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James 1-2 The Royal Law of Freedom

TMS 1 Corinthians 15:58 It's Always Too Soon To Quit

1Cor 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Observations: 15:58 Concluding the great chapter on the good news and the resurrection, Paul exhorts the believers to not give up serving the Lord. The word for labor means “to be beat up” as in work that sucks everything out of you. Believers are tempted to quit or slack off when the going gets tough, but in doing so they would miss out on the glory God has planned for faithful believers who please Him by doing His will. It there is no resurrection and reward of the faithful, then we might as well eat, drink, and be merry, for when we die, it's all over. But if there are rewards and differing degrees of glory as the gospel clearly taught (see 1 Corinthians 15 comments if you don't totally believe this), then it's time to buck up and face the wild beasts. God gives enabling grace to do His will in this life (2 Corinthians 12:9), and glorifies us with grace in the next life for doing His will in this one (1 Peter 1:13). It's all of grace, but works are still needed.

1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Application: When tempted to take the easy road, remember that the path to glory which Jesus trod is difficult, and uphill (that's where you'll find Him with your reward).
Prayer: Lord Jesus, may I follow in Your footsteps as Your disciple, doing the works You saved me to do, faithfully and steadfastly by Your grace. Amen.

James 1-2 The epistle of Jacob (which was translated as James to secure the backing of a certain king for a famous translation -KJV) was probably the earliest epistle written and one of the last to be accepted into the canon. Medieval Martin Luther didn't regard James as authoritative because “In the first place it is flatly against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture in ascribing justification to works 2:24.” He also wrote “...the epistle of St. James is an epistle full of straw, because it contains nothing evangelical.” Like many today Luther read his pre-suppositions and experiences into the text, rather than letting the Scriptures shape his understanding; he also failed to understand that words have different meanings in different contexts. While James clearly teaches justification by works, he isn't teaching forgiveness by works, but rather being just/righteous for the purpose of reward on the basis of our works, a distinction many modern interpreters still miss. The letter was written to forgiven believers, who already had put their faith in Christ (which was why they were scattered by persecution), to help them endure trials so they could be blessed when the Lord returns (which is why there isn't an emphasis on Jesus dying for their sins). The epistle has two bookends which make the purpose clear:

1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9...Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure.

A difficulty modern readers (and even medieval ones) have is in reading James after all of the epistles directed toward Gentiles. Much of James' thinking is rooted in the OT (especially Proverbs), and the Gospels (especially Matthew, written to the Jews), so one needs to read it in that context to enter into James' thinking.

James 1 Those Who Endure Are Blessed

1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion/scattered abroad: Greetings.

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; 10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. 11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who endures trials/temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears/gives birth to sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer/performer of the work, this man will be blessed in/by what he does/performs. 26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Observations: 1:1-8 James is considered by most to be the half-brother of Jesus, since James the brother of John was martyred very early according to Acts 12:2. He writes to the twelve tribes of Israel who were scattered abroad by the early persecution to encourage them to be faithful to the Lord Jesus the Messiah in the midst of their trials. Notice that the early believers are considered Jewish. In general terms, a trial is a temptation to quit following Jesus for eternal gain, and to settle for a temporal gain like power (security/significance), pleasure, or possessions, none of which endure. This would apply to loving one's life more than loyalty to the Lord, or loving the things of this world (like Demas) more than those of the next.
The correct perspective toward trials/temptations should be joy if one knows that the trying (refining – a term used for purifying metals) of their faith will produce endurance (the strength to remain under a burden). Letting endurance have (present imperative-command) its end goal will result in the sufferer having a perfected character, so that they lack nothing (at the return of Christ). Jesus had taught that fruit is a function of endurance (Lk 8:15) and in Luke 21:12-19 He warned of the persecutions His followers would endure, and then concluded that “by endurance you will possess/obtain your souls.” This meant they would obtain the exchange of their souls (put for their lives) in this world for life/dominion in the next, to which He had invited them in the call to discipleship (Lk 9:23-26).
If anyone lacked wisdom in their trials (in knowing how to chose the right objectives and the right means of obtaining them) which Proverbs said resulted in enduring riches, honor, and righteousness (8:18), all they had to do was ask. God wants people to know His will, so they can do it. The stipulation that the person ask in faith, without wavering, probably has an emphasis on faithfulness rather than confidence, since the antonym is being double-minded, and wavering between commitment to God and commitment to their temporal well-being. God is not going to withhold His wisdom for someone who isn't sure that He will give it, but will definitely withhold His guidance from someone who isn't committed to following it and Him wholeheartedly (Jn 7:17).
1:9-12 In persecution those who were among the haves, became the have-nots, as they frequently lost their wealth, status, and honor. James instructs the brother in humble/poor circumstances to rejoice in his high position in God's economy, and the rich to rejoice in their humbling. The reason is because riches don't endure, but God's blessing in return for suffering for His name's sake does (Mt 5:10-12).
Therefore, the one who is blessed (major theme of the Wisdom Literature as well as the rest of the OT, and Sermon on the Mount), is the one who successfully endures trials (like Job did -Js 5:11) for when he is approved (used of a proof coin struck in refined metal), he will receive the crown of life (rulership and dominion in the Kingdom) which the Lord promised to those who loyally love Him (Mt 19:28; Lk 22:30). This is the opening bookend of the epistle, answered by 5:11. It is a book about getting rewarded, not forgiven. That's why it doesn't talk about the cross and the blood and all the other “evangelical” things Martin Luther was looking for, but it is the Good News/Gospel of the Kingdom that John, Jesus, Peter and Paul talked about all the time.
1:13-15 Having stated his thesis in the previous verse, James explores the source of the trials and temptations which believers must endure. God doesn't tempt us to sin; He wants us to be holy. The source of our temptations are our unsanctified and deadly desires/lusts. For years we've fed ourselves with spiritual junk food, and have no appetite for the real thing. But once we understand the sin process, we can flip it around and use it for holiness. We sin because we want to. We want to sin, because our value system tell us that a certain behavior will yield more benefit than another. So we indulge in sin, and refrain from holiness because we value the fruit of our wrong decisions. Each of us is tempted when enticed by our desires/lusts. Temptation isn't sin, but becomes so when we embrace it (literally the word is used for conception). Then sin is born, and when it is fully grown, it brings forth death (loss of life/dominion). When we succumb to temptation, it is sin (a missing the mark or standard). If we fail to abandon sin, but let it grow in our lives, it will kill us, depriving us of our abiding relationship with God in this life, lack of fruit, and lack of reward in the next.
The flip side is how really good (or is it bad?) sinners can become really good saints. If sin is drooling over then embracing and holding onto a desire for what is evil, then holiness is drooling over then embracing and holding on to a desire for what is good. If we set our mind on fleshly things, we will do them. If we set our minds on spiritual things we will do them. Being strong-willed is good if our will is set on things above (like Paul said in Romans 8, and Colossians 3, and Jesus did in Matthew 5:6; 6:21). So the key is to value the right things, which is a function of having our minds renewed with God's truth (see Romans 12:1-2; and the sermon on Sanctification: It Ain't Gonna Reign No More, on Truthbase.net).
1:16-21 Believers should not be deceived about the nature of the Christian life. God caused us to be born again by the word of truth, so we could live in the light. As the Father of light, He gives birth to light, so that we should be firstfruits of light. Therefore every child of God should put away dark behavior and receive/obey the word that saves our souls (as we walk as children of light). Although verse 19 does wonders for interpersonal relationships, that's not the primary application James had in mind. Believers should be swift to hear God's word, (James 1:21), slow to speak (James 1:13) and slow to grumble or complain about the circumstances God has allowed into their lives for their benefit, because complaining doesn't produce the righteousness God requires for reward. Remember righteousness is doing what is is right in His sight. They should eliminate all defiling and naughty (KJV) behavior (literally abundant or profitable evil/malice), and accept/receive the application of the implanted/engrafted word (the message of Christ and His Kingdom, that they heard) which is able (has power) to save their souls. It should be obvious to any reader of DTB that this is the third and final aspect of salvation which reverses the effects of the Fall, the glorification of believers (restoration to glory). See comments on the introduction to Matthew if you missed the distinctions between forgiveness/justification, holiness/sanctification and reward/glorification (James however uses justification to refer to the righteousness God blesses/rewards). This is salvation by works, addressed to believers.
1:22-25 Therefore, every believer should be a doer/performer of the word, and not just a hearer. Those who hear and don't do, deceive themselves into thinking that God doesn't require holiness. One who hears the word and doesn't incorporate it into their life through value and behavior change is like someone seeing themselves in the mirror, and then forgetting what they see. The usual application is that the word points out flaws that need to be fixed; if we ignore the flaws, we still have them. The believer who looks into the perfect law that gives freedom/liberty from sin (John 8:34-35), and continues in it (literally “abides alongside” it) is the one who will be blessed by (en) means of his/her performance (dative of means). This is not forgiveness by faith, but reward by works.
1:26-27 James adds two aspects of pure religion/worship which believers can be deceived about. If our “religion” doesn't affect our inner and outer life it's worthless (won't result in blessing/reward). James focuses on speech and other-centeredness. An unbridled tongue, which reflects an untamed heart, doesn't please God. Seeking to meet the needs of those for whom God particular cares (orphans and widows) is meritorious, if accompanied by holiness.
Application: If we want to be blessed, we need to endure the difficulties of following Christ, develop holiness and other-centeredness, as we learn and do God's will.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise You for giving me new life in Christ; may I live a new way, according to Your light, and experience the freedom and blessing You desire for me. Thanks. Amen.

James 2 The Royal Law of Freedom

2:1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in; 3 and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, "Sit here in a good place"; and you tell the poor man, "Stand there," or "Sit by my footstool"; 4 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

8 However, if you fulfill the royal/kingdom law, according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom/liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs/rejoices over judgment.

14 What profit is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? 15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled"; and yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what profit/good is it? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. 18 Yes, a man will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body apart from/without the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from/without works is dead.

Observations: 2:1-9 Believers, who possess faith in the Messiah of glory, should not show partiality to the rich at the expense of the poor, hoping to get benefit from the rich. In doing so, they will forfeit benefit from the Lord of glory for failing to love as He commanded. God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith (because they would have to trust Him more), and consequently to be heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who loyally love Him (not to those who just believe that He died for their sins). Those who show partiality despise those God will honor, and honor those who despise anyone not like them. Those who don't get worth and value from being pleasing to God, try to get it from being better than others, which makes for unpleasant relationships. Apparently the rich to whom James refers were also speaking against (blaspheming) Christ as well. If believers want to do well, the route they need to take is that of fulfilling the kingdom (or kingly, hence the meaning royal) law of loving their neighbor as themselves. They can only do this if they are not looking to others to meet their needs (the cause of most dysfunctional relationships). It is only as we experience the love of God in His meeting of our needs, that we are free to meet the needs of others. We don't experience the abiding love of God unless we are keeping His commandments (John 14:21; John 15). So the law of liberty (1:25 and 2:12), also known as the royal/kingdom law goes something like this:

God's love meets my needs (while I'm obeying) so I'm free to meet the needs of others, expecting nothing from them in return (but expecting Christ's reward).

This is the law that God expects us to fulfill (2:8), and which we will be judged by according to verse 12. Those who show partiality in putting down those who are not in a position to help them, and honoring the dishonorable in hopes of temporal blessing commit sin, and are lawbreakers. The OT moral law (as opposed to the ritual, sacrificial and ceremonial law) revealed the righteousness God wanted from His people so He could bless them. That's why a good definition of righteousness is: being careful to do what is right in His sight. Only those who demonstrated that righteousness were blessed in the OT. The majority didn't, and weren't.
2:10-13 Whoever breaks one part of the law, has in fact broken the entire law (like breaking a window). People love to define righteousness as not doing what they don't like to do, so they are free to do what they want. This isn't God's standard. God's standard is the law of liberty, which He expects to govern our speech and actions. He promises that our speech and actions will be judged by the law of freedom (which is news to most Christians, who couldn't tell you what it is if their life depended upon it). Believers will be judged without mercy if they have shown no other-centered concern for the needs of others. But God will show mercy in judging those who have sought to live in love as Christ commanded. This is not judgment to determine whose sins are forgiven, and who goes into the lake of fire, for forgiveness is by faith in Christ's substitutionary atonement, which alone can satisfy God's justice and pay the penalty for our sin (see comments on Romans 3).
2:14-19 Having established that believers are going to be judged by the Kingdom law of liberty, which requires their speech and deeds to be done in loyal love, and that mercy is shown to those who have shown mercy, James then elaborates on the necessity of those works. He is not talking about the judgment of the lake of fire in which unbelievers pay the death penalty for their own sins, but instead for the judgment which determines their blessing of glory in the Kingdom (just re-read 2:1-13 for the context).
The very first Bible "study" I attended was in a dorm room at college, where this passage was being discussed. Some were arguing for faith, others for works. I didn't know the correct interpretation at the time since I wasn't clued into context, but I did know that neither camp made sense. That's been my experience in looking at most commentators (people who make comments) on difficult or disputed passages. Unless one determines the meaning of words from the context of the author's argument, there is more heat than light.
Can faith without works profit or save/glorify someone? The last use of “save” was in 1:21 of the obedience necessary for glorification and being blessed (1:25 by works). Just having faith gets one into heaven (rather than the lake of fire) but a unemployed faith doesn't profit one at the judgment seat of Christ (see comments on 2 Corinthians 5:10). Just saying be warmed and filled doesn't profit a brother or sister in need, unless there are works to benefit them. So too, faith without works is dead, giving no Kingdom life/dominion/glory to its confessor. Faith that God rewards (see Hebrews 11, particularly verse 6), must have works, for faith that pleases God must believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. One can demonstrate one's faith by good works (for which we were created in Christ Jesus – see comments on Ephesians 2:8-10), but it's hard to show one's faith without them. It does not follow that one doesn't have faith if there are no works (a major modern misunderstanding). It just means that the unemployed faith one has won't be laying up any treasure in heaven. A faith without works doesn't mean that a person isn't a born again child of God, it just means that they are not a very good child. It is through belief in Christ, not works that we are given forgiveness. It is through faithful works that we gain reward. The demons have belief in one God, but it doesn't do them any good in terms of their future (Jesus didn't die for demons). 2:20-24 James now turns to two OT examples of how faith with works resulted in blessing. Abraham was justified by works when He offered Isaac on the altar. Readers of the OT or Hebrews 11 will have noted that this is after he had believed God and had demonstrated Hall of Fame faith. In Genesis 12 Abraham first responded to God's revelation by faith. In Genesis 15:6 it is stated that he believed God's promise of blessing and it was credited to him as righteousness. Then, in Genesis 22:12 he demonstrated fear of God and obedience, and God responds with doubly blessing him (22:16-18). The issue is obedience and blessing, not initial faith. Now we need to understand James' use of justified. From the context it is clear that it has to do with reward and blessing, not in the justification/forgiveness by faith Paul usually talks about. Justified means to be just or righteous. It can be something demonstrated or declared, depending upon the context (see Thayer's Lexicon in the OLB or Biblos Strong's #1344). The condition of being just or righteous has many possible meanings. It can mean being just in one's dealings with others, or rightly related to God, or being careful to do what is right in His sight, etc. The fundamental lexical skill of Bible Study is to determine the specific nuance or meaning an author intended from the range of possible meanings found in a lexicon. The same applies to issues of grammar and syntax. The way one determines the meaning is to understand the context, and plug in each possible meaning for each variable until everything fits together according to the argument of the author.

The argument in James is pretty clearly about blessing and glorification of believers rather than forgiveness of pagans. Verse 22 spells out what meaning of justified James had in mind: faith being perfected, or brought to its fulfillment by bringing the worker to glory. Abraham had faith, which when combined with his works, realized the end goal of his faith, his blessing/glorification. An oft-repeated theme in the NT is that being forgiven is not the goal of life on this planet, but being brought into the glory of the Messiah in His kingdom is, the blessed hope of the believer (see comments on Eph 1; Heb 2:10; Titus 2:13; 1Peter 1, etc). As a result of Abraham's faithful works he demonstrated the righteousness God desired, and the Scripture of Genesis 15:6 was fulfilled. In addition, Abraham was called a friend of God.
This use of justified to refer to something other than forgiveness by faith is also used by Paul in Galatians. This excerpt from the introduction to the post on Galatians 1-3:

“The justification in chapter 2 is most likely not forgiveness (since they already had that) but a declaration of the righteousness they needed for blessing (inheritance and reward) in the future Age of the Messiah (kingdom). This is just like the OT requirement to do what is right in God's sight (righteousness) to receive the promised blessings. The just, (as in justified/forgiven), shall live (as in receive the blessings of the Messianic kingdom) by faith (as in continuing to believe that God will do what He said He'll do -Heb 11:6). The righteousness God requires extends beyond forgiveness, as the rest of the epistle demonstrates. People cannot read their preconceptions into chapter two and then ignore all the evidence in the rest of the epistle, and be right."

And this from Galatians 2:

“Justification usually refers to being declared righteous in reference to the penalty of sin, also known as the forgiveness aspect of salvation (see introduction to Matthew for the different aspects of salvation). Here Paul is looking beyond forgiveness to the righteousness God requires for reward in the Kingdom. To receive this declaration the just person needs to live by faith. Living by faith is more than a one time belief in the substitutionary atonement, but an ongoing trust in the promises of God (see Faith Actuates God's Promises on Truthbase.net if you've never studied what the Scripture says faith is). To live is not just a deliverance from the lake of fire, but to exercise dominion/glory in the realm of God's promises (Dt 30:19). This is the only understanding that is consistent with all the facts. It's not about past forgiveness, nor present position, but future righteousness (knowing and doing what is right in God's sight.)"

Despite what Martin Luther thought, Paul and James were saying the same thing; he just didn't understand what either of them was saying because of his preconceptions from Catholicism. A person is declared righteous by God as a result of faith in Christ's death on their behalf, and demonstrates the righteousness God rewards as a result of their faithful works, done in faith. 2:25-26 The example of Rahab, a non-Israelite, illustrates the same concept. Her reception of the spies who came to Jericho was based upon her hearing about and believing that the God of the Israelites was the one true God (Joshua 2:9-11) and her protection of them was (Joshua 2:12-14) the basis of her blessing. Thus, by her works she demonstrated her righteousness, which God rewarded, not only with protection, but with inclusion in the Messianic lineage. God always saves on the basis of faith. The content of the faith, and the exact nature of the salvation or deliverance is dependent upon understanding the context. Here James concludes with saying that as the body without the spirit (pneuma, breath) is dead, dominionless, and useless, so too faith without works is dead, dominionless, and useless. Remember the issue is reward and blessing not forgiveness.
Application: What works accompany your faith? What glory will accompany your works?
Prayer: God, thanks for forgiving and loving me, and meeting my needs, so I'm free to meet the needs of others in loving them; may I do so in a righteous manner that pleases You. Amen.

Digging Deeper

God in a nutshell: God judges believers on the basis of how they have lived in light and love. Those who do so will be blessed; those who don't will lose out on blessings (but are still forgiven).

Build-a-Jesus: Jesus gave the Kingdom Command: love your neighbor as yourself. He loves us and meets our needs so we're free to meet the needs of others.

Us in a nutshell: We are justified or declared righteous on the basis of our faith in Christ, but we are just and demonstrate our righteousness by our works done in faith that God blesses those who do what is pleasing in His sight. How we treat others is a good indication of our heart and values, and to whom we are looking for reward. If we focus on sin, we will wind up doing it; if we focus on righteousness, we will wind up getting it.

Where to Go for More:
Truthbase.net

Job 1,2,13,19 The Righteous Suffer

Job 1,2,13,19 The Righteous Suffer

Bill Blurb: Now that we've finished the Historical books of the OT, we come upon the five books of Poetry, which will be followed by the Major, then Minor Prophets. Since we've been slicing and dicing Psalms and Proverbs, we won't be covering them in the sequential text portion of the blog (like Genesis to Esther). The hallmark of Hebrew poetry is not rhyming like a Hallmark card, but repetition and parallelism of ideas and concepts, expressed in scintillating symbolism. Job, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon will be given a brief overview in the next posts, and then we will savor them a sip at a time in future posts, after we exhaust Psalms and Proverbs. We'll also portion out Psalm 119 in more bite sized (ok, meal sized) portions so we can appreciate the unique flavor of each taste, rather than choke on the huge amount of Truth in the psalm. Bon Appétit!

For those of you who like categorization (and alliteration):

Job teaches how to have the our (w)right place in life;
Psalms teach how to have worshipful praise in our life;
Proverbs teach how to have wise practices in our life;
Ecclesiastes teaches how to have worthwhile purpose in our life;
Song of Songs teaches how to have wondrous passion in our life.

OK, I'll stop now.

Psalm 69:16-36 Praise is More Pleasing

Ps 69:22 “(13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your hesed/loyal love, answer me in the faithfulness of your salvation.) Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent. 24 Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them. 25 Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt. 27 Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous. 29 But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 It will please Yahweh better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs. 32 The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live. 33 For Yahweh hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his captive people. 34 Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein! 35 For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it. 36 The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein."

Observations: 69:1-21 See post on Judges 19 for vv 1-21, in which David asks God for deliverance from his enemies, and acknowledges that he isn't entirely blameless (69:5). However, his persecution isn't because of his sin, but his zeal for God.

69:22-36 In the last half of the psalm David expresses confidence in God's hesed to not only deliver him, but pay back his enemies. His calling down curses upon them might look a little severe, but then he is only asking God to act justly. Blotting out their name from the book of life might be a reference to the removal of them from the register of those who participation in the rule or blessings of the kingdom. The wicked will not inherit blessing.

David vows to praise God with thanksgiving, which He likes more than burnt offerings. The humble who depend on God will rejoice in the testimony of God's deliverance of His people. David looks forward to God saving Zion, regathering the people and fulfilling His promises in the Kingdom.

Application: Trust and resultant praise to God for deliverance is more pleasing to Him than a bunch of burnt animals, or any material thing we could give Him.

Prayer: God, thanks that You are the God who saves, and sets things right; I will be faithful to trust and praise You so You can be exalted in the eyes of others. Amen.

Proverbs 18:9 Sluggards Are Sinners

Pr 18:9 “One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.“

Observations: 18:9 Sluggards are lower life forms that cause damage and destruction by not doing what should be done, when it should be done. It sounds like they lack wisdom (choosing the right objectives and the means of attaining them), and thus fear of the Lord. That would pretty much put them in the fool category. They waste the hours of their days by not heartily using them for the Lord's purposes, failing to build a legacy or a witness. They waste the precious minutes of others by being unfaithful and unreliable, contributing to nothing except the selfish pursuit of their temporal ease. Time is the interval during which we get blessed or cursed. Guess the destiny of the sluggard as a result of how they used their allotment of time. See Faithfulness with our Time. to get a grip on stewardship of the 10080 minutes God entrust to you each week. The outline is also at the end of the TOYL Booklet.

Application: If you happen to catch sight of a sluggard in the mirror, spend a little time cleansing yourself from the deadly sin of sloth by studying the Saga of the Sorry Sluggard.

Prayer: Lord, help me invest every precious minute You've given me for Your purposes, be it work or play, so You'll be glorified. Amen.

Job 1,2,13,19 This is considered the oldest book of the Bible, almost a prelude or “porch” to the “temple” of Genesis to Deuteronomy. It describes life in patriarchal times, before the Law was given. The postscript of the Septuagint version is worth noting (under Digging Deeper). There are some plausible arguments for Mosaic authorship there as well. In this and the next post, we'll look at some key chapters from the beginning, middle, and end of Job, and then explore the individual chapters as “Psalms” later in the blog.

A frequent hang-up to a correct understanding of God as revealed in the Scriptures is: “Why do the righteous suffer if God is all loving and powerful? He should be willing and able to do something about the evil we see and experience in our world." This is answered under the 7QUESTIONS and in sermons on suffering on Truthbase.net, but for now, the Book of Job shows us that we don't have the entire story, just like the main character and his “friends.”

Job 1 God Gives and Takes Away, Blessed Be His Name

1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from/eschewed evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. 4 His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified/purified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

6 Now it happened on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them. 7 Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." 8 Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from/eschews evil." 9 Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face." 12 Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh.

13 It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 14 that there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 16 While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 17 While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." 18 While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you."

20 Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped. 21 He said, "Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be the name of Yahweh." 22 In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

Observations: 1:1-5 Job is described as blameless, upright, fearing God and eschewing evil, by both the author and God himself. To deny this was true is to follow Satan's tactic of denying truth. Job is great, and blessed, and scrupulous in even offering sacrifices for his children, so they don't come under God's wrath. A real God-fearer.

1:6-12 Satan stops by to have tea with God (so much for the idea that God can't look upon evil, a total perversion of Hab 1:13 perpetrated by those oblivious to context). Only a divinely inspired author could have insight into this heavenly conversation (just like divine inspiration was necessary to listen in on Genesis 1). God brags to Satan about His super servant Job. Satan says Job only serves for the benefits, making God look like a bribing parent who can only get their kids to behave by buying them a candy bar or a BMW. God gives Satan permission to take all that God had given Job.

1:13-22 Note the forces that Satan commands, lightning, wind, and the usual bad guy.

Job responds blamelessly, mourning the loss of his children, but recognizing that all he had was the blessing of God, on loan to Him.

Application: Do you view your possessions and relationships as a blessing entrusted to you by God as a stewardship? Or do you think it's your stuff to do with as you please? If the former, you can bless God when you no longer have it.

Prayer: God, thanks that You bless your servants who fear and obey You; may I hold all Your blessings with an open hand, knowing You may require them back at any moment. Amen.

Job 2 Blameless and Upright, Fearing God, Eschewing Evil

2:1 Again it happened on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh. 2 Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." 3 Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from/eschews evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause." 4 Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face." 6 Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life."

7 So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head. 8 He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die." 10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Observations: 2:1-6 Satan loses round one, and comes back for more. This time God allows him to physically afflict Job, noting again, that there is no cause in Job for the evil that befalls him.

2:7-10 Job lost power, pleasure, and possessions, now the physical pain starts. Never helpful nagging wife was not killed in chapter one so she could add to his affliction here. Job maintains his blamelessness by recognizing God is in the heavens and can do as He pleases, sending good to evil guys or evil to good guys, according to His purposes.

2:11-13 Job's “friends” come on the scene, sitting with him to share his grief. They will be used in the rest of the book to make arguments that Job's afflictions are consequences of his sinful actions. In doing so, they say much that is generally true, but not the truth about Job's situation. In responding to them, Job maintains his innocence and gives a great picture of blameless righteousness.

Application: If we know we're walking righteously, we can trust that the hand of God is upon us for good, even when bad things happen.

Prayer: God, may my response to the “bad” things in my life be a reaffirmation of Your infinite goodness, justice, and sovereignty. Amen.

Job 13 If God Slays Me, I'll Still Trust Him

13:1 "Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. 2 What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. 3 "Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God. 4 But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value. 5 Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise. 6 Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him? 12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay. 13 "Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

14 Why should I take my life in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? 15 Though, he slay me, even so, I will trust Him (KJV) Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. 16 This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him. 17 Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears. 18 See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous. 19 Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

20 "Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face: 21 withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me. 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin. 24 Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy? 25 Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble? 26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth: 27 You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet, 28 though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Observations: 13:1-13 Job berates his “friends” for their foolish and irrelevant “insights.” Those who understand the parallelism of Hebrew poetry will appreciate the humor of verse 4 (unless you're a doctor). He asks them to keep silent, and then asks God to speak in the last section (13:20-27).

13:14-19 Job laments the extreme deprivation to which he has been brought, and then makes the martyr's confession: Even if God kills me, I will trust Him. This affirmation of the goodness and trustworthiness of God is the ultimate answer to Satan's provocation of 2:5. Then Job rightfully maintains his innocence of wrongdoing, knowing that it will turn out for his salvation and vindication, because he is indeed, innocent.

13:20-27 It's a good idea to ask God to reveal our sin if we want to get rid of it. Job asks God to tell him what He wants him to do, and he'll do it; or to answer Job's request and tell him what he's doing wrong. The silent treatment is torment.

Application: If God allows us to live or die, we can always trust in His goodness, righteous, and justice. He will make it up to us.

Matthew 5:11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Prayer: God, You have revealed Yourself to be infinitely good and just and powerful, so I can always trust that You are doing what is in my best interest, even if I'm martyred. Amen.

Job 19 I Know That My Redeemer Lives

19:1 Then Job answered, 2 "How long will you torment me, and crush me with words? 3 You have reproached me ten times. You aren’t ashamed that you attack me. 4 If it is true that I have erred, my error remains with myself. 5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach; 6 know now that God has subverted me, and has surrounded me with his net. 7 "Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no justice.

8 He has walled up my way so that I can’t pass, and has set darkness in my paths. 9 He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. 10 He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree. 11 He has also kindled his wrath against me. He counts me among his adversaries. 12 His troops come on together, build a siege ramp against me, and encamp around my tent. 13 "He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me. 14 My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me. 15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger. I am an alien in their sight. 16 I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth. 17 My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother. 18 Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me. 19 All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me. 20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. 21 "Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me. 22 Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

23 "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! 25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth. 26 After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God, 27 Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. "My heart yearns within me. 28 If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me, 29 be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."

Observations: 19:1-7 Job tries to shame his “friends” for they attack him unjustly. The consequences he's experiencing are not his own doing, they are God's doing (good insight Job!).

19:8-22 These are some of the most pitiful verses of anguish in the Bible, which make Job's following confident expression of faith astonishing.

19:23-29 Job wishes his words could be recorded so every matter could be established (they were). He then makes one of the greatest confessions of the Bible, especially in light of 19:8-22; He knows that his redeemer/rescuer live/exists, and will vindicate him, upon the earth, which implies Job is around, on the earth for a final vindication. Job makes the case for life/resurrection after death in verses 26-27; after his skin is destroyed, he will, in his flesh, see God, who will be on his side. Job warns his “friends” that while he will do well in the judgment, they might not.

Application: Know that God will vindicate the righteousness of His servants and cause them to stand in triumph on the earth. It's not over, until the day after the last trumpet sounds.

Prayer: My Redeemer and Sustainer of my soul, I know that You live, and will act in my best interest at the time that best suits Your purposes, whenever that may be. (It's OK with me.) Amen.

Digging Deeper:

The Septuagint Ending Of The Book Of Job.

Appendix 62 Bullinger's Companion Bible

In the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament into Greek, there is a long subscription. A similar subscription is found in the Arabic Version. It professes to be taken out of "the Syriac book"; but there is nothing to be found of it in the Syriac Version as published in Walton's Polyglot. It was doubtless written B.C. It is interesting, especially when compared with the notes on p. 666/7 (in the Companion Bible, where you'll find a decent case for Mosaic authorship), but what authority there is for it is not stated.

The last verse of Job (42:17), "And Job died, an old man, and full of days," reads on as follows:

"And it is written that he will rise up again with those whom the Lord raises up.

"This man is described in the Syriac book as dwelling in the land of Ausis, on the borders of Idumea and Arabia; and his name before was Jobab; and having taken an Arabian wife, he begat a son whose name was Ennon. He himself was the son of his father Zara, a son of the sons of Esau, and of his mother Bosorrha, so that he was the fifth from Abraham. And these were the kings who reigned in Edom, which country he also ruled over. First Balak the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dennaba. After Balak, Jobab, who is called Job: and after him, Asom, who was governor out of the country of Thaeman; and after him Adad, the son of Barad, that destroyed Madiam in the plain of Moab; and the name of his city was Gethaim. And the friends that came to him were Eliphaz of the sons of Esau, king of the Thaemanites, Baldad sovereign of the Sauchaens, Sophar, king of the Minaeans".

God in a nutshell: God is working out a bigger purpose on earth than our comfort and salvation. Creation and the human race exist for His glory. God is infinite, with purposes which are beyond our cursory understanding, but are revealed in Scripture if we seek for them. He is worthy of our trust regardless of our circumstances because His character is totally trustworthy. He lets His servants suffer, using them for His glory, in ways they don't always initially comprehend. He can look upon evil, and has tea with Satan on Monday and Wednesday afternoon. They play bridge on Friday :)

Point to Ponder: Satan fell because he underestimated the infinite nature of God. A third of the angels, who are pretty smart critters, placed their bets on Satan, because, as far as they could see, Satan, the highest created being, looked like he could defeat God. Satan and the angels grasped at the glory and lost, because there was more to God than met their eyes.

Us in a nutshell: Sin always results in suffering, but suffering is not always a result of sin, but is used by God to purify and reward us, and glorify Himself. It's not about us. We're just pawns, but richly rewarded pawns, in the chess match between God and Satan, to teach Satan that he should have obeyed (more in next post; Ephesians 3:8-11). We need to respond to the difficulties of our existence with the awareness that all we have is a gift of God, entrusted into our stewardship, which can be recalled without warning. It is possible to live a blameless and upright life in the sight of God if we fear Him and eschew (a great word to know and do) evil.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Job complete text

Job 1

4 His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

6 Now it happened on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them. 7 Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." 8 Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil." 9 Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face." 12 Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh.

20 Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped. 21 He said, "Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be the name of Yahweh." 22 In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

Job 2

2:1 Again it happened on the day when the God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh. 2 Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." 3 Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause." 4 Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face." 6 Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life."

Job 13

13:1 "Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. 2 What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. 3 "Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God. 4 But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value. 5 Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise. 6 Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him? 10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality. 11 Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you? 12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your defences are defences of clay.

13 "Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will. 14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? 15 Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. 16 This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him. 17 Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears. 18 See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous. 19 Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit. 20 "Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face: 21 withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.

23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin. 24 Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy? 25 Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble? 26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth: 27 You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet, 28 though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Job 19

23 "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! 25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth. 26 After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God, 27 Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. "My heart is consumed within me. 28 If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me, 29 be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."

Deuteronomy 26-29 Blessed or Cursed, Which Will You Choose To Be?

Deuteronomy 26-29 Blessed or Cursed, Which Will You Choose To Be?

Psalm 31:1-14 Trusting When You've Caused Your Trouble

Ps 31:1 “In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in Your righteousness. 2 Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defense to save me. 3 For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name's sake lead me and guide me. 4 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold. 5 Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth. 6 I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your hesed/loyal love, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities. 8 You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place. 9 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. 13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life. 14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, "You are my God."

Observations: In other Psalms, David appeals to God for deliverance from his enemies on the basis of his own integrity and righteousness. Unfortunately this time, he is in trouble because of his own iniquity (10:13). So his appeal for help and healing is based upon God character (Your righteousness and mercy) and reputation (Your name's sake), and hesed/loyal covenantal love.

Application: There is always grounds for calling out to God and trusting in Him.

Prayer: My mighty Fortress and God, my times and future are in Your hands; have mercy and deliver me, for Your name's sake. Amen.

Proverbs 8:17-19 An Offer You Can't Refuse

8:17 “I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently/early will find me. 18 With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.“

Observations: 7:15-17 If I told you there was a surefire way to get riches, honor, and prosperity, and not lose them, would you be interested? Probably not, because you have a dozen such offers in your spam box. However, this offer contains the promise of enduring benefit, and the yield is better than (there's another one) gold, even fine gold. It also has been tried and found true over the thousands of years, by countless thousands of people, from every culture and walk of life. What does it cost? Just your life, which you're going to waste anyway, if you don't take wisdom up on her offer. It only takes a few hours a week to start, and you can work from home, or while commuting, riding elevators, stuck in traffic, or waiting on line. Once you start reaping the benefits, you'll carve out (as in cut away with a knife) time from other less profitable pursuits to seek wisdom. You'll fall in love, and no sacrifice will be too great to enjoy the bliss of the relationship. Simple formula:

Fear God (Proverbs 1:7);
Find out what He wants You to do (Proverbs 2:4-7);
Follow through: Do it in faith, right away, all the way (Proverbs 3:5-13).

Application: Seek wisdom until you find her, then don't let her go.

Prayer: Lord, I will seek You, Your wisdom and will, early and continually, Amen.

Deuteronomy 26-29 The Palestinian Covenant (how to get blessed in the Promised Land) gets ratified (accepted by the people). The sanctions of blessing or cursing are presented. If you are short on time, make time to steep your soul in Chapter 28. Don't skimp on having every word soak into your value system. God sovereignty gives the choice of experiencing good or evil depending on our response to Him. The consequences are sovereignty decreed. Which set of consequences we experience is totally up to us (see observations on Chapter 29 below).

Deuteronomy 26 First-fruits and First Position

26:1 when you have come in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and dwell in it, 2 you shall take the first of all the fruit of the ground...5 You shall say before Yahweh your God, "A Syrian/Arameanready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 The Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage: 7 and we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and Yahweh heard our voice...8 and brought us out of Egypt with...signs, and with wonders 9...and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, Yahweh, have given me." You shall set it down before Yahweh your God, and worship before Yahweh your God. 11 You shall rejoice in all the good which Yahweh your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is in the midst of you.

14...I have listened to the voice of Yahweh my God; I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."

16 This day Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul. 17 You have declared Yahweh this day to be your God, and that you would walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and listen to his voice: 18 and Yahweh has declared you this day to be a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments; 19 and to make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as he has spoken.

Observations: Giving God the first portion was an acknowledgment that all was His, including themselves (26:16). If God had not acted on their behalf, they would still be slaving in Egypt.

26:16-19 List what God expects of His people, and what can they expect of Him.

Question: Who's your God, and where would you be without Him?

Application: Note the responsibilities and results of 26:16-19. Are you lacking any of them?

Prayer: God, You are my God. You own me; I am Yours. I will keep Your desires, with all my heart and all my soul, without compromise. Amen.

Deuteronomy 27 “Curse Me if I Disobey”

6 You shall build the altar of Yahweh your God of uncut stones; and you shall offer burnt offerings thereon to Yahweh your God: 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings, and shall eat there; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God. 8 You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly."

9 Moses and the priests the Levites spoke to all Israel, saying, "Keep silence, and listen, Israel: this day you have become the people of Yahweh your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of Yahweh your God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command you this day." 11 Moses commanded the people the same day, saying, 12 "These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 The Levites shall answer, and tell all the men of Israel with a loud voice, 15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’ 16 ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 17 ‘Cursed is he who removes his neighbor’s landmark.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 18 ‘Cursed is he who makes the blind to wander out of the way.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 19 ‘Cursed is he who deprives the foreigner, fatherless, and widow of justice.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 20 ‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 24 ‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 25 ‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 26 ‘Cursed is he who doesn’t uphold the words of this law by carrying them out (NIV).’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’"

Observations: 27:1-8 God mandated that they set up memorial stones on which were written the law so they would keep it, since that was the basis of blessing in the promised land, which God was graciously giving them.

27:9-26 The people verbally accepted the responsibility to keep the commands, and accepted the terms of being cursed if they disobeyed. Most of the Ten Commandments are reflected except for the Sabbath.

27:26 The last curse equates disobedience with denying the validity of the law (failing to uphold it as the standard of conduct).

Application: What steps do you take to ensure that you are doing what God wants you to do? (Hint: Memorizing and meditating on Scripture couldn't hurt.)

Prayer: God who blesses and curses, help me always be behaving so You can bless me. Amen.

Deuteronomy 28 Blessed or Cursed, Which Will You Choose?

15 But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you. 16 You shall be cursed in the city, and you shall be cursed in the field. 17 Your basket and your kneading trough shall be cursed. 18 The fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock shall be cursed. 19 You shall be cursed when you come in, and you shall be cursed when you go out. 20 Yahweh will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me. 21 Yahweh will make the pestilence cling to you, until he has consumed you from off the land, where you go in to possess it. 22 Yahweh will strike you with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 Your sky that is over your head shall be brass, and the earth that is under you shall be iron. 24 Yahweh will make the rain of your land powder and dust: from the sky shall it come down on you, until you are destroyed. 25 Yahweh will cause you to be struck before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them, and shall flee seven ways before them: and you shall be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 Your dead body shall be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away. 27 Yahweh will strike you with the boil of Egypt, and with the tumours, and with the scurvy, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed. 28 Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart; 29 and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways: and you shall be only oppressed and robbed always, and there shall be none to save you. 30 You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not use its fruit. 31 Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat of it: your donkey shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you: your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have none to save you. 32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people; and your eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day: and there shall be nothing in the power of your hand. 33 The fruit of your ground, and all your labors, shall a nation which you don’t know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always; 34 so that you shall be mad for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 35 Yahweh will strike you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore boil, of which you can not be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 36 Yahweh will bring you, and your king whom you shall set over you, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. 37 You shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples where Yahweh shall lead you away. 38 You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39 You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink of the wine, nor harvest; for the worm shall eat them. 40 You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off. 41 You shall father sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. 42 All your trees and the fruit of your ground shall the locust possess. 43 The foreigner who is in the midst of you shall mount up above you higher and higher; and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him: he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.

45 All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you: 46 and they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever. 47 Because you didn’t serve Yahweh your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies whom Yahweh shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he has destroyed you. 49 Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose language you shall not understand; 50 a nation of fierce facial expressions, that shall not respect the person of the old, nor show favour to the young, 51 and shall eat the fruit of your livestock, and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed; that also shall not leave you grain, new wine, or oil, the increase of your livestock, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish. 52 They shall besiege you in all your gates, until your high and fortified walls come down, in which you trusted, throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land, which Yahweh your God has given you. 53 You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you. 54 The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children whom he has remaining; 55 so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat, because he has nothing left him, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in all your gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 57 and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates. 58 If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YAHWEH YOUR GOD; 59 then Yahweh will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and severe sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60 He will bring on you again all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, Yahweh will bring them on you, until you are destroyed. 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of the sky for multitude; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 63 It shall happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go in to possess it. 64 Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone. 65 Among these nations you shall find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot: but Yahweh will give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; 66 and your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you shall fear night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. 67 In the morning you shall say, "I wish it were evening!" and at evening you shall say, "I wish it were morning!" for the fear of your heart which you shall fear, and for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 68 Yahweh will bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way of which I said to you, you shall see it no more again: and there you shall sell yourselves to your enemies for bondservants and for bondmaids, and no man shall buy you.

Observations: I included the entire text because it is very beneficial. Don't skim. Read it slowly. God promises a boatload of blessings if His people loyally obey (28:13-14), and He promises a double boatload of curses if His people don't listen and obey. (Most are more motivated by fear than desire.)

If His people don't serve Him, so He can rejoice to bless them, He will rejoice to punish them, having them sorrowfully serve those who afflict them.

Question: Do people have a choice in whether or not they obey, and the degree to which they obey?

Application: Either way we will not be our own masters, so it makes sense to serve God in the midst of delight and blessings, rather than evil masters in deprivation and cursings. Your choice. Chose wisely.

Prayer: God who rejoices to bless, keep this chapter firmly in my thinking, so You don't have to rejoice over cursing me. Amen.

Deuteronomy 29 Who Controls Your Eyes and Heart?

29:1 These are the words of the covenant which Yahweh commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. 2 Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, you have seen all that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt...4 but Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day. 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes have not grown old on you, and your shoes have not grown old on your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, neither have you drunk wine or strong drink; that you may know that I am Yahweh your God. 7 Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us to battle, and we struck them: 8 and we took their land 9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

10 You stand this day all of you before Yahweh your God...12 that you may enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God, and into his oath, which Yahweh your God makes with you this day; 13 that he may establish you this day to himself for a people, and that he may be to you a God, as he spoke to you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

18 lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood; 19 when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, "I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry." 20 Yahweh will not pardon him, but then the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky. 21 Yahweh will set him apart to evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law. 24 even all the nations shall say, "Why has Yahweh done thus to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?" 25 Then men shall say, "Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh, 27 therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against this land, to bring on it all the curse that is written in this book; 28 and Yahweh rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as at this day." 29 The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Observations: 29:4 God did not give (perfect tense) the ears, nor eyes nor heart, because He has just spent dozens of chapters in these five books stressing their responsibility to hear, observe, and do with all their heart. They have the responsibility to seek and understand. He's given them all the evidence they need, but requires them to focus or fail. It's not that He sets up all the promises to bless and curse and then only gives a few or none the ability to see and get the blessing, and then punishes the ones to whom He didn't give the ability to hear and do. He clearly wants all the nation to “get it”, both cognitively and materially, for that is how He glorifies Himself. He gives them evidence in 29:2-3 and 5-8 so they can see/perceive and “get it.”

Preview Dt 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore CHOOSE life, that you may live, you and your seed; 20 to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

29:18-22 The fact that some “hearts” will turn away indicates to everyone but the most blind and stubborn that God doesn't control individual hearts (cf Solomon 1Kg 10). Most did hear, see and perceive, both to make the covenant, and get the blessings (as noted in the Book of Joshua), but by the time of Judges, many hearts turned away from fully following God (cx Caleb). Unfortunately many NT believers have the mindset of 29:19, and will reap similar ensuing consequences.

29:24-28 These verses sadly describe much of the history of Israel up to AD 1948.

Application: God reveals things for His people to do, in order to get blessed. Set your ears to hear and your heart to do (worship is a response to revelation).

Prayer: God of wonders, thanks for Your care, provision, and instruction; may I be wholehearted in doing what You've revealed for me to do. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God graciously cares for His people in ways they're not even aware of. He also gives His people the choice of experiencing His blessing or cursing. Then He gives incentives to hear, observe and do what He wants, and disincentives to disobey. He wants us to choose to get the blessings, but doesn't force the choice. Blessing an obedient people is His means of glorifying Himself. He gets no glory from obedient rocks staying where He put them.

Us in a nutshell: We have a choice to make which has real ensuing positive or negative consequences (which implies the ability to exercise our will or volition freely in one direction or another). We need to look at what God offers and embrace the option that yields the greatest benefit to both ourselves and God. We have the capacity to be deceived, and rationalize our bad choices, stubbornly following falsehood. That path leads to guaranteed destruction.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Deuteronomy complete text

Deuteronomy 26

26:1 It shall be, when you have come in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and dwell therein, 2 that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that Yahweh your God gives you; and you shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there. 3 You shall come to the priest who shall be in those days, and tell him, "I profess this day to Yahweh your God, that I am come to the land which Yahweh swore to our fathers to give us." 4 The priest shall take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before the altar of Yahweh your God. 5 You shall answer and say before Yahweh your God, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 The Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage: 7 and we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression; 8 and Yahweh brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terror, and with signs, and with wonders; 9 and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, Yahweh, have given me." You shall set it down before Yahweh your God, and worship before Yahweh your God. 11 You shall rejoice in all the good which Yahweh your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is in the midst of you. 12 When you have made an end of tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled. 13 You shall say before Yahweh your God, "I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me: I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them: 14 I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I put away of it, being unclean, nor given of it for the dead: I have listened to the voice of Yahweh my God; I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey." 16 This day Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul. 17 You have declared Yahweh this day to be your God, and that you would walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and listen to his voice: 18 and Yahweh has declared you this day to be a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments; 19 and to make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that you may be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as he has spoken.

Deuteronomy 27

27:1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, "Keep all the commandment which I command you this day. 2 It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and plaster them with plaster: 3 and you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have passed over; that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 It shall be, when you have passed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster. 5 There you shall build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones: you shall lift up no iron on them. 6 You shall build the altar of Yahweh your God of uncut stones; and you shall offer burnt offerings thereon to Yahweh your God: 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings, and shall eat there; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God. 8 You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly." 9 Moses and the priests the Levites spoke to all Israel, saying, "Keep silence, and listen, Israel: this day you have become the people of Yahweh your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of Yahweh your God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command you this day." 11 Moses commanded the people the same day, saying, 12 "These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 The Levites shall answer, and tell all the men of Israel with a loud voice, 15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’ 16 ‘Cursed is he who sets light by his father or his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 17 ‘Cursed is he who removes his neighbour’s landmark.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 18 ‘Cursed is he who makes the blind to wander out of the way.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 19 ‘Cursed is he who the foreigner, fatherless, and widow of justice.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 24 ‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbour in secret.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 25 ‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 26 ‘Cursed is he who doesn’t confirm the words of this law to do them.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’"

Deuteronomy 28

28:1 It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that Yahweh your God will set you on high above all the nations of the earth: 2 and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 3 You shall be blessed in the city, and you shall be blessed in the field. 4 You shall be blessed in the fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the fruit of your animals, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock. 5 Your basket and your kneading trough shall be blessed. 6 You shall be blessed when you come in, and you shall be blessed when you go out. 7 Yahweh will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you. They will come out against you one way, and will flee before you seven ways. 8 Yahweh will command the blessing on you in your barns, and in all that you put your hand to; and he will bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. 9 Yahweh will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you; if you shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways. 10 All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Yahweh; and they shall be afraid of you. 11 Yahweh will make you plenteous for good, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give you. 12 Yahweh will open to you his good treasure in the sky, to give the rain of your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand: and you shall lend to many nations, and you shall not borrow. 13 Yahweh will make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; if you shall listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day, to observe and to do, 14 and shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you. 16 You shall be cursed in the city, and you shall be cursed in the field. 17 Your basket and your kneading trough shall be cursed. 18 The fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock shall be cursed. 19 You shall be cursed when you come in, and you shall be cursed when you go out. 20 Yahweh will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me. 21 Yahweh will make the pestilence cling to you, until he has consumed you from off the land, where you go in to possess it. 22 Yahweh will strike you with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 Your sky that is over your head shall be brass, and the earth that is under you shall be iron. 24 Yahweh will make the rain of your land powder and dust: from the sky shall it come down on you, until you are destroyed. 25 Yahweh will cause you to be struck before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them, and shall flee seven ways before them: and you shall be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 Your dead body shall be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away. 27 Yahweh will strike you with the boil of Egypt, and with the tumours, and with the scurvy, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed. 28 Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart; 29 and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways: and you shall be only oppressed and robbed always, and there shall be none to save you. 30 You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not use its fruit. 31 Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat of it: your donkey shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you: your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have none to save you. 32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people; and your eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day: and there shall be nothing in the power of your hand. 33 The fruit of your ground, and all your labours, shall a nation which you don’t know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always; 34 so that you shall be mad for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 35 Yahweh will strike you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore boil, of which you can not be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 36 Yahweh will bring you, and your king whom you shall set over you, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. 37 You shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples where Yahweh shall lead you away. 38 You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39 You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink of the wine, nor harvest; for the worm shall eat them. 40 You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off. 41 You shall father sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. 42 All your trees and the fruit of your ground shall the locust possess. 43 The foreigner who is in the midst of you shall mount up above you higher and higher; and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him: he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. 45 All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you: 46 and they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever. 47 Because you didn’t serve Yahweh your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies whom Yahweh shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he has destroyed you. 49 Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose language you shall not understand; 50 a nation of fierce facial expressions, that shall not respect the person of the old, nor show favour to the young, 51 and shall eat the fruit of your livestock, and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed; that also shall not leave you grain, new wine, or oil, the increase of your livestock, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish. 52 They shall besiege you in all your gates, until your high and fortified walls come down, in which you trusted, throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land, which Yahweh your God has given you. 53 You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you. 54 The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children whom he has remaining; 55 so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat, because he has nothing left him, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in all your gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 57 and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates. 58 If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YAHWEH YOUR GOD; 59 then Yahweh will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and severe sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60 He will bring on you again all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, Yahweh will bring them on you, until you are destroyed. 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of the sky for multitude; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 63 It shall happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go in to possess it. 64 Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone. 65 Among these nations you shall find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot: but Yahweh will give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; 66 and your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you shall fear night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. 67 In the morning you shall say, "I wish it were evening!" and at evening you shall say, "I wish it were morning!" for the fear of your heart which you shall fear, and for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 68 Yahweh will bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way of which I said to you, you shall see it no more again: and there you shall sell yourselves to your enemies for bondservants and for bondmaids, and no man shall buy you.

Deuteronomy 29

29:1 These are the words of the covenant which Yahweh commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. 2 Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, you have seen all that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land; 3 the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders: 4 but Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day. 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes have not grown old on you, and your shoes have not grown old on your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, neither have you drunk wine or strong drink; that you may know that I am Yahweh your God. 7 When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us to battle, and we struck them: 8 and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. 10 You stand this day all of you before Yahweh your God; your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones, your wives, and your foreigner who is in the midst of your camps, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water; 12 that you may enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God, and into his oath, which Yahweh your God makes with you this day; 13 that he may establish you this day to himself for a people, and that he may be to you a God, as he spoke to you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, 15 but with him who stands here with us this day before Yahweh our God, and also with him who is not here with us this day 16 (for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed; 17 and you have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them); 18 lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood; 19 and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, "I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry." 20 Yahweh will not pardon him, but then the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky. 21 Yahweh will set him apart to evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law. 22 The generation to come, your children who shall rise up after you, and the foreigner who shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses with which Yahweh has made it sick; 23 and that the whole land of it is sulphur, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Yahweh overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 24 even all the nations shall say, "Why has Yahweh done thus to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?" 25 Then men shall say, "Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, 26 and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they didn’t know, and that he had not given to them: 27 therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against this land, to bring on it all the curse that is written in this book; 28 and Yahweh rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as at this day." 29 The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

James 1-2 The Royal Law of Freedom

Job 1,2,13,19 The Righteous Suffer

Deuteronomy 26-29 Blessed or Cursed, Which Will You Choose To Be?

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