Who gets all the Glory?
Have you ever questioned G-d about the trials you are going though? I certainly have, after all could He not prevent it from happening?
Now I believe everything that happens has a purpose and a reason, we think in part where He sees the whole picture. Its all about the training and equipping us to be all we were meant to be, and who will get the glory for it.
Then I realized that the Father doesn’t get the glory out of what doesn’t happen. He gets the glory when you see how close He hovers over you and protects you from what could have happened.
G-d is to get the glory out of everything we do, so you might as well turn a negative into a positive and give Him all the praise. He wouldn’t get the glory by just not allowing things to happen, but when your pain goes public and everyone can see how close you came to total destruction, He steps into the situation that could have been avoided. But He allowed it to happen to teach us a lesson and to get the glory for it.
When everybody sees you down, then sees His touch on you and how He brings you back up to stand straight and tall – He gets all the glory!
So when you are in some kind of trouble and it seems like everyone is talking against you or taking sides, G-d said before this is over He is going to get the glory, so hang in there.
You may be in convicted, you may be uncomfortable, you may be overwhelmed and embarrassed, but by the word of your testimony He will get all the glory! He has to take you through a test to prove that you are now ready to go to the next level. You don’t have to do what you used to do just show up for He will never take you back through what you just went through if you passed the test. Because it was never about you, He allowed that to happen to you so He could get the glory.
So my friend, count all your trials and tribulation as a blessing for they all are to go to His Glory!!
We learn the hard way sometimes but we learn or have to retake the test all over.
Being a Good Guest
People generally expect perfect behavior from the host and crab if anything is amiss. But the success of a social occasion does not depend upon the host alone, the guests also play a crucial role.
It’s tempting to think of the guest-to-host relationship as being one-sided: hosts do all the work and we, as guests, just show up. But socializing should be a two-sided activity where hosts see to our comfort and we respond with our company and respect. Punishing a host for his or her good intentions with bad behavior seems like an unnatural response, and yet so many hosts come away from events feeling used or having to deal with awkward situations. I like to think that this is the result of carelessness rather than cruelty, so assuming we all desire not to ruin the lives of our hosts, we need to learn a few simple rules.
Whether you’re a guest at a meeting or a brunch, or a house guest staying at the home of a friend or relative, there are certain codes of conduct to be followed.
The punctual guest - Events should not be held up on your account - it sends a significant lateness message that says, “Oh they can wait for me, they’re unimportant and have nothing better to do.” Making a late entrance may not necessarily be impressive; you could cause inconvenience to the hosts. Arrive on time, or if possible, even earlier and help with last minute preparations.
The thoughtful guest - Most often your host will be a friend or relative you know well. Arrive lady-or-gentlemen like, not calling great attention to yourself or interrupting what is going on. If you arrive late, take your seat quietly and wait for the right time to join in on the conversation or event.
Follow the flow – Don't make assumptions about their preferences or schedules just follow the flow of the hostess; don’t take the liberty to change the plans of your host, they have been carefully planned out already. It is showing disrespect for the host and hostess to not follow their lead, so ensure your visit is enjoyable for you and your hosts.
Don’t make demands - Note that your host or hostess is trying to please the majority of her guests rather than only you and your own personal wants or needs.
The only guest - Check with your hosts if you’re bringing any extra guests. If they’re ‘the more, the merrier’ kind of people, they won’t mind, but it is only polite to inquire.
Participate - All hosts expect that some guests will be more like shrinking violets than master storytellers. Shyness is nice, but shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you’d like to do. Don’t be standoffish. Make an effort to introduce yourself to guests you don’t already know. If you’re talking in a group and someone close by is standing alone, ask that person to join you. On the other hand, don’t monopolize the conversation – the day is for everyone to join in.
Control yourself - Why does this even need to be said? How you act in your own home is your own business, but how you act in the homes of others is the business of everyone watching; distracting other guests from interesting conversations is not a good thing. Being very close with the host is not your ticket to letting it all hang out either.
House guest - As a house guest, it is important to remember that you’re not at a hotel, so don’t expect room service. Your hosts will be hospitable and kind, but taking advantage of them is rude. Try and help out as much as possible, leave the house clean, don’t overstay your visit and bring a thank you gift.
Leave your troubles at the door - I know it’s hard, I really do. Venting is therapeutic, and it’s hard to resist when a whole sympathetic room stands listening to your story. Your friends do want you to be yourself and they do want to know what’s going on in your life, but they have come to enjoy themselves in the presence of G-d’s glory. These fascinating-to-you topics may be better suited for an intimate conversation with a like-minded friend or two, as long as it stays confidential.
When it’s time to go, go – When you say you need to go, get up, say goodbye and leave, (assuming you have provided your own transportation) so you will not change other peoples' plans.
Common sense rules for common courtesy - If your hosts provide advance information by phone or email to apprise you of relevant details, listen attentively, or read carefully, all they've taken the time to share for your benefit. If you don't, it will become clear during your visit that you have not – which is a poor reflection on your own level of consideration. It is crucial to be a considerate guest and mind your manners during your entire visit, so that when the time comes to say goodbye, everyone feels happy you came. It could make all the difference between a pleasant day, and being asked never to return.
The good guest is almost invisible, enjoying him or herself, communing with fellow guests, and most of all, enjoying the generous hospitality of the hosts.
Now that we’re equipped with the rules of being good guests, rudeness can’t touch us!
It’s tempting to think of the guest-to-host relationship as being one-sided: hosts do all the work and we, as guests, just show up. But socializing should be a two-sided activity where hosts see to our comfort and we respond with our company and respect. Punishing a host for his or her good intentions with bad behavior seems like an unnatural response, and yet so many hosts come away from events feeling used or having to deal with awkward situations. I like to think that this is the result of carelessness rather than cruelty, so assuming we all desire not to ruin the lives of our hosts, we need to learn a few simple rules.
Whether you’re a guest at a meeting or a brunch, or a house guest staying at the home of a friend or relative, there are certain codes of conduct to be followed.
The punctual guest - Events should not be held up on your account - it sends a significant lateness message that says, “Oh they can wait for me, they’re unimportant and have nothing better to do.” Making a late entrance may not necessarily be impressive; you could cause inconvenience to the hosts. Arrive on time, or if possible, even earlier and help with last minute preparations.
The thoughtful guest - Most often your host will be a friend or relative you know well. Arrive lady-or-gentlemen like, not calling great attention to yourself or interrupting what is going on. If you arrive late, take your seat quietly and wait for the right time to join in on the conversation or event.
Follow the flow – Don't make assumptions about their preferences or schedules just follow the flow of the hostess; don’t take the liberty to change the plans of your host, they have been carefully planned out already. It is showing disrespect for the host and hostess to not follow their lead, so ensure your visit is enjoyable for you and your hosts.
Don’t make demands - Note that your host or hostess is trying to please the majority of her guests rather than only you and your own personal wants or needs.
The only guest - Check with your hosts if you’re bringing any extra guests. If they’re ‘the more, the merrier’ kind of people, they won’t mind, but it is only polite to inquire.
Participate - All hosts expect that some guests will be more like shrinking violets than master storytellers. Shyness is nice, but shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you’d like to do. Don’t be standoffish. Make an effort to introduce yourself to guests you don’t already know. If you’re talking in a group and someone close by is standing alone, ask that person to join you. On the other hand, don’t monopolize the conversation – the day is for everyone to join in.
Control yourself - Why does this even need to be said? How you act in your own home is your own business, but how you act in the homes of others is the business of everyone watching; distracting other guests from interesting conversations is not a good thing. Being very close with the host is not your ticket to letting it all hang out either.
House guest - As a house guest, it is important to remember that you’re not at a hotel, so don’t expect room service. Your hosts will be hospitable and kind, but taking advantage of them is rude. Try and help out as much as possible, leave the house clean, don’t overstay your visit and bring a thank you gift.
Leave your troubles at the door - I know it’s hard, I really do. Venting is therapeutic, and it’s hard to resist when a whole sympathetic room stands listening to your story. Your friends do want you to be yourself and they do want to know what’s going on in your life, but they have come to enjoy themselves in the presence of G-d’s glory. These fascinating-to-you topics may be better suited for an intimate conversation with a like-minded friend or two, as long as it stays confidential.
When it’s time to go, go – When you say you need to go, get up, say goodbye and leave, (assuming you have provided your own transportation) so you will not change other peoples' plans.
Common sense rules for common courtesy - If your hosts provide advance information by phone or email to apprise you of relevant details, listen attentively, or read carefully, all they've taken the time to share for your benefit. If you don't, it will become clear during your visit that you have not – which is a poor reflection on your own level of consideration. It is crucial to be a considerate guest and mind your manners during your entire visit, so that when the time comes to say goodbye, everyone feels happy you came. It could make all the difference between a pleasant day, and being asked never to return.
The good guest is almost invisible, enjoying him or herself, communing with fellow guests, and most of all, enjoying the generous hospitality of the hosts.
Now that we’re equipped with the rules of being good guests, rudeness can’t touch us!
Going Bananas
Received from an email: A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain.
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips.. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
Leadership Qualities
Confidentiality – When one is personally venting to a leader, he or she must hold that in strictest confidence and help the person work through the issues with out broadcasting what was said during the time of venting. If the receiver can not do that, then they can not be trusted with the important issues that can arise. For example, forwarding something to another to cause strife and dispute would not be healing a situation.
In disputes – A true leader will get all parties concerned together to try to resolve the matter, pointing out the difference between how it was said and what it meant. Everyone can view the same subject in a different way, but a true leader can bring it to harmony and unity.
Fairness - means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.
Mental toughness - No one can lead without being criticized or without facing discouragement. A potential leader needs a mental toughness, to see things as they are and is willing to pay the price. Leadership creates a certain separation from one's peers, that comes from carrying responsibility. There is loneliness in leadership.
A leader must be able to keep his or her own counsel until the proper time.
Peer respect - It isn't important that people like you. It's important that they respect you. They may like you, but not follow you. If they respect you, they'll follow you, even if perhaps they don't like you. If respect isn't there, that's also visible.
A quality that makes people listen to them. Potential leaders have a "holding court" quality about them. When they speak, people listen. Other people may talk a great deal, but nobody listens to them.
Respecter of persons – A leader must not be a respecter of persons and tend to only his or her own personal sheep. One must care for all the flock that was placed in his or her care, seeing to it that all are well taken care of. A leader will only be given what he can handle. If he chooses one or two, than that is what he will be given; the more you get, the bigger the responsibility. Lk. 15:4 says: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
Counseling – In counseling a man should always have his mate with him to avoid innocent temptations that can arise. It may be the only time a woman had a male pay that much attention to her or listen to what she says, and can mis understand Agape love for fleshly love. Plus, having another woman there is comforting for women will pick up faster and have understanding of another woman's mind. If a woman is counseling, it is also good for her to have a witness, so it never gets to who said what. G-d always has a witness, in Old Testament times it had to be two witnesses but some think we are not under Old Testament teachings anymore. The question is did G-d change the rules?
Potential - It's not enough for people to have leadership potential; they must have character and the right setting in which to grow. Before I give someone significant leadership responsibilities, I find it helpful to ask myself several questions:
1. What will this person do to be liked? It's nice to be liked, but as a leader it cannot be the controlling factor. The cause must be the prime motivator.
2. Does this person have a destructive weakness? There are only two things I need to know about myself: my constructive strength and any destructive weakness. A destructive weakness may not show up on a test; it's a character flaw. A destructive weakness may, for example, be an obsession. An obsession controls us; we don't control it. It only grows worse over time.
3. Can I provide this person the environment to succeed? It is so important, particularly in the early days of someone's leadership, that he or she be put into a friendly environment. An environment that threatens our sense of security or well-being splits our concentration from the cause.
Integrity - is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity. Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.
Magnanimity - means giving credit where it is due. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.
Humility - Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone.
Confrontation - is a good thing. It is an interpersonal dynamic that allows accountability to flow between people for their actions, behaviors, attitudes, and patterns of thought. Believers are mandated in Scripture to be a kind of nutrient spike in the lives of other Believers so as to make easy spiritual growth and maturation in each others lives. Leaders are to be ready always to provide counsel in the life of another through the use of Scripture to guide someone along the paths of correction, rebuke, teaching and training in the righteousness of G-d. If you are avoiding confrontation and can not call out sin in the camp, you are not meant to be a leader who can give correction, we are all called to be peacemakers but leaders have a deeper responsibly.
A sense of humor - is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the environment.
Wherever there is a growing church, you will find people who realize the importance of leadership and pay the price to give it. The gift of leadership is from G-d, but it is our responsibility to polish it, develop it, and improve it through His enabling power.
Leave your environment periodically so you can see your field in a different light.
Pray much - you will find your horizons being lifted and your vision sharpened.
In disputes – A true leader will get all parties concerned together to try to resolve the matter, pointing out the difference between how it was said and what it meant. Everyone can view the same subject in a different way, but a true leader can bring it to harmony and unity.
Fairness - means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.
Mental toughness - No one can lead without being criticized or without facing discouragement. A potential leader needs a mental toughness, to see things as they are and is willing to pay the price. Leadership creates a certain separation from one's peers, that comes from carrying responsibility. There is loneliness in leadership.
A leader must be able to keep his or her own counsel until the proper time.
Peer respect - It isn't important that people like you. It's important that they respect you. They may like you, but not follow you. If they respect you, they'll follow you, even if perhaps they don't like you. If respect isn't there, that's also visible.
A quality that makes people listen to them. Potential leaders have a "holding court" quality about them. When they speak, people listen. Other people may talk a great deal, but nobody listens to them.
Respecter of persons – A leader must not be a respecter of persons and tend to only his or her own personal sheep. One must care for all the flock that was placed in his or her care, seeing to it that all are well taken care of. A leader will only be given what he can handle. If he chooses one or two, than that is what he will be given; the more you get, the bigger the responsibility. Lk. 15:4 says: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
Counseling – In counseling a man should always have his mate with him to avoid innocent temptations that can arise. It may be the only time a woman had a male pay that much attention to her or listen to what she says, and can mis understand Agape love for fleshly love. Plus, having another woman there is comforting for women will pick up faster and have understanding of another woman's mind. If a woman is counseling, it is also good for her to have a witness, so it never gets to who said what. G-d always has a witness, in Old Testament times it had to be two witnesses but some think we are not under Old Testament teachings anymore. The question is did G-d change the rules?
Potential - It's not enough for people to have leadership potential; they must have character and the right setting in which to grow. Before I give someone significant leadership responsibilities, I find it helpful to ask myself several questions:
1. What will this person do to be liked? It's nice to be liked, but as a leader it cannot be the controlling factor. The cause must be the prime motivator.
2. Does this person have a destructive weakness? There are only two things I need to know about myself: my constructive strength and any destructive weakness. A destructive weakness may not show up on a test; it's a character flaw. A destructive weakness may, for example, be an obsession. An obsession controls us; we don't control it. It only grows worse over time.
3. Can I provide this person the environment to succeed? It is so important, particularly in the early days of someone's leadership, that he or she be put into a friendly environment. An environment that threatens our sense of security or well-being splits our concentration from the cause.
Integrity - is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity. Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.
Magnanimity - means giving credit where it is due. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.
Humility - Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone.
Confrontation - is a good thing. It is an interpersonal dynamic that allows accountability to flow between people for their actions, behaviors, attitudes, and patterns of thought. Believers are mandated in Scripture to be a kind of nutrient spike in the lives of other Believers so as to make easy spiritual growth and maturation in each others lives. Leaders are to be ready always to provide counsel in the life of another through the use of Scripture to guide someone along the paths of correction, rebuke, teaching and training in the righteousness of G-d. If you are avoiding confrontation and can not call out sin in the camp, you are not meant to be a leader who can give correction, we are all called to be peacemakers but leaders have a deeper responsibly.
A sense of humor - is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the environment.
Wherever there is a growing church, you will find people who realize the importance of leadership and pay the price to give it. The gift of leadership is from G-d, but it is our responsibility to polish it, develop it, and improve it through His enabling power.
Leave your environment periodically so you can see your field in a different light.
Pray much - you will find your horizons being lifted and your vision sharpened.
Confrontation
Confrontation is being a Watchman, Prophet, Seer and a Dreamer.
Traditionally the prophet in Israel played a dual role. Prophets were charismatic figures who spoke words they believed were not theirs but the L-rd’s. They were also teachers whom G-d instructed and called to instruct others. That was the Torah (instruction, teaching) of the prophets (Isa. 8:16). In this respect, Ezekiel differs from his predecessors in the degree, but not in kind. The prophet as watchman (Ez. 3:16-21; 33) – that is, the one appointed to foresee and if possible to forestall judgment upon the people by warning them and bringing them to repentance – is only one variation on an old theme of the prophet as mediator.
The parabolic form easily yields to the figurative. Ezekiel’s prophetic acts are often flashy, overgenerous, even at times tasteless. We must be reminded that the prophets were not normal people. Ezekiel’s acts are often strange. So were some of Isaiah’s prophetic actions. The noble Isaiah 20:2-2 stripped himself of his loincloth and sandals and walked about naked as a sign of the L-rd’s coming judgment. Again it seems a matter of kind rather than of degree – a degree that may strain the distinction to the limit, but still a degree.
It is Yahweh who brings judgment, the same Yahweh who gives the prophet a vision of the salvation he is to proclaim. He is to confront the people, warn them, and exhort them. Those who heed his warning and act on his exhortations will be ready to live in the future that G-d’s power is bringing into existence. Those who fail to heed the prophet must bear the burden of their stubbornness.
[4:1] Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:
[Tile – first, G-d instructs Ezekiel to take a mud brick, on of those clay tablets that were common in Babylon both for written documents and for building materials (Gen. 11:3). They are often two feet long and one foot broad.
The prophet is to depict on it a city, even Jerusalem that is under siege.
It was Jerusalem’s honour that while she kept her integrity G-d had graven her upon the palms of His hands (Isa. 49:16), and the names of the tribes were engrave in precious stones on the breast-plate of the high priest; but, now that the faithful city has become a harlot, a worthless brittle tile or brick is thought good enough to portray it upon. This the prophet must lay before him, that the eye may affect the heart.]
[2] And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.
[3] Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
[Iron pan - is the plate presumably represents an iron wall between Ezekiel and the city that is all ready to be under siege. The prophet himself and his word will form part of the verdict of destruction that G-d has decreed. This represented the inflexible resolution of both sides.
Sign - the people were upbraided with their stupidity and dullness that they were not capable of being taught as men of sense are, by words, but must be taught as children are, by pictures, or as deaf men are, by signs.]
[4] Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.
[This episode represents Ezekiel as playing in part the role of the scapegoat of Lev. 16:21-22. Symbolically G-d lays the guilt (the same word for punishment) upon Ezekiel while he rest on his left side for 390 days.
The left side - referring to the position of the ten tribes, the northern kingdom, as Judah, the southern, answers to "the right side". The Orientals facing the east in their mode had the north on their left and the south on their right (16:46). Also the right was more honorable than the left: so Judah as being the seat of the temple was more so than Israel.
He was ordered to lie upon his side before it, as it were to surround it, representing the Chaldean army lying before it to block it up, to keep the meat from going in and the mouths from going out.
Bear the iniquity -iniquity being regarded as a burden; so it means, "bear the punishment of their iniquity" (Numbers 14:34). A type of Him who was the great sin-bearer, not in mimic show as Ezekiel, but in reality (Isaiah 53:4, 6, 12).]
[5] For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
[Days stand for years, G-d's dealings in the past are a key to the future, for He moves on the same everlasting principles, the forms alone being short-lived.]
[6] And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
[After the 309 days, that he bears the guilt of the house of Judah while laying on his right side for 40 days. by the terms of Num. 14:34 G-d condemned the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, thus to bear their guilt as punishment for their disobedience.
Now we are not to think that the prophet lay constantly night and day upon his side, but every day, for so many days together, at a certain time of the day, when he received visits, and company came in, he was found lying 390 days on his left side and forty days on his right side, which all that saw might easily understand to mean the close besieging of that city, and people would be flocking in daily, some for curiosity and some for conscience, at the hour appointed, to see it and to take their different remarks upon it.]
[7] Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.[Arm . . . uncovered - to be ready for action, which the long Oriental garment usually covered it would prevent (Isaiah 52:10), the stretching out of his arm, as it were to deal blows about without mercy.
Thou shalt prophesy against it - This gesture of thine will be an unspoken prophecy against it. And there were those who not only understood it so, but were the more affected with it by its being so represented, for images to the eye commonly make deeper impressions upon the mind than words can, The power of imagination, if it be rightly used, and kept under the direction and correction of reason and faith, may be of good use to kindle and excite pious and devout affections, as it was here to Ezekiel and his attendants.]
[8] And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.[Bands - (3:25). His being found constantly on the same side, as if bands were laid upon him (as indeed they were by the divine command), so that he could not turn himself from one side to another till he had ended the days of the siege, did plainly represent the close and constant continuance of the besiegers about the city during that number of days, till they had gained their point.
Not turn from . . . side - to imply the impossibility of their being able to shake off the punishment.]
[9] Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
[390 days represent the time of the siege.
Two separate themes occur here. The first, which is partly in parallel with 12:17-20, has to do with the quality and scarcity of food that the inhabitants of Jerusalem must expect during a siege.
Wheat . . . barley - Instead of simple flour used for delicate cakes (Genesis 18:6), the Jews should have a coarse mixture of six different kinds of grain, such as the poorest alone would eat. The bread that G-d commands Ezekiel to bake is composed of six kinds of grains and legumes, all of which were common both to Babylon and Palestine. The meaning is that food will be hard to come by, and that one must make do with whatever comes to hand.
In the Babylonian Talmud an experiment had shown that a dog will not eat bread made in this fashion. Even food of this kind, whatever its quality or lack of it, will be severely rationed, as will be water.
Fitches - spelt.
One vessel - Mix the worst with the best to lengthen out the provision.
Three hundred and ninety - The forty days are omitted, since these latter typify the wilderness period when Israel stood separate from the Gentiles and their pollution, though partially chastened by stint of bread and water (verse 16).]
[10] And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.[eat bread by weight and with care," that is, have a stinted supply and be chastened with the milder discipline of the wilderness period.
Twenty shekels - that is, little more than ten ounces; a scant measure to sustain life (Jeremiah 52:6). But it applies not only to the siege, but to their whole subsequent state.
From time to time - At set hours this was weighed out.
The stint of the Lessen diet is fourteen ounces of meat and sixteen of drink. The prophet in Babylon had bread enough and to spare, and was by the river side, where there was plenty of water; and yet, that he might confirm his own prediction and be a sign to the children of Israel, G-d obliges him to live thus sparingly, and he submits to it. The body must be kept under and brought into subjection.]
[11] Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.
[Twenty shekels of bread and the sixth part of a hin of water (about a pint and a half), or 6 ounces.]
[12] And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.[As barley cakes - Because they never had enough to make a loaf with, they eat them as barley cakes.
Dung - Not even the dung of man is worth anything! To use human dung so implies the cruelest necessity. This is a tacit reflection upon man, as intimating that he being polluted with sin his filthiness is more nauseous and horrible than that of any other creature.
The fire had to be fueled by human dung so that they would experience the same revulsion, which was signified by it, that in the extremity of the famine they should not only have nothing that was dainty, but nothing that was cleanly, about them; they must take up with what they could get. It was in violation of the law (Deut. 14:3; 23:12-14); it must therefore have been done only in vision.]
[13] And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
[Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread unclean, because they will live in lands where people do not observe the dietary laws (Dan. 1:5-16).
The eating of the polluted bread in the three hundred ninety days implies a forced residence "among the Gentiles" who were polluted with idolatry.]
[14] Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
[15] Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.[Cow’s dung - G-d then permits Ezekiel to bake his bread in the conventional way. The use of dried animal dung for this purpose was and still is in practice throughout the world, and not only in primitive societies.
Bread - Still the bread so baked is "defiled," to imply that, whatever partial abatement there might be for the prophet's sake, the main decree of G-d, as to the pollution is unalterable.]
[16] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:
[That those who remained in Jerusalem should be brought to extreme misery for want of necessary food. All supplies being cut off by the besiegers, the city would soon find the want of the country, for the king himself is served of the field; and thus the staff of bread would be broken.
Staff of bread is a local touch. The expression involves more than our metaphor of bread as the staff of life. The loaves of the day were, as they still are in many parts of the world, round. They also had holes in the center so that they could be stacked on a staff in the baker’s house. If that is what the expression implies, we have a much more graphic picture of the L-rd’s cutting off the people’s food supply by smashing the bread staffs of the city.
They should eat and drink with care, to make it go as far as might be, and with astonishment, when they saw it almost spent and knew not which way to look for a recruit. And the event shall be as bad as their fears; they cannot make it worse than it is, for they shall consume away for their iniquity; multitudes of them shall die of famine, a lingering death, worse than that by the sword (Lam. 4:9); they shall dies so as to feel themselves die. And it is sin that brings all this misery upon them: They shall consume away in their iniquity (so it may be read); they shall continue hardened and impenitent, and shall die in their sins, which is more miserable than to die on a dunghill.]
[17] That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.
[May want - So because they served not G-d with cheerfulness in the abundance of all things, He made them serve their enemies in the want of all things. To eat meat made up by Gentile hands otherwise than according to the law of the Jewish church, which they were always taught to call defiled, and which they would have as great an dislike to as a man would have to bread prepared with dung, that is kneaded and mounded with dung.
Astonied one with another - mutually regard one another with astonishment: the stupefied look of despairing want.]
[Job 33:12] Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
[In this - the difference between the charge which Elihu exhibited against Job and that which was preferred against him by his other friends; they would not own that he was just at all.
You are not just - His activities to convince him that he had spoken amiss in speaking thus, and that he ought to humble himself before G-d for it and by repentance to unsay it. You have laid charges against G-d's dealings, but you have not been able to justify those charges.
Many that are just yet, in some particular instances, do not speak and act like themselves; and as, on the one hand, we must not fail to tell even a good man wherein he mistakes and does amiss, nor flatter him in his errors and passions, for in that we are not kind, so on the other hand we must not draw men’s characters, nor pass a judgment on them, from one instance, or some few misplaced words, for in that we are not just.
G-d is greater than man - Two things Elihu proposes to Job’s consideration, to convince him that he had said amiss:
That G-d is infinitely above us, and therefore it is madness to contend with Him; for if he pleads against us with His great power we cannot stand before Him. Between G-d and man there is no proportion. There is enough in this one plain unquestionable truth, That G-d is greater than man, if duly improved, for ever to put to silence and to shame all our complaints of His providence and our exceptions against His dealings with us. He is not only more wise and powerful than we are, and therefore it is to no purpose to contend with Him who will be too hard for us, but more holy, just, and good, for these are the transcendent glories and excellencies of the divine nature; in these G-d is greater than man, and therefore it is absurd and unreasonable to find fault with Him, for He is certainly in the right.]
Should one avoid confutation if they are lead to call people into accountability?
After all it would ruffle people’s feathers and does not make the messenger very favorable.
Have you ever been in the middle of something and needed an 'iron pan' to block the noise so you can hear directly from G-d?
One must not speak in the flesh before getting into the Spirit to see how He wants it delivered.
Can we learn anything from the OT stories?
Is sin still sin?
Are we going to be held accountable one day for all the words, jesters and actions we do?
What does it say about tying a milestone around the neck?
Does G-d use all different ways to warn us or punish us as in the days of old?
Have you ever felt like the scapegoat?
A true friend will speak the truth, it may be tough love, but better than loving one into hell fire.
What have you learn from this lesson?
Traditionally the prophet in Israel played a dual role. Prophets were charismatic figures who spoke words they believed were not theirs but the L-rd’s. They were also teachers whom G-d instructed and called to instruct others. That was the Torah (instruction, teaching) of the prophets (Isa. 8:16). In this respect, Ezekiel differs from his predecessors in the degree, but not in kind. The prophet as watchman (Ez. 3:16-21; 33) – that is, the one appointed to foresee and if possible to forestall judgment upon the people by warning them and bringing them to repentance – is only one variation on an old theme of the prophet as mediator.
The parabolic form easily yields to the figurative. Ezekiel’s prophetic acts are often flashy, overgenerous, even at times tasteless. We must be reminded that the prophets were not normal people. Ezekiel’s acts are often strange. So were some of Isaiah’s prophetic actions. The noble Isaiah 20:2-2 stripped himself of his loincloth and sandals and walked about naked as a sign of the L-rd’s coming judgment. Again it seems a matter of kind rather than of degree – a degree that may strain the distinction to the limit, but still a degree.
It is Yahweh who brings judgment, the same Yahweh who gives the prophet a vision of the salvation he is to proclaim. He is to confront the people, warn them, and exhort them. Those who heed his warning and act on his exhortations will be ready to live in the future that G-d’s power is bringing into existence. Those who fail to heed the prophet must bear the burden of their stubbornness.
[4:1] Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:
[Tile – first, G-d instructs Ezekiel to take a mud brick, on of those clay tablets that were common in Babylon both for written documents and for building materials (Gen. 11:3). They are often two feet long and one foot broad.
The prophet is to depict on it a city, even Jerusalem that is under siege.
It was Jerusalem’s honour that while she kept her integrity G-d had graven her upon the palms of His hands (Isa. 49:16), and the names of the tribes were engrave in precious stones on the breast-plate of the high priest; but, now that the faithful city has become a harlot, a worthless brittle tile or brick is thought good enough to portray it upon. This the prophet must lay before him, that the eye may affect the heart.]
[2] And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.
[3] Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
[Iron pan - is the plate presumably represents an iron wall between Ezekiel and the city that is all ready to be under siege. The prophet himself and his word will form part of the verdict of destruction that G-d has decreed. This represented the inflexible resolution of both sides.
Sign - the people were upbraided with their stupidity and dullness that they were not capable of being taught as men of sense are, by words, but must be taught as children are, by pictures, or as deaf men are, by signs.]
[4] Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.
[This episode represents Ezekiel as playing in part the role of the scapegoat of Lev. 16:21-22. Symbolically G-d lays the guilt (the same word for punishment) upon Ezekiel while he rest on his left side for 390 days.
The left side - referring to the position of the ten tribes, the northern kingdom, as Judah, the southern, answers to "the right side". The Orientals facing the east in their mode had the north on their left and the south on their right (16:46). Also the right was more honorable than the left: so Judah as being the seat of the temple was more so than Israel.
He was ordered to lie upon his side before it, as it were to surround it, representing the Chaldean army lying before it to block it up, to keep the meat from going in and the mouths from going out.
Bear the iniquity -iniquity being regarded as a burden; so it means, "bear the punishment of their iniquity" (Numbers 14:34). A type of Him who was the great sin-bearer, not in mimic show as Ezekiel, but in reality (Isaiah 53:4, 6, 12).]
[5] For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
[Days stand for years, G-d's dealings in the past are a key to the future, for He moves on the same everlasting principles, the forms alone being short-lived.]
[6] And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
[After the 309 days, that he bears the guilt of the house of Judah while laying on his right side for 40 days. by the terms of Num. 14:34 G-d condemned the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, thus to bear their guilt as punishment for their disobedience.
Now we are not to think that the prophet lay constantly night and day upon his side, but every day, for so many days together, at a certain time of the day, when he received visits, and company came in, he was found lying 390 days on his left side and forty days on his right side, which all that saw might easily understand to mean the close besieging of that city, and people would be flocking in daily, some for curiosity and some for conscience, at the hour appointed, to see it and to take their different remarks upon it.]
[7] Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.[Arm . . . uncovered - to be ready for action, which the long Oriental garment usually covered it would prevent (Isaiah 52:10), the stretching out of his arm, as it were to deal blows about without mercy.
Thou shalt prophesy against it - This gesture of thine will be an unspoken prophecy against it. And there were those who not only understood it so, but were the more affected with it by its being so represented, for images to the eye commonly make deeper impressions upon the mind than words can, The power of imagination, if it be rightly used, and kept under the direction and correction of reason and faith, may be of good use to kindle and excite pious and devout affections, as it was here to Ezekiel and his attendants.]
[8] And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.[Bands - (3:25). His being found constantly on the same side, as if bands were laid upon him (as indeed they were by the divine command), so that he could not turn himself from one side to another till he had ended the days of the siege, did plainly represent the close and constant continuance of the besiegers about the city during that number of days, till they had gained their point.
Not turn from . . . side - to imply the impossibility of their being able to shake off the punishment.]
[9] Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
[390 days represent the time of the siege.
Two separate themes occur here. The first, which is partly in parallel with 12:17-20, has to do with the quality and scarcity of food that the inhabitants of Jerusalem must expect during a siege.
Wheat . . . barley - Instead of simple flour used for delicate cakes (Genesis 18:6), the Jews should have a coarse mixture of six different kinds of grain, such as the poorest alone would eat. The bread that G-d commands Ezekiel to bake is composed of six kinds of grains and legumes, all of which were common both to Babylon and Palestine. The meaning is that food will be hard to come by, and that one must make do with whatever comes to hand.
In the Babylonian Talmud an experiment had shown that a dog will not eat bread made in this fashion. Even food of this kind, whatever its quality or lack of it, will be severely rationed, as will be water.
Fitches - spelt.
One vessel - Mix the worst with the best to lengthen out the provision.
Three hundred and ninety - The forty days are omitted, since these latter typify the wilderness period when Israel stood separate from the Gentiles and their pollution, though partially chastened by stint of bread and water (verse 16).]
[10] And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.[eat bread by weight and with care," that is, have a stinted supply and be chastened with the milder discipline of the wilderness period.
Twenty shekels - that is, little more than ten ounces; a scant measure to sustain life (Jeremiah 52:6). But it applies not only to the siege, but to their whole subsequent state.
From time to time - At set hours this was weighed out.
The stint of the Lessen diet is fourteen ounces of meat and sixteen of drink. The prophet in Babylon had bread enough and to spare, and was by the river side, where there was plenty of water; and yet, that he might confirm his own prediction and be a sign to the children of Israel, G-d obliges him to live thus sparingly, and he submits to it. The body must be kept under and brought into subjection.]
[11] Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.
[Twenty shekels of bread and the sixth part of a hin of water (about a pint and a half), or 6 ounces.]
[12] And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.[As barley cakes - Because they never had enough to make a loaf with, they eat them as barley cakes.
Dung - Not even the dung of man is worth anything! To use human dung so implies the cruelest necessity. This is a tacit reflection upon man, as intimating that he being polluted with sin his filthiness is more nauseous and horrible than that of any other creature.
The fire had to be fueled by human dung so that they would experience the same revulsion, which was signified by it, that in the extremity of the famine they should not only have nothing that was dainty, but nothing that was cleanly, about them; they must take up with what they could get. It was in violation of the law (Deut. 14:3; 23:12-14); it must therefore have been done only in vision.]
[13] And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
[Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread unclean, because they will live in lands where people do not observe the dietary laws (Dan. 1:5-16).
The eating of the polluted bread in the three hundred ninety days implies a forced residence "among the Gentiles" who were polluted with idolatry.]
[14] Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
[15] Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.[Cow’s dung - G-d then permits Ezekiel to bake his bread in the conventional way. The use of dried animal dung for this purpose was and still is in practice throughout the world, and not only in primitive societies.
Bread - Still the bread so baked is "defiled," to imply that, whatever partial abatement there might be for the prophet's sake, the main decree of G-d, as to the pollution is unalterable.]
[16] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:
[That those who remained in Jerusalem should be brought to extreme misery for want of necessary food. All supplies being cut off by the besiegers, the city would soon find the want of the country, for the king himself is served of the field; and thus the staff of bread would be broken.
Staff of bread is a local touch. The expression involves more than our metaphor of bread as the staff of life. The loaves of the day were, as they still are in many parts of the world, round. They also had holes in the center so that they could be stacked on a staff in the baker’s house. If that is what the expression implies, we have a much more graphic picture of the L-rd’s cutting off the people’s food supply by smashing the bread staffs of the city.
They should eat and drink with care, to make it go as far as might be, and with astonishment, when they saw it almost spent and knew not which way to look for a recruit. And the event shall be as bad as their fears; they cannot make it worse than it is, for they shall consume away for their iniquity; multitudes of them shall die of famine, a lingering death, worse than that by the sword (Lam. 4:9); they shall dies so as to feel themselves die. And it is sin that brings all this misery upon them: They shall consume away in their iniquity (so it may be read); they shall continue hardened and impenitent, and shall die in their sins, which is more miserable than to die on a dunghill.]
[17] That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.
[May want - So because they served not G-d with cheerfulness in the abundance of all things, He made them serve their enemies in the want of all things. To eat meat made up by Gentile hands otherwise than according to the law of the Jewish church, which they were always taught to call defiled, and which they would have as great an dislike to as a man would have to bread prepared with dung, that is kneaded and mounded with dung.
Astonied one with another - mutually regard one another with astonishment: the stupefied look of despairing want.]
[Job 33:12] Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
[In this - the difference between the charge which Elihu exhibited against Job and that which was preferred against him by his other friends; they would not own that he was just at all.
You are not just - His activities to convince him that he had spoken amiss in speaking thus, and that he ought to humble himself before G-d for it and by repentance to unsay it. You have laid charges against G-d's dealings, but you have not been able to justify those charges.
Many that are just yet, in some particular instances, do not speak and act like themselves; and as, on the one hand, we must not fail to tell even a good man wherein he mistakes and does amiss, nor flatter him in his errors and passions, for in that we are not kind, so on the other hand we must not draw men’s characters, nor pass a judgment on them, from one instance, or some few misplaced words, for in that we are not just.
G-d is greater than man - Two things Elihu proposes to Job’s consideration, to convince him that he had said amiss:
That G-d is infinitely above us, and therefore it is madness to contend with Him; for if he pleads against us with His great power we cannot stand before Him. Between G-d and man there is no proportion. There is enough in this one plain unquestionable truth, That G-d is greater than man, if duly improved, for ever to put to silence and to shame all our complaints of His providence and our exceptions against His dealings with us. He is not only more wise and powerful than we are, and therefore it is to no purpose to contend with Him who will be too hard for us, but more holy, just, and good, for these are the transcendent glories and excellencies of the divine nature; in these G-d is greater than man, and therefore it is absurd and unreasonable to find fault with Him, for He is certainly in the right.]
Should one avoid confutation if they are lead to call people into accountability?
After all it would ruffle people’s feathers and does not make the messenger very favorable.
Have you ever been in the middle of something and needed an 'iron pan' to block the noise so you can hear directly from G-d?
One must not speak in the flesh before getting into the Spirit to see how He wants it delivered.
Can we learn anything from the OT stories?
Is sin still sin?
Are we going to be held accountable one day for all the words, jesters and actions we do?
What does it say about tying a milestone around the neck?
Does G-d use all different ways to warn us or punish us as in the days of old?
Have you ever felt like the scapegoat?
A true friend will speak the truth, it may be tough love, but better than loving one into hell fire.
What have you learn from this lesson?
Sowing and Reaping
[Mk. 4:3] Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
[4] And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
[The devil is very busy about loose, careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground; when the heart, like the highway, is unplowed, unhumbled, when the seed lies common, to be trodden on by every passenger, then the devil is like the fowls; he comes swiftly, and carries away the word were we are aware.]
[5] And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
[6] But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
[7] And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
[8] And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.[How much of an increase do you want?]
[9] And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.[The words of Y’Shua demand attention, and those who speak from Him may command it, and should stir it up.]
[13] And he said unto them, Know you not this parable? and how then will you know all parables?[If you know not this, which is so plain, how will you understand other parables, which will be more dark and obscure? If you know not this, which is intended for your direction in hearing the Word that you may profit by it; how shall you profit by what you are later to hear? This parable is to teach you to be attentive to the Word, and affected by it, that you may understand it. If you receive not this, you will not know how to use the key by which you must be let into all the rest. If we understand not the rules we are to observe in order for our profiting by the Word, how shall we profit by any other rule?]
[14] The sower soweth the word.
[In the great field of the believers the Word of G-d is dispensed to all; it sows at a venture, beside all waters, upon all sorts of ground (Isa. 32:20), not knowing where it will light or what fruit it will bring forth. He scatters it in order to increase it.
Ministers are sowers; they have need of the skill and discretion of the husbandman (Isa. 28:24–26); they must not observe winds and clouds (Eccl. 11:4, 6), but must look up to G-d, who gives seed to the sower.]
[5] And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
[The reason why the word doth not leave commanding, abiding impressions upon the minds of the people is because their hearts are not duly disposed and prepared to receive it; the fault is in themselves, not in the Word. Some are careless forgetful hearers, and these get no good at all by the Word; it comes in one ear and goes out the other; others have their convictions overpowered by their corruptions and they lose the good impressions the word has made upon them so that they get no abiding good by it.]
[16] And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;[It is the ruin of hypocrites that they have no root; they do not act from a living fixed principle. Many are hindered from profiting by the word of G-d, by their abundance of the world. Many a good lesson of humility, charity, self-denial and heavenly-mindedness is choked and lost by that prevailing complacency in the world, which they are apt to have.]
[17] And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.[Impressions not kept will not be durable, but will wear off in suffering and trying times, like footsteps on the sand of the seashore, which are gone the next high tide of persecution. When iniquity doth abound, the love of many to the ways of G-d waxes
cold.
[18] And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,[That of the many that hear the word of the gospel and read it and are conversant with it, there are, comparatively, but few that receive it, so as to bring forth the fruits of it. There is but one in four that comes to good. It is sad to think how much of the precious seed of the word of G-d is lost and sown in vain, but there is a day coming when lost sermons must be accounted for.
Many are much affected with the word for the present, whom you receive no abiding benefit by it. The motions of soul they have, answerable to what they hear, are but a mere flash, like the crackling of thorns under a pot.]
[19] And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.[Many that are not openly scandalized so as to throw off their profession, as they on the stony ground did, have the efficacy of it secretly choked and stifled, so that it comes to nothing. They continue in a barren, hypocritical profession, which brings nothing to pass, and so go down as certainly, though more plausibly, to hell.]
[20] And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.[Fruit is the thing that G-d expects and requires from those that enjoy the gospel: fruit according to the seed, temper of mind, and course of life, agreeable to the gospel, with G-dly graces daily exercised and G-dly duties duly performed. This is fruit, and it will abound to our account. Lastly, no good fruit is to be expected but from good seed. If the seed be sown on good ground, if the heart be humble and holy and heavenly, there will be good fruit and it will abound sometimes even to a hundred fold - such a crop as Isaac reaped, Gen. 26:12.]
[22] For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
[There is no treasure of gifts and graces lodged in any but with design to be communicated; nor was the gospel made a secret to the apostles, to be concealed, but that it should come abroad and be divulged to the entire world.]
[23] If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.[Though the Messiah expounded the parables to His disciples privately, it was with design to make them the more publicly useful; they were taught, that they might teach. It is a general rule that the ministration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, not himself only, but others also. It concerns those who hear the word of the gospel to mark what they hear and to make a good use of it because their weal or woe depends upon it; what he had said before he saith again.]
[24] And he said unto them, Take heed what you hear: with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
[1. As we deal with G-d, G-d will deal with us; if you be faithful servants to Him, He will be a faithful Master to you; with the upright He will show Himself upright.
2. As we improve the talents we are entrusted with, we shall increase them. If we make use of the knowledge we have for the glory of G-d and the benefit of others, it shall sensibly grow.]
[25] For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.[If the disciples deliver that to the church which they have received of the L-rd, they shall be led more into the secret of the L-rd. Gifts and graces multiply by being exercised and G-d has promised to bless the hand of the diligent.
If we do not use, we lose what we have. Burying a talent is the betraying of a trust that warrants to a penalty. Gifts and graces rust for want of use.]
[26] And he said, So is the kingdom of G-d, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;[The good seed of the gospel sown in the world and in the heart doth by degrees produce wonderful effects, but without noise. It will come up; though it seems lost and buried under the clods, it will find or make its way through them. The seed cast into the ground will spring up. Let but the Word of Y’Shua have the place it ought to have in a soul and it will show itself, as the wisdom from above doth in a good conversation.]
[27] And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.[The Sower cannot describe how it comes up; it is one of the mysteries of nature. Without controversy, great is the mystery of G-dliness; how G-d manifested in the flesh came to be believed on in the world(1 Tim. 3:16).
3. Thus the word of grace when it is received in faith is in the heart a work of grace, and the preachers contribute nothing to it. The Spirit of G-d is carrying it on when they sleep, and can do no daily business.]
[28] For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.[According to the ordinary course of nature, and by the concurring power of the G-d of nature, the farmer does not stand in his field and shout for the seed to grow.
What we hear, doth us no good, unless we consider it. Those especially that are to teach others must themselves be very observant of the things of G-d; must take notice of the message they are to deliver, that they may be exact. We must likewise take heed what we hear by proving all things, that we may hold fast that which is good. We must be cautious and stand upon our guard, lest we be imposed upon.]
[29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.[The Messiah gathers in a harvest of honour to Himself. When those that receive the gospel aright have finished their course, the harvest comes when they shall be gathered.]
[30] And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of G-d? or with what comparison shall we compare it?[The work of grace is small in its beginnings, but comes to be great and considerable at last.]
Why are you so fearful? how is it that you have no faith?With the signs of the times, and if the WHAT IFS of tomorrow are plaguing you – draw on your faith which comes from hearing the Word of G-d
[4] And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
[The devil is very busy about loose, careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground; when the heart, like the highway, is unplowed, unhumbled, when the seed lies common, to be trodden on by every passenger, then the devil is like the fowls; he comes swiftly, and carries away the word were we are aware.]
[5] And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
[6] But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
[7] And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
[8] And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.[How much of an increase do you want?]
[9] And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.[The words of Y’Shua demand attention, and those who speak from Him may command it, and should stir it up.]
[13] And he said unto them, Know you not this parable? and how then will you know all parables?[If you know not this, which is so plain, how will you understand other parables, which will be more dark and obscure? If you know not this, which is intended for your direction in hearing the Word that you may profit by it; how shall you profit by what you are later to hear? This parable is to teach you to be attentive to the Word, and affected by it, that you may understand it. If you receive not this, you will not know how to use the key by which you must be let into all the rest. If we understand not the rules we are to observe in order for our profiting by the Word, how shall we profit by any other rule?]
[14] The sower soweth the word.
[In the great field of the believers the Word of G-d is dispensed to all; it sows at a venture, beside all waters, upon all sorts of ground (Isa. 32:20), not knowing where it will light or what fruit it will bring forth. He scatters it in order to increase it.
Ministers are sowers; they have need of the skill and discretion of the husbandman (Isa. 28:24–26); they must not observe winds and clouds (Eccl. 11:4, 6), but must look up to G-d, who gives seed to the sower.]
[5] And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
[The reason why the word doth not leave commanding, abiding impressions upon the minds of the people is because their hearts are not duly disposed and prepared to receive it; the fault is in themselves, not in the Word. Some are careless forgetful hearers, and these get no good at all by the Word; it comes in one ear and goes out the other; others have their convictions overpowered by their corruptions and they lose the good impressions the word has made upon them so that they get no abiding good by it.]
[16] And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;[It is the ruin of hypocrites that they have no root; they do not act from a living fixed principle. Many are hindered from profiting by the word of G-d, by their abundance of the world. Many a good lesson of humility, charity, self-denial and heavenly-mindedness is choked and lost by that prevailing complacency in the world, which they are apt to have.]
[17] And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.[Impressions not kept will not be durable, but will wear off in suffering and trying times, like footsteps on the sand of the seashore, which are gone the next high tide of persecution. When iniquity doth abound, the love of many to the ways of G-d waxes
cold.
[18] And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,[That of the many that hear the word of the gospel and read it and are conversant with it, there are, comparatively, but few that receive it, so as to bring forth the fruits of it. There is but one in four that comes to good. It is sad to think how much of the precious seed of the word of G-d is lost and sown in vain, but there is a day coming when lost sermons must be accounted for.
Many are much affected with the word for the present, whom you receive no abiding benefit by it. The motions of soul they have, answerable to what they hear, are but a mere flash, like the crackling of thorns under a pot.]
[19] And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.[Many that are not openly scandalized so as to throw off their profession, as they on the stony ground did, have the efficacy of it secretly choked and stifled, so that it comes to nothing. They continue in a barren, hypocritical profession, which brings nothing to pass, and so go down as certainly, though more plausibly, to hell.]
[20] And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.[Fruit is the thing that G-d expects and requires from those that enjoy the gospel: fruit according to the seed, temper of mind, and course of life, agreeable to the gospel, with G-dly graces daily exercised and G-dly duties duly performed. This is fruit, and it will abound to our account. Lastly, no good fruit is to be expected but from good seed. If the seed be sown on good ground, if the heart be humble and holy and heavenly, there will be good fruit and it will abound sometimes even to a hundred fold - such a crop as Isaac reaped, Gen. 26:12.]
[22] For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
[There is no treasure of gifts and graces lodged in any but with design to be communicated; nor was the gospel made a secret to the apostles, to be concealed, but that it should come abroad and be divulged to the entire world.]
[23] If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.[Though the Messiah expounded the parables to His disciples privately, it was with design to make them the more publicly useful; they were taught, that they might teach. It is a general rule that the ministration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, not himself only, but others also. It concerns those who hear the word of the gospel to mark what they hear and to make a good use of it because their weal or woe depends upon it; what he had said before he saith again.]
[24] And he said unto them, Take heed what you hear: with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
[1. As we deal with G-d, G-d will deal with us; if you be faithful servants to Him, He will be a faithful Master to you; with the upright He will show Himself upright.
2. As we improve the talents we are entrusted with, we shall increase them. If we make use of the knowledge we have for the glory of G-d and the benefit of others, it shall sensibly grow.]
[25] For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.[If the disciples deliver that to the church which they have received of the L-rd, they shall be led more into the secret of the L-rd. Gifts and graces multiply by being exercised and G-d has promised to bless the hand of the diligent.
If we do not use, we lose what we have. Burying a talent is the betraying of a trust that warrants to a penalty. Gifts and graces rust for want of use.]
[26] And he said, So is the kingdom of G-d, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;[The good seed of the gospel sown in the world and in the heart doth by degrees produce wonderful effects, but without noise. It will come up; though it seems lost and buried under the clods, it will find or make its way through them. The seed cast into the ground will spring up. Let but the Word of Y’Shua have the place it ought to have in a soul and it will show itself, as the wisdom from above doth in a good conversation.]
[27] And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.[The Sower cannot describe how it comes up; it is one of the mysteries of nature. Without controversy, great is the mystery of G-dliness; how G-d manifested in the flesh came to be believed on in the world(1 Tim. 3:16).
3. Thus the word of grace when it is received in faith is in the heart a work of grace, and the preachers contribute nothing to it. The Spirit of G-d is carrying it on when they sleep, and can do no daily business.]
[28] For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.[According to the ordinary course of nature, and by the concurring power of the G-d of nature, the farmer does not stand in his field and shout for the seed to grow.
What we hear, doth us no good, unless we consider it. Those especially that are to teach others must themselves be very observant of the things of G-d; must take notice of the message they are to deliver, that they may be exact. We must likewise take heed what we hear by proving all things, that we may hold fast that which is good. We must be cautious and stand upon our guard, lest we be imposed upon.]
[29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.[The Messiah gathers in a harvest of honour to Himself. When those that receive the gospel aright have finished their course, the harvest comes when they shall be gathered.]
[30] And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of G-d? or with what comparison shall we compare it?[The work of grace is small in its beginnings, but comes to be great and considerable at last.]
Why are you so fearful? how is it that you have no faith?With the signs of the times, and if the WHAT IFS of tomorrow are plaguing you – draw on your faith which comes from hearing the Word of G-d
Elders v Juniors
Job 32. He justified himself rather than G-d - that is, Job took more care and pains to clear himself from the accusation of unrighteousness in being thus afflicted than to clear G-d from the charge of unrighteousness in afflicting him. A gracious heart is jealous for the honour of G-d, and cannot but be angry when that is neglected or postponed, or when any injury is done it. Nor is it any breach of the Law of meekness to be angry at our friends when they are offensive to G-d. Elihu owned Job to be a good man, and yet would not say as he said when he thought he said amiss: it is too great a compliment to our friends not to tell them of their faults.
Waited to speak because they were elder - rules of precedence must be observed, for the keeping of order, since every man will think himself or his friend the wisest and worthiest, this can afford no certain rule for the outward ceremonial honour, which therefore must attend seniority either of age or office; and this respect the seniors may the better require because they paid it when they were juniors, and the juniors may the better pay because they shall have it when they come to be seniors.
Mine Opinion - It becomes us to be suspicious of our own judgment in matters of doubtful disputation, to be swift to hear the sentiments of others and slow to speak our own, especially when we go contrary to the judgment of those for whom, upon the score of their learning and goodness, we justly have a reverence.
Days shall speak – days refer to age and experience give a man great advantage in judging of things, both as they furnish a man with so much the more matter for his thoughts to work upon and as they ripen and improve the facilities he is to work with, which is a good reason why elderly people should take pains both to learn themselves and to teach others (else the advantages of their age are a criticism to them), and why young people should attend on their instructions.
Spirit – G-d’s Spirit, neither material itself nor dependent upon matter, but capable of conversing with things spiritual, which are not the objects of sense. It is an understanding Spirit. It is able to discover and receive truth, to discourse and reason upon it, and to direct and rule accordingly. It is the same Spirit which sanctifies, the same Spirit that seals, and the same Spirit that lives and works in the believer, guiding him by His counsel till it leads him into glory. In this one saying, independently of the above paraphrase, Elihu spoke more sense and sound doctrine than all Job's friends did in the whole of the argument.
Understanding - Elihu was obviously speaking about himself, for those that have heard may speak, and those that have learned may teach. As that which enabled him to pass a judgment upon what they had said, he had observed what they aimed at, and therefore knew what to say to it. Though he had so much respect to his friends as not to interrupt them with his speaking, yet he had so much regard to truth and justice (his better friends) as not to betray them by his silence.
Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
[Great – rather old, ‘greater, less’ for the older, and the younger, that those who are advanced above others in splendor and seriousness do not always proportionally go beyond them in knowledge and wisdom, it is a pity but they were, for then they would never do hurt with their greatness and would do so much the more good with their wisdom. Better is a poor and wise child then an old and foolish king, Eccl. 4:13. 3.
Understand judgment - The aged do not always understand judgment (what is right); even they may be mistaken, and therefore must not expect to bring every thought into obedience to them: nay, therefore they must not take it as an affront to be cancel out, but rather take it as a kindness to be instructed, by their juniors.]
We have found out wisdom - We by dint of our own wisdom and understanding, have found out the true system of G-d's fate; and have been able to account for all the sufferings and tribulations of Job. Had they been able to confute Job, they would have triumphed over him in their own self-sufficiency.
Neither will I answer - I must show you that this is a false theory and that Job may be convinced without maintaining it. It is time to speak when we hear errors advanced and disputed for, especially under pretence of supporting the cause of G-d with them. It is time to speak when G-d’s judgments are vouched for the belittling of men’s pride and passion and their unjust uncharitable fault of their brethren; then we must speak on G-d’s behalf. That he had something new to offer, and would try to manage the dispute in a better manner than it had hitherto been managed. The controversy that has already been fully handled a wise man will let alone, unless he can amend and improve what has been done; why should he do that which has been done already?
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
Amazed - being much surprised at the admirable mixture of boldness and modesty that appeared in Elihu’s preface.
Left off speaking - When aged men are drawn dry, they had been able to bring nothing new; at last, weary of their own repetitions, they gave up the contest, G-d can raise up others, even young men, and fill them with matter for the edifying of His Believers; for it is a subject that can never be exhausted, though those that speak upon it may.
For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
[I am full of matter - That he had a great deal to say, having carefully attended to all that has till now been said, and made my own reflections upon it.
The Spirit within me constrainedth me - How similar to the words of Paul! The love of the Messiah constraineth us. Elihu considered himself under the influence of that Spirit of G-d which gives understanding, and felt anxiously concerned for the welfare both of Job and his friends.]
Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.
[My belly - The Spirit within me not only instructs me what to say, but puts me on to say it; so that if I have not vent such a uproar are my thoughts in I shall burst like bottles of new wine when it is working.
New bottles - Bottles, or rather bags, made of goat-skins. The head and shanks being cut off, the animal is cased out of the skin. The skin is then properly dressed; the anus and four shank holes properly tied up; and an opening left at the neck or in some other place for the liquor to be poured in, and drawn out. They are used, not only to carry wine and water, but for butter, and also for various dry goods. When the wine is in a state of fermentation, and the skin has no vent, these bottles or bags are ready to burst; and if they be old, the new wine destroys them, breaks the old stitching, or rends the old skin. Our L-rd makes use of the same figure in Matt. 9:17.
What a great grief it is to a good minister to be silenced and thrust into a corner, being full of matter, full of the Messiah and full of heaven, and would speak of these things for the good of others, but they may not.]
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
[I will speak - not only that I may be eased of the pain of stifling my thoughts, but that I may have the pleasure of endeavoring, according to my place and capacity, to do good.
I will open my lips and answer - In the preceding verse Elihu compares himself to a skin-bottle, in which the wine was in a state of fermentation and the bottle ready to burst for want of vent. He carries on the metaphor in this verse: the bottle must be opened to save it from bursting; I will OPEN my mouth.
It is great refreshment to a good person to have liberty to speak for the glory of G-d and the edification of others.]
Neither let me give flattering titles unto man - It means to give proud titles to persons who are worthless, titles expressive of office, clerical, civil, or military, are always proper, and never forbidden, because they serve for distinction.
Today titles given to some people where not earned, and many times self promotion; on the other hand to the ones that were pursuant and full of dedication it was not given.
Vain titles were given to worthless people from time immemorial; and no wonder, for hypocrisy entered into man at the same time that sin entered into the world. Then there are people that promote themselves while yet novices.
Their kings they clothe in all the attributes of the Deity, when both in their public and private character they are corrupt and unholy, rascals in grain, and the ruthless oppressors of suffering humanity.
For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
I know not - The more closely we eye the majesty of G-d as our maker, the more we dread His wrath and justice, the less danger shall we be in of a sinful fearing or flattering of men.
My maker - He is my Maker; He made me to know truth, to tell truth, and to live according to truth; for He is the G-d of truth: I shall, therefore through His help, speak the TRUTH, the WHOLE TRUTH, and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
Soon take me away - It is good to keep ourselves in awe with a holy fear of G-d’s judgments. He that made us will take us away in His wrath if we do not conduct ourselves as we should. He hates all dissimulation and flattery, and will soon put lying lips to silence and cut off flattering lips, Ps. 12:3.]
Waited to speak because they were elder - rules of precedence must be observed, for the keeping of order, since every man will think himself or his friend the wisest and worthiest, this can afford no certain rule for the outward ceremonial honour, which therefore must attend seniority either of age or office; and this respect the seniors may the better require because they paid it when they were juniors, and the juniors may the better pay because they shall have it when they come to be seniors.
Mine Opinion - It becomes us to be suspicious of our own judgment in matters of doubtful disputation, to be swift to hear the sentiments of others and slow to speak our own, especially when we go contrary to the judgment of those for whom, upon the score of their learning and goodness, we justly have a reverence.
Days shall speak – days refer to age and experience give a man great advantage in judging of things, both as they furnish a man with so much the more matter for his thoughts to work upon and as they ripen and improve the facilities he is to work with, which is a good reason why elderly people should take pains both to learn themselves and to teach others (else the advantages of their age are a criticism to them), and why young people should attend on their instructions.
Spirit – G-d’s Spirit, neither material itself nor dependent upon matter, but capable of conversing with things spiritual, which are not the objects of sense. It is an understanding Spirit. It is able to discover and receive truth, to discourse and reason upon it, and to direct and rule accordingly. It is the same Spirit which sanctifies, the same Spirit that seals, and the same Spirit that lives and works in the believer, guiding him by His counsel till it leads him into glory. In this one saying, independently of the above paraphrase, Elihu spoke more sense and sound doctrine than all Job's friends did in the whole of the argument.
Understanding - Elihu was obviously speaking about himself, for those that have heard may speak, and those that have learned may teach. As that which enabled him to pass a judgment upon what they had said, he had observed what they aimed at, and therefore knew what to say to it. Though he had so much respect to his friends as not to interrupt them with his speaking, yet he had so much regard to truth and justice (his better friends) as not to betray them by his silence.
Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
[Great – rather old, ‘greater, less’ for the older, and the younger, that those who are advanced above others in splendor and seriousness do not always proportionally go beyond them in knowledge and wisdom, it is a pity but they were, for then they would never do hurt with their greatness and would do so much the more good with their wisdom. Better is a poor and wise child then an old and foolish king, Eccl. 4:13. 3.
Understand judgment - The aged do not always understand judgment (what is right); even they may be mistaken, and therefore must not expect to bring every thought into obedience to them: nay, therefore they must not take it as an affront to be cancel out, but rather take it as a kindness to be instructed, by their juniors.]
We have found out wisdom - We by dint of our own wisdom and understanding, have found out the true system of G-d's fate; and have been able to account for all the sufferings and tribulations of Job. Had they been able to confute Job, they would have triumphed over him in their own self-sufficiency.
Neither will I answer - I must show you that this is a false theory and that Job may be convinced without maintaining it. It is time to speak when we hear errors advanced and disputed for, especially under pretence of supporting the cause of G-d with them. It is time to speak when G-d’s judgments are vouched for the belittling of men’s pride and passion and their unjust uncharitable fault of their brethren; then we must speak on G-d’s behalf. That he had something new to offer, and would try to manage the dispute in a better manner than it had hitherto been managed. The controversy that has already been fully handled a wise man will let alone, unless he can amend and improve what has been done; why should he do that which has been done already?
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
Amazed - being much surprised at the admirable mixture of boldness and modesty that appeared in Elihu’s preface.
Left off speaking - When aged men are drawn dry, they had been able to bring nothing new; at last, weary of their own repetitions, they gave up the contest, G-d can raise up others, even young men, and fill them with matter for the edifying of His Believers; for it is a subject that can never be exhausted, though those that speak upon it may.
For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
[I am full of matter - That he had a great deal to say, having carefully attended to all that has till now been said, and made my own reflections upon it.
The Spirit within me constrainedth me - How similar to the words of Paul! The love of the Messiah constraineth us. Elihu considered himself under the influence of that Spirit of G-d which gives understanding, and felt anxiously concerned for the welfare both of Job and his friends.]
Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.
[My belly - The Spirit within me not only instructs me what to say, but puts me on to say it; so that if I have not vent such a uproar are my thoughts in I shall burst like bottles of new wine when it is working.
New bottles - Bottles, or rather bags, made of goat-skins. The head and shanks being cut off, the animal is cased out of the skin. The skin is then properly dressed; the anus and four shank holes properly tied up; and an opening left at the neck or in some other place for the liquor to be poured in, and drawn out. They are used, not only to carry wine and water, but for butter, and also for various dry goods. When the wine is in a state of fermentation, and the skin has no vent, these bottles or bags are ready to burst; and if they be old, the new wine destroys them, breaks the old stitching, or rends the old skin. Our L-rd makes use of the same figure in Matt. 9:17.
What a great grief it is to a good minister to be silenced and thrust into a corner, being full of matter, full of the Messiah and full of heaven, and would speak of these things for the good of others, but they may not.]
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
[I will speak - not only that I may be eased of the pain of stifling my thoughts, but that I may have the pleasure of endeavoring, according to my place and capacity, to do good.
I will open my lips and answer - In the preceding verse Elihu compares himself to a skin-bottle, in which the wine was in a state of fermentation and the bottle ready to burst for want of vent. He carries on the metaphor in this verse: the bottle must be opened to save it from bursting; I will OPEN my mouth.
It is great refreshment to a good person to have liberty to speak for the glory of G-d and the edification of others.]
Neither let me give flattering titles unto man - It means to give proud titles to persons who are worthless, titles expressive of office, clerical, civil, or military, are always proper, and never forbidden, because they serve for distinction.
Today titles given to some people where not earned, and many times self promotion; on the other hand to the ones that were pursuant and full of dedication it was not given.
Vain titles were given to worthless people from time immemorial; and no wonder, for hypocrisy entered into man at the same time that sin entered into the world. Then there are people that promote themselves while yet novices.
Their kings they clothe in all the attributes of the Deity, when both in their public and private character they are corrupt and unholy, rascals in grain, and the ruthless oppressors of suffering humanity.
For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
I know not - The more closely we eye the majesty of G-d as our maker, the more we dread His wrath and justice, the less danger shall we be in of a sinful fearing or flattering of men.
My maker - He is my Maker; He made me to know truth, to tell truth, and to live according to truth; for He is the G-d of truth: I shall, therefore through His help, speak the TRUTH, the WHOLE TRUTH, and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
Soon take me away - It is good to keep ourselves in awe with a holy fear of G-d’s judgments. He that made us will take us away in His wrath if we do not conduct ourselves as we should. He hates all dissimulation and flattery, and will soon put lying lips to silence and cut off flattering lips, Ps. 12:3.]
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