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 34:7-9
7 What man [geber] is like Job ['Iyowb], who drinketh up [shathah]
scorning [la`ag] like water [mayim]?
8 Which goeth ['arach] in company [chebrah] with the workers [pa`al] of
iniquity ['aven], and walketh [yalak] with wicked [resha`] men ['enowsh].
9 For he hath said ['amar], It profiteth [cakan] a man
[geber] nothing that he should delight [ratsah] himself with God ['elohiym].
KJV-Interlinear
7 'What man is like Job, Who
drinks up derision like water, 8 Who goes
in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? 9 'For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing When
he is pleased with God.' NASB
Back in our study in Job 9:22, Job made these similar
remarks, but again, Elihu quotes them incorrectly. Elihu has already stated that he has listened
closely to all that has been said by all of these older men, but clearly by now
it should be obvious that Elihu did not recall the words correctly nor the
context of them, and therefore not their meaning.
God has a policy, which treats everyone the same. Whether you are among the good and decent
people in history, or whether you are among the lowest of the low, it makes no
difference.
All have sinned, and therefore all are treated
according to the requirements of Gods righteousness and justice first, and then
love and grace second.
The nicest of people will go to the Lake of Fire if
they refuse to believe in the savior, Jesus Christ. The most ruthless of villains will go to
heaven if they have believed in the savior, Jesus Christ. So, whether a person is guiltless, so to
speak, or wicked, their life style is irrelevant. Gods policy is what is important, not mans
thoughts and actions.
Any person can imitate evil patterns of life. Whether you are saved or unsaved, makes no
difference. Gods policy is clear. Believe in Christ and be saved. That is the only way of being saved. The
Bible presents no other alternative. So
the nicest of people cannot enter into heaven, just because they have the most
pleasant personality ever. By rejecting
Christ, the arrogance of rejecting Gods plan is still the stumbling block
deciding ones future.
Now Elihu gets a little derisive or snooty, by
suggesting that Job drinks in insults as his pattern of life, that Job seeks
out the company of lesser than righteous people (the wrong side of the track
crowd) and tries to live a life of hypocrisy.
Acting and saying the righteous words of doctrine while simultaneously
living among the bad crowd.
But then, didn t Christ do this same thing? Wasn't he accused of consorting with sinners,
prostitutes, and tax collectors? And who
made those accusations? The righteous
crowd, the chiefs of the priesthood, those who should have understood the
principles of doctrine taught by the scriptures.
And so here we have an accidental (so far as Elihu is
concerned) comparison of Jesus, who is the most perfect man ever, and Job. With an accusation coming from Elihu, who was
greatly knowledgeable in doctrine, but still missing some of the subtleties of
its principles, and therefore missing the point entirely.
People can know a lot of the scriptures, and still
miss the point. Only a daily study
combined with an open mind (fellowship) will allow you to be able to sort out the
truth of a matter.
Only sinners, only people who are not advancing in
their spiritual life, only people who seize hold of their old thoughts (prior
to doctrine) will sooner or later be overwhelmed by the pressures of this
world.
Only these people, who lack patience, will begin to
have there doubts about the benefits of the spiritual life. Spiritually weak people will question the
value of doctrine. Thy will question the
value of faith. They will be the 'Why
me,' crowd. They will be the, 'How can a loving God ,' crowd.
They will begin to believe that it makes no difference
whether you live a life as a sinner or a non-sinner, because everything turns
out either good or sour anyway.
But then, did God put you here in this world to remain
here forever? Or, is there some other
purpose?
Do we look to God with thanks, only when things go
well, and whine when things fall apart?
What is the objective of our Bible study anyway?
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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