Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification
Are we better off?
In the world we may find atheists, believers in all sorts of gods, and believers of all sorts of denominations in the one they call the Only One God.
Are those who think they believe in Jesus to be God, or those who think Jehovah being God the only righteous? They should know better, because according to the Gospel of the Apostles there is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.
Ruin and misery are in the paths of this contemporary world. A world where we can see that there is no fear of God.
Some may think the world is going ‘berserk’ because the Judeo-Christian world is not taken serious, as being the only civilisation able to bring forth inventions ans wealth. But they should be aware that God allowed all people to leave on this earth, and that many of them, also those who do not believe, are able to do good works, and able to think and handle the right way, because all men are created in the likeness of God.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For no one is declared righteous before Him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. And that should make us think more. Being aware what evil really is. Believing in Christ or God does not make us a more important person than somebody who does not believe at all, or does believe something different than us. For there is no distinction, for all have sinnedand fall short of the glory of God.
But the good thing about accepting Christ and believing in all the works he and his Father did is that we can become justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Those who accepted Christ as their Saviour and are willing to read the Holy Scriptures, learning from them, may be blessed when they make work of it to live according those Words of God. Though we shall not be able to be without sin, our sins can be forgiven, when do have regret of what we did wrong and when we also can forgive those who sinned against us. Many their lawless deeds are forgiven, and many their sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.
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Romans 3:1-4:25 The Scriptures 1998+
(1) What then is the advantage of the Yehudor what is the value of the circumcision?
(2) Much in every way! Because firstly indeed, that they were entrusted with the Words of Elohim.1 Footnote: 1See 2:20.
(3) For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief nullify the trustworthiness of Elohim?
(4) Let it not be! But let Elohim be true, and every man a liar, as it has been written, “That You should be declared right in Your words, and prevail in Your judging.”
(5) But if our unrighteousness establishes the righteousness of Elohim, what shall we say? Is Elohim unrighteous who is inflicting wrath? I speak as a man.
(6) Let it not be! Otherwise how shall Elohim judge the world?
(7) For if the truth of Elohim has increased through my lie, to His esteem, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
(8) And why not say, “Let us do evil so that the good might come”? – as we are wrongly accused and as some claim that we say. Their judgment is in the right.
(9) What then? Are we better than they? Not at all, for we have previously accused both Yehudand Greeks that they are all under sin.
(10) As it has been written, “There is none righteous, no, not one!
(11) “There is no one who is understanding, there is none who is seeking Elohim.
(12) “They all have turned aside, they have together become worthless. There is none who does good, no, not one.”
(13) “Their throat is an open tomb, with their tongues they have deceived,” “The poison of adders is under their lips,”
(14) “Whose mouth is filled with cursing and bitterness.”
(15) “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
(16) ruin and wretchedness are in their ways,
(17) and the way of peace they have not known.”
(18) “There is no fear of Elohim before their eyes.”
(19) And we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those who are in the Torah, so that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world come under judgment before Elohim.
(20) Therefore by works of Torah no flesh shall be declared right before Him, for by the Torah is the knowledge of sin.1 Footnote: 1Ex. 20:20, Rom. 4:15, Rom. 7:7.
(21) But now, apart from the Torah, a righteousness of Elohim has been revealed, being witnessed by the Torah and the Prophets,
(22) and the righteousness of Elohim is through belief in יהושע Messiah to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference,
(23) for all have sinned and fall short of the esteem of Elohim,
(24) being declared right, without paying, by His favour through the redemption which is in Messiah יהושע ,
(25) whom Elohim set forth as an atonement, through belief in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His tolerance Elohim had passed over the sins that had taken place before,
(26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He is righteous and declares righteous the one who has belief in יהושע .
(27) Where, then, is the boasting? It is shut out. By what Torah? Of works? No, but by the Torah of belief.
(28) For we reckon that a man is declared right by belief without works of Torah.
(29) Or is He the Elohim of the Yehudonly, and not also of the gentiles? Yea, of the gentiles also,
(30) since it is one Elohim who shall declare right the circumcised by belief and the uncircumcised through belief.
(31) Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.1 Footnote: 1See 7:12.
(1) What, then, shall we say Abour father, to have found, according to the flesh?
(2) For if Abwas declared right by works, he has ground for boasting, but not before Elohim.
(3) For what does the Scripture say? “Abbelieved Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.”1 Footnote: 1Gen. 15:6, Gen. 17:1 and 26:5.
(4) And to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned as a favour but as a debt.
(5) And to him who is not working but believes on Him who is declaring right the wicked, his belief is reckoned for righteousness,
(6) even as Dawidalso says of the blessedness of the man to whom Elohim reckons righteousness without works:
(7) “Blessed are those whose lawlessnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered,
(8) blessed is the man to whom יהוה shall by no means reckon sin.”
(9) Is this blessing then upon the circumcised only, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we affirm: Belief was reckoned unto Abfor righteousness.
(10) How then was it reckoned? Being in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
(11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the belief while in uncircumcision, for him to be a father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for righteousness to be reckoned to them also,
(12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the belief which our father Abhad in uncircumcision.
(13) For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abor to his seed through the Torah, but through a righteousness of belief.
(14) For if those who are of the Torah are heirs, belief has been made useless, and the promise has been nullified,
(15) for the Torah works out wrath, for where there is no Torah there is no transgression.
(16) On account of this it is of belief, that it be according to favour, for the promise to be made certain to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Torah, but also to those who are of the belief of Abwho is father of us all –
(17) as it has been written, “I have made you a father of many nations” – in the presence of Him whom he believed, even Elohim, who gives life to the dead and calls that which does not exist as existing,
(18) who against all expectation did believe, in expectation, so that he should become father of many nations, according to what was said, “So shall your seed be.”
(19) And not having grown weak in belief, he did not consider his own body, already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb,
(20) he did not hesitate about the promise of Elohim through unbelief, but was strengthened in belief, giving esteem to Elohim,
(21) and being completely persuaded that what He had promised He was also able to do.
(22) Therefore also “it was reckoned to him for righteousness.”
(23) And not because of him alone was it written that it was reckoned to him,
(24) but also because of us, to whom it shall be reckoned, to us who believe in Him who raised up יהושע our Master from the dead,
(25) who was delivered up because of our trespasses, and was raised for us to be declared right.
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Adonai desires that all should come to repentance, everyone everywhere, to worship in spirit and truth. He says I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.
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Circumcision was a nation recognition that the house of Israel belongs to G-d to walk in holiness and purity.
Listening and Praying to the Father
In Matthew 21:28-32 we are told about a father who had two children. Approaching the first, he said, ‘Child, go work today in the vineyard.’ Now, this child responded, ‘I will, Sir’, but did not leave for the vineyard. The father approached the second child and requested the same, who said, ‘I will not!’ but later felt regret and went into the vineyard. Now, which of the two did the will of their father?” The priests and elders answered, “The last one.” Then Jesus said to them: “I tell you this truth: Tax-collectors and the sexually immoral are going ahead of you into the Realm of The God. John came to you in righteousness way and you did not believe him. But the tax-collectors and sexually immoral believed him. Not you–though seeing you did not feel regret later and so believe in John.” (Matthew 21:28-32 MHM)
Which one of the two children do we want to be? Do you recognise the one who says yes but does not act, or do we want to be the one who at first says not going to do it, but changes his mind? Do we want to hear the voice of the Almighty one? Do we even listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus, who asks us to do the will of the Father?
Do we are selves take our own steps and go the way Jesus directs us?
There is only one person to whom we have to give the full authority and to whom we have to give our ear and heart fully.
Jesus, been tempted could resist and said to the Devil (the adversary), “Be on your way, Satan, for it has been written, ‘You shall worship YHWH/Jehovah your God and to Him only shall you render divine service.’”" (Matthew 4:10)
Your God:
By this Jesus infers that YAHWEH or Jehovah is his God otherwise the quote makes no sense as a response to Satan. Over two dozen times the Scriptures use phrases indicating the Nazarene worships his own God. “The God of our Lord.” (#Ephesians 1:3, 17)
It is only to Jehovah that we have to render divine service (The Greek is LATREUSEIS. Or, KJV: serve; RHM: divine service)
We have to fear the LORD of Lords, our God, and serve him, (De 6:13) and should listen to His wishes and His commandments.
By serving God, Jesus obtained all the earthly authority which the devil offered him, and heavenly authority in addition thereto (#Mt 28:18). So much better are the rewards of God than Satan’s.
The words “him alone thou shalt serve” need be recalled today. Jesus warned men against trying to serve God and mammon (#Mt 6:24). Jehovah had previously also brought His penalties over those who did not want to listen.
Jehovah gave indications that it was time to act. Also several prophets and Christian writers warned people. “Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people answered him not a word.” “(1Ki 18:21 HNV)
Evil or the devil, as the lord of the evil world, constantly tries to win men to the service of the world and God. This is his chief camouflage for destroying a preacher’s power for God. (The word in (#Mt 4:10) for serve is latreuseiv from latriv a hired servant, one who works for hire, then render worship.
Lots of people are in a position they feel secure because they take no parts. They are sometimes member of a denomination, though they have a lot of things they do not keep up to the rules of that denomination. (Compare in the Roman Catholic Church where the Pope has given a lot of rules, but which the majority neglect) A lot of the actions and feasts they hold are pagan and contrary to the Biblical teaching.
We do have to ask the question “How long shall we halt between two opinions?” If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. (1Kings 18:21 JB2000)
We have to come out of the world the Earthly Matters, the World of Babylon the Great. We should not be partakers of her sins. (Revelation 18:4)
We should not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
Let our seed be sown in good soil, so that we really can hear the right message and understand the Words of God, given to us by the Holy Scriptures. By choosing a denomination who keeps closer to the truth then others, we ourselves can protect ourselves more. By choosing the right religion we can become blessed and become productive. (Matthew 13:23)
Keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that Day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap! For it will close in on everyone, no matter where they live, throughout the whole world. Stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36)
When we want to follow Jesus, we do have to listen to his words. He also learned his followers to pray to his , their and our Father, with the words “ Our Heavenly Father (Pater Noster), Let your Name be sanctified.”
Clearly Jesus does not demand to pray to him but to his Father.
- Prayer invited
God has clearly indicated that His people should call upon Him in prayer. [1 Kgs. 3:5; 2 Chron. 7:14; Ps. 50:15; Jer. 33:3.]
- Prayer encouraged
The Bible encourages us to pray. [1 Chron. 16:11; Ps. 32:6; Prov. 2:3; Joel 2:32; Mt. 7:7; Lk. 21:36; Jas. 1:5; 1 Jno. 3:22 .]
- Response promised
As an encouragement to active prayer God has promised to respond. [Ex. 22:27; Ps. 34:17; Isa. 30:19; Jer. 29:12; Mt. 6:6; 21:22; Jno. 9:31 ; 1 Jno. 5:15 .] - Prayer answered
To emphasise that His promises do not fail, God has put on record evidence of His answer to prayer. [1 Kgs. 3:9,28 ; Ps. 34:4 ; Jas. 5:17 ; Dan. 9:20-23 ; Lk. 22:42 ,43 ; 2 Cor. 12:8,9]
We do have Christ as mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5) who showed us the way to go directly to his and our Father. Already before Christ, from earliest times, there was such a two way communication by prayer, which we still can keep to practice our devotion to the Most High. (Genesis 1:28 ; 3:9)
Today we still can use the given model prayer “Our Father”.
Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 1, page 615: “In the oldest version of this prayer, the invocation reads pater, (dear) Father, and indicates abba as the Aramaic original. This means that when Jesus gave his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, he gave them authority to follow him in addressing God as abba and so gave them a share in his status as Son.”
Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 1, page 617: “The description of God as Father never refers to any other individual or to mankind in general. To be a child of God is not a natural state or quality. … In Palestinian Judaism of the pre-Christian period the description of God as Father is rare. The Qumran texts provide but a single example. … We have yet to find an example of an individual addressing God as ‘my Father.’ … Jesus did not teach the idea that God is the Father of all men. … It must have been nothing short of outrageous that Jesus should make use of the completely unceremonious Aramaic word abba.”
Let your Name be sanctified; Faithful Christians should honour the Name of the Most high.
Jesus does not use the opportunity to incorporate the noma sagrada or Divine Name (YHWH = Jehovah; # Exodus 3:15) in his model prayer. Jesus uses the words “your name” with reference to the Father rarely in the Synoptic Gospels. In John the Nazarene uses the expression at John 12:28; John 17:6, 26. However, he never uses or pronounces YHWH in these contexts. Why? In Jesus’ day the Jews refrained from uttering the name YHWH and substituted Elohim (God) or Adonay (Lord). The Jews never removed YHWH from its nearly 7,000 occurrences in the Old Testament.
About the year 1,000 CE Jewish copyists began to incorporate vowel points in YHWH to warn to say God or Lord in its place.
Does the Nazarene ever use YHWH? The Gospel evidence would indicate this could only be when he is quoting the Hebrew Bible. It is now thought that the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, known as The Septuagint (LXX), had YHWH untransliterated in the Greek text. There is a good reason for this. The Greek language cannot convert the Hebrew letters for YHWH. Modern Greek dictionaries use dzehoba or Iekhoba for “Jehovah” but original Greek did not have an “h” as it were, other than a breath sound. Modern Greek attempts to capture the sound of the English pronunciation of the name.
Given the attitude of the Jews what would have happened if Jesus used YHWH in quotes or normal speech? Certainly equal to that misguided accusation that he violated the Sabbath! Yet the Gospels are silent on this. What about private meetings with his disciples when the use of YHWH could not cause a public stir? Compare the lengthy closing words in John 13$ to 17. Not once does Jesus use YHWH even though he alludes to the “name” four times.
Given the facts that the Jews do not attack him for violating their understanding of one of the Ten Commandments and the absence of his use in private speeches and prayers, it would seem he respected the Jewish tradition of the time.
This does not minimize the importance of the “Name” as Jesus’ words in his prayer shows. The idea of this sanctification occurs scores of times in the Hebrew Bible. Compare Exodus 3:14, 15, 6:3.
Various renderings are: TCNT: May thy name be held holy; MOF: thy name be revered; PHI: may your name be honored.
Honouring the name of the Creator of all things is one way of bringing veneration to the Most High. Saying the words Jesus learnt us to speak, we can worship God with the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father” and asking “Let your Kingdom come. Let your Will take place, as in heaven, also on earth. “
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“9 After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
(Matthew 6:9-13 KJBPNV)
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The worshipping or act of bringing worship can be done in different forms, which shall be spoken of in different articles. It can be done in the house by a private person or member of the community or in a special built or purpose-built place of worship, like a church or meeting room, or in a public place or in the open. In the Christadelphian community we mostly call the Meeting Hall “Ecclesia House”, “Ecclesia building” or simply “Ecclesia”.
A world in denial
Aftermath and Trauma of an incident
The aftermath of the movie theatre shooting, at the opening of the latest blockbuster, The Dark Knight Rises, in Colorado that claimed the lives of 12 people brought out once again the familiar calls for greater gun control and national reflection to determine what could have triggered such a shocking act of violence. These types of harrowing incidents often tend to produce legitimate collective soul searching, which sometimes even manifests in effective legislation to prevent similar crimes from occurring in the future.
“However, as heinous as the Colorado shooting was, viewed on its own it is worth noting that in terms of scale it pales in comparison to the near-industrial-level killing that regularly ravages much of inner-city America; in particular the city of Chicago, which has been grappling with years of protracted violence that has produced numbers of dead and wounded more appropriate to an active war zone than a major American city.” writes Murtaza Hussain in Chicago: Aurora all the time .
Death is always near. In our regions, more people are killed in road accidents than by armed incidents and terrorist actions. But every person who loses his or her life for no special reason is one to much, and brings a traumatic experience to others.
” Trauma is an unexpected, derailing experience. For those who are in its direct line, it crushes the mind, body and soul. For those of us who witness it, we reel in waves of horror – helpless and saddened by it all. One of the ways to restore a sense of security after a mass tragedy is to understand why things like this happen, and then move into action mode to help yourself and loved ones heal. ” says Dr. Deb.
“The unconscious motive of an act of terror is to destroy objects and people because they are sources of unbearable feelings of envy. The violence emerges from historical rage, grief, dread and pain, congealing into the need to annihilate others. It is a dangerous, bitter brine. When murderous rage is acted out – and victims are put through horror, cruelty and unspeakable loss – he transcends his own pain. ” Dr. Deb writes in his 10 Tips for Making Sense of Evil: The Colorado Theatre Shooting.
Problems and Violence
Today many may love to accuse Muslim people for the problems they have in their own country. It is easy to blame others for that. Nobody likes to look in his own bosom.
Many do find that the world is falling apart with violent attacks, suicide bombs, and senseless murders. And yet mankind insists that nothing in the world has changed.
On television we get a lot of bad news, but many think the coverage on the little screen is just a little fraction of what is really happening. Coverage of modern News they give is very terse – and looks much worse – than the world in which we live, they think. And they believe the reason why it is so can be found by the easiness governments allow people to enter their country, or because the government does not give enough penalties to people who do something wrong.
Some say that nothing has changed and that there have always been some problems, which may not be exaggerated. We have always had distress but those who are much older can recall and will confess that the world-wide situation is far different from past times. They would say when they were young or when their grandparents were young it was much better. Those who remember older days shall be able to see lots of differences. Many shall also say that there’s a great increase in problems with a great increase in crimes.
It’s not just isolated to a place just now and then. We can not ignore the increase in bullying, family troubles, crisis coming after crisis, religions disputing with each other and even getting up against each other, burning churches, bombing mosques, beheading and dismembering others.
The loss of Life it costs has diminished. Today a life does not seem to be worth much. Respect to other people has diminished like never before. People stabbing people over trivial minor stuff, people shoot their children, there seems to be no love in the world of today. Arsonists starting fires that blaze and burn away miles of homes and nature nothing left for them to stay.
The violence has no limits, they rape and sodomize, pour acid on each other, gouging out their crying eyes. The Riots and the Protests as they rampage thru the streets smashing cars and store front windows while attacking the police. Shootings for no reason even in the malls, at schools and in crèches. The schools are plagued with killers, no safety in their halls.
School and sport teachers, and the clergy having sex with any child, the pornography of violent acts, decent values have gone wild.
Children beating strangers, the beggars, homos on the street killing them with hammers, kicking them with their feet.
Mothers offering their children drugs, beating them up, butcher children cutting off their arms, throwing them off bridges, doing them great harm.
Pregnant women torn apart disembowled with a knife by crazy cold and hateful ones discarding human life.
Parking Lots offer muggings where kidnap is a game for paedophile predators the whole world’s gone insane.
The anger of our drivers who will shoot to kill in rage if you dare to pass their car up just a feature of our age.
Being safe or in danger
No one is safe anymore, no matter where you live, people shot while getting mail or opening their trash lid.
Little girls buried alive after they’ve been raped. A mother strangled with her son then thrown into a Lake.
Savage men who thirst for blood, eating human flesh. Looking for another meal a child – small and fresh. To barbeque and cut apart and stored in plastic bin. Like butchered meat from Deli trays the modern latest sin.
The ravages of nature a plague that rules each day. Tsunami torment nightmares. The violent winds at play.
Disaster upon disaster, eruptions and earthquakes, volcanic smoke and ashes, flooding rivers and the lakes. Rivers bursting Levees. Mudslides wash away obstructing even highways tearing trees along the way.
Tornados wreaking havoc, even bricks give way to wind, homes are burst to splinters, destroying everything within. Trucks are blown off highways by the violent breath of storms, hail the size of softballs during weather that is warm. Children killed by lightening as they bowed before a cross, many fried before our eyes, we contemplate the loss. Hurricanes and Cyclones torment the world today, no place is safe from the evil face of Nature‘s Violent way.
The Picture of this being on this earth
We think you get the picture, for we could go on with more, as troubled times begin to mount for we know what is in store.
For Christ said that distress would mark the days of his return, he gave us ample warning in hopes that we would learn.
To stay awake – and be prepared, for that’s what Jesus said, pay attention to the world’s events so you will know ahead.
That its time to Look for him, and that’s what we should do. For Christ warned all to be prepared, yes, everyone of you.
It’s for this very reason that we attempt to consolidate all the clues, we find in the news before it is too late.
No thief can overtake you if you know that he is near. You’ll keep awake, and will be safe and there will be no fear.
The fact that Christ foretold this, left nothing to dismay we’ll be prepared with all he shared for his final glorious day.
Disaster and Problems of all times
As in the time of Nehemia people are facing economic disaster because internal vexations arose and climate brought in certain place drought while others were flooded. Bumper crops the farmers had looked for did not materialize and many where taken in by firms which manipulated the seeds, so the farmers had become dependant on them. Farmers but also people who thought they were sure of their employment took out mortgages at a rate of interest that was beyond their ability to repay. Other people mortgaged their homes to pay their taxes. There was an abundance of foreclosures by the money lenders. At the time of Nehemiah, after giving it some thought, the prophet became very angry. Some folks think that preachers should never get mad and should never assert judgement on wrongdoers. But in Isaiah 63:10, we see that even the Holy Spirit, when grieved, can turn around and become your enemy. The loving nature of the Holy Spirit does not pre-empt His readiness to correct.
English: Holy Spirit church: Cellingpainting: Assumption of Christ Locality: Heiligengeistplatz Community:Klagenfurt Deutsch: Heiligengeistkirche: Deckengemälde – Christi Himmelfahrt Ort: Heiligengeistplatz Gemeinde:Klagenfurt (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Let me recount the kindnesses of יהוה {Jehovah} and the praises of יהוה , according to all that יהוה has done for us, and the great goodness toward the house of Yisra’ which He has done for them according to His compassion, and according to His many kindnesses. And He said, “They are My people, children who do not act falsely.” And He became their Saviour. In all their distress He was distressed, and the Messenger of His Presence saved them. In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them, and He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Set-apart Spirit, so He turned against them as an enemy, and He fought against them. ” (Isaiah 63:7-10 The Scriptures 1998+)
Instead of following the example of Nehemiah, who called the priests, and took an oath of them, and assembled the rulers and leaders and rebuked them for the usury which they had put on the people and overburdening them, the preachers do point their fingers to the people themselves and make them also afraid of other people, especially of those who seem to be a danger for Christianity because in that other group they still speak about the fear for God and the way to get in heaven, though not always a sanctified way.
“And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers, the YehudAnd there were some who were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many. Let us get grain for them, and eat, and live.” And there were some who were saying, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses. Let us buy grain because of the scarcity of food.” And there were those who were saying, “We have borrowed silver for the sovereign’s tax on our lands and vineyards. “And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. And see, we are subjecting our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been subjected, and there is no power in our hands, for other men have our lands and vineyards.””
“And it was very displeasing to me when I heard their outcry and these words. And my heart ruled over me, and I strove with the nobles and with the deputy rulers, and said to them, “You are exacting interest, each one from his brother.” And I called a great assembly against them, and said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our brothers, the Yehudwho were sold to the gentiles. And you even sell your brothers! Or should they be sold to us?” And they were silent and found not a word to say. I also said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our Elohim because of the reproach of the gentiles, our enemies? “And also, I, my brothers and my servants, am lending them silver and grain. Please, let us leave off this interest! “Please, give back to them, even today, their lands, their vineyards, their olive-trees, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the silver and of the grain, and of the new wine, and of the oil, that you have taken from them.” And they said, “Let us give it back, and ask no more from them, we do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and made them swear to do according to this word. I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “Let Elohim in this way shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not do this word, even to be thus shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amand praised יהוה {Jehovah}. And the people did according to this word. Also, from the day I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Yehud from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of Sovereign Artah twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s food. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty sheqels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of Elohim. And I also applied myself to the work on this wall. We did not buy any land. And all my servants were gathered there for the work. And at my table were one hundred and fifty of the Yehudand deputy rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. And that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep, and birds were prepared for me, and once every ten days plenty of all kinds of wine. And in spite of this I did not seek the governor’s food, because the bondage was heavy on this people. O my Elohim, remember me for the good – all that I have done for this people. ” (Nehemiah 5:1-19 The Scriptures 1998+)
Nehemeia had called his people to see that many things they did were not good and that they ought to walk in the fear of their God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies. He knew that the best way to come to a nice solution would be to restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that they were been charged. Is that not something they could do with Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy, but also with the many poor people taken in by the corrupt bankmanagers?

Children gathering potatoes on a large farm, vicinity of Caribou, Aroostook County, Me. Schools do not open until the potatoes are harvested. (LOC) (Photo credit: The Library of Congress)
Though we may see that former governors were supported by the people, and took ‘bread’ or ways of living from them, Nehamia did not do so, because of the fear of יהוה God. But many preachers in many denominations love the way they can use their power. The Church in centuries has done a lot to get the full power in this world. Their we can find the new Babylon.
Taking Fear
But the people of today should know better and take their own steps backward, away from the defiled systems, and taking fear again, not for those people or organisations, but for God, because that is the beginning of wisdom. All those who try to do the work of God shall get a good understanding. From Scriptures given in the hands of set apart people, God provided solutions for our lives and assured His followers they shal be blessed and get His praise forever!
“The fear of יהוה {Jehovah} is the beginning of wisdom, All those doing them have a good understanding. His praise is standing forever. ” (Psalms 111:10 The Scriptures 1998+)
“The fear of יהוה {Jehovah} is the beginning of knowledge1; Fools despise wisdom and discipline. {Footnote: 1See 9:10, Ps. 111:10}. “(Proverbs 1:7 The Scriptures 1998+)
“The fear of יהוה {Jehovah} is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Set-apart One is understanding{1. Footnote: 1:7}.” (Proverbs 9:10 The Scriptures 1998+)
Knowing better
Looking at what is going on in this world we should know better and we should also let others know to abandon their foolish ways so that they and we may live, and proceed in the way of understanding. Remembering that whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse, we better not, our of angriness, reprove a mocker or he will hate you. It is better to show with our example how a good decent person can live a better way and how we perhaps reprove a wise person so that he will love us. Giving instruction to a wise person, giving him chances to become wiser still; teaching a righteous person and making him add to his learning. This all in the knowledge that to fear the Only One God, Jehovah, the Father of all, is the beginning of wisdom, but also the only way to come to the best life ever possible, our way to enter the Kingdom of God. Only by fearing the right person, Jehovah God and acknowledging the Holy One we shall receive understanding and we shall find our days will be many, and years will be added to our life.
If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage, but if you are a mocker, you alone must bear it. (Proverbs 9:6-12)
In the whole history of mankind we see that the fear of the Most High leads to an upright life (Proverbs 8:13). Joseph (son of Jacob) kept away from the lusts of Potiphar’s wife because he knew what was right and wrong in the eyes of God, and he feared his Upper Master more than the master on earth. (Genesis 39:1-23). Potiphar had put everything under Joseph’s authority because the Almighty Creator had given Joseph favour.
Excuses
We never have an excuse because the world is bad that we can go and join in this badness. We may see all the evil going on in this world. We may find it pardonable that we do also little things to enrich ourselves or to enjoy ourselves like others do. However we should remember all those lessons God has given in the past to guide His people. We can find those histories in the Holy Scriptures, which are given to us for our education. We can ignore them or we can take our lessons out of them.
Though it is impossible to withdraw from the world completely because we are in it, it is no excuse not to live totally according to the Laws of the Lord. We as Christians did also get the Laws of Christ to get us through this life. Jesus has told many parables which showed us the way how to arrange our life. Jesus made it also clear that no matter what happens we must draw a line between our behaviour and the world’s behaviour, and we do have to make the right choices. We cannot want it both ways. That is the difficulty in life we cannot belong to the world and at the same time to God. But being part of the body of Christ, being an accepted son of God, receiving the grace of the only mediator between God and men (Jesus) we can, however, live a life in this world without conforming to it (Romans 12:1-2). Joseph radiated purity in a corrupt environment (as did Nehemiah).
We should come to a consecration of the Believer’s Life, exhort each other, presenting our bodies as a sacrifice — alive, holy, and pleasing to God — which is our reasonable service. Though living in this world we should not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we may test and approve what is the Will of God — what is good and well- pleasing and perfect. The apostle Paul called his brothers and sisters to do that, and we should follow his example.
“I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim. ” (Romans 12:1-2 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Had Joseph given into temptation, Potiphar’s wife would have blocked Joseph from fulfilling God’s purpose for his life. Nehemiah would never have finished building the walls of Jerusalem if his focus had been on greed and covetousness. Nehemiah’s strength came from his awesome fear of the Lord. “So did not I, because I feared God.” Many preachers say that, in the last days, God is building up a “Joseph church”… The Bible doesn’t say that… It is Jesus who is building His church to be a church that stands on the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:18). We need the Joseph spirit today, and the spirit of Nehemiah that says, “But out of reverence for God, I did not act that way.” tells us also Pastor George Belobaba of the Scripture Nuggets Ministries in I Didn’t Do It Because I Feared God.
As Nehemiah reminded and rebuked the wicked overlords for doing to their own people what they complained about while being subjected to Egyptian bondage and servitude, the rulers of today should be more aware. As in Nehemiah’s time the rulers today should be and are servants and subject to a higher authority, God the Only One Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, whose name is יהוה, Lord Yahuwah or Jehovah, and if they wish to be treated mercifully by God then they ought to treat their fellow-man just as mercifully.
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With thanks to “The Family in Crisis”
Previous:
- Childish or reasonable ways
- Judeo-Christian values and liberty
- Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
To be continued:
- Fear and protection
- Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification
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Please do read as well:
Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
Not all will inherit the Kingdom
One Mediator between God and man
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It is clear that the sufferings of this world had always been the result of humankind’s negligence and disobedience. However, the prince of darkness used such human weaknesses as tools to his advantage in his quest to replace God. The aftermath of Satan’s use of humankind as avenue and tool resulted in mayhems and chaos in this world. The only hope that held true in humankind’s mind always was the fact that God never gave up on his children despites their disobedience. - Self Denial and Evangelical Parenting (thechristianpundit.org)
On the weekend I was talking with a mother of teenaged girls about the statistic that 80% of evangelical, college age kids have premarital sex. Obviously, there’s a problem, and this mother was concerned for the future of the church.People have pointed out the theological and ecclesiastical reasons for this stat: evangelical kids often come from churches that do not clearly teach biblical patterns of marriage and sexuality, and many teens leave church when they move out of their parents’ home for university or work.
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While every child is certainly responsible for their own sins of impurity, at times parents may bear a share of guilt as well. Are we practiced in denying ourselves, taking up our crosses (i.e., crucifying the old man), and following Christ (Luke 9:23)?
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Not every child who sleeps around has a self-indulgent parent. Some of the most godly parents I know who have been exemplary in living and teaching the gospel to their children still have a son or daughter who end up in the sin and guilt of fornication. Some children heartbreakingly pursue sexual sin without repentance, turning their back on their faith.
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Why would our kids listen to us telling them to pursue purity and godly restraint when we are giving in to shopping addictions, gluttony, love of money, love of pleasure, and other self-indulgent behaviors? We live with an entitlement attitude, bending Scripture’s commands to holiness when they are too uncomfortable or costly. Why are we surprised when our kids sleep around?
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This TED talk, by Netherland’s chief of defense Peter van Uhm, explains why we can’t do without guns. With insight and balance, van Uhm explains from a humanistic and humanitarian perspective why guns are now a necessary part of life.
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But what Christians often forget in our discussion of guns is that God hates violence, and the people who practice it (Psalm 11:5). There is no specific form of violence singled out here – apparently, God hates all of it because it is man, with no authority or with selfish motives, destroying other men whom He has made in His own image.
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Our culture is so full of violence, that we are often blinded to it. As a culture, we practice it, whether by watching violent films or playing violent video games for fun, setting up targets with images of particular people for sadistic target practice, being violent in the way that they hunt to put food on the table, acting violently in the home, or any other selfish way that we hurt other humans who are made in God’s image.
- Quiet Walk (momsfirstscreenn.wordpress.com)
Nehemiah comes before the king unable to conceal his agitation over the situation in Jerusalem. When we are faced with situations that need change, preparation is vital. We may not be able to do anything about it at the moment, but we can ask ourselves this question: “If it lay within our power to do anything we wanted to do, what would we do?” If we can answer that, then we will recognize opportunity when it knocks, and we can capitalize on it as Nehemiah does. - BASIC Series | Notes & Review (vialogue.wordpress.com)
Chan describes the paradox between “fearing” God, and “not fearing him” as God’s children and bride. Beginning with the fear of God will lead us to the kind of life in which we are not afraid of anything else, because God is so fearful.
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I would also suggest that the church has not simply bowed to the pressures of contemporary sentiment. The word for “fear” does also mean “respect” and “awe,” and may be coupled with the idea of “terrified,” all depending upon the context. Leviticus 19:30 and 26:2 both use the word “fear” to mean “reverence” in reference to the sanctuary of the LORD. Nehemiah 1:11 mentions a “fearing” of God’s name, which, in that context most reasonably reads “revere.” Psalm 67:7 seems to use that phrase in the same way.
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What I’ve always wondered, though, is how teachers can on the one had say things like “it was happening to them,” giving the impression that it was out of their control (which is in line with the sovereignty of God), and at the same time exhort us modern hearers to begin to act and behave in such a way as to make what happened “then” happen “now.” That is something I’m always perplexed about. - Disease of the mind is an acute mental illness (sicangulakota.net)
A truly healthy human is one who is emotionally intelligent.
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The lack of healthy emotions and thoughts will contribute to a totally preventable illness known to many as the disease of the mind.
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a diseased mind is one that is poisoned by thoughts of denial, paranoia, violence, revenge, etc. The thoughts controlling a diseased mind are rampant with plots of retaliation. There is a true lack of discipline in a mind dominated with constant negative or violent thoughts. You are the only person in control of your thoughts. No one forces you to think these thoughts. No one! - Celebratory Occasions or Obligations? (eagleviews.org)
to think that one person would be subject to another is slavery. Those in positions of authority rule over their SUBJECTS without regard to the needs and well-being of those subjects.This is what Nehemiah found to be happening to his kinsmen and brethren in his homeland.
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Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts and reproach of the nations, our enemies? - Nehemiah? (seekingthepath.wordpress.com)
It seems like every day we face adversities, hardships, difficulties, dangers, misfortunes, and hard times. Our country is filled with poverty, violent crime, and unsaved people. Divorce and AIDS plague our society. Beggars are in our streets and hypocrites sitting on our pews. What can we do with our churches not making budget; our assistant pastors’ committing adultery? What could a man named Nehemiah who lived over two millenniums ago hope to even inspire us to lead God’s sheep to victory in this war? What would Nehemiah say to us today, what sermon would he preach?
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God is great and awesome. This is the reason we fight. This is reason we preach, this is reason we worship, and this is the reason we live and breathe. This is reason we counsel and pray. - Walking In The Spirit (cupofblessing.wordpress.com)
why do we struggle in our daily lives against life-controlling issues? Well, we start reverting back to our “old carnal nature”; we allow Satan a foothold when we do this. At some point, in some facet of our daily walk we have stopped abiding in the secret place of the Most High.
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You may ask, as we have been asked, why are so many Christians “falling”? They are falling because at some point they stop abiding in Jesus. They stopped walking in the Spirit; - Denied But Destined By B. Michelle (authorbmichelle.wordpress.com)
The denial of Paul and Silas of a place they had planned to go was in the plan of God. Without that denial, the perfect and profound pathway to their (and our) divine destiny would not have come to past. Be encouraged to continue to seek God, wait on His timing and trust the process of your life. Yes, there was a denial but you are, still and will continue to be divinely destined.Whatever you stand in need of, God will provide. Know that I will continue to lift you up in prayer and thank God for the good and perfect gifts from the hand and heart of God. The Best Is Yet To Come! - The little known red flag: normalcy bias (everydayredflags.wordpress.com)
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You can see this now in the behavior of people who are tragically uninformed about the big rackets (medicine, law, education, currency, real estate, etc.) and coming maelstrom of readjustment.
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Denial and naiveté, real or postured, will not save you from the ravages of an abusive individual. In fact, this frame of mind actually makes you more vulnerable because it sets you up to be less able to deal with extreme circumstances. - Chapter Seven, Soul Deceiver, Don’t Be Late for the Wedding! (read Second) (lynleahz.com)
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No matter how many times Congressman King emphasized that most Muslims are good people, or as he put it, “outstanding Americas”, the accusations of McCarthyism kept coming. By now King has been accused of McCarthyism more often than the actual McCarthy.
+Our reply: Never weave all pieces on the same loom. The United States of America knows it own fundamentalist believers (the extreme and certain conservative evangelist Christians) who use the American Constitution and laws from an imperialist and one side view. They want to see a freedom in the understanding that every one should believe the same as they do, and have the same way of live they choose for. The same fundamentalism we can find in the Muslim population, were some distorted the Islamic teachings to get more power for themselves and to get other people under their thumb. Those fundamentalists on both sides are trying to form an enslaving incorporation of vexing evil and anathema to liberty. - Indonesian children in Australian adult jails (bikyamasr.com)
The findings and recommendations released Friday by the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into the detention of Indonesian minors in Australian jails, is a damning indictment of Government inaction and denial according to a leading advocacy group.
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Mr. Taylor said that it was only when the Australian and Indonesian media started to highlight the shocking truth and plight of these poor and vulnerable children, that action was taken to send some of the kids home.“Sadly, for many of these children they have gone home with the scares and mental health issues caused by extended periods locked-up in adult prisons in Australia. That damage has been done and its simply too late for them.” - 10 Tips for Making Sense of Evil: The Colorado Theatre Shooting (drdeborahserani.blogspot.com)
The conscious motives of anyone who acts with terrifying violence is to destabilize society and evoke mass reactions. Unable to discharge needs of control and aggression by conventional means, a terrorist chooses a chilling and merciless way to get the recognition he seeks.+
Well-being begins with education. Understanding what psychological trauma is and how it bears down on your biological, chemical and psychological makeup is the first step toward recovery. Psychological trauma is a unique individual experience where you feel emotionally, cognitively, and physically overwhelmed. Some people freeze, needing to rest or detach from the tragedy. If that’s what you works best for you, unplug and do so. Others feel the need to be active and busy to move through the horrifying event. Be it resting or moving, the goal here is to keep you from shifting into hyperarousal (a series of extreme anxiety reactions). - Chicago: Aurora all the time (salon.com)
“I’m tired of hearing children terrorized that can’t go on their front porch, can’t go in their yard, can’t go on the playground to play,” said Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina’s Roman Catholic Church at a recent rally to raise awareness of the spiraling increase in violence. As he spoke, demonstrators wearing white T-shirts with red stains lay prone on the ground in imitation of gunshot victims, while Pfleger decried the “Wild West” environment that had descended upon this Midwestern city.
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Whereas the theater shooting was relatively unique, mass shootings in Chicago are far from aberrations and any given weekend in the city can see reports of casualty figures that seem more appropriate to Kandahar than a Midwestern American city. Recent examples include a June weekend in which 46 people were shot and eight killed (immediately after a previous weekend in which the figures were 39 shot, seven killed), and the 53 people shot and 10 killed over the past Memorial Day weekend. It is difficult to fathom the level of sheer carnage that must exist to claim the lives of so many people in such a relatively short amount of time, especially given that this violence overwhelmingly occurs in specific corridors (six districts, specifically, which make up the “Murder Corridor”) of the south and west sides of the city. For all its shocking statistics on shootings and murders, Chicago is also home to some of the wealthiest and safest urban areas in the country, which exist just a short drive from neighborhoods that have been turned into charnel houses as a result of gang warfare. That such violence is so geographically concentrated has thus made it easy for many to ignore the issue or shunt it down their list of policy priorities, but for those who live in these neighborhoods it has only served to intensify their misery and sense of alienation. - Shooting coverage hard to escape for younger generation (denverpost.com)
Not many 30-year-olds can point to a specific spring day in high school and remember it in vivid detail.But Sam Granillo can. He was 17 when gunmen killed 12 of his peers at Columbine High School in 1999, and he hasn’t forgotten. - Film violence out of control (smh.com.au)
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has called on Hollywood to address an excess of violence in the movies.The multiple-Oscar winner made the comments to the Huffington Post in the aftermath of the shooting in Colorado that left 12 people dead and 58 injured at the premiere of the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises.”I think as filmmakers we should sit down – the Marty Scorseses, the Quentin Tarantinos and hopefully all of us who deal in violence in movies – and discuss our role in that,” Weinstein said. - Colorado Shooting Renews Questions Over Movie Violence(voanews.com)
Long before James Holmes allegedly opened fire in a crowded Colorado movie theater, there was debate over whether violent movies spur violent acts.Dr. Jay Reeve, the president of a mental health facility in Florida, says it would be wrong to blame movies entirely. Reeve, who has studied the effects of movies on behavior, says people predisposed to violence are attracted to violent movies.
- ‘The Walking Dead’s’ Robert Kirkman: Don’t Blame Movies and TV for Real-Life Violence (VIDEO) (celebuzz.com)
From the creator of one of TV’s most savage shows, The Walking Dead‘s Robert Kirkman says violence in movies and TV should not be castigated for real-life acts of brutality.“I think there are definitely other things that could be demonized,” Kirkman told Celebuzz this week at the 38th annual Saturn Awards in Burbank, which celebrates sci-fi and horror films. “Honestly, I don’t buy into that stuff.” - Is a “culture of violence” always a bad thing? (bigthink.com)
Like most people, I’ve been thinking a lot about the shootings in Aurora, Colorado. And over the past week, I’ve seen the tragedy dissected in all manner of ways. I’ve seen Mommy Bloggers eviscerate (and defend) some of the victims for bringing young children to see a violent film. I’ve heard seen religious personalities cite James Holmes’ neuroscience education as a reason for his acts, tweeting, “When students are taught they are no different from animals, they act like it.” And, of course, there have been numerous missives discussing the role the American “culture of violence” played in this tragedy.
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For far too many children in American, a “culture of violence” is not something seen in the movies. It’s what they have to deal with each and every day, on street corners, in their homes and in their schools. They will see their mother or their siblings hit. They will understand that wearing the wrong color or shoes could get them shot. They will see their parents and their friends make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.We have to stop talking about this “culture of violence” as if it is simply a construct. Because there’s more to it than that. - Guns, Jesus and Gandhi: Why arming ourselves to the teeth won’t make us safer (bobmannblog.com)
Jesus, as we know, was famously against violence and retribution. In Matthew 5:38-40we have this famous passage: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.”He’s not called the “Prince of Peace” for nothing. So, why — given all that Jesus tried to teach his disciples about peace — do so many of his modern-day followers conveniently ignore those teachings when it comes to guns? - Manhood, Mental Illness, and The Colorado Massacre by Kevin Powell (hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com)
“How come all these crazies are White boys?” my White male friend Michael Cohen asked me via email in the aftermath of the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting. It is something I have been hearing nonstop these past few days since 24-year-old James Holmes murdered 12 and wounded nearly 60 people in a horrific mass shooting at a screening of the new Batman film.
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these “mass murders” happen daily weekly monthly yearly in neighborhoods of color but those stolen lives barely make the news, if ever. If not for the oral reporting of hip-hop and brilliant songs like Nas’ “Accident Murderers” from his new cd, we’d have no idea that life is the complete opposite of good in the ‘hood. So while I have complete and total compassion for the lives that were taken, wounded, and altered by what happened in Colorado, it also saddens me extremely to know that when it comes to Black and Latino people being murdered rarely are their lives given much public attention. It is that unfortunate and painful reminder that in the eyes of our America their lives don’t matter as much.
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I feel the problem is that we in America are not only unwilling to engage in real and raw conversations about the root causes of violence, but we also are ducking and dodging any dialogue about how we define manhood and what, exactly, mental illness is, and how dangerous it is for everyone when warped notions of manhood collide with someone who is very emotionally unstable. - Colorado shooting suspect faces formal charges in court(news.yahoo.com)
Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes
James Holmes, 24, was arrested shortly after prosecutors say he opened fire at a packed midnight movie premiere of “A Dark Knight Rises” on July 20. Criminal charges against Holmes, who has remained jailed since his arrest, were expected to be formally presented at Monday’s hearing.
He is also accused of wiring his apartment with enough explosives to have leveled the entire building had they been detonated. It took authorities several days to safely dismantle and dispose of the booby traps.
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Under Colorado law, mental health professionals cannot be held liable in civil suits for failing to predict a patient’s violent behavior unless it involves a “serious threat of imminent physical violence against a specific person or persons.” When such a threat is made, the mental health professional is required to take action, which may include notifying those targeted or a law enforcement agency. - The Overwhelming Maleness of Mass Homicide (ideas.time.com)
We shouldn’t need Steven Pinker, one of the world’s leading psychologists and the author of the book, The Better Angels of Our Nature, to tell us the obvious: “Though the exact ratios vary, in every society, it is the males more than the females who play-fight, bully, fight for real, kill for real, rape, start wars and fight in wars.” The silence around the gendering of violence is as inexplicable as it is indefensible. Sex differences in other medical and social conditions — such as anorexia nervosa, lupus, migraines, depression and learning disabilities — are routinely analyzed along these lines. - “Guns don’t kill people,Americans kill people”-Michael Moore (kractivist.wordpress.com)
Since Cain went nuts and whacked Abel, there have always been those humans who, for one reason or another, go temporarily or permanently insane and commit unspeakable acts of violence.
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At least 24 Americans every day (8-9,000 a year) are killed by people with guns – and that doesn’t count the ones accidentally killed by guns or who commit suicide with a gun. Count them and you can triple that number to over 25,000.That means the United States is responsible for over 80% of all the gun deaths in the 23 richest countries combined.Considering that the people of those countries, as human beings, are no better or worse than any of us, well, then, why us?Both conservatives and liberals in America operate with firmly held beliefs as to “the why” of this problem. And the reason neither can find their way out of the box toward a real solution is because, in fact, they’re both half right.The right believes that the Founding Fathers, through some sort of divine decree, have guaranteed them the absolute right to own as many guns as they desire. And they will ceaselessly remind you that a gun cannot fire itself – that “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” - Why need you have an ideal of non-violence? (teachingsofmasters.wordpress.com)
You go around preaching all over the world nonviolence. Nonviolence is the ideal. But the fact is that you are violent in your gesture, in the way you talk to your superior or your inferior. Please listen to yourself. I am just pointing it out. You are violent -violent in your gesture, in your thought, in your feeling, in your action. Why can’t you look at that violence? Why need you have an ideal of nonviolence? The fact is you are violent, and the ideal is non-factual; so you create a contradiction in yourself and therefore prevent yourself from looking at the fact of violence. - Birmingham area teens’ violent crimes alarming to law enforcement (al.com)
The number of teens charged with violent crimes is alarming, local law enforcement officials say. Forty-four teenagers — kids between the ages of 13 and 17 — were arrested in the first half of 2012 in Birmingham and unincorporated Jefferson County for the crime of robbery.
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“I believe one of the most critical issues is easy access to firearms,” Roper said. “Too many kids are buying guns on the streets and carrying them home while their parents are oblivious to the danger. Some kids have even posted pictures of themselves brandishing guns on their Facebook page.”Quite often, he said, kids will fight and then post the videos on the Internet, which symbolizes a multitude of negative influences converging on one point.”We have so many kids doing great things all over the city, but there is a group that’s slipping through the cracks,” Roper said. “The bottom line is the family is the first line of defense and should have the greatest impact on these kids.”
Manifests for believers #2 Changing celibacy requirement
In the previous article Manifests for believers #1 Sex abuse setting fire to the powder we saw that the role of the priest in the child and adult abuse has included cover-ups, neglect, and arrogance. In documents of the church, letters between victims and church, and in the media we could find enough proof the Church has contributed to the spirit of permissiveness. First there were not many attempts to bring everything in good order and to show guilt and reconciliation attempts have resulted in compromises that allowed for the deviancy to continue.
For decades, the problem of paedophilia has been badly managed within the church and now that everything comes out of the cesspool this brought the church in discredit and got even more people leaving their church and their faith. Some wonder if you can you blame Catholics for leaving the faith when these types of attitudes run rampant in the church? The problem becomes bigger when they do take it that “the Church” is bad and that they should not go to any church or return to the Catholic Church because they get the impression that nothing is being done to prevent abuse from happening. It certainly doesn’t seem that the Catholic church has a screening process that will eliminate paedophiles and child molesters.
Steven van der Hoeven talks about his book in which he describes how the sexual abuse he suffered as a child changed his life - Photo Vera de Kok
The atheist Child & Family Therapist Katie from British Columbia, Canada, works professionally with children who have experienced sexual abuse and she is by no means claiming that most sexual abuse happens within the confines of religion, because it doesn’t. “However, religion has the tendency to override rationality and good judgment.” according to her. * “Parents need to acknowledge that religion does not make you any more moral than others and that bad people will do bad things… so teach your children to recognize those people.” And that is what we do agree with; everywhere you can find extreme cases and people who do the wrong things. It has nothing to do with God, except that you would call Him guilty of giving men free spirit and allowed him to do whatever he wanted.
Also the problem of priests not being able to marry made that many who wanted to do some churchwork did not come forward to offer their life for the Church.
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The very planet revolves around actions, thoughts, and words that are fueled by ethics. By the years people and situations change.
With all the tribulations and sex scandals many have lost their faith. Many do claim God for what happens in the world, but then they forget that at the beginning of the world-existence God had given men liberty to go his own way. The first humans had doubted the good meaning of the Creator. They challenged Him and wanted to know the Good and the Evil. They wanted to know as much as God and wanted to direct their own thoughts and life. God did not want to play a dictator to whom everybody had to listen other-while he would vanish. But now that humankind wanted to go its own way it had to bear the consequences of its deeds itself and can not blame God because other humans do something wrong.
If a person lives a holy life and believes in God, he would be better off weather there was a god or not, because his life would be much happier and honourable. The same goes for ethics. If someone lives an ethical life, he or she is destined to be much happier than people who do not follow ethics.
But those ethics have to be fed.
In all religions there exists a connection between religious doctrine and social ethics. In Christianity one of the goals is the establishment of a holy, organized society, ideally based on eternal principles of righteousness and fair dealing, cleanliness and sobriety, honesty and helpfulness. Ethics have an impact on an individual, and they should come out of the Word of God for those who want to spread the Word of God. In such an instance they should work on their character and should try to live according to the Laws of God. The laws governing human conduct in the Bible define both social and economic justice, and the pursuit of a good life in society. Born out of the Judaic system with Hebrew code, the Christianic code of social ethics sets also forth spiritual guidelines regarding lawful and unlawful actions, and rewards for the virtuous and threats of punishment for the wicked.
A community should have people who take care to look at ways of living and to talk about them. There should be people in the world who would not mind helping others to find a good way of living, and to protect those who are not able to come up for them selves. In the previous centuries churches have taken most of that role on to them. But now the church has come in discredit.
Therefore, though the storm is not yet at its height, it can well be that the Roman Catholic Church has shot his bolt.
The Roman Catholic Church has always proclaimed that it is the only Church which offers “special” access to salvation, by way of truly God’s servants. But those bulletproof servants have received a real good roasting the last few months.Today several Belgian believers, priests and even bishops do find that since the requirement for celibacy is not a doctrinal issue or dogma, but more of a disciplinary rule, there is no reason why this requirement cannot be amended to reflect the changing times. The majority of parishioners, including many members in the hierarchy of the Church, believe that changing the celibacy requirement may prevent abuse from happening in the first place (National Catholic Reporter, 1998). Because of the decline in those entering the priesthood, there are fewer priests to serve their communities.
The discipline by which some, or all members of the clergy in certain religions, are required to be unmarried is not any more for this time. Considering deliberate sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviour outside of marriage to be sinful, clerical celibacy also requires abstention from these, and as history has shown that does not seem to work on a lot of ‘spiritual men’. That the Roman Catholic Church demands sacred ministers celibacy because than they would be more able to adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and dedicate themselves more freely to the service of God and humanity, is a superseded idea.
It is long our of date that people would not be able to do their job properly when they are married. As for a worldly job, the spiritual job can even make more use of the inside information a married person can get from the family members and his situation in a common form of living together.
In some Christian churches, such as the Latin Rite Catholic Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches, priests and bishops must as a rule remain unmarried, while in others, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, the churches of Oriental Orthodoxy and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches, married men may be ordained as deacons or priests, but may not remarry if their wife dies. Since celibacy is seen as a consequence of the obligation of continence, it implies abstinence from sexual relationships. The Catholic Code of Canon Law prescribes: “Clerics are to behave with due prudence towards persons whose company can endanger their obligation to observe continence or give rise to scandal among the faithful.”
People should know that the rule of clerical celibacy is a law of the Church (the human institution) itself, not a doctrine and can not be found as a Biblical obligation. According to the Roman Catholic Church, a very few times exceptions can be made, and it can, in principle, be changed at any time by the Pope. Nonetheless, both the present Pope, Benedict XVI, and his predecessor, under pressure to change it, spoke clearly of their understanding that the traditional practice is unlikely to change.
Clerical celibacy and monastic vows, made in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, deprived the church of the services of many men who might have become shining stars. On the other hand, it has been calculated by Justus Möser in 1750, that within two centuries after the Reformationfrom ten to fifteen millions of human beings in all lands owe their existence to the abolition of clerical celibacy. {Ranke states this fact.} More important than this numerical increase is the fact that an unusual proportion of eminent scholars and useful men in church and state were descended from clerical families. Among distinguished sons of clergymen may be named Linné, the botanist; Berzelius, the chemist; Pufendorf, the lawyer; Schelling, the philosopher; Buxtorff, the Orientalist; Euler, the mathematician; Agassiz, the scientist; Edward and Ottfried Müller, the classical philologists; John von Müller, Spittler, Heeren, Mommsen, Bancroft, among historians; Henry Clay, Senator Evarts, and two Presidents of the United States, Arthur and Cleveland, among statesmen; Charles Wesley, Gellert, Wieland, Lessing, the brothers Schlegel, Jean Paul, Emanuel Geibel, Emerson (also the female writers Meta Heusser, Elizabeth Prentiss, Mrs. Stowe), among poets; John Wesley, Monod, Krummacher, Spurgeon, H. W. Beecher, R. S. Storrs, among preachers; Jonathan Edwards, Schleiermacher, Hengstenberg, Nitzsch, Julius Müller, Dorner, Dean Stanley, among divines; Swedenborg, the seer; with a large number of prominent and useful clergymen, lawyers, and physicians, in all Protestant countries.*Many dioceses engage in the morally questionable practice of importing priests from the developing world despite even more severe priest shortages in those countries.
In recent years Pope Benedict XVI has made allowances for married Anglican ministers to transfer to the Catholic church after a number made the move in protest at controversial Anglican issues including the ordination of women priests, and acceptance of ministers in same-sex relationships. In 1980 married Anglican/Episcopal pastors were ordained as catholic priests in the U.S.; also in Canada and England in 1994, while simultaneously dismissing Catholic priests who marry and failing to recognize the vocations of Catholic married men. Some bishops are changing priests’ retirement age from 70 to 75. Many are embracing several of these strategies simultaneously yet none will arrest the steep declines looming ahead.
The stubborn Belgian knows the ropes and the celibate is something which is already sticking in his throat to long. They are at their wits’end what to do with it and with the scandals the church had to encounter. The clergy men became upset by the conservative and silent attitude of the Church leaders in Rome. According to many it is a myth that the vocation shortage is due to materialism and lack of faith. Research (1985 Lilly endowment) showed that “there is no evidence to support loss of faith for less vocations…youth volunteer and campus ministry is rising.”
The Bishop of Bruges, Jozef De Kesel, has questioned celibacy for priests and called for an open discussion on the position of women in the Church. The bishop of Hasselt, Patrick Hoogmartens and Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp have also said that married men should not automatically be excluded from the priesthood. (Reuters,9/22/10)
In several countries there is a “Call To Action and FutureChurch” from Catholic lay people as well as priests and nuns, who respect the Catholic tradition and are working respectfully to effect change in the Church because they love it and want to make it better. Those ‘FutureChurch‘ members consider themselves parish-based because the resolutions which founded that church came from individual parishes and because so many of their members consider the parish their primary place of worship.
Jesus did not ordain anyone. Ordination was a practice that started to occur decades later in church history. Jesus had both male and female disciples and those who helped to spread the faith were men and women, who often had regular jobs and children. It were people who gathered around Jesus and went back to their own places to tell about this special man. Others became so much interested in the teachings of this master teacher from Nazareth that they loved to spread his teachings. Men and women continued to teach what they had learned from either Jesus or from his disciples. It were common people who continued the tradition of spreading the Word of God by coming together in each others houses or in synagogues. (So at first there where not even special build places to meet and to have the worship services.) Later when they were not welcome any more in the synagogues and their private houses became to small they came together in public places or they build meeting houses or ecclesiae to congregate , gather or meet.The Flemish priests who were not afraid to let the Roman Catholic world hear their voice believe as many other priests in the world, that priests should be allowed to marry and that women have an equal right to have their call to ordination tested along with male candidates. Some of them believe also that celibacy is a gift of the Spirit, as is the call to marriage and the single life. Gifts cannot be mandated, so it is from a deep respect for the gift of celibacy that they request that it be made optional and not forced upon those who do not feel called in this way.
At the end of 2011 more Belgian priests urged Catholics and compatriots to start talking about what the priest shortage means to them and their parishes. Some ideas were written down in ‘A Manifest for Believers‘ so that the subject would become more known and that the public debate could bes started. By the manifest they want to encourage the formation of dialogue groups in parishes and small faith communities.
According to a survey taken between December, 2010 and January, 2011, seven out of ten Flemish priests are against celibacy for priests, are for the access of women to the priesthood, (La Croix, 2/19/2011)
The Belgian Manifesto urges the bishops to find solutions to the priest shortage and open discussion about ending mandatory celibacy as a requirement for the diocesan priesthood.
It may be a surprise that still so many people want to go for that institute which has received so much damage from people who were in charge of it. Strange also that they keep clinging at this institute which has betrayed so many people. The manifesto can be an expression of a liberation movement. In civic culture we have seen the emancipation movement, and now perhaps time has come that we get such an emancipation movement in church as well.
But can this corroded pre-eminently paternalistic institute take off its ‘old garments ‘ and transform itself in a contemporary, modern belief community, characterized by a basic democracy.
In this 21st century the Roman Catholic Church still seems to be a nearly dictatorial institution which by requiring at least some of its clerics and its religious not to marry, the Catholic Church falls under Paul’s condemnation in 1 Timothy 4:3 against apostates who “forbid marriage.”
The Catholic Bible writes: “the spirit expressly states that in the \@acharit-hayamim\@ some people will apostatize from the faith by paying attention to deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. such teachings come from the hypocrisy of liars whose own consciences have been burned, as if with a red-hot branding iron. they forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods which god created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who have come to trust and to know the truth. for everything created by god is good, and nothing received with thanksgiving needs to be rejected, because the word of god and prayer make it holy.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5 CJB)
or in a Protestant translation:
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV)
God has created man and woman, told them to live with each other, to marry and have children. So why is it forbidden to those men and women to choose somebody of the other sex, marry, live with each other and have children from each other?
In the old times most Catholics married, but today most live together without having had a marriage, tough all Catholics are taught to venerate marriage as a holy institution—a sacrament, an action of God upon their souls; one of the holiest things we encounter in this life. A lot of Belgian Catholics also quite often switch partner. But the servants of God should know the Laws of God and should be the first ones to keep to them. According to the Laws of God the man or the woman who does not keep to the Laws of God and has not an ethic acceptable good honest life, should not be allowed to do some church work. In the New Testament are several writings were we can find women and man teaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God, and also writings from the apostles how they have to comply to the Law and how they have to comply with certain expectations. So, in the early church also women had their tasks and helped the church grow.
Even the old Father Edward Daly, who was the Bishop of Derry for 20 years during the Troubles, has become the first senior Irish Catholic cleric to call for an end to celibacy in the church. His intervention in the debate over whether priests should be allowed to marry is highly significant because he is still one of the most respected figures in the Irish Catholic church at a time when faith in the institution has been shattered by the paedophile scandals involving clergy. Challenging centuries of Catholic theocracy, Daly has said that allowing the clergy to marry would solve some of the church’s problems. “There will always be a place in the church for a celibate priesthood, but there should also be a place for a married priesthood in the church,” Daly writes in his book A Troubled See, Memoirs of a Derry Bishop, published in September 2011.
While Daly accepts he might be out of step with current Vatican thinking he points out that he is “not engaged in a popularity contest”. He says that during his time as a bishop he found it “heartbreaking” that so many priests or prospective priests were forced to resign or were unable to get ordained because of the celibacy issue.
Many young men who once considered joining the priesthood turned away because of the rule, the 74-year-old cleric argues. From most people who were interested to become a priest, but did not follow their vocation, the rule of celibacy was the main reason not to go for it. Because of that we do have to face the catastrophic shortage of priests and see a serious neglect of the Eucharist, and a widespread breakdown of pastoral care.
Merging parishes into “pastoral units” did offer less services to the believers who became less interested in worshipping in a far away church, ministered to by badly overworked priests who did seem to have lost the zeal and interest as well.
And this is something we can hear in many countries.
Though parishioners not receiving enough opportunities to go to mass or take part of the sacraments is against other writings in the Catholic Faith.
“Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people,’ have a right and an obligation by reason of their Baptism.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium)
“The laity have the right, as do all Christians, to receive in abundance from their sacred pastors the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the assistance of the Word of God and the sacraments.” (Lumen Gentium, 37).
“Christ’s faithful are at liberty to make known their needs, especially their spiritual needs, and their wishes to the Pastors of the Church.”(Canon Law 212.2 )
“They have the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church.” (Canon Law 212.3 )
Today that Church is not willing to provide the means to take care of their believers. In many villages there are no regular church services any more. At the village were our office is there is only once a month a service with Eucharist. It is for such bad situations the priest ring the Alarm and want that the Roman Catholic Church does everything to let the parishes to stay open and the Eucharist to remain the centre of Catholic worship.
Internationally there is already a ” Save our Parish Community project” that has helped parishioners hold their bishops accountable by appealing mistaken decisions to close their vital, solvent parishes because of the priest shortage.
The Flemish priests and several important political and civilian figures plead in favour of having as well married men as women being permitted as priest in the Church office. They do hope the permission shall be given very soon, because there is an acute shortage of priests and those who want to do some religious work are now so much-needed.
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*of Intro: Child Sexual Abuse within the Dutch Catholic Church
* Reflections on Clerical Family Life
To be continued: Manifests for believers #3 Catholic versus Protestant
Preceding article: Manifests for believers #1 Sex abuse setting fire to the powder
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Read also:
- A Call for National Dialogue on the Future of Priestly Ministry
- Celibacy and the Priesthood
- Bishop of Derry calls for end to celibacy in Catholic church
- Tracing the Glorious Origins of Priestly Celibacy
In Dutch:
- Beminde gelovigen
- Gelovigen nemen het woord: Manifest van Vlaamse gelovigen Najaar 2011
- Een Manifest voor Gelovigen
- Manifest tot protestantse kerk
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Related articles
- Child Sexual Abuse within the Dutch Catholic Church (patheos.com)
- Sex, Celibacy, and Priesthood: A Bishop’s Provocative Inquisition (prweb.com)
- Bill Donahue: PHILLY JUDGE SHOULD STEP DOWN (gloucestercitynews.net)
- Seducing Spirits – Can they live in the church? Pt. 2 (endtimeebookreviews.wordpress.com)
- Seducing Spirits – Can they live in the church? Pt. 2 (pamsheppard.wordpress.com)
- Should Catholics return to an abusive home? (haphazardgirl.wordpress.com)
- Seducing Spirits – Can they live in the church? Pt. 2 (endtimeebooklibrary.com)
- Seducing Spirits – Can they live in the church? Pt. 2 (settingcaptivesfree.me)
- Priest gives up his vocation, not his religion, for love(mumbailaity.wordpress.com)
Like many Roman Catholic men who feel called to the priesthood, the Rev. Jim Hearne wrestled with whether ordination was right for him.The youngest of seven in an Irish Catholic family, he saw the joy of family life firsthand and never could quite extinguish the desire to one day have children of his own.But spurred to help stem the priest shortage and strengthen the integrity of the cloth, Hearne donned a priest’s collar in 2005 at age 25.Now he wonders if his six years in the pulpit as “Father Jim” might have been preparation to become Jim, the father.
+“They can teach you all they want” about celibacy, he said. “You can read all the books about it that have been printed _ volumes and volumes. Until you live it and experience it, it’s a far different thing.”Returning to the rectory after a busy day of work or a joyful day with family became increasingly difficult.“There was something nice about entering into the quiet rectory. But there was also something kind of sombering,” he said. “No one was there waiting for me. It was silent.” - The 6th Floor Blog: Reintroducing Joe Eszterhas (6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com)
The church’s position on homosexuality is awful and hypocritical, antimoral, especially when you consider that such a huge percentage of priests are gay. It’s just nuts, as is the church’s position on celibacy. There are reasons why the Catholic church is dying. - LA Bishop With Secret Family Resigns (newser.com)
A Los Angeles bishop has resigned after he revealed to his superiors that he has a secret family. Mexican-born Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala, 60, is the father of two teenage children who live with their mother in another state, reports the BBC.
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“It’s self-evident—celibacy does not work,” said Father Richard McBrien, a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame. - Being a Catholic Priest – and Married (frstephensmuts.wordpress.com)
My experience as a married Catholic priest for 28 years brings to mind several thoughts, both practical and spiritual. First, the church must support new priests’ families financially. During my first years as a married Catholic priest, there were times when we could not pay the heating bill. When I was ordained, it was made quite clear to me that I should not look to the church as my main source of income but rather to a full-time job outside of the church. My parish duties have thus always been secondary.
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I am a firm supporter of the celibacy of the Catholic clergy. Its basis is not found in councils or popes but rather in the person of Jesus Christ. The heart of the Catholic priesthood is sacrifice, and celibacy, in imitation of Christ, frees the priest to give himself totally to the church and its people.
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Reform of the priesthood is sorely needed today. The answer is not married priests. The answer is priests who understand the sacrifice that is at the center of their lives—whether they are married or not… - Vatican warns on sex abuse (smh.com.au)
The Vatican has asked national bishops’ conferences from around the world to submit by May their guidelines on how to deal with abusive priests and co-operate with local law enforcement.”In some cultures, it’s hard for victims to come forward. We are debating how to change a culture that favours silence over denunciation,” he said. - Thousands abused by Dutch priests, says report (windsorstar.com)
About 20,000 children have been sexually abused by 800 Roman Catholic priests or lay workers in Holland since 1945, an independent inquiry has estimated. - Thousands abused by Dutch priests, says report (vancouversun.com)
- Tens of thousands of children abused in Dutch Catholic institutions, report says (mumbailaity.wordpress.com)
Children in institutional care, regardless of religious affiliation, in the Netherlands were at substantial risk of being abused during the period, the molestation rate – 20% – being twice that of elsewhere. The investigation led by Wim Deetman concluded that several tens of thousands of children had suffered sexual molestation.
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A powerful “We Are the Church” movement in Austria has gained broad support, challenging the Vatican and raising schismatic potential. Earlier this month in Belgium, a new movement was founded by dissident priests, dubbed “Believers Speak Out”, calling for the ordination of married men and women, the lifting of curbs on divorcees, and other reforms.“The Belgian church is a disaster,” said Father John Dekimpe when launching the new organisation. “If we don’t do something, the exodus of those leaving the church will just never stop.” While officially the church refuses to admit that priestly celibacy is in any way connected with priestly abuse, Deetman on Friday made the link. “We do not consider it impossible that a number of cases would not have happened if celibacy was voluntary,” he said. His report said that compulsory celibacy in the priesthood made priests more likely to engage in “transgressive conduct”.
Self inflicted misery #2 Weakness of human race
Self inflicted misery to bear
2. Weakness of human race
Man’s neglect and misuse of his own life has corrupted the stream of human life itself, and left evils which fall on succeeding generations. These, again as part of natural law, may manifest themselves as hereditary weaknesses and tendencies to disease. The very stuff of life may be affected as it is passed on from generation to generation.
The weakness of the human race is that it has become A risk taking society and that it loves to walk on the edge of the impossibility. As effective risk management is central to economic efficiency so taking the right decisions for all the people would get a most efficient environment to live in. But major players in this world would not find that it is right that they should be held accountable for risks they underestimated. As usual man would prefer to blame someone else. It seems to be an ingrained habit.
You would think Japan’s nuclear disaster reason to think twice but humans are so much more interested by their own gain that they often overlook the problems it can cause to others. Most of the Japanese scientists at the mid-1950s, considered that the technology of nuclear energy was under development or not established enough, and that it was too early to be put to practical use. The Japan Scientists Council recommended the Japanese government not to use this technology yet, but the government accepted to use enriched uranium to fuel nuclear power stations, and was thus subjected to US government policy. According to the builders everything was save and could stand the worst earthquake, but history showed differently. After Chernobyl not much changed and you can wonder which lessons people are going to take from this eastern “thriller”. “So ten to 15 years from now maybe we can say the reactors have been dismantled, and in the meantime you wind up contaminating the water,” Arnold Gundersen, a former nuclear industry senior vice president, says. “We are already seeing Strontium [at] 250 times the allowable limits in the water table at Fukushima. Contaminated water tables are incredibly difficult to clean. So I think we will have a contaminated aquifer in the area of the Fukushima site for a long, long time to come.”
Unfortunately, the history of nuclear disasters appears to back Gundersen’s assessment.[1]
All those things can continually happen because men can always find someone interested in his projects. Customers are always lurking around the corner.
Klant zijn met propere handen (Being a Customer with clean hands) warns us also how people can use other people just as trading objects. Humans are often used just to produce things for others, at the lowest possible cost. Slavery has existed for centuries and has still not come to an end. One even would be able to say that it is coming on again. Once more this way of using men brings a lot of misery into this world.
We may not become the slaves of this world. And we should take care that others do not become slaves of those around us or them.
God had liberated His People Israel from Egypt. He also gave all those who want to know the possibility to escape any slavery of this world. It is namely by being a slave of this world that we bring a lot of suffering onto ourselves.
[1] Fukushima: It’s much worse than you think. Scientific experts believe Japan’s nuclear disaster to be far worse than governments are revealing to the public. Dahr Jamail for Aljazeera. > http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/201161664828302638.html
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Continues: Self inflicted misery #3 A man given to suffer for us
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Related articles
- Is it possible to connect human race (wiki.answers.com)
There are more similarities and synchronization to behave each other like brothers than there are differences. - You: Drawing lessons from Japan’s nuclear disaster (search.japantimes.co.jp)
In 1945 the catastrophe was inflicted by the enemy. In what remains to date the most horrendous attack on human beings, more than 300,000 people were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and many more went on to suffer because of radioactivity-related ailments. But today Japan’s catastrophe is self-inflicted.
One compelling reason for phasing out nuclear-power programs is that scientists have not been able to figure out how to safely dispose of the radioactive waste created by the plants. The spent fuel is cooled in pools and continues to pile up.The most common hazards faces by human beings due to exposure to radiation are cancer or leukemia and genetic mutations that can affect future generations. The high doses of radiation at the Fukushima nuclear plant may not prove to be immediately fatal to workers involved in the cleanup, but it is likely to manifest itself in the form of cancers later in life and could even impact the workers’ future offspring. In short, such people will suffer through no fault of their own. - Nuclear Contamination 101 (tipggita32.wordpress.com)
Already we have a huge problem our grandchildren are going to have to deal with—the radioactivity from Fukushima! - Japan bans beef from Fukushima (edition.cnn.com)
Four months after Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11, operators at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are still grappling with the crisis the disaster unleashed but say they are making slow progress. - Fukushima: It’s much worse than you think (english.aljazeera.net)
“Fukushima is the biggest industrial catastrophe in the history of mankind,” Arnold Gundersen, a former nuclear industry senior vice president, told Al Jazeera.
Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue
As Kevin Miller writes in his blog article about Job “Job is a book of tragedy, foolish counsel, mourning, but also great strength.” For us it can be counted as such a real romantic film: Job begins and ends happy and cheery, but in-between we get drama of high calibre. By the end of the very first chapter, all of Job’s kids were dead, his animals had been killed and/or stolen, almost of of his servants were dead, and he had completely crushed. Than his health was taken away and by the end of Job 2, we found this (once) wealthy, healthy, man of integrity sitting on a pile of ashes scraping his gaping wounds with broken pieces of pottery. As so often happens by humans is that his friends also started to accuse him of all sorts of bad things. People love it to find the evil by an other, but do not want to see “the beam” in their own eyes. “In Job 8:4, Job’s good old buddy, Bildad, even has the audacity to accuse Job of hidden sin! As if Job were to blame for his suffering! That’s a sad misconception that is sometimes even taught from pulpits today: hidden sin is causing your suffering. ” writes Miller rightly. We have to be careful not to fall in that trap or pitfall.
We also may not accept the latest theologies: Poverty theology and prosperity theology. The first considering those who are poor to be more righteous than those who are rich. It considers a matter of greed to become more wealthy than others and it honours those who choose to live in poverty as particularly devoted to God. Conversely, prosperity theology considers those who are rich to be more righteous than those who are poor; it honours those who are affluent as being rewarded by God because of their faith. In fact, both poverty and prosperity theology can be half-truths but are not depicting the full picture of Gods handling people.
Instead of clinging our hears to false teachers we do better to take Gods Words to our heart. As Arlin Sorensen says: “God has spoken to us clearly through His Word – the Bible is His first communication to us. But more than that – God continues to speak to us as well. The Holy Spirit lives in us to communicate God’s Truth to our hearts. God may speak to us through a dream or a vision. There is no shortage of God speaking to us and giving us direction for life. ” (About Job 33) Even without any book we could and should hear the words from God, because God is talking to us continually through creation, His Word, and the Spirit that lives in us. In the Book of Job as in many other Books of the Bible God lifts up a veil and is shown up as the Most Almighty, Omnipotent, Most Wise and Creator of all things and of all beings. The problem is that most of us do not want to read the Bible and as such hear the Words of God. They prefer to listen to the most popular speakers. But they are not always the wise speakers. On the other hand we also often fail as listeners because we have certain ideas to which we want to keep fast. Most listeners are already preparing their response before the ones to whom they listen ever finish what they have to say. We saw a glimpse of how we want to win the argument, like Elihu who thought he had all the answers. A lot of persons also think the Bible is just an old book and they forget that this Book of Books, the Best-seller of all times can change their life.
Because we want things our way, we prefer the answers who go in our direction of thinking and we dare to feel unjustified when something does happen not like we want it. Often it is our pride which hinders us to think straight and worse, makes it impossible to hear the answers from God. I do hope that in Arlin Sorensen’s Thoughts on Scripture the writer means not with ” It does keep us from hearing God’s response – because there isn’t one. ” that there is no answer for us, because even if we have haughtiness or arrogance God has everybody given the chance to put his or her pride aside and to take up His Word of Wisdom in their hands to learn from it. He is right to say that God opposes the proud. Scripture tells us that over and over. But that God doesn’t hear well – if at all – when pride is our defining character we cannot find right, because God listens to everything what happens and to what people say. He knows and sees everything. Nothing can escape His eye or ear. He doesn’t despise any. Jehovah is not going to look down upon with contempt just because a person can have some bad characteristics as pride. Yes He detest excessive self-esteem but He does see through our eyes and heart and knows were our attitude comes from. If we are honestly willing to hear God He shall come close to us. God shows no partiality to mankind (Job 34:19) and He has always His answer ready for everybody, who wants to hear it. Though it may not always come at the time we would think appropriate. It is up to God to decide to whom He gives answer when. God is always in control of everything. God is powerful and mighty because His righteous judgement and wisdom. Elihu showed us in chapter 36 how God gives some answers to the world, though they may not be like they would like to hear them. (Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37) Nothing can be “thwarted” from God (NIV) no purpose of Him can be restrained. (Job 42:2) Nothing is to difficult for God (Genesis 18:14; Isaiah 43:13; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26) When we are in agony, like Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, we can pray to Him and ask Him for things which seem impossible, because He can do everything (Mark 14:36) which shall always be more than any human being (Luke 18:27). God wants to be heard (Job 33:16) and use also people to let His voice been heard (2 Kings 17:13). By showing the people the results of their doings, the crimes caused by their pride, God gives answers to them (Job 36:9). To hear God we sometimes have to be willing to stand still and to be prepared to listen (Job 37:14). To stop or “stand still”: “Stand still and see the salvation of God” (Exodus 14:13; 2 Chronicles 20:17). “Stand still and hear God’s commandments” (Numbers 9:8). “Stand still that I may show you the word of God” (1 Samuel 9:27). “Stand still that I may reason with you” (1 Samuel 12:7).
“Behold, God is mighty, and despises not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. He preserves not the life of the wicked: but gives right to the poor. He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yes, he does establish them forever, and they are exalted. And if they are bound in fetters, and are held in cords of affliction; Then he shows them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. He opens also their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.” You can read here how God answers them and which advice He give those people who got a higher position but could not keep it right. ” If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he binds them. They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.” (Job 36:5-14 KJBPNV)
“He delivers the poor in his affliction, and opens their ears in oppression. Even so would he have removed you out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no narrow place; and that which should be set on your table should be full of fatness.” (Job 36:15-16 KJBPNV)
“Behold, God exalts by his power: who teaches like him?” (Job 36:22 KJBPNV)
“He seals up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.” (Job 37:7 KJBPNV)
“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. Men do therefore fear him: he respects not any that are wise of heart.” (Job 37:23-24 KJBPNV)
“Gird up your loins now like a man: I will demand of you, and declare you unto me.” (Job 40:7 KJBPNV)
“Then will I also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.” (Job 40:14 KJBPNV)
“I know that you can do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from you. Who is he that hides counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.” (Job 42:2-3 KJBPNV)
Also people who do not believe in God shall at certain times, decided by God, be able to hear God saying things to them. Because God’s desire is that we move away from sin and move to righteousness. He opens our ears to know His commands Job 36:10).
In Job 37:19 Elihu seems to have taunted Job asking him to teach them (Elihu and the three friends) how they should understand how to speak with God. Our brother Robert Prins wrote: “Elihu began by looking up. Maybe we should do the same as we gaze at the vastness of the heavens, the ethereal blue of the sky, the beauty of the sunrise and the sunset – new pictures painted by God for us to marvel at every day. We can see the expanse of his power as we look up into space and see the millions of stars he has created in glorious beauty, shining in the blackness on the night sky. And when we see clouds we can be impressed by the sheer volume and weight of water that God suspends above the earth. Who has not failed to be impressed by the thunder and lightening of a storm – thunder that can be heard all over the land, and lightening that lights up the whole earth with one almighty flash. And what about the rain, the snow or the hot sun and the way that God can disrupt the whole of man’s affairs by floods, snowstorm, earthquake or heatwave…
May our hearts also pound and leap from their places as we stop to consider God’s wonders.”
We have to reflect on what happens in the world and how God works on it. we have to try to understand God’s involvement in the way that things work in the natural world. Looking around us we can “see” and “hear” a lot of answers to our questions. Other people can sensitise others, like us, to get to know more about the Creator deity. They also can let us see that trials we often go through are not only for us, but for those around us as well and for people far away, who often have nothing to do with what caused their problem either.
As God broke His silence to Job (Job 38:1-) (Fragments from the Book of Job #6: chapters 38-42) He employed a series of more than 70 questions to show Job and humankind, his ignorance and God’s greatness. As long as everything goes all right nobody seems to worry about God, but as soon as something terrible happens ‘everybody’ wants to blame God for it. Suddenly everybody has than criticism on the Creator. Speaking with great irony and personifying His other creations God want putting men right in front of it, and having them to face the facts. did not God confront Job with mysteries of the animal kingdom in order to make him more aware of his ignorance and thus of his inability to be a competent judge of the works of God?
We get to see the other point about what the Book of Job is about. When people criticizes the way things happen in the world and blame God for it, they are trying to usurp God’s position as Master or Governor of this world (Job 40:6-14).
Normally God has not to justify Himself before us, but God addressed the issue of His own justice and Job his futile attempt at self-justification (Job 40:8-14). God questions man if he would condemn the Creator or discredit His justice to justify man himself (Job 40:8 )
In this world many want to have modern gods, people to whom they can look up. Some of those men and women would not mind taking on the appearance of deity. God challenges those people (Job 40:10) King David knew his place and wanted to honour God, but hoped that the adversaries and accusers would be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak (Psalm 109:29).
As we came to chapter 42 of the Book of Job the contest with the satan, i.e. the accuser is now over and Job became restored. Job repented for the presumptuous words he spoke to the Most High, his Creator(Job 42:6). We got to see that Jehovah does not want people to suffer for no reason. God could not be impressed with the words of Jobs friends. He found it time that the friends of Job were put on their place and that Job could enjoy again happiness. This last one put away his pride and rebellion and finds contentment in the knowledge that he has God’s fellowship. We also should already be pleased that God wants to be with us, though we do not understand all His ways with us and with the world around us.
Knowing that God is in control of everything but that He has given men the right to clear all things themselves, it is up to take our own responsibility. After the fall Adam and Eve and all their next generations could prove they could manage the creation. So lets tackle it according to our best means, knowing that we all received everything around us in loan from the Creator Jehovah our God, the Most High and omnipotent.
As a Christian, we should lovingly and sincerely have concern for many people and their many circumstances. We should see what happens in the world and should look for the underlying causes. First of all should we always remember that God has given men a free will. The Creator has given men the possibility to choose and to have many choices. So we should be aware which way several people wanted to go, what they did and what consequences they and not God, brought to other human beings and to the rest of the creation of God. As children of God our hearts should ache for the pain and trouble that other creatures experience in life. This concern should compel us to react wisely and to come unto their help. To people we should speak truth into their life, which can include everything from pointing out sin to giving wise counsel, and intercede for them before God in prayer. We also have to stay aware of our limitations. We never can “play for God”. As finite beings, there is only so much we can do and we must discern whom God has called us to help and how God has called us to help them. We have to make choices how and how much we can help and have to put priorities first. Whatever happens we should carry first whatever load God has allowed to come over us, but not blaming Him for it. Than we should see how God still stays with us and helps us to carry that load or burden. As brothers and sisters in Christ we can help each other to make the burden lighter. Out of love we should try to do everything to make the problems less.
“Bear you one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of the Messiah. For if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.” (Galatians 6:2-5 KJBPNV)
Let us be humble enough to accept that the Creator of all things has a good Plan which He is going to bring to a good end in due time. Although we cannot fully understand or appreciate Him, we can love, trust, respect Him and acknowledge that God alone can save us. Jehovah is our strength and He is the only underived and self-sustaining existence in the universe. All other forms of life are but incorporations of the life which is in Him — so many subdivisions of the stream which issues from the great fountainhead. God, as the antecedent, eternal power of the universe, has elaborated all things out of Himself. The testimony before us is, that the God of gods did not hide from the wilderness Israelites, for in the startling familiarity they had every proof that He was with them in the shining face of Moses and the tables of stone. There were rules in abundance on how to worship, but even that did not make obedient children. God’s life instruction and every provision of over reaching care, made little difference to the Israelites. Having the opportunity to read all the stories what happened to the people of God we should know better and take care not “to follow the world”. We should choose to follow the man God had sent to the earth to save the world. And we should follow the teachings of that son of God, called Yeshua or Jesus, the Nazarene, also called the Messiah.
In case we are not so happy with our life, let us look how we can make it better and easier to bear. Our disappointment is in itself a sign that we hunger for something better, and whatever our suffering situation and disappointment with the outcome, that we will regain a better outlook. All sufferers can have Hope. God especially cares and provides for all men — He is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9; John 3:16,17). The disappointment, with God’s answer, can be overwhelming, but God’s disappointment with us and God’s rejection of us are worse. We may never know the purpose of our suffering, but we need to rest assured that God has one. None of His should ever risk rejection.
If God leaves room for doubts and doubters, and we know He does, He also leaves room for the faithless, and in our disappointment, even for us. So God wants to give everybody His answer and His Help. The God who is positive has not only measures and rules for us but also promises.That we always have our ears and eyes open to see God ways and hear His answers and follow His instructions. That we have our eyes fixed on Gods Hope and that we hope in Him and in His son.
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“The final chapters of this remarkable book, one of the first on record, brings the drama to a wonderful conclusion. The questions with which it opened by the quest of the Satan, are now answered, and Job finds his experiences have developed his character and understanding. As a wonderful type of the Lord Jesus, Job is vindicated by Yahweh, and becomes a mediator for his friends. He is again commended as Yahweh’s ‘righteous servant’ and is restored and honoured sevenfold. The last speech of the Deity is in Job 41, in which is revealed the power of the flesh in the great leviathan, and the way in which the Almighty Creator permits His creation to display greater spiritual principles. So the record continues as the mighty leviathan is presented as the final picture of Yahweh’s omnipotence. [1] Its untamable ferocity: Job 41: 1-9. [2] Its terrifying appearance: Job 41: 10-24. [3] Its power in attack: Job 41: 25-32. [4] Its incontestable supremacy: Job 41: 33,34″ (GEM).
Job 42: “The picture moves to the exaltation of Job: [1] Job humbles himself before Yahweh: Job 42 1-6. [6] Divine rebuke of Job’s accusers: Job 42 7-9. [7] Job restored and honoured: Job 42 10-17. The type is before us in the record of Job; the antitype will shortly be revealed in the return of Yahshua the Anointed, and the elevation of his true family. Then great blessing will come to the whole world, in fulfilment of the Abrahamic covenant” (GEM).
“Trouble (so far from being evidence of desertion) is a means employed in His hands to lay the foundation of future joy and blessedness. Let His children then be comforted and strengthened to endure even the deepest and most inexplicable affliction. Let them learn to see God in the darkness and to feel His hand in the tempest. Let them beware of the folly of Job’s three friends rebuked of God. Let them know that this time of our pilgrimage is the night, and that though weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning and that joy a joy prepared by the weeping. Let them apply the consolation Christ has given them: ‘Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall be comforted’ [Matthew 5:4]” (WP 83).
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Epilogue of the Book of Job
The Deliverance of Job
Job 42 (New Century Version)
7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not said what is right about me, as my servant Job did. 8 Now take seven bulls and seven male sheep, and go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will listen to his prayer. Then I will not punish you for being foolish. You have not said what is right about me, as my servant Job did.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord said, and the Lord listened to Job’s prayer. 10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord gave him success again. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had owned before. 11 Job’s brothers and sisters came to his house, along with everyone who had known him before, and they all ate with him there. They comforted him and made him feel better about the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave Job a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than the first part. Job had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand teams of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. 13 Job also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first daughter Jemimah, the second daughter Keziah, and the third daughter Keren-Happuch. 15 There were no other women in all the land as beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father Job gave them land to own along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived one hundred forty years. He lived to see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. 17 Then Job died; he was old and had lived many years.
Job 42:17
The LXX adds, as footnote: “And it is written that he shall rise up again, with those whom the LORD shall raise up.”
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Next: Let us recognise how great God is
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Please do find more about Suffering on our main website:
Related please do read:
- About suffering
- Disappointed with God
- Gods design in the creation of the world
- Gods instruction about joy and suffering
- Gods promises
- Gods measure not our measure
- Gods non answer
- Gods promises to us in our suffering
- Gods hope and our hope
- Gods salvation
- Hope for the future
- Importuning for suffering hearts
- Looking for blessed hope
- Miracles in our time of suffering
- Our relationship with God, Jesus and each other
- Promise of comforter
- Seems no future in suffering
- Suffering
- Suffering – through the apparent silence of God
- Suffering continues
- Suffering leading to joy
- Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
- Words from God about suffering
- Working of the hope
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Related articles
- Self inflicted misery #1 The root by man (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- According to some Job (davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com) receives from God a response more than a little unsatisfying. According to those writers God does not tell Job why he has suffered. God puts Job in his place by showing him how little Job actually knows and when you read the story good you can find a lot of answers in the discussions that went on.
- Surviving and Learning from the Book of Job (richardburkey.wordpress.com) let us rightly know that God’s plans are bigger than our plans. God’s view of the world is bigger then our view. The book of Job challenges our reading as God “corrects” the 3 friends and their theology. In many ways, they sum up what most believe about God. They state what the obvious should be, how most situations work, or in most case “rules of thumb” when it comes to understanding how the world works. One problem, they are proven wrong. Put God in a box, and the lid shuts tight usually either snapping at a finger or leaving you on the outside.
Job throughout the book has pleaded for a hearing before God. Job wants to know why (don’t we all?). Yet God simply, powerfully, eloquently declares who He is. He is God, beyond Job in his day, and beyond us in our day. - Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20 (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Fragments from the Book of Job #3: chapters 21-26 (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31 (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37 (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Fragments from the Book of Job #6: chapters 38-42 (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37
We can imagine that people get scared when they hear certain preachers talking as the three friends of Job. As the wife of a Southern Baptist pastor writes in her blog that one pastor saying that all the troubles which befell Job were his fault because he spoke forth fear into his life. That alleviated some of her fears somewhat. Though we would recommend starting to read the full Book of Job it is true that you don’t hear much in church or otherwise about the book of Job other than a passing comment or reference here or there. Studying Job brings forward that there is much more than that character of a righteous man blamed to be unrighteous and being rightly penalised by God.
Last chapter we saw that Job succumbed to the same self pity we all succumb to at times.
When things are going good in their lives, rarely do people give God the credit for it, but as soon as trouble comes along, the first one to get the blame is God. Even worse, there are ministers out there telling people its O.K. to get angry with God. (Stop Blaming God) There are also a lot of preachers trying to convince people that it is God who brings punishment to the wicked today. Many have to come out that came out of that false system of thinking. Job’s friends did not see that it was the accuser and adversary of God (satan) was trying to drive a wedge between God and His beloved. If Job proved to be righteous only because “it pays” then Satan (any adversary) wins his bet with God. As the friends certain pastors say rightly God is almighty and just. They also preach that because no human is entirely innocent in God’s eyes and therefore have to suffer as suffering, according to them, must be a retribution for some sin. It has come so bad that today we even find pastors who say certain violent action and bringing pain to others is justified because the others deserve it. (Antichrist and The Most Hated Family in America in crisis) These doom preachers are right when they say that the Holy God shows us, that He completely is in state to bring the destruction over this whole world because of the sin. The Bible tells us of this tremendous fact in Genesis 6:12-13 when God, looking on the earth, saw that it was evil: for the way of all flesh had become evil on the earth. And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come; the earth is full of their violent doings, and now I will put an end to them with the earth. “And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:12-13 ASV) God brought the deluge over the earth, but that was the first and last turn that God would do that. Lots of doom thinkers make people frightened. Often they try to get the people of their congregation in their ban with cursings to the outer world and with “If you had more faith”. We should recognise the false teachers at the words and actions they take. Teachers or preachers their sayings we always do have to compare them with the Words of God which we can find in the Book of Books, the Bible. Compare where the Holy Scriptures disagrees. In a time when so many people are striving for an explanation of why their lives turn out a certain way, or why things (good or bad) happen to them, the expressions “it’s all part of God’s plan,” “everything happens for the best,” or “it just wasn’t meant to be,” and so on, have became a little tiresome. In “When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” perhaps Rabbi Harold S. Kushner can offer you a refreshing point of view that differs from those who think everything occurs on earth because God wants it that way, and at the same time provides a surprising comfort in the fact that events actually can, and do, take place for no reason at all. Rabbi Kushner tries to reconcile a common Judeo-Christian view of God and causality with a perspective of life that holds a place for randomness and happenstance. He tries to proof that things happen in life that God has nothing to do with, and there is a way to find peace in accepting this. Also for him as for us not everything that takes place in the world has a purpose or comes from God. God, in Kushner’s view, created the world and provides the foundation of moral principle. But according some thoughts God would not quite be in control of the world He created. He hopes for our good and He sympathizes, as it were, with us in our pain, but He is powerless to do anything about it according this Jewish writer. But the One who created is in control but allows people a lot of freedom. Aish.com, a division of Aish HaTorah, an apolitical network of Jewish educational centres in 35 branches on five continents remarks: “As to why a God Who had the power to create the entire universe in the first place would create one that He is powerless to control, Kushner basically shrugs his shoulders and contents himself with noting that the world is relatively good for most people most of the time. We might designate this theory as “randomness plus God.”" (Why Harold Kushner is wrong) Fro them Harold Kushner’s approach to suffering is profoundly un-Jewish and provides no solace to those in pain. Unable to understand why a good God would allow individuals to suffer, Kushner ends by neatly defining the question away. He cannot even conceive of the possibility of any understanding, and so concludes that we have no answers because there are no answers. But God has provided those who want to listen and who want to find insight and wisdom, the possibilities to find the answers in the Holy Scriptures. “By arguing that much of what happens is beyond God’s control, Kushner effectively severs the connection between God and the world and thereby empties physical existence of all meaning.” dixit Aish.
When bad things happen to good people who do you blame? What, if anything, keeps you from accepting painful situations or losses in your life?
A lot of people do not see that the Book of Job also gives a picture of who God is and of what He wants from us. They also quote a lot from the friends their words but forget how in Job and Elihu’s replies we get a rectification and the solution to the whole problem in the answer of the Elohim, Jehovah God.
In chapters 29-31 of the Book of Job (Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31) Job also present us a picture of some of the commandments to which we better keep to live in conformity with the Will of God or Gods Law. Those Commandments of God or Mitzvah (Hebrew: מצוה “commandment”, [mitsˈva], Biblical: Miṣwah; plural mitzvot [mitsˈvot]; Biblical: Miṣwoth from צוה ṣiwwah “command”) were brought to humankind through the ages that God ministered His People. In Judaism they refer to the 613 Mitzvot (Hebrew: תרי”ג מצוות: Taryag Mitzvot, “613 commandments”; Biblical Hebrew: Miṣwoth) or 613 commandments given in the Torah. Job brought some statements and principles of law, ethics, and spiritual practice contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses forwards to proof that he tried honestly to fullfill Gods wishes.
When the friendship of God was with Job, he argued, (Job 29:4) that the Almighty was yet with him. He had the idea that God had deserted him, like Jesus also asked God why He had abandoned him. Strangely Job does not see that God was all the time with him. No matter what happens, when we stay with God, He shall always stay around us. Though we do not hear Him, He shall keep an eye onto us. God is often seemingly hidden, but His silence, His deafness, His blindness is all part of His plan to strengthen our relationship with Him. It can be hard when God does not reveal Himself in visible proofs. But it makes stronger faith. We have to be careful that we do not project our human limitation upon God so that we could better understand our problems. We have limits, but the Only One God has no limits as a spirit. “The God is Pneuma, and those worshipping Him must of necessity worship spiritually and in harmony with Truth.”” (John 4:24 MHM)
Sometimes we are too busy to attend to all the details in our life, but Jehovah God never loses track of the details.
Also the friendship in the community is being questioned. You can compare the situation of Job and his friends as to what you expect of your “brethren”. How do we react when something goes wrong with somebody of the ecclesia? And when one of the brothers or sisters is taken in any wrongdoing, how do you want to put such a one right in a spirit of love; keeping watch on yourself, for fear that you yourself may be tested. Are you also willing to take on yourselves one another’s troubles, and so keep the law of Christ. “Brothers, if anyone is overcome by some mistake those who are spiritual should gently and meekly readjust such a person. However, watch yourselves so you are never tempted. Continue to carry the heavy burdens of one another and in this manner fulfil Christ’s Law.” (Galatians 6:1-2 MHM)
Job had moments of doubt and we also can feel that we are standing alone in the turbulent storm. All the thorns from the problems can hurt us deep and cause anger against the others and worse, against God for His seeming abandonment in His hiddenness. But from the next chapters and other Books from the Old and New Testament we shall see that God does not turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. God does see and hear in the camps of the evil ones, and not only that, but He assures us that He is there in the middle of the evil. He does not forsake those sons and daughters of His as it seems, for He sets the joy before them, and will send an accompanying angel to bear them up in the extreme. He wants us to “Look up”, but if we are so deep in the pit in the evil camp with our eyes permanently cast down, alas we find, miraculously, and mercifully that He is there with us. He is not hidden, and He whispers, “Look up, look up for I am here with you”. When Job refused to give up on God, despite the pleadings of all his accusers, he won the contest with them, and was privileged to see what he would have missed had he succumbed to their suggestions. How do you look up to God. Can you keep trusting God and have a positive perspective? What might you think in a similar situation? Where do you place God in your life and where was God for you when it hurt the most?
Job demanded an audience with God in which he was sure he would be vindicated. Enter Elihu on the scene who sets Job straight before the entrance of God himself. When Job finally gets his audience with God it doesn’t go like he planned at all. He comes away humbled and repentant for his selfish behaviour. He is accepted by God still however, which speaks to eternal security of the believer. His three friends are a different matter however. It says God’s anger burned toward them. (see Jot’s writing on Job)
Job, who consciously lived his life as if it were open before and in service to the God of heaven and earth and kept to the regulation of community, (one of the Laws or Deuteronomic code) brought forwards all the good deeds he had done. We also have to do such good things. Delivering or taking care of the poor and the fatherless (Job 31:16–23); giving widows heart to sing for joy; no stealing or coveting; putting on righteousness; helping the blind, the lame and the needy; even helping animals, providing them with food (Job 31:31) searching out causes; putting the unrighteous on their place; giving counsel or advice; not having looked at the elements of the earth to worship them (Job 31:24-28) because we have to abstain from any pagan worship and our worship of God must remain pure. Not erecting sacred stones or adoring the richness of the earth (gold, silver, money, wealth), not making for yourself an idol. Keeping to purity and respecting rules which regulate marriage.
We should try to get to know the regulations of the Most High, but just keeping to them because we are afraid He might harm us is not the good reason to hold vast to the commandments. God wants from us that we do come out of our own free will, and that we love Him for what He really is. It is not by the disasters in the world or the many problems on earth that the greatness of the Creator is shown.
Does not God and His son gave to those who came with a request? We all can use this earth in loan from the Creator but so we want to share of it with others? do some of us not keep their property from him who would for a time make use of it. You have knowledge that it was said, “Have love for your neighbour, and hate for him who is against you”. But Jesus said to us: “Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you; So that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for his sun gives light to the evil and to the good, and he sends rain on the upright man and on the sinner. For if you have love for those who have love for you, what credit is it to you? do not the tax-farmers the same? And if you say, Good day, to your brothers only, what do you do more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?” (Matthew 5:42-47 BBE). “Instead, all of you continue to show loving concern for your enemies. And continue doing good-continue lending money without expecting anything to be paid back. If you do your reward will be considerable, for you will become the Most High’s offspring, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35 MHM)
We should know that “Jehovah is good to all; And his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Psalms 145:9 ASV)
We can also notice that Job recited a blessing for each enjoyment, but also blessings and curses for those who keep and break the law (Deuteronomic code in Deuteronomy Chapters 12-26).
Job preferred to curse the day he was born rather than God.
If we read in between the lines we can see that it is with profound courage and compassion that sufferers survive the inhuman dignities placed upon them by captors, and torturers and they need to remember that it is easier to receive the pain and moan with it, than it is to be the source of the inhuman behaviour, for there is no escaping the human consciousness that makes inhumanity possible. So, in that sense, human captors or persecutors and torturers are always worse off than their prisoners, or those who they torment. In a way we can’t escape that not such liked events intrude with such force that we are compelled to deal with our faith in the context of what is taking place in our lives. Suffering is one such event. It challenges us to confront the ultimate questions of who we are and what is the significance of our lives. Suffering is a painful invitation to deepen our faith and make it a real part of our lives.
We also get the question of “what makes “happy“, “healthy”, “wealthy” and “wise“.
Now we have heard the speeches of Jobs friends and his replies. Does the hair-rising, mystical spiritual experience of Eliphaz sound reliable to you? (Job 4:12-16) Can we be righteous as against God and be blameless against our Maker?
When we hear what happens in some churches and see how preachers rage on television do you not question if “correct” theology (all the right words) and/or quoting just some phrases out of context can ever be “bad” theology?
Today we listen to Elius or Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite who was young in years. He had kept silent all the time because the others were older and therefore he did not dare to speak up against them. He was fearful, not daring to tell them what he knew. (Job 32:6). There is a great lesson for us all here. It is not necessarily the case that old age brings wisdom. Wisdom is a result of experience. We should not keep to our pride and think because we have a certain age we also would have the wisdom. If we want to listen to advice or hear wisdom we should look for a trustworthy man person, who has had many testings in his or her life and stuck to his or her faith throughout, rather than one who has reached a great age or got a lot of wealth. It is clear from this book that old age does not always bring wisdom and understanding, but in this latter part of the book we are brought to our senses by this younger man who has the answers and who is able to help Job see his life in perspective. Let us not ignore the potential for wisdom to come from our younger members. And the wisdom does not always come from the most popular nor from the most liked one. The wisdom does not always flatter. We must recognise that there are certain preachers who want to be popular and even get huge churches full of people, because they know how to present their “show”. they know exactly what the people want to hear and give it to them in such a way that the people are pleased to hear such talking. But Elihu made it clear that what he had to say would not be emotional, or spoken with prejudice. He would not flatter, nor would he show respect to persons. He knew that God would condemn those who did. Though he also could find his thoughts “darkened”, and that is also what we all have to be aware of, certain things we can know for sure, others not, in certain things we can have wisdom, in others not. At certain point we even can find some haughtiness in his speaking. With a certain arrogance he boast that he has so much to say he can’t keep him straight. (Job 32: 18-22) Do we notice a taste of a braggart? In case we know something more then an other we should be pleased that we can be blessed as such. Let us therefore always be humble enough and listen in first instance to the One and Only God Almighty.
Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton
Job Chapter 32
Job 32:1 And his three friends also ceased any longer to answer Job: for Job was righteous before them.
Job 32:2 Then Elius the son of Barachiel, the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, of the country of Ausis, was angered: and he was very angry with Job, because he justified himself before the Lord.
Job 32:3 And he was also very angry with [his] three friends, because they were not able to return answers to Job, yet set him down for an ungodly man.
Job 32:4 But Elius had forborne to give an answer to Job, because they were older than he.
Job 32:5 And Elius saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men; and he was angered in his wrath.
Job 32:6 And Elius the Buzite the son of Barachiel answered and said, I am younger in age, and ye are elder, wherefore I kept silence, fearing to declare to you my own knowledge.
Job 32:7 And I said, It is not time that speaks, though in many years [men] know wisdom:
Job 32:8 but there is a spirit in mortals; and the inspiration of the Almighty is that which teaches.
Job 32:9 The long-lived are not wise [as such]; neither do the aged know judgment.
Job 32:10 Wherefore I said, Hear me, and I will tell you what I know.
Job 32:11 Hearken to my words; for I will speak in your hearing, until ye shall have tried [the matter] with words:
Job 32:12 and I shall understand as far as you; and, behold, there was no one of you that answered Job his words in argument,
Job 32:13 lest ye should say, We have found that we have added wisdom to the Lord.
Job 32:14 And ye have commissioned a man to speak such words.
Job 32:15 They were afraid, they answered no longer; they gave up their speaking.
Job 32:16 I waited, (for I had not spoken,) because they stood still, they answered not.
Job 32:17 And Elius continued, and said, I will again speak,
Job 32:18 for I am full of words, for the spirit of my belly destroys me.
Job 32:19 And my belly is as a skin of sweet wine, bound up [and] ready to burst; or as a brazier’s labouring bellows.
Job 32:20 I will speak, that I may open my lips and relieve myself.
Job 32:21 For truly I will not be awed because of man, nor indeed will I be confounded before a mortal.
Job 32:22 For I know not how to respect persons: and if otherwise, even the moths would eat me.
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Job 33:1 Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and hearken to my speech.
Job 33:2 For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
Job 33:3 My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
Job 33:4 The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
Job 33:5 If thou canst, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against thee.
Job 33:6 Thou art formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
Job 33:7 My fear shall not terrify thee, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
Job 33:8 But thou hast said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of thy words;) because thou sayest, I am pure, not having sinned;
Job 33:9 I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
Job 33:10 Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
Job 33:11 And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
Job 33:12 For how sayest thou, I am righteous, yet he has not hearkened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
Job 33:13 But thou sayest, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
Job 33:14 For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
Job 33:15 [sending] a dream, or in the meditation of the night; (as when a dreadful alarm happens to fall upon men, in slumberings on the bed:)
Job 33:16 then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
Job 33:17 to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
Job 33:18 He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
Job 33:19 And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
Job 33:20 And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
Job 33:21 until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall shew his bones bare.
Job 33:22 His soul also draws nigh to death, and his life is in Hades (the grave).
Job 33:23 Though there should be a thousand messengers of death, not one of them shall wound him: if he should purpose in his heart to turn to the Lord, and declare to man his fault, and shew his folly;
Job 33:24 he will support him, that he should not perish, and will restore his body as [fresh] plaster upon a wall; and he will fill his bones with morrow.
Job 33:25 And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him among men in [his] full strength.
Job 33:26 And he shall pray to the Lord, and his prayer shall be accepted of him; he shall enter with a cheerful countenance, with a full expression [of praise]: for he will render to men [their] due.
Job 33:27 Even then a man shall blame himself, saying, What kind of things have I done? and he has not punished me according to the full amount of my sins.
Job 33:28 Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
Job 33:29 Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
Job 33:30 And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
Job 33:31 Hearken, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
Job 33:32 If thou hast words, answer me: speak, for I desire thee to be justified.
Job 33:33 If not, do thou hear me: be silent, and I will teach thee.
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Job 34:1 And Elius continued, and said,
Job 34:2 Hear me, ye wise men; hearken, ye that have knowledge.
Job 34:3 For the ear tries words, and the mouth tastes meat.
Job 34:4 Let us choose judgment to ourselves: let us know amount ourselves what is right.
Job 34:5 For Job has said, I am righteous: the Lord has removed my judgment.
Job 34:6 And he has erred in my judgment: my wound is severe without unrighteousness [of mine].
Job 34:7 What man is as Job, drinking scorning like water?
Job 34:8 [saying], I have not sinned, nor committed ungodliness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity, to go with the ungodly.
Job 34:9 For thou shouldest not say, There shall be no visitation of a man, whereas [there is] a visitation on him from the Lord.
Job 34:10 Wherefore hear me, ye that are wise in heart: far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and to pervert righteousness before the almighty.
Job 34:11 Yea, he renders to a man accordingly as each of them does, and in a man’s path he will find him.
Job 34:12 And thinkest thou that the Lord will do wrong, or will the Almighty who made the earth wrest judgment?
Job 34:13 And who is he that made [the whole world] under heaven, and all things therein?
Job 34:14 For if he would confine, and restrain his spirit with himself;
Job 34:15 all flesh would die together, and every mortal would return to the earth, whence also he was formed.
Job 34:16 Take heed lest he rebuke [thee]: hear this, hearken to the voice of words.
Job 34:17 Behold then the one that hates iniquities, and that destroys the wicked, who is for ever just.
Job 34:18 [He is] ungodly that says to a king, Thou art a transgressor, [that says] to princes, O most ungodly one.
Job 34:19 [Such a one] as would not reverence the face of an honourable man, neither knows how to give honour to the great, so as that their persons should be respected.
Job 34:20 But it shall turn out vanity to them, to cry and beseech a man; for they dealt unlawfully, the poor being turned aside [from their right].
Job 34:21 For he surveys the works of men, and nothing of what they do has escaped him.
Job 34:22 Neither shall there be a place for the workers of iniquity to hide themselves.
Job 34:23 For he will not lay upon a man more [than right].
Job 34:24 For the Lord looks down upon all men, who comprehends unsearchable things, glorious also and excellent things without number.
Job 34:25 Who discovers their works, and will bring night about [upon them], and they shall be brought low.
Job 34:26 And he quite destroys the ungodly, for they are seen before him.
Job 34:27 Because they turned aside from the law of God, and did not regard his ordinances,
Job 34:28 so as to bring before him the cry of the needy; for he will hear the cry of the poor.
Job 34:29 And he will give quiet, and who will condemn? and he will hide his face, and who shall see him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man also:
Job 34:30 causing a hypocrite to be king, because of the waywardness of the people.
Job 34:31 For [there is] one that says to the Mighty One, I have received [blessings]; I will not take a pledge:
Job 34:32 I will see apart from myself: do thou shew me if I have done unrighteousness; I will not do [so] any more.
Job 34:33 Will he take vengeance for it on thee, whereas thou wilt put [it] far [from thee]? for thou shalt choose, and not I; and what thou knowest, speak thou.
Job 34:34 Because the wise in heart shall say this, and a wise man listens to my word.
Job 34:35 But Job has not spoken with understanding, his words are not [uttered] with knowledge.
Job 34:36 Howbeit do thou learn, Job: no longer make answer as the foolish:
Job 34:37 that we add not to our sins: for iniquity will be reckoned against us, if [we] speak many words before the Lord.
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Job 35:1 And Elius resumed and said,
Job 35:2 What is this that thou thinkest to be according to right? who art thou that thou hast said, I am righteous before the Lord?
Job 35:3 I will answer thee, and thy three friends.
Job 35:4 Look up to the sky and see; and consider the clouds, how high [they are] above thee.
Job 35:5 If thou hast sinned, what wilt thou do?
Job 35:6 and if too thou hast transgressed much, what canst thou perform?
Job 35:7 And suppose thou art righteous, what wilt thou give him? or what shall he receive of thy hand?
Job 35:8 Thy ungodliness [may affect] a man who is like to thee; or thy righteousness a son of man.
Job 35:9 They that are oppressed of a multitude will be ready to cry out; they will call for help because of the arm of many.
Job 35:10 But none said, Where is God that made me, who appoints the night-watches;
Job 35:11 who makes me to differ from the four-footed beasts of the earth, and from the birds of the sky?
Job 35:12 There they shall cry, and none shall hearken, even because of the insolence of wicked men.
Job 35:13 For the Lord desires not to look on error, for he is the Almighty One.
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Job 36:1 And Elius further continued, and said,
Job 36:2 Wait form me yet a little while, that I may teach thee: for there is yet speech in me.
Job 36:3 Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,
Job 36:4 I will speak just things truly, and thou shalt not unjustly receive unjust words.
Job 36:5 But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of wisdom,
Job 36:6 he will not by any means save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgment of the poor.
Job 36:7 He will not turn away his eyes from the righteous, but [they shall be] with kings on the throne: and he will establish them in triumph, and they shall be exalted.
Job 36:8 But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.
Job 36:9 And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, for such will act with violence.
Job 36:10 But he will hearken to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.
Job 36:11 If they should hear and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honour.
Job 36:12 But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.
Job 36:13 And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath [against themselves]; they will not cry, because he has bound them.
Job 36:14 Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers [of death].
Job 36:15 Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgment of the meek.
Job 36:16 And he has also enticed thee out of the mouth of the enemy:
Job 36:17 [there is] a deep gulf [and] a rushing stream beneath it, and thy table came down full of fatness. Judgment shall not fail from the righteous;
Job 36:18 but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.
Job 36:19 Let not [thy] mind willingly turn thee aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.
Job 36:20 And draw not forth all the mighty [men] by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.
Job 36:21 But take heed lest thou do that which is wrong: for of this thou has made choice because of poverty.
Job 36:22 Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?
Job 36:23 And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?
Job 36:24 Remember that his works are great [beyond] those which men have attempted.
Job 36:25 Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.
Job 36:26 Behold, the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know [him]: the number of his years is even infinite.
Job 36:27 And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.
Job 36:28 The ancient [heavens] shall flow, and the clouds overshadow innumerable mortals: (36:28A) he has fixed a time to cattle, and they know the order of rest. (36:28B) [Yet] by all these things thy understanding is not astonished, neither is thy mind disturbed in [thy] body.
Job 36:29 And though one should understand the outspreadings of the clouds, [or] the measure of his tabernacle;
Job 36:30 behold he will stretch his bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
Job 36:31 For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.
Job 36:32 He has hidden the light in [his] hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing [cloud].
Job 36:33 The Lord will declare concerning this [to] his friend: [but there is] a portion also for unrighteousness.
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Job 37:1 At this also my heart is troubled, and moved out of its place.
Job 37:2 Hear thou a report by the anger of the Lord’s wrath, and a discourse shall come out of his mouth.
Job 37:3 His dominion is under the whole heaven, and his light is at the extremities of the earth.
Job 37:4 After him shall be a cry with a [loud] voice; he shall thunder with the voice of his excellency, yet he shall not cause men to pass away, for one shall hear his voice.
Job 37:5 The Mighty One shall thunder wonderfully with his voice: for he has done great things which we knew not;
Job 37:6 commanding the snow, Be thou upon the earth, and the stormy rain, and the storm of the showers of his might.
Job 37:7 He seals up the hand of every man, that every man may know his own weakness.
Job 37:8 And the wild beasts come in under the covert, and rest in [their] lair.
Job 37:9 Troubles come on out of the secret chambers, and cold from the mountain-tops.
Job 37:10 And from the breath of the Mighty One he will send frost; and he guides the water in whatever way he pleases.
Job 37:11 And [if] a cloud obscures [what is] precious [to him], his light will disperse the cloud.
Job 37:12 And he will carry round the encircling [clouds] by his governance, to [perform] their works: whatsoever he shall command them,
Job 37:13 this has been appointed by him on the earth, whether for correction, [or] for his land, or if he shall find him [an object] for mercy.
Job 37:14 Hearken to this, O Job: stand still, and be admonished of the power of the Lord.
Job 37:15 We know that god has disposed his works, having made light out of darkness.
Job 37:16 And he knows the divisions of the clouds, and the signal overthrows of the ungodly.
Job 37:17 But thy robe is warm, and there is quiet upon the land.
Job 37:18 Wilt thou establish with him [foundations] for the ancient [heavens? they are] strong as a molten mirror.
Job 37:19 Wherefore teach me, what shall we say to him? and let us cease from saying much.
Job 37:20 Have I a book or a scribe my me, that I may stand and put man to silence?
Job 37:21 But the light is not visible to all: it shines afar off in the heavens, as that which is from him in the clouds.
Job 37:22 From the [north] come the clouds shining like gold: in these great are the glory and honour of the Almighty;
Job 37:23 and we do not find another his equal in strength: [as for] him that judges justly, dost thou not think that he listens?
Job 37:24 Wherefore men shall fear him; and the wise also in heart shall fear him.
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Continues: Fragments from the Book of Job #6: chapters 38-42
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- The Role And Character Of Elihu In The Book Of Job
Perhaps no other biblical character has been characterized by scholars in such radically different ways as Elihu. Concerning wisdom, Elihu is described as either an “exceeding wise” man or a “buffoon”; concerning his motivation, he is seen as anything from a divinely-inspired “man of God” to the “person assumed or adopted by Satan” to attack Job; concerning his contribution to the Book of Job, he is considered to be “irrelevant” or “integral.
… many scholars believe that the Elihu speeches as we have them now were not part of the original Book of Job.
reasons for rejecting the authenticity:- Elihu is mentioned nowhere in the Book of Job outside of his speeches in Job 32-37
- the style of the Elihu speeches is different from the style used in the other parts of the book.
- Job’s challenge in chapter 31 calls for God, not Elihu, to make an appearance.
- Elihu’s speeches supposedly contribute nothing to the Book of Job. (but as you can read Elihu does have something significant to add)
… many scholars reject these arguments as unconvincing and strongly believe the Elihu speeches to be an original part of Job.
Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31
In the previous chapters the rampant evil in the world was described by Job (Job 24:2-24) and we have heard the speeches of Job’s friends who got to accuse him of gaining his now lost wealth by robbing the poor, withholding sustenance from the hungry and even abusing the weaker ones like widows and orphans. (Eliphaz, the most sympathetic and likely the oldest who appeals to experience for authority, in Job 22:6-9). Eliphaz urged Job to submit to obvious discipline from God, who would bless him if he would repent (Job 5:8-27). For the less sensitive Bildad it was clear that Job and his children were suffering because of his sin (Job 8:1-7). As Bildad argued from tradition, the third friend, Zophar rested on orthodox dogma and argued also that there must have been something in Job’s live that had caused all those problems.
Since neither Job nor his wife knew what had transpired between God and His adversaries, they did not know that those adversaries predicted that Job would curse God (Job 1:11; 2:5). Job at certain moments thought that there was a problem with him and God. His wife even concluded that her husband and she were suffering because God was unfair and that the presupposition that God always blesses the righteous and afflicts the wicked has proven faulty. Job called her views foolishness and did not want to curse God (Job 2:9-10) but after some time also wrongly accused God of mauling him as would a beast (Job 16:9) turning him over to wicked or perverse men, evil people (Job 16:11) using him as would an archer for target practice (Job 16:12-13) and attacking him as would a warrior or like a soldier gone mad with hate (Job 16:14). Job was sad he did not receive an answer from God who had seemed to have wronged him (Job 19:6) because he had kept to God’s Law (contrary to Eliphaz’s charge Job 22:22). He also complained that God did not pay attention and does not have fixed times for the punishment of evildoers, so that people could see that the Almighty Elohim punishes evildoers (Job 24:1,12). But he recognises the sovereignty of Jehovah over the various aspects of the universe. (Job 26:5-13) Gods knowledge goes beyond what we can see and hear (Job 26:14).
Many blame God, but for an other reason than Job did (Job 24:1) for the troubles on this earth, and has Job friends they do not seem to see the underlying factors of men’s free will. Also Job gets the feeling that his sufferings are in the Will of God, though the thought troubles him. (Job 23:14-16) He has also difficulties with ancient teachings or traditions, which or not our best sources of knowledge, according to Job. (Job 9:1-10:22) Those who brought us some sources to think about are just as mortal as we are and we always should remember that they grasped perhaps only a part of reality.Who can discover the depth of God? (Job 11:7) Job recognises that he is not inferior to others who have more luck, and that with the others their wisdom shall die as well. (Job 12:2-3, 12-22, 2425; 13:2,4, 8-11; 14:10; 15:9-11, 18-22,31-32)
For Job as for us it seems that at certain moments of trouble, wherever we go we do not seem to find God and therefore could not present our case before the Almighty. (Job 23:8-9) In Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20 a light is already shed on the fact that God knows the way we take. (Job 23:10) We would love to see the evil of the evil-doer come to an end, and find an end to our misery. Sometimes we may think God does not care for us and does not watches us. But God keeps an eye on the world and follows it. In the Old Testament we do find enough examples how He at certain moments came in action and reacted to situation of which He did not agree with. We can also notice how He also gave strength to the upright. At any time men’s minds and hearts are tested by the God of righteousness. Jehovah puts the upright and the sinner to the test, but He has hate in his soul for the lover of violent acts. (Psalms 7:9; 11:5) “For you, O God, have proven us: you have tried us, as silver is tried.” (Psalms 66:10 KJBPNV) Remember: “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is my God.” (Zechariah 13:8-9 ASV)
Job’s innocence cries for vindication and asks God not to hide the wrongs done to him. (Job 16:18-21) Like Job we can long for a divine helper (cf 1 John 2:1-2) today we have an advocate with the Father. This comforter is Gods son given to us to help see our ways. this is a better friend than those of Job and a real upright helper. He can plead our case by his Father. In chapter 19 of the Book Job, Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20, we could notice that Job believed in a living god who would vindicate his case even after his death. In the future on the earth. The dust, sand or earth mentioned is referring to the dust of the earth or to the dust of Job’s grave. (Job 19:25-27)
“For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27 KJBPNV) We may look forward to Jesus who shall return to the earth and shall look onto what people have done to each other and how they kept to the commandments of God. He shall judge the people before he hands over the Kingdomto his Father.
Though Job looks at Jehovah or Yahweh Yahweh as the redeemer (Heb “goel”) of His people, the Almighty is that one who took care that somebody could speak in the name of men. He first did that with his people in Egypt. “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments:” (Exodus 6:6 ASV)
There is much speculation as to whether Job believed in the resurrection. However we note that Jesus, quoting Job’s words (Matthew 5:8) says that the meek will see God and clearly Jesus is speaking of the blessedness of those who are to be raised from the dead. (Read also: Zechariah 14:1-4,9,16; Isaiah 9:6-7;2:2-4; Matthew 24:3,36,37,44).
Looking for a kinsman-redeemer, ransom, avenge, vindicator, a “daysman” or a mediator Job looked like so many of us a means to obtain justice. That is the theme in these verses of Job 19:25-27, not resurrection, as we gather when we first read them. True justice would demand his bodily presence. Resurrection is thus implied rather than expressed. Job felt that at the resurrection he would be justified. The word flesh Hebrew basar (1320) means flesh, body, person, body, self, etc. while Job 31:14 suggests being called to account at an implied judgement .
“Behold, a day of Jehovah cometh, when thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the mount of Olives shall be cleft in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:1-4 ASV)
“And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one.” (Zechariah 14:9 ASV)
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” (Zechariah 14:16 ASV)
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting {1} contempt. {1) Or abhorrence}” (Daniel 12:2 ASV)
“Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of {1} herbs, and the earth shall cast forth {2} the dead. {1) Or light 2) Or the shades; Heb Rephaim}” (Isaiah 26:19 ASV)
“For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:21 ASV)
Job sees death as certain “worms destroy this body” (Job 16:22;17:1,14,15,16), “yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 14:13-15 - resurrection Gen 13:15) indicates flesh is regenerated; Job’s redeemer is Jehovah (Isaiah 43:14-15;49:7;54:5) Some people take it from there that Jehovah would be the same person as that redeemer Jesus, but Job spoke about the Spirit who was alive in his time. Thus Job was correct when he said his redeemer “liveth” because has always been alive and people forget that Jehovah has redeemed through his servant, the Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 49:6-7; Acts 5:31; Hebrews 7:25; 2 Timothy 1:10). Unfortunately, Job does not expound upon this ‘matter of the future’, and so we are left with an incomplete understanding of what he meant. However, Job is accounted righteous, and an example to follow (Ezekiel 14:14,26; James 5:11) and from that we can imagine that he is going to be one of the persons who shall also be in the coming Kingdom of God.
The sarcastic part of Job comes forward now. In Job 27: 7-23 we get Job’s summary of the erroneous arguments of his 3 friends — who urged his guilt. Job talks here as though his three ‘friends’ are trying to persuade him to fall from grace and to fulfil their words as if they were some sort of prophecy against him. Should we not recognise that it in fact not always the wicked ultimately prosper, though they may for a time. Whatever happens and how long it takes we can be sure that they will be condemned (Job 27:8). They shall not have to count on the help of God (Job 237:9-10). We nor they can be assured of passing on their prosperity to their children (Job 27:14-18). Who knows, destruction can come suddenly over the evil man (Job 27:19).
Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton
Job Chapter 27
Job 27:1 And Job further continued and said in his parable,
Job 27:2 [As] God lives, who has thus judge me; and the Almighty, who has embittered my soul;
Job 27:3 verily, while my breath is yet in [me], and the breath of God which remains to me is in my nostrils,
Job 27:4 my lips shall not speak evil words, neither shall my soul meditate unrighteous thoughts.
Job 27:5 Far be it from me that I should justify you till I die; for I will not let go my innocence,
Job 27:6 but keeping fast to [my] righteousness I will by no means let it go: for I am not conscious to myself of having done any thing amiss.
Job 27:7 Nay rather, but let mine enemies be as the overthrow of the ungodly, and they that rise up against me, as the destruction of transgressors.
Job 27:8 For what is the hope of the ungodly, that he holds to it? will he indeed trust in the Lord [and] be saved?
Job 27:9 Will God hear his prayer? or, when distress has come upon him,
Job 27:10 has he any confidence before him? or will [God] hear him as he calls upon him?
Job 27:11 Yet now I will tell you what is in the hand of the Lord: I will not lie concerning the things which are with the Almighty.
Job 27:12 Behold, ye all know that ye are adding vanity to vanity.
Job 27:13 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of oppressors shall come upon them from the Almighty.
Job 27:14 And if their children be many, they shall be for slaughter: and if they grow up, they shall beg.
Job 27:15 And they that survive of him shall utterly perish, and no one shall pity their widows.
Job 27:16 Even if he should gather silver as earth, and prepare gold as clay;
Job 27:17 All these things shall the righteous gain, and the truehearted shall possess his wealth.
Job 27:18 And his house is gone like moths, and like a spider’s web.
Job 27:19 The rich man shall lie down, and shall not continue: he has opened his eyes, and he is not.
Job 27:20 Pains have come upon him as water, and darkness has carried him away by night.
Job 27:21 And a burning wind shall catch him, and he shall depart, and it shall utterly drive him out of his place.
Job 27:22 And [God] shall cast [trouble] upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
Job 27:23 He shall cause [men] to clap their hands against them, and shall hiss him out of his place.
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Job 28:1 For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
Job 28:2 For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
Job 28:3 He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
Job 28:4 There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [among] men.
Job 28:5 [As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
Job 28:6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
Job 28:7 [There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
Job 28:8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
Job 28:9 He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
Job 28:10 and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
Job 28:11 And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
Job 28:12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
Job 28:13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
Job 28:14 The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
Job 28:15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
Job 28:16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
Job 28:17 Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
Job 28:18 Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do thou esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
Job 28:19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
Job 28:20 Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
Job 28:21 It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
Job 28:22 Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
Job 28:23 God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
Job 28:24 For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
Job 28:25 all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
Job 28:26 When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
Job 28:27 Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
Job 28:28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
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Job 29:1 And Job continued and said in his parable,
Job 29:2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
Job 29:3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
Job 29:4 [As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
Job 29:5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
Job 29:6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
Job 29:7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
Job 29:8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
Job 29:9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
Job 29:10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
Job 29:11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
Job 29:12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
Job 29:13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yea, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
Job 29:14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
Job 29:15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
Job 29:16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
Job 29:17 And I broke the jaw-teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
Job 29:18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm-tree; I shall live a long while.
Job 29:19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
Job 29:20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
Job 29:21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
Job 29:22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
Job 29:23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
Job 29:24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
Job 29:25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
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Job 30:1 But now the youngest have laughed me to scorn, now they reprove me in [their] turn, whose fathers I set at nought; whom I did not deem worthy [to be with] my shepherd dogs.
Job 30:2 Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term [of life] was lost.
Job 30:3 [One is] childless in want and famine, [such as] they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.
Job 30:4 Who compass the salt places on the sounding [shore], who had salt [herbs] for their food, and were dishonorable and of no repute, in want of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger.
Job 30:5 Thieves have risen up against me,
Job 30:6 whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.
Job 30:7 They will cry out among the rustling [bushes].
Job 30:8 [They are] sons of fools and vile men, [whose] name and glory [are] quenched from off the earth.
Job 30:9 But now I am their music, and they have me for a by-word.
Job 30:10 And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.
Job 30:11 For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.
Job 30:12 They have risen up against [me] on the right hand of [their] offspring; they have stretched out their foot, and directed against me the ways of their destruction.
Job 30:13 My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.
Job 30:14 And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.
Job 30:15 My pains return upon [me]; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.
Job 30:16 Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.
Job 30:17 And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.
Job 30:18 With great force [my disease] has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.
Job 30:19 And thou hast counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.
Job 30:20 And I have cried to thee, but thou hearest me not: but they stood still, and observed me.
Job 30:21 They attacked me also without mercy: thou hast scourged me with a strong hand.
Job 30:22 And thou hast put me to grief, and hast cast me away from safety.
Job 30:23 For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house [appointed] for every mortal.
Job 30:24 Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.
Job 30:25 Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.
Job 30:26 But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.
Job 30:27 My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.
Job 30:28 I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.
Job 30:29 I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.
Job 30:30 And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat.
Job 30:31 My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.
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Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
Job 31:2 Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
Job 31:3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
Job 31:4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
Job 31:5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
Job 31:6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence:
Job 31:7 if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;
Job 31:8 then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
Job 31:9 If my heart has gone forth after another man’s wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
Job 31:10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
Job 31:11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man’s wife.
Job 31:12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whomsoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
Job 31:13 And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
Job 31:14 what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
Job 31:15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yea, we were formed in the same womb.
Job 31:16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
Job 31:17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
Job 31:18 (for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother’s womb.)
Job 31:19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
Job 31:20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
Job 31:21 if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
Job 31:22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
Job 31:23 For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I cannot bear up by reason of his burden.
Job 31:24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
Job 31:25 and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
Job 31:26 (do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]:)
Job 31:27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
Job 31:28 let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
Job 31:29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
Job 31:30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
Job 31:31 And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
Job 31:32 for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came:
Job 31:33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
Job 31:34 (for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
Job 31:35 (Oh that I had a hearer,) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
Job 31:36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
Job 31:37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
Job 31:38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
Job 31:39 and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [aught] from [him]:
Job 31:40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
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Continues: Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 6 so far )Fragments from the Book of Job #1: chapters 1-12
Fragments from the story of Job or Jobab (Job 42:17) and its numerous exegeses attempting to address the problem of evil. (Highlights ours, in purpose for the study on suffering and Gods hand in it. But please take your translation at hand and read the full chapters.)
Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton
Job Chapters 1-12
Job 1:1 There was a certain man in the land of Ausis, whose name [was] Job; and than man was true, blameless, righteous, [and] godly, abstaining from everything evil.
Job 1:2 And he had seven sons and three daughters.
Job 1:3 And his cattle consisted of seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses in the pastures, and a very great household, and he had a great husbandry on the earth; and that man was [most] noble of the [men] of the east.
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Job 1:6 And it came to pass on a day, that behold, the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil (the adversary) came with them.
Job 1:7 And the Lord said to the devil, Whence art thou come? And the devil answered the Lord, and said, I am come from compassing the earth, and walking up and down in the world.
Job 1:8 And the Lord said to him, Hast thou diligently considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a man blameless, true, godly, abstaining from everything evil?
Job 1:9 Then the devil answered, and said before the Lord, Does Job worship the Lord for nothing?
Job 1:10 Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his household, and all his possessions round about? and hast thou not blessed the works of his hands, and multiplied his cattle upon the land?
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand, and touch all that he has: verily he will bless thee to [thy] face.
Job 1:12 Then the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I give into thine hand all that he has, but touch not himself. So the devil went out from the presence of the Lord.
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Job 1:20 So Job arose, and rent his garments, and shaved the hair of his head, and fell on the earth, and worshipped,
Job 1:21 and said, I myself came forth naked from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away: as it seemed good to the Lord, so has it come to pass; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Job 1:22 In all these events that befell him Job sinned not at all before the Lord, and did not impute folly to God.
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Job 2:1 And it came to pass on a certain day, that the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came among them to stand before the Lord.
Job 2:2 And the Lord, said to the devil, Whence comest thou? Then the devil said before the Lord, I (the evil) am come from going through the world, and walking about the whole earth.
Job 2:3 And the Lord said to the devil, Hast thou then observed my servant Job, that there is none of [men] upon the earth like him, a harmless, true, blameless, godly man, abstaining from all evil? and he yet cleaves to innocence, whereas thou has told [me] to destroy his substance without cause?
Job 2:4 And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life.
Job 2:5 Nay, but put forth thine hand, and touch his bones and his flesh: verily he will bless thee to [thy] face.
Job 2:6 And the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I deliver him up to thee; only save his life.
Job 2:7 So the devil went out from the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from [his] feet to [his] head.
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Job 2:10 …Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things of the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned not at all with his lips before God.
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Job 3:1 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
Job 3:2 saying,
Job 3:3 Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!
Job 3:4 Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above, neither let light come upon it.
Job 3:5 But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;
Job 3:6 let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.
Job 3:7 But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.
Job 3:8 But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale.
Job 3:9 Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:
Job 3:10 because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.
Job 3:11 For why died I not in the belly? and [why] did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?
Job 3:12 and why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts?
Job 3:13 Now I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest,
Job 3:14 with kings [and] councillors of the earth, who gloried in [their] swords;
Job 3:15 or with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver:
Job 3:16 or [I should have been] as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother’s womb, or as infants who never saw light.
Job 3:17 There the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage; there the wearied in body rest.
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Job 3:23 Death [is] rest to [such] a man, for God has hedged him in.
Job 3:24 For my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror.
Job 3:25 For the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me.
Job 3:26 I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath came upon me.
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Job 4:5 Yet now [that] pain has come upon thee, and touched thee, thou art troubled.
Job 4:6 Is not thy fear [founded] in folly, thy hope also, and the mischief of thy way?
Job 4:7 Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
Job 4:8 Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
Job 4:9 They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.
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Job 4:13 But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,
Job 4:14 horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.
Job 4:15 And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
Job 4:16 I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
Job 4:17 What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?
Job 4:18 Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his angels.
Job 4:19 But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
Job 4:20 And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they cannot help themselves.
Job 4:21 For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
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Job 5:1 But call, if any one will hearken to thee, or if thou shalt see any of the holy angels.
Job 5:2 For wrath destroys the foolish one, and envy slays him that has gone astray.
Job 5:3 And I have seen foolish ones taking root: but suddenly their habitation was devoured.
Job 5:4 Let their children be far from safety, and let them be crushed at the doors of vile men, and let there be no deliverer.
Job 5:5 For what they have collected, the just shall eat; but they shall not be delivered out of calamities: let their strength be utterly exhausted.
Job 5:6 For labour cannot by any means come out of the earth, nor shall trouble spring out of the mountains:
Job 5:7 yet man is born to labour, and [even so] the vulture’s young seek the high places.
Job 5:8 Nevertheless I will beseech the Lord, and will call upon the Lord, the sovereign of all;
Job 5:9 who does great things and untraceable, glorious things also, and marvellous, of which there is no number:
Job 5:10 who gives rain upon the earth, sending water on the earth:
Job 5:11 who exalts the lowly, and raises up them that are lost:
Job 5:12 frustrating the counsels of the crafty, and their hands shall not perform the truth:
Job 5:13 who takes the wise in their wisdom, and subverts the counsel of the crafty
Job 5:14 In the day darkness shall come upon them, and let them grope in the noon-day even as in the night:
Job 5:15 and let them perish in war, and let the weak escape from the hand of the mighty.
Job 5:16 And let the weak have hope, but the mouth of the unjust be stopped.
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Job 5:17 But blessed [is] the man whom the Lord has reproved; and reject not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
Job 5:18 for he causes [a man] to be in pain, and restores [him] again: he smites, and his hands heal.
Job 5:19 Six time he shall deliver thee out of distresses: and in the seventh harm shall not touch thee.
Job 5:20 In famine he shall deliver thee from death: and in war he shall free thee from the power of the sword.
Job 5:21 He shall hide thee from the scourge of the tongue: and thou shalt not be afraid of coming evils.
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Job 6:1 But Job answered and said,
Job 6:2 Oh that one would indeed weigh the wrath that is upon me, and take up my griefs in a balance together!
Job 6:3 And verily they would be heavier than the sand by the seashore: but, as it seems, my words are vain.
Job 6:4 For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose violence drinks up my blood: whenever I am going to speak, they pierce me.
Job 6:5 What then? will the wild ass bray for nothing, if he is not seeking food? or again, will the ox low at the manger, when he has a fodder?
Job 6:6 Shall bread be eaten without salt? or again, is there taste in empty words?
Job 6:7 For my wrath cannot cease; for I perceive my food as the smell of a lion [to be] loathsome.
Job 6:8 For oh that he would grant [my desire], and my petition might come, and the Lord would grant my hope!
Job 6:9 Let the Lord begin and wound me, but let him not utterly destroy me.
Job 6:10 Let the grave be my city, upon the walls of which I have leaped: I will not shrink from it; for I have not denied the holy words of my God.
Job 6:11 For what is my strength, that I continue? what is my time, that my soul endures?
Job 6:12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
Job 6:13 Or have I not trusted in him? but help is [far] from me.
Job 6:14 Mercy has rejected me; and the visitation of the Lord has disregarded me.
Job 6:15 My nearest relations have not regarded me; they have passed me by like a failing brook, or like a wave.
Job 6:16 They who used to reverence me, now have come against me like snow or congealed ice.
Job 6:17 When it has melted at the approach of heat, it is not known what it was.
Job 6:18 Thus I also have been deserted of all; and I am ruined, and become an outcast.
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Job 7:1 Is not the life of man upon earth a state of trial? and his existence as that of a hireling by the day?
Job 7:2 Or as a servant that fears his master, and one who has grasped a shadow? or as a hireling waiting for his pay?
Job 7:3 So have I also endured months of vanity, and nights of pain have been appointed me.
Job 7:4 Whenever I lie down, I say, When [will it be] day? and whenever I rise up, again [I say] when [will it be] evening? and I am full of pains from evening to morning.
Job 7:5 And my body is covered with loathsome worms; and I waste away, scraping off clods of dust from my eruption.
Job 7:6 And my life is lighter than a word, and has perished in vain hope.
Job 7:7 Remember then that my life is breath, and mine eye shalt not yet again see good.
Job 7:8 The eye of him that sees me shall not see me [again]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am no more.
Job 7:9 [I am] as a cloud that is cleared away from the sky: for if a man go down to the grave, he shall not come up again:
Job 7:10 and he shall surely not return to his own house, neither shall his place know him any more.
Job 7:11 Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul.
Job 7:12 Am I a sea, or a serpent, that thou hast set a watch over me?
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Job 7:16 For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life [is] vain.
Job 7:17 For what is man, that thou hast magnified him? or that thou givest heed to him?
Job 7:18 Wilt thou visit him till the morning, and judge him till [the time of] rest?
Job 7:19 How long dost thou not let me alone, nor let me go, until I shall swallow down my spittle?
Job 7:20 If I have sinned, what shall I be able to do, O thou that understandest the mind of men? why hast thou made me as thine accuser, and [why] am I a burden to thee?
Job 7:21 Why hast thou not forgotten my iniquity, and purged my sin? but now I shall depart to the earth; and in the morning I am no more.
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Job 8:3 Will the Lord be unjust when he judges; or will he that has made all things pervert justice?
Job 8:4 If thy sons have sinned before him, he has cast them away because of their transgression.
Job 8:5 But be thou early in prayer to the Lord Almighty.
Job 8:6 If thou art pure and true, he will hearken to thy supplication, and will restore to thee the habitation of righteousness.
Job 8:7 Though then thy beginning should be small, yet thy end should be unspeakably great.
Job 8:8 For ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of [our] fathers:
Job 8:9 (for we are of yesterday, and know nothing; for our life upon the earth is a shadow:)
Job 8:10 shall not these teach thee, and report [to thee], and bring out words from [their] heart?
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Job 8:18 If [God] should destroy [him], his place shall deny him. Hast thou not seen such things,
Job 8:19 that such is the overthrow of the ungodly? and out of the earth another shall grow.
Job 8:20 For the Lord will by no means reject the harmless man; but he will not receive any gift of the ungodly.
Job 8:21 But he will fill with laughter the mouth of the sincere, and their lips with thanksgiving.
Job 8:22 But their adversaries shall clothe themselves with shame; and the habitation of the ungodly shall perish.
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Job 9:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 9:2 I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?
Job 9:3 For if he would enter into judgment with him, [God] would not hearken to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand.
Job 9:4 For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?
Job 9:5 Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.
Job 9:6 Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.
Job 9:7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.
Job 9:8 Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.
Job 9:9 Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.
Job 9:10 Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.
Job 9:11 If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].
Job 9:12 If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What hast thou done?
Job 9:13 For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.
Job 9:14 Oh then that he would hearken to me, or judge my cause.
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Job 9:19 For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment?
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Job 9:22 Wherefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.
Job 9:23 For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.
Job 9:24 For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous [man]: he covers the faces of the judges [of the earth]: but if it be not he, who is it?
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Job 9:33 Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.
Job 9:34 Let him remove [his] rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Job 9:35 so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].
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Job 10:3 Is it good before thee if I be unrighteous? for thou hast disowned the work of thy hands, and attended to the counsel of the ungodly.
Job 10:4 Or dost thou see as a mortal sees? or wilt thou look as a man sees?
Job 10:5 Or is thy life human, or thy years [the years] of a man,
Job 10:6 that thou hast enquired into mine iniquity, and searched out my sins?
Job 10:7 For thou knowest that I have not committed iniquity: but who is he that can deliver out of thy hands?
Job 10:8 Thy hands have formed me and made me; afterwards thou didst change [thy mind], and smite me.
Job 10:9 Remember that thou hast made me [as] clay, and thou dost turn me again to earth.
Job 10:10 Hast thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?
Job 10:11 And thou didst clothe me with skin and flesh, and frame me with bones and sinews.
Job 10:12 And thou didst bestow upon me life and mercy, and thy oversight has preserved my spirit.
Job 10:13 Having these things in thyself, I know that thou canst do all things; for nothing is impossible with thee.
Job 10:14 And if I should sin, thou watchest me; and thou hast not cleared me from iniquity.
Job 10:15 Or if I should be ungodly, woe is me: and if I should be righteous, I cannot lift myself up, for I am full of dishonour.
Job 10:16 For I am hunted like a lion for slaughter; for again thou hast changed and art terribly destroying me;
Job 10:17 renewing against me my torture: and thou hast dealt with me in great anger, and thou hast brought trials upon me.
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Job 10:20 Is not the time of my life short? suffer me to rest a little,
Job 10:21 before I go whence I shall not return, to a land of darkness and gloominess;
Job 10:22 to a land of perpetual darkness, where there is no light, neither [can any one] see the life of mortals.
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Job 11:5 But oh that the Lord would speak to thee, and open his lips to thee!
Job 11:6 Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.
Job 11:7 Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?
Job 11:8 Heaven [is] high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know?
Job 11:9 Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.
Job 11:10 And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?
Job 11:11 For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook [it].
Job 11:12 But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman [is] like an ass in the desert.
Job 11:13 For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up [thine] hands towards him;
Job 11:14 if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put if far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.
Job 11:15 For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.
Job 11:16 And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.
Job 11:17 And thy prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee [as] from the noonday.
Job 11:18 And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.
Job 11:19 For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.
Job 11:20 But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.
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Job 12:9 Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
Job 12:10 Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
Job 12:11 For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
Job 12:12 In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
Job 12:13 With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
Job 12:14 If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
Job 12:15 If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
Job 12:16 With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
Job 12:17 He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
Job 12:18 He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
Job 12:19 He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
Job 12:20 He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
Job 12:21 He pours dishonour upon princes, and heals the lowly.
Job 12:22 Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
Job 12:23 Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
Job 12:24 Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
Job 12:25 Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
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Continues: Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 6 so far )Profitable disasters
We cannot ignore what happens today and have to be conscious of what happened yesterday.
We cannot remain isolated and detached from the world. Though, some people try to hide behind their cell phone or computer or television screen indulging in imaginative pictures. Today we have a lot of extraction and ways to exercise our imagination.
Knowledge is situated, being in part a product of the activity, context, and culture in which it is developed and used, and that is often forgotten by people.
We have to face the dualism of society and nature. We cannot ignore the central themes and perspectives that have to do with fabricated uncertainty within our civilization: risk, danger, side-effects, insurability, individualization and globalization.
Today it looks like that everything that matters can be bought and sold. Lots of people do not find it harmful that commitments can be broken because they are no longer to their advantage. The media push everybody to earn as much as possible but also to spend their money just as if it is nothing. On Sundays you can find families to whom shopping has become salvation. At work you can find colleagues to whom advertising slogans have become their litany. You can wonder when our worth is measured by how much we earn and spend if then the market is not destroying the very virtues on which in the long run it depends. The people with money who are literally invested in preventing change may have the majority of power, but they are still a minority of the actual populace. Some of them are also infected with the contemporary decease of greed. The source of greed and very fabric of their society makes it that our society gets being eaten away by crime, immorality, violence and corruption in every sphere of life.
Every disaster is taken by somebody else to make profit out of it.
The earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan’s north-eastern coast on March 11 of 2011 shattered infrastructure, caused power outages and forced temporary factory shutdowns — meaning shipments of key parts to different countries stopped. Japan being a key supplier of components and equipment used in the assembly of cars, laptops, iPods, refrigerators and flat-screen televisions saw its position weakened and taken over by other countries from the East. Others came to help but found that aid has often come with a price of its own for the developing nations. What we always can see and what we as church also felt when we tried to get our relief supplies to the needy that the aid did not always reach the right persons and often does not actually go to the poorest who would need it the most. Aid amounts are dwarfed by rich country protectionism that denies market access for poor country products while rich nations use aid as a lever to open poor country markets to their products. We cannot give donor tax refunds because we are not sending our materials to the recognized aid funds or to the countries of which Belgium have an agreement with. Large projects or massive grand strategies often fail to help the vulnerable; money can often be embezzled away.
Several groups misuse the situation of others to enrich themselves. They find opportunities to sell products as consumer goods but also weapons. The attitude to the others brings in corruption. At first it starts whit no bad feeling to those living far away but soon it concerns also an attitude of neglect for those close by. Neglect and misuse of his own life has corrupted the stream of human life itself, and left evils which fall on succeeding generations.
The apostle Paul and the people of his time knew it already that all the creatures groan together and travail in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22) Being conscious that all living things are weeping and sorrowing in pain together we have a responsibility in our community. As Jeremiah you can question how long the land shall mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? Lots of lands have grief today, and many plants and animals have already become distinct. Destruction has overtaken the beasts and the birds. Humankind made waste of its environment.
We only can agree with the old writer that it is because a lot of people do not know or do not want to know the Creator of all things. Most of the people say: “God does not see our ways.” Because they don’t want to believe in Him. (Jeremiah 12:4) When He looks down to earth He shall be able to say that men are weeping to Him, being wasted; all the land is made waste, because no man takes it to heart. (Jeremiah 12:11)
Also for themselves humans are not so kind either when we look at the ciphers of the Great War and the Second World War. The time before and after that, measurements were taken and each continent experienced social tensions as a consequence of its choice.
The intellectual history of the last three centuries is full of mostly unfulfilled prophesies of doom. Men has looked for all sorts of answers to come to a solution and tried to find the best help in technology.
Technology can help to solve the problem of food shortages by increasing the rate of production of food. It increases the rate by manufacturing machines to aid the farmers in their daily farming processes (e.g. a tractor for harvesting crops) or by inventing a new farming technology to revolutionize the traditional farming methods.
Technology can help to solve the problem of floods by having the possibility to build mega structures to keep the water out. (E.g. building that magnificent wall in front of Louisiana).
For health scientists are inventing a new farming technology to revolutionize the traditional farming methods and are looking into matters of getting away with diseases. Often people do not notice that they have become too dependent on technology and as a result have become isolated rather than more sociable; an example would be our newest generation of children that spend countless hours playing by themselves video games, computer games or sitting in front of a TV for hours. These children rarely interact with others, except through technology.
Science and technology has helped man created a higher standard of living and jobs among its other benefits and it can contribute to get a better world for everybody.
When earthquakes, tempests, famines and floods are called ‘acts of God‘ because usually there is no other explanation for their occurrence people should go and look into their own hearts. Though we are aware that not all the people involved are guilty to what had caused the problems, but we find that it falls upon all, innocent and guilty alike.
As soon as we begin to question the suffering of innocent victims of these disasters another dilemma is raised. Are we saying that the calamities should be selective in their working, searching out only those who deserve to suffer’?
An Evil or a Symptom?
Please do find out how disobedience of men brought dislocation in the relationship between the Creator and the created.
Men live in a universe in which the consequences of what they do are inescapable, and therefore their responsibility for what they do is equally inescapable. Without this burden of ‘natural law’ man could do as he liked with impunity, and there would be no responsibility.
Such is the extent of world problems today that every individual is in some way affected – in his work, his home and family, and in what he regards a “essential services.” Peace of mind escapes him as the media bombard him with news of the latest world “situation.”
Those who solve more of a given type of problem tend to get better at it—which suggests that problems of any given type should be brought to specialists for a solution. For students of the Bible there is a guide to their daily life. The Word of God gives so many solutions that they can dig in a treasure house full of answers. Those studying the word can develop informed, balanced views.
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An article exploring who has benefited most from aid, the recipients or the donors can be read to learn more: “Foreign Aid for Development Assistance”.
For those who seek to serve God, suffering takes on new meaning; they are in a new relationship to the Creator, and will learn to see tragedy in a new light. What is it?
Read more in: Should People be Saved from Themselves?
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Related please do read:
- About suffering
- Disappointed with God
- Gods design in the creation of the world
- Gods instruction about joy and suffering
- Gods promises
- Gods measure not our measure
- Gods non answer
- Gods promises to us in our suffering
- Gods hope and our hope
- Gods salvation
- Hope for the future
- Importuning for suffering hearts
- Looking for blessed hope
- Miracles in our time of suffering
- Our relationship with God, Jesus and each other
- Promise of comforter
- Seems no future in suffering
- Suffering
- Suffering – through the apparent silence of God
- Suffering continues
- Suffering leading to joy
- Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
- Words from God about suffering
- Working of the hope































