This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
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Job
CHAPTER 31
Job has maintained that there is no sin which he hasn't confessed before God and forsaken. And he has questioned WHY God should allow such adversity to come upon him.
Now, it seems, he goes back over his life to voice the things he's done to keep FROM sin. IF there is one thing we Christians should do today, it is install interior checks and balances against sin.
First, Job says that he made a contract with his eyes to not LOOK upon a maid. Lust begins with the eyes. Job realizes that God is omniscient and omnipresent (verse 4). Even our thoughts are known to God.
Therefore, Job placed this guard against himself to never make a wanton look at a woman other than his wife.
The Bible teaches us that God's plan for marriage is : one woman for one man for one lifetime.
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Another guard Job had put up was to not let the vanities of the world become idolized in his eyes and heart.
When I was a younger man, I desired the "American Dream." The American dream teaches us that anyone can be come somebody in this great land. So I set out to do just that. Even though I was saved, I began to chase after a career and to "climb the ladder of success."
Now, there is nothing wrong with having a dream of success. But to let that dream totally consume all of a Christian's time and effort is to IDOLIZE that dream. I spent very little time in Bible study and prayer, and hardly ever went to church. I was to busy working on Sunday to be sure the boss noticed my efforts.
As a result, we hardly ever had "family time," and my children were ultimately led to the Lord by my wife and a pastor. Praise God for that; but it convicted my soul of the sin of idolatry. My JOB had become more like God to me than God.
God's grace found a way to turn me around. After fourteen years of striving for that "American Dream," I finally surrendered all that I was to God for HIS use.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
To allow sensual lust or any other thing to take hold in our lives other than God is a "heinous" crime. It is iniquity, or planned sin (verse 11). It is a "fire" that destroys the effectiveness of God's servant (verse 12).
Today, in America, perhaps we are more aware of time than anything else. Most people place a high value on time. And it should be so. We should have "schedules," and keep to them in order to accomplish our purposes in life.
However, when we take GOD'S time for ourselves it is sin. In the CENTER of all our scheduling and time consumption should be GOD.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
It is true that society is divided into "stations," or "levels." And some people have a higher or lower station. Job says he realized that his position in life was granted by grace from God. And he knew that the position of his servants was granted by God also. Therefore he determined he would not esteem them lower than himself.
God has created us all the same. Societal position should not bring discrimination. On that final judgment day, we will face God for such sin.
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Job realized also that his position in life demanded caretaking of the poor, the widows and the fatherless. Sometimes our position in life demands more of us than others.
The book of James teaches us a valuable lesson concerning this.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
To seek wealth for wealth's sake is idolatry. God should be our "confidence" (verse 24). When a person determines that he can only have what he wants by obtaining wealth, he has "denied" God's grace. (verse 28)
To offer worship to heavenly bodies (Zodiac signs) is also idolatry and denies the grace of God(verses 26-27). Those heavenly bodies were created by GOD.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
Job wouldn't even allow himself to rejoice when an enemy fell (verse 29-30). Neither should we.
He made sure that the "stranger" was welcome in his house (verse 32). Hospitality is a very good virtue.
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
Adam tried to hide his sin and cover his nakedness; and as Adam tried to blame his sin upon another. Job determined that he would always be open and frank before the Lord. He confessed his sins, and begged forgiveness.
He did not "follow a multitude to do evil" (Exodus 23:2). And he did not "fear" a multitude when he was supposed to do the right thing (verse 34). Just because "everyone else is doing it" doesn't make it RIGHT. In fact, if everyone is doing it, it's probably WRONG! And when we have a choice between right and wrong, we should not allow outside pressure to keep us from doing the right thing.
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
Think of a courtroom scene. Job considers himself to be "suing God for mercy." God, then, is the "adversary."
Job desires that all the things he had done were written in a book so that he could SHOW his defense, and justify his plea for mercy. The fact is that God really IS writing all we do in a book!
Job's theology here is consistent with the rest of the Bible. We are saved by grace through faith in our Redeemer. When we are saved, our hearts are "sealed in His Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13). Therefore, our works (which are emitted by the heart), are a product of God's Holy Spirit working in us. Our words and actions should be products of our regenerated spirit.
Job is not saying that he has worked for salvation; but he is maintaining that salvation has worked in him! And he KNOWS that if God will just look in the "books," He will see that.
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
God's work of grace in Job's heart has even caused him to be a careful caretaker of the land (verse 38). He hasn't taken advantage of the land. Neither has he taken advantage of other people's land (verse 39).
Thus Job presents his final argument and plea for mercy before God. He hasn't WORKED RIGHTEOUSNESS in order to be SAVED. But salvation has WORKED RIGHTEOUSNESS in him.
It is because of his faith in God that he has acted in righteousness.
Therefore, he rests his case not with men, who are impure and unable to judge the heart. But he rests his case with the ALMIGHTY GOD, Who sees and knows ALL that we are. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)
The respect we have for God's placement should give us desire to care for those who occupy lower stations in life.
"Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:" (Proverbs 24:17)
Job determined that all of the people in his house should be "satisfied" and that they would readily compliment him for his care of them (verse 31). We should live in such a way that those closest to us, and those who know us best, are compimentary of our actions in life.
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Revelation 20:12)
In John's vision he saw "books" and a "book" opened. The "books" contain the writings of all our actions. And the "book" contains the names of those who are saved.