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 31:24-25
24 If I have made [suwm] gold [zahab] my hope [kecel], or have said ['amar] to
the fine gold [kethem], Thou art my confidence [mibtach];
25 If I rejoiced [samach] because my wealth [chayil]
was great [rab], and because mine hand [yad] had gotten [matsa'] much [kabbiyr]; KJV-Interlinear
24 'If I have put my confidence
in gold, And called fine gold my trust, 25
If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured
so much; NASB
The gold here is the same as the gold mentioned being
from Ophir, which is the finest quality, the finest refined gold that anyone
can buy, own and possess.
Wealth represents anything of this world, which one
can place value on, and enjoy possessing. That can be property of vast wealth,
or simply a collection from a hobby or habit.
All things from this world are temporary and intended
for our temporary use as well as our education.
In the previous set of verses, Job lists categories of
sins arising from social obligations.
Being nice to folks, helping folks, not taking advantage of folks, or
simply not doing that which you should do for others, and so forth. You do not have to do something in order to
commit a sin. Not doing that which is
expected can be an even greater sin, than any act.
Now the worldly possessions that can and will exist in
ones life, can be the source of many other categories of sins leading to
failures in the spiritual life.
Because we are instant gratification creatures, then
the senses take on a role in our life, which can serve to separate us from God,
rather than teach us the many advantages of having a relationship with God.
Bible doctrine is the spiritual gold which is absorbed
into the very fabric of ones existence.
Gold ore, or any kind of tangible wealth, is external and will never
become a part of ones existence.
Kind of like beauty, or some natural talent, Bible
doctrine can become a part of your essence.
And while beauty or some talent is tied to your physical body, they too
will leave you when you leave this world.
Only the soul and its content (as well as your human spirit if you are a
believer) go with you into the next life.
Your next life is the greater of the two lives you
will live. This one now and the next life
in eternity are your two lives.
Pursuing possessions which will last forever, makes
more sense than pursuing possessions which will last only for a short time.
And even worse, if you have possessions or beauty or
talent, or something of earthly value, and then from that, gloat over what you
have, because you believe that somehow you are the one who has caused your good
fortune, then this attitude will serve to mislead you into a false sense of
success. And that attitude is a
sin. A sin of arrogance of phenomenal
magnitude.
Job was a man of great wealth. If he lived today he would no doubt be at the
top of all of the rich man lists.
But Job states here, that he did not allow his good
fortune, he did not allow his wealth, he did not allow his great success and
prosperity to interfere with his attitude toward life, toward people, toward
self, and especially toward God.
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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