As I was pondering how I never seemed to fit in this Scripture came to mind.
Matt. 8:20 “And Y’Shua said unto him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has no where to lay His head.”Hmm, the Son of man did not seem to fit in either, always wondering from place to place with no place to call His own or lay His head. Wow, now that set me to chewing on it – are we not to be like Him? Do we not just apply that to the good stuff, nothing that includes any pain and suffering. If we were meant to stay in one spot to fellowship or minister than why did our Leader keep moving around and notice He was not fellowshipping with the upper crust, trying to rub shoulders with the ‘name droppers.’
There has to be more to this, so lets see what this verse is trying to show us-----.
There are many resolutions for religion, produced by some sudden pangs of conviction, and taken up without due consideration that proves fruitless, and come to nothing: soon ripe, soon rotten.
Y’Shua will have him (the person that wanted to follow Him) know what he is doing, not to make a rash decision and "count the cost." He will have him weigh well the real nature and the strength of his attachment, whether it is such as will abide in the day of trial.
The Son of man was Daniel's name for the Messiah (Dan. 7:10-13), it is the name by which the L-rd ordinarily designates Himself as the Messiah - the Son of G-d manifested in the flesh of Adam; the second Adam. The Son of man has to depend on the hospitality of others, and borrow the pillow whereon He lays His head. He chose not to be self-provision but need the rest of the body to bring forth their gifting.
If He would take our nature upon Him, one would think, He should have taken it in its best estate and circumstances: no, He takes it in its worst. We are to take His nature not the other way around, and His was humility.
How well provided for the inferior creatures are, G-d provides holes for them in which they are earthed: man endeavors to destroy them, but thus they are sheltered; their holes are their castles. The birds of the air, though they take no care for themselves, yet are taken care of, and have nests (Ps. 104:17); nests in the field; some of them nests in the house; in G-d' s courts, Ps. 84:3.
How poorly the Messiah Y’Shua was provided for. It may encourage us to trust G-d for necessaries, that the beasts and birds have such good provision; and may comfort us, if we want necessaries, that our Master did so before us. Note, our Messiah Y’Shua, when He was here in the world, submitted to the disgraces and distresses of extreme poverty; for our sakes He became poor, very poor. He had not a settlement, had not a place of repose, not a house of His own, to put His head in, not a pillow of His own, to lay His head on. He and His disciples lived upon the charity of well-disposed people that ministered to Him of their substance, Lk. 8:2. The Messiah submitted to this, not only that He might in all respects humble Himself, and fulfill the Scriptures, which spoke of Him as poor and needy, but that He might show us the vanity of worldly wealth, and teach us to look upon it with a holy contempt; that He might purchase better things for us, and so make us rich, 2 Cor. 8:9.
The Messiah saw his heart, and answered to the thoughts of that, and therein teaches us all how to come to the Father. At first, the scribe's resolve seems to have been sudden; and Y’Shua would have us, when we take upon us a profession of religion, to sit down and count the cost (Lk. 14:28), to do it intelligently, and with consideration, and choose the way of godliness, not because we know no other, but because we know no better. Let him that will follow the Messiah know the worst of it, and expect to lie hard, and fare hard. If he follows Him, he cannot expect to fare better than He fared.
An unwilling mind never wants an excuse. Many are hindered from and in the way of serious godliness, by an over-concern for their families and relations; these lawful things undo us all, and our duty to G-d is neglected, and postponed, under color of discharging our debts to the world; here therefore we have need to double our guard.
Body Conscious World
There are many products to clean up, paint up, fix up, color it, touching up our bodies. Always to ‘improve’ on what G-d has originally given us, never satisfied with what we have becomes a way of life more than maintaining what we have to the best of our ability. Watch that cholesterol, reduce that salt, eat more roughage, exercise clubs, exercise machines, etc, a large money making industery.
The Scriptures adds another dimension to concern for the body.
The day you became a Believer, something happened to your body and you see what great care was given to its design. What immense wealth was placed into its construction.
I was taught as a child that cigarette smoking was a sin because it was harmful to the body. I do believe that smoking is harmful to the body but it is not the only practice that is harmful to the body. Obesity is rampant in the United States and most obese people probably call themselves Christians. I wonder how many of these obese people would believe that their condition is sinful? This is a taboo topic and as a Christian I have never until recently heard any minister even approach this topic. The fact is that anything that is harmful to the body or damages the body or is directly opposite to G-d's commandments should be carefully reviewed and steps should be taken to change or repent.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of G-d, and that the Spirit of G-d dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of G-d, him shall G-d destroy; for the temple of G-d is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but G-d shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the L-rd; and the L-rd for the body.
14 And G-d hath both raised up the L-rd, and will also raise us up by His own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Messiah? shall I then take the members of Messiah, and make them the members of an harlot? G-d forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the L-rd is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committed fornication sinned against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of G-d, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify G-d in your body, and in your spirit, which are G-d's.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of G-d, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto G-d, which is your reasonable service.
Your body is the temple of G-d.
1. Be careful where it goes.
2. Be careful what it does.
3. Be careful what it ponders.
4. Be careful how it reacts.
With the Spirit indwelling you, every word, every thought, and every deed is in His view.
1. The Holy Ghost knows you.
2. He knows your strengths and your weaknesses.
3. He knows your sinful acts and your holy deeds.
4. He knows you better than you do.
The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to build you up in the body of Messiah to the glory of G-d.
He regenerates (John 3:3-5).
He indwells (Rom. 8:11).
He anoints (1 John 2:27).
He baptizes (Acts 2:17-41).
He empowers (Micah 3:8).
He sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).
He comforts (John 14:16-26).
He gives joy (Rom. 14:17).
He gives discernment (1 Cor. 2:10-16).
He bears fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).
He gives gifts 1 Cor. 12:3-11).
Surrender your body to the Father and stop living for the flesh.
Stop being so vain and tenderly care for what G-d has given you and treat it as holy palace for the Holy Ghost to dwell in. Get the proper sleep, food, excercise and tender loving care -- not so much dressing up the outside. Folks beauty is only skin deep, it is what is going on in the inside that really counts.
The Scriptures adds another dimension to concern for the body.
The day you became a Believer, something happened to your body and you see what great care was given to its design. What immense wealth was placed into its construction.
I was taught as a child that cigarette smoking was a sin because it was harmful to the body. I do believe that smoking is harmful to the body but it is not the only practice that is harmful to the body. Obesity is rampant in the United States and most obese people probably call themselves Christians. I wonder how many of these obese people would believe that their condition is sinful? This is a taboo topic and as a Christian I have never until recently heard any minister even approach this topic. The fact is that anything that is harmful to the body or damages the body or is directly opposite to G-d's commandments should be carefully reviewed and steps should be taken to change or repent.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of G-d, and that the Spirit of G-d dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of G-d, him shall G-d destroy; for the temple of G-d is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but G-d shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the L-rd; and the L-rd for the body.
14 And G-d hath both raised up the L-rd, and will also raise us up by His own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Messiah? shall I then take the members of Messiah, and make them the members of an harlot? G-d forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the L-rd is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committed fornication sinned against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of G-d, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify G-d in your body, and in your spirit, which are G-d's.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of G-d, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto G-d, which is your reasonable service.
Your body is the temple of G-d.
1. Be careful where it goes.
2. Be careful what it does.
3. Be careful what it ponders.
4. Be careful how it reacts.
With the Spirit indwelling you, every word, every thought, and every deed is in His view.
1. The Holy Ghost knows you.
2. He knows your strengths and your weaknesses.
3. He knows your sinful acts and your holy deeds.
4. He knows you better than you do.
The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to build you up in the body of Messiah to the glory of G-d.
He regenerates (John 3:3-5).
He indwells (Rom. 8:11).
He anoints (1 John 2:27).
He baptizes (Acts 2:17-41).
He empowers (Micah 3:8).
He sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).
He comforts (John 14:16-26).
He gives joy (Rom. 14:17).
He gives discernment (1 Cor. 2:10-16).
He bears fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).
He gives gifts 1 Cor. 12:3-11).
Surrender your body to the Father and stop living for the flesh.
Stop being so vain and tenderly care for what G-d has given you and treat it as holy palace for the Holy Ghost to dwell in. Get the proper sleep, food, excercise and tender loving care -- not so much dressing up the outside. Folks beauty is only skin deep, it is what is going on in the inside that really counts.
H e l l o from FDL
Hello -- I once was dead, but now I have risen and am here to tell you about the tunnels back to life. Choose wisely for there are only three doors - although you get a second chance, turn-abouts are unnecessary pain to pass through again and again. So I am going to take you on a mysterious ride, fasten your seat belt, grab on to what you can and throw away the rest, for not even I know where this is going.
Whenever I had the 'pleasure' of being a hospital guest, I was always alone for life keeps everybody else busy in their own schedules. G-d has indeed enriched me this ‘go round’ for I have had many visitors and calls, beautiful presents and lovely cards -- all to say we may feel all alone on this side, but we are never totally alone even though sometimes we might just their minds.
Now that I got to see both sides of the having someone or not having anyone, I would highly suggest no visitors for the first two days at least – I was in so much pain that it took all my strength just to block it off! Smiling and making nice was definitely not at the top of my list – one was gambling with their own life entering this lion’s den, but this too could have been their trial to see if they could get out without being eaten alive.
Now throughout life’s journey a lot of people may have gotten dropped into the compost pile, pushed, shoved, stepped onto – whatever it doesn’t make a difference how one got there, but how to stay out, for compost, like all other faculties in life reproduces itself. I am in the stage of my treatment of being asked whether I could pass air or did I have a bowl movement, so that set me off and running in my thoughts – do I really want to birth and produce more compost? You could even be given white chalk to drink and have albino babies for a week. Do they not know the pain it would bring on? Speaking of pain, the most useful present was a lovable teddy bear with sympathetic eyes – you just hug that old bear as close to you as possible to muffle the pain in coughing; guess it keeps you and teddy from bursting the railroad tracks wide open, plus sharing your pain with a strong friend who can ‘bear’ it. Compost is compost and we neither have to stay were we have been nor set up house there. The only necessary fruit of compost is to bury it! Stop making friends with it and enjoying the squishiness between your toes! You have been lied to, and furthermore, you have bought into that lie hook, line and sinker --- time to take a shower for we are moving upward and out of this pit of decay.
Now I have been down all three of the tunnels. Ok, so I am a slow learner, but in all fairness there was never a light shining at the end of any tunnel to say ‘pick me’. My Father knows I love to solve and work out the details, so He allows me to pick and choose the hard way. The names of the tunnels were not revealed when choosing, but discovered after closing the doors behind you. One was “MY WAY” this had lots of twist and turns, dead ends and blocks. I spent many a year in this tunnel for I could not find my way out and kept hitting walls. G-d has given free choice to all His children, so My way was the choice not of my own, but of another one that had the capability to make that choice. Some times we are but pawns in the hands of the players. If you pay close attention to the players you start to learn the strategy of the game and eventually understand you are coming into the ability to start making right choices and change the rules of the game.
The Second door “YOUR CHOICES.” If you hit this one, I am proud of you for you are moving in the right direction and there are many lessons to learn in this tunnel. This tunnel is made by your choices – now don’t be so hard on yourself – look at the role models you had, didn't have. Many times we just have to wing it, you play with what you have and learn from your mistakes, bottom line is you're pushing on - run, crawl, skip, jump; just keep moving and don’t set up house in this tunnel you are to be PASSING THROUGH.
Now I swear I spend as much time in this one as in the first, if not more, for now I felt like I had to clean up everyone’s else’s mistakes. You know the dance, two steps forward and three steps behind, shake a little, bow a little and shove right on back. This is the noisy tunnel for everyone has a opinion on everything and all mean well to just tell you how it all is – Did you ever say ‘just keep your opinion to yourselves?!’ But then that would include your own opinions, maybe this world would get along better if there was more thinking and less speaking going on, ‘but then that’s my opinion.’ Eventually you learn that it was not the right place to go - you have not enjoyed life, nor any of your own choices and whatever is behind this door has got to be right, for there is no other choice to make at this time. You are being blown out of here, for you are ready to make more right shoices.
Door number three, come on down!! I thought you would never pick this door; it has been a long time coming!! This door is called “His Way”, so might as well say goodby for there are going to be a lot of changes and I need you to pay attention. I can tell you this ‘you will enjoy this trip for you are finally in the right tunnel toward bigger and better things. You can invite all your friends at a later time for you are going to become quite a promoter of this place.
Whenever I had the 'pleasure' of being a hospital guest, I was always alone for life keeps everybody else busy in their own schedules. G-d has indeed enriched me this ‘go round’ for I have had many visitors and calls, beautiful presents and lovely cards -- all to say we may feel all alone on this side, but we are never totally alone even though sometimes we might just their minds.
Now that I got to see both sides of the having someone or not having anyone, I would highly suggest no visitors for the first two days at least – I was in so much pain that it took all my strength just to block it off! Smiling and making nice was definitely not at the top of my list – one was gambling with their own life entering this lion’s den, but this too could have been their trial to see if they could get out without being eaten alive.
Now throughout life’s journey a lot of people may have gotten dropped into the compost pile, pushed, shoved, stepped onto – whatever it doesn’t make a difference how one got there, but how to stay out, for compost, like all other faculties in life reproduces itself. I am in the stage of my treatment of being asked whether I could pass air or did I have a bowl movement, so that set me off and running in my thoughts – do I really want to birth and produce more compost? You could even be given white chalk to drink and have albino babies for a week. Do they not know the pain it would bring on? Speaking of pain, the most useful present was a lovable teddy bear with sympathetic eyes – you just hug that old bear as close to you as possible to muffle the pain in coughing; guess it keeps you and teddy from bursting the railroad tracks wide open, plus sharing your pain with a strong friend who can ‘bear’ it. Compost is compost and we neither have to stay were we have been nor set up house there. The only necessary fruit of compost is to bury it! Stop making friends with it and enjoying the squishiness between your toes! You have been lied to, and furthermore, you have bought into that lie hook, line and sinker --- time to take a shower for we are moving upward and out of this pit of decay.
Now I have been down all three of the tunnels. Ok, so I am a slow learner, but in all fairness there was never a light shining at the end of any tunnel to say ‘pick me’. My Father knows I love to solve and work out the details, so He allows me to pick and choose the hard way. The names of the tunnels were not revealed when choosing, but discovered after closing the doors behind you. One was “MY WAY” this had lots of twist and turns, dead ends and blocks. I spent many a year in this tunnel for I could not find my way out and kept hitting walls. G-d has given free choice to all His children, so My way was the choice not of my own, but of another one that had the capability to make that choice. Some times we are but pawns in the hands of the players. If you pay close attention to the players you start to learn the strategy of the game and eventually understand you are coming into the ability to start making right choices and change the rules of the game.
The Second door “YOUR CHOICES.” If you hit this one, I am proud of you for you are moving in the right direction and there are many lessons to learn in this tunnel. This tunnel is made by your choices – now don’t be so hard on yourself – look at the role models you had, didn't have. Many times we just have to wing it, you play with what you have and learn from your mistakes, bottom line is you're pushing on - run, crawl, skip, jump; just keep moving and don’t set up house in this tunnel you are to be PASSING THROUGH.
Now I swear I spend as much time in this one as in the first, if not more, for now I felt like I had to clean up everyone’s else’s mistakes. You know the dance, two steps forward and three steps behind, shake a little, bow a little and shove right on back. This is the noisy tunnel for everyone has a opinion on everything and all mean well to just tell you how it all is – Did you ever say ‘just keep your opinion to yourselves?!’ But then that would include your own opinions, maybe this world would get along better if there was more thinking and less speaking going on, ‘but then that’s my opinion.’ Eventually you learn that it was not the right place to go - you have not enjoyed life, nor any of your own choices and whatever is behind this door has got to be right, for there is no other choice to make at this time. You are being blown out of here, for you are ready to make more right shoices.
Door number three, come on down!! I thought you would never pick this door; it has been a long time coming!! This door is called “His Way”, so might as well say goodby for there are going to be a lot of changes and I need you to pay attention. I can tell you this ‘you will enjoy this trip for you are finally in the right tunnel toward bigger and better things. You can invite all your friends at a later time for you are going to become quite a promoter of this place.
Prophetic Word
PROPHETIC WORD GIVEN TO THE CHURCH, (this was recorded as it was spoken out)
Revelation 3:14-21
“My children, I tell you that this morning I am here in your midst. The church that bears this name Laodicea has long since ceased to be in existence. Yet the message goes forth today as timely, as acutely as it did then. My children, I would ask you today you cry out for My presence, cry out for My hand and pleasure. As I look from heaven and behold your assembly, I see those who gather daily and know My presence and My heart, and they know My right hand extended to them. My children, my heart breaks to tell you I see others who only know Me remotely from afar. They give no thought to Me day to day and week to week. Their only purpose in coming here is to show up, to appear righteous before men. My children, I tell you, My eyes see and My ears hear. I see the things that are done in darkness, and I hear the things that are spoken behind closed doors, and I know. My children, I know your deeds. My children, you assemble here week after week expecting, hoping for, longing for, desiring for Me to do something wonderful in your midst. My children, I remind you that even Moses My servant, the most humble man on the face of the earth, cried out, ‘If I have found any favor in Your sight, Lord, show me Your glory.’ And even to Moses I spoke ‘face to face’ yet even he could not look upon My face and live. And Abraham, he was called the friend of God, he beheld My form but not My face that you seek. My children, I tell you I am ready, all of Heaven is ready, to come into this place and to touch this community and surround environs; My children, it has been prophesied, it has been spoken. It is not Me that is holding back this prophecy. My children, it is you, lukewarm, half-devoted, and more in love with the world and with pleasure than with your God. My children, I do not speak with each of you. My Spirit is at this moment going forward to convict hearts. My children, there is a day fixed in Heaven when I am coming and not just to do a miraculous work in this community but also to close the door of salvation for mankind. Many of you are dancing around that day, busy with your lives, going from place to place giving excuses, ‘Lord, tomorrow I’ll have time to be with You; tomorrow I will have time to read the Word, tomorrow I will have time to extend the hand of grace to a neighbor. And you know to whom it is I speak. You have been doing this some of you for weeks and years, and the truth is, no, you will never do this unless today you decide to step off the fence and onto My side, into My Kingdom, to be wholly and fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, not embarrassed. My children, I tell you the time is short, and tomorrow it will be shorter still. My children, I am ready move in your midst. My children, are you ready to pay the price to have Me move in your midst? That is the question before you today, and all of Heaven is awaiting your answer. There was a time when many disciples followed My Son when He walked this earth and He spoke a hard word and many walked away and shook the dust off their feet and said, ‘Who can listen to this word? It is too difficult’ and they departed. On the night of His betrayal and He asked Peter, James and John, ‘Would you pray with Me one hour?’ and they slept, not once or twice but three times were found sleeping, and the hour of His arrest came, and they could give no answer. My children, I tell you the hour of the betrayal of the world is upon you. The night where the power belongs to the evil one is upon you right now, and I ask you, are you sleeping, are you taking your rest, are the pressures of the world too much for you? I warn you, how will you fare in warfare when you stumble in a time of peace? My children, I tell you I am moving on. This day I tell you, I am about to move on and you must ask yourself are you going to move with Me or stay behind until I am lost from even your memories? My children, today is the day of salvation. I ask you are you saved? Are you secure with Me for all eternity or have you been walking the tightrope teetering left and right, seeing on the one hand My Kingdom, My glory and what you sing about, My pleasures. My children, I have pleasures, and I would extend them to you. Many of you know of them. Some of you only imagine. In My presence is fullness of joy, but many of you find your pleasure and the fullness of your joy in the things of this earth. My children, I tell you I am coming to this community and this church whether you will have Me or not. The question is when I come will you receive Me, and when I come will there be faith found on the earth? My children, I love you, My word is as true to you as it was to the Laodicean church. Those I love I rebuke and discipline. My children, I remind you that it is My kindness that leads you to repentance. It is a kind word and not a harsh word that I give you today. It is because I love you I warn you that the days are short. Those of you who have made a decision day after day to be entangled with the things of this world will not be able to extricate yourselves to follow Me. I caution you, I warn you, and I tell you this day if you have made a conscious decision to live a life of sin, as of this day the clock is running out for you. You must choose this day whom you will serve as Joshua cried out to the nation of Israel, so I cry out to you, ‘You must choose this day whom you will serve.’ Those of you who have walked in adultery, those of you who have walked in stealing, those of you who have walked in lying, those of you who have walked in lust, those of you who have walked in love of the things of the world; as of this day a line is drawn in the sand. Either you will continue in these things or you will step over that line and say, ‘Lord, I leave them behind.’ You must choose as Lot’s wife had to choose to walk face forward toward Me or look back longingly at the things of Sodom. My children, what will it be? Adultery, stealing from Me or from the men of this world? Lying? Bitterness, unforgiveness, judgment? Dishonoring your parents, abandoning your children in their hour of need? My children, I remind you, I know your deeds. I see it all. I see it all. My children, if the salt of the earth has lost its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? If the light of the world has become darkness, how will it shine? Many who were once salty before this world, many of you who were light in a dark place have become tasteless, and must be thrown out. Many of you have chosen to put a bushel basket over your light so the world cannot see the difference between you and the world. And worse, many of you have chosen to walk in sin and have dishonored My glory and My righteousness before the world. This day and this hour and this moment you must choose. There are two back doors in this assembly. For those of you who say this word is too difficult, ‘He does not expect me to be holy and righteous and to love Him with your whole heart, soul and mind’ there is an escape for you. There is no escape from hell. There is no back door out of hell. There is a front door into Heaven and a passage through one way, through the blood of Jesus Christ. My children, you can no longer after this day come into My house with filthy rags, with a sacrifice that is lame and blind and disfigured, and expect that I will receive it. I Myself because of the command and the necessity of My holiness, say to you, either gird your loins with righteousness, with purity, or walk out the back door. You must choose. My children, it is not My desire that any should leave this assembly or sanctuary and be lost. The world will welcome you with open arms and will tell you freely, ‘What in the world were you thinking anyway, trying to worship a God who is invisible, whose voice is inaudible, who covers Himself with light such as cannot be seen and whose mandates and prescriptions are so difficult no one can follow save One?’ The world will receive you with these words. My children, I have a word for you as well. For those of you who choose to stay, who will choose to bend the knee before Me at the altar and say, ‘Lord, I’m guilty; I see my sin is ever before me. Lord, take the coal from the altar and touch my lips. Lord, take the sin from my heart. I am so sorry. I knew better.’ For those of you who will bend the knee, I have a word for you. Welcome! Welcome, my son, my daughter. Enter into the joy of your reward, good and faithful servant. In these minutes that remain, you must choose. Make no mistake, if you do not choose righteousness, you are choosing the back door. If you do not choose holiness, you are choosing the back door. If you are not choosing to love Me with your whole heart, you are choosing the back door, and it will certainly slam on you as you leave. For I tell you, this day is fixed in heaven even as the day came when I gathered Noah and his sons into the ark and I closed the door, I tell you that the door is closing on this fellowship today. Make no mistake, the door is closing on this fellowship today, and either you choose to be inside or you choose to be out. What will it be? You alone must choose. I am standing here with open arms, but you must choose. Choose to come.”
Revelation 3:14-21
“My children, I tell you that this morning I am here in your midst. The church that bears this name Laodicea has long since ceased to be in existence. Yet the message goes forth today as timely, as acutely as it did then. My children, I would ask you today you cry out for My presence, cry out for My hand and pleasure. As I look from heaven and behold your assembly, I see those who gather daily and know My presence and My heart, and they know My right hand extended to them. My children, my heart breaks to tell you I see others who only know Me remotely from afar. They give no thought to Me day to day and week to week. Their only purpose in coming here is to show up, to appear righteous before men. My children, I tell you, My eyes see and My ears hear. I see the things that are done in darkness, and I hear the things that are spoken behind closed doors, and I know. My children, I know your deeds. My children, you assemble here week after week expecting, hoping for, longing for, desiring for Me to do something wonderful in your midst. My children, I remind you that even Moses My servant, the most humble man on the face of the earth, cried out, ‘If I have found any favor in Your sight, Lord, show me Your glory.’ And even to Moses I spoke ‘face to face’ yet even he could not look upon My face and live. And Abraham, he was called the friend of God, he beheld My form but not My face that you seek. My children, I tell you I am ready, all of Heaven is ready, to come into this place and to touch this community and surround environs; My children, it has been prophesied, it has been spoken. It is not Me that is holding back this prophecy. My children, it is you, lukewarm, half-devoted, and more in love with the world and with pleasure than with your God. My children, I do not speak with each of you. My Spirit is at this moment going forward to convict hearts. My children, there is a day fixed in Heaven when I am coming and not just to do a miraculous work in this community but also to close the door of salvation for mankind. Many of you are dancing around that day, busy with your lives, going from place to place giving excuses, ‘Lord, tomorrow I’ll have time to be with You; tomorrow I will have time to read the Word, tomorrow I will have time to extend the hand of grace to a neighbor. And you know to whom it is I speak. You have been doing this some of you for weeks and years, and the truth is, no, you will never do this unless today you decide to step off the fence and onto My side, into My Kingdom, to be wholly and fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, not embarrassed. My children, I tell you the time is short, and tomorrow it will be shorter still. My children, I am ready move in your midst. My children, are you ready to pay the price to have Me move in your midst? That is the question before you today, and all of Heaven is awaiting your answer. There was a time when many disciples followed My Son when He walked this earth and He spoke a hard word and many walked away and shook the dust off their feet and said, ‘Who can listen to this word? It is too difficult’ and they departed. On the night of His betrayal and He asked Peter, James and John, ‘Would you pray with Me one hour?’ and they slept, not once or twice but three times were found sleeping, and the hour of His arrest came, and they could give no answer. My children, I tell you the hour of the betrayal of the world is upon you. The night where the power belongs to the evil one is upon you right now, and I ask you, are you sleeping, are you taking your rest, are the pressures of the world too much for you? I warn you, how will you fare in warfare when you stumble in a time of peace? My children, I tell you I am moving on. This day I tell you, I am about to move on and you must ask yourself are you going to move with Me or stay behind until I am lost from even your memories? My children, today is the day of salvation. I ask you are you saved? Are you secure with Me for all eternity or have you been walking the tightrope teetering left and right, seeing on the one hand My Kingdom, My glory and what you sing about, My pleasures. My children, I have pleasures, and I would extend them to you. Many of you know of them. Some of you only imagine. In My presence is fullness of joy, but many of you find your pleasure and the fullness of your joy in the things of this earth. My children, I tell you I am coming to this community and this church whether you will have Me or not. The question is when I come will you receive Me, and when I come will there be faith found on the earth? My children, I love you, My word is as true to you as it was to the Laodicean church. Those I love I rebuke and discipline. My children, I remind you that it is My kindness that leads you to repentance. It is a kind word and not a harsh word that I give you today. It is because I love you I warn you that the days are short. Those of you who have made a decision day after day to be entangled with the things of this world will not be able to extricate yourselves to follow Me. I caution you, I warn you, and I tell you this day if you have made a conscious decision to live a life of sin, as of this day the clock is running out for you. You must choose this day whom you will serve as Joshua cried out to the nation of Israel, so I cry out to you, ‘You must choose this day whom you will serve.’ Those of you who have walked in adultery, those of you who have walked in stealing, those of you who have walked in lying, those of you who have walked in lust, those of you who have walked in love of the things of the world; as of this day a line is drawn in the sand. Either you will continue in these things or you will step over that line and say, ‘Lord, I leave them behind.’ You must choose as Lot’s wife had to choose to walk face forward toward Me or look back longingly at the things of Sodom. My children, what will it be? Adultery, stealing from Me or from the men of this world? Lying? Bitterness, unforgiveness, judgment? Dishonoring your parents, abandoning your children in their hour of need? My children, I remind you, I know your deeds. I see it all. I see it all. My children, if the salt of the earth has lost its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? If the light of the world has become darkness, how will it shine? Many who were once salty before this world, many of you who were light in a dark place have become tasteless, and must be thrown out. Many of you have chosen to put a bushel basket over your light so the world cannot see the difference between you and the world. And worse, many of you have chosen to walk in sin and have dishonored My glory and My righteousness before the world. This day and this hour and this moment you must choose. There are two back doors in this assembly. For those of you who say this word is too difficult, ‘He does not expect me to be holy and righteous and to love Him with your whole heart, soul and mind’ there is an escape for you. There is no escape from hell. There is no back door out of hell. There is a front door into Heaven and a passage through one way, through the blood of Jesus Christ. My children, you can no longer after this day come into My house with filthy rags, with a sacrifice that is lame and blind and disfigured, and expect that I will receive it. I Myself because of the command and the necessity of My holiness, say to you, either gird your loins with righteousness, with purity, or walk out the back door. You must choose. My children, it is not My desire that any should leave this assembly or sanctuary and be lost. The world will welcome you with open arms and will tell you freely, ‘What in the world were you thinking anyway, trying to worship a God who is invisible, whose voice is inaudible, who covers Himself with light such as cannot be seen and whose mandates and prescriptions are so difficult no one can follow save One?’ The world will receive you with these words. My children, I have a word for you as well. For those of you who choose to stay, who will choose to bend the knee before Me at the altar and say, ‘Lord, I’m guilty; I see my sin is ever before me. Lord, take the coal from the altar and touch my lips. Lord, take the sin from my heart. I am so sorry. I knew better.’ For those of you who will bend the knee, I have a word for you. Welcome! Welcome, my son, my daughter. Enter into the joy of your reward, good and faithful servant. In these minutes that remain, you must choose. Make no mistake, if you do not choose righteousness, you are choosing the back door. If you do not choose holiness, you are choosing the back door. If you are not choosing to love Me with your whole heart, you are choosing the back door, and it will certainly slam on you as you leave. For I tell you, this day is fixed in heaven even as the day came when I gathered Noah and his sons into the ark and I closed the door, I tell you that the door is closing on this fellowship today. Make no mistake, the door is closing on this fellowship today, and either you choose to be inside or you choose to be out. What will it be? You alone must choose. I am standing here with open arms, but you must choose. Choose to come.”
Human Suffering
Job 38-41 we can count about 77 questions, many are symbolic questions, which none of the men could answer except by acknowledging that G-d Himself was the answer or that
G-d alone knew the answer. Many seem to be legitimate concerns of scientific research.
8 verses deal with the early history of the earth, 27 with the physical world as it functions today, 33 verses with the nature and needs of the animals (not including the behemoth and the leviathan, which are treated in more detail than the others, having 44 verses). All of these are a part of His creation, giving clear testimony of His providential care for all His creatures, and an implied rebuke to men and women for failing to understand this.
Keep in mind that not all statements – with the exception of G-d’s own words in chapters 38-42 – necessarily express divine truth, but all are correctly recorded by divine inspiration.
They had all had their saying, and yet had not gained their point, and then it was time for G-d to interpose, whose judgment is according to truth. When we know not who is in the right, and perhaps are doubtful whether we ourselves are, this may satisfy us, that G-d will determine shortly in the valley of decision, Joel 3:14.
G-d’s solution to human suffering - - He said noting about it! His divine message, given out of the whirlwind, occupies 123 verses in four chapters, yet there is not a word about the sufferings of Job, or even about human suffering in general.
What the Father does talk about is creation! The mighty message from heaven focuses exclusively on the doctrine of special creation of all things by G-d, and then His providential care of His creation. It exalts His power, His wisdom, His purpose, His love. In our present humanistic culture, even Believers have become self-centered instead of G-d centered, G-d and His purpose in creation to only a peripheral role in our thoughts and deeds. Do we not hear: “What about me? Why me? I need help? I need money. Ect.” What we really are saying is: You are not providing for me and I lack trust in You.
G-d’s response, at first, seems inadequate when these Believers were groping for answers to great human needs and problems. He was deeply concerned with Job, his suffering, and his reaction to it. Therefore, His reply to Job’s pleadings could not have indicated indifference. Instead, silence must have been the best possible answer, both to the wrong solutions proposed by his friends and to Job’s confusion as he sought to understand them.
This leads us to the remarkable conclusion that a correct and complete doctrine of creation is the answer to all the problems that burden this present hurting world.
Creation should have first priority in their thinking, no matter what problem they were facing. If G-d Himself laid such stress on it in dealing with this most vexing of all human problems, we would also do well to give it priority when dealing with this or lesser problems.
Men and women must first be brought back to recognition of their Creator before they can comprehend the meaning of sin against Him and salvation by Him. Creation is the basis of true Believers, true faith, and true salvation, true fellowship and true peace. The purpose on earth of those who have been reconciled to G-d is to bring others to the same happy condition.
Life is not about ourselves and our daily problems, sufferings are also part of our training and equipping and being in Him. May we stop our crying and start enjoying all of His creation for we are in His providential care! There is nothing you go through that G-d does not know about and everything is in His control.
G-d alone knew the answer. Many seem to be legitimate concerns of scientific research.
8 verses deal with the early history of the earth, 27 with the physical world as it functions today, 33 verses with the nature and needs of the animals (not including the behemoth and the leviathan, which are treated in more detail than the others, having 44 verses). All of these are a part of His creation, giving clear testimony of His providential care for all His creatures, and an implied rebuke to men and women for failing to understand this.
Keep in mind that not all statements – with the exception of G-d’s own words in chapters 38-42 – necessarily express divine truth, but all are correctly recorded by divine inspiration.
They had all had their saying, and yet had not gained their point, and then it was time for G-d to interpose, whose judgment is according to truth. When we know not who is in the right, and perhaps are doubtful whether we ourselves are, this may satisfy us, that G-d will determine shortly in the valley of decision, Joel 3:14.
G-d’s solution to human suffering - - He said noting about it! His divine message, given out of the whirlwind, occupies 123 verses in four chapters, yet there is not a word about the sufferings of Job, or even about human suffering in general.
What the Father does talk about is creation! The mighty message from heaven focuses exclusively on the doctrine of special creation of all things by G-d, and then His providential care of His creation. It exalts His power, His wisdom, His purpose, His love. In our present humanistic culture, even Believers have become self-centered instead of G-d centered, G-d and His purpose in creation to only a peripheral role in our thoughts and deeds. Do we not hear: “What about me? Why me? I need help? I need money. Ect.” What we really are saying is: You are not providing for me and I lack trust in You.
G-d’s response, at first, seems inadequate when these Believers were groping for answers to great human needs and problems. He was deeply concerned with Job, his suffering, and his reaction to it. Therefore, His reply to Job’s pleadings could not have indicated indifference. Instead, silence must have been the best possible answer, both to the wrong solutions proposed by his friends and to Job’s confusion as he sought to understand them.
This leads us to the remarkable conclusion that a correct and complete doctrine of creation is the answer to all the problems that burden this present hurting world.
Creation should have first priority in their thinking, no matter what problem they were facing. If G-d Himself laid such stress on it in dealing with this most vexing of all human problems, we would also do well to give it priority when dealing with this or lesser problems.
Men and women must first be brought back to recognition of their Creator before they can comprehend the meaning of sin against Him and salvation by Him. Creation is the basis of true Believers, true faith, and true salvation, true fellowship and true peace. The purpose on earth of those who have been reconciled to G-d is to bring others to the same happy condition.
Life is not about ourselves and our daily problems, sufferings are also part of our training and equipping and being in Him. May we stop our crying and start enjoying all of His creation for we are in His providential care! There is nothing you go through that G-d does not know about and everything is in His control.
Mystery of Snow
[Job 37:6] For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.[He said – Isa. 55:10-11. The word of G-d, as for its purity, so for its warming, refreshing, and fructifying nature, is compared unto it.
Snow – A cloud of vapors being condensed into drops, these drops, becoming too heavy to be suspended in the atmosphere, descend; and, meeting with a cold region of the air, they are frozen, each drop shooting into several points. These still continuing their descent, and meeting with some intermitting gales of a warmer air, are a little thawed, blunted, and again, by falling into colder air, frozen into clusters, or so entangled with each other as to fall down in what we call flakes.
Snow differs from hail and hoar-frost in being crystallized: this appears on examining a flake of snow with a magnifying glass; when the whole of it will appear to be composed of fine points diverging like rays from a centre.
The lightness of snow is owing to the excess of its surface, when compared with the matter contained under it.
Its whiteness is owing to the small particles into which it is divided: for take ice, opaque almost to blackness, and pound it fine, and it becomes as white as snow.
The immediate cause of the formation of snow is not well understood: it has been attributed to electricity; and hail is supposed to owe its more compact form to more intense electricity, which unites the particles of hail more closely than the moderate electricity does those of snow.
But rain, snow, hail, frost, ice, they are formed out of the vapors which have been exhaled by heat from the surface of the waters.
It is not a fact that it possesses in itself any fertilizing quality, such as nitrous salts, according to vulgar opinion: its whole use is covering the vegetables from intense cold, and thus preventing the natural heat of the earth from escaping, so that the intense cold cannot freeze the juices in the tender tubes of vegetables, which would rupture those tubes, and so destroy the plant.
Ps. 148:8. G-d has His treasures of it, and He brings it forth at His command, it goes at a word speaking; it is one of the things that fulfil His word. To the earth only it is useful, warming, refreshing, and fructifying; it has a wonderful virtue in it.
Small rain – the lesser or more gentle falls in the winter, when the north wind blows
Great rain – the larger in the spring with the south wind.
His strength - sudden thunder storms, when the rain descends in torrents: or violent rain from dissipating water-spouts.]
Adam Clarke
The providence of G-d is to be acknowledged, both by husbandmen in the fields and travelers upon the road, in every shower of rain, whether it does them a kindness of a diskindness. It is sin and folly to contend with G-d's providence in the weather; if He sends the snow or rain, can we hinder them? Or shall we be angry at them? It is as absurd to quarrel with any other disposal of Providence concerning ourselves or ours.
Majestic Clouds
In the clouds, the womb where all these watery meteors are conceived, guided and governed by the counsel of G-d, which extends even to those things that seem most casual and minute, that they may do whatsoever He commands them; for the stormy winds, and the clouds that are driven by them, fulfil His word; and by this means He causes it to rain upon one city and not upon another, Amos 4:7-8.
Three sorts of clouds Elihu here speaks of in Job 37:
1. Close, black, thick clouds, pregnant with showers; and these with watering he wearies, that is, they spend themselves, and are exhausted by the rain into which they melt and are dissolved, pouring out water till they are weary and can pour out no more.
2. Bright thin clouds, clouds without water; and these He scattereth; they are dispersed of themselves, and not dissolved into rain, but what becomes of them we know not. The bright cloud, in the evening, when the sky is red, is scattered, and proves an earnest of a fair day, Matt. 16:2.
3. Flying clouds, which do not dissolve, as the thick cloud, into a close rain, but are carried upon the wings of the wind from place to place, dropping showers as they go; and these are said to be turned round about by His counsels.
What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our consideration, and the due consideration of them will help to reconcile us to all his providences.
We are here taught:
1. The perfection of G-d's knowledge, it is one of the most glorious perfections of G-d that He is perfect in knowledge; He is omniscient. His knowledge is intuitive: He sees, and does not know by report. It is intimate and entire: He knows things truly, and not by their colors--thoroughly, and not by piecemeal. To His knowledge there is nothing distant, but all near--nothing future, but all present--nothing hid, but all open. We ought to acknowledge this in all His wondrous works, and it is sufficient to satisfy us in those wondrous works which we know not the meaning of that they are the works of one that knows what He does.
2. The imperfection of our knowledge. It is good for us to be made sensible of our own ignorance, are so balanced, so spread, that they never rob us of the benefit of the sun (even the cloudy day is day), so balanced that they do not fall at once, nor burst into cataracts or water-spouts. The rainbow is an intimation of G-d's favour in balancing the clouds so as to keep them from drowning the world.
When we look up to heaven above we should remember it is a mirror or looking-glass, not to show us our own faces, but to be a faint representation of the purity, dignity, and brightness of the upper world and its glorious inhabitants.
Matthew Henry
Three sorts of clouds Elihu here speaks of in Job 37:
1. Close, black, thick clouds, pregnant with showers; and these with watering he wearies, that is, they spend themselves, and are exhausted by the rain into which they melt and are dissolved, pouring out water till they are weary and can pour out no more.
2. Bright thin clouds, clouds without water; and these He scattereth; they are dispersed of themselves, and not dissolved into rain, but what becomes of them we know not. The bright cloud, in the evening, when the sky is red, is scattered, and proves an earnest of a fair day, Matt. 16:2.
3. Flying clouds, which do not dissolve, as the thick cloud, into a close rain, but are carried upon the wings of the wind from place to place, dropping showers as they go; and these are said to be turned round about by His counsels.
What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our consideration, and the due consideration of them will help to reconcile us to all his providences.
We are here taught:
1. The perfection of G-d's knowledge, it is one of the most glorious perfections of G-d that He is perfect in knowledge; He is omniscient. His knowledge is intuitive: He sees, and does not know by report. It is intimate and entire: He knows things truly, and not by their colors--thoroughly, and not by piecemeal. To His knowledge there is nothing distant, but all near--nothing future, but all present--nothing hid, but all open. We ought to acknowledge this in all His wondrous works, and it is sufficient to satisfy us in those wondrous works which we know not the meaning of that they are the works of one that knows what He does.
2. The imperfection of our knowledge. It is good for us to be made sensible of our own ignorance, are so balanced, so spread, that they never rob us of the benefit of the sun (even the cloudy day is day), so balanced that they do not fall at once, nor burst into cataracts or water-spouts. The rainbow is an intimation of G-d's favour in balancing the clouds so as to keep them from drowning the world.
When we look up to heaven above we should remember it is a mirror or looking-glass, not to show us our own faces, but to be a faint representation of the purity, dignity, and brightness of the upper world and its glorious inhabitants.
Matthew Henry
Thunder Struck
Job 37: Hear attentively the noise of His voice. Though the thunder will be heard, and whatever we are doing we cannot help attending to it, yet, to apprehend and understand the instructions G-d thereby gives us, we have need to hear with great attention and appliction applicatio of mind. Thunder is called the voice of the L-rd (Ps. 29:3-9), because by it G-d speaks to the children of men to fear before Him, and it should put us in mind of that mighty word by which the world was at first made, which is called thunder.
How Elihu describes them:
1. Their original, not their second causes, but the first. G-d directs the thunder, and the lightning is His in 37:3. Their production and motion are not from chance, but from the counsel of G-d and under the direction and dominion of His providence, though to us they seem accidental and ungovernable.
2. Their extent. The claps of thunder roll under the whole heaven, and are heard far and near; so are the lightings darted to the ends of the earth; they come out of the one part under heaven and shine to the other.
3. Their order. The lightning is first directed, and after it a voice roars in Job 37:4. The flash of fire, and the noise it makes in a watery cloud, are really at the same time; but, because the motion of light is much quicker than that of sound, we see the lightning some time before we hear the thunder, as we see the firing of a great gun at a distance before we hear the report of it. The thunder is here called the voice of G-d's excellence, because by it He proclaims His transcendent power and greatness. He sends forth His voice and that a mighty voice, Ps. 68:33.
4. Their violence. He will not stay them, that is, He does not need to check them, or hold them back, lest they should grow unruly and out of His power to restrain them, but lets them take their course, says to them, Go, and they go--Come, and they come--Do this, and they do it. He will not stay the rains and showers that usually follow upon the thunder (which He had spoken of, in 36: 27, 29, but will pour them out upon the earth when His voice is heard. Thunder-showers are sweeping rains, and for them He makes the lightings, Ps. 135:7.
5. The inference he draws from all this, in v. 5. Does G-d thunder thus marvellously with His voice? We must then conclude that His other works are great, and such as we cannot comprehend. From this one instance we may argue to all, that, in the dispensations of His providence, there is that which is too great, too strong, for us to oppose or strive against, and too high, too deep, for us to arraign or quarrel with.
The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to G-d the director of them, who shows His power and serves the purposes of His providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of G-d, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which make less noise.
Notice of the winter-weather, when He speaks the word the small rain distils and the great rain pours down as He pleases--the winter-rain. Then He says to the snow, Be thou on the earth; He commissions it, He commands it, He appoints it, where it shall light and how long it shall lie. He speaks, and it is done. The distinction in the Hebrew between the small rain and the great rain is this, that the former is called a shower of rain, the latter of rains, many showers in one; but all are the showers of His strength: the power of G-d is to be observed as much in the small rain that soaks into the earth as in the great rain that batters on the house-top and washes away all before it.
It is the duty and interest of all men to fear G-d. Those that will not fear the L-rd and His goodness shall for ever tremble under the pouring out of the vials of His wrath.
Matthew Henry
How Elihu describes them:
1. Their original, not their second causes, but the first. G-d directs the thunder, and the lightning is His in 37:3. Their production and motion are not from chance, but from the counsel of G-d and under the direction and dominion of His providence, though to us they seem accidental and ungovernable.
2. Their extent. The claps of thunder roll under the whole heaven, and are heard far and near; so are the lightings darted to the ends of the earth; they come out of the one part under heaven and shine to the other.
3. Their order. The lightning is first directed, and after it a voice roars in Job 37:4. The flash of fire, and the noise it makes in a watery cloud, are really at the same time; but, because the motion of light is much quicker than that of sound, we see the lightning some time before we hear the thunder, as we see the firing of a great gun at a distance before we hear the report of it. The thunder is here called the voice of G-d's excellence, because by it He proclaims His transcendent power and greatness. He sends forth His voice and that a mighty voice, Ps. 68:33.
4. Their violence. He will not stay them, that is, He does not need to check them, or hold them back, lest they should grow unruly and out of His power to restrain them, but lets them take their course, says to them, Go, and they go--Come, and they come--Do this, and they do it. He will not stay the rains and showers that usually follow upon the thunder (which He had spoken of, in 36: 27, 29, but will pour them out upon the earth when His voice is heard. Thunder-showers are sweeping rains, and for them He makes the lightings, Ps. 135:7.
5. The inference he draws from all this, in v. 5. Does G-d thunder thus marvellously with His voice? We must then conclude that His other works are great, and such as we cannot comprehend. From this one instance we may argue to all, that, in the dispensations of His providence, there is that which is too great, too strong, for us to oppose or strive against, and too high, too deep, for us to arraign or quarrel with.
The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to G-d the director of them, who shows His power and serves the purposes of His providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of G-d, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which make less noise.
Notice of the winter-weather, when He speaks the word the small rain distils and the great rain pours down as He pleases--the winter-rain. Then He says to the snow, Be thou on the earth; He commissions it, He commands it, He appoints it, where it shall light and how long it shall lie. He speaks, and it is done. The distinction in the Hebrew between the small rain and the great rain is this, that the former is called a shower of rain, the latter of rains, many showers in one; but all are the showers of His strength: the power of G-d is to be observed as much in the small rain that soaks into the earth as in the great rain that batters on the house-top and washes away all before it.
It is the duty and interest of all men to fear G-d. Those that will not fear the L-rd and His goodness shall for ever tremble under the pouring out of the vials of His wrath.
Matthew Henry
Thunder Storms twofold effects
[Job 36:27] For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
[27-28 For - Having affirmed that G-d's works are incomprehensibly great and glorious, he now proves it from the most common works of nature and providence. And hence he leaves it to Job to consider how much more deep and inconceivable the secret counsels of G-d must be.
Water - weighs much more than air and is converted by solar energy into vapor state. Since water vapor is lighter than air, the winds can first elevate, and then transport the water from the oceans to the lands where it is needed. There, under the right conditions, the vapor can condense around dust particles, salt particles, or other nuclei of condensation. This appears simply to refer to evaporation, "he exhales;" detaches the smallest particles of the aqueous mass from the surface in order to form clouds, as reservoirs for the purpose of furnishing rain for the watering of the earth. G-d is seen in little things, as well as great things; and the unthinkably little, as well as the spectacularly great, are equally the work of Omnipotence.
They pour down rain - These exceedingly minute drops or vapour become collected in clouds; and then, when agitated by winds, many particles being united, they become too heavy to be sustained by the air in which they before were suspended, and so fall down in rain, which is either a mist, a drizzle, a shower, a storm, or a waterspout, according to the influence of different winds, or the presence and quantum of the electric fluid. And all this is proportioned, "to its vapour," to the quantity of the fluid evaporated and condensed into clouds.]
[28] Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
[Clouds do drop - When this happens, clouds are formed. Water vapor is invisible, whereas clouds are aggregations of liquid water droplets. Rains descend, and the clouds cover with their shadows multitudes of men: He hath appointed to animals to know the order of their dwellings. At the contemplation of these things is not your mind transported, and your heart ready to part from your body?"]
[29] Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
[Can any understand the spreadings of the clouds – to different winds and currents which might drive it all to the sandy deserts, or direct its course so that it should fall again into the great deep from which it has been exhaled, without watering and refreshing the earth; yet so does the good and wise providence of G-d manage this matter, that every part of the arable terrene surface receives an ample supply; and in every place, where requisite, it may be truly said that "The rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and water the earth, and cause it to bring forth and bud, that it may minister seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater, supplying the wants of the earth, of men, and of cattle?” I ask, with Elihu, "Who can understand the spreadings of these clouds?"
Noise - The noise must refer to the blowing of winds and tempests. or to the claps, peals, and rattling of thunder, by means of the electric fluid.
His tabernacle - The thunder produced in the clouds, which are often called G-d's tent or tabernacle. By the tabernacle we may understand the whole firmament or atmospheric expansion; the place where the Almighty seems more particularly to dwell; whence He sends forth the rain of His strength, and the thunder of His power.]
[30] Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
[Light upon it - This is spoken in reference to the flashes and coruscations of lightning in the time of thunder storms, when, even in a dark night, a sudden flash illuminates for a moment the surface of the earth under that place.
Covers the bottom - roots
Of the sea - namely, with the light. In the storm the depths of ocean are laid bare; and the light "covers" them, at the same moment that it "spreads" across the dark sky. So in Ps. 18:14-15, the discovering of "the channels of waters" follows the lightning’s. "He spreads His light upon Himself, and covereth Himself with the roots of the sea" Ps. 104:2. G-d's garment is woven of celestial light and of the watery depths, raised to the sky to form His cloudy canopy. The phrase, "cover Himself with the roots of the sea," is harsh; but the image is grand. the depths of the sea are as much under His control and influence as the atmosphere, and its whole collection of vapors, meteors, and galvanic and electric fluids.]
[31] For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
[Judges the people - He makes storms, tempests, winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunder and lightning, drought and inundation, the instruments of His justice, to punish rebellious nations.
Meat in abundance - Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness. Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness.
Rain and lighting - by them He judges (chastises on the one hand), (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat (food). The twofold effects of His waters are set forth, so here, of His light; in the one hand, destructive lightning against the wicked; in the other, and the genial light for good to His friends.]
[32] With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
[Clouds - With thick and black clouds spread over the whole heavens.
Light - The sun.
The cloud - Which G-d interposes as a veil between the sun and earth.]
[33] The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
[The noise - The thunder gives notice of the approaching rain.
Also - And as the thunder, so also the cattle sheweth, concerning the vapour, concerning the coming of the rain, by a strange instinct, seeking for shelter, when a change of weather is near.
How wonderful and marvelous are His creations!!
As pretty as the clouds can be, I sometimes wonder if He removed the veil we could see directly into the heavenly.
[27-28 For - Having affirmed that G-d's works are incomprehensibly great and glorious, he now proves it from the most common works of nature and providence. And hence he leaves it to Job to consider how much more deep and inconceivable the secret counsels of G-d must be.
Water - weighs much more than air and is converted by solar energy into vapor state. Since water vapor is lighter than air, the winds can first elevate, and then transport the water from the oceans to the lands where it is needed. There, under the right conditions, the vapor can condense around dust particles, salt particles, or other nuclei of condensation. This appears simply to refer to evaporation, "he exhales;" detaches the smallest particles of the aqueous mass from the surface in order to form clouds, as reservoirs for the purpose of furnishing rain for the watering of the earth. G-d is seen in little things, as well as great things; and the unthinkably little, as well as the spectacularly great, are equally the work of Omnipotence.
They pour down rain - These exceedingly minute drops or vapour become collected in clouds; and then, when agitated by winds, many particles being united, they become too heavy to be sustained by the air in which they before were suspended, and so fall down in rain, which is either a mist, a drizzle, a shower, a storm, or a waterspout, according to the influence of different winds, or the presence and quantum of the electric fluid. And all this is proportioned, "to its vapour," to the quantity of the fluid evaporated and condensed into clouds.]
[28] Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
[Clouds do drop - When this happens, clouds are formed. Water vapor is invisible, whereas clouds are aggregations of liquid water droplets. Rains descend, and the clouds cover with their shadows multitudes of men: He hath appointed to animals to know the order of their dwellings. At the contemplation of these things is not your mind transported, and your heart ready to part from your body?"]
[29] Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
[Can any understand the spreadings of the clouds – to different winds and currents which might drive it all to the sandy deserts, or direct its course so that it should fall again into the great deep from which it has been exhaled, without watering and refreshing the earth; yet so does the good and wise providence of G-d manage this matter, that every part of the arable terrene surface receives an ample supply; and in every place, where requisite, it may be truly said that "The rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and water the earth, and cause it to bring forth and bud, that it may minister seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater, supplying the wants of the earth, of men, and of cattle?” I ask, with Elihu, "Who can understand the spreadings of these clouds?"
Noise - The noise must refer to the blowing of winds and tempests. or to the claps, peals, and rattling of thunder, by means of the electric fluid.
His tabernacle - The thunder produced in the clouds, which are often called G-d's tent or tabernacle. By the tabernacle we may understand the whole firmament or atmospheric expansion; the place where the Almighty seems more particularly to dwell; whence He sends forth the rain of His strength, and the thunder of His power.]
[30] Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
[Light upon it - This is spoken in reference to the flashes and coruscations of lightning in the time of thunder storms, when, even in a dark night, a sudden flash illuminates for a moment the surface of the earth under that place.
Covers the bottom - roots
Of the sea - namely, with the light. In the storm the depths of ocean are laid bare; and the light "covers" them, at the same moment that it "spreads" across the dark sky. So in Ps. 18:14-15, the discovering of "the channels of waters" follows the lightning’s. "He spreads His light upon Himself, and covereth Himself with the roots of the sea" Ps. 104:2. G-d's garment is woven of celestial light and of the watery depths, raised to the sky to form His cloudy canopy. The phrase, "cover Himself with the roots of the sea," is harsh; but the image is grand. the depths of the sea are as much under His control and influence as the atmosphere, and its whole collection of vapors, meteors, and galvanic and electric fluids.]
[31] For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
[Judges the people - He makes storms, tempests, winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunder and lightning, drought and inundation, the instruments of His justice, to punish rebellious nations.
Meat in abundance - Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness. Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness.
Rain and lighting - by them He judges (chastises on the one hand), (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat (food). The twofold effects of His waters are set forth, so here, of His light; in the one hand, destructive lightning against the wicked; in the other, and the genial light for good to His friends.]
[32] With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
[Clouds - With thick and black clouds spread over the whole heavens.
Light - The sun.
The cloud - Which G-d interposes as a veil between the sun and earth.]
[33] The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
[The noise - The thunder gives notice of the approaching rain.
Also - And as the thunder, so also the cattle sheweth, concerning the vapour, concerning the coming of the rain, by a strange instinct, seeking for shelter, when a change of weather is near.
How wonderful and marvelous are His creations!!
As pretty as the clouds can be, I sometimes wonder if He removed the veil we could see directly into the heavenly.
Bound in cords of affliction
[Job 36:8] And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
[Bound and holden in cords - These are means which G-d uses, not of punishment, but of correction.]
[9] Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
[Work – He shows them the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Have exceeded - that they have strengthened themselves, and did not trust in the living G-d; and therefore they would not help themselves when trouble came.]
[10] He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
[Open and commands - He gives them to understand the reason why they are thus corrected, and commands them to return from those iniquities which have induced Him to visit them with afflictions and distresses.]
[11] If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
[If they obey and serve Him - There may appear in the course of Providence to be some exceptions to this general rule; but it is most true, that this is literally or spiritually fulfilled to all the genuine followers of G-d. Every man is happy, in whatsoever circumstances, whose heart is unreservedly dedicated to his Maker.]
[12] But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
[Perish by the sword - Instead of they shall perish by the sword, the meaning of the Hebrew is, "By a dart they shall pass by." They shall be in continual dangers, and often fall before they have lived out half their days.]
[13] But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
[Hypocrites in heart - The hypocrite is he who has the form but not the power, though he wishes to be thought as inwardly righteous as he is outwardly correct; and he takes up the profession of religion only to serve secular ends.
Cry not - They are too stubborn to humble themselves even under the mighty hand of G-d.
Bindeth - With the cords of affliction.]
[14] They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
[Die in youth - the psalmist says, "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days," Ps. 55:23. Literally, the words of Elihu are, "They shall die in the youth of their soul."
Among the unclean - among the whores, harlots, prostitutes, and sodomites, though it also signifies consecrated persons. They shall die by some exemplary stroke of Divine vengeance. Yea, and after death, their life is among the unclean, the unclean spirits, the devil and his angels, for ever excluded from the New Jerusalem, into which no unclean thing shall enter.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[21] Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
[Regard not iniquity - you have preferred death to affliction, thereby setting your wisdom against the wisdom of G-d. Many in affliction, long for death; and yet they are not prepared to appear before G-d! What madness is this! If he takes them at their wish, they are ruined for ever. Affliction may be the means of their salvation; the wished-for death, of their eternal destruction.
Chosen - you hast chosen rather to quarrel with G-d, and censure His judgments, than quietly to submit to them.]
Have you ever felt like you were bound in affliction?
Had a death wish that needs canceling out?
You don’t want to die in the youth of your soul and let life get you down. Learn to rejoice in all circumstances for we only see in part, He is in control!
[Bound and holden in cords - These are means which G-d uses, not of punishment, but of correction.]
[9] Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
[Work – He shows them the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Have exceeded - that they have strengthened themselves, and did not trust in the living G-d; and therefore they would not help themselves when trouble came.]
[10] He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
[Open and commands - He gives them to understand the reason why they are thus corrected, and commands them to return from those iniquities which have induced Him to visit them with afflictions and distresses.]
[11] If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
[If they obey and serve Him - There may appear in the course of Providence to be some exceptions to this general rule; but it is most true, that this is literally or spiritually fulfilled to all the genuine followers of G-d. Every man is happy, in whatsoever circumstances, whose heart is unreservedly dedicated to his Maker.]
[12] But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
[Perish by the sword - Instead of they shall perish by the sword, the meaning of the Hebrew is, "By a dart they shall pass by." They shall be in continual dangers, and often fall before they have lived out half their days.]
[13] But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
[Hypocrites in heart - The hypocrite is he who has the form but not the power, though he wishes to be thought as inwardly righteous as he is outwardly correct; and he takes up the profession of religion only to serve secular ends.
Cry not - They are too stubborn to humble themselves even under the mighty hand of G-d.
Bindeth - With the cords of affliction.]
[14] They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
[Die in youth - the psalmist says, "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days," Ps. 55:23. Literally, the words of Elihu are, "They shall die in the youth of their soul."
Among the unclean - among the whores, harlots, prostitutes, and sodomites, though it also signifies consecrated persons. They shall die by some exemplary stroke of Divine vengeance. Yea, and after death, their life is among the unclean, the unclean spirits, the devil and his angels, for ever excluded from the New Jerusalem, into which no unclean thing shall enter.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[21] Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
[Regard not iniquity - you have preferred death to affliction, thereby setting your wisdom against the wisdom of G-d. Many in affliction, long for death; and yet they are not prepared to appear before G-d! What madness is this! If he takes them at their wish, they are ruined for ever. Affliction may be the means of their salvation; the wished-for death, of their eternal destruction.
Chosen - you hast chosen rather to quarrel with G-d, and censure His judgments, than quietly to submit to them.]
Have you ever felt like you were bound in affliction?
Had a death wish that needs canceling out?
You don’t want to die in the youth of your soul and let life get you down. Learn to rejoice in all circumstances for we only see in part, He is in control!
Hyprocrite in Politics
[Job 34:30] That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
[Hypocrite - is not meant a common hypocrite in religion, but an hypocrite in politics; who pretends to great humanity and goodness, to a tender care of the people, and a preservation of them in their rights and liberties, and promises to support and establish the constitution, and observe the laws of the nation, with a show of zeal for the religion professed in it.
But when he has ascended the throne, and got the power into his hands, he throws off the mask and becomes a tyrant. Men of such a temper, either G-d does not suffer to ascend the throne, but if they do get on it through pretense and deceit, He suffers them not to continue, but deposes them, and cuts their reign short.
The pride of hypocrites is they aim to reign; the praise of men, and power in the world, are their reward, what they aim at.
The policy of tyrants is when they aim to set up themselves they sometimes make use of religion as a cloak and cover for their ambition and by their hypocrisy come to the throne. Power, in the hands of dissemblers, is often destructive to the rights and liberties of a people, which they are more easily wheedled out of than forced out of.
Much mischief has been done likewise to the power of godliness under the pretence of a form of godliness.
Reign – G-d suffers not such to reign, but when he does it is because of the offences or sins of the people. He gives them such kings in His wrath, to punish them for their iniquities.
Ensnared - be brought into bondage, and lose their rights, privileges, and liberties; or lest they be drawn into sin by their precepts or examples, as in 1 Kgs. 12:28, 30. lest the people should be longer kept in the snares of oppression.
G-d doth this to free poor oppressed people from the snares which ungodly men lay for them]
The word hypocrite is found 11 times in Scripture and six of those are in the book of Job.
[Hypocrite - is not meant a common hypocrite in religion, but an hypocrite in politics; who pretends to great humanity and goodness, to a tender care of the people, and a preservation of them in their rights and liberties, and promises to support and establish the constitution, and observe the laws of the nation, with a show of zeal for the religion professed in it.
But when he has ascended the throne, and got the power into his hands, he throws off the mask and becomes a tyrant. Men of such a temper, either G-d does not suffer to ascend the throne, but if they do get on it through pretense and deceit, He suffers them not to continue, but deposes them, and cuts their reign short.
The pride of hypocrites is they aim to reign; the praise of men, and power in the world, are their reward, what they aim at.
The policy of tyrants is when they aim to set up themselves they sometimes make use of religion as a cloak and cover for their ambition and by their hypocrisy come to the throne. Power, in the hands of dissemblers, is often destructive to the rights and liberties of a people, which they are more easily wheedled out of than forced out of.
Much mischief has been done likewise to the power of godliness under the pretence of a form of godliness.
Reign – G-d suffers not such to reign, but when he does it is because of the offences or sins of the people. He gives them such kings in His wrath, to punish them for their iniquities.
Ensnared - be brought into bondage, and lose their rights, privileges, and liberties; or lest they be drawn into sin by their precepts or examples, as in 1 Kgs. 12:28, 30. lest the people should be longer kept in the snares of oppression.
G-d doth this to free poor oppressed people from the snares which ungodly men lay for them]
The word hypocrite is found 11 times in Scripture and six of those are in the book of Job.
In Dispute
[Job 34:3] For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
[The ear trieth words- The ear of the well thought-out tries words, whether what is said be true or false, right or wrong, and he that speaks must stand the test of the intelligent. A sanctified ear tries these; but then men must have such ears to hear, and be attentive to what they hear, and retain it; hear internally as well as externally; and which a man does when his ears are opened by the L-rd, from who are the hearing ear and seeing eye.
The mouth tasteth meat - As we must prove all things we hear, so we must be willing that what we speak should be proved. Words and doctrines are like meat, some good and some bad; and such that have a good taste try them, either a rational or rather a spiritual discernment: some have no spiritual taste, their taste is not changed, and therefore cannot distinguish, nor make any good judgment of things; but others have, and these discern the difference, relish truth, savor the things that be of G-d, taste the good Word of G-d, and esteem it more than their necessary food; and it is sweeter to them than the honey or the honeycomb.]
[4] Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.[Let us - Not contend for victory, but for truth and equity. He does not pretend to be sole dictator, nor undertake to say what is just and good and what is not, but he is willing to join with them in searching it out, and desires a consultation: "Let us agree to lay aside all animosities and feuds, all narrow-mindedness and affectation of disagreement, and all stiffness in hold fast to the opinion we have once take up.”
Choose to ourselves judgment - Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, let us fix right principles on which to proceed, and then take right methods for finding out truth. Let us not seek the applause of men, nor contend for victory. Let our aim be to obtain correct views and notions of all things; and let us labor to find out what is good.
Among ourselves - and let us know among ourselves, by comparing notes and communicating our reasons, what is good and what is otherwise We are then likely to discern what is right when we agree to assist one another in searching it out.]
[11] For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
[For the work of man – G-d ever will do justice; the righteous shall never be forsaken, nor shall the wicked ultimately prosper. Good works shall be rewarded and evil works either punished or satisfied for; so that sooner or later, in this world or in that to come, He will cause every man to find according to his ways.]
[15] All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
[All – G-d's absolute and uncontrollable sovereignty over all mankind.
Perish together - What He may do with us without doing us wrong. He may recall the being He gave, of which we are but tenants at will, and which also we have forfeited; and therefore, as long as that is continued of His mere favour, we have no reason to cry out of wrong, whatever other comforts are removed.
Dust - Gen. 3:19 unto dust shall thou return.]
[21] For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. [For – G-d does not destroy either prince or people unjustly, no nor out of His mere pleasure, but for their sins, which He sees exactly, although they use all possible arts to hide them.
His eyes - Which denotes the omniscience of G-d, which reaches to every man, to every individual, and to all men in general; and to their ways, to every step taken by them, to the whole of their lives and conversations, and every action of them; to all their internal and external ways and goings?
He seeth all - all their inward thoughts, the workings of their mind, the imaginations of their heart; their entire secret purposes, designs, and schemes; and all the desires and affections of their soul; and all these, whether good or bad, the whole of his walk and conversation, conduct and behavior; all his external ways, works, and actions. Ps. 139:1-6.]
[The ear trieth words- The ear of the well thought-out tries words, whether what is said be true or false, right or wrong, and he that speaks must stand the test of the intelligent. A sanctified ear tries these; but then men must have such ears to hear, and be attentive to what they hear, and retain it; hear internally as well as externally; and which a man does when his ears are opened by the L-rd, from who are the hearing ear and seeing eye.
The mouth tasteth meat - As we must prove all things we hear, so we must be willing that what we speak should be proved. Words and doctrines are like meat, some good and some bad; and such that have a good taste try them, either a rational or rather a spiritual discernment: some have no spiritual taste, their taste is not changed, and therefore cannot distinguish, nor make any good judgment of things; but others have, and these discern the difference, relish truth, savor the things that be of G-d, taste the good Word of G-d, and esteem it more than their necessary food; and it is sweeter to them than the honey or the honeycomb.]
[4] Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.[Let us - Not contend for victory, but for truth and equity. He does not pretend to be sole dictator, nor undertake to say what is just and good and what is not, but he is willing to join with them in searching it out, and desires a consultation: "Let us agree to lay aside all animosities and feuds, all narrow-mindedness and affectation of disagreement, and all stiffness in hold fast to the opinion we have once take up.”
Choose to ourselves judgment - Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, let us fix right principles on which to proceed, and then take right methods for finding out truth. Let us not seek the applause of men, nor contend for victory. Let our aim be to obtain correct views and notions of all things; and let us labor to find out what is good.
Among ourselves - and let us know among ourselves, by comparing notes and communicating our reasons, what is good and what is otherwise We are then likely to discern what is right when we agree to assist one another in searching it out.]
[11] For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
[For the work of man – G-d ever will do justice; the righteous shall never be forsaken, nor shall the wicked ultimately prosper. Good works shall be rewarded and evil works either punished or satisfied for; so that sooner or later, in this world or in that to come, He will cause every man to find according to his ways.]
[15] All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
[All – G-d's absolute and uncontrollable sovereignty over all mankind.
Perish together - What He may do with us without doing us wrong. He may recall the being He gave, of which we are but tenants at will, and which also we have forfeited; and therefore, as long as that is continued of His mere favour, we have no reason to cry out of wrong, whatever other comforts are removed.
Dust - Gen. 3:19 unto dust shall thou return.]
[21] For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. [For – G-d does not destroy either prince or people unjustly, no nor out of His mere pleasure, but for their sins, which He sees exactly, although they use all possible arts to hide them.
His eyes - Which denotes the omniscience of G-d, which reaches to every man, to every individual, and to all men in general; and to their ways, to every step taken by them, to the whole of their lives and conversations, and every action of them; to all their internal and external ways and goings?
He seeth all - all their inward thoughts, the workings of their mind, the imaginations of their heart; their entire secret purposes, designs, and schemes; and all the desires and affections of their soul; and all these, whether good or bad, the whole of his walk and conversation, conduct and behavior; all his external ways, works, and actions. Ps. 139:1-6.]
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