You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
Job 29:18
18 Then I said ['amar], I shall die
[gava`] in my nest [qen], and I shall multiply [rabah] my days [yowm] as the sand [chowl]. KJV-Interlinear
18 'Then I thought, 'I shall die
in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand. NASB
Seeing that his life was going very well. Job had extraordinary prosperity, health,
position and so forth, there was no reason that he should not expect to live a
long and contented life.
Job was successful in every sense of the word. He expected to live to a ripe old age and
then, after living his length of years, he expected to die in peace, in his
home, surrounded by his family and friends, in very comfortable surroundings.
But there is much more to this verse than meets the
eye.
The word for sand, 'chowl,' is also a reference to a
mythical bird, the Phoenix. There is an
old fable which says that Noah had many animals on his Ark. Among them was the Phoenix. The bird went out of its way to not make more
work for Noah, and in so doing, Noah granted the bird an infinite life.
Later, after living many centuries, the bird died and
was given a funeral fire service with spices and incense. After the funeral service, the bird later
arose up out of its own ashes to live again, and this time forever.
And thus it is Jobs desire and his expectation, that
after a long life in this life, he would ultimately die and then after his
death, he would again rise up and live eternally in heaven.
Recall that we have already studied his views on the
hereafter, the redeemer, the advocate, and his expectations of life after death
in heaven.
As his prosperity was spectacular in this life, so too
he expected a continuation of that prosperity in the next life. And as his years in the next life would be
very long, so too he expected that his prosperity would increase proportionately
in eternity. But not simply because he
was successful, but because he wore righteousness (cleanliness through
fellowship) and justice (faith in a savior through the work of the savior),
combined with his understanding (living a day-to-day life in doctrine), and
wisdom (the complete application of the spiritual life for ones existence).
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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