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Job 26:10
10 He hath compassed [chuwg] the waters [paniym] [mayim] with bounds [choq], until
the day ['owr] and night [choshek] come to an end [takliyth]. KJV-Interlinear
10 'He has inscribed a circle on
the surface of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness. NASB
If you are into history and want to add a set of
volumes to your library, then the Encyclopedia of Geography is a good source of
information, both of the real world and the imagined world as seen through the
eyes of the ancients.
Job is describing a boundary between the light and the
darkness, between the land masses and the oceans, between the planet earth and
the heavens above. And throughout
history, people have interpreted Jobs writing in all of these ways.
With regard to maps, the ancients in Egypt viewed the
world as a vast globe, with land in one portion and waters surrounding the
great expanse beyond sight.
Opposed to this view was just about everyone, as the
world was seen as a great plane, surrounded by a greater ocean, which was
contained by impassable mountains.
No maps exist in our present day, from the time of
Job. However maps have been constructed
from the descriptions in Strabo, Herodotus, and others, which were summarized
in the early Roman times circa 54 A.D. And
these maps show the world surrounded by an ocean on every side, with a 'dark'
ocean running beneath the earth, sometimes referred to as an Abyss.
The ancient Arabs viewed the earth in similar fashion,
encompassed by a vast ocean and a 'Sea of Darkness' beyond. Similar maps existed during the time of the
crusades.
It was not until the early centuries of the 'teens'
that the landmasses began to take on their better shapes. More speculation of
course led Columbus and others in the early 1500's A.D., to discover the
spherical shape of the planet.
Job comments here are clues to more than just the
circular shape of the earth, however.
His mention of the architects compass as used to draw
curved lines or arc's, forms the curvature shape of the planet, or the horizon.
Anyone knows that when you place water in a pan it
will settle to a level plane, but Job describes the shape of the waters as
curved across the horizon.
The horizon also forms a line of separation between day
and night. The sun being on one side at
a time. The light side is on the sun
side and the dark side exists when the sun is on the other side. Given that Job experienced both day and
night, as we all do, then one has to presume that either the sun moved or the
earth moved. Something had to move in
order for the day and night to produce their changes.
Now these are all temporal views of the world around
us. But we all should know that the
Bible is not used to simply describe geography, but rather uses the truths of
the world to teach the truths of the spiritual life.
In the last portion of this verse, the boundary of
light and darkness is a reference to its 'completion.' This is not a separation description, but a
chronological timetable. In other words,
light and darkness will continue until history comes to a point of completion. At that time, the darkness will go away, and
only the light will remain.
So we have several views now. The geographical description of the circular
shape of the oceans. Their boundary or
inscribed circle, which contains them (between the continents, within the
planet, etc). Their relation to the
separation between the day and the night.
And the continuation of this boundary until a time of completion, at
which time that boundary will cease to exist.
Light and dark are always used as illustrations of
good and evil, of the spiritual life and the carnal life. Each being separated from the other.
People always have the choice between remaining in the
light, or sailing off into the darkness's of the unknown, wherein lies the
unknown abyss of no return.
In this life you can always sail off and probably
return, but in the spiritual life, when life is over for you, if you have
sailed away from God, as an unbeliever, then return is not possible.
Life has boundaries.
We are born and we will all die.
We all have choices. Good decisions bring more opportunities. Bad decisions lose opportunities for you.
Your choices in life place additional limits on your
life. Your life can be either long or
short depending on your lifestyle. The
quality of your life can be either good or bad, depending on a lot of factors.
No matter who you are or what you do in life, you have
limitations, physical, mental, or whatever.
You cannot change the world, you cannot change your
limitations which God has placed on you.
You can, however, change the quality of your destiny,
by making the right choices in life - faith in Christ, positive volition toward
spiritual growth.
This planet was designed by God, complete with all of
its limitations. Your life was designed
by God, also complete with all of your limitations.
Just as you will not be here for an unlimited period
of time, so neither will the planet, so neither will history.
Getting upset over the politics of the day, over the
social ills of the day, over some standard which you believe to be important to
society, making a big deal about how man should interact with man, or how
people should or should not live their lives, will not change your limitations.
Pursue your spiritual life and all of these things
will fall into place by natural means.
Ignore your spiritual life, as most of the world does, and you will
never see an end to problems.
So make the best of the time which God has given you,
because once your time is up ..
Now is the time to post a prayer.
End Of Lesson
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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