August 28
Job 28:1-30:31 | PS 42:1-11 | Prov 22:7 | 2 Cor 2:12-17
When God is not seen as absolute authority, when the Bible is seen as just another book written by men and not to be taken literally as truth, then debate becomes that of sparring opinions rather than seeking that which is true vs false. The other day I had a discussion with a long-term patient (over thirty years). When she sought my political viewpoint and realized that we were on opposite sides she debated me on my stance. Though she knows that I am a Christian (she is secular Jewish), when I mentioned that I see the Bible as authoritative and therefore when I vote, I vote biblically not based on the personality of the candidates. She challenged the authority of Scripture, justifying her stance on the Talmud which highlights the variety of opinions surrounding the interpretation of Scripture. In Romans 3:4, we read, "...let God be true, but every man a liar...". The Talmud is the writings of men surrounding their Oral Law. They are opinions, just as our commentators, even the likes of Spurgeon in their commentaries, offer opinions. We need to remember to interpret the Bible literally, unless in a section of obvious allegory such as the Song of Solomon, etc. We should never lift up those writing about Scripture over the actual Word of God. Clarity comes from accepting the authoritative stance of biblical truth, and yes, we are all in a position to read this, not requiring others to interpret everything for us. They can be wrong but the Bible is never wrong.
Job twice asks, as we read in Job 28:12, "But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?" He then goes on to state in 28:23-28, "God alone understands the way to wisdom; He knows where it can be found, for He looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens. He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall. He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning. Then He saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined thoroughly. And this is what He says to all humanity: "The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'" Realize that Job stated this around 1000 years before Solomon uttered similar words. The same words from God have different effects depending upon the ears and hearts of the listeners, as Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, " Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?"
As you read the description of the events in Job 30:9-15 it seems as though it could just be as well taking place on the streets around the world now with godless protest upon godless protest, with anarchists getting in the face of everyone and anyone, screaming for rights and holding stances completely distant from those outlined in the pages of Scripture. With so much tumult in our world, we should all become serious students of God's Word as we read the words in Psalm 42:1-2, "As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him?" Debates should be clarified from the pages of Scripture and if we all rested on its authority there would be far fewer debates.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: