Eye Has Not Seen

 

Job 42:11 Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. 12 Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. 15 In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. 17 So Job died, old and full of days.

Here we are, at the end of the Book of Job. A book that starts out with a devout believer experiencing great blessing, only to have it all stripped away. He even lost his ten children tragically in a tornado, and then was inflicted with extremely painful sores.

He went from someone you would want to hang out with to a pitiful man who was difficult to look at and in fact was unrecognizable to his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.

Here at the end of the Book, Job evidently has been healed of his sores and now his brothers and sisters and friends begin to call on him again. Words that didn’t come easily when Job was going through his struggles, now apparently flow like honey. They comfort Job, they console Job after the fact.

 

The motivation behind this reversal of a desire for fellowship is irrelevant here. The main point is fellowship has been restored! Let us rejoice in that!

His livestock restored in spades! Rejoice!

Gifted with 10 more children including three stunningly beautiful daughters. So strikingly beautiful that they are named! A rare honor in Scripture! Rejoice!

 Job is granted many more years and is able to see his great, great, great, grandchildren, and he dies “old and full of days.” Which is another way of saying, “he lived a full life!” Rejoice!

 

This account of Job is mentioned in another place in Scripture and well worth noting as a lesson for all of us! Jas 5:11 says, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

The lesson for all of us is to endure and persevere. As we reside in this veil of tears this side of heaven, we will have trial and tribulation, but the end result for those who endure is enjoying the end intended all along for you by a compassionate and merciful Lord!

That “good end” may happen in the here and now as it did for Job, but it also may be reserved for you in heaven, where Jesus is busily preparing a mansion for you! As you hang in there during those tough times remember: 1Co 2:9 But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

 

Endure! Persevere in the faith. There is a compassionate and merciful God who intends to bless you!

Who Knows?

 

 Job 42:10 And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Indeed! Job’s losses were not only restored, but his bottom line was doubled! And that’s just his material wealth! If we read further along here, we see that his relationships with his kinfolk were re-established, and the Lord even granted him the gift of ten more children!

 

The road that opened the windows of heaven to Job went through his genuine repentance. It was repentance that paved the way for restoration and blessing. There is a great passage in the Book of Joel that emphasizes that truth as well.

In Joel 2:12-17 the Lord calls His people to repentance, let’s listen in to some of what He says: Joe 2:12 "Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. 14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him-A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?”

 

Don’t miss the words, “who knows? here, lest you start making demands on the Lord that are uncalled for. “Who knows,” merely sets the table for the Lord to act, He may or may not restore and double down, but “who knows” invites the sinner to give repentance a shot!

 

In the case of the people in the days of Joel, HE indeed restored what the locust had stripped away!

Joe 2:23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.

 24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. 25 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. 26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.

I personally know of people who have had marriages and family relationships restored (myself included) after experiencing personal repentance. That’s great news, but sadly it doesn’t always work out that way. (Hence the words, “Who knows?” Nonetheless, true repentance, (godly sorrow over sin)  always results in a restored soul, and that is the bottom line of what matters.  

That’s why David could say:  

Ps 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

There’s no “who knows” in these verses, just rock solid promises from God for those who acknowledge Jesus as their shepherd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFLRMWlCOow

As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us

 

Job 42:10 And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

 

Job had endured much. The loss of his children, his goods, his friends, his kin!. He endured an excruciatingly painful malady to his body! It was during this latter part of his trial that he began to question the goodness of God.  C’mon, let’s face it, you and I would’ve done the same thing!

But God, in His mercy straightened out Job’s line of thinking and Job repented. Yet there was something more that needed to be done by Job. He needed to pray for his friends who had unjustly accused him of being the problem. Job needed to pray for them and his prayer would be a sign of his willingness to forgive them from the heart.

 

How does that Lord’s prayer part go again? “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Then Jesus added this kicker of a P.S. in Mt 6:15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

 

Perhaps, even more to the point in the parable of the unforgiving servant Jesus said,  “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." (Mt 18: 32-35)

 

I know it’s difficult to forgive others who have done you physical, emotional, or spiritual harm, but I’ll never forget the advice I received from Pastor Ken Dowdy at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. He said, “when you have trouble forgiving others start the process of forgiveness by praying for them! It doesn’t have to be a long and flowery prayer, just ask God to bless them and over time you will find your unforgiveness melting away to a genuine love and concern for their soul! …..”as we forgive those who trespass against us.

How Oft I Need To Remember

 

Job 42:8 "Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job.

Isn’t it amazing what  a little repentance can do? Job has humbled himself before God and God immediately lifts him up. He gives Job the responsibility of praying for his misguided friends.

Friends who had for days tore into Job as they steadfastly spoke their incorrect understanding of the character of God, now God wants Job to intercede on their behalf that their relationship with God would be righted and they too would receive His forgiveness.

 

Well, why not let them pray for themselves? Why bring Job and the blood of 14 animals into the equation? Because these guys needed to see the cost of the folly of sin. Blood must be shed. Heb 9:22 reminds us: “without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

This sacrifice of animals and the intercession of Job meant to be a picture of the sacrifice of Jesus and His role of intercessor for sinners such as you and I. Heb 7:25 says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

 

We, like Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar need to be reminded of the cost of our sins often as well, and we are reminded of the cost every time we participate in the Lord’s Supper. What did Jesus say in 1Co 11:25,26”?  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

 

AS OFTEN! EVERY SINGLE TIME! You remember the cost and receive the intercessory benefits of the Body and Blood of Jesus when you come to the Lord’s Table. In remembering the cost, you ought to see with your spiritual eyes the love of God toward a sinner like you! This is what the friends of Job needed to see, rather than their clouded view of God!

 

Do you think Eliphaz, or Bildad, or Zophar begged off of this sacrifice saying, “we’ll catch you later on this God.”  NO!

But frankly, many times in the church today, we have become complacent about coming to the Lord’s table. I know it’s difficult during these pandemic times, but find a way!        

 

Oh that God loves a sinner like me and proved it at great cost. How “oft” I need to “remember” that truth.

I Missed It!

 

 

Job 42:7 And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has

I missed it! I missed it big time. I don’t know how many times I have casually read the book of Job and missed it. Not this time though! This time the Holy Spirit brought it to my attention. What did I miss? I missed Elihu. Where is Elihu in this verse?

 

God was upset with Eliphaz and his two friends, (Bildad, and Zophar) but there is no mention here of Elihu! God was not upset with Elihu! He must’ve spoken right things about God. And this is where quite frankly I am very embarrassed. I didn’t pay attention to the sudden arrival of Elihu in the manuscript in the first place. I just lumped him in with Job’s other friends, never taking a nose count or a name count. But Elihu was different…..very different. .

 

When he spoke, I just assumed he was one of the three originals who came to comfort Job. I never ran a background check on him. I was so caught up in the story and examining the faulty conclusions of the others I missed him!

 

Where did he come from? When did he join the conversation? Was he a tagalong that was too young to garner a mention in Job 2? We aren’t told, but we can assume he heard every single thing Job and his friends spoke, because he responded to all of them! What bugs me most about my overlooking of this fifth character in the story of Job is I never really paid attention to when he arrived on the scene and joined the conversation!

 

Some interesting notes in several commentaries that I have read concerning Elihu: For one thing he is introduced in chapter 32, right after the “words of Job had ended.” One of the last things Job had asked for in his speech was, “”Oh that the Almighty would answer me.” And before the Almighty answered him in chapter 38, He brought Elihu into the picture. Elihu, boldly stated in Job 33:6 Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.  Elihu, a flesh and blood mediator for Job, just as Christ is a God-incarnate flesh and blood mediator for you and I.

 

In Job 33:23-26 Elihu speaks prophetically about Jesus, note some of the words he uses that should cause you and I to think of Jesus  and God’s plan of salvation!

 

Job 33:23 "If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,

 24 Then He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom';

 25 His flesh shall be young like a child's, He shall return to the days of his youth.

 26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

 My journaling Bible has these headings for Elihu’s speech:

Chapter 33: Elihu contradicts (straightens out) Job.

Chapter 34: Elihu proclaims God’s justice.

Chapter 35 Elihu condemns self-righteousness

Chapter 36:1-23 Elihu proclaims God’s goodness

Chapter 36 24- Chapter 37:24 Elihu proclaims God’s majesty.

 

Whoever Elihu is meant to be, he certainly had all these things right….and I missed it! No wonder there is no word of condemnation for him from God. I’ve added a new note to my journaling Bible today. I put it at chapter 33 thru 37 and the note simply states, “Elihu got it right!”

 

Was Elihu meant to be a type of Christ? That’s probably farther than this amateur should go, but he certainly spoke a lot of truth. And what he spoke about God was right on. May we too learn to guide others by speaking the truth in love. May we proclaim the justice of God. May we condemn self-righteousness, and may we ever proclaim God’s goodness and His majesty.

That Old Time Prosperity Religion

 

Job 42:7 And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has

The difference between Job and his friends boils down to this. His friends felt that prosperity was a sign of a right relationship with God, whereas Job maintained that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. Mt 5:45 “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

The link between prosperity and God’s favor has been around a long time. (Remember, this is the oldest book in the Bible) and it was around when Jesus walked this earth as well. Jesus’ disciples expressed that doctrine in Joh 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Surely there was a reason for this man’s malady and it must be sin! "Jesus immediately straightened them out with this truth: Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

 

And there we have Rom 8:28 before us again! it again: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

God is continually working in us no matter what comes our way for His ultimate glory.  It’s always about the glory of God. 

Job suffered tremendously, but in the end God was glorified.

And don’t miss the seriousness of the proponents of this erroneous doctrine. God told Eliphaz, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has”

 

Think twice before you start blaming someone’s struggles on their lack of faith. For what will you do when struggles come your way as they surely will. Joh 16:33 "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

And in the overcoming of the world though Jesus, God is glorified

Other! Other! Other!

 

Job 42:4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' 5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

Job’s confession continues. Here, he is responding to God’s original question to him when God appeared out of the whirlwind.  God had said in Job 38:3 “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.”

God was about to make His case for His sovereignty, His omnipotence….His holiness. By the way, a good way to view the word holy is to substitute the word “other.” It certainly isn’t the complete definition of holiness, but it gets us started with a right view of God. He is “other!”  He is holy! Grasp that concept like Job did here and like Isaiah did in Isaiah chapter 6. When he said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

Isaiah tainted by sin in his life and living in a world tainted by sin was undone in the presence of a 100% pure and “other” God. And the angel declared, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"  Other! Other! Other! Now please, let’s not change the wording of the classic Christian hymn, Holy! Holy! Holy! But, let’s remember who we are dealing with. A Holy God who is otherly pure and free of sin.!

 

And God told Job to answer Him like a man! Man up Job! Admit you are a sinner in need of the grace and mercy of God!

 

I was viewing a public service announcement that was produced for a ”man up” campaign, and one of the lines really struck me. It said, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learnt, the manly thing to do is to put your hand up and say, “I’ve got a problem…….”

 

Job finally came to the realization that he had a problem. It was a sin problem. His only help was the Lord, and therefore he says, so he puts his hand up and says, “I abhor myself, I “cast off the old Job and repent in dust and ashes”

 

Have you come to that place in your life? That place where you realize that nothing you do on your own can earn your salvation. God is other, you are not. Our only hope is to receive Jesus, for He is the “holy One of God.” (Mr 1:24 )

The Bible says we are to “put on Christ. That is our only hope for “otherhood.”  Ga 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

 

Having put on Christ through faith in God’s promises, God now looks at you and no longer sees the sins on your record, rather He sees the perfect sinless, life of Christ.

What's Wrong With "I Don't Know?"

 

 

Job 42:3 You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Job continues his confession to God. Obviously cut to the heart from God’s original portion of the conversation which we find, almost word for word in Job 38:2, when God asked Job "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?”

 

In effect, Job was saying to God, “I am that man! I am the one who darkens counsel without knowledge. I opened my yapper and spoke of things I don’t understand. Things which are way beyond my level of understanding.”

 

How many times are we guilty of the same? Why do we feel when someone asks us a tough question about God, that we must come up with an answer? We get asked such things as, “Why does God allow suffering? Why did God allow the tragedy of 9/11 to occur? Why hasn’t God provided a cure for cancer? And one that’s very personal for me, “Why am I still on oxygen after coming down with Covid in October?”.

When I went in for my follow up vaccine yesterday, the nurse looked at my record and referred to me as a “long-hauler.” Well, by God’s grace I pray I remain a “long hauler” because Jesus said in Mt 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Long haulers know that it is by God’s grace and mercy that our faith perseveres. It is His gift of faith that helps me persevere and remain with Him for the “long haul.”  

 

You know, it  wouldn’t hurt sometimes just to confess our ignorance as Job did, and just say, “I don’t know Margo”

 

God does not require the followers of Jesus to explain God’s actions. He just asks us to be ready to give an answer for why we believe. 1Pe 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

 

Can you do that? As a personal exercise for yourself today, I challenge you (and I) to express the hope that is in you. Write it down! Express it verbally! Who knows, you may be called upon by someone to express that hope even today, thereby giving them hope for the long haul.

 

The Unthwartable Purposes of God

 

Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD and said: 2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

After God has set Job and his buddies straight on who’s calling the shots, Job humbles himself before God as he acknowledges God’s sovereignty. “God, I see now that You can do everything, and that Your plans are unthwartable!

 

The light is dawning on Job concerning his trial. The devil may have inflicted it, but he had God’s permission, and he could only go as far as God allowed him. Think about it. Go back to the beginning of this Book.

 

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 "But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

The Lord addresses Satan and asks “What you been up to?  And he replies, “Oh you know, the usual. Stalking around looking for victims.” 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

 

God: “Have you considered my believer Job?”

Devil: Yeah, right, he is locked in solid with you and you have blessed him beyond measure. Lift Your hand of protection from him and see what happens.”

 

God: OK, you can bring trial into his life, but don’t do him bodily harm.

 

And so the trials of Job began, and here in the last chapter we see that God’s thought, (His purpose all along) was to clarify and strengthen Job’s faith.

 

We can take heart from this truth as we walk this sod. God’s plans, His purposes for you and I will ultimately work out for good in accordance with His will. It is as Ro 8:28 states: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

There’s that word again: “purpose.” According to God’s unthwartable thoughts.  

 

That word shows up again in Isa 14:24, The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand:

God’s plans are unthwartable and He has the power to carry them out as He sees fit. It may be a rough go for you and I this side of heaven, but His ultimate plan for those who love Him is inexpressibly good!

1Co 2:9 But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

 

 

All Things Possible...Even Your Salvation!

 

 

Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD and said: 2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

After God has set Job and his buddies straight on who’s calling the shots, Job humbles himself before God as he acknowledges God’s sovereignty. “God, I see now that You can do everything!”

 

Job finally believed this truth! Do you?

 

One of the mistakes that Job and his friends made, (AND one of the mistakes that we often make) is when God doesn’t respond to our particular situation with an immediate resolution to our problem, we sincerely doubt that HE is able. We forget words like this from the Scriptures which speak to God being able to do the impossible:

 

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Mt 19:26)

In context here, Jesus was lamenting the rich young ruler who walked away from Him rather than part with his wealth. (This incident is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, I think God wants us to get this!)

He was pointing out to His disciples how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Mt 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  24 "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

 

Many sermons have been preached on this camel stuffing itself through the eye of a needle, but let’s first and foremost take these words of Jesus literally. Imagine a one hump camel walking through the eye of a sewing needle. No wait, let’s go for the whole enchilada and make it a two humped camel, fully packed with this world’s goods ambling through the eye of a sewing needle.

 

IMPOSSIBLE? Not with God!!

 

The disciples were astonished at this fact and replied: ‘Who then can be saved?” And Jesus said men are not able to shift their priorities on their own, they need the help of God.

 

With the help of God, mere men can actually come to a point where they value God more than their possessions, even more than their sins!  This “help of God,” is called grace. (Divine influence on the heart!)

 

With God’s grace, man is able to give God His rightful place as ruler in their lives. And in relation to this passage in Matthew we might put Eph 2:8,9 this way:  For by grace (His divine influence on your heart)  you have been saved (you, like that camel, have been led by the Holy Spirit right through the eye of a needle) through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

It must be this way, because if you could be saved by any work you have done, who needs God? You can’t be saved without the aid of our sovereign God! Therefore “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (1 Pet 5:6)

Today, let us pause and thank God for His grace! We would be impossibly lost without it!

Leviathan Part 11: A Final Warning

 

 

Job 41:34 He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride."

Today we wrap up our final segment dealing with Leviathan, and in this last verse of Job 41 we receive a strong warning from God. The Leviathan ( who represents a type of Satan) is the “king over all the children of pride.” Oh that this verse would be faithfully and often preached from the pulpits in our land.

 

“He beholds every high thing!” Do you understand the implication here? Do you want to attract Leviathan’s attention? Then start acting proud! Start believing that you can do it on your own without any help from God. Start believing and behaving like the one who wants to call the shots rather than listening to what God’s Word says.

 

In the unseen world of powers and principalities, pride is like whistling for the devil. It sends a signal that says, “Here’s another one ripe for the picking!” And Leviathan slips into the water and slithers your way, ecstatic over the possibility of another subject in his realm of hell.

 

He is king over all the children of pride. They are his (often) unwitting subjects, as they are people who have decided they can get along just fine without God.

 

The fall of Satan due to pride is chronicled for us in Isa 14:12-15,  "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

 Pride was the cornerstone of Satan’s platform, but note carefully his end as spelled out in verse 15! “The lowest depths of the pit” are reserved for the king of pride and all his children.

There is a solution! For just as the devil’s radar is always tuned for signs of pride, God’s radar is even more fixed on the humble in spirit. God is looking for those whose simple cry is, “God, I can’t do it without You! I need Your saving grace and mercy. My own works are nothing but unrighteousness’s….filthy rags in Your sight! It’s called humility, and humility is the doorway to God’s grace.

 

Do you want to leave the kingdom of darkness and damnation? Do you want to cease being counted as a child of the “king of pride?” 1Pe 5:6 says this: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,”

The concept of humility is oft repeated in the Scriptures. God’s saving grace comes to those who are humbled. Therefore clothe yourself with humility as it says in 1Pe 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

Prov 3:34 reminds us that God “gives grace to the humble.”

And  Jas 4:6,7 gives us the secret to resisting the “king of pride,” Listen carefully and heed! “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

 

Pride whistles for the devil to come your way, but true humility, a humility that freely admits “God I need You! God You are my king!” chases the devil away.  

Leviathan Part 10: Sorrow

 Today, we continue our series on Leviathan. This monster of the deep certainly existed and Job was fully aware of what God was talking about.  This fearful creature was used in Scripture to portray the devil in terms we humans can understand.

 

In verse 22 of chapter 41, God makes a statement about Leviathan that ought to catch our attention. He says, “sorrow dances before him.” Sorrow is one of the calling cards of Satan. Just think of the sorrow that he brought into the life of Job! He lost everything he had, including his children and his health. Where sorrow is, the devil is nearby for as Jesus described him in  Joh 8:44 "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

What a stark contrast between the devil and Jesus. Jesus wept when He met up with sorrow. (the death of His friend Lazarus and the impending destruction of Jerusalem are two examples that come to mind) The devil on the other hand views sorrow as entertainment. It “dances before him.”

 

Be aware of this difference and be comforted knowing that your tears of sorrow are dully noted by God and precious in His sight! Ps 56:8 tells us: “You (God) number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? 9 When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.”

Sorrow will come to all of us, and when it dances into our lives, God has a remedy. It’s called tears! Let them flow. Holy tears serve as prayers to the Almighty. He sees, He hears, He responds. He will turn your sorrows into something good because He is for you.   In the matter of sorrow, which God may allow the devil to bring into our life, He says in Ps 30:5, “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”

Leviathan Part 9: A Warning! Know Who You Are Dealing With

 

Job 41:7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? 8 Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle-Never do it again! 9 Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? 10 No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me?

God continues to question Job concerning omnipotence. After all, it’s one of the calling cards of a sovereign God! Here, He has a warning for Job and one that we would do well to heed.

 

He said, “Do you want to tangle with Leviathan? Go ahead lay your hand on him, then remember the battle and never do it again!” Only those who operate in the power of Jesus should venture forth against this enemy, because only Jesus, only God can “dare to stir him up.”

The sons of Sceva learned this the hard way as we read in the Book of Acts: Ac

19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,  12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

 

Even the devil recognizes a hypocrite when he sees one, and in such instances is not under any compulsion to obey the budding exorcist.

Now, I don’t want to give the devil more glory than is due. Always remember that as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 Jn 4:4)

 But also remember that you are not battling mere flesh and blood! Eph 6:12,13 reminds us: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

 

Suit up with the God-provided armor before you enter the fray, and if there be any rebuking of the devil, let it be done by the Lord!

Jude 1:9 says, “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

 

It’s not “I rebuke you,” it’s always, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Leviathan Part 8: Living Proof

 

Job 41:3 Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you? 4 Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever? 5 Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens? 6 Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants?

God continues to question Job concerning omnipotence. After all, it’s one of the calling cards of a sovereign God! If Job could exercise this kind of control over this monster of the deep (who is a type of Satan) then Job may have a leg to stand on as he complains to God. But we all must admit only God has that kind of control over Leviathan. (over Satan)

And that’s the point that God the Father made through Jesus the Son time after time as He walked this earth. Jesus and the Father are One! Only God has the power and the authority to strike a deal (covenant) with the devil and his henchmen. Jesus is God in the flesh!

This part of Job was illustrated for us in the incident between Legion and Jesus found in Mr 5:1-13: It’s a little lengthy but notice the similarities between these verses from Job and the encounter with the demoniac!

 

 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.

 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,

 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.

 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

 

Chains of iron could not hold this demoniac, but Jesus comes along and tames him to the point that little children and maidens could put him on a string and play with him like a bird.

 

 6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me."

 

Immediately, when Legion recognizes Jesus, he supplicates Him, (he makes a request of Him, “do not torment me.”) 

 8 For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"

 9 Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."

The demoniac doesn’t scream his answer this time, he softly replies, “my name is Legion; for we are many.”

 

 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

 11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.

 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."

 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission.

 

Jesus strikes a deal with Legion, (He makes a covenant with him!)

Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

By now you should understand what’s happening here in Job. As God is asking for proof of omnipotence and sovereignty, He is painting a picture of what that will look like when Jesus arrives on the scene.  The same criteria that He is demanding of Job will be met by His Son Jesus…..proving that Jesus is sovereign, all powerful, and God in the flesh!

 

May the Holy Spirit reveal that truth to you today, so that you will make the confession of Peter, when Jesus asked him, “Who do you say I am?” And Peter replied: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God! The proof is in this (dare I say) prophetic portion of the Book of Job.

Leviathan Part 7: The Devil Is On A Leash

 

Job 41:2 Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

God continues to question Job concerning omnipotence. After all, it’s one of the calling cards of a sovereign God! If Job could exercise this kind of control over this monster of the deep (who is a type of Satan) then Job may have a leg to stand on as he complains to God. But we all must admit only God has that kind of control over Leviathan. (over Satan)

Have you ever seen a ring in the nose of a bull? The handler put it in there in order to control the beast. A little tug on the rope attached to the ring and the bull gets the message. So God is able to put a ring (a reed) in the nose of Leviathan. (the devil)  In short, the devil is on God’s leash. He can only go so far, and that leeway is determined by God!

 

This has already been illustrated for us in the opening chapters of the Book of Job, where God sets the boundaries on how far the devil could go with his dealings with Job. Job 1:12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

 

Now let’s look at part two of this verse: Have you ever gone fishing and put your catch on a stringer? The stringer is tied to the boat and it goes through the gills and keeps the fish alive in the water and in your possession until you get the home and clean them up for dinner. God uses that illustration (piercing the jaw with a hook) again to prove the devil is on the leash of God’s choosing. The devil (Leviathan) is allowed to stick around until God is ready to toss him in the fryer, and that will happen on the last Day, when God is finished with him. Re 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

God uses Satan for His purposes and His glory. The devil can never go so far as to thwart the will of the Father. Take comfort in that fact! God has been and always will be in control. Remember this verse from the Book of Revelation. Jesus has the first say and the last, therefore do not fear! Re 1:17 “He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.”

 

Leviathan Part 6: Control of the Tongue

 

 

Job 41:1 "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?”

God continues to question Job concerning omnipotence. After all, it’s one of the calling cards of a sovereign God! If Job could exercise this kind of control over this monster of the deep (who is a type of Satan) then Job may have a leg to stand on as he complains to God. But we all must admit only God has that kind of control over Leviathan. (over Satan)

Last time we talked about Jesus exercising His omnipotence over Leviathan as HE constantly “drew out” (cast out demons) when He walked this earth, thereby proving He and the Father are omnipotent. He and the Father are One!

Today let’s talk about the Lord’s power over the tongue of these demons. In  Lu 4:41 we read, “And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.”

 

And in  Mr 1:34, “Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.”

The tongues of demons, snared by the Son of God! You know according to James 3:8, the human tongue is impossible to restrain! “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” How much more difficult the tongue of a rebel demon? How much more the tongue of Leviathan? Yet Jesus was and is able to silence the accuser!

 

Know this! Believe this! Ps 143:12 in the NIV says, “In Your unfailing love, silence my enemies,”  God is more than willing and able to answer that prayer. He is able to snare the tongue of the enemy! The enemy has been cast down! He no longer has the ear of God. He has in effect been silenced! Oh, he’ll rage and breathe fire at you this side of heaven, but it is of no effect, because you are covered by the blood of Jesus and the testimony of your faith!  

Re 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.  11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

 

This is the key to the ultimate silencing of Leviathan. The applied blood of Jesus, received by faith, proved by a life lived for Him rather than for self.

Leviathan Part 5: Even the Demons Are Subject To Him

  Job 41:1 "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, 

God begins His lesson with Job, concerning His sovereignty and omnipotence. He uses the fearsome creature (Leviathan) to make His point. The Leviathan being a very real sea creature of the sorts that Job would readily be able to identify, and a creature that God uses to typify Satan in order to demonstrate to Job and all of us, His omnipotence!

I want you to think about something here. How many times did Jesus do what is spoken of here in Job 41:1? How many times did He "draw" Leviathan's henchmen (demons) out of people when he walked this earth? The answer is: Every time He encountered them! How many times dod He draw demons out of the troubled waters of a tortured soul?

 Mt 12:15 says, "And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all." And in Mt 4:24, "Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them."

Jesus healed and cast out demons everywhere He went! He did that which God challenged Job to do, in order to prove that He is God! He is like His Father.....omnipotent! Even the demons are subject to Him!  Mr 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."

What was the "hook" that Jesus used to pull these demons out of the troubled soul? He used His spoken Word and the authority of an omnipotent God!  Lu 4:35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.

When Jesus uttered a command, it is as if God uttered it Himself! He and the Father are One! (Jn 10:30)

Just one word from Jesus and demons must obey! Sovereign, omnipotent, Jesus.  He is able to draw out Leviathan with a hook. Bow down and worship Jesus today! He is God and His sovereignty will be seen by all on the Last Day when every tongue will confess, Him as Lord!  Php 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Leviathan Part 4: Treading Water In the Lake of Fire

 

 

Isa 26:21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain. 27:1 In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.

Isaiah is of course talking about the Last Day. The Day that Christ will crack the sky and return victorious. It is payback time for all those who have rejected Christ as their Lord and Savior. The devil, (that lying twisted murderer of innocents, portrayed here as Leviathan) will be repaid for all the blood he has shed, and all the lies he has told.  There will be no escaping the final wrath of God by the fleeing, truth twisting, murderous, serpent.  He is doomed forever, cast into the lake of fire! Re 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

Take heart from this truth beloved! Yes, it’s a battle now, the devil knows he has a short time and is furious! But in the end, those who persevere in the faith are victorious! Re 12:12 says, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." But Jesus reminds us in Mt 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Note too that the shorter his time the more twisted his doctrine, the more murderous his actions. It is just as the Apostle Paul warned Timothy: 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,  2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

Lies and a seared conscience, and here’s a quick example for you: Over 60 million unborn children murdered through legalized abortion in the United States alone and few people, even professing Christians are batting an eyelash! How’s that for a seared conscience?

 

The end is nearer today than it was yesterday. Are you ready? Are you with Jesus or not? There is no neutral ground here. Jesus put it this way: Mt 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

 

In simple terms to resist the Holy Spirit’s call to salvation through Jesus Christ is the unforgiveable sin! It’s the sin of unbelief and puts the offender wailing and gnashing his teeth as he treads water next to the Leviathan in the eternal lake of fire.

 

Leviathan Part 3: We Win!

 

 

Ps 74:13 You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. 14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

We’re continuing this series on Leviathan today, just gathering what I hope is useful information for you, in the battle against our evil foe Satan. We have already established that the Leviathan is a very real creature who is used to personify the devil in the Bible.  

 

In this Psalm of Asaph, we have a reference to, and an acknowledgment of, the power of God in dealing with Leviathan in the past, and guess what? The devil lost every single time! As you read the Old Testament history of Israel make it a point to note how often the devil sought to thwart the plan of God’s salvation through the incarnate Christ.  These plans that ultimately failed, can be summed up in Joseph’s statement to his brothers: Ge 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good”

 

God turned the plans of the devil into futility every single time, “breaking the heads  (the thought patterns) of Leviathan in pieces!” These pesky attacks of Satan and consequent victories of God were prophesied way back in the garden of Eden when God told the devil,  “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." (Gen 3:15)

 

The ultimate victory over Leviathan coming at the cross! The victory so certain that the Leviathan is compared to food for God’s people who inhabit the wilderness!

 

Allow me to let you in on a little secret: The true church of God, the true Israel, is always found in the wilderness, because the wilderness is the place where one must be truly reliant upon God. (It’s God’s grace, total reliance on Him that saves us) (Eph 2:8,9)

 

This passage from the Psalm dealing with Leviathan ought to bring great hope to the church of Jesus Christ. Because even though we have a crafty and mean-spirited, menacing  foe, in the end, by the power of God, the church has him for lunch! (food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.)

Acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah like Peter did, and the Leviathan will not prevail against you! Mt 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, (the promised Messiah of Gen 3:15) the Son of the living God."  17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.