Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification

Posted on September 25, 2012. Filed under: Being Christian, following Jesus Christ, Bible Study and Bible Reading, Jesus Christ Jeshua the Messiah Jahushua, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

English: Reading of the Torah, Aish Synagogue,...

English: Reading of the Torah, Aish Synagogue, Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.
    +
    Circumcision was a nation recognition that the house of Israel belongs to G-d to walk in holiness and purity.
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Listening and Praying to the Father

Posted on August 13, 2012. Filed under: Being Christian, following Jesus Christ, Faith, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Naam van God | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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)

The Temptation of Christ, 1854

The Temptation of Christ, 1854 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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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Fear and protection

Posted on August 5, 2012. Filed under: Being Christian, following Jesus Christ, Endtimes, Life and Death, Religion, Satan and Evil, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Massacres allowed to happen

The Aurora, Colorado massacre, brought many debates about believes and about carrying weapons. It is unbelievable that many people do really want to believe it would not be so bad in case more people would have weapons on them. Often with such massacres, we mostly can find in the United States of America, and when they occasional happen in other countries, the shooters found their example in the American shooting. In many other countries such atrocious things can not happen because ordinary people are not able to get arms so easy.

But at such occasions also many people wonder how a God can allow such things to happen. They often are not accustomed to know the history of mankind from the early beginnings in the Garden of Eden, where the first man and woman doubted the right of the position their Creator took. It is because they could not agree with His right to decide what would be best or how people had to handle, though God had given a lot which they could decide themselves. They were already allowed to name things and to take care of everything on earth. But they wanted more. For that reason God gave them more. He allowed them to take care of much more. So from the time Adam and Eve committed their first sin, they had to find out everything for themselves. All their children and their children their children had to find their own way to live. They all had received form God to make their own choices.

Masaccio, Brancacci Chapel, Adam and Eve, detail.

Masaccio, Brancacci Chapel, Adam and Eve, detail. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So still today, we all do have the opportunity to make our own choices. But we should be aware we can not blame God for the choices we made ourselves.

Choice to listen

Though, those who are wiling to listen to God, He surely shall want to help them and be with them. God protects his children from harm sometimes, but not at other times.  God uses circumstances to refine the characters of his children. In case God would go into all the questions of His followers that would be not always righteous to the others, and at such time other people could say they are only following God because than they get what they want.

People should also understand that not everything is done at once. But when they do love God He shall be willing to set his love also upon them, therefore He the Most High shall be offering refuge and be as a fortress for those who trust Him. Whatever may happen to us in the world, Jehovah Yahuwah God will deliver those who are for God and honour Him. They may trust that there shall come a moment that they shall be taken away, saved from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover them with his pinions, and under his wings shall they be able to take refuge. His truth is a shield and a buckler, and they will feel it.  For that reason we do not have to be afraid for the terror by night or day, nor for the bullets that flies by day or night. Even for the diseases, for the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

The Words of God may be tried and mocked at, but they shall keep stand. God shall proof to the others that He is a bucler, who has been for ever and shall stay for ever. God can not be killed, but had to face that His son was killed and so many of his followers. He shall take into account why those followers had to die.

Trusting God

Humankind has been warned that it can be that a thousand shall fall at the side of many others, but when it happens near to us we should trust God. We better have the fear of God instead of the fear of humans, who only can bring us, in the worst instance, to a physical death. But they too shall have to die at one moment. No matter what happens everybody dies one day, and then their live shall be finished. For those living in the Lord, their shall be hope for the time when the promised Messiah shall return to the earth, to judge the living and the dead.  That day shall be an important day. After we die it will be to late to prepare for it, or to change anything to become accepted. Now, when we are living beings on this planet, we have to prepare ourselves and to make sure we shall be ready and acceptable to come clean for the eyes of the judge Jesus.

We do not have to be afraid anybody would be able to escape the punishment he or she deserves. Everybody shall get their share one moment in time. Not perhaps the moment we would love to see it happen, but somewhere in future they shall get their share as well. At the mean time we shall have to be content, with the blessings we already can have today. We better count those blessings, instead of looking to those of others.

No matter what happens, at a certain time we shall behold with our eyes, and see the reward of the wicked.  There shall no evil befall Gods people, nor shall any plague come near them or God shall take notice of it and He will give his [heavenly] agents charge over those who keep His ways.

“Because he cleaves to Me in love, Therefore I deliver him; I set him on high, Because he has known My Name. “When he calls on Me, I answer him; I am with him in distress; I deliver him and esteem him. “With long life I satisfy him, And show him My deliverance.”
(Psalms 91:14-16 The Scriptures 1998+)

Following

In our live we should consider the difficulties Jesus, the most beloved son of God, had to encounter; and the problems this son of men his followers had by willing to follow  the Nazarene and by preaching like he had told them to do.

Jesus knew exactly his position on earth and knew who he had to follow and obey. But even when he or others knew the commandments, this would not make them good or certainly not better than somebody else. Though many Americans do want to believe the so called Christians that they are the most particular smartest group of people because they follow Christ. Instead of recognising that also other people, who do not believe or even did not hear about God or about Jesus Christ, could do good things. But doing good things does not make you a good person. The son of God never thought of himself to being a  good one because for him it was clear that none is good except One, God.

Instinct

File:Murder Rio.JPG

Murder in Rio

Jesus also told the people that it could be that they knew the commandments, like “You shall not commit adultery. You shall not murder. You shall not steal. You shall not testify falsely. You shall not defraud. You shall honour y our father and mother.” but that does not mean yet they would go and keep to them better than others who did not hear those commandments as being the Law of God. All people are namely created in the image of God, and therefore do have certain elements of God in them. All have, like animals, an instinct, by which they are able to know what can be good or bad for them.

The big problem with this current world is that many people do not listen to their inner voice. Lots of people do perhaps know what is best for them, but prefer to go other ways and want to take short-cuts. Often they are not so interested in the things or people around them, and want to gain as much as possible for themselves. This has become the main problem of this world, and not so much that the world is going away from Judeo-Christian Values. The Jew and Christians received the same values and Laws like everybody else in the world.

God loved so much His Creation He wanted the best for it, but it were and are still the stubborn human being who often think they can do better without Him. No matter how many think they can clear it without their Creator, God, in His love for humankind, gave His most beloved only begotten son, so that those who accept his position could have more chances to go through the small gate, to enter the Kingdom of God. But they also should know that it shall not be because they are baptised that they shall be saved for ever and be going to heaven or wherever they want to go to.

Jesus, God’s son, loved the whole world and was willing to die for all, but he was also aware that his death would not bring everybody into the Kingdom of his Father. Many would lack the requirements. He also warned the people that it is not because they would accept to follow him (Jeshua/Jesus) that everything would go smooth. No everybody had to face their problems and was still going to encounter difficulties and therefore had to take up their cross.

We may never forget that our baptism or our becoming Christian is not the freeway to be able to do whatever we want or to be higher placed than other people in this world.

We should consider in what we want to place our trust and what we do want to love from this world. We should be conscious how difficult it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the hole of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. But today many have gone for the richness of the world, and even think, it is only possible to come to a successful world, when Judeo-Christian values are taken care off, and when people are provided with arms so that they can defend themselves.

Arming and being safe

Jesus was against arms, so that is certainly already something against the teachings of Christ, who preached love and peace, while arms shall cause more division and pain.

Instead of accepting that we can not be saved by weapons, nor by people, the majority of the humans think the solution is in their hands and their political system. Though also Jesus knew we can not be without the political system as long as the Kingdom of God is not yet fully established, but in the mean time we should listen to those who are in power. As long as they do not bring  laws against the Law of God, everybody should follow those laws, and give the caesar, governor, president or king that what belongs to that ruler.

Jesus said that with men it shall be impossible to be safe, but not with God. For with God all things are possible. But as long as we are in this worldly system even the saviour Jesus could not escape from agony. Also the son of man was delivered to the chief priests and the scholars. And they condemned him to death, and delivered him to the Gentiles. And they mocked him, and scourged, and spit upon him, and killed him.

“And יהושע  {Jeshua} said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One – Elohim. “You know the commands, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not rob,’ ‘Respect your father and your mother.’ ” And he answering, said to Him, “Teacher, all these I have watched over from my youth.” And יהושע  {Jeshua}, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One matter you lack: Go, sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me, taking up the stake.” But he, being sad at this word, went away grieved, for he had many possessions. And יהושע  {Jeshua}, looking around, said to His taught ones, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the reign of Elohim!” And the taught ones were astonished at His words. And יהושע  {Jeshua} responding, said to them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the reign of Elohim! “It is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the reign of Elohim.” And they were immeasurably astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then is able to be saved?” And looking at them, יהושע  {Jeshua} said, “With men it is impossible, but not with Elohim, for with Elohim all is possible.” And Kbegan to say to Him, “See, we have left all and we have followed You.” יהושע  {Jeshua} said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for the sake of Me and the Good News, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come, everlasting life. “But many who are first shall be last, and the last first.” And they were on the way, going up to Yerushalayim, and יהושע  {Jeshua} was going before them. And they were astonished, and those who followed were afraid. And again He took the twelve aside and began to say to them what was about to befall Him: “See, we are going up to Yerushalayim, and the Son of Adshall be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death and shall deliver Him to the gentiles, and they shall mock Him, and flog Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He shall rise again.”
(Mark 10:18-34 The Scriptures 1998+)

End according to works

File:Purgatory Plan.png

Plan of Mount Purgatory as described by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy

Jesus who was Wounded for our transgressions and died for all sinners was directed by humans to go into hell. The day Jesus died his soul was delivered in the hands of God, though an innocent man, who did not do any sin, he was placed in hell. What did the Holy man do when he was considered by many the Messiah Jesus three days in hell? Did he not succeed to save the people who were supposed to be there to be tortured for their sins? Was his dying on the stake to pay for all sins of humankind a measure for nothing? Because when Jesus as the Lamb of God sprinkled his blood on this world for forgiveness of all sins, it looks like God not accepting this offer when He ask the sinners first to go to purgatory or to send them to hell even before Jesus can judge them at the end times, when the Messiah would return to judge the living and the death. But when hell is the place of eternal damnation, why was Jesus placed in it and how did he escape from it?

“It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness,{1} whose end shall be according to their works!{2} {Footnotes: 1Mt. 7:15-23, 2 Peter 2:1-22. 2Mt. 13:41-42}. Again I say, let no one think me to be a fool. And if otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, for me to also boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Master, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too shall boast. For you, being wise, put up with fools gladly! For you put up with it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes from you, if anyone exalts himself, if one hits you in the face. To my shame, I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold – I say it in foolishness – I am bold also. Are they HebSo am I. Are they Yisra’So am I. Are they the seed of AbSo am I. Are they servants of Messiah? – I speak as beside myself – I am more, in labours much more, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths many times. Five times I received from the Yehudforty stripes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep, in many travels, in dangers of waters, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my own race, in dangers from the gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the matters from outside, what comes upon me daily: the anxiety for all the assemblies. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn inwardly? If I have to boast, I shall boast of matters that show up my weakness. The Elohim and Father of our Master יהושע {Jeshua}  Messiah, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ” (2 Corinthians 11:15-31 The Scriptures 1998+)

The apostle Paul was not the only who had to suffer, though he followed Christ and lived according to the Law of God. But he was not afraid for those humans who mad his life less easy and less pleasant. He at that time knew why he was being troubled. But he knew also the country had to encounter many problems, not because they got lesser Christian beliefs followed. He also knew that it was not because they ordered God out of their schools, because in many regions school and religion were separated. Theological teachings were considered a matter of the religious teachers like the rabbi. They had to take care of the right teaching for their community in the temples.  The religions had their own temples were worship was done and were people learned more about that religion.  Though there were many gods praised and many more temples we do have today in the communities, there were also the military and public conversations at many places, the hell did not break loose.

Reaping

In a column in One News Now, the conservative evangelical spokesperson Jerry Newcombe wrote that the shooting in Aurora was evidence that “we’re reaping what we’ve been sowing as a society,” explaining, “Lawsuit after lawsuit, often by misguided ‘civil libertarians,’ have chased away any fear of God in the land.”

Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) attributed the shooting to atheism and attacks on Christians. But today we are not more attacked than in previous centuries. And for sure the psychological ill person did not attack Christianity. It is wrong to always say everything is the fault because Christianity is under attack and it is not willing to defend itself.

Going through or in Hell

It is also strange that those American evangelicals often would not find it bad that people who did something against them would go to a place of torture. You can find a lot who love that idea of hell and even say that it is because so many do not believe in heel that we do have so many problems. For them it is not so bad that a Christian dies early, if a Christian dies young, it seems tragic they agree, but really it is not tragic because they are going to a wonderful place they say. But they also say that, on the other hand, if a person doesn’t know Jesus Christ… “if they knowingly rejected Jesus Christ, then, basically, they are going to a terrible place.” They would like to have everybody getting the fear for that place, so that the world can be saved.

File:Botticelli ChartOfDantesHell.jpg

Chart of Hell ca. 1480–1495, pen and ink on parchment, after Dante’s Divine Comedy. – Sandro Botticelli (1445-1515)

First of all, the word used for that place of which they are so afraid, is “sheol” or “hades” which means the  “grave“, the place were everybody gets into when he dies. By certain people the dead are burned, by others they are cremated, in other cultures they are put in holes or in caves or mausoleums. Being put in the grave, is only been done when a person did pass away.  After Jesus died, he also was put in the grave and was for three days in sheol or the hell, the place of which he warned to be aware of because  there the fire would not be quenched. That fire which could be considered to be a literal fire, because at that time the people who died were brought out of the town to be burned on that hill ‘sheol’. But in Mark 9:48 the same verse says it is “where their worm does not die”. It is most unlikely that this means everlasting fires and immortal worms, and much more likely that it is a figurative expression describing the destruction that occurs in a rubbish tip.

In the Holy Scriptures is clearly written that Death is the penalty for our sins, we when we die we have paid for our sins, and God is not giving us an extra charge, having us place in a purgatory or in a hell for eternal torture. Having a feeling after death would also be against other writings in the Old Testament were is clearly indicated that the living can feel certain things but that those who died can not take anything with them or can not feel anything.

“For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know naught, nor do they have any more reward, for their remembrance is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy have now perished; and they no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun. ” (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Do not put your trust in princes, In a son of man, in whom is no deliverance. His spirit goes out, he returns to his earth; In that day his plans perish. Blessed is he who has the of Yafor his help, Whose expectancy is in יהוה  {Jehovah} his Elohim, Maker of the heavens and earth, The sea and all that is in them, Who is guarding truth forever, ” (Psalms 146:3-6 The Scriptures 1998+)

““See, all beings are Mine, the being of the father as well as the being of the son is Mine. The being that is sinning shall die. “But if a man is righteous and shall do right-ruling and righteousness, if he has not eaten on the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Yisra’nor defiled his neighbour’s wife, nor comes near a woman during her uncleanness, if he does not oppress anyone, does return to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, does give his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, if he does not lend on interest or take increase, turns back his hand from unrighteousness, executes right-ruling in truth between man and man, if he walks in My laws, and he has guarded My right-rulings in truth – he is righteous, he shall certainly live!” declares the Master יהוה {Jehovah}. ” (Ezekiel 18:4-9 The Scriptures 1998+)

Which commandments following or ending up in hell

In the modern world it is already for ages that people, like the Americans lend money and ask or pay interest, often oppress others, come close and go in bed with women in their period. Are all those, because they do not follow those saying of God, are going to end up in hell and being tortured for ever?

For sure they all will die, like we shall die and be cremated or put in a grave to be in sheol, which is translated by many Bible-versions as ‘hell’, but is the same place where Abraham, Jacob and other holy many were placed.

“And Yatore his garments, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “Now let me go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” So his father wept for him. ” (Genesis 37:34-35 The Scriptures 1998+)
““And it came to be that the beggar died, and was carried by the messengers to the bosom of AbAnd the rich man also died and was buried. “And while suffering tortures in the grave, having lifted up his eyes, he saw Abfar away, and Elin his bosom. “And crying out he said, ‘Father Abhave compassion on me, and send Elto dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering in this flame.’ ” (Luke 16:22-24 The Scriptures 1998+) (Please do compare this translation with your version. In many versions sheol and hades are translated as hell, as the word for the ‘underwold’ “Tartarus”. Often, not to clash with certain teachings, different words are used, or they place the original Hebrew and Greek words untranslated to give the impression it is a proper name of a place and not a substantive.)

We can find the word γεννα (gehenna) 11 times in the Gospels, and the word αδης (hades)  10 times. By comparison, the word ουρανος (heaven) appears 141 times in the Gospels as “heaven” (the word actually shows up 153 times; 7 times translated “air,” 3 times translated “sky,” 1 time “side,” and 1 time “other”, NRSV).  We should be aware that in the days of Jesus they did have an other concept of the ‘burning place’ then the Christian world has taken over form the Dante understandings of the concept of “hell.”

In case there could be a real fire also this could be the fire bringing “the second death”, spoken of in the Bible, where the wicked will be destroyed after facing judgement. That is then  consistent teaching of scripture.

Sinners or opponents, fire and the lake

File:PSM V77 D615 Lake of fire of kilauea at night.png

Lake of fire of Kilauea at night (1910) – Popular Science Monthly Volume 77

Sinners are opponents of God. They shall receive their punishment. The lake of fire, spoken of in Revelation 20:10 could be a real fire, but we notice that in verse 14 of the same chapter Death and Hades are also to be thrown into that lake of fire. It is clear in this case that the fire symbolizes destruction.

“And they came up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the set-apart ones and the beloved city. And fire came down from Elohim out of the heaven and consumed them. And the devil, who led them astray, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet are. And they shall be tortured day and night forever and ever. ” (Revelation 20:9-10 The Scriptures 1998+)
“And I saw a great white throne and Him who was sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged from what was written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. And the death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death.{1} {Footnote: 1See 2:11, 20:6, 21:8}. And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. ” (Revelation 20:11-15 The Scriptures 1998+)

Although fire is often used symbolically in this way, it is possible that God will literally use fire to destroy the wicked. For example, 2 Peter 3 contrasts destruction by water in the Flood with destruction by fire when Jesus returns:

“For they choose to have this hidden from them: that the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by the Word of Elohim,{1}{Footnote: 1Heb. 11:3}. through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. And the present heavens and the earth are treasured up by the same Word, being kept for fire, to a day of judgment and destruction of wicked men. ” (2 Peter 3:5-7 The Scriptures 1998+)

God’s judgement will be executed on those who rebel against him. It is not “souls” that are described as being tortured, but “dead bodies” as being burnt. In Old Testament times worshippers of foreign gods such as Baal and Moloch sacrificed their children in the Valley Of Hinnom just outside Jerusalem. The “hell” in Mar 9:47 is translated from the Greek word for the Valley of Hinnom. This refers to the fire which was continuously burning there in the first century, and was used to destroy rubbish and the bodies of executed criminals. The name of the Valley of Hinnom came to be despised.

This fire is not literal. Nor are the worms literal; even those people who believe in the doctrine of the immortal soul do not believe in the doctrine of the immortal worm.

Loving and fearing

We should not have hell being a reason to fear God nor to keep His commandments. We should be loving all the people around us, believers and non believers, and wishing the best for them all. Because we know that God is the best teacher and Guide to give us all the tools to make the best of our lives,  we should recognise His Gracious Love and for to this end we should labour and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.

Lets us remind Samuel, fearing God, not fearing human people:

““יהוה  {Jehovah} rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He repaid me. “For I have guarded the ways of יהוה , And have not acted wrongly against my Elohim. “For all His right-rulings are before me; As for His laws, I do not turn from them. “And I am perfect before Him, And I guard myself from my crookedness. “And יהוה  repays me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes. “With the kind You show Yourself kind, With the perfect one You show Yourself perfect, “With the clean You show Yourself clean, And with the crooked You show Yourself twisted. “For You save the humble people, But Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. “For You are my lamp, O יהוה , And יהוה  makes my darkness light. “For with You I run against a band, With my Elohim I leap over a wall. “The – His way is perfect; The Word of יהוה  is proven; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. “For who is besides יהוה ? And who is a rock, besides our Elohim? “is my mighty stronghold, And He makes my way perfect, “Making my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places, “Teaching my hands for battle, So that my arms bend a bow of bronze. “And You give me the shield of Your deliverance, And Your lowliness makes me great. “You enlarge my step under me, So that my feet shall not slip. “I pursue my enemies and destroy them, And I do not turn back till they are destroyed. “And I destroy them and crush them, So that they do not rise, And fall under my feet. “And You gird me with strength for battle, You cause my adversaries to bow under me. “And You make my enemies turn their backs, Those hating me, and I cut them off. “They look but there is no saviour, Unto יהוה , but He shall not answer them. “And I beat them as dust of the earth, I beat them small as dirt in the streets – I spread them out. “And You deliver me from the strivings of my people, You safeguard me as the head of the nations; A people I have not known serve me. ” (2 Samuel 22:21-44 The Scriptures 1998+)
“For You are not an taking delight in wrong, Nor does evil dwell with You. The boasters do not stand before Your eyes; You hate all workers of wickedness. You destroy those speaking falsehood; יהוה  {Jehovah} loathes a man of blood and deceit. But I, I enter Your house In the greatness of Your kindness; I bow myself toward Your set-apart Hin Your fear. O יהוה  {Jehovah}, lead me in Your righteousness because of those watching me; Make Your way straight before my face. For there is no stability in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue. Declare them guilty, O Elohim! Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them away for their many transgressions, Because they have rebelled against You. But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; Let them ever shout for joy, because You shelter them; And let those who love Your Name exult in You. For You bless the righteous, O יהוה  {Jehovah}; You surround him with favour as with a shield. ” (Psalms 5:4-12 The Scriptures 1998+)

Loosing

File:Ahmici massacre.jpg

UN Peace keepers collecting bodies from Ahmići, Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 1993 – ICTY April 1993

The American Family Association’s Fred Jackson said concerning the Aurora shooting: “Whether it’s the Hollywood movies, whether it’s what we see on the Internet, whether it’s liberal bias in the media, whether it’s our politicians changing public policy, I think all of those somehow have fit together—and I have to say also churches who are leaving the authority of Scripture and losing their fear of God” are what “give us these kinds of incidents.” How does it come that in countries who are less evangelical or less Christian as their country there does not come up one incident were people do have to question the values of their population?

Fear and the matter of protection has been in every community. In the U.S.A. some choose to debate about gun control or the state of healthcare for the mentally ill, other stalwart truthseekers have made it their mission to get to the bottom of James Holmes’ massacre at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises, willing to come to the core of the wrong goings in their living community. Conspiracy theories are made up for the cause to get their priorities. “Inconsistencies” easily attributed to psychosis or misreported facts, several authors find it a more reasonable explanation that this was all government coercion.

People should question in which way a person can be brainwashed or can made to act in a certain way. They should know that you have the parents, the teachers, the religious teachers or atheist teachers, the playground caretakers, sports educators, and all the friends and acquaintances a person has contact with which shall form him or her. The background a person gets shall be part of his formation.

Many times in history there have been people who wanted to take the law in their own hands. Several times in history we saw individuals or groups taking justice into their own hands.

There have been sound and well balanced people but also not level-headed persons or lunatics who either wanted to change the world, who more often wanted to make their point clear to the community.

Protecting the community

The community shall only be able to protect itself, when it has a proper eye on what is happening in her community and sees how everything is evolving. They also should know that examples in a community and social pressure are important matters which can influence a lot of persons and have their repercussions on the whole group.

We shall not deny that when more people would live according to the Law of God we shall have lesser problems. But we always shall have to be realistic, knowing that not all people shall think the same way or believe in the same things.

In the fear of God we can and should try to get others believe in the Natural Laws and natural ethics and show them or prove to them that following the Law of God can give better results in live for all. To get credibility by others, we in the first place have to show that we are trustworthy. Acting from religious conviction has to proof that the right values are chosen for and that for a Christian the love for every one is shown.

Living according rules of Freedom

When one demands freedom that shall have to include freedom of religious belief and practice as well. By many Christians we can only see that there is a lot of hatred between the denominations and many of them accuse one or the other of things which they do not want to see by them. When they who say to be followers of Christ do want to arm themselves, and do not trust God in protecting them, how can others believe in their God, when his people do not show this love they should have according to the son of that God.

As real Christians we should go for the Love and should be careful in our choices, whom we want to elect and want to allow to present certain civil laws. When we can avoid that certain civil laws, which would not be in accordance with God Laws, be voted, we can contribute ourselves to this worldly system. As long as Jesus did not return we shall have to make do.

By living according the Law of God and educating our beloved in this Law we shall be able to form a generation and group of people who shall be able to protect themselves by living according to these divine rules and by giving good examples.

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Previous:

To be continued:
Condemnation of the World  and Illustration of Justification

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  1. Facing disaster fatigue
  2. Christian values and voting not just a game
  3. Mormons, just an other faith
  4. Uncertainty, shame and no time for vacillation
  5. Economics and Degradation
  6. Depression Economics and Paul Krugman
  7. Democratic downfall
  8. Capitalism downfall
  9. Men as God
  10. “solutions” to our problems
  11. The LORD protects those of childlike faith
  12. The great and holy God will not be unfaithful
  13. People don’t hunt out “loopholes” when they are seeking to love God and neighbours
  14. God demonstrates his own love
  15. Trust God to shelter, safety and security
  16. God my fence, my hope for the future
  17. God is my refuge and my fortress in Him I will trust
  18. Gaining Christ, trusting Jehovah + Gain Christ, trusting Jehovah
  19. It is not try but trust
  20. Hell = Sheol = Grave, tomb, sepulchre – graf, begraafplaats, rustplaats, sepulcrum
  21. What happens when we die?
  22. Jesus three days in hell
  23. Jesus and the fallen angels in hell
  24. Fallen Angels, Messengers of God gone astray
  25. dead and after
  26. hellfire
  27. Satan or the devil
  28. Sheol or the grave
  29. soul
  30. Gain Christ, trusting Jehovah

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Background:

  1. Here Are the Most Insane Aurora Shooting Conspiracy Theories
  2. The 6 Most Offensive Things Said in the Wake of the Aurora Shooting
  3. Evangelical Leaders Blame Liberals, Media For Aurora Shootings, Say Only Christian Victims Will Go To Heaven

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  • All trust, no fear (layeredhearts.wordpress.com)
    this is how God loves us. He sees the big waves coming, and sometimes they do crash over us and that’s when He holds us tightly so we don’t drown. But then there are times when He lifts us up so we are above the circumstance. I want to learn to trust in God’s love and protection, so I have no fear, like my son trusts me.
  • Use Godly Power or Die Forever Broke! (muponisi.wordpress.com)
    With godly power, for example, we can choose to become rich, and it would happen. The godly power is for us to do any positive thing, while we are still on earth to make our living better. We must claim all things, which God has granted us through His power.
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    Fear connotes inability to do something about a situation because one is afraid of repercussions from either the known or unknown. Yet, cautiousness denotes the notion that one is aware of shortcomings, and is avoiding possible dangers surrounding a given situation. There is a very thin line between fear and cautiousness. It is very possible to glide from cautiousness into fear without knowing.
  • Living the Surrendered Life (Day 20) (christlikeministriesnwa.wordpress.com)
    I make mistakes on a daily basis.  I have times where I doubt God.  I have times where I disobey God.  I am always making mistakes.  I’m always missing God…and I have a lot of me that still gets in God’s way.  So…if that disappoints you…I am sorry…but I’m not perfect…and never will claim to be.
  • August 5 (newstrength.wordpress.com)
    Do you feel like you’re a target sometimes, too? It’s mentally and physically exhausting to be a target. Do you sometimes feel like you’re running out of strength? Does it sometimes seem like the enemy is closing in on you and there’s no where to turn?When it’s clear that someone is out to get you—you need strength, and you need a shield.

    When you trust in the Lord with all your heart, He will become your strength and shield in every area of your life. But having complete support and protection comes from truly making God Lord of your life.
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    We all need to get better at trusting and praising instead of fussing and fearing. When we trust and praise—God’s power is magnified in our behalf. When you step on the accelerator of a gasoline powered car—it goes faster. When we choose to trust and praise, it’s like ‘stepping on the gas’. When we are all caught up with fussing and fearing—it’s like sitting still, or going in reverse. Fussing and fearing turns off the power of God.

  • Home Invasion…….divine Protection…….attacked by Fear……peace (unwalled.wordpress.com)

    daring stealthy home invasion

    failed attempt at burglary
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    attacked by tormenting fear

    active focus on God and His Word

    relaxing and sleeping again in delightful peace
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    I thank you for your promise that no weapon formed against us shall prosper and I trust you to continue to keep us safe and in perfect peace. I present the person(s) who invaded our home to you.

  • Massacres in Aleppo, Syria (EndtheLie.com)
    “Responsibility to Protect” crumbles as Western-armed terror front slaughters civilians while foreign sponsors attempt to tie hands of Syrian security forces.

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    With the Western press freely admitting that their “freedom fighting” FSA is lining up “suspected government supporters” and machine gunning them en mass, it seems the massacre the West feared would unfold in Aleppohas come to pass – only it wasn’t perpetrated by the Syrian government or its security forces, but rather by NATO and the Gulf State’s very own armed and coddled FSA terrorists.
  • Hang Ten (hodgepodge4thesoul.wordpress.com)
    Sometimes it seems that the waves are crashing all around, and you keep getting pulled under.  And just when you raise your head above water, here comes another set knocking you around.  It’s at those moments I’ve learnded to be still, relax, grab my board, and just ride it.
  • Fear (alifegivingmoment.wordpress.com)
    I’m afraid of — snakes, spiders, some loud noises — but do I tell her the real things I’m afraid of?  Things like …–almost every time I see a funny place on my skin I’m certain I have skin cancer that will surely end in death or …
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    I couldn’t look this little girl in the eyes and say, “It’ll be okay, honey!  When you grow up you won’t be afraid of things anymore. ”   I didn’t have any pat answer to give her to take all of those fears away but I could tell her that I’m afraid sometimes too and at least let her know she wasn’t alone in that battle.

  • Le’Andria Johnson: Sooner or Later (rhachellenicol.com)
    it was easier for me to run from God and hide my face than to ask for forgiveness and continue to move forward with the plans that God had for my life.  Just like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden, it is easier to run and hide than it is to stand.  I ran from the very protection and covering that I had in my life.
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    We have to be careful of the judgement that we put off on people.  We do not know the relationship that she has with the Lord.  The enemy will use the very aspect of your life that causes you to live in shame and fear to keep you from fulfilling the purpose that God has for your life.
  • Paradise, the First Sin, the Fiery Sword, and the Path to Rectification (alaskawildgirl.wordpress.com)
    Fear of punishment is how the minion mind is controlled.
    Anger is punishment itself, and minions live in a world of suffering which arises from their own uncontrolled, violent anger, passions, and poisons of the mind.
    +
    We must walk past the burning sword to reenter the garden they say. That sword is the Word, holy books, dharma, or even the fire of torment and punishment, i.e. those things which remove attachments. We must allow wisdom or karma to cut away all remnants of wanting so that we can experience true happiness. It’s not about acting upon things or living beings and expecting results, rather acting upon the self, removing judgment and fear of punishment and all other forms of fear in order to know ourselves as not just things of clay that are born and die, but beings of love that go beyond time and space.
  • To Tell the Truth (stefanicarmichael.wordpress.com)
    perpetual lack of honesty tells something seriously askew with your child’s relationship to God. It shows your child is not truly trusting God enough to obey His commands. It could be that he fears the consequences of telling the truth more than he fears God.
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    Was the child afraid of what you would do rather than fearing the Lord? You might need to point him to God’s goodness and faithfulness to encourage him to trust God more deeply. Was the child lying to make himself look better to someone else? Maybe you need to help him understand that God’s perfect design in creating your child that is marred only by sin (and lying is a sin). He needs to see himself through the eyes of God and not his peers.
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    Whatever the situation is, you need to fight your child’s lies with God’s truth. Help them see clearly.
  • Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge (theharvestprinciple.wordpress.com)
    What really happened in the Garden of Eden? Was it simply a sin, or a horrendous mistake? Adam and Eve lived in the Garden in a spiritual relationship with God. In order to live in the spirit a person’s own will had to choose to deactivate and to live through God’s will or spirit.
  • Julian Assange is right to fear US prosecution (guardian.co.uk)
    As the drama unfolds over Julian Assange’s bid for political asylum in Ecuador, a troubling irony has emerged: the besieged founder of WikiLeaks is seeking refuge in this small Andean nation because he fears persecution from the United States, a nation whose laws famously grant asylum to people in precisely Assange’s situation.
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    The US claims to lead the world in freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the role these play as the foundations of democratic government. These freedoms do not die when governments feel threatened or are embarrassed by the publication of information. As Justices Stewart and White famously said, “the only effective restraint upon executive policy and power in the areas of national defence and international affairs may lie in an enlightened citizenry – in an informed and critical public opinion which alone can here protect the values of democratic government”.

    Indeed, it is precisely those who challenge the powerful, including government, who most require the protection afforded by fundamental free speech rights. If our current administration chooses to abandon them, it may fall to Ecuador to uphold the best of American principles.

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A world in denial

Posted on July 31, 2012. Filed under: Being Christian, following Jesus Christ, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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 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.

Conférence : La violence contre les femmes (Be...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.

Violence!

Violence! (Photo credit: Rickydavid)

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.

Violent by Nature

Violent by Nature (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.

NOLAMarchPoydrasThugsAreTerrorists

NOLAMarchPoydrasThugsAreTerrorists (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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: ...

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, v...

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:

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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Though יהוה , Jehovah, the Creator of all things may be a jealous God he is  showing covenant faithfulness, loving kindness and mercy unto thousands of them that love Him, and keep His commandments and who do “not take the name of Mar-Yah your God in vain” (Torah).

  • I Didn’t Do It Because I Feared God (scripturenuggets.wordpress.com)
    Nehemiah 5:15… “But so did not I, because of the fear of God” (KJV). “But out of reverence for God, I did not act that way” (NIV). “But I obeyed God and did not act that way” (TLB).
  • The importance of Reading the Scriptures (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
    For those who say they have found Jesus and want to follow him, they should take the words of Jesus at heart.
    Jeshua, better known as Jesus, spoke several times out of the Torah and tried to explain the Words of God. People had to know him and his Father. The man of Nazareth was clear that he of himself could do nothing.
  • Titles of God beginning with the Aleph in Hebrew (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
    In the Bible we can find the Name of God. In Hebrew indicated by יהוה which we can read best as ‘Jehovah’. In some of our postings you shall be able to find יהוה printed so that you can clearly notice the difference with the other important person in the Holy Scriptures: יהושע Jehoshua or Jeshua,
  • The Importance Of Scripture (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
    Lots of people do laugh at those who enjoy reading the old Books of Books, the Bible. Of all those books the last series bring the world Glad Tidings. In the New testament we also do find the apostle Luke his writings on the first followers of Christ. He gives us an idea what went on in the first communities of the then called sect The Way.
  • Christianity and Islam in the Global South (mgriffinrobert.com)
    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?

(thechristianpundit.org)
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?
    +
    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.
    +
    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)
    For millions of victims, normalcy bias is an incapacitating response to interpersonal abuse at home, at work, at school. It is inaccurate thinking that makes things worse. It manifests in the most dire moments. It shows up as a freeze or panicresponse–think deer in headlights or roadrunner freak-out–and for good reason.The psychological run-up to normalcy bias is this: the person thinks that since something has never happened before, it never will.
    +
    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.
    +
    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)
    In case you don’t know, on June 26 of 2011, political leaders and all sorts of religious leaders met from 26 nations with Bibles and Qurans. They agreed on a religion where Muslims and Christians worship together in peace, and they even read from the Quran and the Bible side by side! My friends, I believe this is the one world religion emerging! This is the very last fulfillment of Bible prophecy right before the rapture of the church! Go home tonight and Google Unity if you don’t believe me. It’s real, and it’s happening right now beneath all of your noses!
  • Terrorism Denial from Dhimmi Democrats (frontpagemag.com)
    After September 11, it was put forward to us that the problem was not Islam, but the radicalization of some Muslims.  And yet the defenders of that formulation also refuse to discuss Muslim radicalization as a tangible reality, rather than a convenient excuse for shelving the topic.Congressman Peter King’s attempts to hold hearings on Muslim radicalization have been met with attacks from the very people who should be welcoming the hearings. If the problem really is a minority of extremists, then why not hold hearings that delve into how this radicalization occurs and what can be done about it?
    +
    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.
    +
    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.
    +
    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.
    +
    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.
    +
    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.
    +
    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 Eagan Holmes (L) sits with public defender Tamara Brady during his first court appearance in Aurora, Colorado, July 23, 2012. REUTERS/RJ Sangosti/Pool

    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.
    +
    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.
    +
    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.
    +
    “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.”
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Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures

Posted on July 30, 2012. Filed under: Being Christian, following Jesus Christ, Endtimes, Holy Scriptures, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Jesus Christ Jeshua the Messiah Jahushua, Religion, Witnessing, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

 

Elections or a Voice

In Belgium there shall be the elections for the communities, bringing new mayors, but this year probably also with a vote over the political situation in the whole country. In the United States  of America they are not going to look for a new mayor or governor, it is the presidential candidate who shall be on the lips of everybody.

In the Old World as well as in the New World we see similar conditions, people taken for a ride by the banks,  taken in by the money-market. Many people being sold not just to pull the wool over their eyes.

In many so called civilised countries, we see not only that capitalism has blinded many people but brought them so far that they are not afraid to fool the others or to bring out a lot of lies enabling them to make more money and to enjoy life themselves at the costs of others.

Muslim Newspaper

Several inhabitants of those industrialised Western countries or States are proud of their birthplace and take pride that they can live in a Judeo Christian culture. But they have really become afraid for their Judeo Christian values. Lots on the inhabitants want to blame the rising Islam and point their finger to the many Muslim who seem to grow like fungi.

Friends and values

In Judeo-Christian values and liberty we mentioned already the problem of people being confronted with the loss of values which were a few years ago of high esteem. Many generations were brought up with values which were nourished as the most important in the family. People cherished their children and loved those who took care that their family could live in a good environment. Many also had high hopes and had the intention of making something good of the family and of the world.

It was found to be a pleasure to bask in some ones love. And  friendship was considered as something special.

Today ‘friends’ has become a word that does not seem to mean much. On the social network-sites, like Facebook, people look like they have many ‘friends’, but often it are even less than real acquaintances. Worse is it about the relation in the family itself. Many children can not tell their friends they have one father and one mother. Often they even do not consider it normal that their friends are still living in a happy first married family. Kids, after a few years, go home from school to ask their parents when they are going to  behave like normal parents and are going to divorce. Divorcing has become the normal norm is this society. And that has nothing to do with Muslim traditions taking over the world. In such families they do still know the bond of the family.

About telling a lie, we notice that has become come grounds for all sorts of people, of all sorts of religions or secular groups. Lots of people do not mind to lie in his teeth till they are black. To be a fibber has become ‘cool’ and the way to get a place in the community. Many  people have come in power by using their words in an other way than the words at first would imply. Many also do like it to hang with their ears at the moth of those storytellers. Rather to be ‘befriended’ than to be considered as a looser or ‘unbeliever’ of those fairytale-masters. Best to be the directors pet or the blue-eyed boy, than the one who is considered as the milksop. No one wants to look as the spoilsport, but several people who want to keep on to certain values are considered as the chickens. though their blanket may stay clean it is being considered the wet blanket, while others who wet their blanket literally do not mind to use the women as usable objects. For this we, yesterday could once more see, like a few weeks ago, that it were North African people living in Belgium who clearly found it not a problem that they went after the girls on the street, because women are just a lust object. Many of the white European men population have been eager to take over this idea, but also many Caucasian women do not mind to take men as their play toy.

We shall not dispute that a lot has also come this way because, while previously generations were brought up by the Word of God, being told about good and bad, heaven and hell, being told to go to mass and worship, while honouring father and mother. Those teaching of the catechism or the teachings of the Sunday school do not exist any more, or when they are still present or available at a denomination, not many are interested in it.

Learning and teaching

A few decennia ago the Christian teachings perhaps could be a huge success, today that’s a different kettle of fish. The horse of a different colour is that everybody finds it balderdash or twaddle to spend time in Old Books or spending time talking about spiritual things and about uncertainties. Nobody wants to stand for fool by outing himself to believe in something which many have long time ago swept it under the carpet.

Many find it pathetic people still want to believe in things which were said so many millennia ago. The death a a man twenty centuries ago is something not to be spoken any more, when there are now so much funnier things to talk off.

Years ago some people could still think they could come off by being a good Christian, but today most of the citizens think they are only able to manage when they can join the successful world by becoming totally part of it, integrated in the world of fashion and stuffed shirts.

English: Map of the Muslim Population by Perce...

English: Map of the Muslim Population by Percentage in the World (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lots of people do want to blame others for their problems of for the things going wrong in the world. The Muslim world has become the group to blame now while a few decennia ago many Christians blamed the Jews, and did not find it bad to get rid of them for ever by burning their bodies literally.

More than two centuries ago many people noticed the Old World already getting no good place to bring up their children. They learned from the Bible, the Word of God, that in case it became so bad and people did not want to listen to them, it was better to put on the shoes and go to other places. Many oppressed people did not want to wait until it became worse. They thought a lot and spoke with many friends before they decided to go and look for their luck in other unknown countries.  They risked their lives to escape the country were power of certain Christian denomination forced such laws and believes on them they could not agree with.

Those people where familiar with the writings of the apostle Paul who wrote: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” And some of them knew the book of Jasher in which was spoken about the fear we do had to have for God. In such Holy books they had learn that in such places were there was no fear for God it could be not nice to stay and not the right place to live. so why would they sojourn in places were nobody was interested in what they had to tell about what they had learned from the Holy Scriptures?

Jasher 4:3  And Methuselah acted uprightly in the sight of God, as his father Enoch had taught him, and he likewise during the whole of his life taught the sons of men wisdom, knowledge and the fear of God, and he did not turn from the good way either to the right or to the left.
Jasher 15:4  And Abram said to his wife Sarai, Since God has created thee with such a beautiful countenance, I am afraid of the Egyptians lest they should slay me and take thee away, for the fear of God is not in these places.

File:Fear-bumpersticker.jpg

Living with Fear, every day

Jasher 32:57  And God put fear and kindness toward Jacob in the hearts of the men that came with Esau, and they also kissed Jacob and embraced him.
Jasher 34:59  And Judah said unto Simeon and Levi, and unto all his brothers, Strengthen yourselves and be sons of valour, for the Lord our God is with us, do not fear them.
Jasher 43:41  And Jacob took the beast from the hands of his sons, and he cried out with a loud and weeping voice, holding the beast in his hand, and he spoke with a bitter heart unto the beast, Why didst thou devour my son Joseph, and how didst thou have no fear of the God of the earth, or of my trouble for my son Joseph?
Jasher 47:8  Now therefore my son, teach thy children and thy children’s children to fear the Lord, and to go in the good way which will please the Lord thy God, for if you keep the ways of the Lord and his statutes the Lord will also keep unto you his covenant with Abraham, and will do well with you and your seed all the days.
Jasher 55:3  And Jacob said within himself, I will go and see my son whether the fear of his God is yet in his heart amidst all the inhabitants of Egypt.
Jasher 63:8  And in order to know the signs and mighty wonders which the Lord would do in Egypt on account of his people Israel, in order that the children of Israel might fear the Lord God of their ancestors, and walk in all his ways, they and their seed after them all the days.

In early times of this era it was noticed in Protevangelion 8:3  “and when she was twelve years of age, the priests met in a council, and said, behold, Mary is twelve years of age; what shall we do with her, for fear lest the holy place of the lord our God should be defiled?” Protevangelion 8:14  “then the high-priest replied, Joseph, fear the lord thy God, and remember how God dealt with Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, how the earth opened and swallowed them up, because of their contradiction.
Protevangelion 8:15  now therefore, Joseph, fear God, lest the like things should happen in your family.

Fear, hope, liberty and love

It is because many people do not fear God, who can bring hope, liberty and love, any more that many things do come over their family. It is not because God loving people do warn them that they went astray and have to return to God that they and their country are falling to pieces.

Paul and Thecla warned (4:7)  on this account, God sent his son Jesus Christ, whom I preach, and in whom I instruct men to place their hopes, as that person who only had such compassion on the deluded world, that it might not, O governor, be condemned, but have faith, the fear of God, the knowledge of religion, and the love of truth.

In case the men in the several countries where capitalism got the ruling position, would remember that the real value of life would be to go for the gold of the Words of God, and giving themselves in the hand of the only mediator between God and men (Jesus/Jeshua), they surely would find it easier to find the real treasures of life.

To continue with Paul who did find his colleagues believers  who were kind to one to another without grudging; being ready to every good work, and being adorned with a conversation altogether virtuous and religious, because they did all things in the fear of God; whose commandments were written upon the tables of their heart. (1  Corinthians 1:15)

Today we do not find many who have the Words of God written onto their hearts, or even in their mind to think about them.

The same as in the early centuries after the death of Jesus Christ, the Messiah,  righteousness and peace are departed from many people, because every one of them has forsaken the fear of God; and is grown blind in his faith; nor walked by the rule of God’s commandments nor lived as is fitting in Christ (1  Corinthians 2:4)

We all should remember that we are tenants of this world, which God has given to all his creation. Because of man having doubted the right of His Power, He has given the power in the hands of men. Paul knew as we should know that God has given the cities into the hands of those who think they can manage the world; for the fear of them is fallen upon all that dwell therein. (1  Corinthians 6:8)

For those who know God and do like God, they have had all the time to share their ideas with others, and they also had and still have time to let their charity be with respect of persons, alike towards all such as religiously fear God. They can let them learn how great a power humility has with God; how much a pure and holy charity avails with him; how excellent and great his fear is; and how it will save all such as turn to him with holiness in a pure mind. (1  Corinthians 10:11-13)

Double talk and Being Afraid for the right person

Who are Christians following? Who are the real Christians?

They, who believe in God, do know that He knows everything which goes on in the heart, but they are also aware that the actions of believers as well as of non-believers are seen and heard by God; therefore we better fear Him instead of being afraid of ordinary humans, who live now but who shall face the death at a certain moment in their life. At that moment they shall not be able to do anything any more against us. Therefore let us not fear men: but rather God. Wherefore, if we should do such wicked things as many around do and think are the way modern people should do, we shall have to face the judge after life and though we could have considered ourselves Christian and being part of Christ, joined unto the Lord, but not keeping Gods  commandments, He would cast this person off, and say unto him: “depart from me; I know not whence you are, ye workers of iniquity.” (1  Corinthians 10:13; 13:1; 2  Corinthians 2:15)

Barnabas wrote to the community to become spiritual, “a perfect temple to God. As much as in us lies let us meditate upon the fear of God: and strive to the utmost of our power to keep his commandments; that we may rejoice in his righteous judgments.” (3:12) and he warned them ” thou shalt not be double-minded, or double tongued; for a double tongue is the snare of death. Thou shalt be subject unto the lord and to inferior masters as to the representatives of God, in fear and reverence.” (Barnabas 14:14 )

It is this double talk that is killing more our general community. It is the dishonesty in talking and handling which brings so many people in difficulties, and not the Muslims who came into our countries and saw how people had gone far from God, so they could not do anything else than to detest their way of life.

Those foreigners and people from other cultures should not have to be  bitter in the commands towards any of their servants and co-habitants that trust in God. Still many Muslim fear God, though also a lot went there in a wrong direction and started more to fear people who misuse the name of God, or falsely say that they speak in the Name of God. those Muslims fearing certain Muslim organisations should know better, like Christians should do. They should chance not to fear Him, Allah, God the Only One Elohim Hashem, who is over both.

In case there are some organisations or people who say they can speak in the name of God, all who would like to follow them should investigate if they really live and act according the Laws of God, and follow the Words of God. They should check if those people could really be prepared by the Holy Spirit (= the Power of God). Whomsoever the Spirit had prepared would and should be a person who does not commit idolatry, does not show confidence in the wrong way to his own benefit, puts away pride of power, hypocrisy, double-mindedness, adultery, murder, rapine, pride, transgression, deceit, malice, arrogance, witchcraft, covetousness, and the want of the fear of God. Not having fear of God, does not agree with knowing the Full Power of the Almighty God.

In Commands Hermas we do find «command VII.» “fear God, says he, and keep his commandments. for if thou keepest his commandments thou shalt be powerful in every work, and all thy works shall be excellent. for by fearing God, thou shalt do every thing well.” (Commands Hermas 8:1)

When people got to know that when they fear God they shall be able to live when they do keep His commandments.
“wherefore, fear God and thou shalt live: and whosoever shall fear him, and keep his commandments, their life is with the lord. but they who keep them not, neither is life in them.” (Commands Hermas 8:6 )
“but they that have the fear of the lord, and search out the truth concerning God, having all their thoughts towards the lord; apprehend whatsoever is said to them, and forthwith understand it, because they have the fear of the lord in them.” (Commands Hermas 11:13 )

Reading the right Books

The only way to get to know Gods Commandments is by reading the Holy Scriptures. In case you notice that there are many wrong goings in this world, you probably have already some idea of what would be right or wrong. Without knowledge of good and bad there can not be any judgement over evil and goodness. It is possible that people do notice and even know from the inside that something is not as it should, but do not mind to continue to handle or live that way or to let it happen, because it suits them or they do find it very convenient.

It is that way of feeling at ease with certain situations that brought us down. It is the allowance of so many wrong things that brought the decline of our society. Not Muslims or other believers entering our domain, which in our greediness we prefer to keep to our self, instead of sharing it in love with others. Often it are the evil desires that are the food of our thoughts to go in a certain way in this world.

Pleasures of Life

Instead of  so loving the Lord God with all our passion and prayer and intelligence and energy, many of us became loving the pleasures of life and the pleasures of wealth. Many tell others they are such and such person, or believe this or that, but they takes pleasure in foolish gabble. Several call themselves Christian and say that God is their Father, but hey really do not honour Him.  Many of them have forgotten that Gods want their full attention as well as their full devotion. they also forget that Jehovah God wants actions by words. When you tell God you’ll do something, do it — now. So if YHWH, Jehovah or Yahweh is their Father, where’s the honour? If The Almighty Creator of heaven and earth is their Master, where’s the respect?  (Mark 12:30; Proverbs 23:26 ; Ecclesiastes 5:4 ; Ecclesiastes 5:5; Malachi 1:6)

Which God?

Jehovah = the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but also of Jesus

Jews, Christians and Muslims have  the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, as their God, often also as the God of their father and mother. They both claim that Allah, Yahuwah, whose name is Jehovah shall be judge between them as He was in the time of Jacob and by by the fear of his father Isaac. They both also know Joseph who said that he feared God. (Genesis 42:18; 50:19)

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Three prophets

An other problem in this world, which was foretold by the prophets, is that a lot of people do not fear their parents and teachers any more. Several Jews and Muslims try to get this patriarchal rule going and demand that there is also taken one day a week especially to honour God. But when you look into the world were they say they have the best civilisation because they are Christians and do keep to the commandments of God, where can you find them keeping Gods sabbaths. In those communities we notice that here is also not much respect or honour for the old man. Also do we find governments who want to rule over others with rigor and where it is allowed to oppress one another, and people can be excused to do certain crimes (working and handling on the black market is often justified because the governments are demanding to much they say; petty crimes and small lies are allowed for the good of ‘the’ cause, etc.)

“3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father; and ye shall keep my sabbaths: I am Jehovah your God. 4 Turn ye not unto {1} idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am Jehovah your God. {1) Heb [things of nought]} 5 And when ye offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah, ye shall offer it that ye may be accepted. 6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if aught remain until the third day, it shall be burnt with fire. 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination; it shall not be accepted: 8 but every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the holy thing of Jehovah: and that soul shall be cut off from his people. 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God. 11 Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah. 13 Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him: the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind; but thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. 16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am Jehovah. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt surely rebuke thy neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18 Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah. 19  Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed: neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together. 20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; {1} they shall be punished; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. {1) Heb [there shall be inquisition]} 21 And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, unto the door of the tent of meeting, even a ram for a trespass-offering. 22 And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering before Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned: and the sin which he hath sinned shall be forgiven him. 23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as their uncircumcision: three years shall they be as uncircumcised unto you; it shall not be eaten. 24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto Jehovah. 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am Jehovah your God. 26 Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practise augury. 27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. 28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am Jehovah. 29 Profane not thy daughter, to make her a harlot; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of {1} wickedness. {1) Or [enormity]}” (Leviticus 19:3-29 ASV)

Idols and things to love

How many persons have not turned to idols, either form the music, television, film, entertainment or sports world? How many persons do not find it most important to get as much possible out of a piece of land, and to use all the upbringing to sell wherever they can to most high price, other-while it can be thrown away better than to give it to the poor?
How many do not find it so wrong to take something home from work, or do not find it so bad to steal something when they have the opportunity, defending themselves that the other person should not be so stupid to let it happen or to give the opportunity to become tempted. Has it not come to a sport for many to deal falsely and not to tell the full truth to others, even to lie one to another, or misusing them and others. Though God wants us to stay honest to our partner, how many do not have other lovers at work or at the sports field?

II (The Presidents of the United States of Ame...

II (The Presidents of the United States of America album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How many do not find it al right that their children experiment with drugs and sex, though they should know that God does not like it that daughters would be used as a prostitute or that there could be something to cause her to be a whore. Dancings have become places to make a sport of conquering a new target, once more an other person to have some good sex with, and leave him or her behind for whatever he or she may be, just as an object to have communal enjoyment.

Instead of looking for the problems in that sort of life, many do want to put the blame on those strangers sojourning with them in their land, though god clearly demanded not to vex such people.  But the stranger that dwells with us should be to us as one born among us, and we should love him or her as ourself; for our ancestors were also strangers in the land of Egypt. We do have to be careful to do no unrighteousness in judgement, in length, in weight, or in measure. (Leviticus 19:33-35)

It is so easy to blame other for the wrong going of our civilisation.

One of the Sates which is so proud and in which many think they are the only superstate with the right way of living and the best way of life, brought forth a Catholic president (John F. Kennedy), a Baptist president (Jimmy Carter), a “born-again” president (George W. Bush) and this year, Mormons got all excited that they can go out and elect a Mormon president. For decades, they have been trading Democrats for Republicans, Republicans for Democrats, liberals for conservatives, and conservatives for liberals, and nothing has changed–except the problems kept getting worse, while many did not even notice it until 9/11, when they suddenly got to blame all the Muslim world for their ‘shit’ they were in (to use their own words.)!

Democracy, dignity and achievements

Ian de Silva may think he is living in the only state which was able to come to superhuman achievements,  but that is doing violence against historic facts. He is wrongly convinced that there is not a single non-Western culture that indigenously produced a great democracy which continues to attract people from all over the world, because none of those cultures has ever produced a human-rights instrument as powerful as the Declaration or the Constitution.

Marcus Ampe in Christian values and voting not just a game let some rays of light shine on the misconception and the danger of the proud white population their supremacy. Though we as Christians recognise the ability of a lot of courageous people to leave the Old World to try to make a totally New World in the concept of a ‘for God worthy’ country. In that New World many of them got confronted with a sort of people they did not understand, nor their language, nor their habits, and because of the different cultures clashing a lot of blood was shed.

Tamuz, Nimrod and Semiramis or the Holy Trinity

Today lots of Americans do believe the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, because it was written by white men from a Judeo-Christian ethos, the country they founded has become the most egalitarian nation in the world, a refuge for men and women of all races and religions. Though you can wonder how far they would like to go in their acceptance of other thinkers and other religions. Often we notice that it is much easier for them to accept persons who totally have some other believes than those who have similar, but still some important different believes, when they call themselves Christian. For example is it for many Americans impossible to live together with such people who call themselves Christian, because they follow the teachings of Jesus Christ (the Nazarene Jew Jeshua), but only believe in One God and not in the Holy Trinity. For a lot of Americans it is even impossible to accept that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was a Jew, because they consider him to be a Christian being killed by the Jews. Some even would say ‘horrible ‘ Jews, showing still their hate for that race, which according to the Bible is and shall be for ever, the People of God. (They seem to forget.)

Many Western people think it was the Judeo-Christian view of the human being, that gave the West its hospitals, charities and the language of the ”rights” of the weak. For them there does not seem as yet, an alternative narrative that can guarantee the inherent dignity of all, regardless of capacities. They argue that Ancient Greece and Rome, the cultures against which Christianity first competed, had little by way of philosophical reasoning that could guarantee the inherent worth of those lacking rational capacity or social utility. So infanticide was common and social welfare for the aged and dying was virtually non-existent, but that is totally incorrect to the facts of human history. In many non-believing communities there was already the dignity to take care of the elder and the sick, so much more than we can find today in those so called Christian countries, were many put the sick and elderly away in foster homes. In many industrialist states, those who are not found useful, for the society, are put away so that the population does not want to be confronted by them (mentally and physically handicapped.).

Yale’s great philosopher-theologian Nicholas Wolterstorff in his book “Justice: Rights and Wrongs”  argues that a rational justification for treating humans as ”inestimably precious”, regardless of capacities, can only be found in a theistic framework. Only if the abandoned infant on the hills of ancient Rome or the estranged resident in a Sydney dementia unit is created in the image of God, can we secure an intellectual basis for treating both individuals with the same dignity we afford society’s most able.

In case that would be the truth, those Christians should better react swiftly accordingly. But also when this is not the truth, the Christians would better think about what Jesus had to tell the world. Jesus was a man who had the right to speak in the name of his Father, God, and who knew what it was not to be liked and to be scourged and spit at. Torture was not strange to him, and before it came so far he was aware of what was going to wait for him. But even in case he would not have known he told others not to oppress one another; but to  fear his Father, which should be also our God:, as it was and is his God, the Most High.

Proud and downfall

The son of god knew very well his Scriptures and has probably also knew other theological writings, like Sirach 28:22 were is written: ” It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof.” In the many parables or stories Jesus told the people in the Middle East, he let them know how God was a loving Father, but one who demanded honesty and fidelity. As other believers in God had written, like Sirach, Jesus warned the onlookers not to exalt themselves, because this could bring the downfall. When we look at the United States this is perhaps which might be happening like in so many countries of the Capitalist world is happening.  In many countries of the so called civilised world, who thought they had the best juridical and most democratic system we notice that many people do bring dishonour upon their soul, and so God discovers their secrets, and shall cast them down in the midst of the congregation, because they came not in truth to the fear of the Lord, but because of their heart is full of deceit. ( Sirach 1:30)

Even Jeshua or Jesus does not know when the Time of the End shall come

Those who know their Scriptures shall remember how  God more than once changed the spirit of the king or ruler  into mildness or made him more angry because the people had not listened to the advice of God, given by his prophets. One way or the other, until the Time of the End, people shall have to find systems to be able to live together. Until the return of Jesus God allows them to look for a good system to live with each other and to make the best of the world. But at the end all nations shall turn, and fear the Lord God truly, and shall bury their idols. (Tobit 14:6 ) and every one shall get to know that  they had to fear the Lord of Lord of lords, the Elohim Hashem, Jehovah, the One and Only One God, who shall deliver all His followers out of the hand of all their enemies. (2 Kings 17:39 )

Wherefore now we should, as Christians, let the fear of the Lord be upon us; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Jehovah, the Lord of Lord of Lords, our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts or bribes. (2 Chronicles 19:7 ) As many people in ancient times have been in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous, we should find enough reasons in that to be willing to learn to know what exactly this Lord of Lord of the lords wants from His flock. To be able to become in Christ we also should listen to his words and should recognise that he wanted that we got to know his Father. To get to know the father of Jesus we do have His letters or words brought to us by His chosen and appointed special writers and prophets. By getting to know what God told us we shall be able to find better ways of living. We shall be able to transform under the guidance God gives us in His Word, notated in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible. By reading more in those words we shall be able to come closer to God and by willing to praise His word, in God we shall be able to put our trust; not having to  fear what flesh can do to us.

“In God (I will praise his word), In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; What can flesh do unto me?” (Psalms 56:4 ASV)

Those reading the Gospel shall get to know Christ Jesus and how he loved his Father. As such they shall learn to become eager to know even more  about this special Father, who is willing to be our Father as well. This interest shall make it that not only the New Testament shall be looked at, but that ther shall come a sincere interest in the Old Testament, so that the words of God can enter the soul more.

In the end, when we follow Jesus we shall get to understand that getting to know the Almighty God is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

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Worldly books have become the bible of the people – 1931 Cover of Bezbozhnik, 1920s-1930s Soviet atheist magazine Bezbozhnik u stanka – 35 million unemployed in the capitalistic world

As in Roman times there is no fear of God before the eyes of many people living in the capitalist world. Lots having forgotten the promises which were brought by many prophets, like Abraham, Isaiah and Jesus. So many are not interested any more to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Most of the humans in the capitalist world their concern is to gather as much money as possible. They are not interested in what happens to nature or other created species after them. For those around them they do often not find so much interest. Surely submitting themselves one to another, in the fear of God, sounds as something ridiculous, something very absurd. And today many find it much more interesting to get more power by making others afraid of other people. The problem there is that so many have forgotten that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, to use to help each other, even when it would be our enemy. (2 Corinthians 7:1 ; Ephesians 5:21; 2 Timothy 1:7)

By faith Noah, being warned by God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7 )

Today we notice that not many a son honours his father and a worker his master, and you could blame it because not many listen to their father, teachers and are not interested to read in the Bible to learn the lessons from those old times. It is to the people themselves to decide “Whether it’s right in God’s eyes”, as for us Christians, there’s no question—we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard, and should let others know what we do think. (Acts 4:19; Acts 4:20)

We ourselves should be careful, when we watch the world going its own way and should not even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life we had before we came a real Christian. (Romans 6:13 ) We should take our everyday, ordinary life — our sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life — and place it before God as an offering. Not blaming others for what is gone wrong in our own life, but trying to adjust our life in the ways of God. Not preferring to be popular and loving their way of living, but embracing what God wants for us and what He does for us, knowing that that is the only best thing we can do for Him, but also for ourselves and our beloved ones. (Romans 12:1)

When we face the world we should know that we do have our own responsibilities. It are we ourselves who are responsible for how our own children act or behave, as well for how those we brought up, our pupils, behave or act in the world we placed them. Or do we not realize that we had to learn from the Holy Scriptures and had to behave accordingly, giving a good example to those around us. We should have been working at our body and soul to make it such that our body could be as a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit. Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Our world is going the wrong way because many of us have not kept to the human instincts of normal behaviour. Having not allowed Gods Word to come over others by our way of living, acting and teaching, we excluded the Creator of all things in the works we wanted to do. God owns the whole works, but to let God shine in our works we do have to allow Him to enter us. So we do have to take care that people can see God in and through our body.  Our firm decision should be to work from this focused centre: “One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat”.  Us not loving those who are around us because they do not believe the same things as we do is not having Christ Jesus his love. He loved believers, non-believers and sinners. Christ’s love has to move us to such extremes, that we should be better doing than all those atheists and other believers doing good in this world. Thinking that a non-believer can not do any good work is wrong-thinking. We should know historical facts and also see that ages before Christ was born, also in places were there was not spoken of God, there were people who tried to do good for each other. Therefore we better put our arrogance at the doorstep and look at Christ, who was open for everybody. His love should have the first and last word in everything we do. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. (1 Corinthians 6:20;2 Corinthians 5:14 ; 2 Corinthians 5:15)

Living according prescribed rules

We should not look with anger to others. We better should be filled with fear when faced with others sharing their faith. While we blame those Muslims who talk about God and the fear we should have, we better show them that we also are aware of the Wrath of God, and that we are also aware of the way we should live. But that we not only let them think that we ‘know’ what God wants. That we also let the other persons in our environment see that we are prepared to live according the teachings of Christ and according the Law of God.

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The Seventh Angel of the Apocalypse Proclaiming the Reign of the Lord – Unknown Miniaturist, Spanish (active around 1180)

We should show others that we want to suit the action to the word. We do have to proceed from Gods Words to deeds, having a word and a blow over many generations. Looking at the wrong goings of the world, moaning about it and not doing anything against it is not going to solve the problem. Jesus has given his followers the task of proclaiming the Good News, but how many Christians do we see walking around and going from door to door proclaiming the Word of God? How many Christians profess, promulgate, publish, or let others hear their voice to ventilate their believes in God?

Instead of having the heart race when talking about Jesus, they are more afraid than those followers of Christ who several hundreds of years ago, were  tortured for their believes. They were not afraid to die because they believe in the resurrection of Christ. They were not afraid to die because they had a certainty in their believe. Today when asked about their greatest fears you can find death and the  fear to fail or ‘Fear of Falling’. In certain countries this fear of falling, is also transposed into a fear in falling into a fire of destruction or in a fire of damnation and torture. Instead of going for God because He loves us, they are going for God because they are afraid of getting into a hell which is for them a place of torture for ever. While the Biblical hell is just the grave, the end of everything, because by death the penalty is paid for our sins, and we do not have to pay once more.

The Self

One of the problems of this world is that the fear of God, which is part of the Natural Law of God written in men’s hearts, has made place for the fear of the own self. The problem is that far too many people’s hearts have grown callused and hard to the “inner voice” of moral consciousness. Most of the people are most concerned that everything would go all right with them, while they live here on earth, and that they would not fail in front of others. Their fear of death is not because of the wrath of God, but because they would not accept that when they die their life would come to an end, and that all those things they did on this earth, then would be worthless. That is their main concern.

While the natural fear of God is a predicate for a person’s respect for their mother and father. (Leviticus 19:3) and the fear of God is a predicate for a person’s respect for others, especially those who are disadvantaged. (Leviticus 19:14), people have put away their interest in others, surely when it are just plants or animals for them. Because the loss of the creation of God, so many things went wrong in nature. All the things our ancestors did return to us. Also their way of educating others, and their way of teaching and preaching about God, the Father, and about Jesus, the son and Saviour.

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Getting or hiding loud noise?

Many have become afraid of ‘Loud Noises’ which make them think, but not of ‘Loud Noises’ which seem to entertain them, as the heavy music sounds. Public Speaking about God is the worst they could think of. They would rather die than speak publicly!They do not mind getting deaf because of the loud popular music, but they are afraid as death, for the noise of  people talking about God.

Departing pleasures

They do not want to abandon certain pleasures they got to know from the new media. They love all the desires which can be gratified, by all the new tools. Lots of so called Christians prefer to think they shall be able to live for ever, because they had been baptised, and as such would never ever have to fear for not going to heaven. They are so much mistaken. Bible tells totally different things, but those they do not want to know because that would distort their picture of heaven and hell which makes them not to worry. And they do not want to worry about the future, they want to live today. It is this attitude of not wanting to know what would or what can happen in the future, which has brought also a lot of problems onto this world.

Many do not want to know that the evil lusting is going to bring them down, and not people coming from over their borders. In case everybody would do good in society, new ones would quickly been taken into that society and would not dare to do any thing wrong. The Evil (Satan in Hebrew) shall be as a thorn in the eye, and those wishing it to do such a thing would know they shall have to face a righteous penalty. But the example we have given to other the last few years is that we just all could do as we wanted and that many, also Christians, made it a sport to lure others, so that they could have the best of the world and gain as much money as possible.

The threatening of governments have come to nothing, many words of persons do not have any value any more, because so many people do not keep to their word. The ease of playing with words and actions made that our world has derailed.

Priorities

Those who would like it put in order again, should first make work to get to know the Word of God, fearing Him, instead of the people around them.

The Bible warns there will be no peace in our lives until we make peace with God through His Son, Jesus (Yeshua), the promised Messiah.

Jesus warned his pupils  they could have to face persecution  because he was sending them out like sheep surrounded by wolves. Being tenants in this world having to sojourn with other religions we should be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
For us today we may see those things happening about what Christ talked, when he spoke of followers of Christ being handed over to councils,  being brought before governors and kings, because of faith in Jesus, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. We have to accept that we shall come to live in a time when brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And we will be hated by everyone because of Jesus’ name.

Knowing that, we should find confidence in the words of the Gospel, and compare the evangils with what was written many years before and promised by Bod speaking through the prophets. When we take notice of what is written in the Holy Scriptures, we should not be afraid, because the one who endures to the end will be saved.

But we should take up the tasks given by Jesus because it is expected that the Good News Tellers will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household! Fear God, Not Man.”

Of whom do you want to be afraid?

We should not be afraid of men of this world, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. We should not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, we have to fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

We should let others get to know Christ Jesus and should never deny him before people, because he will than also deny that person also before his Father in heaven.
Yes religions may have set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. But in this all it is important that the right choice is made and that we dare to take up our own cross to follow Jesus. (Matthew 10:16-38)

Commands Hermas 13:6  whosoever therefore shall depart from all evil desires, shall live unto God; but they that are subject unto them shall die for ever. for this evil lusting is deadly. do thou therefore put on the desire of righteousness, and being armed with the fear of the lord, resist all wicked lusting.
Commands Hermas 13:10  and I said, sir, I would know how to serve that desire which is good? hearken, said he, fear God and put thy trust in him, and love truth, and righteousness, and do that which is good.
Commands Hermas 13:22  and turn yourselves to the lord your God, and forsake the devil and his pleasures, because they are evil, and bitter, and impure. and fear not the devil, because he has no power over you.
Commands Hermas 13:27  for if ye resist him, he will flee away with confusion from you. but they that are not full in the faith, fear the devil, as if he had some great power. for the devil tries the servants of God and if he finds them empty, he destroys them.
Commands Hermas 13:33  be not then afraid in the least of his threatenings, for they are without force, as the nerves of a dead man. but hearken unto me, and fear the lord almighty, who is able to save and to destroy you; and keep his commands, that ye may live unto God.
Similitudes Hermas 1:9  but what ye shall do for the name of the lord, ye shall find in your city, and shall have joy without sadness or fear. wherefore covet not the riches of the heathen; for they are destructive to the servants of God.
Similitudes Hermas 6:28  I said unto him; sir, I intreat you still to show me now one thing. what, said he, dost thou ask? I said unto him; are they who depart from the fear of God, tormented for the same time that they enjoyed their false delight and pleasures? he answered me: they are tormented for the same time.

and let us lay aside our wicked works which proceed from ill desires; that through his mercy we may be delivered from the condemnation to come.
now more resembles the oppressed nations that those people fled.

(Nehemiah 5:15 The Scriptures 1998+): “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. “

+

Previously:

To be continued:

  • A world in denial
  • Fear and protectionl
  • Condemnation of the World  and Illustration of Justification

++

  1. Judeo-Christian values and liberty
  2. Christian values and voting not just a game
  3. Uncertainty, shame and no time for vacillation
  4. Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America at war
  5. Justififiable anger or just anarchism
  6. Ability for a community to come back from a crisis
  7. Sense or nonsense of “Human Fragility”
  8. Which back voters in the US wants to see
  9. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
  10. Some one or something to fear
  11. Some one or something to fear #2 Attitude and Reactions
  12. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
  13. Some one or something to fear #4 Families and Competition
  14. Some one or something to fear #5 Not Afraid
  15. Some one or something to fear #6 Faith in the Most High
  16. Some one or something to fear #7 Not afraid for Gods Name
  17. The “Vengeful God” of the Old Testament - (OR) – The “ALL Forgiving” God of the New Testament
  18. Jehovah’s  Mighty Acts of Healing – through Jesus Christ
  19. The Spirit of God imparts love,inspires hope, and gives liberty
  20. The Spirit of God brings love, hope and freedom
  21. I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! . –Psalm 119:127
  22. Abhor evil. Adhere to goodness

++

Fear:

  1. Anxiety is the gap between the now and the later
  2. Fear knocked at the door
  3. Whom should I fear
  4. Fearing the right person
  5. God become master of our passions
  6. God is Positive
  7. Be strong and take courage
  8. Do not be afraid. Good news because a Saviour has been born
  9. No fear in love

Additional Dutch articles:

  1. Angst is de grote boosdoener in ons streven naar een beter mens te worden.
  2. Omgaan met angst
  3. Bedenkingen Zorgen maken
  4. Faalangst en draagkracht van God
  5. Als deelgenoten komt Jehovah ons ten goede
  6. Verdriet
  7. Neil Anderson en het juk van angst en depressie
  8. Jan De Volder bundelt gesprekken tussen imam, rabbijn en priester
  9. Karikatuur of vooringenomen reactie-instelling
  10. Denkt niet vanuit angst, denk vanuit geloof
  11. Ondankbaarheid opzij schuiven
  12. Verontrustheid van Jezus

+++

  • Multicultural apocalypse: Stealth jihad has taken root in Europe and is coming to America (worldnewstribune.com)
    Geert Wilders spoke at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver, Colorado on July 1. The following is the complete transcript of his speech.
    +
    However, if you really love freedom, you have to speak the truth. If not, we will fall victim to Islam, like earlier the people in the Middle East, North Africa, Persia, India and Indonesia fell victim to it.
    +
    As the Muslim population is concentrated in urban areas, many European cities have very large Islamic concentrations. We are confronted with headscarves and burkas, polygamy, female genital mutilation, honor-killings.
    +
    The rise of Islam also means the rise of sharia law in our judicial systems. In Europe we have sharia wills, sharia schools, sharia banks. The introduction of elements of sharia law in our societies creates a system of legal apartheid. Sharia law systematically discriminates groups of people.  …
  • It’s out with the old as Christian values fall away (smh.com.au)
    Given the Judeo-Christian origins of our long-held tradition of caring for the frail, census data indicating the demise of Christianity and the ageing of Australia’s population could herald a perfect social storm.
  • Takedown: Divided We Stand (persephonemagazine.com)
    “The essential difference between liberals and conservatives” is not that conservatives are independent and liberals are leeches. The essential difference between liberals and conservatives is in their political beliefs.
    +
    liberals and regressives and Marxists are all the same, which is a tired joke.
    +
    Nobody owns history. Nobody. And if you want to “keep” it, you should probably keep what came before, with the Native American culture. As far as symbols go? I mean, they’re just symbols. The flag is important, but not because of the colors or the shape — it is important because of what it stands for. Symbols really aren’t important in and of themselves.
    + Takedown: American-Americans
  • The 6 Most Offensive Things Said in the Wake of the Aurora Shooting (alternet.org)
    After reeling in shock from the horrifying details of the Aurora, Colorado massacre, many of us were soon reeling from the callous, exploitative reactions.
    +
    There is a race to come up with the most farfetched things to blame–anything, essentially, besides the ease of purchasing firearms and a system that doesn’t provide for the mentally ill.
    +
    During a radio interview on the Heritage Foundation’s “Istook Live!” show, Gohmert was asked why he believes such senseless acts of violence take place. Gohmert responded by talking about the weakening of Christian values in the country. “You know what really gets me, as a Christian, is to see the ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs, and then some senseless crazy act of terror like this takes place,” Gohmert said.
    +
    Mike Huckabee blames sin.
    +
    Extremist evangelicals Jerry Newcombe and Fred Jackson blame the liberal media, say victims who aren’t Christian are in hell.
    +
    Internet conspiracy theorists blame government, Obama, Illuminati.
  • Rep. Louie Gohmert apologizes for earlier comments linking Colorado shootings to attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs (trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com)
    Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, issued a statement over the weekend apologizing for comments he made on Friday linking the shootings at a Colorado theater to “ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs.”
  • Humanists denounce Rep. Gohmert’s comments linking Colorado shootings to “attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs” (secularnewsdaily.com)
    “Rep. Louis Gohmert truly tortures logic when he concludes that this violence had something to do with perceived attacks on majority faith in America,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “At a time when families are mourning in the wake of this tragedy, Gohmert used it as an opportunity to push a religious agenda.”Gohmert suggested the shootings could have been avoided if the country placed a higher value on God when he stated, “We’ve threatened high school graduation participations, if they use God’s name, they’re going to be jailed … I mean that kind of stuff. Where was God? What have we done with God? We don’t want him around. I kind of like his protective hand being present.”
  • ‘Judeo-Christianity’ – More Jewish mocking and hatred of Jesus Christ (theuglytruth.wordpress.com)
    Amy Aremia: Judeo-Christianity are in direct opposition and do not belong together….Christianity brought man out of the darkness of slavery and gave him human dignity and the freedom to make his own way in life.
  • The Right Wing’s Psychotic Version of God (planetpov.com)
    “Some of us happen to believe that when our founders talked about guarding our virtue and freedom, that that was important. Whether it’s John Adams saying our Constitution was made only for moral and religious people … Ben Franklin, only a virtuous people are capable of freedom, as nations become corrupt and vicious they have more need of masters … We have been at war with the very pillars, the very foundation of this country.
    +
    Welcome to the Dominionist Christianity of the Religious Right. It is a travesty of Christianity and the message of peace, love and compassion that was central to the teachings of Jesus.This cult version of Christianity instead obsesses about dominance, hatred and the triviality of the lives of any who aren’t directly supporting or promoting their goals. It is a form of Christianity that packages up all of the traits of their alleged adversary, The Devil, and coats them with a sweet veneer of victimhood, self-righteousness and superiority that makes it easy for them to swallow all that nastiness and keep it inside of them in the name of “faith”.
  • The antidote for public-school indoctrination (wnd.com)
    If you want to see what’s wrong and right with our country, watch Bradlee Dean’s ‘My War’ DVD series. It’s full of surprises.
  • Are You Full Of Yourself? (highlyfavored74.wordpress.com)
    Am I an empty vessel for God to use or am I full of myself ?  This means am I worthy to stand before God, and if so will I be able to say to my Father who art in Heaven – Lord, I did it with your help! When you are full of yourself you are selfish! Always thinking of self and less of others.
  • 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.

 

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 18 so far )

Manifests for believers #2 Changing celibacy requirement

Posted on February 5, 2012. Filed under: Christendom and Christianity, Churchplanning, News and Politics, Religion | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

2011-10-13 TEDxRotterdam 066

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.

°°°

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.

Trzebiatow St. Mary's Maternity Church 2010-06

St. Mary's Maternity Roman Catholic Church in Trzebiatów, Poland - Photo JDavid

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.

Warsaw metropolitan orthodox church st Maria Magdalena

Warsaw - Metropolitan orthodox church of St.Mary Magdalene - Photo Rafal Klisowski

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.”

Jozef De Kesel

Flemish bishop of Bruges Jozef De Kesel

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.

Priestly ordination

Priestly Ordination at the abbey of Fontgombault (France)

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?

WordsIn 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.

+

*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

++

Read also:

  1. A Call for National Dialogue on the Future of Priestly Ministry
  2. Celibacy and the Priesthood
  3. Bishop of Derry calls for end to celibacy in Catholic church
  4. Tracing the Glorious Origins of Priestly Celibacy

In Dutch:

  1. Beminde gelovigen
  2. Gelovigen nemen het woord: Manifest van Vlaamse gelovigen Najaar 2011
  3. Manifest tot protestantse kerk

+++

  • 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.
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    “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”.
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Self inflicted misery #2 Weakness of human race

Posted on July 22, 2011. Filed under: Environment and Ecology, Suffering, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Ikata Nuclear Power Plant

Ikata Nuclear Power Plant - Image via Wikipedia

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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  • 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.
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Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue

Posted on June 24, 2011. Filed under: Being Christian, following Jesus Christ, Bible Study and Bible Reading, Christendom and Christianity, Endtimes, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Suffering, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Job and his family restored - Blake

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).

Garden of Gethsemane

One of the beauties of Gods creation where Jesus prayed to His Father, his and our God

“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 )

gods of the babyboom generation

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:

  1. About suffering
  2. Disappointed with God
  3. Gods design in the creation of the world
  4. Gods instruction about joy and suffering
  5. Gods promises
  6. Gods measure not our measure
  7. Gods non answer
  8. Gods promises to us in our suffering
  9. Gods hope and our hope
  10. Gods salvation
  11. Hope for the future
  12. Importuning for suffering hearts
  13. Looking for blessed hope
  14. Miracles in our time of suffering
  15. Our relationship with God, Jesus and each other
  16. Promise of comforter
  17. Seems no future in suffering
  18. Suffering
  19. Suffering – through the apparent silence of God
  20. Suffering continues
  21. Suffering leading to joy
  22. Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
  23. Words from God about suffering
  24. Working of the hope

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Fragments from the Book of Job #6: chapters 38-42

Posted on June 23, 2011. Filed under: Bible Study and Bible Reading, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Satan and Evil, Suffering | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In his concluding speech in chapter 31, Job did demand that God appear before him, and in a sense, it is somewhat surprising for Elihu to appear instead.  But can a man command God to appear? Do we have the right or authority to demand the Most High to appear before us?
Job’s concluding remarks in chapter 31 could unlikely in some way compel the Almighty Elohimto appear.

Job restored to prosperity

Image via Wikipedia

Elihu came in between the discussion because he found lots of things said to Job but also about God were not right. He had found that multiple words against God were uttered, charging God of doing nothing about wickedness or even using evil things to vindicate. Though we can find some kind of truth and authority in the words from Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, they grated on the nerves of Elihu and angered God. It was not because God kept His silence that He did not listen or did not care, nor lost control over nation or man (Job 34:29-30). Also Elihu had the wrong idea about God working with His people. This sometimes arrogant looking person ends up offering a similar argument to that of the three friends: God is greater than man (Job 33:12) and thus he must have intended to warn or rebuke Job (Job 33: 14–30). He even hopes that Job’s trials will continue either until he recants or, if he does not recant, until he dies (Job 34:36-37) and states Job’s complaint that godliness avails a man nothing (Job 35:1-4). He also declared that God is too lofty to be affected either by godliness or ungodliness, which only affect other people (Job 35:5-8 ). An other fault brought forwards to those who are unlucky is that unanswered prayers would be because of the lack of faith of those who pray and to the emptiness of the prayer (Job 35:-16). Elihu at moments continued to attack Job in the line of the other three older friends (e.g., Job 34: 10-37; 35:16). He also suggested that Job had not recognized and maybe even had ignored the ways in which God had spoken to him (Job 33:14). The continual appeal for Job by the four friends to simply repent of whatever evil he has done is an obvious misdiagnosis, in light of the prologue (chapters 1-2) and on the other elements Job brought forward to plea for his justice, recapitulated by Elihu at the opening of his speech (Job 33:6, 9; 34:5-9).

Elihu, who sometimes handled as if he were thinking to be like a prophet, shed already a further light on the matter that the creator of the universe cannot be unjust (Job 32:18–20; 34:10-28). Perhaps we may be called men of understanding, but there are a lot of things we do not understand and who are to complex to grasp and to get over with. Often we can’t make God out because He is beyond us. We sometimes can’t get His meaning or miss the point of what He says and does. The Spirit God seems difficult to grasp, but He is not so incomprehensible as we think. We just should concentrate more on the essentials of Him.

In the Book of Job we got an idea in what ways evil come to this earth and how evil people suffer as well (Job 15:14-16, 20-35). Failure comes to many. In the many speeches from chapters 3 to 37 we heard the flawless logic but wounding thrusts of those who insisted on the traditional theology that it was indisputable that God is almighty, perfectly just and that no human can be pure in Gods sight. On the other hand we have to face the problem of godly, just people who suffer. In this Book from the Book of Books the author can give us some encouragement by showing us that our suffering provides an occasion like no other for exemplifying what true godliness is for human beings. As in the other books of the Bible we can get a picture of righteous people who suffer ‘unjust’ but, though they have to fight against certain thoughts, still continue to go strong for their beloved Creator and His creation.

Job being answered by God - from Byzantine manuscript - Megisti Lavra Monastery,Codex B. 100, 12th century

When we started this study of the Book of Job we mentioned the accuser of God. Satan, the adversary who brought a radical assault on God and godly people. When God called up the name of Job before the accuser and testified to his righteous, the Almighty is called a fool and His followers even more fools. Is it not that humans prefer to love the gifts of the Creator then the Creator Himself? It is up to men to proof that he not tries to pleases God merely for the sake of his benefits. Job did good things he told us, but not in the hope to get something in return. Are you “religious” and “good” because it pays? Do you want something in return for the good things you do?
That is an other subject tackled in the Book of Job. Which position do we as humans want to take in our life here on earth? How do we want to place ourselves against other people. How do we want to face the One from who we get all this around us? Job faced toward God with anguish, puzzlement, anger and bitter complaints. How do we want to look at our Creator? And when we do not hear our answers, at first, answered how can we cope with that seemingly silent Authority? but are we sure that this God, ruler of the universe, is really silent? We should know that He has given His Words to be with us every day. Most of the answers we have to know are handed over to us. We just have to grasp them. It is to us to take them at hand and to read them, to be able to hear them. So we cannot say God does not give the answers to us. He has given them already to all those who want to have them.

Only we do have to understand that we can not desire to get to know God thoroughly. Longing to know God is very good. But to read Him like a book is not possible. It is not so easy to have God taped in full. We cannot expect hat at the end of our life we shall know everything about God. It would be foolish wisdom to think that. We shall not be able to control everything, because that belongs to God. But He is willing to share parts of His knowledge with us. He is willing to give wisdom to His creatures. However Job’s experience makes bitterly clear to him that his friends “wisdom” cannot fathom the truth of his situation. No, the wisdom we can get does not bring the answers we would like to hear or see. Sometimes it can frustrate us. It can make us hungry. Wisdom and truth is discerned through hearing, just as the quality of food is discerned through tasting (Job 34:3). We better listen today to the Wisdom of God to get some ray of understanding some things and be  satisfied with what we already can get for answers at the moment. Patience is a good virtue. We should be pleased already that we can receive enough wisdom to comprehend those difficult creatures around us. And as we saw from the different answers of Job friends we do not always have to go by age, or by popularity. We always should remember that from these creaturely things, we as humans cannot learn all of God’s ways. And who are we mere human beings to to talk back to God? Does any object that is created riposte to its maker or will what is formed say to him who formed it, “why did you make me this way?” (Isaiah 29:16,45:9; Romans 9:20) “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?” (Romans 9:20 ASV)
Who in the world do we think we are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mould it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?”
For us it is perhaps best to recognise who is the Superior and not to deny God above (Job 31:28 ), recognising also the fact that our time on earth is also just a temporarily situation, and that the man who responds submissively to God’s dealings with him will regain health and joy (Job 33:25-28 ) Yes the Book of Job sheds also a light on what we might expect after death. When we die we shall all land up in the grave, the oppressors and the oppressed, they all shall perish and we shall not be able to take anything of our wealth or fame into our grave, the place of  departure (Job 27:15-23; Psalm 164:4 Isaiah 38:18). For the wealthy as well as the poor, the happy as the sufferers it shall be be as the animals (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) When God does not look at them any more, or His face is veiled, they shall be troubled; when He takes away their breath, they come to an end, and go back to the dust. “Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; Thou {1} takest away their breath, they die, And return to their dust. {1) Or gatherest in}” (Psalms 104:29 ASV) “and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7 ASV) Let us take Paul’s words into our hearth: “We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this {1} world, nor of the rulers of this {1} world, who are coming to nought: {1) Or age; and so in verses 7, 8; but not in verse 12}” (1 Corinthians 2:6 ASV)
Job will pass the supreme test of all true godliness, namely, to live by the wisdom God had given him, having the fear of the Most High Jehovah God and to depart from evil (Job 28:28 ),  and acknowledging the limits of human wisdom. Are we prepared to be satisfied with the brain we got and with what it can cope?

Elihu repeatedly stated that the purpose of God’s speaking to a person in the way he described is to keep “his soul from the pit” (also Job 33:18, 22, 24, 28, 30). Thus he implies that Job’s suffering may be a corrective of his overall path rather than simply punishment for some hidden sin. Though God does not five a warning finger to Elihu we can find God answer in the rest of the Bible. God response to Job will include some vocabulary and references that are similar to portions of Elihu Barachel (meaning either “may God bless” or “God has blessed”) his speeches, but He does not commend either Elihu’s suggested reasons for Job’s suffering or his anger against Job.

The Holy Spirit = Power of God

Elihu had played on the words “spirit” and “breath” in his early speeches (see also Job 33:4; 34:14) in the way most likely to evoke Job’s earlier plea (Job 27:2–3) as he asserted his own right to speak. But he rightly let us know that God is the Spirit, and it is His breath, the live in Him that brings us His Words. It is this breath or  Holy “Spirit” which is the “power” that can enlighten us.

“For he (God) needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.” (Job 34:23 ASV)  So God Almighty will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgement with God. Let us look at these words of the Lord of lords where He asks what evil or iniquity people have seen in Him that they have gone far from Him, and have walked after what is false,  worthless idols, worthlessness, vanity, and are become vain or become themselves nothings?
“thus saith Jehovah, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” (Jeremiah 2:5 ASV)

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Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton

Job Chapters 38-41

Job 38:1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
Job 38:2 Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?

Job 38:3 Gird thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.
Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I founded the earth? tell me now, if thou hast knowledge,
Job 38:5 who set the measures of it, if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
Job 38:6 On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?

Job 38:7 When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.
Job 38:8 And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother’s womb.
Job 38:9 And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
Job 38:10 And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
Job 38:11 And I said to it, Hitherto shalt thou come, but thou shalt not go beyond, but thy waves shall be confined within thee.
Job 38:12 Or did I order the morning light in thy time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;
Job 38:13 to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?

Job 38:14 Or didst thou take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?
Job 38:15 And hast thou removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
Job 38:16 Or hast thou gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
Job 38:17 And do the gates of death open to thee for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw thee?
Job 38:18 And hast thou been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?
Job 38:19 And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?
Job 38:20 If thou couldest bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also thou knowest their paths;
Job 38:21 I know then that thou wert born at that time, and the number of thy years is great.

Job 38:22 But hast thou gone to the treasures of snow? and hast thou seen the treasures of hail?
Job 38:23 And is there a store [of them], for thee against the time of [thine] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?
Job 38:24 And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?

Job 38:25 And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
Job 38:26 to rain upon the land where [there is] no man, the wilderness, where there is not a man in it; so as to feed the untrodden and uninhabited [land],
Job 38:27 and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
Job 38:28 Who is the rain’s father? and who has generated the drops of dew?

Job 38:29 And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,
Job 38:30 which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?

Job 38:31 And dost thou understand the band of Pleias, and hast thou opened the barrier of Orion?
Job 38:32 Or wilt thou reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Wilt thou guide them?

Job 38:33 And knowest thou the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
Job 38:34 And wilt thou call a cloud with thy voice, and will it obey thee with a violent shower of much rain?
Job 38:35 And wilt thou send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to thee, What is [thy pleasure]?

Job 38:36 And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
Job 38:37 And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
Job 38:38 For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.

Job 38:39 And wilt thou hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
Job 38:40 For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.
Job 38:41 And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.

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Job 39:1 [Say] if thou knowest the time of the bringing forth of the wild goats of the rock, and [if] thou hast marked the calving of the hinds:
Job 39:2 and [if] thou has hast numbered the full months of their being with young, and [if] thou hast relieved their pangs:
Job 39:3 and hast reared their young without fear; and wilt thou loosen their pangs?
Job 39:4 Their young will break forth; they will be multiplied with offspring: [their young] will go forth, and will not return to them.

Job 39:5 And who is he that sent forth the wild ass free? and who loosed his bands?
Job 39:6 whereas I made his habitation the wilderness, and the salt land his coverts.

Job 39:7 He laughs to scorn the multitude of the city, and hears not the chiding of the tax-gatherer.
Job 39:8 He will survey the mountains [as] his pasture, and he seeks after every green thing.

Job 39:9 And will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or to lie down at thy manger?
Job 39:10 And wilt thou bind his yoke with thongs, or will he plough furrows for thee in the plain?
Job 39:11 And dost thou trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou commit thy works to him?
Job 39:12 And wilt thou believe that he will return to thee thy seed, and bring [it] in [to] thy threshing-floor?

Job 39:13 The peacock has a beautiful wing: if the stork and the ostrich conceive, [it is worthy of notice],
Job 39:14 for [the ostrich] will leave her eggs in the ground, and warm them on the dust,
Job 39:15 and has forgotten that the foot will scatter them, and the wild beasts of the field trample them.
Job 39:16 She has hardened [herself] against her young ones, as though [she bereaved] not herself: she labours in vain without fear.
Job 39:17 For God has withholden wisdom from her, and not given her a portion in understanding.
Job 39:18 In her season she will lift herself on high; she will scorn the horse and his rider.

Job 39:19 Hast thou invested the horse with strength, and clothed his neck with terror?
Job 39:20 And hast thou clad him in perfect armour, and made his breast glorious with courage?
Job 39:21 He paws exulting in the plain, and goes forth in strength into the plain.
Job 39:22 He laughs to scorn a king as he meets him, and will by no means turn back from the sword.
Job 39:23 The bow and sword resound against him; and [his] rage will swallow up the ground:
Job 39:24 and he will not believe until the trumpet sounds.
Job 39:25 And when the trumpet sounds, he says, Aha! and afar off he smells the war with prancing and neighing.

Job 39:26 And does the hawk remain steady by thy wisdom, having spread out her wings unmoved, looking toward the region of the south?
Job 39:27 And does the eagle rise at thy command, and the vulture remain sitting over his nest,
Job 39:28 on a crag of a rock, and in a secret [place]?
Job 39:29 Thence he seeks food, his eyes observe from far.
Job 39:30 And his young ones roll themselves in blood, and wherever the carcasses may be, immediately they are found.

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Job 40:1 (39:31) And the Lord God answered Job, and said,
Job 40:2 (39:32) Will [any one] pervert judgment with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.

Job 40:3 (39:33) And Job answered and said to the Lord,
Job 40:4 (39:34) Why do I yet plead? being rebuked even while reproving the Lord: hearing such things, whereas I am nothing: and what shall I answer to these [arguments]? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5 (39:35) I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.

Job 40:6 (40:1) And the Lord yet again answered and spoke to Job out of the cloud, [saying],

Job 40:7 (40:2) Nay, gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.
Job 40:8 (40:3) Do not set aside my judgment: and dost thou think that I have dealt with thee in any other way, than that thou mightest appear to be righteous?

Job 40:9 (40:4) Hast thou an arm like the Lord’s? or dost thou thunder with a voice like his?
Job 40:10 (40:5) Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe thyself with glory and honour.
Job 40:11 (40:6) And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.
Job 40:12 (40:7) Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.
Job 40:13 (40:8) And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.
Job 40:14 (40:9) [Then] will I confess that thy right hand can save [thee].

Job 40:15 (40:10) But now look at the wild beasts with thee; they eat grass like oxen.
Job 40:16 (40:11) Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
Job 40:17 (40:12) He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.
Job 40:18 (40:13) His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.

Job 40:19 (40:14) This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.
Job 40:20 (40:15) And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.

Job 40:21 (40:16) He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.
Job 40:22 (40:17) And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.
Job 40:23 (40:18) If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trust that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.
Job 40:24 (40:19) [Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.

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Job 41:1 (40:20) But wilt thou catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Job 41:2 (40:21) Or wilt thou fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
Job 41:3 (40:22) Will he address thee with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
Job 41:4 (40:23) And will he make a covenant with thee? and wilt thou take him for a perpetual servant?
Job 41:5 (40:24) And wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Job 41:6 (40:25) And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?

Job 41:7 (40:26) And all the ships come together would not be able to bear the mere skin of his tail; neither [shall they carry] his head in fishing-vessels.
Job 41:8 (40:27) But thou shalt lay thy hand upon him [once], remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more.

Job 41:9 (41:0) Hast thou not seen him? and hast thou not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Job 41:10 (41:1) Dost thou not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?

Job 41:11 (41:2) Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?

Job 41:12 (41:3) I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.

Job 41:13 (41:4) Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Job 41:14 (41:5) Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
Job 41:15 (41:6) His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
Job 41:16 (41:7) One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air cannot come between them.
Job 41:17 (41:8) They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and cannot be separated.

Job 41:18 (41:9) At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
Job 41:19 (41:10) Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
Job 41:20 (41:11) Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
Job 41:21 (41:12) His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
Job 41:22 (41:13) And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
Job 41:23 (41:14) The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
Job 41:24 (41:15) His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
Job 41:25 (41:16) And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.

Job 41:26 (41:17) If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
Job 41:27 (41:18) For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
Job 41:28 (41:19) The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
Job 41:29 (41:20) Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
Job 41:30 (41:21) His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.

Job 41:31 (41:22) He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
Job 41:32 (41:23) and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.

Job 41:33 (41:24) There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
Job 41:34 (41:25) He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.

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Job 42:1 Then Job answered and said to the Lord,
Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do all things, and nothing is impossible with thee.
Job 42:3 For who is he that hides counsel from thee? or who keeps back his words, and thinks to hide them from thee? and who will tell me what I knew not, great and wonderful things which I understood not?
Job 42:4 But hear me, O Lord, that I also may speak: and I will ask thee, and do thou teach me.
Job 42:5 I have heard the report of thee by the ear before; but now mine eye has seen thee.
Job 42:6 Wherefore I have counted myself vile, and have fainted: and I esteem myself dust and ashes.

Job 42:7 And it came to pass after the Lord had spoken all these words to Job, [that] the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaemanite, Thou hast sinned, and thy two friends: for ye have not said anything true before me, as my servant Job [has].
Job 42:8 Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth against my servant Job.
Job 42:9 So Eliphaz the Thaemanite, and Baldad the Sauchite, and Sophar the Minaean, went and did as the Lord commanded them: and he pardoned their sin for the sake of Job.

Job 42:10 And the Lord prospered Job: and when he prayed also for his friends, he forgave them [their] sin: and the Lord gave Job twice as much, even the double of what he had before.
Job 42:11 And all his brethren and his sisters heard all that had happened to him, and they came to him, and [so did] all that had known him from the first: and they ate and drank with him, and comforted him, and wondered at all that the Lord had brought upon him: and each one gave him a lamb, and four drachms’ weight of gold, even of unstamped [gold].

Job 42:12 And the Lord blessed the latter end of Job, [more] than the beginning: and his cattle were fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, a thousand she-asses of the pastures.
Job 42:13 And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
Job 42:14 And he called the first Day, and the second Casia, and the third Amalthaea’s horn.
Job 42:15 And there were not found in comparison with the daughters of Job, fairer [women] than they in all the world: and their father gave them an inheritance among their brethren.

Job 42:16 And Job lived after [his] affliction a hundred and seventy years: and all the years he lived were two hundred and forty: and Job saw his sons and his sons’ sons, the fourth generation.
Job 42:17 And Job died, an old man and full of days: (42:17A) and it is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord raises up. (42:17B) This man is described in the Syriac book [as] living in the land of Ausis, on the borders of Idumea and Arabia: and his name before was Jobab; (42:17C) and having taken an Arabian wife, he begot a son whose name was Ennon. And he himself was the son of his father Zare, one of the sons of Esau, and of his mother Bosorrha, so that he was the fifth from Abraam. (42:17D) And these were the kings who reigned in Edom, which country he also ruled over: first, Balac, the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dennaba: but after Balac, Jobab, who is called Job, and after him Asom, who was governor out of the country of Thaeman: and after him Adad, the son of Barad, who destroyed Madiam in the plain of Moab; and the name of his city was Gethaim. (42:17E) And [his] friends who came to him were Eliphaz, of the children of Esau, king of the Thaemanites, Baldad sovereign of the Sauchaeans, Sophar king of the Minaeans.

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Continues: Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue

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“For He will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God.” (Job 34:23 KJ21)

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Note:

The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture; therefore the Word of God is inseparable from the Spirit of God. God is Spirit and the Holy spirit is not on other entity, it is the Power of God itself. The Scriptures introduce the reader to the Holy Spirit and the Spirit applies the truths of the Word to the hearts of the reader. Scripture must be interpreted in the immediate context of personal prayer. The Bible promises over and over that when we seek God, he will be found. The same is true if we seek his power. The “knowledge of God” is an essential feature of Christian attainment, according to the apostolic standard. Those “who know not God” are among those whom vengeance is to overtake (2 Thessalonians 1: 8). Knowledge of God is the basis of sonship to God. Without it, we cannot enter the divine family. How can we love and serve a being whom we do not know? Knowledge is the foundation of all. It is the rock upon which everlasting life itself is built. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, The Only True God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” (John 27: 3).

Prayer is the medium that brings individuals into contact with the same Spirit who inspired the writers of the Bible. To hear what the Spirit of the Only One God is saying through the Word you must encounter God through prayer. Prayer is the means that we must use to understand the Word of God. Without the assistance of the Holy Spirit in prayer, our Bible study will be in vain. Let us ask for the Spirit to speak to us through the Word.

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Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37

Posted on June 21, 2011. Filed under: Bible Study and Bible Reading, Endtimes, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Satan and Evil, Suffering | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Job-Blake

Job - Blake

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?

Elihu said i am young and ye are very old

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.

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Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31

Posted on June 20, 2011. Filed under: Bible Study and Bible Reading, Endtimes, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Jesus Christ Jeshua the Messiah Jahushua, Kingdom of God, Satan and Evil, Suffering | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

A popular image of the Tablets as rounded-off ...

The 10 commandments of God - A popular image of the Tablets as rounded-off

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

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Fragments from the Book of Job #3: chapters 21-26

Posted on June 19, 2011. Filed under: Bible Study and Bible Reading, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Life and Death, Satan and Evil, Suffering | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Job and his friends agreed that God is omnipotent, omniscient, has all the wisdom and strength, is just, and perfectly good. They could bring forwards that an omniscient being knows every way in which evils can come into existence and has  the power to prevent that evil from coming into existence. God can just say anything and it will happen.

The deceived and the deceiver are His, no matter what happens and how the mighty may think they can rule the earth, they shall find their end as anybody else. Perhaps even worse, because the world can turn against them. For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build, he can have get to a point where those oppressed turn against him. Zophar argued that neither the wicked man (Job 20: 12–19) nor his offspring (Job 20: 10) will enjoy the benefits of what he has acquired, because he has gained it through the oppression of others (Job 20:19–21). Now Job is going to argue not only that the wicked prosper and their offspring flourish (Job 21: 7–8), but also that their lives often appear unhindered by any of the signs of judgment that the friends so confidently describe Job 21:9–13). Furthermore, Job points out that the evidence for what he is claiming is not even concealed by the wicked themselves, who choose to follow their pursuits with open indifference to and even proclaimed defiance against the Lord (Job 21:14–16).

When bad people at their time on earth managed to do evil things you can wonder how from those bad things could come good things. ( Job 14:4 ) “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” Job describes human life as hard and short, a theme already declared to the friends in 7:1–10, and uses this question and answer to point out that no mortal is able to work outside of the limits that God has set (see also 14:5). The light of the sinner shall be put out, and the flame of his fire shall not shine any more.  The steps of his strength shall have become short, and by his design destruction shall overtake him. The oh so mighty shall also be overcome by fears on every side, which shall go after him at every step. His strength shall be made feeble for need of food, and destruction shall be waiting for his falling footstep. Like all people he shall have to face the other side of life, being sent away from the light into the dark; forced out of the world. At his fate those of the west are shocked, and those of the east are overcome with fear. Truly, these are the houses of the sinner, and this is the place of him who has no knowledge of God. Yes we may be sure, nobody can escape death. Under the earth his roots are dry, and over it his branch is cut off. His memory is gone from the earth, and in the open country there is no knowledge of his name. (Job 18:5-21)

In Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20 we read that Eliphaz, who gives his third and last speech (Job 22:1-30), revisited the central questions of his first response (see 4:17–21): if God does not trust fully even his heavenly servants (15:15), how can Job, as a mere man (Job 15: 14), continue to protest his innocence (Job 15:16)? Though Job is a unblemished person Eliphaz portrays the wicked man to implicate Job. The evil man is in pain all his days, and the number of the years stored up for the cruel seems to be small. The wicked shall get a sound of fear in his ears; in time of peace destruction will come on him. For him there shall come a time that there shall not be any hope of coming safe out of the dark, and his fate will be the dead. Then he may be certain that the day of trouble shall be ready for him. Though many may think he is not frightened, he also shall greatly be in fear of that what shall come over him, the gloomy moments with trouble and pain.
We may be sure any adversary of God, every one who stretches his hand out against God, and lifts his heart up against the Ruler of all, shall one day have to face the consequences of it.  (Job 15:21-25)

Job Speaks with His Friends (Job 2:1-13)

Job Speaks with His Friends (Job 2:1-13) - Doré's English Bible 1866

From the text we may see that Job his friends have failed as comforters (16:2–5), even though comfort was their original purpose for coming to him (see 2:11). Their condemnation leaves death as Job’s only hope, but to long for death is to give up on any possibility of vindication and is no hope at all (17:10–16). We, no matter what happens have received the hope of the Blessed Tidings. In case we believe in the Good Tidings and in the beautiful prospects God has promised we do not have to worry, because man can do us not as much as he thinks and cannot bring death over us. We also have to realise as Job that God alone is our hope for vindication. This was not clear to Job at first ( 16:21 distinguishes the “witness” from God but became more clear later; cf. 19:25.)

Sometimes it may look that the graveyard is ready for us. (Job 17:1) Believing that God has giving a solution and trusting in his son and that things are destined to occur (Luke 21:7), knowing that we as animals have a time for birth and a time to die or to be caught and destroyed. So let us be as the living be conscious that death will come to us, but that the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them, so the evildoers shall have to face the same nothingness. Their love and their hate and their envy shall than be ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 3:19; 9:5-6; 2 Peter 2:12)

Last time Job concluded with the wish that his belief in God’s vindication of him would be inscribed in rock as a permanent witness (Job 19: 23–27) and with a warning to his friends against continuing to pursue him with such anger and certainty that they are right, lest they fall under the very sort of judgement they assume has fallen on Job (Job 19: 28–29). Job now gives his last reply to his friends (Job 27:1-31:40) with a protestation of innocence (Job 27:1-23) and a pronouncement concerning wisdom (Job 28:1-28) and a panorama of his life (Job 29:1-31:40).

Do we want to listen the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself? Do we know that our Redeemer lives?

Job had almost stumbled, how is it with us? do we not often have such bad moments that we are envious for the others  ones’, the ones who do not believe and seem to have it so much better than us? Did our steps not nearly slipped as did Jobs and King David’s? (Psalm 73:2-3). Have we not such moments that we have the same as those examples in the Old Testament, being envious of the arrogant when we see the prosperity of the wicked?

In addition to the argument that a person’s circumstances are not necessarily a transparent indicator of blessing or judgement, there is an additional warning embedded in Job’s description: many people are fooled by the external circumstances of the evil man (who is the subject of this description, see Job 31: 30-34) into following him in life and honouring him in death.

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Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton

Job Chapter 21

Job 21:1 But Job answered and said,
Job 21:2 Hear ye, hear ye my words, that I may not have this consolation from you.
Job 21:3 Raise me, and I will speak; then ye shall not laugh me to scorn.
Job 21:4 What! is my reproof of man? and why should I not be angry?

Job 21:5 Look upon me, and wonder, laying your hand upon your cheek.
Job 21:6 For even when I remember, I am alarmed, and pains seize my flesh.
Job 21:7 Wherefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth?
Job 21:8 Their seed is according to [their] desire, and their children are in [their] sight.
Job 21:9 Their houses are prosperous, neither [have they] any where [cause for] fear, neither is there a scourge from the Lord upon them.
Job 21:10 Their cow does not cast her calf, and their [beast] with young is safe, and does not miscarry.
Job 21:11 And they remain as an unfailing flock, and their children play before [them], taking up the psaltery and harp;
Job 21:12 and they rejoice at the voice of a song.
Job 21:13 And they spend their days in wealth, and fall asleep in the rest of the grave.
Job 21:14 Yet [such a man] says to the Lord, Depart from me; I desire not to know thy ways.

Job 21:15 What is the Mighty One, that we should serve him? and what profit is there that we should approach him?
Job 21:16 For their good things were in [their] hands, but he regards not the works of the ungodly.

Job 21:17 Nevertheless, the lamp of the ungodly also shall be put out, and destruction shall come upon them, and pangs of vengeance shall seize them.
Job 21:18 And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up.

Job 21:19 Let his substance fail [to supply] his children: [God] shall recompense him, and he shall know it.
Job 21:20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him not be saved by the Lord.
Job 21:21 For his desire is in his house with him, and the number of his months has been suddenly cut off.

Job 21:22 Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? and does not he judge murders?
Job 21:23 One shall die in his perfect strength, and wholly at ease and prosperous;
Job 21:24 and his inwards are full of fat, and his marrow is diffused [throughout him].
Job 21:25 And another dies in bitterness of soul, not eating any good thing.
Job 21:26 But they lie down in the earth together, and corruption covers them.

Job 21:27 So I know you, that ye presumptuously attack me:
Job 21:28 so that ye will say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the covering of the tabernacles of the ungodly?
Job 21:29 Ask those that go by the way, and do not disown their tokens.
Job 21:30 For the wicked hastens to the day of destruction: they shall be led away for the day of his vengeance.
Job 21:31 Who will tell him his way to his face, whereas he has done [it]? who shall recompense him?
Job 21:32 And he has been led away to the tombs, and he has watched over the heaps.
Job 21:33 The stones of the valley have been sweet to him, and every man shall depart after him, and [there are] innumerable [ones] before him.

Job 21:34 How then do ye comfort me in vain? whereas I have no rest from your molestation.

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Job 22:1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
Job 22:2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
Job 22:3 For what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in [thy] works? or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?

Job 22:4 Wilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into judgment with thee?
Job 22:5 Is not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?
Job 22:6 And thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast taken away the clothing of the naked.
Job 22:7 Neither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken away the morsel of the hungry.
Job 22:8 And thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established those [that were already settled] on the earth.
Job 22:9 But thou hast sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
Job 22:10 Therefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled thee.

Job 22:11 The light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on thy lying down.
Job 22:12 Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?
Job 22:13 And thou has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?
Job 22:14 A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.
Job 22:15 Wilt thou [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
Job 22:16 who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.

Job 22:17 Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?
Job 22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel for the wicked is far from him.
Job 22:19 The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].
Job 22:20 Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].

Job 22:21 Be firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall prosper.
Job 22:22 And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

Job 22:23 And if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast [thus] removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.
Job 22:24 Thou shalt lay up for thyself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.

Job 22:25 So the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.
Job 22:26 Then shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.
Job 22:27 And he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant thee [power] to pay thy vows.
Job 22:28 And he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon thy paths.
Job 22:29 Because thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.
Job 22:30 He shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure hands.

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Job 23:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 23:2 Yea, I know that pleading is out of my reach; and his hand has been made heavy upon my groaning.
Job 23:3 Who would then know that I might find him, and come to an end [of the matter]?
Job 23:4 And I would plead my own cause, and he would fill my mouth with arguments.
Job 23:5 And I would know the remedies which he would speak to me, and I would perceive what he would tell me.
Job 23:6 Though he should come on me in [his] great strength, then he would not threaten me;
Job 23:7 for truth and reproof are from him; and he would bring forth my judgment to an end.

Job 23:8 For if I shall go first, and exist no longer, still what do I know [concerning] the latter end?
Job 23:9 When he wrought on the left hand, then I observed [it] not: his right hand shall encompass me but I shall not see [it].
Job 23:10 For he knows already my way; and he has tried me as gold.

Job 23:11 And I will go forth according to his commandments, for I have kept his ways; and I shall not turn aside from his commandments,
Job 23:12 neither shall I transgress; but I have hid his words in my bosom.

Job 23:13 And if too he has thus judged, who is he that has contradicted, for he has both willed [a thing] and done it.
Job 23:14 <>
Job 23:15 (23:14) Therefore am I troubled at him; and when I was reproved, I thought of him. (23:15) Therefore let me take good heed before him: I will consider, and be afraid of him.

Job 23:16 But the Lord has softened my heart, and the Almighty has troubled me.
Job 23:17 For I knew not that darkness would come upon me, and thick darkness has covered [me] before my face.

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Job 24:1 But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
Job 24:2 while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?
Job 24:3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow’s ox for a pledge.
Job 24:4 They have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.
Job 24:5 And they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to [his] little ones.
Job 24:6 They have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.
Job 24:7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.
Job 24:8 They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.
Job 24:9 They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.
Job 24:10 And they have wrongfully caused [others] to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.
Job 24:11 They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.

Job 24:12 Who have cast forth [the] poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.
Job 24:13 Why then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their [appointed] paths?
Job 24:14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:
Job 24:15 and the eye of the adulterer has watched [for] the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.
Job 24:16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
Job 24:17 For the morning is to them all [as] the shadow of death, for [each] will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.

Job 24:18 He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.
Job 24:19 [Let them be] withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless.
Job 24:20 Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapour of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.
Job 24:21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
Job 24:22 And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, [a man] will not feel secure of his own life.

Job 24:23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.
Job 24:24 For his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.
Job 24:25 But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?

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Job 25:1 Then Baldad the Sauchite answered and said,
Job 25:2 What beginning or fear is his—even he that makes all things in the highest?
Job 25:3 For let none think that there is a respite for robbers: and upon whom will there not come a snare from him?
Job 25:4 For how shall a mortal be just before the Lord? or who that is born of a woman shall purify himself?
Job 25:5 If he gives an order to the moon, then it shines not; and the stars are not pure before him.
Job 25:6 But alas! man is corruption, and the son of man a worm.

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Job 26:1 But Job answered and said,
Job 26:2 To whom dost thou attach thyself, or whom art thou going to assist? is it not he that [has] much strength, and [he] who has a strong arm?
Job 26:3 To whom hast thou given counsel? is it not to him who has all wisdom? whom wilt thou follow? is it not one who has the greatest power?
Job 26:4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose breath is it that has come forth from thee?

Job 26:5 Shall giants be born from under the water and the inhabitants thereof?
Job 26:6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction has no covering.
Job 26:7 He stretches out the north wind upon nothing, and he upon nothing hangs the earth;
Job 26:8 binding water in his clouds, and the cloud is not rent under it.
Job 26:9 He keeps back the face of his throne, stretching out his cloud upon it.
Job 26:10 He has encompassed the face of the water by an appointed ordinance, until the end of light and darkness.
Job 26:11 The pillars of heaven are prostrate and astonished at his rebuke.
Job 26:12 He has calmed the sea with [his] might, and by [his] wisdom the whale has been overthrown.
Job 26:13 And the barriers of heaven fear him, and by a command he has slain the apostate dragon.
Job 26:14 Behold, these are parts of his way; and we will hearken to him at the least intimation of his word: but the strength of his thunder who knows, when he shall employ [it]?

 

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Continues: Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31

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Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20

Posted on June 18, 2011. Filed under: Bible Study and Bible Reading, Jehovah יהוה YHWH JHVH God Elohim Yahweh Jahweh, Life and Death, Satan and Evil, Suffering | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Etymologically the name Job could be related to the Hebrew word for “enemy,” with reference to either Job’s attitude to God or his response to suffering. The name might also be a contracted form of “Where is my father?”

In Fragments from the Book of Job #1: chapters 1-12 we could find the blameless and upright man in character, blessed in family and possessions, whose life embodied the fear of God both for himself and on behalf of his family (1:1–5). But then the adversaries and Job’s three friends (Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite) who came to offer sympathy and comfort, were trying to put the wrong doings from Job at the cause of his problems. These friends represent an oversimplified “orthodoxy,” based on a misreading of the wisdom tradition to the effect that all troubles are punishments for wrongdoing. Their “comfort” consists largely of applying this message to Job, urging him to identify his sin and repent of it. In so doing, these friends serve as a mirror for all readers who might be inclined to say similar things to people in distress.

An early engraving by Blake for the Book of Job

An early engraving by Blake for the Book of Job

The book tries to to explain evil and placing the Universal deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient in it. Throughout the dialogue, Job tries to maintain that he is in the right while also arguing God’s character back to him in lament about why his righteousness and justice do not appear to be borne out in events on earth.

In the previous chapters a light is also shed on the wrong idea that there would be some after life. Job is aware that when we die it is finished and we become put in the ground not being able to do anything. We could look at death as Job describes it, namely as rest from the toil of life. ( Job 3:13–19) When we die we come into a state as if we sleep or as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light (Job 3:16). All cease from troubling, and there the weary can come at rest and be freed from each other and equal in the same position, to become dust.  For man, when he is dead, perishes, and consumes away, what becomes of him? So man after he is asleep rises not, he shall not wake till the heavens be no more, nor rise out of his sleep. (Job 14:10-12) Therefore Job longs at a certain moment to be cut off of all his problems. so that he could rest from his suffering, knowing that he had not denied God (6:10). Job found his life unbearable on account of the empty comfort offered by his friends (6:14–30) and what he describes as the continued watchfulness of God (7:11–21).

Eliphaz wonders if Mortal Man can  be in the Right before God. Jobs friends are arguing precisely that a righteous person can be in the right before God.

The friends assume that both Job’s circumstances and his response to them are indications that he is in the wrong before God and needs to acknowledge and repent of his sin. However, Job will insist not only that he is not guilty of some hidden iniquity but that it is God who ultimately has allowed and governed his circumstances. So he does not curse God’s name or accuse God of injustice but rather seeks an explanation or an account of his wrong doing.

Bildad wonders how it can be that when a man were blameless,  he could show himself to be right before the God of justice (see 9:2)? And if shame and disaster are the fate of the wicked, how is it that the wicked so often appear to prosper in relative safety (see 12:6; 21:7)?

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Coverdale Bible
1535 by Miles Coverdale

Job Chapter 12

Job 12:2 Then (no doute) ye are the men alone, and wysdome shal perish with you.
Job 12:3 But I haue vnderstodinge as well as ye, and am no lesse then ye. Yee who knoweth not these thinges?
Job 12:4 Thus he that calleth vpo God, and whom God heareth, is mocked of his neghboure: the godly & innocent man is laughed to scorne.
Job 12:5 Godlynesse is a light despysed in ye hertes of the rich, & is set for them to stomble vpon.
Job 12:6 The houses of robbers are in wealth and prosperite, & they that maliciously medle agaynst God, dwel without care: yee God geueth all thinges richely with his honde.

Matthew’s Bible
1549 by John Rogers

Job 12:6 The houses of robbers are in wealth & prosperite, and they that maliciously medle agaynst God, dwell without care: ye God geueth all thinges rychely with hys hande.

Job 12:13 Ye with God is wysdome and strength, it is he that hath councell and forknowlege.
Job 12:14 If he breake downe a thinge, who can set it vp agayne? If he shut a thing, who wyll open it?
Job 12:15 Beholde, yf he witholde the waters, they drye vp: Yf he let them go, they destroye the earth.
Job 12:16 With hym is strength and wysdome: he knoweth bothe the disceyuer & hym that is disceyued.
Job 12:17 He caryeth awaye the wyse men, as it were a spoyle, and bringeth the iudges out of their wyttes.
Job 12:18 He lowseth the gyrdle of kynges, and gyrdeth theyr loynes with a bonde.
Job 12:19 He ledeth awaye the Preastes in to captyuyte, and turneth the myghtye vpsyde downe.
Job 12:20 He taketh the verite from out of the mouth, & disapoynteth the aged of their wysdome.
Job 12:21 He poureth out confusyon vpon Princes, and comforteth them that haue bene oppressed.
Job 12:22 Loke what lyeth hyd in darcknesse, he declareth it openly: and the very shadowe of death bringet he to lyght.
Job 12:23 He bothe increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: He maketh them to multiplye and driueth them awaye.
Job 12:24 He chaungeth the herte of the Princes and Kynges of the earth and disapoynteth them: so that they go wandringe out of the waye,
Job 12:25 & grope in the darcke without light, stackeringe to and fro lyke droncken men.

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Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton

Job Chapters 13-20

Job 13:1 Behold, mine eye has seen these things, and mine ear has heard [them].
Job 13:2 And I know all that ye too know; and I have not less understanding than you.
Job 13:3 Nevertheless I will speak to the Lord, and I will reason before him, if he will.

Job 13:6 But hear ye the reasoning of my mouth, and attend to the judgment of my lips.
Job 13:7 Do ye not speak before the Lord, and utter deceit before him?
Job 13:8 Or will ye draw back? nay do, ye yourselves be judges.

Job 13:9 For [it were] well if he would thoroughly search you: for though doing all things [in your power] ye should attach yourselves to him,
Job 13:10 he will not reprove you at all the less: but if moreover ye should secretly respect persons,
Job 13:11 shall not his whirlpool sweep you round, and terror from him fall upon you?
Job 13:12 And your glorying shall prove in the end to you like ashes, and your body [like a body] of clay.

Job 13:15 Though the Mighty One should lay hand upon me, forasmuch as he has begun, verily I will speak, and plead before him.
Job 13:16 And this shall turn to me for salvation; for fraud shall have no entrance before him.

Job 13:17 Hear, hear ye my words, for I will declare in your hearing.
Job 13:18 Behold, I am near my judgment: I know that I shall appear evidently just.

Job 13:19 For who is he that shall plead with me, that I should now be silent, and expire?
Job 13:20 But grant me two things: then I will not hide myself from thy face.
Job 13:21 Withhold [thine] hand from me: and let not thy fear terrify me.
Job 13:22 Then shalt thou call, and I will hearken to thee: or thou shalt speak, and I will give thee an answer.
Job 13:23 How many are my sins and my transgressions? teach me what they are.
Job 13:24 Wherefore hidest thou thyself from me, and deemest me thine enemy?
Job 13:25 Wilt thou be startled [at me], as [at] a leaf shaken by the wind? or wilt thou set thyself against me as against grass borne upon the breeze?
Job 13:26 for thou hast written evil things against me, and thou hast compassed me with the sins of my youth.
Job 13:27 And thou hast placed my foot in the stocks; and thou hast watched all my works, and hast penetrated my heels.
Job 13:28 [I am as] that which waxes old like a bottle, or like a moth-eaten garment.

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Job 14:1 For a mortal born of a woman [is] short lived, and full of wrath.
Job 14:2 Or he falls like a flower that has bloomed; and he departs like a shadow, and cannot continue.
Job 14:3 Hast thou not taken account even of him, and caused him to enter into judgment before thee?
Job 14:4 For who shall be pure from uncleanness? not even one;
Job 14:5 if even his life should be [but] one day upon the earth: and his months are numbered by him: thou hast appointed [him] for a time, and he shall by no means exceed [it].

Job 14:6 Depart from him, that he may be quiet, and take pleasure in his life, [though] as a hireling.
Job 14:7 For there is hope for a tree, even if it should be cut down, [that] it shall blossom again, and its branch shall not fail.
Job 14:8 For though its root should grow old in the earth, and its stem die in the rock;
Job 14:9 it will blossom from the scent of water, and will produce a crop, as one newly planted.

Job 14:10 But a man that has died is utterly gone; and when a mortal has fallen, he is no more.
Job 14:11 For the sea wastes in [length of] time, and a river fails and is dried up.
Job 14:12 And man that has lain down [in death] shall certainly not rise again till the heaven be dissolved, and they shall not awake from their sleep.
Job 14:13 For oh that thou hadst kept me in the grave, and hadst hidden me until thy wrath should cease, and thou shouldest set me a time in which thou wouldest remember me!
Job 14:14 For if a man should die, shall he live [again], having accomplished the days of his life? I will wait till I exist again?
Job 14:15 Then shalt thou call, and I will hearken to thee: but do not thou reject the work of thine hands.

Job 14:16 But thou hast numbered my devices: and not one of my sins shall escape thee?
Job 14:17 An thou hast sealed up my transgressions in a bag, and marked if I have been guilty of any transgression unawares.
Job 14:18 And verily a mountain falling will utterly be destroyed, and a rock shall be worn out of its place.
Job 14:19 The waters wear the stones, and waters falling headlong [overflow] a heap of the earth: and thou destroyest the hope of man.
Job 14:20 Thou drivest him to an end, and he is gone: thou settest thy face against him, and sendest him away;
Job 14:21 and though his children be multiplied, he knows [it] not; and if they be few, he is not aware.
Job 14:22 But his flesh is in pain, and his soul mourns.

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Job 15:1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
Job 15:2 Will a wise man give for answer a [mere] breath of wisdom? and does he fill up the pain of his belly,
Job 15:3 reasoning with improper sayings, and with words wherein is no profit?
Job 15:4 Hast not thou moreover cast off fear, and accomplished such words before the Lord?
Job 15:5 Thou art guilty by the words of thy mouth, neither hast thou discerned the words of the mighty.
Job 15:6 Let thine own mouth, and not me, reprove thee: and thy lips shall testify against thee.

Job 15:7 What! art thou the first man that was born? or wert thou established before the hills?
Job 15:8 Or hast thou heard the ordinance of the Lord? or has God used thee as [his] counsellor? and has wisdom come [only] to thee?
Job 15:9 For what knowest thou, that, we know not? or what understandest thou, which we do not also?
Job 15:10 Truly among us [are] both the old and very aged man, more advanced in days than thy father.
Job 15:11 Thou hast been scourged for [but] few of thy sins: thou hast spoken haughtily [and] extravagantly.
Job 15:12 What has thine heart dared? or what have thine eyes [aimed at],
Job 15:13 that thou hast vented [thy] rage before the Lord, and delivered such words from [thy] mouth?

Job 15:14 For who, being a mortal, [is such] that he shall be blameless? or, [who that is] born of a woman, that he should be just?
Job 15:15 Forasmuch as he trusts not his saints; and the heaven is not pure before him.
Job 15:16 Alas then, abominable and unclean is man, drinking unrighteousness as a draught.
Job 15:17 But I will tell thee, hearken to me; I will tell thee now what I have seen;
Job 15:18 things wise men say, and their fathers have not hidden.
Job 15:19 To them alone the earth was given, and no stranger came upon them.

Job 15:20 All the life of the ungodly [is spent] in care, and the years granted to the oppressor are numbered.
Job 15:21 And his terror is in his ears: just when he seems to be at peace, his overthrow will come.
Job 15:22 Let him not trust that he shall return from darkness, for he has been already made over to the power of the sword.
Job 15:23 And he has been appointed to be food for vultures; and he knows within himself that he is doomed to be a carcass: and a dark day shall carry him away as with a whirlwind.
Job 15:24 Distress also and anguish shall come upon him: he shall fall as a captain in the first rank.
Job 15:25 For he has lifted his hands against the Lord, and he has hardened his neck against the Almighty Lord.
Job 15:26 And he has run against him with insolence, on the thickness of the back of his shield.
Job 15:27 For he has covered his face with his fat, and made layers of fat upon his thighs.
Job 15:28 And let him lodge in desolate cities, and enter into houses without inhabitant: and what they have prepared, others shall carry away.
Job 15:29 Neither shall he at all grow rich, nor shall his substance remain: he shall not cast a shadow upon the earth.
Job 15:30 Neither shall he in any wise escape the darkness: let the wind blast his blossom, and let his flower fall off.
Job 15:31 Let him not think that he shall endure; for his end shall be vanity.
Job 15:32 His harvest shall perish before the time, and his branch shall not flourish.
Job 15:33 And let him be gathered as the unripe grape before the time, and let him fall as the blossom of the olive.

Job 15:34 For death is the witness of an ungodly man, and fire shall burn the houses of them that receive gifts.
Job 15:35 And he shall conceive sorrows, and his end shall be vanity, and his belly shall bear deceit.

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Job 16:1 But Job answered and said,
Job 16:2 I have heard many such things: poor comforters are ye all.
Job 16:3 What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder thee from answering?
Job 16:4 I also will speak as ye [do]: if indeed your soul were in my [soul’s] stead, (16:5) then would I insult you with words, and I would shake my head at you.
Job 16:5 (16:6) And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of my lips.
Job 16:6 (16:7) For if I should speak, I shall not feel the pain of my wound: and if I should be silent, how shall I be wounded the less?

Job 16:7 (16:8) But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and thou hast laid hold of me.
Job 16:8 (16:9) My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it has confronted me to my face.
Job 16:9 (16:10) In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the weapons of his robbers have fallen upon me.
Job 16:10 (16:11) He has attacked me with the keen glances of his eyes; with his sharp [spear] he has smitten me [down] upon my knees; and they have run upon me with one accord.
Job 16:11 (16:12) For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.
Job 16:12 (16:13) When I was at peace he distracted me: he took me by the hair of the head, and plucked it out: he set me up as a mark.

Job 16:13 (16:14) They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing [me] they poured out my gall upon the ground.
Job 16:14 (16:15) They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their] might.
Job 16:15 (16:16) They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on the ground.

Job 16:16 (16:17) My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
Job 16:17 (16:18) Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Job 16:18 (16:19) Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, and let my cry have no place.
Job 16:19 (16:20) And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
Job 16:20 (16:21) Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.
Job 16:21 (16:22) Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbor!
Job 16:22 (16:23) But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the way by which I shall not return.

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Job 17:1 I perish, carried away by the wind, and I seek for burial, and obtain [it] not.
Job 17:2 Weary I intreat; and what have I done? and strangers have stolen my goods.

Job 17:3 Who is this? let him join hands with me.
Job 17:4 For thou hast hid their heart from wisdom; therefore thou shalt not exalt them.
Job 17:5 He shall promise mischief to [his] companions: but [their] eyes have failed for [their] children.

Job 17:6 But thou has made me a byword amount the nations, and I am become a scorn to them.
Job 17:7 For my eyes are dimmed through pain; I have been grievously beset by all.
Job 17:8 Wonder has seized true men upon this; and let the just rise up against the transgressor.

Job 17:9 But let the faithful hold on his own way, and let him that is pure of hands take courage.
Job 17:10 Howbeit, do ye all strengthen [yourselves] and come now, for I do not find truth in you.

Job 17:11 My days have passed in groaning, and my heart-strings are broken.
Job 17:12 I have turned the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
Job 17:13 For if I remain, Hades is my habitation: and my bed has been made in darkness.
Job 17:14 I have called upon death to be my father, and corruption [to be] my mother and sister.
Job 17:15 Where then is yet my hope? or [where] shall I see my good?
Job 17:16 Will they go down with me to Hades, or shall we go down together to the tomb?

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Job 18:1 Then Baldad the Sauchite answered and said,
Job 18:2 How long wilt thou continue? forbear, that we also may speak.
Job 18:3 For wherefore have we been silent before thee like brutes?
Job 18:4 Anger has possessed thee: for what if thou shouldest die; would [the earth] under heaven be desolate? or shall the mountains be overthrown from their foundations?
Job 18:5 But the light of the ungodly shall be quenched, and their flame shall not go up.
Job 18:6 His light [shall be] darkness in [his] habitation, and his lamp shall be put out with him.
Job 18:7 Let the meanest of men spoil his goods, and let his counsel deceive [him].
Job 18:8 His foot also has been caught in a snare, [and] let it be entangled in a net.
Job 18:9 And let snares come upon him: he shall strengthen those that thirst for his destruction.
Job 18:10 His snare is hid in the earth, and that which shall take him is by the path.
Job 18:11 Let pains destroy him round about, and let many [enemies] come about him,
Job 18:12 [vex him] with distressing hunger: and a signal destruction has been prepared for him.
Job 18:13 Let the soles of his feet be devoured: and death shall consume his beauty.

Job 18:14 And let health be utterly banished from his tabernacle, and let distress seize upon him with a charge from the king.
Job 18:15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle in his night: his excellency shall be sown with brimstone.

Job 18:16 His roots shall be dried up from beneath, and his crop shall fall away from above.
Job 18:17 Let his memorial perish out of the earth, and his name shall be publicly cast out.
Job 18:18 Let [one] drive him from light into darkness.
Job 18:19 He shall not be known among his people, nor his house preserved on the earth.
Job 18:20 But strangers shall dwell in his possessions: the last groaned for him, and wonder seized the first.
Job 18:21 These are the houses of the unrighteous, and this is the place of them that know not the Lord.

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Job 19:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 19:2 How long will ye vex my soul, and destroy me with words? only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus.
Job 19:3 Ye speak against me; ye do not feel for me, but bear hard upon me.

Job 19:4 Yea verily, I have erred in truth, (but the error abides with myself) (19:4A) in having spoken words which it was not right [to speak]; and my words err, and are unreasonable.

Job 19:5 But alas! for ye magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach.

Job 19:6 Know then that it is the Lord that has troubled [me], and has raised his bulwark against me.

Job 19:7 Behold, I laugh at reproach; I will not speak: [or] I will cry out, but [there is] nowhere judgment.
Job 19:8 I am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: he has set darkness before my face.
Job 19:9 And he has stripped me of my glory, and has taken the crown from my head.
Job 19:10 He has torn me around about, and I am gone: and he has cut off my hope like a tree.
Job 19:11 And he has dreadfully handled me in anger, and has counted me for an enemy.
Job 19:12 His troops also came upon me with one accord, liars in wait compassed my ways.

Job 19:13 My brethren have stood aloof from me; they have recognized strangers [rather] than me: and my friends have become pitiless.
Job 19:14 My nearest of kin have not acknowledged me, and they that knew my name, have forgotten me.
Job 19:15 [As for] my household, and my maid-servants, I was a stranger before them.
Job 19:16 I called my servant, and he hearkened not; and my mouth intreated [him].
Job 19:17 And I besought my wife, and earnestly intreated the sons of my concubines.
Job 19:18 But they rejected me for ever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me.
Job 19:19 They that saw me abhorred me: the very persons whom I had loved, rose up against me.

Job 19:20 My flesh is corrupt under my skin, and my bones are held in [my] teeth.
Job 19:21 Pity me, pity me, O friends; for it is the hand of the Lord that has touched me.
Job 19:22 Wherefore do ye persecute me as also the Lord [does], and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Job 19:23 For oh that my words were written, and that they were recorded in a book forever,
Job 19:24 with an iron pen and lead, or graven in the rocks!

Job 19:25 For I know that he is eternal who is about to deliver me,
Job 19:26 [and] to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these [sufferings]: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord;
Job 19:27 which I am conscious of in myself, which mine eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in [my] bosom.

Job 19:28 But if ye shall also say, What shall we say before him, and [so] find the root of the matter in him?
Job 19:29 Do ye also beware of deceit: for wrath will come upon transgressors; and then shall they know where their substance is.

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Job 20:1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
Job 20:2 I did not suppose that thou wouldest answer thus: neither do ye understand more than I.
Job 20:3 I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
Job 20:4 Hast thou [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?
Job 20:5 But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:
Job 20:6 although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.
Job 20:7 For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?
Job 20:8 Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.
Job 20:9 The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

Job 20:10 Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.
Job 20:11 His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.
Job 20:12 Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;
Job 20:13 though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:
Job 20:14 yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.
Job 20:15 [His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of] [wrath] shall drag him out of his house.
Job 20:16 And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent’s tongue slay him.
Job 20:17 Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

Job 20:18 He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he cannot swallow.
Job 20:19 For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

Job 20:20 There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.
Job 20:21 There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

Job 20:22 But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.
Job 20:23 If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.
Job 20:24 And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.
Job 20:25 And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.
Job 20:26 And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.
Job 20:27 And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.
Job 20:28 Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.
Job 20:29 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].

***

° Hades, the underground, Sjeool/Sheol = the grave or the place of : break down, corrupt, decompose, disintegrate, fester, foul, mold, molder, perish, putrefy, rot, spoil, a place where Jesus also went for three days.

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Fragments from the Book of Job #1: chapters 1-12

Posted on June 17, 2011. Filed under: Bible Study and Bible Reading, Life and Death, Satan and Evil, Suffering | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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

Title Page for the Book of Job 1973.005.GR

Title Page for the Book of Job 1973 - Image by Black Country Museums via Flickr

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

Job 9:19 For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment?

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?

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.

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

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Profitable disasters

Posted on June 15, 2011. Filed under: Environment and Ecology, Family, Satan and Evil, Suffering, World | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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)

Atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

Atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945

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:

  1. About suffering
  2. Disappointed with God
  3. Gods design in the creation of the world
  4. Gods instruction about joy and suffering
  5. Gods promises
  6. Gods measure not our measure
  7. Gods non answer
  8. Gods promises to us in our suffering
  9. Gods hope and our hope
  10. Gods salvation
  11. Hope for the future
  12. Importuning for suffering hearts
  13. Looking for blessed hope
  14. Miracles in our time of suffering
  15. Our relationship with God, Jesus and each other
  16. Promise of comforter
  17. Seems no future in suffering
  18. Suffering
  19. Suffering – through the apparent silence of God
  20. Suffering continues
  21. Suffering leading to joy
  22. Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
  23. Words from God about suffering
  24. Working of the hope
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