

As Christians we must never worry about the things that Satan can do to us. Even in our darkest days Satan has no power over us!

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

It is in submitting to God where we fail the most!

This is all we need to know about our dealings with Satan, he will flee from that unmovable Christian.

We need to remember it is our Savior who sits upon the throne of this world at all times!

*****Job 37:22  Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. 

God displays His power in our weather just as He displays His power in our salvation.

If we cannot look upon the Sun on a clear day, how do we believe we could ever look upon the "Glory" of God when He comes down to this earth.

If we are not His children, we will never be able to stand before Him!

Exo 33:20  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Anyone who believes other than this, will burn at the "Glory" of God!

As far Elihu believed, God is so great that no one will ever be able to stand before Him.

Job knew better just as we know better today!

By the Lord Jesus Christ we will one day stand before our Heavenly Father!

*****Job 37:23  Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. 

Job 37:24  Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart. 

Elihu believed himself to be some sort of prophet just as so many do today.

We can certainly find the Lord because He is never far from us!

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

The Lord is not hiding from us, He is keenly aware of the things we go through.

He wants to go through our days of darkness with us and He will if we ask Him to.

When we do not ask, He will still watch over us!

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

We must understand the reality of Jehovah God!

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man". 

Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

These are the things we must do.

Jesus said:

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

As we study all these things of these three so-called friends and Elihu, we can see why they were of no help to Job because they went against everything Job stood for.

So we know in reality it was Satan who sent these men to try to break Job and they failed because of the "faith" of Job.

We now see why it is said that Job had a lot of patience.

When we face the Lord, we will not be able to offer up excuses because He has shown us men like Job who went through terrible darkness, but held onto their faith and never spoke one word against our Heavenly Father.

There were some things that Jehovah would speak to Job about and we will see these things in our next lesson.

Amen